The Theory of Poker
"Every time you play a hand differently from the way you would have played it if you could see all your opponents’ cards, they gain; and every time you play your hand the same way you would have played it if you could see all their cards, they lose. "
-David Sklansky, The Theory of Poker
Poker is a game of skill. It is more likely for an expert player to suffer a “bad beat” than for a weaker player dependent on luck—simply because a weaker player will play more bad hands. A bad beat is when a hand is beaten by a lucky draw. Regardless of whether you play poker or not, you have probably suffered a “bad beat” in some form or another. With the Affiliate Marketing space blowing up the way it is, there are definitely a lot of players– and also a lot of seeming “winners.” There are probably a dozen instances when you wished it had been your company to come to market with, or distributed a particular CPA offer or concept first.
Timing, luck, and hard work all play a role in these successes, but it’s still too early to determine which companies have simply won a big hand and which are poised to win the game. With so many hot verticals in the market, it’s tempting to chase after each opportunity. Chasing every new initiative is like throwing money into every pot however. Some you’ll wish you had chased, but maintaining a disciplined, consistent game plan will make you a winner in the long run. There are many more hands to come. If you’ve missed one big pot be prepared to play the next one like an expert.
The bets you save are just as important as the bets you win. As Sklansky will point out– in the end, it is all about maximizing your wins and minimizing your losses. The pots that you win should be as big as possible, while the pots you lose should contain nothing more than your ante. In your line of business, what current opportunities are you looking to pursue? And of that, which are worth placing a big bet and which ones do you seem to be chasing to steal a pot for a small win? I am not advocating you put all your eggs in one basket, even in poker; you’ll need to win more than one pot to win a tournament. As a matter of focus however, place your bets on key opportunities that maximize your wins.
