Does your game seem to regress just after reading poker books?

[snowhat]

After reading a book (particularly NL holdem), I often find myself overanalyzing and working too hard to apply concepts I have studied...thus, I have no flow and don't pick up on some things I should. Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

I am trying to "just play my game" and not think about it and let things run their course with my ability to apply new moves, etc. but things are just not clicking (no pun intended).

[Pickleman]

I have had a similar problem with reading books. Usually what it was reading it once or twice and misunderstanding of what the book was telling me. If you are like me and like to read everything on poker you can find. I suggest putting a lot of time in one book and then move on to another one. Then you have to put it to the test. For it to really sink in you have to play thousands of hands with different kinds of people there’s no other way around it. I also use Wilson software to practice playing all kinds of players from passive players to aggressive players and I also try to play at least 2 live games a week. The software is well worth and it will go hand and hand with the books you read. Online in a tourney you probably play about 30 hands an hour. Using Wilson software I can play about 100 hands an hour on a table of Nine players and it keeps more stats that you can think of to evaluate your game and the computer IE is very tough. I have been playing poker for about a year now and have purchased my first book and the Wilson software about three months after I started playing. I have purchased few other books since then and have read them front to back several times. Now that my confidence is up I have know moved up to money games from free rolls, although I still play free rolls from time to time. I usually finish very deep into the tourney’s I enter and have won several local buy-in tournaments as well as online. But to go back to your original question. I think books give you the raw material you need to win and with the books I have read it has shaved a lot of time getting better sooner, but you have to put your time in. For me, it just clicked when morning when I woke up, it was very weird. Well good luck with your game.

[Webster]

yes

[Dastone]

Try only implementing a few new strategies from what you have read. Maybe only focus on a specific chapter or two, and work on understanding those fully, and how they benefit or harm your own game. Once you feel you have a complete understanding of, and the ability to apply these things successfully, then move on to another chapter or lesson.

[mce86]

Usually, when you start to use a new strategy, you will see how it works, but you will also get burnt by it. Once you learn how to apply it, the strategies are usually pretty sound. Once I reread Sklansky's Hold Em for advanced players, it was funny how there were so many things I missed. I came back and applied some, and at first, it was experimentation, and now I feel I can apply some concepts successfully.

[snowhat]

Thanks for the replies. I agree taking one lesson at a time is probably ideal. I am probably working too fast...just hungry for knowledge! And I will probably do much better after I let the concepts absorb some then go back and read it over again. I just bought No Limit Holdem Theory and Practice, am excited about it, but don't want to beat up my bankroll getting carried away with misapplying stuff of overdoing certain plays I like.

[MyTurn2Raise]

why aren't you reading everyday?

I cannot answer this question because my games always take place within 24 hours of analyzing/reading something.