Confessions of a donk

[Johnny2Gunnz]

I originally started a thread in the full ring forums, but I feel this really belongs in the micro board.

Basically, I went broke. I'm a microlimit player so I really didn't lose too much, but enough to make me take some time off and question my play. After some helpful 2p2er responses I took a few days off to read up and examine my play. Here is my conclusion, I hope others in the same position might be able to take atleast one or two points away from this.


" Well I've been studying full time these past few days and I've found quite a few holes in my play.

For one, I was limping most SC's and PP's instead of raising. Actually, I was limping way too much crap that I should have raised or folded. I plan on taking the open limp almost completely out of my repitore.

Second, position. I knew about the importance of position, but looking back on my HH I never really put my knowledge to use.

Third, tilt. I really need to keep an eye on myself when I tilt. I did ALL the things you're not supposed to do: kept playing when I was angry, playing crap hands, playing for revenge, and moving up to a large table to quickly win my money back (instead I lost almost my entire BR in one hand.) I also experienced winners tilt. After taking $25 to $400 in two weeks I thought I was the nuts, and really started loosening up my play. After all I was awesome, how could I lose with 72o???

Fourth, post flop play. I needed much more help in this area than I initially though. This includes betting patterns, relative hand strength, and reading opponents. I am still working on this, but I have been making great progress.

Fifth, not participating in 2+2. I've read the posting guidelines and plan to start posting hands where a) I lost a lot of $$$, b) I won a lot of $$$, c) I did not win as much as I think I could have, and d) hands that totally confused me.

Sixth, thinking I was much better than I was. This is kind of included in my winners tilt statement, but I think I really got ahead of myself. I assumed that since I was winning so much I could stop reading and learning. I felt I was "totally awesome" and did not need to improve my game. I'm currently sitting with $0 in my account, so I guess I wasn't as good as I thought.

Seventh, proper bankroll management. I started out way ahead of myself and could have busted out much sooner than I did. In addition, I should have dropped down to lower stakes when my bankroll got smaller but I did not. I thought I was "too good" for the lowers stakes and my ego refused to let me drop down.

Eigth, realizing bottoming out was not the end of the world. The night I lost my entire bankroll I just stared at the cashier: $0. I started thinking that maybe I just sucked at poker and almost quit. I now realize that I just needed some help with my game.

I've taken some time off of poker to step back and my eyes have been opened. It was very hard to admit that I needed help. My ego would not let me admit it at first. However, once I sat down and told myself "Johnny, you're not as good as you think," I've been able to spot many of the holes in my game. As a result I've been able to hopefully patch them up.

This reply was not easy for me to write. It was tough to sit down and start examaning all the holes in my play. It was hard admitting to the fact that I was simply playing bad poker.

You know what though? Now that I've done it my play will go to levels I've never thought possible. Through hard work and discipline I will take my game places I did not know existed two weeks ago.

I hope this post will help others in my position, I know it has completely changed poker as I know it.

*Wow, after finishing this post I feel refreshed and re-energized. See you all at the tables! "

[mystro]

good post, I can honestly say I've went through those points myself, at one time or another. Keep at it, and hopefully I won't see you at my table in a few months coming to take my money [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers, [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Gullanian]

Good post!

[housefish17]

Good post man

I am going through this very stretch right now. I just got my BR up to almost $170-$180 and decided to take a stab at 10NL. Well, the last couple days I have seen my BR go from $170ish, down to $123. I lost about $40 at 10NL and a couple buyins at 5NL after I decided to move down.

I feel like nothing has changed from when I was winning at 5NL over the last 10K hands. I even tightened up a little bit (from 22/13 down to 19/13). But looking back at it, I felt I was entitled to every pot I was in cause I "knew" i had the best preflop hand. Little did I know, the preflop hand counts for very little when the other 5 cards are on the board and your hand doesn't improve. Certainly there has been a few bad beats here and there (including several 2-3 outters) but overall, I think I'm going way to far with hands.

I've decided to return to the 5NL level and grind my BR back up. I'm still in the green overall, which is nice, but my winnings are a little less now [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img].

Once again, good post

[rjacobs003]

Took me a long time to appreciate these points. Nicely summarised mate.

[cooker3]

Very nice post.
That sort of insight and analysis of ones self is such an important factor in achieving success in poker.
Good luck in your comeback

[SirFelixCat]

Well done and good for you.


This should be in the Must Read section.


Seriously.

[Heffer]

i think that way too much players think they are better then they actually are.

And it works for some time, if you feel confident and are agressive you will earn some pots and that will encourage most of them to play more hands, be more aggressive, but in the long run, there are enough players who are just waiting to be in a big hand with the superdonk who bets like a maniac...and stack him.

[osh]

[ QUOTE ]
And it works for some time, if you feel confident and are agressive you will earn some pots and that will encourage <b>most of them to play more hands, be more aggressive...</b>

[/ QUOTE ]

Completely agree! Did [and still sometimes do] those mistakes too. That's where comes another important factor of this wonderful game - <b>SELECTION - WHEN AND WHERE</b>.

Keep fighting!