Short-Term Success Before Going All-In: A Guide To Setting Achievable Goals

Understanding Position

One short-term goal you could set for yourself at the table is learning how to read your positioning during a hand or session. The ability to understand your positioning at the table can help you be more successful against your opponents. It can allow you to control the flow and pace of the game, how much you bet, and when you bet on a particular hand. If you can grasp a solid understanding of table positioning, you will find yourself in more control of your bankroll as well as what hands you decide to play. The best players have got this down to a science, which at times will allow them to have full control of the flow of the table depending on how their opponents are playing. 

Reading Hands 

The ability to read your hand and potentially other hands at the table is a great goal to set for yourself. If you can factor in the cards in your hand as well as the cards in the flop, turn and river, you can eliminate some possible hands that your opponents are holding. That can help you be more confident when deciding whether to bet or further a hand. Understanding when you start off with a strong hand or a weak hand can make plenty of difference in a poker session. It is an important skill to try and master if you want to become a better poker player in the long run. If you can figure out how to read your own hand as well as read some of the cards down on the table, it can help you be much more successful and stack your chips at a faster rate. 

Going On A Run

One achievable goal is winning a couple of hands in a row. Anyone who plays poker can tell you that you’re not going to come right out of the gate and win every hand. However, winning a few hands in a row is a realistic goal to shoot for in order to get yourself on a little bit of a hot streak throughout the game. Make sure not to overextend yourself and try to win five or six in a row because that is very unlikely. You should aim to set more achievable goals, like two or three hands in a row, to build up your chip count. Once you notice yourself grabbing a couple of hands here and there, before you know it, you will be a little higher in the chip count throughout the contest. 

Setting Goals

Setting objectives has several clear advantages. Establishing goals gives drive, direction, and focus. With goals, you can achieve greater things faster and without feeling overwhelmed.