How do you become a consistent winning player?

[DuDot]

Pick one game and focus on it for several months. Read about it, practice it, and reveiw your play. Accept the fact that you will make stupid mistakes but learn from them and don't beat yourself up. Don't spread your time between all different types of poker - tourney, SNG, NL, stud, etc., or you will never become really good at any one form of poker. Focus.

[ProfBets]

was gonna say something but [censored] it... aint gonna tap the fishtank

[Biggle10]

Move up where they respect your raises.

[Enter PIN]

I've been a winning player live since i was 16 (im 18 now and graduated when I was 16). But ever since i got my fake id taken away all i have is underground games that go on once or twice a week and online. I can't win for the life of me online. I think its mainly because i go by my reads live and online its just a whole new ballgame. If you want the softest games online I think it would have to be omaha, but its all about learning to adapt. There are so many bad players online that if you put the time and effort into it, it would have to be profitable.

[sdheflin]

Read the books everyone else are reading. Not so much to learn better poker, but to know what the book savy player is thinking. You then will be able to predict what their next move will be. Setting up and trapping these book worms is easy. But be prepared to be called everything in the book when you call down a bluff and win.

[Oreobite]

I have to admit I'm desperated.
I started playing poker 6 months ago after making a good friend who turned out to be a very successful 1k/2k limit player.
I've read 4 times Small Stakes, once The Theory of Poker and I play al least 6h/day(sometimes a lot more)micro to small limit stakes.
So far I can't even say I'm break even.
Yesterday I bought Poker Traker and PokerAce, but I can't help it being kind of sceptical about it making a big difference.
I really bought into the idea that poker was a skill game, not just luck...but I'm starting to doubt it.
Anyone have other suggestions on becoming a winning player other than the "read and practice" tips?
Thanks.

[Abramovic]

A good luckbox never fails.

[zyqwert]

Only play at tables that have at least 20% very bad players.

[steamboatin]

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone have other suggestions on becoming a winning player other than the "read and practice" tips?
Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is the only way a reglar person can make it. If you are a trust fund baby with unlimited cash, you might get there by trial and error.

[philfan05]

A great point that Barry Greenstein makes in his book, "Ace on the River" is playing well when you are tired or in a bad mood or else don't play at all. I think people are so addicted to poker that they play all the time no matter what their mental state is. The reason Phil Ivey is considered such a great player is because he plays his "A" game almost all the time. Most everyone in this forum has the ability to be an above average player, but few have the mental discipline to play at their best all of the time. So when you feel your game starting to slip, stop and ask yourself if you can refocus and play well or if you need to walk away and come back another day.