These are the type of mistakes that have crept into my game, mainly through quick and set thinking. 100% honest here (I have to be to improve) as soon as I did it I knew it was wrong and I wasn't sure why I did it. OK, not true, it was because I didn't think through my options. Ignoring the fact I was in a race, had I won it I still would be asking this as I still think/know this was an awful play.
Its the FT and I've played well but I made a quick judgement and thought "77s are good hand here, I only have 20bb (even though I know this is a lot!) and I can win whats in the middle" then I jam. Straight afterwards I'm like, "noooo!".
Just for clarification I would like to know how strong a mid PP are here and if there is any other way of playing other than what I think which should have been a min raise and then give up on this flop? Is that too predictable/easy to play against? Thats the sort of thing I worry about a lot and then I try and play different. Its like just because I know what I have doesn't mean everyone else does.
And I would like to know what sort of cost it would be to me if I was to get a coach? Im looking to bounce ideas and get basic strategy and thoughts.
Thanks.
IMO, Craig, you don't need a poker coach, though a mind coach might help. Have you read & absorbed The Mental Game of Poker?
Stuff like this does not help you at all.....
"....Had a 2nd in a small turbo (should have won...."
".....very deep run in a Pokerstars MTT (which annoyingly got cancelled....."
FORGET these trivialities, & the feeling of being hard done by, it does not help.
We play poker, & every single session we get lucky & we get unlucky. It's just standard.
Concentrate on the positives.
This would be much better, & do you the world of good;
"....Had a 2nd in a small turbo (should have won...."
".....very deep run in a Pokerstars MTT (which annoyingly got cancelled....."
See the difference?
All imo, of course.
I think that’s a bit unfair
Craig didn’t say he should have won but got really unlucky or anything like that really. It is frustrating when heads up and we don’t win when we feel we have an edge on our opponent. Latter stages are where the significant jumps are.
With the huge fields on stars deep runs are few and far between, for me anyway. To get in a good position in one and then for something as unusual as happened the other night is annoying
These are the type of mistakes that have crept into my game, mainly through quick and set thinking. 100% honest here (I have to be to improve) as soon as I did it I knew it was wrong and I wasn't sure why I did it. OK, not true, it was because I didn't think through my options. Ignoring the fact I was in a race, had I won it I still would be asking this as I still think/know this was an awful play.
Its the FT and I've played well but I made a quick judgement and thought "77s are good hand here, I only have 20bb (even though I know this is a lot!) and I can win whats in the middle" then I jam. Straight afterwards I'm like, "noooo!".
Just for clarification I would like to know how strong a mid PP are here and if there is any other way of playing other than what I think which should have been a min raise and then give up on this flop? Is that too predictable/easy to play against? Thats the sort of thing I worry about a lot and then I try and play different. Its like just because I know what I have doesn't mean everyone else does.
And I would like to know what sort of cost it would be to me if I was to get a coach? Im looking to bounce ideas and get basic strategy and thoughts.
Thanks.
IMO, Craig, you don't need a poker coach, though a mind coach might help. Have you read & absorbed The Mental Game of Poker?
Stuff like this does not help you at all.....
"....Had a 2nd in a small turbo (should have won...."
".....very deep run in a Pokerstars MTT (which annoyingly got cancelled....."
FORGET these trivialities, & the feeling of being hard done by, it does not help.
We play poker, & every single session we get lucky & we get unlucky. It's just standard.
Concentrate on the positives.
This would be much better, & do you the world of good;
"....Had a 2nd in a small turbo (should have won...."
".....very deep run in a Pokerstars MTT (which annoyingly got cancelled....."
See the difference?
All imo, of course.
I think that’s a bit unfair
Craig didn’t say he should have won but got really unlucky or anything like that really. It is frustrating when heads up and we don’t win when we feel we have an edge on our opponent. Latter stages are where the significant jumps are.
With the huge fields on stars deep runs are few and far between, for me anyway. To get in a good position in one and then for something as unusual as happened the other night is annoying
Yes, it IS frustrating, & it IS annoying, but how does thinking about these misfortunes help us?
