For the Love of the Game

Before you read any further, take some time to reflect on this question: why do you play poker? For some it may be a love of competition and winning, for others it may be to socialize with friends and pass the time in an agreeable way.

Whatever your reason, the one thing that we all share is a love of the game. We all have different ways, means, and approaches to the game, but the reason that we keep coming back is because we enjoy the game.

Always keep this in mind. It will serve you well.

Win or Lose, Play to Have Fun

I know how it feels to be a competitive gamer. Sometimes our drive to win takes over; we can only think about how many chips we’re winning or losing, or, if we are having a losing session, it can really get to us and get us down.

However, we need to remind ourselves that we’re playing a game, and games are supposed to be fun! Whether we win or lose, we always need to keep our eye on the real prize: having fun.

Now, I understand that there are some people who do make a living playing poker, and this puts an added pressure to playing the game. Even though these are few and far between in the grand scheme of poker players, what is the reason that they chose to go down this path?

It’s a love of the game. The best poker players can put in the hours and grind through the losses because they love playing no matter what happens. Every session, especially ones in which we made and can identify our mistakes, is a chance to grow as a poker player.

Figuring Out What You Want

Knowing exactly what you want out of the game can help you to prioritize your time and efforts. If you just want to hang out with your buds and take it easy, don’t stress out if you aren’t winning as much as you’d like. If you can enjoy the game in this way, there’s really nothing wrong with that.

If, on the other hand, your one desire is winning, you need to take time to study if you want to get the most out of the game. Plus, player tighter may be less fun than splashing around and getting aggro all the time, but, if it’s +EV, then that’s what you need to do to have fun.

No matter why you play poker, always remember your love for the game.