Hamburg - A poker player who relies solely on luck will never be a good gambler. Experienced players say certain skills are required to consistently be on the winning side. Katja Thater of Hamburg, considered the top female poker player in Germany, revealed what these skills are in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
Thater has earned the nickname Lady Horror in the international poker scene because she can be mean at playing cards. Thater, who owns horses, got into poker playing by chance when she represented her husband in a large poker tournament. She now belongs to the professional team of the online gaming website PokerStars.
dpa: Can you say why you began playing poker?
Thater: It's fun, especially when it's competitively oriented and when you gauge yourself against other people. And it's a good way to earn money through a fantastic game.
dpa: What does it take to be a good player?
Thater: Patience, aggressiveness, a will to win and a tolerance for suffering.
dpa: What do you mean by aggressiveness? Is it about getting physical?
Thater: Aggressiveness in poker is not expressed by becoming physical, rather it's revealed in the position taken sitting at the table. It also includes constantly raising the pot and not letting up when applying pressure. Trash talk - verbal abuse - and verbal attempts to make the opponent insecure - also are a part of aggressiveness in poker.
dpa: What are the most common mistakes beginners commit?
Thater: Believing that bluffing is the most important thing. And it is a mistake to be a beginner at the game No-Limit Hold'em. Beyond that, you should not underestimate your opponent.
dpa: How important is it to go in for poker theory?
Thater: Very important. That is especially true in Cash Game where winning depends on the "long run."
dpa: The long run?
Thater: The long run is gamblers' slang meaning in the long term. Poker is not a game of chance like black jack or roulette. In these games players lose in the long run. The longer he sits and plays, the greater the probability of him losing. In poker it's the other way around. The more hands a good poker player plays, the greater the chances of him winning.
dpa: Do women play poker differently than men?
Thater: The definition of a good poker player doesn't include gender, skin colour or age. Every player uses his advantages according to his character.
dpa: Are we experiencing the beginning of a poker boom, or will the wave of excitement perhaps soon recede?
Thater: The boom has a long way to go before it ends.
