There was a tough lineup at the game when I got there but I was confident in my new play. Then I got my first hand and I was like a deer in headlights. I knew what they had but I called anyway. Then I got sucked out on half a dozen times and I started to play passive. I didn't win a pot for 4 hours and I got stuck 1,060. I did the walk of shame to the ATM and re bought for 200.
By now the toughest players left and some fish sat down. I started to win a few pots when we got 6 handed and the table turned hyper aggressive. I picked up a few hands and was able to build huge post to mount a comeback. After a few of these pots I was only down 60. I tried to keep it going to book a win but my cards dried up and I was very tired at this point. The pots were huge and were being won by 2nd pair but I saw big swings coming so I took my now small loss and left.
I didn't think I would have to practice table selection live but I guess I do. My bankroll is still small and the swing did affect my play. In the future I will pay more attention to the line up and play lower if I have to.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Tid Bits
Been doing some poker reading but not about strategy. I have been reading articles, cardplayer, and the poker news. I found a few tid bits in these items that got me thinking and now I am reading The Poker Mind Set and ordered Elements of Poker.
It started with an article by Tommy Angelo called folding. It was an easy read but rammed home the point that you don't have to win every pot you play. Then when reading stories about Chip Reese and his points for playing poker made me think. They were to accumulate wealth, improve your life style, and provide for your family.
I wasn't doing any of these things. I would win and give it back a day later. The only thing I was doing was killing time. Looking back at my posts I was touching on all the concepts but just can't seem to put them together. Hopefully the new books and ideas I have will fix this.
I finnally caught up on my sleep last night just in time for friday night. This will be the next test in my new qwest. I have to leave at 11pm to stick to the plan. This is still late when you figure I have been up since 6am, work all day, and then drive 40min home. I will be lucky to be asleep by midnight and I know I will be up by 7am even without an alarm clock. If I get tired before 11pm I need to go.
My point with all this blabbering is that there is more to poker then how to play a hand. If your schedule or life is a mess it will bring you down just as fast. If you haven't thought about these things then you should. They are half of the game and won't let you ignore them if you want to be a winning player.
It started with an article by Tommy Angelo called folding. It was an easy read but rammed home the point that you don't have to win every pot you play. Then when reading stories about Chip Reese and his points for playing poker made me think. They were to accumulate wealth, improve your life style, and provide for your family.
I wasn't doing any of these things. I would win and give it back a day later. The only thing I was doing was killing time. Looking back at my posts I was touching on all the concepts but just can't seem to put them together. Hopefully the new books and ideas I have will fix this.
I finnally caught up on my sleep last night just in time for friday night. This will be the next test in my new qwest. I have to leave at 11pm to stick to the plan. This is still late when you figure I have been up since 6am, work all day, and then drive 40min home. I will be lucky to be asleep by midnight and I know I will be up by 7am even without an alarm clock. If I get tired before 11pm I need to go.
My point with all this blabbering is that there is more to poker then how to play a hand. If your schedule or life is a mess it will bring you down just as fast. If you haven't thought about these things then you should. They are half of the game and won't let you ignore them if you want to be a winning player.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Taking It Seriously
I decided to take poker seriously for 2008. Not just say it but do it. There were days that I would blow off steam and money on a bad day to feel better. Play higher limits and games that I wasn't ready for and so on. All of this cost me alot of money.
For 2008 I am putting all the things I know about poker together, including bankroll management, emotions, and non poker related events. Currently I am under bankrolled for the 10/20 game I was playing last night but I can and did beat it for $600. I won't play anything higher until I have my bankroll back. This includes NL games. I am a limit player so the best and fastest way for me to rebuild is to stick to my game. If that means playing 4/8 or lower so be it.
I have poker tracker for my online play and set up an excel spread sheet for my live game results. I will also track poker related expenses and offset them against my winnings to treat this as if I was playing for a living. My job will cover my living expenses but gas to the casino, food at the casino, and poker related items will come out of my play.
On day one I lost -8.45 online and won 600 live. I don't want to deposit more money online if I don't have to, so I will be starting at micro stakes and working up as my bankroll allows.