Do we give the same amount of thought to situations where we get lucky?
It's pretty rare for anyone to say "won the 9.30 last night but was outrageously lucky".
Positive thinking is very important.
I'm not criticising Craig, I'm trying to help him. It's titled "Improvement Diary", so that seems to be the idea I thought?
These are the type of mistakes that have crept into my game, mainly through quick and set thinking. 100% honest here (I have to be to improve) as soon as I did it I knew it was wrong and I wasn't sure why I did it. OK, not true, it was because I didn't think through my options. Ignoring the fact I was in a race, had I won it I still would be asking this as I still think/know this was an awful play.
Its the FT and I've played well but I made a quick judgement and thought "77s are good hand here, I only have 20bb (even though I know this is a lot!) and I can win whats in the middle" then I jam. Straight afterwards I'm like, "noooo!".
Just for clarification I would like to know how strong a mid PP are here and if there is any other way of playing other than what I think which should have been a min raise and then give up on this flop? Is that too predictable/easy to play against? Thats the sort of thing I worry about a lot and then I try and play different. Its like just because I know what I have doesn't mean everyone else does.
And I would like to know what sort of cost it would be to me if I was to get a coach? Im looking to bounce ideas and get basic strategy and thoughts.
Thanks.
IMO, Craig, you don't need a poker coach, though a mind coach might help. Have you read & absorbed The Mental Game of Poker?
Stuff like this does not help you at all.....
"....Had a 2nd in a small turbo (should have won...."
".....very deep run in a Pokerstars MTT (which annoyingly got cancelled....."
FORGET these trivialities, & the feeling of being hard done by, it does not help.
We play poker, & every single session we get lucky & we get unlucky. It's just standard.
Concentrate on the positives.
This would be much better, & do you the world of good;
"....Had a 2nd in a small turbo (should have won...."
".....very deep run in a Pokerstars MTT (which annoyingly got cancelled....."
See the difference?
All imo, of course.
I think that’s a bit unfair
Craig didn’t say he should have won but got really unlucky or anything like that really. It is frustrating when heads up and we don’t win when we feel we have an edge on our opponent. Latter stages are where the significant jumps are.
With the huge fields on stars deep runs are few and far between, for me anyway. To get in a good position in one and then for something as unusual as happened the other night is annoying
Yes, it IS frustrating, & it IS annoying, but how does thinking about these misfortunes help us?
Do we give the same amount of thought to situations where we get lucky?
It's pretty rare for anyone to say "won the 9.30 last night but was outrageously lucky".
Positive thinking is very important.
It doesn’t help us one bit
However i think it’s just a fairly natural reaction when things don’t quite work out.
These are the type of mistakes that have crept into my game, mainly through quick and set thinking. 100% honest here (I have to be to improve) as soon as I did it I knew it was wrong and I wasn't sure why I did it. OK, not true, it was because I didn't think through my options. Ignoring the fact I was in a race, had I won it I still would be asking this as I still think/know this was an awful play.
Its the FT and I've played well but I made a quick judgement and thought "77s are good hand here, I only have 20bb (even though I know this is a lot!) and I can win whats in the middle" then I jam. Straight afterwards I'm like, "noooo!".
Just for clarification I would like to know how strong a mid PP are here and if there is any other way of playing other than what I think which should have been a min raise and then give up on this flop? Is that too predictable/easy to play against? Thats the sort of thing I worry about a lot and then I try and play different. Its like just because I know what I have doesn't mean everyone else does.
And I would like to know what sort of cost it would be to me if I was to get a coach? Im looking to bounce ideas and get basic strategy and thoughts.
Thanks.
IMO, Craig, you don't need a poker coach, though a mind coach might help. Have you read & absorbed The Mental Game of Poker?
Stuff like this does not help you at all.....
"....Had a 2nd in a small turbo (should have won...."
".....very deep run in a Pokerstars MTT (which annoyingly got cancelled....."
