07 Jan 2025 Intermediate This material is for medium-skilled players A-game mental game mindset moving up stakes As poker players acquire new knowledge about strategy and hone their skills, they develop a unique way of thinking, distinct from other areas of life. In most card games, some information about opponents is hidden, and players don’t fully know what others are holding. Specifically, no one knows their opponents’ hole cards. A poker player must decipher what their opponents are concealing while simultaneously masking or disguising the strength of their own hand. This dynamic sets the stage for the "mind games" encapsulated in the concept of levels of thinking in poker. Multiple Levels of Thinking (According to Sklansky & Miller) Poker is a relatively simple game, allowing even beginners who have just learned the rules and memorized hand rankings to have fun at the tables. For most casual players, this level of understanding suffices: they can focus on building strong hands and experimenting with occasional bluffs. However, for those aiming to climb the stakes, this basic approach is insufficient. These players strive to understand their opponents, notice behavioral patterns, and recognize unconventional strategies in various scenarios. This insight helps them make more informed decisions and, more importantly, enhances their strategic thinking. A skilled poker player begins to unlock different levels of thinking, gradually advancing through them. This progression makes their opponents increasingly predictable while rendering themselves less exploitable. The concept of levels of thinking in poker was introduced by renowned poker theorist David Sklansky in the late 1990s. In his seminal and timeless work, The Theory of Poker, he developed a framework for assessing a player’s overall skill based on their decision-making logic at the table. This classification remains relevant today, although some aspects of the theory are now debated. According to Sklansky, as poker players advance in their careers, they progressively build more complex logical patterns in their minds and begin thinking on deeper levels. This evolution enables them to outplay their opponents not only technically but also psychologically. This multi-layered approach is commonly referred to as "leveling". 5 Levels of Thinking in Poker David Sklansky's proposed leveling system consists of five "floors". From the highest level, a player can observe everything that happens below, while those on the lower levels are unaware of what's happening above them. Essentially, the system represents a path from a beginner to a strong regular player who moves up the stakes and encounters tougher opponents. The key indicator for determining a player's level is the type of questions they ask themselves during a hand. Level 0 (I Don’t Even Care) The so-called "level zero" refers to a complete beginner, someone who is still trying to grasp the rules, hand rankings, positions, and bet sizing. Every action of such a player at the table requires full concentration. For example, without considering the opponent's bet sizing, they might spend all their time trying to figure out if they've made a straight or not, only to make a wrong call and be surprised that the pot went to their opponent. Although a beginner asks themselves many questions at this level, most of them are not about strategy but about the basic points of the rules. All players have gone through this stage, some faster, others slower. While having such an opponent at the table is a gift for a regular, caution is advised when encountering them a little later - they may have developed some sort of strategy through trial and error after their first few sessions. Progress is fastest at this stage, as the leap from zero to one in poker is shorter than all subsequent steps. Level 1: Own Cards (What Do I Have) The first level of thinking in poker, according to Sklansky, applies to players who understand the rules and hand rankings but are still focused solely on their own hand. At this stage, the player evaluates their cards, connects them to the board, and makes decisions based on the actual strength or potential for making a nut hand. The algorithm is simple: missed — fold, hit or "connected" - bet or call. Despite its simplicity, the first level of thinking already allows players to ask themselves the right question: What do I have? And this forms the foundation for further progress. Level 2: Opponent’s Cards (What Do They Have) After gaining experience in recognizing hand combinations, a player begins to pay attention to the other participants in the hand. By observing their actions and showdowns, they realize that the plays made during the hand often do not correspond to the actual strength of the hands. This leads to reflections and prompts thinking about probabilities. How often can a strong hand realistically be made? Could an opponent always have the nuts, considering they constantly represent them with big bets and raises? Thus, on the second level, the player arrives at the crucial question of this stage: What does the opponent have? Though this is only the second "floor" of poker logic, reaching it is a pivotal moment in a player's career. Its importance lies in the fact that the player tries to guess not just one specific hand of the opponent but begins learning to consider at least several possible hands the opponent could have. This is how the concept of range-based thinking starts to form. Of course, it requires hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of working with ranges in poker software to fully develop, but the first step has been made. Level 3: Opinion of Others About Your Hand (What Do They Think, I Have) The player has already learned to read their hand accurately and assess its potential. They also no longer trust their opponents, understanding that in addition to strong hands, they may also be bluffing. They begin to notice that their own hand isn’t always suitable for an aggressive action, and strong hands from opponents are stubbornly not being called. This leads to the thought about what other hole cards they might have had in a specific situation. Thus, the player reaches the third level of thinking, defined by the question: What does the opponent think I have? This is another breakthrough stage, as the player begins to act less straightforwardly and learns to add bluffs to their imagined range. The ability to represent strong hands while correctly constructing lines within a strategy is a skill that signals the right direction. But only diligent work away from the table can develop it further. Level 4: Deception (What Do They Think I Think They Have) The player is now able to assume the opponent’s range and construct their own range in a way that presents difficult decisions to the opponent. However, they still do not have a clear understanding of how to extract maximum profit from these new skills. Gradually, the player realizes that their opponent is also trying to think in the same way. This means that they are inevitably asking themselves what the player thinks about their range. The player begins to wonder: Can they manipulate the opponent’s thought process in a way that forces them to make mistakes? According to Sklansky’s classification, this question transforms into: What does the opponent think I think they have? A good player tries not only to reason within the strategy but constantly seeks ways to maximize expected value (EV). At the fourth level of thinking in poker, they are capable of nudging the opponent towards erroneous actions, leading them down the wrong path. This is a rather subtle deception, which is difficult to execute in online poker but is often applied in live play. However, by knowing the opponent well and analyzing their strategy, such adjustments can also be used in online games. Level 5: Deep Reflections (What Do They Think I Think They Think I Have) Finally, the player has mastered the basic concepts and can make the opponent misread the player’s thought process. But it may happen that the opponent has also gone through the entire process and their actions boil down to attempts to manipulate the opinions of the other players about what they think about their ranges. In this case, one can try to go even further, to the upper "floor". At the fifth level of thinking, the player asks: What does the opponent think I think they think I have? This structure seems complex, and that impression is justified. This level of thinking is about seeing the situation one step ahead of the opponent and gaining an advantage from it. The counting of levels of thinking in poker can continue almost indefinitely. Sklansky wanted to show how important the ability to read opponents’ thought processes is, finding opportunities for psychological exploitation. This concept comes from a time when "mind games" were often more important than technical preparation. Back then, the understanding of theoretically optimal strategies did not exist. Modern poker has significantly changed this perspective. Now, strategy largely predetermines the outcome, with psychology only enhancing the ability of good players to increase their edge. However, understanding the concept is important for building poker logic, and it must be studied as part of a regular player's overall development. That’s all for now! Next time, we’ll continue this topic and dive into key aspects like decision-making steps, range comparison across different hand groups, and how to use poker concepts effectively. Stay tuned and don’t miss out on the chance to level up your game! So, if you're looking to grow as a professional poker player and enhance your strategy, be sure to check out our section with poker coaches of all levels. You'll find mentors ready to help you improve your game and take it to the next level. Frequently Asked Questions What other psychological concepts are used in poker? There are many, but while levels of thinking focus on mental battles between opponents, others are aimed at self-control and managing tilt. How do you progress through levels of thinking? It shouldn’t be a goal in itself. Levels of thinking in poker naturally evolve as you improve your overall understanding of the game, study theory, and work with ranges. How do you learn to think in terms of ranges? Analyze hands and build strategies using poker software like equity calculators. For advanced players, solvers can be highly beneficial - they help identify exploitative lines. What does it mean to "level yourself"? This happens when a player overestimates an opponent's thought process and attributes a non-existent motive to their actions. For example, making a hero call when the opponent is simply value-betting the nuts. How can leveling be applied in live games? While strategy takes center stage in online poker, live games allow players to interact. At various levels of thinking, you can incorporate opponent behavior into your analysis: facial expressions, gestures, or eye contact can offer valuable insights.