For 2008 I am putting all the things I know about poker together, including bankroll management, emotions, and non poker related events. Currently I am under bankrolled for the 10/20 game I was playing last night but I can and did beat it for $600. I won't play anything higher until I have my bankroll back. This includes NL games. I am a limit player so the best and fastest way for me to rebuild is to stick to my game. If that means playing 4/8 or lower so be it.
I have poker tracker for my online play and set up an excel spread sheet for my live game results. I will also track poker related expenses and offset them against my winnings to treat this as if I was playing for a living. My job will cover my living expenses but gas to the casino, food at the casino, and poker related items will come out of my play.
On day one I lost -8.45 online and won 600 live. I don't want to deposit more money online if I don't have to, so I will be starting at micro stakes and working up as my bankroll allows.
Monday, December 31, 2007
2008 New Years Resolution
The new year brings absolution for the sins of the previous year or so we like to believe. IMO people need something to change so they can change. Just like we put the old year behind us we try to put our bad habits behind us too. I have jumped on this band wagon since as long as I can remember so why stop now. Besides, jumping on is easy, not falling off is the hard part.
Self Discipline. Two words, four syllables, but the hardest thing to do. This is what all resolutions boil down to. If you want to lose weight, go to the gym, or church, you need the self discipline to put the potato chips down and get off the couch. Self discipline, or lack of, is the root cause of our failure. We know what to do and how to do it, we just choose not to.
I know what I have to do to win at Poker, I just choose not to. My new year resolution is to do all the things I know I have to do to reach my goal of making money. The money will be there if I don't play when I am tired, on tilt, or getting bad cards. I can and do beat the games I play in but I am not reaching my poker goals because of my lack of self discipline. Of course there will be set backs but knowing the problem should help.
Good luck reaching your goals in the new year.
Self Discipline. Two words, four syllables, but the hardest thing to do. This is what all resolutions boil down to. If you want to lose weight, go to the gym, or church, you need the self discipline to put the potato chips down and get off the couch. Self discipline, or lack of, is the root cause of our failure. We know what to do and how to do it, we just choose not to.
I know what I have to do to win at Poker, I just choose not to. My new year resolution is to do all the things I know I have to do to reach my goal of making money. The money will be there if I don't play when I am tired, on tilt, or getting bad cards. I can and do beat the games I play in but I am not reaching my poker goals because of my lack of self discipline. Of course there will be set backs but knowing the problem should help.
Good luck reaching your goals in the new year.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Playing Better and Learning to Fold
The two are going hand in hand. Because of folding I am playing better. Folding has really improved my post flop game. I still make mistakes but I am giving it credit for not letting me drop of the deep end.
I ran even Friday night but lost Saturday. Sunday I was only going to play a short session but ended up playing longer. I was down because of a bad river and then went on tilt for 50 more in a 1/2NL game. No 10/20 limit game going so I mixed it up. Anyway I was card dead for 6hrs until I got lucky.
I don't remember the preflop action but I got HU on a flop of KK3 with KJ in the hole. I bet 20 and got raised to 60 by the tightest player at the table. He didn't raise preflop so I put him on a K with a worse kicker so I went all in thinking he would fold. He insta called 150 more and showed 33 for the flopped fullhouse. The turn was a J and he left in disgust.
After this hand the cards kept coming and I made some good decisions post flop. Before I knew it I was back even for the day and then for Sat. too. I think I could have made more but 2 things happened. I was betting to strong and scared people off that would have called slightly less and I stopped getting action. I was on a run and out playing the table so they avoided me. I got action on one last hand that I lost for 200. I went card dead again and with no action I called it a night.
I credit the folding for this win. I folded for 6 hrs before I started to get cards. Had I not folded so much I would have lost and left before the cards turned in my favor. It was boring as hell but entertainment is secondary to making money.
+100 for the week $4 per hr (yuk)
Great lesson learned, Priceless
I ran even Friday night but lost Saturday. Sunday I was only going to play a short session but ended up playing longer. I was down because of a bad river and then went on tilt for 50 more in a 1/2NL game. No 10/20 limit game going so I mixed it up. Anyway I was card dead for 6hrs until I got lucky.
