Poker is a fascinating game that has developed its own language and terminology. If you’re new to the game, you may encounter terms that are unfamiliar or confusing. One such term is rounder, which refers to a skilled poker player. In this article, we’ll explore what a rounder is and how to become one.
A rounder in poker is a professional player who travels from city to city or casino to casino playing high-stakes cash games and tournaments. These players are highly skilled and are often able to read their opponents well. They are also disciplined when it comes to managing their bankroll and making bets. In addition, they are able to play multiple tables at once.
Many experts believe that the 1998 movie Rounders starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton played an important role in getting people interested in poker. The movie depicted the underground world of high-stakes poker and showed that the game could be won with a lot of skill, not just by chance. Lou Krieger, a poker writer and former pro player, agreed that Rounders helped increase interest in the game by showing that poker was a skillful game rather than a gambling game.
Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) becomes a rounder after losing a large sum of money to a Russian mobster. He promises his girlfriend that he will quit gambling, but when his friend Worm (Edward Norton) needs to pay off a debt, they both decide to turn to poker. They make millions in a short period of time and are soon playing regular underground games. The movie is a cult classic in the world of poker and continues to influence new players today.
If you’re a serious poker player, you’ll want to start by building a bankroll that’s big enough to participate in all the games and tournaments you plan on joining. A good rule of thumb is to keep one part of your bankroll for everyday play and another for contingencies. This will prevent you from making big mistakes that will hurt your poker career.
The key to becoming a rounder is knowing when to be aggressive and when to slow down. You can use the information you have about your opponents to make these decisions, such as how much they’re betting when they have a strong hand and how much they’re betting when they have weak hands. You can also learn to spot tells, which are small changes in a player’s behavior that indicate that they’re bluffing or not.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to move up to higher stakes. However, you should remember that it’s always risky to play at these levels. To reduce the risk, you should try to win a few hands before raising your bets. This will help you build your confidence and improve your chances of winning. Also, don’t be afraid to bluff once in a while. This will increase your odds of winning a big pot and boost your bankroll.