…and learning to adapt to the situation. Those who hold the idea that poker is all about luck could not be more wrong. Neither are those who say that it’s all about skill. Playing poker is a mixture of these two plus the big one – attitude. Ask the experts and they will all tell you one thing – when it’s done and dusted, everything boils down to your attitude. That’s because poker isn’t all about the winning – it’s in how you play your game and enjoy it too. Then again, winning makes it all the more fun, doesn’t it?
So what does it take to make the best out of your online poker game? Right from the outset, you have to have a positive attitude. That in itself will determine how your game is played. With a positive attitude, you can focus intently on your game. With online poker, your interactions with other players are limited. That doesn’t mean that your reactions are limited, however. How you react depends entirely on you. Poker is a roller coaster game. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re low. If you let your euphoria take hold of you, the chances are that you will get distracted from your strategy.
Another thing about attitude is that you should be able to adjust to the different situations that you’re faced with in a poker game. A positive attitude is all about not being stubborn. In fact, a positive attitude allows for flexibility – backing out of a bad game as well as continuing to play when things are going good for you. Stubbornness may be well and good, but in the long run you should analyze the situation more carefully and see if sticking it out is a good idea. The bottom line is to be objective and not let your emotions hold reign over your reason. Letting your emotions run amok is a surefire formula for disaster.
Talking about emotions – do not let external events affect your game either. Much like with a day job, your employers expect you to leave your worries and problems at the gate. Once you step into your office, your employers expect 100% from you. Personal problems are no excuse. Same with poker, except that perhaps your employer is yourself. Give yourself no quarter and you will reap the benefits. Once you sit down on the (virtual) table, give the game all your attention. Compartmentalize your life and keep your other concerns locked in for now. Sure, it’s not always that easy, but if you really want to have a good poker record, then you really need to learn how to do it.
Of course, you won’t always be in top form for each and every poker game you play. There will be times when you feel like hell. Still, there’s the game in front of you. So what do you?
Well, it’s entirely up to you.
As I said, it’s all about the attitude… ;-)
