This COTW will be all about execution, what that means in poker, and some ways that we can improve in our own execution. In poker, I would say that there are 3 different components:
Of course, we can really only improve in two of them (although I would gladly pay insane amounts of money to have someone solve the “luck” component for me =) ). Most of the COTWs have, and rightfully so, talked about strategy. Strategy is quantifiable, logical, and relatively concrete (although it may not seem so at times). Execution is a tough concept to talk about because it is incredibly personal, but ultimately what pays (or doesn't pay) the bills, assuming the strategic component of our game is strong.
Execution is simply how we perform our strategy. How we play our hands in real-time, how we react to certain players and actions, and how we perform when facing any level of adversity. While a good strategy is imperative to our poker success, it can be near useless if we can't perform the strategy well. How many times have you gone through your DB, found a horribly played hand that you know exactly how to play, and yet you still pushed the wrong buttons? Probably a ton, although hopefully you find less and less of these overtime.
There is good and bad news though. The good news is that, as you improve your strategic knowledge and execution, you should make less mistakes and make more money in the LR. The bad news is that you will always make mistakes. You will tilt, you will make sub-optimal plays at times for one reason or another, you will mis-click, you will over/under use impartial information, etc. So does knowing that you will never perform perfectly mean we have a pass and can just say “meh, whatever, I'm going to make mistakes anyway.”? Not really...but it is an important thing to comprehend for numerous reasons.
Let's review some of the standard pitfalls in execution:
Having a bad strategy to execute: Even we execute at 100%, it can be useless if the strategy we are executing has holes in it. If our strategy uses an incorrect PF range, 3bets in bad spots, or double barrels versus wrong player types, our execution is going to get us hurt. Strategy is something that should be strong, hopefully in all areas. If your strategy is weak, go read some other COTWs, watch videos, etc.
Tilt: There was a solid COTW on tilt awhile ago, and you can also look at the COTW on handling stress, as both are related. Tilt is usually the most common ailment that causes players to execute poorly.
Execution Environment: The physical place where you execute, or play, can be vital to your success. If you play a location where there are factors that would increase the chances of tilt (noises, added stresses, annoyances, etc.), you could easily begin to execute worse and worse. Think about it. If at best you can execute at 85%, but where you play can effect your execution by 0-100, it can make for a bad place to play (especially if you have other options that would create less chance of executing poorly)
Quote:
[EE]EV = 85 – X (where X can be 0-100)
Our goal is to get X as close to zero as possible. Having a “safe haven” where you can play poker, eliminate (or at least lessen) possibly tilters, and concentrate is imperative. Make sure you find or create a place like this to grind in.
Distractions: I know some people play while watching TV, movies, listening to music, chatting on Skype, etc. For some people this works for them (the added stimulation of their side-activity relieves boredom and doesn't allow them to play extra hands that would get them in trouble). For most people this is disastrous. While this is very personal, most players would be better suited to turn off the Skype, turn off the TV, and just focus on the task at hand.
Stress: We should always be monitoring our stress levels, before and during sessions. Stress forces our brain to process information differently, and usually not in the way we would best prefer at the tables. Make sure not to start sessions when your stress levels are high (when your best execution % is probably lowered right off the bat), and also monitor it throughout the session. If you begin to feel stressed/tilted at all, it might be time to take a break.
This is actually why the “thoughts on botting” arguments are always so interesting. A bot never has to worry about the execution aspect. Bots are designed to execute flawlessly (well, flawlessly in the sense that stress/tilt/etc won't effect their performance). If we could simply perform like bots, and had a solid strategy, we would have higher win rates, hourlies, and have a higher chance at being solid pros. Thus, our goal when executing is to take our best strategy, and keep performing it. Adjust it as it needs to be adjusted, but ignore things that would negatively effect the way we execute our strategy.
