Daniel Negreanu

“In karate, as your skill level increases, your instructor presents you with the next belt. But in poker, only you can decide when it's time to graduate to the next level. That's a tricky proposition for some players because it's difficult to assess your own progress.”

“Experienced no-limit Texas Hold'em players understand the importance of reading flop texture.”

“In tournaments, you want to steal the blinds as cheaply as possible without risking a high percentage of your chips.”

“The World Series of Poker has always attracted a competitive international field.”

“In poker, position is power. When you've got position, play more hands and apply more pressure before the flop.”

“While sophisticated plays can work in poker, if attempted by an inexperienced player, they'll usually backfire. Elaborate bluffs and check-raises are best left to experienced players. It's just like golf: don't try to hit a tricky flop shot with that 25-handicap of yours!”

“To be a great poker player, you're going to have to learn this fact: Everything that's said at a poker table is worth listening to. It's all information that you can use to make better decisions, whether people are talking about baseball, politics, or, oh yeah, poker.”

“If you are in a poker game for money and are taking it easy on one of your buddies, you are cheating yourself, your friend, and every other player in the game.”

“Bluffing is most effective when done sporadically; bluff too often, and you'll blow your credibility.”

“In tournaments, players typically raise when they enter the pot. In cash games, though, players are more likely to limp in before the flop. That's because cash games are usually deeper-stacked, meaning that players will have a higher ratio of chips in relation to the blinds than they would in a tournament.”

“Missing even one night of shuteye will impact your ability to concentrate the next day. And it only gets worse if you deprive yourself of sleep night after night.”

“It's imperative to save a few chips whenever possible when playing small-ball poker. You never want to risk a high percentage of your chips unless you're dealt a monster hand.”

“Chess is a great training ground for poker players because it's a math-based game, much like backgammon is.”

“Always keep in mind that poker is about limiting your losses and maximizing your gains on every hand you play.”

“One pair rarely wins an Omaha pot, even if that pair is aces. In Hold'em, on the other hand, a pair of aces is right around the average winning hand.”

“I became vegan in 2006 when I started taking healthy eating seriously.”

“In No Limit hold'em tournaments, size your bets based on your opponent's skill level. You can cut corners by betting wisely - save a little here and make a little extra there.”

“I seldom reraise before the flop no matter what my hand is. By so doing, I'm able to disguise the strength of my hand and can trap unsuspecting opponents who interpret my smooth call as a sign of weakness.”

“The world's most successful tournament competitors - like me, Phil Ivey, Erick Lindgren, Phil Hellmuth, and countless others - like to play small ball poker. It's a style that we use to steadily increase our stacks in no limit hold'em tournaments without having to assume significant risk.”

“In golf, no one learns to hit a draw, a fade, or a cut shot until they've been taught how to hit the ball straight. Similarly, novice poker players need to learn how to 'hit it straight' before taking on more difficult concepts.”