FORGET these trivialities, & the feeling of being hard done by, it does not help.
We play poker, & every single session we get lucky & we get unlucky. It's just standard.
Concentrate on the positives.
This would be much better, & do you the world of good;
"....Had a 2nd in a small turbo (should have won...."
".....very deep run in a Pokerstars MTT (which annoyingly got cancelled....."
See the difference?
All imo, of course.
I think that’s a bit unfair
Craig didn’t say he should have won but got really unlucky or anything like that really. It is frustrating when heads up and we don’t win when we feel we have an edge on our opponent. Latter stages are where the significant jumps are.
With the huge fields on stars deep runs are few and far between, for me anyway. To get in a good position in one and then for something as unusual as happened the other night is annoying
Yes, it IS frustrating, & it IS annoying, but how does thinking about these misfortunes help us?
Do we give the same amount of thought to situations where we get lucky?
It's pretty rare for anyone to say "won the 9.30 last night but was outrageously lucky".
Positive thinking is very important.
It doesn’t help us one bit
However i think it’s just a fairly natural reaction when things don’t quite work out.
100% agreed, but that's the whole point - it does not help us to allow such thoughts.
Tikay's right. If you can block out all those negative thoughts when anything goes against you then you will play a much better game and make far fewer mistakes consequentially. It's amazing how much confidence plays a part even online. You just have to try to block out those thoughts and move on. The book mentioned will help with techniques.
That 1st negative thought during a session is a slippery slope to a bad or even disastrous session. Try and make every session a mentally positive session, win or lose. It's hard tho and some days it might be impossible.
This is all relevant to life outside of online poker too and your mentality during each session will absolutely effect your life and mood. All the best!
Don't think we need to over-complicate things here. Read this (see below) , & then when you've finished, read it again. Poker (which is of no consequence IRL) - & life (which DOES matter) - will both be far better for it.
Tikay's right. If you can block out all those negative thoughts when anything goes against you then you will play a much better game and make far fewer mistakes consequentially. It's amazing how much confidence plays a part even online. You just have to try to block out those thoughts and move on. The book mentioned will help with techniques.
That 1st negative thought during a session is a slippery slope to a bad or even disastrous session. Try and make every session a mentally positive session, win or lose. It's hard tho and some days it might be impossible.
This is all relevant to life outside of online poker too and your mentality during each session will absolutely effect your life and mood. All the best!
Terrible post IMO ^^^^^^^
Of course Tikay is right and i do understand.
What i meant is that it’s entirely natural to feel disappointment. I don’t think Craig was grumbling about anything really and is certainly not unique. (I spotted the edit Tikay. Hardly fair to ask a question after i’ve already answered it ) To be able to not be bothered one bit when things go wrong must be truly wonderful. I just don’t think that’s really how it is for most people though. How we deal with things when they go wrong for us is key. I think the initial disappointment is fine but we then have to work on techniques so that it doesn’t continue to affect us I tend to have a quick rant and then play, i believe, exactly the same.
And here's a handy hint on how to deal with the frustrations life & poker give us.
As you know, 'Stars has crashed three nights running now.
Well, go to 2+2 & read the comments by the disgruntled players. Not only will your sides burst laughing at the poor souls, but you'll realise just how pointless it is to be so negative.
By the bye, you have faced - & overcome - more adversity in life than many of us have, & you seem to have found good coping mechanisms. And that's what it's about, positive coping mechanisms.
It is easy for Tikay to say you should just forget about it. He forgets most things, such as where he lives, how hard-working SkySam is, etc etc
On a more serious note, the most important point (IMO) is how to return to your A game as quickly as poss. IF a quick rant helps that, then it is plus EV. It is equally true that it damages many players.
It is easy for Tikay to say you should just forget about it. He forgets most things, such as where he lives, how hard-working SkySam is, etc etc
On a more serious note, the most important point (IMO) is how to return to your A game as quickly as poss. IF a quick rant helps that, then it is plus EV. It is equally true that it damages many players.
