If you play poker for a living (or want to), then you need to learn how to win consistently. This is not as hard as you might think and it mainly involves learning to see the game in a cold, logical way. Many break-even beginner players can make huge improvements over time that enable them to start winning money at a much higher rate.
One of the most common mistakes new players make is to make decisions automatically, without taking any time to think about their position and their opponents’ actions. This is a very costly mistake, especially at the beginning of your poker career.
A lot of poker strategy is based on position. Playing in position enables you to see your opponent’s betting patterns before you have to act, which makes the game easier. If you are in early position, your opening range should be very tight and you should only call a raise with a strong hand. If you are in MP or late position, on the other hand, you can open your range more and play a lot of pots.
Another important aspect of position is knowing which hands you should be trying to hit in each situation. If you have a high-quality drawing hand, like a flush, you should be trying to get involved in every pot with your opponent. This way, you will minimize the amount of money you lose by calling weak draws and getting sucked out of pots.