Ever since I started to get serious about the game, I've noticed that when I just get into a game or when I'm up by a significant amount I always start to play really bad poker. Conversely, when I am down in chips; my game gets tighter, I can get away from trap hands more easily and my bluffs are stronger and more focused.

Case and point was a game I played this last Saturday(Jan. 15th, 2005). It was a ring game, blinds were 1$/2$ and with a 50$ minimum and 100$ maximum buy-in. I bought in for a 100 and lost it quickly playing loose and stupid. Then, I bought in for another 50, played reasonably well and got my stack up to about 120, before I got cocky again and lost it all on a ridiculous play to a good friend of mine. Finally, I bought in for another 100$, focused and played tight aggressive poker for the next 2 hours until I built my stack back to over 285$.

If this were the only time I've experienced this, I might just attribute it all to luck. Maybe, I was catching better cards towards the end of the night, maybe my opponents got weaker. The truth is, this happens to me all the time. I either get cocky with a big stack or rush in to play to lose at the start.

Bottom line, I need to start working on always playing like I'm down.