Whether you’re playing poker as a hobby or a profession, a few simple adjustments in your approach can greatly improve your results. Many break-even beginner players make this transition to becoming profitable by merely learning to view the game in a more cold, analytical, and mathematically sound manner than they do now.
One of the first and most obvious adjustments is to err on the side of caution when playing. As a general rule, you should only play with money you’re comfortable losing and never risk more than 10% of your bankroll per session. Using this method, you’ll always be in control of your decision making and avoid the potential for ego-driven mistakes.
If you’re not confident in your own poker abilities, it can be a good idea to read up on the game and study strategy books. These can help you become familiar with different strategies and see how the game has evolved over the years. Ideally, you should look for poker books that were published recently, as this will ensure the information is up-to-date.
Another way to improve your poker is to talk about hands with winning players at the same stakes as you. This will help you understand different strategies and learn how to think about tricky spots in a hand.