Quote:
Originally Posted by gjpure
There is nothing I hate more than playing bad poker due to impatience, boredom or various forms of tilt. There are many forms, more than most realize as Jared Tendler outlines. I realize now that I suffer from almost all of them when not winning. I have read his books and even talked to him/emailed directly about many issues. But not person or book can make me suddenly stop tilting.
I wish there was a fix to this, but I don't think there is. I know the focus should be on making good decisions, not winning pots or being a hero. I know this, but when I get into a game and things are not going my way, my brain just seems to malfunction. Its like I want to win so bad, I can not stand to lose so I fight to win even if I take on more risks such as bluffs, etc.
Sometimes, when this is working, its seems justified. But in reality, maybe I was just getting lucky that my poor tiltly plays just happened to work at the time. In the end, poker always gives your what you deserve and keeps you accountable for your decisions.
I seriously think its just part of my personality. I can not imagine just being the completely different person who doesn't care about results. That can just play the game the same way whether card dead for hours, running bad, or running great. But some people do this or come pretty darn close. That's the mark of a true professional, and why I will never call myself one until I can seal this leak. It is absolutely devastating to lose in this manner. I can accept loosing, I know its part of the game, but burning money through forms of tilt is not acceptable.
HOW CAN I POSSIBLY STOP THIS??
I have pre game ritual and notes that I try to remind myself with. Ive done many things, and nothing seems to work. It sickens me that I can not play my best consistently and especially when things are not going perfect. I seriously want to be card dead for the rest of the year and run like garbage just so I can be tested to learn how to deal with this! What does it take or am I just skrewed?
The commonality in your writing is that it "tells a narrative". Poker, however, does not tell a narrative. Sure, Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker, and it's a great story, but when you break it down, it was a lot of math and some psychology, nothing more. The story of Moneymaker is built to be magical by ESPN, and all the viewers, etc. But, it's all one hand at a time, one wager at a time, one game tree node at a time, and so forth. There is no "story" as to why you got a red queen instead of a black deuce. It is a random event. There is no "villian", just opponents with characteristics in their game play that are exploitable. There is no "hero". There is only the focus of the action that is developing a plan of action. There is no "luck". There is only your brain connecting dots that aren't meant to be connected, and calling it "luck". Now, nobody can stay even-headed like this all the time, but it pays the more you can do it, and it's what you will more, psychological satisfaction, or $$$. The more long-term you think, the closer you are to preferring $$$.
You need to snap the narrative spell where everything goes according to script. The hero beats the villain, and it's game over, +100000 bitpokerpoints. You're like reading the wrong genre. Poker is a game of non-fiction, not action-adventure.
/speech