I've blogged a million times, read a million more and love the community pages and forums. I've had a month away working, with poker always rolling in the back of my mind. From all the great advice and reflection, this is what I have come up with:
1) Decide why you are playing a hand before you play it. Do you intend to see a river? You need to hit and hit hard if so.If you are playing it to out play an oppenent, then do it. Represent it well and don't slip up. If things aren't going well, fold.
2) The strongest hand doesn't always win.This is true of horses, sports teams and pocket Aces. The best guy doesn't always get picked, the fastest car doesn't always win. It is a rule of the universe. Pick your spots and tools well, but don't expect not to spin out or trip even with the best odds.
3) With that said, Why Race?If you commit to seeing 5 board cards, you commit to the will of the poker gods. You lose the oppurtunity to outdrive, outplay and out run your opponent.
4) Ace rag sucks. If you are going to race.If not, play it to hit a fit or fold hand, or to simply outplay the other player. You probably don't wan't a river here.
5) The river sucks. Why get there?Unless you have the nuts, you can always get outdrawn. Play to take it down before, or get there becuse you have the best hand and you know it. The nuts help.
6) Position is everything. Commiting to even the best of hands in early spots can cost everything. You have to decide wether you are comfortable against those ahead of you, before you get in. AK is no good if you fall in love and your opponent is a great post flop player. You miss that player might take you for a fatal ride. On the flip side, you have position you are in the drivers seat.
7) Represent hands, don't bluff. If you want to bluff an ace, raise pre-flop. You want to bluff a straight or flush, play it like one. All ins don't sell hands nor do overbets. Do you buy things just because the salesmen is pushy. If you do, thats food for thought. If you don't why not? Cause it stinks and looks to good to be true. More cautious if it seems to good to be true? Exactly. Sell it like that.
8) Selective aggresion wins.The top players throw out bets you can't call. When youv'e shown you can't or won't. Agression requires weakness. Find it and exploit it. Wether its in a hand or a tight player at the table, weakness is chips in your stack. And if you don't someone else will.
9) Get as many chips as you can out of your good hands.Don't be afraid to get them out there cause you might miss or they might fold. Put them in so they can be matched. Find those magic numbers that opponents are willing to pay. Don't let players peel of cards because you think your one pair is good. Trap with the nuts or make em pay on most every street.
10) The cards barely matter.When you are playing your best, how you play is what determines the win. You don't have to be a card rack. You find spots to represent, pick weaker opponents and don't showdown with second best.
11) SPOY or any other title is earned, not deserved. Another rule of the universe. Whatever the critera is, we don't make the rules. Find ways to make the rules work for you. Poker is cruel, life is cruel. You are in control of your game. If you want to do nothing else but try to be the best, it's on you. Understand that time, relationships and mental health are all sacrifises to be made in this mission. Those that are willing to go that extra mile, endure hard times and look out for number 1 will be number 1. What really matters to you? At the end of the day, will you be happy? If so then do it. Remember not everyone will suceed and number 1 is always replaced eventually.
12) Decide why you play. Focus is important if you plan to win. No doubt, no arguement.Are you playing for fun? For distration? For money? For the title?If you are playing for fun, don't worry about losing. You have already decided thats not important.If you are playing for distraction, enjoy the good times and friends. Enjoy the time away from lifes stresses. Don't worry about winning, you have already made that decision.If you are playing for money. Play to be profitable. "Grind it out". You don't need to win, only to come out ahead. You have already made that decision. If you are playing for the title, don't worry about the distraction, the good times, the friends, the stresses of everyday life or money. Play to win
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