Question about buying in...

[grossmeyer]

Ok, I think everyone on here advocates buying in for the max... I have been doing this, but what about when you drop to say, half or 2/3s a buy-in (for whatever reason... bad beat, I'm playing like a donk, whatever it is), do you add chips back to max? My habit has been not to, because it is easier to track how much I am ahead or behind at any given time.

One other quick question... I play on the .5/.10 full-ring tables (6-max have been very -EV hahaha) for a $10max buy-in, but everyone on here talks about NL25 and NL100 and stuff. What does NL25 etc. mean? My guess is that it is referring to the max buyin which would mean I am playing NL10?

-Gross

[Grunch]

Reload instantly if you are inclined to buyin for full to begin with. The ammount you are ahead or behind is totally irrelevant to anything. In fact, there is no possible benefit you can gain from knowing this; but it could put you on tilt.

If you're thinking about poker in terms of what you won today or lost yesterday, then you have the wrong outlook on the game.

[grossmeyer]

Hmmm, your perception is uncannily accurate. I'm scared, lol.

To explain... I asked because it seems that whenever I fall a ways below the max buyin level (in my case, the $10ish mark), I tilt bad. This may be because I am converting from an almost exclusive tourney background and in tourneys as your stack gets smaller and the blinds get higher, you get increasingly desparate to make a move. To define "tilting bad" if I drop below $6 or so, it's about 3 to 1 that I will lose the rest on a bonehead classic donkey tilting play. The other 25% I suckout, lol (this is from a very small sample, so if I continue to play this way it may show that I lose much more often than 3 out of 4).

Anyway, based upon what you said, I will put myself back up to $10 anytime I drop below $9. I think that will keep me calm.

As for "not keeping track of my money." Hmm... I guess I have a ways to go on the psychological aspect. In the meantime I will try to focus on playing properly. The money will come. Any other input you have on this would be appreciated. Thanks.

-Gross

[Grunch]

The psychology of poker is as a substantial part of the game as the math, the reads, and the strategies. Similarly, it is as hard or harder to master as the other parts. It's no small feat to go from thinking about daily results to understanding that poker is just one long session. No small feat.

In many ways and for many people, it's the hardest part. Virtually nobody is completely of the right mindset naturally, and some people are so far from the right midset that they simply shouldn't play the game.

Much has been written on the psychology of poker, and we even have our own psychology forum. Check out the psychology forum, and there are 2 books I can recommend (becasue I've read them). "The Psychology of Poker" (ironic title, I know) and "Inside the Poker Mind."

How long did it take me to get the right mindset? Well, put it this way, quite sincerely. My career consists of somewhere around 200k hands (almost all limit). And I'm still working on it.

[grossmeyer]

Thanks for the encouragement. I've been meaning to pick up "The Psychology of Poker" (that's Schoonmaker's book isn't it?). I'll have to look into those books. But I'm gonna check out the Psych forum right now! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

-Gross

[Grunch]

[ QUOTE ]
"The Psychology of Poker" (that's Schoonmaker's book isn't it?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, that's the one.

[Klak]

yes NL means 25 max buyin. yes buy back up when you get down to 2/3. this is especially true at NL 10 since you are going to stack people more often you need the maximum amount possible to maximize value.

[Klak]

very good point. you dont need to keep track of exactly how much you win or lose. youll know youre winning when you have more money in your bankroll and vice versa.

[Fallen Hero]

I rebuy every time I pay a blind

[grossmeyer]

Hmm, maybe I should just do that!

-Gross