Poker is an extremely complex game.  While it can be played at a lower level of strategy, the depth that can be reached in the strategy is amazing.  When professional poker players play (especially in tournaments), they take into consideration all sorts of factors before they ever play the game.  Here are just a few of those factors:

Consider the types of games you will be playing.

The are numerous variations of poker.  Hundreds if not thousands of variations exist, though they all have the same basic principles.  Before you play it is wise to think about what variants will be played and to brush up on the probability figures for that particular game.

Consider the environment that you will be playing in.

This is often not a very large concern, but it may help to think about where you will be playing.  For example, there is a large difference between playing in casino with people all around you and playing in a private home where it’s much easier to conceal your cards.

Consider your opponents.

This is by far the most important and difficult of the factors to consider.  Thinking about the play style, betting habits, and background knowledge of each of the other players is both complicated and crucial.  Also, this concern continues during the actual game-play and can’t always be thought about ahead of time.

During game-play it is important to recognize “tells” in your opponents.  Tells are the small and usually involuntary movements that reveal when a player is thinking a certain way.  The most classic example of this is unintentional movements that reveal when a player is bluffing.  These “tells” are generally different for each person and should be searched for on a continuing basis.