Training Yourself

• 1). Know the game. Whichever game you're playing, know every rule. In poker, know which variation of the game you are playing and know the rank of hands. In blackjack, know when you can split your hand, when the dealer has to hold and when to double down.
  
  This sounds obvious, but many players sit down at a casino or home game and happily wager their money without knowing precisely how the game works.
  
  
• 2). Know the odds. Math is key to poker and blackjack. In poker, know the percentage chance of catching the cards you want (this is called "pot odds," and knowing pot odds will pay off far better than relying on dumb luck). The simplest way to calculate pot odds is to divide the number of unknown cards by the number of cards that can help you (this depends on which hand you are trying to get.) If the answer is four, for example, you have a four-to-one shot at getting the cards you need.
  
  In blackjack, the best players use basic strategy, a probability-based chart that tells players what to do in every possible situation. These charts are available for free at sites such as blackjackinfo.com.
  
  
• 3). Fold before it gets ugly. A bad poker player starts with a poor hand, then throws money behind it in the hopes that dumb luck will put him on top. Good poker players know that folding a bad hand will protect their money and allow them to play more, therefore increasing their chances of getting truly good cards.
  
  
• 4). Count cards. Contrary to what many believe, card counting in blackjack is perfectly legal (though risky--casino pit bosses are experts at detecting card counters, and are free to have them removed or banned from the property). Card counting requires discipline and practice. Essentially, card counting is the ability to keep track of the cards that have been played and use that information to decide whether to hit, stand, double the bet or split the hand. Card-counting tutorials can be found online at sites such as blackjackinfo.com.
  
  
• 5). Have good table manners. Great poker players read their opponents and reveal nothing about their hands. Reading opponents can be tricky, especially when playing with strangers. It requires a good memory of a player's habits and mannerisms. For example, many poker players have "tells" or subtle signals they send when they have good or bad hands. This is why professionals obscure their faces with hats or sunglasses. Keeping a good poker face is slightly easier; it merely requires you to react to every hand consistently (ideally, not to react at all.)
  
  

Learning From Others

• 1). Watch TV. Poker is a staple on a number of TV stations, and they provide a wealth of knowledge as to the habits of successful players. Observing the professionals as they quietly catch great cards or bluff their way to the top can be great training for your next home game or trip to the casino.
  
  
• 2). Talk to good players. If you play a regular friendly game, notice the players who win a lot and ask them for insight as to their strategy (but not during the game).
  
  
• 3). Read books. The publishing industry has recognized that many people want to be great card players, and they've met the demand by printing volumes of knowledge from the experts. Poker legend Doyle Brunson, for example, has published "Doyle Brunson's Super System," a colorful and comprehensive guide to his methods and strategies. For blackjack, the book "Bringing Down The House" sheds light on basic strategy as well as a far more complex system that students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology used to win millions at casinos around the country.