Poker is a game of incomplete information. Every action (check, call, raise, fold) gives away bits of information to your opponents. They are constantly piecing together those actions to form a story about you and your intentions, and using that information to make decisions. Ultimately, poker is about reading those stories and changing your strategy accordingly.

Position

Position plays a huge role in your starting hand range and strategy. The earlier your position, the more risk you take as you are acting first and only have a small amount of information to work with before your opponents act. Late positions, on the other hand, have more information to work with before they act and can adjust their starting hand range accordingly.

Stacking

Stacking is a key component of poker that you can use to maximize the value of your strong hands. Essentially, you want to be the last player to act before your opponent, as this allows you to inflate the pot and get more money for your strong hands. It also enables you to exercise pot control by calling if you have a mediocre or drawing hand, which can keep the pot size in check.

To be successful at poker, you must be willing to sacrifice some of your own desires. It’s not easy to play against your natural tendencies and stick to a well-defined plan. However, that’s what separates the good players from the great ones. Good players don’t just want to win; they enjoy playing the game and find satisfaction in overcoming the ups and downs of the game.