I haven't set out any poker resolutions for about five years, and during that hiatus the poker landscape has changed so dramatically that poker in 2007 bears little relationship to the environment just after the turn of the century.

Nevertheless, here is my poker scorecard, updated to reflect the world of poker today.  This is my annual report card, self-assessment, and list of goals I¡¦d like to achieve in the coming year.

I still grade myself out at a B.  No better.  I play Texas holdem more than any other game, and in any event, some of the games that comprise "variety" are seldom if ever spread at casinos, at least not in casinos near me.  Try finding a Razz game in Palm Springs.  There aren't any.  And there aren't any in most land-based casinos.  So my only prime outlet for games other than holdem is right here where I am now, online.

Even if every game imaginable were located within walking distance of my front door, I still can't bring myself to play seven-card stud; and I've played less Deuce-to-Seven Lowball and Omaha High-Only than I really should.  But I'm vowing to do better this year, even if doing better relegates me to more online poker and a bit less of the live variety.

Playing my best all the time is a reachable goal for me, as it is for everyone.  There's really no reason not to.  But we don't.  Not all the time, anyway.  Playing one's best all the time is the easiest way I know to take some giant steps as a poker player; no new skills are necessary.  All that's required is playing as well as you can.  It's will power, and anyone can do it.

If we're lacking here, we've no one but ourselves to blame.  Pogo, the now defunct-but-still-beloved comic strip character created by cartoonist Walt Kelly, was fond of saying, "We have met the enemy and he is us."  And that's as true in poker as it is in life.

This year I resolve to limit the number of times I put myself in speculative situations where the risk outweighs the reward.  One way I'll assess each playing session will be to answer this question: "Was there anything else I could have done to narrow the target?"

I want to limit my writing schedule to magazine articles, no more than one new book, and perhaps a second edition of Poker For Dummies, which was published in 2000 and needs a lot of updating to reflect all that's new in poker: internet play, no-limit cash game poker, poker on television, tournaments all day, every day, the effect of new laws, and all the other changes that poker has gone through in six years.

One new book, one second edition of an existing book, magazine articles, and my weekly broadcast of Keep Flopping Aces, the poker talk-radio show that Amy Calistri and I host on www.holdemradio.com every Thursday night at 9:00 EST will keep me busy enough while still providing enough time to play more poker.

While being a public figure might not prevent boorish behavior from other well-known poker players, it is very important to me.

Although there's no shortage of whiners, ingrates, and ill-tempered poker players, I've also found our community to be incredibly generous, bright, and among the most vibrant, interesting people I've met.

Many of my closest friendships were initially made at the poker table.  The best way for me to give something back to this cherished poker community is to live my life to a high and honorable standard.  To the extent that we all play up to the most ethical standards we can, the poker community will be a better place for it.  I hope you join me in adopting this resolution as your own?