Hang out with a group of poker players for any serious amount of time, and you are sure to here a discussion that starts with, "I'd be rich if..." It might be something like, "I would be rich if I would learn to fold A-K when it doesn't hit the flop." A common one is, "I would be rich if those darn fish would quit their 3 outers on the River against me." A quip that really seems to be popular is, "I would be rich if I could keep those poker winnings away from the craps table."
You see, far too many poker players are being lured into playing their poker winnings in other parts of the casino. I fell victim to this myself during my outing to the WSOP this past summer. I'd grind out $150 profits on the poker tables by investing hours of tightaggressive play. I would take that extra cash and lose it at the blackjack pit, though. Most poker players have their secondary game that garners their time, attention, and money. For some it is table games like Pai Gow, Baccarat, and Roulette. Many are allured to sports wagering as they bet the horse races, boxing matches, and the over/under on football. With the NFL now in full swing, you can be assured that many poker players will have their winnings riding on the Monday Night Football results. Other poker players cannot escape the draw of the mega-jackpots that build on the progressive slot machines. Online poker sites have noticed this trend, as well. Many of the traditional poker sites are scrambling to add games like blackjack, bingo, and sports wagering options.
Poker players tend to lean towards casino games during two opposing times: during poker winning streaks and during poker losing streaks. During losing streaks, poker players have an overriding sense of desperation. Since poker is dealing them poor luck, they tend to assume that they are "due" for some better luck. They expect quick wins and big money at the non-skill games that the casino offers. During the winning streaks at the poker tables, the poker player gets consumed by positivism and adrenalin. The player starts to assume that the winning will continue to roll. In addition, the cash that they have won at the poker tables seems like it is not really their own money. So, the mind expects that the good fortunes will continue. Even playing at games that we know has a casino-edge, we start to honestly believe that we can beat them at their game. With that, we are playing with somebody else's money (won at the poker table), anyway. This combustible combination makes many poker players likely to be saying that they'd be rich if they could avoid blowing their poker profits on casino games.
Quit saying, "I would be rich if." The best poker players don't lean on excuses. The word "if" is nothing but a built-in buffer to protect our ego. We use it like a security blanket. The most focused and hungry players don't allow psychological hiccups affect their progress and their bankroll. For you to be your best, you have to resist the temptations and avoid the traps. Keep your poker money far away from the other games on the casino floor.
Now go make it happen.