GL @CraigSG1 post some hands and ask questions about were your range should fit in and how you should play your range in this spot ect., good way to learn fast.
Hi all - nice to see I generated a great discussion. Thats what I want! And to hopefully help others too.
I do agree with you Tikay, although not meant to put myself down just trying to be honest it is still negative thinking and is something that can build up if I let it so best to eliminate the foundation first before it builds up. Thanks Jac, as I said it wasn't meant how it sounded and I have won some HU which I shouldn't of and would state that.
I do have The Mental Game of Poker on my Kindle and do need to finish reading it (and then again as you rightly say). It is a hard read from what I remember, as in you have to be 100% focused when reading it to get everything from it.
Im trying to be as honest as I can in my perceptions so in that regard my report on yesterday's play. It was a rather strange one from me, I played my regular £2 turbo and felt I played well, even getting down to about 4BB's at one point due to some misfortune but I was proud that I didn't just tilt off, I tried to find a spot of my choosing and managed to triple up with a bit of luck then got right back into it only to bubble in 4th but, not negative!, I was happy with how I played.
Then in the £3BH I wasn't happy with how I played at all. I kept making snap decisions in keeping with my plan of how I was going to play a particular hand without thinking through if it was still correct or not. I got very lucky in one spot with KQs v 55. In my defence the guy was making strange plays every hand but even though I won I should have waited for a better spot more in my control.
It was just an odd game, I hit some hands then I would stupidly make a mistake and I did lose my frustration once but got it back quickly. In the end I got 3rd but I'm trying to improve my game and lessen mistakes and I slipped into some bad habits.
Thats exactly whats wrong at the moment, my mistakes of become habits. Im identifying them and taking steps to get good decision making as good habits.
As for hands I will try and get more interesting ones up, just at the moment its pretty clear to me where my mistakes are and I do even count the ones I win.
UPDATE: Just had a 2nd in the £2 turbo so its been a good few days. I was really happy how I played, don't think I made many mistakes if at all.
What I would like to say is the FT was the most bizarre and ridiculous one ive ever seen. If there was someway of showing it it would be entertaining to all. I got in as chip leader and didn't really get much but I sat back and watched everyone just get it in with junk or bluffing and then some bizarre run outs, two highlights being 99 v A7. Flop 9xA. turn A. river 7. Then with four left the eventual winner got it in with KQo v AK v A10 and hit a gut shot straight on the river to get us HU with a 4-1 chip lead.
This isn't negative Tikay(!) but HU ended when on the fourth of his all ins I got KJ and called. He had AK. I just laughed. Ive had those ends to MTTs too when it just all clicks. Its a good feeling, and being on the other end of it wasn't too bad as I had no complaints. I played well, and thats all that matters.
Hi all. Been a while so an update. Had a seven day working stretch which meant no poker but that did mean I got my long weekend of six days off in which I did play a bit.
I finished the month up on all my tournaments which used to be a regular occurrence but the first time Ive done that this year. I know thats not a reflection of my play but I'll take it as a boost to the confidence. Taking the positives you see!
The important question though is how do I think I have played? As this is a warts and all I have to say ive had more good days than bad but I have still found myself slipping into bad mental habits. The first few weeks are always the grace period and the time you are eager to change but its the weeks after that are the most important.
Its definitely a mental issue more than a poker one as ive sadly found myself quickly 'giving up' and 'not feeling it' where as before I would stick at it more easily. These are just excuses for slipping into bad habits as when I stay strong I am definitely making better decisions and staying patient. Ive made deeper runs and made sure that even though the 'poker gods' are not in my favour I got myself into a very good position and in that I take confidence in my ability.
I feel like I have one foot on the ground but one foot on the ladder and I except that this is going to be a long process. I need to isolate my disappointment of any early failures quicker and I think by concentrating on how BB I have instead of, say, losing 1/4 of my stack early and thinking I am way behind I can over come this.
One thing I have noticed though is I do need to commit to pots by playing more aggressive at times. Its a delicate balance of getting value from poor calls and making it easy for them to chase! and being aware of how strong my hand is to others and not over betting my hand!
