Saturday, March 24, 2007
A Little Results Oriented
I'm jealous that he's been playing a lot more than I have lately and he's had the opportunity to win. Although I did take 2nd in a tournament for about $600 last month, for some reason it still feels like I haven't had the results that I feel I'm capable of. But it's really just about volume. I've been playing better than ever lately, so maybe I'm just anxious to reap the rewards of those skills by playing more and more tournaments. While playing more isn't a bad thing. The mindset of anxiousness is.
I forced myself to 3-table tonight and I haven't done that in a while now, so I wasn't used to it. I ended up building a nice stack in the $20 rebuy on Stars and then just pissed it away to a guy who obviously had a set to my TPTK. If I was shorter stacked, the outcome would have been the same, but I had about 20M and was in great shape. There was no need to go broke there with just one pair. But because I wasn't clear headed, my ego got involved a little and I convinced myself he was making an ego play against me because of a previous hand. But really, his play screamed set. I mean, check-mini raise from a tight player in the BB on a K97 board? The only hand I'm beating there is KQ. But I got myself emotionally committed to the hand.
Anyway, just had to vent a little. I'll come out of this stronger than ever. Just needed to recognize that I was chasing results. I'll take a couple of days off and then slowly increase my volume of play. Maybe 2 table a few days a week instead of just playing 1 day a week online.
EDIT: Man I'm hard on myself. It wasn't that big of a deal really. Unfortunate that I ran into a set. Had a good email conversation last night and a friend ran the hand by one of the top online pros that he's friends with and they felt they would have gone broke there too based on my agressive image. Anyway...on to more.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Hope Has No Place In Poker
In the context of poker, hope is wishing for an event to occur that is beyond your power. It means that you are not in control of your own destiny.
While it's true that in the short-run you are subject to the luck of the cards, we know that to play poker optimally the cards are only one factor of the decision making process. By hoping, it is limiting your focus on the cards, making it difficult to process all the information on the table. What this means is that if you are busy hoping, your state of mind is not proactive, it is reactive. You are subjecting yourself to simply dealing with what the poker gods are dishing out instead of making things happen for yourself.
If you find yourself hoping for something to happen at the poker table, it should be a sign that you are not playing your best. In fact, if you are hoping, you are probably bleeding chips away. Since hope is reactive in nature, it usually manifests itself into speculative or passive play. Here are a few examples of hoping you may have done at the table.
Speculations:
- I hope I hit this flop with my suited connectors
- I hope he doesn't bet the turn
- I hope I make my draw
- I hope I hit a monster by completing the small blind
Passive or Scared Play:
- I hope I get good cards
- I hope he doesn't have Aces (or a set or whatever monster is under the bed)
- I hope he didn't just make his flush
- I hope the big blind doesn't go all in if I raise the button
- I hope I cash in this tournament
So what should we do about hope? Vanquish it from our minds. Instead of waiting for things to happen at the table, make them happen. Take in all the information you can and use it to your advantage. If the button is raising every orbit, don't hope for AA to re-pop him. J5os will do just fine.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
"A Ha" Moment - The Decision Making Process
I won't go into too much detail, but one of the things he was talking about was the difference between online and live play and how online poker trains you to pay attention to your cards more. This is somewhat obvious, in that you don't have the benefit of table feel and live reads, and the fact that you see your cards first. But what this means is that online poker can create bad habits that are counterintuitive to successful play. Online poker, more so than live poker, gives the cards you hold a higher weight in your decision making process than they should since you don't have some of the other information you might otherwise have.
Most everyone has read somewhere that the actual cards you hold should only be one small factor to consider. And while I think people fundamentally agree with this concept, hearing him say it in this way made me realize that most people are not implementing this correctly in the process they take when deciding their actions at the table. I know that I try to a certain extent, but repetition through playing online has caused me to think backwards at times.
By the decision making process, I specifically mean the steps you go through in your mind before deciding how to act on every hand. Here is a typical order of events (assuming you are looking at your cards last):
1. Observe the action thus far
2. Think about situational factors and the past play and tendencies of other players
3. Put each person on a range of hands based on #2
4. Hope you pick up a hand that is conducive to the action and the factors
5. Look at hand and then decide if it is the right hand to play
6. Narrow down possible actions to take and how the players would react
7. Act
This is faulty thinking and isn't the right process in order to capitalize on each situation. I've felt like I've done a much better job at playing the players lately and when I think about the thought process I've used, and how to continue to improve it, this is what I think is closer to optimal.
