There are lots of strategies you can employ when you are playing poker, some of which are extremely easy to remember. Do you recall how, in grammar school, you were supposed to learn the three Rs? Reading, writing, and arithmetic — or ‘rithmetic, depending on how much your teacher paid attention to true alliteration. Anyway, the point is that, likewise, poker has five essential Ps which you can follow in order to play a much better game.

The first of these is patience, which is unquestionably important. Patience is required if you want to win; it is mandatory. You are not automatically going to get a good hand, and not every hand will be a good one. Realizing that and being willing to fold when you have a hopeless hand is a good way to ensure future victories. You have to wait for a good hand and always be sure to make the kind of moves and bets that will allow you to win.