An early night tuesday and a very exausting volenteering day wednesday meant I stayed off the tournaments. Today has been a bad day only cashing out through head prizes. In the £500BH I fealt very drawn dead, did do a20bb 4bet AI as Axs but that might have been a bad move really. The £1000 BH was going ok but draw dead soon saw my stack down to 15BB and I tried some tommyD magic by going all in with 108s, the good thing was it came up against AKo unfortunately I was unable to hit my outs therefore my exit came. I was going ok in he £500 BH at 8 but what looked a good turn card proved bad having give me top 2 pair and get all in against both straight and set. My time in the sharp shooter mini was going ok but I may have lost concentration at the end and threw chips away and making loose calls.
I was in a very happy mood at the start of last week now I'm starting to get emotional. my run in tournaments recent days has been poor and I've got more and more emotional over my mistakes. On monday I had an instance with AKo where I made a 3bet and then became lost on what to do having missed and in a semi I was holding a top pair mid kicker and in a spot where the villains betting made clear indications that I was behind, I was saying to myself he's sure to have a better hand but rather than make the actual fold I was still tempted to call twice and when the showdown was made my instincts were correct. I begun tonight determined to do well but all it took was a few minor losses for me to start getting emotional again over what's most likely the smallest of mistakes.
I've been reading Ch 1 2 and 3 of the mental game of poker book and that itself has given me a very good understanding of how badly emotions will affect my general game performance. I use to play cash poker throughout the day but now that I'm an MTT player I usually wait until the evening and this is my chance to put lots of time and effort into learning about the mental game and working on how I can improve it. The next month or two I'm going to dedicate to ch 1 2 and 3 of the book learning all about the mental game itself and then spend a whole month or two on each indivial ch to learn how to resolve my mental game once and for all.
I was in a very happy mood at the start of last week now I'm starting to get emotional.... The next month or two I'm going to dedicate to ch 1 2 and 3 of the book learning all about the mental game itself and then spend a whole month or two on each indivial ch to learn how to resolve my mental game once and for all. Posted by craigcu12
Sorry to break it to you, but it's not that simple. You will need to work at your mental game constantly (as do I and most players). Best tip I can give you is:-don't play when feeling emotional. Then all you've got to do is review game for leaks, make adjustments for when happy (as well as sad), and (most importantly of all) ENJOY IT.
I feel your pain craig... Poker can be emotional, full of anguish and frustration. I dont' think anyone has a magic wand to stop you feeling emotional. Everyone who plays poker has some emotion atatched to it, we are not simply robots. The big differnece is noticing if it's affecting your game, because if it is then you can address the cause. If your playing MTTs' you just have to face facts that your going to go out more than you cash. But still keep your A game for when you get a good run. Also listen to your instincts, if you think you should fold then just fold. Letting hands go seems to be a big problem for you. We all gotta fold when we think we beat. don't be so harsh on yourself... Posted by rancid
The belief that I can reduce my emotional problems has alot to do with how well I've been with so many other emotional issues. My personal life has been filled with chaotic emotional issues. My life as a child begun with me getting bullied non stop at school and alcohol caused mayhem in my famil life, I myself had a temper extremely servere and got arrested on a number of occassions. When as moved into care and placed in a school with behaviour problems my life transformed, When I left school I had been greatest achiever ever and recieved a number of awards. My care workers was also very proud of how well transformed I was helped massive in getting a suitable place to live and get the support work I needed. I was in a spot of chaos a few years ago worried about everything and on the verge of suicide but thanks to the help from both aunty and support worker my life has changed massively, I might have the odd panic but don't let that get me too serious as happened in the SPT this year.
I have great belief in my poker game and believe even the smallest of improvement in my mental game will make a big difference. I only do work as a volenteer and even that is once a week so I've got a huge amount of time spare and believe now is the time to start putting that time to good use and working on my issues.
Being harsh on myself recently is the reason i'm so determined, If I don't start working on these things I will probably continue being negative about myself just as I've been with myself so many other times.
Craig check out an app called primed mind (if you have a smartphone), i've found it has helped me loads on and off the tables since i started using it a few months ago.
Give yourself a break Craig. You're doing great and more importantly it was nice to meet you in Manchester and you came across as a top bloke. That's some achievement considering your past.