1. Observe the action thus far
2. Think about situational factors and the past play and tendencies of other players
3. Put each person on a range of hands based on #2
4. Narrow down possible actions to take and how the players would react
5. Think about what they think I would have based on those actions
6. If my actual hand has to be a factor, consider the results based on a show down
7. Act
The key here is simply moving #6 from the first list up to #4. I also think that #5 in the second list is something that most good players usually do, but it is harder to perform this 3rd level thinking AFTER you've already decided to play a particular hand. Keep in mind that EV is always part of this decision making process and comes into play when narrowing down all the alternative choices of how to act. But the essence of this line of thinking is that we should be thinking about our cards AFTER we have considered possible courses of action. For pre-flop play, this means not even looking at our cards until we've done this. But this decision making process isn't just about pre-flop hold'em. It's all poker on all streets.
Now with this line of thinking, it doesn't mean that the action itself is a bluff or a "move", it just means that we are considering our actual hand last in the process and not somewhere in the middle.
This type of decision making process is something that I think separates the great players from the good ones. They key now is to get into a new habit of performing these steps on a subconscious level.
And while I had felt like I'd understood "playing the player" for a while now, I realize it was more on the conceptual level than anything else with glimpses of applying it at certain times of focus. Unfortunately, it is easy to drift back into just playing cards (maybe this is safer and requires less effort?).
The difference now is that I can see how to "operationalize" my thought process accordingly in order to make it habitual. Any good skill development involves understanding the basics steps and then practicing them over and over until they are second nature. The difference with this is that the decision making process is a mental skill that most would not recognize as something you would need to practice.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Playing Cash Games Again (and playing well)
I've felt really good about my play, and not just because of results (although doubling my buy-in the last two sessions was nice too). Here's a quick list of what I'm doing right:
1. I'm playing third and fourth level poker, but only with players that are thinking 2nd and 3rd level. I feel like I'm one step ahead of their plays and their emotions based on the way I've been playing. BUT, I also feel I'm adapting to those who are only playing their cards at the same time.
2. I'm playing position well.
3. I'm controling the pot size and not overbetting hands.
4. I'm not afraid to bet, raise or call when it makes sense to do so against the right players at the right time.
5. I'm mixing up my play - both betting patterns and hand selection.
6. Well timed bluffs against the right players based on their past patterns. Example was a nice squeeze play into a habitual button raiser who was re-popped a few times by another player and had shown the tendency to fold. The SB was a habitual caller. Button raises $6, SB calls, I make it $30 with J9os...both fold. It worked better for me because it was the first time I made that play into him.
7. I'm not afraid to fold AA on a scary flop against a tight player, but at the same time, I'm not afraid to call with middle pair against a different player.
8. I'm not limping and hoping with connectors. I used to never do that, but then during a string of bad local cash game losses, I found that was a major leak. I was essentially chasing all night because everyone else was and I was trying to force a big pot. It's funny because that is the complete opposite of how I play. If I'm going to play connectors, you should never really now how I'm going to play them...fold, raise, random limp on button only to mix it up, raise into limpers, call a raise, fold again to a different person's raise, limp behind others....who knows (mostly fold though :-))
9. I'm observing and capitalizing on changing table conditions based on recent hands and emotions between other players. I can feel who's frustrated, playing with ego, getting passive, etc.
10. I'm aggressive
11. I'm patient
I'm really enjoying the cash game play. I feel like I'm able to exercise my ability to fully trust my reads without that worry of busting out. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE tournaments and tournament strategy. But the cash game play is allowing me to flex some different muscles that I normally would only get to do very deep stacked and I think the repetition of it will help me continue to both trust my reads, but also bet accordingly. Ultimately, it will help my tournament play and get me closer to my goal.
Monday, March 12, 2007
This Felt Good
PokerStars Game #8876408923: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2007/03/12 - 23:35:33 (ET)
Table 'Chaldaea IV' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: ova dawg ($293.95 in chips)
Seat 2: pickpok ($131.10 in chips)
Seat 4: -Ori-Prior- ($59.05 in chips)
Seat 5: cursed6466 ($103.40 in chips)
Seat 7: TheYeti ($195.70 in chips)
Seat 8: jpg7n16 ($309.40 in chips)
Seat 9: DP388 ($157.90 in chips)
jpg7n16: posts small blind $1
DP388: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to DP388 [8h 8c]
ova dawg: folds
pickpok: raises $6 to $8
-Ori-Prior-: folds
cursed6466: folds
TheYeti: folds
jpg7n16: folds
DP388: calls $6
*** FLOP *** [9s 3h 9d]
DP388: checks
pickpok: bets $12
DP388: calls $12
*** TURN *** [9s 3h 9d] [Jh]
DP388: checks
pickpok: bets $40
DP388: raises $97.90 to $137.90 and is all-in
pickpok: calls $71.10 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [9s 3h 9d Jh] [4h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DP388: shows [8h 8c] (two pair, Nines and Eights)
pickpok: mucks hand
DP388 collected $260.20 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $263.20 Rake $3
Board [9s 3h 9d Jh 4h]
Seat 1: ova dawg folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: pickpok mucked [6d Ah]
Seat 4: -Ori-Prior- folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: cursed6466 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: TheYeti (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: jpg7n16 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: DP388 (big blind) showed [8h 8c] and won ($260.20) with two pair, Nines and Eights
Monday, February 26, 2007
Winning and Being Humble
When I had my first big cash for $2,500 over a year ago, I wanted that feeling again immediately. This need for achievement caused me to play impatiently, especially near the bubble, and the result was not cashing in 14 straight sit-n-go’s for a net loss of $1,400. I was trying to force the win and control every situation, which is counter-intuitive to successful poker play. I also had a feeling of invincibility, like I could never lose again. I started getting Fancy Play Syndrome trying to craft complex plays against opponents who were just playing their cards. The poker gods quickly put me in my place.
