Quote:
Originally Posted by marcopolio
OK, can I ask another? Just did! LMAO....
Ok, what kind of prep do you go through before a session? Playing hudless, on a number of tables must require excellent and sustained concentration; I would imagine that you are consistently looking for patterns and methods of the regs when you are not in the hand?
Do you take lots of notes on players, trying to highlight how they play groups of hands or board textures?
Do you have a mental checklist you go through before making a decision during a hand? I have been trying to develop this to prevent auto-piloting (a horrible form of tilt that costs me money) but am having trouble forming a consistent checklist and method.
I go through a studious prep pregame, and I have papernotes around me that I use whilst playing. I have very specific tradition throughout the day. I always start, for instance, by reviewing yesterdays hands. I do take notes on players. Away from the table, even though i am not using a HUD, I will check on a players stats in PT. Do not get me wrong. The PT stats are very valuable, it is just that I personally feel they hinder me during gameplay and don´t allow me to form a complete picture of the regulars.
As for a check-lists, start small. Whenever somebody calls or raises you preflop, jusk ask yourself about his range of hands. You would not believe how many pros fail to ask themselves this one simple question (which they always used to when they were improving). We all know we should, and yet when we sit down we start autopiloting our usual abc game. We´re on the ball the first 5 minutes, and then go into droid mode. Just start out by doing this every time you have any preflop decisions. Then extend to the flop. Then extend to asking yourself about your perceived range (2nd level). If you have been autopiloting for the last 2 hrs, you will have no idea what he percieves your range to be, because you have no clue about your own image. You can add levels as you go on, but do not overdo it. And the absolute most important thing when faced with a big decision, is to first breathe and relax for a couple of seconds.
Have you ever noticed when you get sucked into a hand? Like you have an overpair and you get raised on the turn, you know you´re beat, and beofre you know it you have called anyway? Or what i call the bluff-vortex, when you start with small flop raise, and before you know it you have fired three barrells and you´re all in and get snapcalled by the nuts? What the hell just happened? A 200 bb pot lost out of nowhere!!? If, at any point, you would have just stepped back, taken a breath and realized how little sense your line makes or how narrow his range must be, you would have saved a stack. When you look at it in retrospect, it is very clear to you. This alludes to my earlier point; most of you guys are fine when it comes to the technical aspects of the game, but you need to hone some of the mental and emotional ones.