Can I Do This Right For The First Time?
11-09-2014
, 02:53 PM
First Post. Finding myself in need of some serious advice from poker players out there.
I find myself in quite a bit of a slide and know that I am too capable of making small problems exponentially worse so I need to nip this in the bud.
First and foremost, I'm not good at being my own boss. And by not good, I mean atrocious. I've never said that out loud before...but I understand that the willingness to admit that is necessary in order to move forward. Part of the reason I have never said that out loud before is because of my location.
I live in Maine and have zero people around me that play poker seriously. There are a couple of home games around but they are as casual as it gets and any mention of poker theory is, in a way, sacrilegious. I have made it a point to not waste my time and have consciously avoided these games as well as poker advice from anybody playing in them. The average 2+2er is leagues ahead of anyone around me here. I have one real poker playing friend from college but he lives in LA and contact with him is spotty at best.
I'm finding that when it comes to accountability, consistency and thoroughness are missing for me. As mentioned before, I have a tendency to not be accountable to myself and am working on that in general but have to be honest as to where I currently stand.
I'm 28 and smoked cigarettes for 9+ years and quit last summer. Still going strong and know that butts are something I'm never going back to. Also, I never would have considered myself an alcoholic but would drink beers every night after work until I decided that I needed to change that cycle and put in a hiatus. I haven't had beers since April and picked up a part time day job in addition to my night job and am enjoying the benefits of not drinking. In a lot of ways I am getting closer to the person I want to be, but I keep feeling myself falling behind in poker related decisions. Sometimes it feels that, even sober as the pope, I am reconstituting some tendencies and patterns to make poor decisions from health into poker and feeling like I'm improving in life in general as my results in poker are getting poorer.
I play MTTs and feel they are best suited to my playing style. I'm comfortable being loose/aggressive and tight/aggressive and truly enjoy MTTs. This is where I want to focus and excel at. I've found that I'm too volatile for cash games, at least online. I respect a tournament life more than a re-loadable buy-in so it helps me make better decisions in tournaments than in cash games in general. I've signed off cash games and really have no interest in them, so my focus is tournaments.
I play online at Bovada and Carbon being that I live in the US. This year I have had a few 1k scores and won a $75 10k gtd for 3.5k. When I won the 3.5k I cashed it out and bought a nice iMac with thoughts of it being better for poker in the long run than a laptop. When I have had the 1k scores I have cashed them out 6 times so far this year. The first time I lost it all in a Sunday playing all the big guarantees and so since then whenever I have hit 4 digits I have cashed it out and whenever I have wanted to play I have deposited a couple hundred bucks and played a night of tourneys with buy-ins ranging from $5-$50. I find myself having done more depositing than cashing out lately and realize I am doing it all wrong and it's time for a change.
I signed up for iveyleague.com and have started watching the videos there a month ago. In doing so I have realized that I have SO MUCH to work on in my game and I think this knowledge has possibly made me play worse. I am starting to maybe apply some new concepts I am learning in the wrong places. That being said, I have decided my MTT game needs an overhaul and this is the best time to do it. I am talented but never structured my approach properly. This is my attempt to, for the first time in 10 years of playing poker, create a blueprint and stick to it adhering to...drumroll please...strict bankroll management! I'm starting to think of my life in a more long-term, healthy fashion and it's about time I do the same with poker.
I have officially decided to put in a hiatus. I need to go back to school on a lot of MTT concepts and also, start with a set bankroll. I would love any advice you all have as far as...is this something that has worked for you? Any changes you would make?
The idea is:
100 Days of STUDYING and NO POKER. This should give me ample time to iron out a lot of the kinks in my game and practice concepts thoroughly. I currently work 2 jobs so I am factoring in 1-2 hours of studying a day as a reasonable expectation with the ability to get in a few extra hours on days off.
Then, after 100 days, I will start with a bankroll of $3k. I want to start back up playing $5 and $10 MTTs and will being taking the 300 buy-in approach to BR management. I want to do this right and lower my risk of ruin so I am using the conservative end of the spectrum. Quick question though...if I start at 3k and lose the first $10 tourney I play in, am I then technically under-rolled using this BR management approach? Or does 300 buy-ins mean I can play $10 tourneys until I get to $1500, because then I will be at the 300 limit for $5s? There are some decent guarantees for $10 tourneys so I know I want to start there so is a more appropriate place to start $3500 to account for if you don't win in the first set of tourneys? Once again, I want to do this right and have BR rules set in stone to play by. I plan on playing several tournaments at a time also as I am pretty comfortable multi tabling and I'm not used to seeing there be more than 8-10 $5 and $10 tourneys running at once between Carbon and Bovada.
So, for accountability's sake, I am going to keep a daily log here of what I am studying each day and maybe a little bit about what I've learned so that if this works it can be a blueprint for someone else in a situation like I am now to find success for themselves in the future. If my results don't improve it will be a great way to learn what not to do to get better.
