Dogs playing poker.

This is how you play poker, short and sweet.

Base rule

Lots of same thing = good.

Learn the hands

They're easy to memorize and if got no time for that, there's always the good old cheat sheet. When you have two of a kind it's good, when you have three it's better. Raise the stakes. If you got nothing, don't despair. You can still win on a high card.

Shutterstock: Poker hands.

Act like a loser

Everyone loves a loser. No one suspects a loser. When a loser wins then they're a great winner. When a loser loses then that's expected so no harm done. When a loser snipes in and demolishes a tournament then that's the true skill of a loser. It's always "my first time playing".

Don't play safe

If you Fold until you get a great hand you're not going to win. Take a risk. Fold when you see that risk leading nowhere.

Keep an eye on the other players

Watch how they play. See if you can figure out their thought patterns, get into their heads. Nice and deep.

Slow time

The more your play the slower time goes. Don't panic, just keep your focus on the game. 10 seconds feels like 20, 5 seconds feels like 10. That just comes from experience. The more you do anything the faster you get and the slower the poker life goes.