Who's game are you playing?

Some days when I review my game, usually in the middle of it, I come to the realization that I am no longer playing my game. What I will discover is that I am playing someone else’s game. I may even be winning, but I am usually losing before I stop and think things out.

Who's game might I be playing? I am sure you have already come up with your own answer. If not, then maybe you need to go figure this out for yourself real soon. Maybe there is a very LAG player attacking every pot, and I get tired of waiting for a TIER I hand to take them on. Then worse, I get a big pocket pair and no one calls my raise. The LAG player folds because they really have nothing and no one else because they don't want to battle both of us. The opposite happens when I slow play my big pocket cards. If no one raises pre-flop so I can re-pop them, 1/2 the players see the flop. Now my big pockets are going to go down!

What about the fish that sees every flop and calls every bet? They will probably suck out a nice pot against you, but you took that risk into consideration. What is worse; you focus on them and someone else tags along for the real kill.

I guess the first step to recovery here is of course to recognize the problem. Even when you are winning, analyze what you are doing. I have ended up winning some big pots but also lost almost as much by playing all-in too much. If I had stuck to my game plan consistently I would stay ahead. Maybe not have as many real big wins, but would definitely have a lot less big loses.