Anyone else find themselves in need of, without sounding totally lame, a poker buddy? I find myself with nobody to really discuss topics with and as I play feel like nobody is watching, which for some reason, makes me not care as much about making the right decisions. Anyone else find themselves in this boat? If someone reaches out, it'd be more than welcomed.
Things I plan on studying/improving:
1.Getting and using a HUD. Never used one before but realize that in today's poker landscape, I'm silly not using one and need to start. Recommendations for HUD that works best at Carbon and/or Bovada?
2. Managing middle sized stacks. I think I play push/fold hands pretty well but my play with 20-40bbs needs work.
3. I need to find the best places, stack sizes and hands with which to 3-bet/fold. I often find myself calling a shove from a 4-bet after I have 3 bet with a marginal/pretty good hand because I convince myself I am invested. Seems like a self-control leak that needs to be plugged. I think i find myself 3 betting sometimes without a plan when maybe some spots should be pre-determined that if I am to make a play, it is either a 3-bet/call or 3-bet/fold spot and act accordingly after the 4-bet as I planned going in. (I know some bet sizes will ultimately make one decide one way or the other, but I think the point is clear)
4. I need to use M better. I can quite easily calculate M and think to myself "Oh, I have 4 more orbits I can survive without playing a hand," but without really doing the math as to whether I am likely to get better hand than AQss at that point in time. Suggestions on this?
5. Stack-to-pot ratio. I know what it is, but not precisely how I should apply it.
6. Ranges/stack-sizes to call off with. I find myself happy or upset calling off with a weak ace sometimes based on the results. This emotion doesn't come from being results-based, but not being certain I made the right decision as to whether I should have risked that much of my stack in a "calling-off" kind of spot. If I have general guidelines for hands/stack sizes that are acceptable to call off with I will at least know I played the hand acceptably or didn't make TOO big of a mistake and will have only positivity to take from the experience moving forward knowing what I did generally works in the long term. I think using a HUD will help me make these decisions too, but still need some sort of boundaries within which to play.
7. Accountability. Once again, most of you have friends in the poker community to discuss every hand with or at least people you know will see if you make a dumbass move. I feel like I need a set of eyes out there watching what I do as inspiration to keep my head securely atop my shoulders in spots I might otherwise make a bad decision. I would trade reviewing Hand Histories with someone or rail someone in return for the same. Maybe someone else feels this way on this issue too? Let me know..
Looking forward to hearing from the jokesters as well as those looking to help out a fellow MTTer or learn and improve your game alongside me.
If you were me, where would you concentrate your learning?
Here goes...Day ONE of 100.
I find myself in quite a bit of a slide and know that I am too capable of making small problems exponentially worse so I need to nip this in the bud.
First and foremost, I'm not good at being my own boss. And by not good, I mean atrocious. I've never said that out loud before...but I understand that the willingness to admit that is necessary in order to move forward. Part of the reason I have never said that out loud before is because of my location.
I live in Maine and have zero people around me that play poker seriously. There are a couple of home games around but they are as casual as it gets and any mention of poker theory is, in a way, sacrilegious. I have made it a point to not waste my time and have consciously avoided these games as well as poker advice from anybody playing in them. The average 2+2er is leagues ahead of anyone around me here. I have one real poker playing friend from college but he lives in LA and contact with him is spotty at best.
I'm finding that when it comes to accountability, consistency and thoroughness are missing for me. As mentioned before, I have a tendency to not be accountable to myself and am working on that in general but have to be honest as to where I currently stand.
I'm 28 and smoked cigarettes for 9+ years and quit last summer. Still going strong and know that butts are something I'm never going back to. Also, I never would have considered myself an alcoholic but would drink beers every night after work until I decided that I needed to change that cycle and put in a hiatus. I haven't had beers since April and picked up a part time day job in addition to my night job and am enjoying the benefits of not drinking. In a lot of ways I am getting closer to the person I want to be, but I keep feeling myself falling behind in poker related decisions. Sometimes it feels that, even sober as the pope, I am reconstituting some tendencies and patterns to make poor decisions from health into poker and feeling like I'm improving in life in general as my results in poker are getting poorer.
I play MTTs and feel they are best suited to my playing style. I'm comfortable being loose/aggressive and tight/aggressive and truly enjoy MTTs. This is where I want to focus and excel at. I've found that I'm too volatile for cash games, at least online. I respect a tournament life more than a re-loadable buy-in so it helps me make better decisions in tournaments than in cash games in general. I've signed off cash games and really have no interest in them, so my focus is tournaments.
I play online at Bovada and Carbon being that I live in the US. This year I have had a few 1k scores and won a $75 10k gtd for 3.5k. When I won the 3.5k I cashed it out and bought a nice iMac with thoughts of it being better for poker in the long run than a laptop. When I have had the 1k scores I have cashed them out 6 times so far this year. The first time I lost it all in a Sunday playing all the big guarantees and so since then whenever I have hit 4 digits I have cashed it out and whenever I have wanted to play I have deposited a couple hundred bucks and played a night of tourneys with buy-ins ranging from $5-$50. I find myself having done more depositing than cashing out lately and realize I am doing it all wrong and it's time for a change.
