We've all been there at some point. You've been playing cash games since this morning and things started well. With a clear head and the whole day stretched out before you the poker world is was your oyster. You were confidently bankrolled, throwing KJ out of position easily into the muck, and your hourly rate would have left all those office employees crying into their briefcases. You smile as you slurp a fresh cup of coffee.

Lunch time has been and gone - a quick snack was all you fancied, the poker was going far too well. But a couple of tricky opponents and brutal rivers later and you feel like you have lost a lot of your morning's work. It's not disastrous - but certainly regrettable. Your focus starts to quiver. 'That's the fifth time he's re-raised my button raise' you irk.

KJ of clubs looks more tempting than ever. Especially when you pair your King. Even more so when the turn is an apparent blank. You must be best against this guy's range, two pair by the river...and then it happens - you barely see the set in his hand as the stack of chips moves faster than ever towards your Big Blind nemesis. 'How can the one guy who's been pushing you around so much have hit a hand the one time you took him on?'

Whether your next move is to tilt, quit, tighten up or just gape in disbelief, there are some things you should remember which may avoid you being in this position in the first place. Forget the mechanics and maths of the game - there are endless sites and forums that can afford you this information. Let's focus on your state of mind.

1. Know your players

If you are a regular cash game player there is no doubt that you will see the same old faces (or more likely, poker aliases) every day. You are not the only one who is in love with the game. You are not the only one who is any good at the game! You will obviously by now have statistics, notes, and feelings about players with whom you regularly play.

So, note the best players on your site - and don't get into big, complicated pots with them! Whilst confidence is key in poker, and you should believe you are the better player, perhaps part of being better is to avoid marginal situations. You will be playing all day (or night), and most likely you will be multi-tabling. So keep it simple for yourself, especaily towards the end of a session where your focus has waned.

On the other side of this, pay close atttention to those players who you haven't seen here before. The chances are that if they are not sitting at the tables every day, then they are not playing as much. Take some time to work out how they play, and then hit them hard. You will often find that these players will drop their chips easy enough if you play solidly. Attack their stack if they are afraid of busting their bankroll, take their chips with good hands if they've come for a bit of a lottery. Either way, this is easier money than the experienced players with deep bankrolls.

2. Put it in perspective

Oftentimes you will come across a period where all your preflop raises are getting re-rasied by one or two players - or even by shorstacks going all in. Whilst these are good spots to push with big hands - as their range is very wide at this point - put your hands in perpective. A middling pair may well be worth a raise, but is it worth calling a big re-raise? Bear in mind always that there are always going to be better spots. You do not have to play every pair - there is nothing wrong with folding to a re-raise so leave your ego behind. You will get good hands in position against weak, loose players. So why risk some of your hard earned stack in situations which are less controllable? You should revise your whole game perspective every hand in which you are involved. Is this the right situation to be getting my money in? Can I get away from this hand if I call here no matter what the flop is? Just because AJ off suit is the best hand you've been dealt in an hour, does not mean that the tight player on the button isn't able to pick up Kings. You could easily fold AJ preflop when you are playing your A-game, so why not now? If your brain isn't making these fresh, clear thinking decisions, on EVERY table you are playing, then you should probably have a rest. It isn't easy to do  for hours on end and there is no shame in sitting out...your bankroll will thank you.

3. Patience, patience, patience

Both 1 & 2 rely on your ability to play solid, patient poker. There is absolutely no point trying to make a quick buck at this game if you want to play it in the long run - let alone professioanlly. Your patient attitude will allow you to choose the right table rather than sit down at the first available - which happens to be filled with experienced pros. Your patient attitude will have to rely on your clear state of mind, your awareness of the dynamics of the game - when to play back at people and when to fold. If someone is outplaying you (yes, it will happen) then do not lose patience with them and adjust your game. If someone keeps outdrawing you, do not lose patience and adjust your game. 'Your game' is the one that works, it is what makes you a good player. It is what allows you to win consistently. It is what separates you from the pack. Wait until you are the one dictating the session, the table, the hand. Never play as if you only have one hour to make some money - because no matter if you win or lose, there will always be a next time.