My Thoughts on Poker (long but good)

[lacky]

[ QUOTE ]
I was looking at my stats and realized since I won the second chance I basically have broke even for the last 5 months or so. Now I consider myself to be a very good player so why am I breaking even over such a long period of time?


[/ QUOTE ]

thats actually kinda funny. reread what I wrote in that post you linked. Last time it happened to me I had a 5 month nearly break even period after a couple good mtt wins.

basic recipe is I suddenly didn't really need the money and had a larger bankroll than I was used too. So, I naturally played higher stakes than I normally would, and was less serois/focused than I normally would be. I knew at least in the short term it didnt really matter.

All that pretty much set me up to fail, sounds like the same has happened to you. My advice is take one game, your best game, and just do that one thing for a month at a level you know you can beat. Focus, review, and get back into the habit of winning. Thats how my last intense sng period came about (over a year ago now). I went back to something I knew if I lost at it I may as well hang it up. For me that was $55 and $33 party regulars. I focused, I grinded, and I made about the same return I always had. Then I moved on to other things, but with a winning mindset.

gl, Steve

[The Yugoslavian]

Eagles,

Awesome! This is exactly how I've played for much of my poker career, lol. No wonder I never made enough to loose 100k in a couple days at 200/400.

Yugoslav

[curtains]

lacky is wisest person on 2+2

[lacky]

[ QUOTE ]
lacky is wisest person on 2+2

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess the "weak/tight" fued is over [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[kevstreet]

Nice post.

Among the other things you touched on, I can really relate to your sports/competition analogy coupled w/ the "I asked 'how can I win this pot?'” statement.

Every once in a while in a MTT I sometimes will fire off a few cbets with air. After villain calls twice and checks to me on the river that competitive nature and pride takes over and I think to myself the only way I can take this down is by making a huge bet or shoving when I can (occassionally) muck my hand, cut my losses and regroup.

[suzzer99]

[ QUOTE ]
I went back to something I knew if I lost at it I may as well hang it up. For me that was $55 and $33 party regulars. I focused, I grinded, and I made about the same return I always had. Then I moved on to other things, but with a winning mindset.

gl, Steve

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been trying to do this at the $60s for the last month and a half, with pretty horrible results. Although going back to 8-tabling has me feeling better and pulling out a little.

[curtains]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
lacky is wisest person on 2+2

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess the "weak/tight" fued is over [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

lol

[Eagles]

Alright if the Mods don't mind I think I'm just going to bump this whenever I think of something that I consider to be worthwhile.

Going back to my OP I have a lot of fairly good strategy thoughts about poker but I feel that isn't as important as having a good mindset.

One thing I've started to realize is that too often people expect the best players in the world to have some sick moves. Obviously they make very good bluffs/calls etc. especially at the highstakes nl short handed games. Now this does not apply nearly as much when I'm talking about HU/3 handed so ignore it.

But when talking about 6max-full ring games and tournaments a lot of the stuff good players do is very simple. You could probably watch them play and not even notice them doing anything special but often it's doing simple things correctly that makes a huge difference. I remember when I first started learning poker I'd see stuff like fold AJ and my reaction was pftttttt well I want to be a great player I just can't go around being a by the book tag.

Now right now I am def not a by the book tag but the fact that people have the mindset I mentioned above means often making standard abc plays is what makes someone a good player.

I am by no means suggesting people play like standard by the book tags(well except in sngs)but that point I am making is that often the ability to make the "standard" correct play is what gives us an edge.

[Eagles]

K I'll bump this again because I just had an ah ha moment.


Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

SB ($86.50)
Hero ($636.50)
UTG ($433.90)
MP ($359.70)
CO ($696)
Button ($600)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $3.
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to $24</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls $18.

Flop: ($51) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero This hand seems standardish and nothing really special but when playing it I thought about it in away I almost never do.

Now here's what do you do here. Your options are c/r c/c c/f bet/fold bet/call bet/shove.

Now first of all I'm like never folding this flop(I guess if he bets like 10x pot or something but that's unlikely so ignore it.)

I have 4 choices c/r c/c B/c B/R

Now when playing this hand I made my decision by examining which decisions I do not like.

I do not like c/r. If I c/r and he calls unless the turn is a club I will be lost on the turn in a huge pot.

I do not like c/c because my hand is strong and he will often cbet hands that are currently ahead of me but if I bet I can take the lead in the hand and get folds out of a lot of those hands. But if I c/c I let him keep the initative and might need to fold the turn or let him show down something like Ace high or kq.

So I bet and he called.

I've never really thought of hands like this but I think it could be very valuable. Just go through options in your head and if you don't like it eliminate it and keep going until you have one or two options left.

BTW I'm not sure how good an idea this is but it seems good so I will start using it more and advise others to also.

[Green Kool Aid]

eagles,

stats and history with villain are v important here imo.

also....do you always call pf there?