When you walk into a card room, you should usually have some idea of what cash game you want to play.
Part of the decision is made for you by bankroll realities. While the choice between 1 2 and 2 5 no limit may be difficult, those making this decision rarely have to consider whether they should jump into the 150 300 mixed game.
Good decisions are every bit as important to winning as technical poker skill. So what are the elements that go into choosing which cash game to play?

1. How much money you are willing to risk on a given day. If the figure is less than $1000, 1 2 NL is probably a better choice than 2 5. 10 20 limit is probably a better choice than 20 40. etc.

There are exceptions (like when the bigger game is substantially softer), but erring to the conservative is the way to go.

1. What poker games do you play best? I am a mixed game player by trade and I have been in this business since long before the poker boom so I believe that it is important to be able to play all games at least pretty well.

No limit holdem comprises over 80% of the action, but believe me, it won't always be that way. Thirty years ago more than half the games were limit holdem. I suspect that mixed games and PLO will be the next dominant thing. I don't believe that any winning player plays all games equally well. The best two all around players that I ever played a lot of hours with, John Hennigan and Chip Reese, both played stud format games better than flop games.

1. You must be able not only judge the softness a table, but also combine that with your own strengths and weaknesses.

2. (This might be the most important thing. If you sit in a good 20 40 holdem and get stuck $400,)
   You must have the ability to move to 10 20 when it is the better game.

Poker talent is important, but without control, you won't be a winning cash a game player.