"I finished the month up on all my tournaments which used to be a regular occurrence but the first time Ive done that this year. I know thats not a reflection of my play but I'll take it as a boost to the confidence. Taking the positives you see!"
Better.
Fixating on bad beats, "bad calls" which get there (by others, obv) & the like contributes exactly nothing to our game, or the enjoyment of it.
Rejoicing in a few good results is no different, really, it does not actually help us.
It's just keeping things in perspective really, thinking long term (hundreds of MTT's) rather than short-term on single hands or a handful of beats.
A few years ago, I took some of Chris Brammer's action in the WSOP, think I had 5%, but it was a huge package, 23 events, total cost over $100,000. He managed the first 22 events without ever making a single Day 2, but somehow he kept his chin up, as he knew he was doing the right things & playing well. The last event of the package was the $10,000 Six Max, & he finished 5th for $200,000. That's real mental strength, & helps explain why Chris is one of the best MTT-ers in the UK.
Comments
Craig didn’t say he should have won but got really unlucky or anything like that really. It is frustrating when heads up and we don’t win when we feel we have an edge on our opponent. Latter stages are where the significant jumps are.
With the huge fields on stars deep runs are few and far between, for me anyway. To get in a good position in one and then for something as unusual as happened the other night is annoying
Do we give the same amount of thought to situations where we get lucky?
It's pretty rare for anyone to say "won the 9.30 last night but was outrageously lucky".
Positive thinking is very important.
I'm not criticising Craig, I'm trying to help him. It's titled "Improvement Diary", so that seems to be the idea I thought?
However i think it’s just a fairly natural reaction when things don’t quite work out.
That 1st negative thought during a session is a slippery slope to a bad or even disastrous session. Try and make every session a mentally positive session, win or lose. It's hard tho and some days it might be impossible.
This is all relevant to life outside of online poker too and your mentality during each session will absolutely effect your life and mood. All the best!
^^^^^ Fantastic post, imo.
Don't think we need to over-complicate things here. Read this (see below) , & then when you've finished, read it again. Poker (which is of no consequence IRL) - & life (which DOES matter) - will both be far better for it.
Of course Tikay is right and i do understand.
What i meant is that it’s entirely natural to feel disappointment. I don’t think Craig was grumbling about anything really and is certainly not unique. (I spotted the edit Tikay. Hardly fair to ask a question after i’ve already answered it
To be able to not be bothered one bit when things go wrong must be truly wonderful. I just don’t think that’s really how it is for most people though.
How we deal with things when they go wrong for us is key. I think the initial disappointment is fine but we then have to work on techniques so that it doesn’t continue to affect us
I tend to have a quick rant and then play, i believe, exactly the same.
And that's another great post.
And here's a handy hint on how to deal with the frustrations life & poker give us.
As you know, 'Stars has crashed three nights running now.
Well, go to 2+2 & read the comments by the disgruntled players. Not only will your sides burst laughing at the poor souls, but you'll realise just how pointless it is to be so negative.
By the bye, you have faced - & overcome - more adversity in life than many of us have, & you seem to have found good coping mechanisms. And that's what it's about, positive coping mechanisms.
PS - sorry about the late Edit to my previous post, but it was accidentally & marginally before your reply. "We crossed" as they say.
I tend to play exactly the same. Which is badly.
On a more serious note, the most important point (IMO) is how to return to your A game as quickly as poss. IF a quick rant helps that, then it is plus EV. It is equally true that it damages many players.
Now, where was I?
I do agree with you Tikay, although not meant to put myself down just trying to be honest it is still negative thinking and is something that can build up if I let it so best to eliminate the foundation first before it builds up. Thanks Jac, as I said it wasn't meant how it sounded and I have won some HU which I shouldn't of and would state that.
I do have The Mental Game of Poker on my Kindle and do need to finish reading it (and then again as you rightly say). It is a hard read from what I remember, as in you have to be 100% focused when reading it to get everything from it.
