But, it is equally important even more to identify the highly skilled players at your table. Be careful when playing against them. If there are two or more at your table, consider changing the table. And, if there is only one highly skilled player, you might try to change your seat so that he states before you have to act. That information can be vital to your poker health.

How do you know? To begin with, highly skilled players are more likely to have more chips that the average player presents. That’s a pretty good hint – but not 100% accurate.

Another way: A highly skilled player will likely dump most of the cards sent to him. On average, truly unskilled players stayed to see the flop more than one in four hands from late; and it pays to see less of the starting positions visit poker88.

A highly skilled player will play the marginal card only if it is a multiway pot (three or more opponents who stand to see the flop) and there is no raise. Then, too, it was more difficult to read the hands of highly skilled players; they made me guess. And those who are more prone to mixing up their strategies and tactics, make me even more uncertain.

On that basis, I have now added an “S” – for highly skilled (can also mean “shark”) – next to the sitting position of the opponent. With nine or ten players at a full table, and players coming and going, this visual notation is easier to play without unnecessary stress.

Always try to improve your game. This simple change in my notes certainly helps.