can anyone be a winning poker player?

[dakevs]

I know that somethings at poker you can learn. Hand rankings, pot odds, implied odds, blah blah blah. But how about the things within your self? The discipline to quit when you are playing bad, the courage to make the right call with a marginal hand, etc.

I'm asking this because i've made numerous $50 deposits at websites, play good and bring my roll ~180, then lose it all in a couple of hours.

I know in Barry Greenstein's book, "Ace on the River" he lists some characteristics that poker players need. I haven't read the book myself, so i couldn't list them myself, but is it possible to instill those characteristics withing myself?

I love, love, love poker. I love doing numbers, and reading people. I just hate losing money.

Should i just uninstall these poker websites and never play again?

(I know my post is pretty bad, but i'm just so out of it right now. My poker bankroll is gone... AGAIN)

[mce86]

If poker is truly a game of skill, then not everyone will have the skills needed to be a winning player. This also depends on the level of poker we are talking about though.
Now, some players can go from losing players to winning players, but this will take studying, hard work, and discipline.

[dakevs]

So I guess that means that only I would know the answer to whether or not I should quit? I feel that I should quit, but at the same time I love playing so much... Should I go to some type of counseling? (christ, i sound so emo. my apologies.)

[Harv72b]

[ QUOTE ]
So I guess that means that only I would know the answer to whether or not I should quit? I feel that I should quit, but at the same time I love playing so much... Should I go to some type of counseling? (christ, i sound so emo. my apologies.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Play within your bankroll.

[klezmaniac]

[ QUOTE ]
I feel that I should quit, but at the same time I love playing so much... Should I go to some type of counseling? (christ, i sound so emo. my apologies.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Dakevs,

So often when people start asking this question, the answer is yes.

If you feel you should quit, but you can't quit, then the answer is yes.

Good luck to you.

--klez

[Thirdman]

Dakevs,

Perhaps you just need a lot more practice. How about getting a couple of poker simulator games for your PC and get some practice in without losing your cash. The bots are probably better than most internet players anyway!

TM

[mce86]

[ QUOTE ]
So I guess that means that only I would know the answer to whether or not I should quit? I feel that I should quit, but at the same time I love playing so much... Should I go to some type of counseling? (christ, i sound so emo. my apologies.)

[/ QUOTE ]
If you love playing, then play for that reason. I love playing basketball, but I suck! In fact, we have paid money to play basketball. Look at golf: people pay alot of money to play golf. How many are pros or making a living or any money doing it? Only the best of the best. yet, people still dish out mega bucks to play.
Two years ago when I was still losing playing 3/6 poker...I could play all day on 100 bucks and then lose. We would say we had a good time, it was worth it. Id go golfingm pay 100 bucks or more for the day, and hated it. At that point, I said, f this, poker will be my weekend hobby. And it was..just played for fun. If you have the money to do it, go ahead. Also, you might want to check out Psychology of Poker..talks about why we play and stuff.

[uDevil]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So I guess that means that only I would know the answer to whether or not I should quit? I feel that I should quit, but at the same time I love playing so much... Should I go to some type of counseling? (christ, i sound so emo. my apologies.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Play within your bankroll.

[/ QUOTE ]

Play within your budget. If that means playing $.01/.02, do that. Work at getting better, but expect to lose. If you can't enjoy the game under those conditions, then don't play.

You seem distressed. You should probably stop and do something else at least for a while. Hang out with friends, take your girlfriend to a movie, call your mom, go for a hike, read a non-poker book. There's more to life than poker.

[cougar62]

What games are you playing, and at what levels? If you're making $50 deposits, you might be playing above your bankroll. For example, if you're a sit and go player, and trying to play the 6.50 buy in tourney's, $50 isn't nearly enough, you need at least 30, preferably 50 buy-ins to be fairly safe. Same with limit cash games, you should have at least 150 big blinds, and again preferably much more.

So with $50, you shouldn't be playing any higher than .10/.25 limit games or $1 buy in tourneys. If you're playing higher, not only are you risking your $50 in the short run but it also might affect your play, fearing going busto again.

If you are playing at those levels and still going busto, then I guess you just need to decide how much you want to pay to play poker. But the games are beatable, and you can become a winning player. Just use proper bankroll management, get into games you can afford, especially while your learning, and work on getting better. It takes 10's of thousands of hands, or about a 1,000 tourneys, before you really get past the short term downswings and upswings and establish where you really are as a poker player.

[Albert Moulton]

Good poker can be learned.

Do you have PokerTracker? If not, then you're wasting you time trying to play better on line.

Also, read the Psychology of Poker and take the tests in that book to asses "why" you play. Figure it out, and see what about your personality is contributing to your continuing losses.

Then, post hands in the strat forums.