I signed up for iveyleague.com and have started watching the videos there a month ago. In doing so I have realized that I have SO MUCH to work on in my game and I think this knowledge has possibly made me play worse. I am starting to maybe apply some new concepts I am learning in the wrong places. That being said, I have decided my MTT game needs an overhaul and this is the best time to do it. I am talented but never structured my approach properly. This is my attempt to, for the first time in 10 years of playing poker, create a blueprint and stick to it adhering to...drumroll please...strict bankroll management! I'm starting to think of my life in a more long-term, healthy fashion and it's about time I do the same with poker.
I have officially decided to put in a hiatus. I need to go back to school on a lot of MTT concepts and also, start with a set bankroll. I would love any advice you all have as far as...is this something that has worked for you? Any changes you would make?
The idea is:
100 Days of STUDYING and NO POKER. This should give me ample time to iron out a lot of the kinks in my game and practice concepts thoroughly. I currently work 2 jobs so I am factoring in 1-2 hours of studying a day as a reasonable expectation with the ability to get in a few extra hours on days off.
Then, after 100 days, I will start with a bankroll of $3k. I want to start back up playing $5 and $10 MTTs and will being taking the 300 buy-in approach to BR management. I want to do this right and lower my risk of ruin so I am using the conservative end of the spectrum. Quick question though...if I start at 3k and lose the first $10 tourney I play in, am I then technically under-rolled using this BR management approach? Or does 300 buy-ins mean I can play $10 tourneys until I get to $1500, because then I will be at the 300 limit for $5s? There are some decent guarantees for $10 tourneys so I know I want to start there so is a more appropriate place to start $3500 to account for if you don't win in the first set of tourneys? Once again, I want to do this right and have BR rules set in stone to play by. I plan on playing several tournaments at a time also as I am pretty comfortable multi tabling and I'm not used to seeing there be more than 8-10 $5 and $10 tourneys running at once between Carbon and Bovada.
So, for accountability's sake, I am going to keep a daily log here of what I am studying each day and maybe a little bit about what I've learned so that if this works it can be a blueprint for someone else in a situation like I am now to find success for themselves in the future. If my results don't improve it will be a great way to learn what not to do to get better.
Anyone else find themselves in need of, without sounding totally lame, a poker buddy? I find myself with nobody to really discuss topics with and as I play feel like nobody is watching, which for some reason, makes me not care as much about making the right decisions. Anyone else find themselves in this boat? If someone reaches out, it'd be more than welcomed.
Things I plan on studying/improving:
1.Getting and using a HUD. Never used one before but realize that in today's poker landscape, I'm silly not using one and need to start. Recommendations for HUD that works best at Carbon and/or Bovada?
2. Managing middle sized stacks. I think I play push/fold hands pretty well but my play with 20-40bbs needs work.
3. I need to find the best places, stack sizes and hands with which to 3-bet/fold. I often find myself calling a shove from a 4-bet after I have 3 bet with a marginal/pretty good hand because I convince myself I am invested. Seems like a self-control leak that needs to be plugged. I think i find myself 3 betting sometimes without a plan when maybe some spots should be pre-determined that if I am to make a play, it is either a 3-bet/call or 3-bet/fold spot and act accordingly after the 4-bet as I planned going in. (I know some bet sizes will ultimately make one decide one way or the other, but I think the point is clear)
4. I need to use M better. I can quite easily calculate M and think to myself "Oh, I have 4 more orbits I can survive without playing a hand," but without really doing the math as to whether I am likely to get better hand than AQss at that point in time. Suggestions on this?
5. Stack-to-pot ratio. I know what it is, but not precisely how I should apply it.
6. Ranges/stack-sizes to call off with. I find myself happy or upset calling off with a weak ace sometimes based on the results. This emotion doesn't come from being results-based, but not being certain I made the right decision as to whether I should have risked that much of my stack in a "calling-off" kind of spot. If I have general guidelines for hands/stack sizes that are acceptable to call off with I will at least know I played the hand acceptably or didn't make TOO big of a mistake and will have only positivity to take from the experience moving forward knowing what I did generally works in the long term. I think using a HUD will help me make these decisions too, but still need some sort of boundaries within which to play.
7. Accountability. Once again, most of you have friends in the poker community to discuss every hand with or at least people you know will see if you make a dumbass move. I feel like I need a set of eyes out there watching what I do as inspiration to keep my head securely atop my shoulders in spots I might otherwise make a bad decision. I would trade reviewing Hand Histories with someone or rail someone in return for the same. Maybe someone else feels this way on this issue too? Let me know..
Looking forward to hearing from the jokesters as well as those looking to help out a fellow MTTer or learn and improve your game alongside me.
If you were me, where would you concentrate your learning?
Here goes...Day ONE of 100.
