Levels of Thinking

There are different levels of thinking that a player can show while playing poker. Depending on the level of thinking that you are on the trickier your plays can get. Now, normally, the player who is thinking in the higher level will normally win more. There are suck outs and what not, but for the most part you will out play your opponent by thinking ahead of them.

Thinking in Poker

1. Level 0 – When someone is playing on level zero this is like playing a game of solitaire. The player looks at their hand and the flop and that is all that they are thinking about. These players normally like to see a large range of hands to showdown, so bluffing them is not the best idea. As an example of this a player with the hand of K2 on a flop of K98 with a flush draw seeing the hand down to the river with top pair no kicker.
2. Level 1 – A level one thinker thinks about their hand and the flop and their opponent’s hand and the flop. Most players are on this level of thinking because it is just beyond being an idiot, but not too far in depth of thought. Most of them will think about what hands can beat them more than what hand does my opponent have. These players are still not that great. You should be able to get a lot of value from them with bluffs and steal attempts. For instance these players will normally fold to a good bet when a flush comes in even if you were the preflop raiser and more than likely have unsuited high cards.
3. Level 2 – A level 2 thinking player thinks about their hand and their opponent’s hand and the flop, and also thinks about what their opponent thinks about their hand. When you make a steal attempt with a hand like K9 on the button, you still continuation bet an AT2 flop. This is because when you raise preflop you represent big cards. So your opponent thinks you have big cards. The A hits and you are betting so they probably think that you hit the A. Your decision is clear after this play. They either call or raise when they have the A or they fold to you.
4. Level 3 – Level 3 thinking involves both your hand and your opponent’s hand and the flop, what your opponent thinks about your hand, and also what your opponent thinks you think about their hand. Now this might sound confusing because it is. This is where some of the most skilled pro players like Phil Ivey and Doyle Brunson shine at. They have the raw skill to know what their opponent is thinking at every second of each hand. By knowing what your opponent thinks you think, you can play the opposite of that increasing your chances to take advantage of how they play.
5. Level 4 – You would most definitely have to be a pro poker player to think on level 4. This involves your hand and your opponent’s hand and the flop. What your opponent thinks about your hand is taken into consideration, and also what your opponent thinks you think about their hand. For level 4 thinking you also have to think about what they think you think they have… That seems very complicated because it again is. To be on this level of instinctive thinking is close to impossible and requires a lot of natural skill. Work for this level of thinking and some day you can be there like top poker pros Phil Ivey or Patrik Antonius.

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