When we are building something in life, anything at all, it will need some sort of foundation to be build upon. This holds true in the physical universe as well in the mental universe.

If we want to build a structure, like a house, it will become clear that we first need to have a solid foundation to build upon, or find ourselves in some sort of situation that was not first intended.

The same concept; The necessity of a foundation, holds true when forming a mental construction, a mental image, such as a poker strategy.

Without a proper understanding of what we are building on, the things we are building will be at the mercy of chaos, as in unforeseen/unknown variables. We need to know the reasons for how we should do things.

What can we then do to prevent unforeseen variables from happening, when we play poker?

We attach our strategy with poker. Obvious right?
Well maybe, but it is not as simple as that. Because we need to do some abstract thinking before this can make sense.

So let us look at some statements to clairfy what we are trying to accomplish when we play poker.

We want to play in such a way that makes us the most money when we win.
We want to play in such a way that makes us lose less money when we lose.

The key here is then to merge these conclusions with some premises. We are working backwards here. As in, we know the effects we want to produce, but we do not yet know the causes of such effects. So the directions are there but we still need to understand how to align with them.

We need to dig out the "why".
Why do we win money and why do we lose money? Without knowing this we are powerless when we want to willfully produce the conclusions set above, our goals while playing: to maximize winnings and minimize losses.

The 8 premises:
Why do we win money in poker. And why do we lose money in poker.

  1. We win money when we call with the best hand.
  2. We lose money when we call with the worst hand.
  3. We lose money when we fold with the best hand
  4. We dont lose more money when we fold the worst hand.
  5. We win more money when we raise with the best hand and get called
  6. We lose more money when we raise with the worst hand and get called
  7. We win money when we raise with the best hand and everyone else fold
  8. We win money when we raise with the worst hand and everyone else fold

and you can add you own expansion pack to this. But the concept should be clear. The cause of what directs the money flow while playing poker. The act of checking is neutral.

We can condence the 8 premises into the following axioms.

1# We win chips by having the best hand or by making the best hand fold
or stated from the negative.
We don't win chips by not having the best hand or by not making the best hand fold.

And
2# We loose less chips by folding when we have the worst hand

Now we can formulate a plain strategy based on a sound foundation

In order to play perfect we should play our hands as if we could see the other active poker hands at the table, and play accordingly;
Fold when we should, call when we should, check when we should and raise when we should.
Or
Not fold when we should, not call when we should, not check when we should and not raise when we should.

In order to optimize our play according to our strategy, we must also remember to be practical. When we play poker we do not know the other hands at the table, we do not know what cards will be shown on the board. We actually lack a lot of information to play perfect. So what do we do?

We optimize! All the things we can! And that is a lot. This is why there are so many concepts concerned with playing poker. All of these concepts have a name referring to something in the game of poker. Like: "the flop", "check-raise", "variance", "position" etc. These concepts should all be assimilated one by one, as different parts of a whole, constituting a complete strategy, for every known aspect to poker.

To conclude our foundation for a sound strategy we can say that we now know something. And that something is in my opinion the only sound foundation a poker strategy can be build upon. We need to know what poker is as a primary condition. Then we need the foundation as a necessity for building a strategy on. Our foundation is why we win. Our strategy is how we win.

Poker is where we are about to build a house in.
Our foundation should be based upon how the rules of poker operate, like a real foundation for a house, should be based upon how the rules of nature operate.
Our strategy should then be build on our foundation, like a house should. The house must respect the foundation, like a good poker strategy must respect the foundation for winning in poker.

Whether you find this form of a foundation helpful or not, is really not the point I am trying to convey. The important thing is that you have a foundation to begin with, when you play poker. Something that supports how you act. This hold true in all areas of life. Poker is a tool where we can measure a specific effect and locate the cause of that effect. This mean that poker can enable one to predict mistakes when one learn why that mistake, was a mistake to beging with.

So what is a mistake?

A mistake is a compromise of what is true. And if you listen carefully poker will teach that. The whole world actually teaches that. Poker is just a concentrated or dedicated game to reveal the specific link between decision making and the consequences of such decisions that were made. Linking causes with their effects and effects with their causes. It is within the nature of the game itself, intented or not, but it is there as an accident regardless of opinion. Implicit in the game, embedded in the rules.

Why anyone want to confuse this beautiful game, that teaches "man" about "himself" and the nature of the nature in which "he" exist, with the abomination of the act of gambling. - Is perhaps because; Those who say such things, never build their understanding of poker, on a solid/sound foundation to begin with. ;)?

Poker is indeed a mind game, a mental sport. But it is also an art because it is something we do. Further it is a science because there is something to know. And it does not stop there because poker teaches metaphysic and requires philosophy and necessitates logic, it teaches psychology, it teaches numbers, language, concept formation, game theory, a way to earn a living, a learning platform. But most importantly, poker serves as a teacher and a sandbox for constructing stategies and a playground for testing the strategies.

And of course poker is also a really fun game and can be enjoyed, even with a gambler, casual or drunk approch, just like soccer or any other sport can be enjoyed intoxicated.

Below is a picture of me winning the next big SCORUM freeroll. The freerolls running every day is a perfect way to earn some coins without risking anything and improve your poker skills. Then you can always lose them later on to me :)