07 Jan 2026 Intermediate This material is for medium-skilled players bankroll EV mental game ranges tilt variance Pete Clarke from Carrot Corner breaks down the 10 most important attributes poker players need to succeed in 2026, ranked from least to most critical. Learn how to avoid common traps, develop proper study habits, maintain fascination with the game, and build sustainable routines that protect your progress. Focus on process over results, maintain daily study habits, set achievable volume goals, and cultivate genuine fascination with poker's intellectual beauty to achieve long-term success. Building Your Foundation for Poker Success: Accountability Systems - Establish accountability both to others (coaches, study partners) and your future self to maintain discipline and follow through on commitments Humility and Self-Awareness - Recognize when ego interferes with decision-making; identify 3-5 spots where pride causes mistakes and create objective rules to combat them Process Obsession - Track and reward successful execution of your daily poker routine rather than focusing on session results; use colored spreadsheets or scoring systems Study Regime - Implement daily 15-20 minute focused study sessions before playing; avoid marathon study sessions and blend learning with practice Volume Goals - Work backwards from yearly hand goals to calculate daily requirements; play focused 50-minute sessions rather than exhausting 2-3 hour marathons Theory Education - Understand how EV behaves through proper poker education; learn theoretical foundations before attempting exploitative adjustments Fascination First - Cultivate genuine intellectual love for poker itself, not just as a means to financial ends; appreciate the intrinsic beauty of strategic concepts