So I’ve had recent success and I’m feeling good about my skills. But now I’m humble. I’ve learned from past situations and I’m going to continue to approach future games emotionally neutral. I will have increased confidence in my abilities, which will allow me to follow my instincts more and more. But I will not come into games thinking my skill advantage is so great that I can control the outcomes. I will also not be anxious and impatient trying to capture the next win. I may continue this fortunate run for a few days, weeks or even months. I also know that the fortune might end today and I’ll face a drought of negative variance. All I can do is continue to make smart +EV decisions and I know the results will follow.
Playing at the Next Level
Am I catching cards? Not really actually. I mean I’ve had a few situations where I’ve made a drawing hand or hit a set, but nothing out of the ordinary really. I don’t even think I’ve had AA or KK that many times either. What I am doing really well though is playing the player and the situation. MY cards are part of that situation, but they are just a small piece of the pie. I really feel like I’m playing at a new level. Where in the past I may have had glimpses of this, I’m much more consistent about it now. The great thing is that this hasn’t been isolated over the course of a couple of days. I’ve been playing at this level the last couple of months.
What are some examples of playing at this level?
- I’m sensing weakness better than before. This helps me decide how to play certain cards. For example, after an early and a mid-position limper, I might also limp with a hand like KQ or AJ because “the book” says to. However, depending on stack sizes, the blind level and the tendencies of those who players who have limped, I now will mix things up and put in a sizeable pre-flop raise simply to win the pot then and there. If I get a caller, it’s okay because I’ll also have position and can make a situational decision based on the flop. BUT, I won’t do this all the time. Mixing up your game is important.
- I’m varying my play a lot better.
- I’m reading physical tells better. Navarro’s book is pretty damn accurate.
- I’m staying patient during the end game.
- I’m playing my draws strong a higher percentage of the time (either leading or check-raising). Obviously my choice of plays is dependent on the players and situation, but I’m now looking at draws as opportunities to win a hand multiple ways and not just if I hit.
- I’m picking up the pots no one else wants.
- I’m maximizing my winnings. Instead of value betting, I’m shoving all-in more when I think there is a chance I’ll get a call. This is HUGE in tournaments when having a big stack creates an advantage later. The other thing this is doing is making my all-in plays later in the tournament seem more believable. For example, if I re-steal pre-flop by putting someone to the test (and I use the same exact timing and mannerisms as when I had the nuts), I am way more believable.
- I’m not playing as passively and I’m not afraid to go with my gut. A great example of this is when I was 3-handed the other night when the tournament paid top 2. I had a good chip lead and a solid, but somewhat passive player who was third in chips (about 12 bb at 14K) was in the small blind. He limped and I checked in the BB with 82os. Flop is J83 with two hearts. Pot is 2400 and he bets 2000. I have a lot of options here and raising is certainly something I could do in this situation, but he knows that. As a standard raise could put me in an awkward situation if he pushes, an all-in is also a slight over-bet and he might read me as a bully. Folding is also an option, but I decide to call to see how he plays the turn. With his chip stack, he is going to be basically telling me his strength based on how he plays. The turn is an Ace of spades and he bets 2000 again. I almost resorted back to the line of thinking that says “He bet therefore I must be beat here”, but then I stopped and asked myself, “Why 2000? What does that say about the strength of his hand?”
- With the Ace being a spade, it now put two flush draws on the board. If he had a strong Jack (or better), wouldn’t he bet more? Maybe, maybe he has a big hand (set, two pair, etc.), but I still think that he bets more or pushes here to protect his hand.
- If he does have a Jack he seems awful afraid of that Ace.
- If he has an 8 with a better kicker, he could be betting here to define his hand cheaply.
- He could also have a heart draw and is trying to control the betting.
For all these instances, I felt like I either had the best hand OR I could push him off a better hand a high enough of a % of time to make pushing all-in a +EV play. He also saw me push all-in with big hands previously, so that previous action made this a strong play. So I pushed, and he folded. THIS line of thinking is one reason why I feel I’m at a new level, BUT, the action I decided to take is the real reason. I had the guts to go with my instincts even though my first reaction was to fold.