I don't remember the preflop action but I got HU on a flop of KK3 with KJ in the hole. I bet 20 and got raised to 60 by the tightest player at the table. He didn't raise preflop so I put him on a K with a worse kicker so I went all in thinking he would fold. He insta called 150 more and showed 33 for the flopped fullhouse. The turn was a J and he left in disgust.
After this hand the cards kept coming and I made some good decisions post flop. Before I knew it I was back even for the day and then for Sat. too. I think I could have made more but 2 things happened. I was betting to strong and scared people off that would have called slightly less and I stopped getting action. I was on a run and out playing the table so they avoided me. I got action on one last hand that I lost for 200. I went card dead again and with no action I called it a night.
I credit the folding for this win. I folded for 6 hrs before I started to get cards. Had I not folded so much I would have lost and left before the cards turned in my favor. It was boring as hell but entertainment is secondary to making money.
+100 for the week $4 per hr (yuk)
Great lesson learned, Priceless
Friday, December 14, 2007
Mind Control
Went back to the Peppermill last night for some 10/20 limit. It was the first time back since my melt down and I was welcomed back. Nobody seemed to have hard feelings so it is now water under the bridge.
I got there about 6:30 and played till 10:30. I booked a nice little win for $343 or just over $85hr. I played pretty well and kept myself in check when I wasn't getting cards and when I built, then lost, the 2 biggest pots of the night. Brian managed to win both with a rivered set over set and a turned gutshot straight beat another set. A good $800 between the two pots.
I did falter alittle when it was time to go. At first I was going to go at 10 but I told myself if the game was good I would stay an extra 30min. The game filled up so I stayed. The ironic part is that I lost $15 in the extra time. I am starting to see a pattern here.
Still a good night and I am happy and satisfied with the win. I am starting to win the battle with myself and my expectations. A win is better then loosing.
I got there about 6:30 and played till 10:30. I booked a nice little win for $343 or just over $85hr. I played pretty well and kept myself in check when I wasn't getting cards and when I built, then lost, the 2 biggest pots of the night. Brian managed to win both with a rivered set over set and a turned gutshot straight beat another set. A good $800 between the two pots.
I did falter alittle when it was time to go. At first I was going to go at 10 but I told myself if the game was good I would stay an extra 30min. The game filled up so I stayed. The ironic part is that I lost $15 in the extra time. I am starting to see a pattern here.
Still a good night and I am happy and satisfied with the win. I am starting to win the battle with myself and my expectations. A win is better then loosing.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
New Attitude
I have always said that I am playing poker to make money but I keep making decisions that go against that statement. I keep playing longer then I said I would, when I am tired, or just when my mind is not on the game. All these things effect my win rate either that night or the next day.
Friday I played all night. I was up 1300 in a 3/5 nl game thanks to 4 big hands. Other then those hands I wasn't catching cards but I still played on. I came up with several reasons to stay but I knew I should have left. I did finally leave with 1000 which isn't bad but I went home and could only sleep 4hrs. I went back and lost 800.
Playing both days was always my plan but by playing so long friday I ruined my game for Saturday. I have no balance and therefore my reasons for playing poker at any given time keep changing. I am trying to have the disipline to follow my plan. It is a flexable plan that can adjust to the conditions but I bend and then break it too often.
My game has improved lately but my lack of disipline threatens to undue all my work.
Friday I played all night. I was up 1300 in a 3/5 nl game thanks to 4 big hands. Other then those hands I wasn't catching cards but I still played on. I came up with several reasons to stay but I knew I should have left. I did finally leave with 1000 which isn't bad but I went home and could only sleep 4hrs. I went back and lost 800.
Playing both days was always my plan but by playing so long friday I ruined my game for Saturday. I have no balance and therefore my reasons for playing poker at any given time keep changing. I am trying to have the disipline to follow my plan. It is a flexable plan that can adjust to the conditions but I bend and then break it too often.
My game has improved lately but my lack of disipline threatens to undue all my work.
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