I decided that I want to get more hands in per month. These past couple months have been really skimpy, I log for the whole month like I logged a week in the summer. So whenever I have any free time, I'll try to get hands in.
I really like the style of my game these days, I am capable of anything you can think of as a play but I do so in profitable ways. Also I'm really focusing on more table selection these days, I'm going to rid the whole "highest pot/Player % seen flop" table selection. I don't think that was best. Currently, I'm not typically afraid of playing tough regulars. I'm sure in a long run, even against the best of them, I will not be that big of an underdog. The point is that I don't need to prove anything to them and I know my own abilities and limitations, I'll leave my ego at the door. Also with the limited of time I can play these days, it's best to try to grab the highest expectation.
Anyways, there's something that I've been working on. These days, I've been just sick of hearing people being on downswings and what not. I mean I don't get mad hearing that stuff or anything. It just affects me negatively when I am not playing and I think too much about the possibility of that happening to me in the near future. I don't know how many times I say that I don't believe in "downswings"(though I use the term), it's just part of the game. There is no winning or losing in this game, there is just the aspect of making right or wrong decisions. And even that is not so straightforward, as being right doesn't mean the result is good or being wrong means the result is bad.
That's why this game is such a mental/emotional game. You cannot "win" unless you can master yourself. And my journey has always been to try to master myself. If someone ask me how much percentage of the game is "inner", I would say at least 60%. But anyways, this is what I came up with these days that will hopefully help me(so far so good!).
Here's the thought process:
"The money that I made so far that's currently in my BR is not mine. Actually, it's not anybody's and actually it is everybody's. As long as it is in my BR, the money there is not in my possession. It will come and go as I play more hands. I have no control over the outcome of the cards, but I hope to be winning at the end. If I lose my BR, I did not lose anything because it was never mine. Again, all I can do is make best decisions and make profitable plays. I have the power to take the money in my BR to become mine by withdrawing any time. If I choose to keep playing and earn more with my investment, then I need to accept that what I keep in my BR is never mine. I can think of my BR as a different entity that is part of my investment and by investing, I have to accept that it can come and go. But in the end, I know that if it is all gone, I never gain or lose money because it was never mine."
It's a pretty different concept, and I like it. It really isn't "faking" my mind to not care, because I honestly think the above is true. It's just a different way of thinking of your BR. I like it so far. Maybe it'll help someone out there. But I blog this because it's important for myself and it helps me.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Pretty funny timing/future of PIF
As some of you know, CTS joined the CR pros team as they launched the new site. Just right before the release of his first video, I was thinking about the style he is basically preaching in his videos. It is great to see a great player playing exactly what I had imagined, of course his thinking is still way above my level but it's a good reassurance.
Btw, a while ago I picked the book "Mathematics of Poker" by Bill Chen and I was not sure to recommend it. I can wholeheartedly recommend it now. I read a good portion of the book but I did not really grasp the full extent of it at the time, but lately after rethinking about my game, it's definitely a book that every poker player should look into. It's a very difficult book for the non-mathematical minds, but I think if you want to get to the high stakes, the understanding of the concepts is a basic requirement.
Of course I'm mentioning this now that CTS had mentioned it in his newest video(what a copycat!). Though he did not really recommend the book, he just said some parts were interesting. There are many more important information in the book that I really can't list. Most players do not completely understand why they are winning or losing. Actually I've been winning for a year and I did not know how until very recently how I've been winning. The book helped me realize this. Once it clicks, you start to think about the fundamentals and it makes the game really really simple. Don't get me wrong, I still got tons to learn but I feel like I can sit on any table and in a long run, I should come out ahead.
As far as results go, it's all talk and no solids. I have a lot of time to think about poker these days, since I can't physically play. Basically when my mind is free, I'm probably thinking poker. So I've been reevaluating lines and really digging down to the cores of the game. I thought about all the things that better players do, and validate the plays with logic why it's effective or profitable. My game is definitely evolving, and the game is getting more interesting to play.
On another note, I'll put this out now. Please don't quote me on it or bother me about this, it might not happen for another year or even happen at all. But after the pay it forward ends, I'm planning on continuing the pay it forward with my own student(s). The rough timing would be under 2 important criterias. 1.) when I feel even more confident about my poker knowledge(big question mark here) and 2.) when I have establish myself as a big winner with solid results. There is a 3rd, it's basically based on time. I'm hella busy these days, so only if I have the time to commit to this.
I personally hate teaching something when I'm only half ass at it, and my own confidence is very important. The first 2 criterias are a must before I take on this project, but I'm just throwing it out in case anybody is wondering. And no, I'm not taking any early application. Heck, there might not be anybody who is interested with applying. We'll see!
