Everyone knows the golden rule of life is “treat others as you would like to be treated.” However, that doesn’t really fit in poker. If you treated the other players at the table the way you wanted them to treat you, then you would be dumping your chips to them throughout the entire game.

If you do a quick Internet search of poker and the golden rule you’ll find some very different definitions then the one cited above. You’ll find rules that tell you to maximize the pots you win and minimize the size of pots you lose; always use pot odds when deciding whether to call or not; know your fellow players and adjust your play accordingly; and so on. Unfortunately there’s no one “golden rule” of poker that will make you a winning player overnight. But there is a list of “golden rules” to follow at the table that will keep you afloat while you improve your game.

Analyze the weaknesses in your game and develop your own list of customized golden rules; follow them and take your next step toward playing winning poker.