Im trying to be as honest as I can in my perceptions so in that regard my report on yesterday's play. It was a rather strange one from me, I played my regular £2 turbo and felt I played well, even getting down to about 4BB's at one point due to some misfortune but I was proud that I didn't just tilt off, I tried to find a spot of my choosing and managed to triple up with a bit of luck then got right back into it only to bubble in 4th but, not negative!, I was happy with how I played.
Then in the £3BH I wasn't happy with how I played at all. I kept making snap decisions in keeping with my plan of how I was going to play a particular hand without thinking through if it was still correct or not. I got very lucky in one spot with KQs v 55. In my defence the guy was making strange plays every hand but even though I won I should have waited for a better spot more in my control.
It was just an odd game, I hit some hands then I would stupidly make a mistake and I did lose my frustration once but got it back quickly. In the end I got 3rd but I'm trying to improve my game and lessen mistakes and I slipped into some bad habits.
Thats exactly whats wrong at the moment, my mistakes of become habits. Im identifying them and taking steps to get good decision making as good habits.
As for hands I will try and get more interesting ones up, just at the moment its pretty clear to me where my mistakes are and I do even count the ones I win.
Just had a 2nd in the £2 turbo so its been a good few days. I was really happy how I played, don't think I made many mistakes if at all.
What I would like to say is the FT was the most bizarre and ridiculous one ive ever seen. If there was someway of showing it it would be entertaining to all. I got in as chip leader and didn't really get much but I sat back and watched everyone just get it in with junk or bluffing and then some bizarre run outs, two highlights being 99 v A7. Flop 9xA. turn A. river 7. Then with four left the eventual winner got it in with KQo v AK v A10 and hit a gut shot straight on the river to get us HU with a 4-1 chip lead.
This isn't negative Tikay(!) but HU ended when on the fourth of his all ins I got KJ and called. He had AK. I just laughed. Ive had those ends to MTTs too when it just all clicks. Its a good feeling, and being on the other end of it wasn't too bad as I had no complaints. I played well, and thats all that matters.
I finished the month up on all my tournaments which used to be a regular occurrence but the first time Ive done that this year. I know thats not a reflection of my play but I'll take it as a boost to the confidence. Taking the positives you see!
The important question though is how do I think I have played? As this is a warts and all I have to say ive had more good days than bad but I have still found myself slipping into bad mental habits. The first few weeks are always the grace period and the time you are eager to change but its the weeks after that are the most important.
Its definitely a mental issue more than a poker one as ive sadly found myself quickly 'giving up' and 'not feeling it' where as before I would stick at it more easily. These are just excuses for slipping into bad habits as when I stay strong I am definitely making better decisions and staying patient. Ive made deeper runs and made sure that even though the 'poker gods' are not in my favour I got myself into a very good position and in that I take confidence in my ability.
I feel like I have one foot on the ground but one foot on the ladder and I except that this is going to be a long process. I need to isolate my disappointment of any early failures quicker and I think by concentrating on how BB I have instead of, say, losing 1/4 of my stack early and thinking I am way behind I can over come this.
One thing I have noticed though is I do need to commit to pots by playing more aggressive at times. Its a delicate balance of getting value from poor calls and making it easy for them to chase! and being aware of how strong my hand is to others and not over betting my hand!
Go well.
Better.
Fixating on bad beats, "bad calls" which get there (by others, obv) & the like contributes exactly nothing to our game, or the enjoyment of it.
Rejoicing in a few good results is no different, really, it does not actually help us.
It's just keeping things in perspective really, thinking long term (hundreds of MTT's) rather than short-term on single hands or a handful of beats.
A few years ago, I took some of Chris Brammer's action in the WSOP, think I had 5%, but it was a huge package, 23 events, total cost over $100,000. He managed the first 22 events without ever making a single Day 2, but somehow he kept his chin up, as he knew he was doing the right things & playing well. The last event of the package was the $10,000 Six Max, & he finished 5th for $200,000. That's real mental strength, & helps explain why Chris is one of the best MTT-ers in the UK.