This article was written by Andrew Wiggins, AKA "Muddywater," who is an instructor for CardRunners.com.

Lately, I have had several successful MTT players tell me that no matter what they do, they cannot seem to successfully make the transition from MTTs to cash games. In my discussions with them, I have noticed, among other things, two major flaws in their attitudes towards poker. In addition, I recalled when I made the transition to cash games, and it dawned on me that the same two problems plagued me. These two issues are one’s poker ego and a failure to effectively control emotions while playing. <READMORE>

Poker is a game that tends to foster large egos. At times, it is okay to have a big ego, but more often than not it will hurt one in their quest to be successful. I believe there are several reasons why large egos can affect one’s play. First and most important, it can hinder one from learning as much as they should. I’ve noticed that when certain player’s plays are critiqued, rather than absorbing the information being presented, they defend their plays. I think this is an immense mistake. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily always apply, but the underlying concept is valid regardless. It is extremely important to understand how others treat certain situations and why. At minimum, understanding the reasoning behind a player’s play can help one grow as a player in the aspect of understanding and reading other players. It can also help one realize better ways to approach different situations. I believe that one of the most important ways to improve as a player is to discuss hands with others, and to do this successfully, one must have an open mind.

Another problem that large egos can cause is forcing players to believe that they can compete and win at a higher level than they really can. I think this is especially true for MTT players who want to play cash games. One needs to make many adjustments and put in hard work before winning in cash games is possible. Cash games require many different skills than MTTs, and it is vital that one realizes this and adjusts accordingly. Furthermore, if a player is successful at a particular level of cash games, that doesn’t mean they will be a winning player at a higher level. Different limits have vast differences in skill level. Other aspects, such as higher variance, come into play at higher limits as well. One should use Pokertracker to track all their results so that they can be honest with themselves about their success at each level. It is often true that one can make more at a lower level than at the next higher level.

I feel that possibly the biggest difference between cash games and MTTs is the fact that one’s emotional state plays a much larger role while playing cash games. Going on tilt is always in issue in MTTs, but at worst one will lose the buyin for the tournament. In cash games, one can lose a significant portion of their bankroll in one session if they let their emotions get the better of themselves. The facet that I feel bothers players the most is dealing with bad beats. The fact of the matter is that one is rarely a large favorite. In many situations, one will be a 60% favorite. Furthermore, except for extreme circumstances, one is likely at best an 80% favorite. This means that in the best case scenario, one will lose one out of five times. If one plays several tables at once, they are going to run into that instance often. If a player lets that get the better of them, then they are never going to be able to reach their maximum potential. One must also keep in mind that in the short run you can lose a considerable amount of these hands in a row. That is the nature of variance. The mindset that I use to help me keep control is to always think of the long run. Poker is a long term game. If you consistently get your money in as a favorite, you will win money in the long run. It is that simple. Losing on particular hand to a bad beat means nothing in the long run. In fact, it is a necessity of the game. In the length of a poker career, a player is going to take more incredibly tough beats than he or she can imagine, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that one consistently gets their money in as the favorite. This should be a constant thought in one’s head during a playing session. Always remember that approximately 40% of your sessions are going to be losing sessions and know that is just a part of the game one plays.

The other key idea to grasp is that no one runs worse than anyone else. I hear so many bad beat stories, but I will tell people that I don’t feel any sympathy for them. We all run the same in the long run, and as I mentioned, the long run is what you need to focus on. When I hear bad beat stories, I know that the person telling the story is not focusing on the long run. Without the long run mindset I know that player is going to continue to struggle. One needs to convince themselves that no one is more unlucky than anyone else. Of course, one can run badly in the short term, but that is not of concern. Focus on the long run.

These ideas likely seem overly simple and redundant. I believe that is part of the reason people don’t understand their importance. Players take these ideas lightly and don’t devote enough time to mastering them. Once one appreciates the value of these concepts and works to improve on them, they will be that much closer to being a great poker player.
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