If you want to explore being a professional poker player, you have to start out doing it part time. Spend your off hours thinking about poker and studying the game. Read and play and learn.

In Limit Hold 'em, it is not uncommon to see pots that are contested by four, five, or even six players. This happens with some frequency at lower limits, especially when playing with those who haven't learned the virtues of a tight-aggressive style of play.

I never get tired of saying it: If you're the first to enter the pot in a No-Limit Hold'em poker game, never call. If you aren't prepared to rise, throw your hand away.

Last week I talked about not adjusting for tournament play, answered three specific tournament questions, and stressed that there is little difference between tournament strategy and ring game strategy. This week, I would like to expand on that by answering a fourth question, and address the two situations where it's right to deviate from simply playing your best poker game.

People often ask very specific questions about how to be a winning poker tournament player:

• How many chips am I supposed to have after the first two levels?

• Should I play a lot of hands early while the blinds are small, and then tighten up later as the blinds increase?

• I seem to always finish on the bubble. Should I tighten up more as I get close to the money, or try to accumulate more chips early on?

I often get asked about my playing style. Rather than answer the question myself, I'm more interested in what my opponents say. And I've heard it all: "You're too tight." "You're too loose." "You're tight aggressive." "You're too passive."