After a long time, admiring Poker from the side-lines, I decided to give it a try. Growing up, I played cards with my siblings and a few times, my Dad and Mum would yell over us playing, saying it’s a bad game and I think that’s why at some point I stopped playing.

My Mum would sometimes throw the cards in the cabbage and on extreme days put them in the fire but my brothers would sneak new ones into their room.

Like any other game that is not very much played in the spotlight like soccer, rugby, and the other famous ones, poker has a lot of misconceptions but that’s just it. They are only fallacies.
The myths lay around being successful at the game itself but are also about why it is a bad game.

If you win Poker today and lose tomorrow it has less to do with luck or mathematics. Like Jack London said; Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.”

After my curiosity sent me to start reading and researching about Poker, I thought we should put all the Poker myths to rest.

Over a series of 5 different articles, I’ll be sharing everything you need to know about Poker. Tips for winning, how to deal with your mindset and even how to entirely live off Poker.

But first, here are the major Poker myths you should get out of your head.

Myth 1: POKER IS FOR THE MATH GENIUSES
Yes, learning what I call poker math can increase your chances of winning because mats is surely applicable in most poker games, however, it is just basic maths. So, the math genius myth should not scare you off.
Most newbies in the game are made to believe the “math genius” myth, but that’s not true. All you need is a few basic calculations for your odds, a design plan and then you engage your hand smartly.
In poker, every hand is a winner and every hand is a loser. It has nothing to do with your big stacks, level of maths or whatever else they’ve scared you with.

Myth 2: BIG STACK, BETTER PLAY
A good player will frighten you with or without a stack. Don’t give the guy with the biggest stack a chance to assumingly take on the role of the “table captain”. This is not a poker rule.
Big stack size is a factor when deciding on a course of action during a hand game. In fact, your stack size is probably the most important single factor.
Don’t misquote me though, this doesn’t mean you should believe the short stack=tight
Criminal is when you are given a chance to run over but you decide not to play “table captain”. Just don’t force it.
It’s ok to go after everyone when you have a big stack but remember your game plan depends on the situation presented and the opposition your facing and not how big your stack is.

MYTH 3: Online Poker can always be Rigged
You see there’s no difference between online poker and offline poker, the rules are the same except some obvious differences that I will list for you below.

You don’t face each other online: So, the most basic difference is that online, you play with someone you can’t see while offline, you face each other.

The strategy of the game changes a bit: Maybe what else differs is the strategy of the game. With online Poker, corporeal facts are not to be relied on, you need to research about your opponents, and learn some betting habits. Offline, you can pick up on physical tells to gain insight into what hand your opponent is holding.

Creativity is key: On the Internet, creativity is key. You can’t know your opponent’s style by checking their stats unless you’ve played with that opponent. Playing with an opponent you’ve never played with before significantly differs online from offline. With online poker, you need greater logical ideas. Live poker, trust your intuitions and conceal emotions. Rigging is just another myth newbies believe.

So, Nah, online poker is not always rigged.

Author's Bio: 

Esther Muwombi is a content marketing expert with 11 years’ experience. Esther loves to work with start-ups and medium sized companies to help them get up, spread their wings and go! When she's not writing, she relaxes with her family by the beach.