While you can play poker any way you want and for whatever reasons, giving your poker journey direction is essential. You don’t have to become the next world champion, but having some form of goal and plan can help you stay motivated and enjoy the process. Here are some ways to give your poker journey a sense of direction.
1. Choose a Type of Poker to Focus On:
Before deciding on any specific goals, it’s important to choose what type of poker you want to focus on. If you’re not sure, start by familiarizing yourself with the rules and different kinds of games available such as Texas Holdem and Seven-Card Stud. As you become more comfortable, you can decide which games you prefer the most.
2. Set Reasonable Goals:
It’s important to set reasonable goals to strive to achieve and use as a benchmark for success. These goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
Considering your current skill level is an excellent way to help you develop reasonable poker goals. For example, if you are a beginner, your goal may be to learn the basics of poker strategy and improve your understanding of the poker game. On the other hand, if you’re an intermediate-level player, your focus could be on mastering specific techniques like pot odds or card counting.
The same applies when you’re into tournaments. For example, if you’re new to the tournament scene, a reasonable goal would be not getting booted in the first few rounds. As you become more experienced, you could aim to make money in more tournaments, end up at the final table, or even win one.
3. Track Your Progress:
Tracking your progress is essential to see how far you’ve come and understand what you need to do next. Doing so will also help you stay motivated and identify any areas of improvement. The best way to go about this is to be objective. That means watching out for the following metrics:
Win rate – your percentage of wins compared to losses over a set amount of time
EV (expected value) – how much money you make on average per hand
Tilt rate – the frequency at which you get angry or frustrated and play accordingly
Number of hands played – track your volume to see if it’s consistent from month to month
Once you’ve set a goal and are tracking your progress, the final step is to adjust your strategy. It could involve improving weak spots in your game, trying out different tactics in specific situations, or finding ways to become more efficient with the time you spend playing.
You can track your progress in various ways, such as recording your poker hands on paper or through software like PokerTracker 4. Alternatively, you can jot down your thoughts in a poker diary or blog. Whatever approach works best for you, review it now and then to get an overall idea of your performance.
4. Be Patient With Yourself:
It’s easy to become frustrated with yourself if you fail to meet your goals quickly or make a few bad plays. But don’t let that be the case. Remember that poker is a long-term game; success doesn’t happen overnight. Be patient with yourself and focus on making steady progress instead of obsessing over short-term results.
To help yourself be more patient, put things into perspective. Consider how long you’ve played poker and how good you are at it. If you’re a beginner, it may take time before you can play at an intermediate level. If you’re already good, then focus on becoming great. Remember, setting and achieving poker goals requires hard work and dedication. It’s not something that happens overnight.
5. Get Help From Others:
It is always beneficial to ask for help from more experienced players when trying to learn something new or improve in poker. While many valuable resources are available online, it can take time to filter out bad advice. That’s why seeking feedback from experienced players or coaches can be very beneficial in helping you reach your goals faster.
You can also ask other players about their poker journey in online forums. You can learn from their mistakes and successes, which may provide useful tips that you can use in your own game.
Another great way to do this is to have a friend help keep track of your progress. They don’t have to know how to play poker; you can simply tell them what to look out for regarding your games. However, it goes without saying that a friend that knows how to play poker will be better suited for this role.
6. Play Regularly:
The last step in setting and achieving your poker goals is to play regularly and to play online poker. That means having sufficiently long sessions every week. Playing too often can cause you to become burnt out and make bad decisions. On the other hand, playing too little won’t give you enough practice.
Aim to play enough hours that you can see and measure your progress, but not so much that it becomes a chore or gets in the way of other aspects of your life. Taking time off from poker every once in a while will help you stay refreshed and motivated for when it’s time to hit the felt again.
The Journey To The Pot Is Not A Rainbow
Following these tips can give your poker journey a sense of direction and start working towards your goals. Taking the time to give your poker journey direction will allow you to have more meaningful progress. On top of that, you’ll have a better chance of achieving long-term success. With that said, the most important thing is to enjoy the process. Good luck!