New Year's Poker Resolutions

It’s January, which for me is time for New Year’s resolutions. I make them every year, and every year I break them. But occasionally, there are one or two I keep, and I am far better for it. Here are some poker-related resolutions that I’m hoping to keep. Maybe these will inspire you to come up with a few of your own.

1. I have a bankroll. It is not small, but it is not unlimited. It is enough to allow me to play at the _________ level. I will not play above that level until my bankroll hits _________, and if it falls below ________, I will move down to the next lower level.

2. I will limit my losses in a single session to ____% of my bankroll. When I have lost this amount, I will stop playing. Period.

3. Conversely, when I am winning, I will continue to play as long as I am playing my best. I will not quit a winning session for the purpose of coming out ahead.

4. I can have a few drinks, watch the game on television, talk on the phone, surf the Net, or I can play online poker. I cannot do both at the same time.

5. I will not call a bet, “just to see what you have.” If I think I am beat, I will fold. I’m okay with the mystery.

6. When steaming, I will leave the table for a few minutes, or end my session altogether. The hands I miss I would have played badly anyway.

7. When someone calls my bet or raise, I will not automatically put them on a draw. Sometimes, they have a real hand.

8. I won’t call a raise with a marginal hand believing that I can outplay the raiser after the flop. I may be able to do just that, but there will be plenty of chances to do so with a decent hand.

9. I will not go after individual players at the table, either because the sucked out on me on a previous hand, or because they are just plain assholes. I will do what I can to take money from every player at the table, not just one or two.

10. Poker is a profitable pastime, but it is not as important as my job, my family, my friends – a.k.a., real life.

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