Sometimes, the key to winning in poker has to do with the players at your table only, not the cards. You can win in poker without having good card.

On my first table tonight, the players are playing very tight. You can hardly see any players re-raising each other, and most of the pots are won without seeing the river card. I bet out very aggressively and managed to take many pots without having to showdown with any opponents. My result is good, I play to a point where I feel my opponents are a bit scared of playing against me. I feel good.

There are less players at my table so after playing for about an hour, I change to another table with eight players. Same game, same limits, but a big difference.

I try to play the same game as an hour ago, and I am crushed. These players never worry about your betting and raising, they are fearless. They can go all in their $1000 when there is only $40 in the pot. Sometimes, three or four players can go all in at the same time (and one of them will hold something like 7-10 offsuit or even worse). I cannot understand, but I lost my first $1000 very quickly.

I lost two buy ins and I need to change my game immediately. I play the patience game, going back to the basics, playing only hands that are potentially winning hands. And slowly but surely, I start to get my chips back. The reckless players will hand their chips over to me without me having to do too much. I almost get back everything I lost at this table; overall, it is still a winning day for me.

There is no one winning way to play poker; there are many. The winner can use the appropriate way to win the game at the appropriate time.