Btw, a while ago I picked the book "Mathematics of Poker" by Bill Chen and I was not sure to recommend it. I can wholeheartedly recommend it now. I read a good portion of the book but I did not really grasp the full extent of it at the time, but lately after rethinking about my game, it's definitely a book that every poker player should look into. It's a very difficult book for the non-mathematical minds, but I think if you want to get to the high stakes, the understanding of the concepts is a basic requirement.
Of course I'm mentioning this now that CTS had mentioned it in his newest video(what a copycat!). Though he did not really recommend the book, he just said some parts were interesting. There are many more important information in the book that I really can't list. Most players do not completely understand why they are winning or losing. Actually I've been winning for a year and I did not know how until very recently how I've been winning. The book helped me realize this. Once it clicks, you start to think about the fundamentals and it makes the game really really simple. Don't get me wrong, I still got tons to learn but I feel like I can sit on any table and in a long run, I should come out ahead.
As far as results go, it's all talk and no solids. I have a lot of time to think about poker these days, since I can't physically play. Basically when my mind is free, I'm probably thinking poker. So I've been reevaluating lines and really digging down to the cores of the game. I thought about all the things that better players do, and validate the plays with logic why it's effective or profitable. My game is definitely evolving, and the game is getting more interesting to play.
On another note, I'll put this out now. Please don't quote me on it or bother me about this, it might not happen for another year or even happen at all. But after the pay it forward ends, I'm planning on continuing the pay it forward with my own student(s). The rough timing would be under 2 important criterias. 1.) when I feel even more confident about my poker knowledge(big question mark here) and 2.) when I have establish myself as a big winner with solid results. There is a 3rd, it's basically based on time. I'm hella busy these days, so only if I have the time to commit to this.
I personally hate teaching something when I'm only half ass at it, and my own confidence is very important. The first 2 criterias are a must before I take on this project, but I'm just throwing it out in case anybody is wondering. And no, I'm not taking any early application. Heck, there might not be anybody who is interested with applying. We'll see!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
1 Year Anniversary of Poker
Though I never kept an official date when I started playing online poker(basically just poker in general), I do have an idea that it is around the UIGEA signing periods and immediately followed by party pulling out of the US market. Anyways, the exact date doesn't matter but definitely a lot has happened since then. So I'll just officially say right now that I have one year of poker on my belt.
As far as BR status update, my BR size hasn't really change. I made a decent sized withdrawal about a month ago, and since then everything is just going quite slow. While I'm probably winning at 2/4, my standard deviation gives me no room to make any assumptions. Though like I've mentioned previously, I'm running into way too many cooler situations than my fair share at the stake. While that probably wouldn't make me a huge winner, it would still be significant considering the sample size. But of course, I'm running quite good at 1/2. It offsets the losses made in 2/4. But honestly 2/4 is not the problem for me. It's the fact I just don't put in enough hands for variance to balance out.
But right now, my priority is set to do well in my classes. As long as I need to put in more hours for school, I'm going to need to put less hours in poker. That's determined and I'm not going to change that.
As far as BR status update, my BR size hasn't really change. I made a decent sized withdrawal about a month ago, and since then everything is just going quite slow. While I'm probably winning at 2/4, my standard deviation gives me no room to make any assumptions. Though like I've mentioned previously, I'm running into way too many cooler situations than my fair share at the stake. While that probably wouldn't make me a huge winner, it would still be significant considering the sample size. But of course, I'm running quite good at 1/2. It offsets the losses made in 2/4. But honestly 2/4 is not the problem for me. It's the fact I just don't put in enough hands for variance to balance out.
But right now, my priority is set to do well in my classes. As long as I need to put in more hours for school, I'm going to need to put less hours in poker. That's determined and I'm not going to change that.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Sigh
Playing the best poker of my life, but results just is not showing. To explain my frustration, I lost like 3 stack vs stack where it was profitable to do so(1 x set under set, 1x AK vs JJ pf, 1x JJ vs AT all in pf) but still ended up breaking even for the session. Obviously it's nothing to complain about when you aren't losing but I had all the regulars under my fingertips and I was profitable against them.
Oh well, just venting.
One thing to note about 2/4 is that you are playing regulars all the time, you almost have to abuse some of the bad regulars while the fish can decide to stack off horribly whenever. Oh ya, my computer is really acting up these days, it's pretty frustrating when you worked as a computer tech and can't fix your own computer. :(
Oh well, just venting.
One thing to note about 2/4 is that you are playing regulars all the time, you almost have to abuse some of the bad regulars while the fish can decide to stack off horribly whenever. Oh ya, my computer is really acting up these days, it's pretty frustrating when you worked as a computer tech and can't fix your own computer. :(
I'm not satisfied..
