Play to Win Every Game, Tournament, Cash Game

[Bawse]

Any serious player approaches every game the same way, play to win. You adapt to your tables, but I think it's necessary to trust the process, and always play to win no matter the stakes. You can develop bad habits if you bring your B game instead of your A game. It's a good practice to work on your game regularly, and always try to improve. You can always get better regardless of your skill level.

The way you approach poker whether it be live or online poker is vital to your success. Battle through every bad beat, grind it out, and if you're playing tournaments as long as you have chips, you still have life! There has been many tournaments where I came back when it felt impossible, always play to win.

There'll be times when you go through downswings, frustrating hands, and a lot of new players(or losing players) will either give up, or try to get lucky for a comeback attempt. You always have a chance, if you're still in the game. Play your best, and always bring your A game.

Nobody plays perfect. You will make mistakes, we all do. If you can recognize when you've misplayed a hand. You can fix your leak, so it doesn't happen again! If you have a leak in your game, players can take advantage of you in certain hands as they pick up on your betting patterns, or how you're playing specific hands. You can always learn from your hands whether you lose, or win.

Not every hand needs to be studied, but for the most part you can gain valuable information on opposing players, and prevent future mistakes if you study your previous hands. I still observe the action around me when I'm not involved in a hand. You can pick up useful information to extra value/chips from opposing players in future hands. Any information gained can help you win, and make more profit.

If you get to the point when you start tilting, It's a good time to take a break. Every player has tilted at some point, and they're lying if they say otherwise. Breaks are good because it helps you approach poker with a clear mind. Poker is not going anywhere, and the games run 24/7. Breaks are necessary.

It's also important to note that losses are less painful when you have good bankroll management, because you're only risking a small portion of your bankroll. If you don't manage your bankroll properly it will be the difference in whether or not you're a winning player. You might win short term in bigger buy-ins/games, but if you plan to succeed over the long-term you must have good bankroll management.

I hope this article helps the PCF community, feedback/discussions are always appreciated. Do you always play to win when you play poker?