In this COTW I wanted to talk about some of the ways I have improved my execution over the years. I will say this now though, I am not the best executor in the world. In fact, I would say that execution is the worst aspect of my poker playing. While I have gotten better at it over the years, and have given many people tips to help their own execution, it is something I am always working on. Once your strategic knowledge is built up, the only thing left to work on is execution, which becomes more and more important as edges get lower and lower.
Discipline: Everything in execution boils down to discipline. If you know it is a bad 4bet spot but you still make it, you are executing poorly and losing money in the LR. Discipline is the cornerstone of everything in poker. Having the knowledge to do something, but not the discipline to follow through makes the knowledge near useless. We can improve in discipline with time and practice, but it is a vital skill and should always be worked on.
Repetition: I have a pre-session routine that I do before I play to get myself into the right mindset. This gives my brain a chance to get warmed up, prepared to play, and creates a relaxing intro to executing. For me, I just turn on a single song (that I will listen to on repeat for the entire session), look over my last few sessions and check some hands, and then turn off all my distractions while turning on all my poker stuff. Just the simple process reminds my brain that it is time to go to work, and eases me into playing.
Results-Orientation: We always want to do our best to not be results-oriented. There are plenty of times when we made a good shove and just so happened to run into the absolute toppest part of his C-Range. Just mark hands and review them later. Also, I usually suggest not checking the cashier/DB/etc for results during a session. Many times it can create winners tilt (wanting to book a win, “playing a rush”, etc.) or classic tilt (“I need to get unstuck”). Again, eliminating anything that has probably -EV effects (especially if there are no +EV effects attached to that action) is a good idea.
Rules: I personally set rules for myself before my sessions. This allows me to work on my discipline, but also helps me stay within a range that I am comfortable with. For instance, one of my rules is “if more than 2 bluff 4bets fail, no more for the session.” I also use rules like stoplosses (2.5BI/session, 4BI/day), no stacking off light versus fish, and taking an extra 2 seconds every time I get to the turn or river. These rules keep me focused and disciplined.
Talk Out Loud: I have been doing this for years, and suggest it often. I personally treat every sessions as though I were recording a video. I talk out my thought process while playing and have full discussions about situations. I do this for a few reasons. For one, it forces me to slow down a bit (giving my brain an extra partial second or so to process information). For another, it gives my brain an extra chance to catch mistakes. My brain processes information an extra time (the first when I see it, and again when my brain hears it), giving me an extra chance to catch mistakes or logic gaps. I also ask myself things like “am I feeling tilty? And if so, why?” If my answer is anything but “I am a lil mad because of something totally out of my control”, I will usually get off the session. Assuming you can do this all without looking like a nutjob in front of anyone else in the room, I def suggest it =)
Monitor Everything: In having full dialogues while playing I am monitoring my stress and tilt levels. If they get too high, I simply get off my session and restart when I am calm again. There is no reason to play when you know your execution cap is lowered to the point where your WR might be negative, or break at best. If conditions change in your environment (your GF got pissy and is now yelling at you, the dog just peed on the floor, etc.) just monitor how much you think your execution is going to suffer and make a decision whether to continue the session or not.
Again, most people just need to improve their discipline when it comes to execution. The discipline to get off sessions when things go bad (either on the table, in our head, or other), to make the correct play when we know what it is, and to play solid poker as we know it. While this may seem incredibly simple, it is the cornerstone of being able to function as a successful poker player.
The last thing I want to say is that you will never always execute at 100%. Ever. You will always make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes will be strategically based (a sub-optimal bet size, an over-aggressive CR, a mis-read in stats, etc.), and sometimes they will be execution based (playing in a bad mood, not recognizing tilt before it manifests itself in a play, getting distracted, etc.). All we can do in this game is improve in both aspects as best as possible and perform to the best of our abilities. While everyone has different levels of ability and capped ability, do your best to work with what you have. Remember, even Durrrr doesn't execute at 100% every time, and you aren't anywhere close to Durrrr =)
Let's start a conversation...
(btw, remember that the way you, myself, and others execute will be different. No personal bashing please)