Tonight I was just thinking about the game and where I stand currently at the game. I'm not completely satisfied with where I am, I'm not stopping here. I'm going to keep pushing forward. I remember grinding in 10nl and saw these cool guys playing higher stakes, and I was wishing that I want to be there. And I realize that I'm dipping down as far as my passion for the game. This is because I'm starting to be in a comfort zone, and I'm just loosening up and not really trying to keep my hardest to keep improving.
Anyways, it's 5am in the morning. I was playing for the last 3 hours. I was playing 2 tables of short handed against guys that I felt probably had a slight edge against me. I stayed and played because I wanted to challenge the flow. In their minds, they were exploiting some of my tendencies and I wanted to see if I can beat that, while of course making it a good learning experience. They were showing me exactly what I wanted to see, they were floating me and raising me in position. I know what they were doing and It made me think of ways to re-exploit what they are exploiting of me. Basically I was playing heads up against couple of those players.
I ended up probably losing like 2 BIs to this one guy who I suspect is not even a regular, just kind of a guy with some tricks. And I broke even against an obvious regular, I suspect he's a decent winner in FT. He outplayed me in a lot of pots, almost as I felt I was being leveled a couple times. Of course it was easy when you have the right type of hands versus my holding, but I give him credit that he was good. The other guy, I think if I keep playing him for a long time, I can probably get the best of him because I found many ways to exploit him also.
Even though I made a couple questionable stack offs, the 200nl games that I was playing helped me stay almost break even for tonight. I think that's a pretty big blessing. Though I didn't really care, I was willing to take some risks. There's a very very thin line between being a complete spewtard and being successful at what I'm trying to do. I think I'll make it, there'll just be a bit of variance involved.
My goal is not just be a solid regular in 2/4 but I'm aiming way higher than that. This was my original plan and I'm sticking with it. The only problem is the time constraint due to classes, but I'll try to manage.
Anyways, it's 5am in the morning. I was playing for the last 3 hours. I was playing 2 tables of short handed against guys that I felt probably had a slight edge against me. I stayed and played because I wanted to challenge the flow. In their minds, they were exploiting some of my tendencies and I wanted to see if I can beat that, while of course making it a good learning experience. They were showing me exactly what I wanted to see, they were floating me and raising me in position. I know what they were doing and It made me think of ways to re-exploit what they are exploiting of me. Basically I was playing heads up against couple of those players.
I ended up probably losing like 2 BIs to this one guy who I suspect is not even a regular, just kind of a guy with some tricks. And I broke even against an obvious regular, I suspect he's a decent winner in FT. He outplayed me in a lot of pots, almost as I felt I was being leveled a couple times. Of course it was easy when you have the right type of hands versus my holding, but I give him credit that he was good. The other guy, I think if I keep playing him for a long time, I can probably get the best of him because I found many ways to exploit him also.
Even though I made a couple questionable stack offs, the 200nl games that I was playing helped me stay almost break even for tonight. I think that's a pretty big blessing. Though I didn't really care, I was willing to take some risks. There's a very very thin line between being a complete spewtard and being successful at what I'm trying to do. I think I'll make it, there'll just be a bit of variance involved.
My goal is not just be a solid regular in 2/4 but I'm aiming way higher than that. This was my original plan and I'm sticking with it. The only problem is the time constraint due to classes, but I'll try to manage.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Playing Multiple Levels
I think I'm making an error about mentality when playing in 1/2 and 2/4 simultaneously. I am definitely still playing close to my best game for both levels, but I started to not value when I win a stack in 1/2. I mean those are great, but the big money comes in the 2/4 tables. I need to treat each table as 100bb and not think about the actual values on the table. Whether it's 5c or 100 dollars, they should be converted into big blinds and played accordingly.
That said, I actually got to play some hands tonight. It was refreshing to stop playing for over a week and jumping in to play. It didn't feel as much as a grind. I think I overall played well, I was focused and I actually made some pretty big bluffs. Basically I'm just whining now that, it seems that I'm coolering people in 1/2 and getting coolered in 2/4, that's just horrible. Obviously it has nothing to do with the stakes, just pointing it out. But I like to run AA into KK or set over set in a bigger stake sometimes.. That said, today, I folded another set.. accidentally, oh ya Pawel, make that top set!. :(
That said, I actually got to play some hands tonight. It was refreshing to stop playing for over a week and jumping in to play. It didn't feel as much as a grind. I think I overall played well, I was focused and I actually made some pretty big bluffs. Basically I'm just whining now that, it seems that I'm coolering people in 1/2 and getting coolered in 2/4, that's just horrible. Obviously it has nothing to do with the stakes, just pointing it out. But I like to run AA into KK or set over set in a bigger stake sometimes.. That said, today, I folded another set.. accidentally, oh ya Pawel, make that top set!. :(
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