5 Tips for Becoming a Better Poker Player

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As i was a contemplating what to write, I thought about a topic that would help every member become a better poker player.  Didn’t take long to realize that TPE needed a pro that would simplify the process.  I’m that pro and im going to give you 5 steps you can take today that will make you a better player the next time you click register.

Marking Hands  in Game

I could have easily put “Hand History Review” here, but we get far better use of our time if we simply mark spots or write down hands on our iphone/notepad.  Stack sizes, villains, pre and postflop action all must be included if we are to maximize growth.  I don’t need to know that you had aq and villain had 910.  WE need to know where the open was from, how many Big Blinds, etc.  BE VERY SPECIFIC.  If you are using a hand tracking tool online you can simply mark the hand for review later.  BOOM!  I review Hand histories  on a regular basis and I cut my time in half when I started to mark all hands where I sat there and said “What the F— could he have”.

Surrounding Yourself with Fellow Workers/Grinders

It took me roughly 2-3 years to become a winning player and I am 100% sure that had I met fellow grinders in the first year I would have been winning money at a faster rate.  Find players grinding your games, your stakes, and that have the same passion.   We grow at a faster rate with the help of others and trying to beat this game alone will result in failure.  John Wooden wrote an amazing book “Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success.”   Building block 4 on the pyramid was:

“Cooperation- With all levels of your coworkers.  Listen if you want to be heard.  Be interested in finding the best way, not having your own way.”

He is considered the greatest college basketball coach winning  10 championships in 12 years and 7 of those in a row.  HOLY GOAT!

Meditation

If I told that i could increase your yearly ROI by 3% in 10 min a day would you do it? I’m going to make this very simple.  Download Headspace or Elliot Roes’  MP3s (www.pokermindcoach.com) and spend 10 min before every session meditating.  You may think you are too cool for this step, and if you do I promise you will be behind the curve. The goal is to become better at this game we love and by simply listening to someone talk and taking a few deep breathes we become a better person.  Poker is frustrating and mastering the mental game is more important than studying the math. DO IT!

Develop a Daily Routine

For the longest time my fat ass rolled out of bed and clicked register while I drank a 40 ounce of coffee.  Please fade the “roll technique” and start your day with a healthy routine that includes exercise and a decent breakfast.  After that, it is a must to review a couple hands (Step 1)  or read through some of your notes from previous sessions.  Getting the mind prepared for an 8 hour session allows for our maximum potential.

Balance Your Life

I know every pro in the world says this is important and that every single member of the nation has heard it before.  The reason its I’m preaching it again is because we all still overlook it.  We can’t just play online poker and never leave the house.  This is a disaster and the majority of real grinders fall into this pit of “Hermit Syndrome”.  Play 4-5 days a week, set up a tinder account and enjoy life.  OK, tinder is optional.  In all seriousness, get outside and hang out on off days with friends.  Fade anything stressful, anything where the mind is thinking too hard and most importantly fade the game.  It is important to do nothing poker related on days off.  I failed miserably at this for years and was making it a point to do something poker related 7 days a week.  What an idiot I was and how miserable I became as my life revolved around AJ in the cutoff.  Give the brain a a couple days off and we get to play are “A” game a higher % of the time.  Think about it, 7 days a week at 10% ROI or 5 days a week with an 60% ROI.  I’m a college dropout and i can figure this one out. For more thoughts on this, check out these Poker Lifesyle Tips.

Take these 5 steps and i expect a thank you in the future!