Poker is a funny game, and by funny, I mean it's swingy.
I started out this month on a +$5000 run, then went down to -$2,000, turned that around and worked it up to +$6,500, and now I lost that and am back to even.
I've never dealt with dollar figures this high, but I don't think I'm handling the swings any better or worse than I normally do. That is to say, I get easily frustrated and go on tilt, but I'm not going to start playing like an idiot. Fortunately, I'm pretty good about quitting if I start to tilt.
I don't want to write too much because the ups and downs are such a large part of the game. I know this. But even after playing for a few years now, variance and luck continue to be difficult to grasp on an emotional level. I'm sure that reflects some immaturity on my part, but I do my best to be rational about it.
I keep thinking about the idea that the caliber of player you are is determined by how well you play when you're not winning. It's easy to go all in with the best hand and win a lot of money if someone else calls; it's a lot more difficult to fold a set to a flush on the river or lay down a flopped straight to a flopped flush.
Experts say you should always bring your best game if you're going to sit at the tables. This is hard to do when I feel good but my reads are off, or when I think I'm playing well but I lack confidence because of recent losses.
So I think the smart thing to do is to stabilize my surroundings. If I play in games where I feel the most comfortable and have a greater edge, I'll have a better chance of winning (duh). That means I'll call off my first attempts at 10/20 NL until I grow my bankroll to higher levels. I'll concentrate on my strength, which is no limit games. I'll play shorter sessions in hopes of staying fresh. I'll quit when I'm ahead. I'll return to my tradition of sleeping easy and waiting until the morning to check on my results.
Basically, I'm not going to push quite so hard.
Maybe this is superstition, but I believe there's a time for pressing your luck and a time for regrouping. I don't know how to tell the difference except by "instinct" and "feel."
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2 comments:
I have to agree - perhapes it is not luck, pressing when you are hot and laying back when cold but maybe it is just your attitude.
It SEEMS I play a better game with I'm winning and when I have had a tough streak I'm playing a worse game.
Who ever says they when they get over a 100BB bad swing "I WAS PLAYING MY "A" GAME!
Oh BTW, Acey Deucy is essentially "in between". Two cards dealt and you bet any or all of the pot that the next card is between the two cards. If an Ace comes on the first card you can declare it High or Low. If the 2nd card gives an Ace it is always high. If the third card "hits" the first or 2nd card (ie 3rd card is a Queen and one of the two cards is a queen) then you've hit the goal post and you have to pay double your bet. It can be a very expensive game and the pot size can get extremely huge.
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