To avoid those bankroll depleting situations, here are few suggestions that will help prepare you for your cash game sessions.

Play tight the first few rounds: This will give you the opportunity to categorize your opponents’ poker personalities while also presenting a solid image for yourself. You need to first get a good read on the competition in order to devise a strategy for when you go deep against them. Determine who the Tight Players are and avoid big pots with them; Look for the Maniac who plays any two cards very aggressively and check to them with premium hands; find out who the Calling Stations are and avoid bluffing them; and finally, seek out the Fish who are just looking to give their chips away.

Open hand history: When a big pot reaches a showdown, check the hand history. Review how each player played their starting cards. Also, on some sites, the hand history will show the holecards of players who mucked their hands at showdown. This can be very valuable information.

Make notes on your competitors: Taking notes is a great way to keep track of how your opponents play their cards. When faced with some tough decisions, you can quickly review your notes to see what your competitors did in similar situations. Also, if you see that player again at future sessions, you can just review your notes and focus your attention on profiling the unfamiliar players at the table.

Adjust your play based on what you have learned: With the information you have gathered so far, switch up your own style to take advantage of each player’s weaknesses. Start bluffing tight players; check raise aggressive players; bet into calling stations with good hands. You’ve shown the other players your tight image. Now it’s time to mix your play up a bit so you are not so predictable.

Be patient: While it is good to mix up your play and not just play the premium hands, you still need to play solid poker. You may only play 1 in 10 hands, have a premium starting hand once every 20 hands, and have the opportunity to get a big pot once every 50 hands. Keep the pots small until you are pretty sure you have the best hand; do not commit too many chips on draws; and only bluff when you are sure you will get you opponent to fold. When you know you have the best hand, you have to figure out the maximum bet that will still be called. That may mean keeping your bets small, but some chips are better than none!

Know when to leave: If you find yourself losing focus and making bad decisions, it’s time to leave. You may be down in that session, but if you are not on your game and you’re trying anything to make your money back, you are at risk of losing even more. Take a break and return when you head is clear. On the flipside, if you have already reached your session goal (i.e. doubling your buy-in) evaluate how the table is playing before you leave. If there are a few fish who keep re-buying after going broke chasing draws or committing their chips with 2^nd pair, stick around if you have. Take the opportunity to build your bankroll.

Have a plan before every cash game session and stick to it; gain as much information about your opponents; and be patient and look for the perfect time to strike. If you follow these suggestions, you will find that poker can become a lot more profitable for you.

Good luck!