The year 2013 is almost over and 2014 is well within view, which means it is that time where poker players around the world create plans, set goals and make New Year resolutions.
Should you be struggling to think up any poker related resolutions of your own for 2014, why not try some of the Betfair Poker Blog's suggestions?
Play More Poker
One area that the vast majority of poker players could improve is how much they play. Poker is a game governed by mathematics and it takes large sample sizes for the mathematics to start running true.
If you have spent 2013 moaning about how badly you ran, take a look at your records and see how many hands you actually played over the course of the year. I bet if you had played more you would have ran better :)
Play Your A-Game More Frequently
There's little point having an A-Game -- that is when you play your absolute best -- that is better than resident Betfair Poker pro John Tabatabai if you hardly ever play it.
Reduce the number of distractions around you when playing poker, study the game more, try to improve as a player and your A-game should start to rear its head more frequently.
Improve as a Player
It is not a coincidence that the very best poker players put in as much time away from the tables as they do on them. Improving as a player is vitally important to success because, although there is plenty of money still to be made from poker, the games are getting tougher so you need to stay ahead of the curve.
Qualify for a Major Live Event
It is possible to qualify for some amazing live poker events via Betfair Poker and for a fraction of the tournaments' actual value. In the past year, Betfair Poker players have headed to places such as Australia, Paris and Las Vegas to compete in massive tournaments while sporting Betfair Poker apparel. Where will you win your way to in 2014.
Make Plenty of Profit (Set Goals Carefully)
If you play more, study more and bring your A-game to the table more then making plenty of profit should not be too much of a problem. However, be careful when setting profit-based goals because setting them too high can become very demotivating and lead you to play less than optimal as you chase impossible totals.
Try Not to Slow Down Play
While nobody begrudges a fellow poker player who wants to take some time over an important decision in both the live and online versions of this crazy game, we cannot stand players who take forever to decide what to do with 7s-2d when facing a three-bet, four-bet and five-bet in front of them. Keep the game flowing!
Remember Your Etiquette
Some of us play poker with high emotions, but that should not mean you become a swearing, foul-mouthed donkey whenever you lose a big pot. Encourage players don't berate them; nobody wants a chat box full of "effing and jeffing."
Keep Better Records
Sick of not knowing how much money you have won (or lost) or what your most profitable game is? Then you only have yourself to blame. There are plenty of programs out there to track your play and if you cannot afford one you can always knock together a simple spreadsheet or make notes on paper.
Treat poker in a more professional manner and you could see your results start to improve.
Have Fun
Most of all, remember to have fun and enjoy the game of poker again. Take away the many facets of the game and you are left with exactly that, a game. Enjoy it, have fun with it and all of the negatives that the game can throw at you will seem less severe.
What are your poker resolutions for 2014? Let us know in the chat box.
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