Let’s kick ass! I want to fire you up with a reminder that poker is a game of action, purpose, and attitude.

You don’t win by limping, calling and hoping. You win with aggression, by playing with intention and confidence.

Watch this podcast episode #546 on YouTube:

Or, listen on your daily jog:

Why Do You Play Poker?

It’s time that we channel our inner Rowdy Roddy Piper and start kicking ass in poker:

Why do you play poker?

Do you play just to make hands? Is it all about making a straight… flopping a set… or rivering TP?

Or do you want to apply pressure, exploit weaknesses, and rake in value?

I love using aggression when it matters, when it wins me pots or gets max value.

I love finding weaknesses to target and using tools like my Smart HUD to zero in on weak players.

Don’t play bingo poker (checking and calling in hopes of winning).

Aggressive Kick Ass Attitude Versus Passive Attitude

Your mindset affects your play and your outcomes.

Let’s say you’re dealt AA.

A passive player says:

“Yes! Let me suck ‘em in by limping!”

They allow others in cheap to crack their hand, and tilt when their AA loses when 92o flops 2p from the BB.

A kick ass player says:

“Yes, AA! This table’s got aggressive regs and some fish. I’m raising to 3bb, maybe I get 3bet, maybe not. But, I’m playing this hand smart.”

They think about stack sizes, tendencies, and board texture.

They don’t wait… they attack!

Big difference, right?

Don’t be passive and rely on luck. Be in control and kick ass like “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

Become even more kick ass… learn to hand read:

Kicking Ass Post-flop

This attitude wins post-flop, too.

When you flop a draw, aggression gives you fold equity, a way to win the pot without hitting your hand.

If they call? Fine. You can barrel bluff them… and you might still hit it. Now you can barrel for value.

Passive play is checking and calling, hoping to hit.

It gives opponents free cards and misses chances to apply pressure.

Betting and raising forces tough decisions and gives you multiple ways to win and that’s how winners play.

Let me help you build a Kick Ass Attitude with 4 parts

How to Build a Kick Ass Attitude in 4 Parts

1. Be Present

Poker time is poker time. Eliminate distractions and stay engaged.

Warm-up before you play with a hand review, go over notes and choose a strategy to focus on.

Stay engaged by asking questions like:

• Who are the marks?
• Who’s still to act?
• What’s patterns can I exploit?

Check in on your focus.

Are you tagging player types, making reads, thinking through hands?

Or just playing robotically?

If it’s the latter, pause or end your session.

2. KNOW That Aggression > Passivity

Aggression gives you two ways to win: by making the best hand or making ‘em fold.

Passivity relies solely on hitting big hands, aka bingo poker.

Not sure? Let your results prove it.

Compare your win rates with aggression vs passivity:

• Open-raising versus limping
• 3betting versus flatting
• Cbetting versus checking
• Raising vs calling post-flop

Your database will show you that aggression wins.

3. Play with a +EV Mindset

EV = Expected Value.

+EV means the decision is profitable in the long run, even if you lose the hand.

Your mission in poker is to make +EV decisions. The more you make, even if you lose the hand, the more you’ll win in the long run.

Playing with a +EV mindset means:

• You focus on quality decisions over outcomes.
• You use aggression based on reads, not ego.
• You exploit their mistakes and don’t force the action.

Every decision should answer this question: “Is this the most +EV play I can make right now?”

Above is the EV spectrum. Every play is either +EV on the right and should be made, or it’s -EV on the left and should be avoided. If ever in doubt of what to do, folding and checking are neutral EV right in the middle, and that’s better than any -EV play.

4. Detach from Results

You can’t control the outcome, only your actions.

You’re going to lose sometimes, even when you play perfectly.

All-in with AA vs KK? That’s an 82% favorite. What a beautiful spot.

But… 18% of the time, you’re going to lose. That’s 1 in 5 hands.

If you just lost… so what? That’s the 1 in 5. No big deal.

What matters is that you made the right play.

Accept the loss and move on.

Take Action

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Become a kick ass player (or become even more kick assier than you are now). Remember:

1. Be present at the table. Strive for A-game play.
2. Know that aggression > passivity.
3. Play with a +EV mindset.
4. Detach yourself from results.

This will make you unstoppable.

Now go channel your inner Rowdy Roddy Piper and kick ass.

Until next time, study smart, play much… and make your next session the best one yet.