At 5:30 pm on friday I knew their was a £500 BH that I would normally intend to register but my mood at the time was very poor I simply couldn't be bothered to play at all. I did register for the 6pm semi intending to cash out and also started to watch a live poker steam. When watching this my mood started to change, I registered for the 7:30pm freeroll and also the 8:30 mini. My run in the freeroll itself started off very well I managed to cash out £10 in the freeroll but could well have reached the final table had my AA got so unlucky against 98o. My exit in the freeroll looked bad and not long after I suffered a nasty exit in the mini when a turned nut flush went behind to FH. these hands themselves both looked nasty but I didn't get a single bit of emotion.
Tonight begun in an aukward way itself, I was feeling very drawn dead in the semi, my stack seemed to get smaller and smaller and had me wishing something usful would come, I ended up doing hit hope all in with what ever card I had. My emotions after this semi began to creep in, the risk of playing another tournament fealt too big. At 7pm a live poker stream had started and with that came a new intention to play tournaments again. Ilate reg into the 1KBH and also registered into a sat for the main event. the 1K BH itself seemed difficult and mistakes were large, my run in the sat was going well unfortunately I went out having 3bet shoved 50BB as AK thanks to a player open raising 9BB and getting 1 caller, the person who raised pre made the fold but the caller pre called my shove and survived a flip. I could have questioned whether I should of gone all in but no I just let it pass and blamed my bad run in a deepstack and 2.20 BH to myself being too LAG in the early stages.
I did get a nice run in the mini and came 23 and my overall game in that tournament was totally relaxed and calm.
Yesterday and todays poker play might itself be starting to show a sign or two of one potential cause of my mental game problems. I think by watching those live streams has helped get me all set and prepared, poker is all I'll be thinking about therefore my best game will be with me right away. In other words I do need to ensure I am fully prepared when starting.
At 5:30 pm on friday I knew their was a £500 BH that I would normally intend to register but my mood at the time was very poor I simply couldn't be bothered to play at all. I did register for the 6pm semi intending to cash out and also started to watch a live poker steam. When watching this my mood started to change, I registered for the 7:30pm freeroll and also the 8:30 mini. My run in the freeroll itself started off very well I managed to cash out £10 in the freeroll but could well have reached the final table had my AA got so unlucky against 98o. My exit in the freeroll looked bad and not long after I suffered a nasty exit in the mini when a turned nut flush went behind to FH. these hands themselves both looked nasty but I didn't get a single bit of emotion. Tonight begun in an aukward way itself, I was feeling very drawn dead in the semi, my stack seemed to get smaller and smaller and had me wishing something usful would come, I ended up doing hit hope all in with what ever card I had. My emotions after this semi began to creep in, the risk of playing another tournament fealt too big. At 7pm a live poker stream had started and with that came a new intention to play tournaments again. Ilate reg into the 1KBH and also registered into a sat for the main event. the 1K BH itself seemed difficult and mistakes were large, my run in the sat was going well unfortunately I went out having 3bet shoved 50BB as AK thanks to a player open raising 9BB and getting 1 caller, the person who raised pre made the fold but the caller pre called my shove and survived a flip. I could have questioned whether I should of gone all in but no I just let it pass and blamed my bad run in a deepstack and 2.20 BH to myself being too LAG in the early stages. I did get a nice run in the mini and came 23 and my overall game in that tournament was totally relaxed and calm. Yesterday and todays poker play might itself be starting to show a sign or two of one potential cause of my mental game problems. I think by watching those live streams has helped get me all set and prepared, poker is all I'll be thinking about therefore my best game will be with me right away. In other words I do need to ensure I am fully prepared when starting. Posted by craigcu12
Where do you watch these live streams? On twitch? Can you recommend any decent players or streams that are worth watching?
In Response to Re: craigcu12 determined to solve mental game problems : Where do you watch these live streams? On twitch? Can you recommend any decent players or streams that are worth watching? Posted by waller02
the only oneI've watched was by adamyelland123, he is really good for the likes of yourself and me because he his tournaments are low stakes ie £2.20 deeps and £5.50 BH, so what ever actions he does is a good thing whereas those on higher stakes will include various bits of loose play and bluffs which would be a risk on lowish stakes.
Tonight has been an excellent night on poker, I didn't come out with a profit and did have a few times of bad luck but my game itself was anything but. I decided to have a bath myself before going onto the tables to get myself calm and relaxed having just watched newcastle get and unfortunate draw. I did do a brief check up on some of my hands from the previous night to help get myself in the right frame and thinking of poker full and clears
The first tournament of the night was £1000BH, I finished 33rd in that tournament and won myself a prize of £5.41+1.88 HP. I could have made it a bit further up the ladder if I wanted to but was more interested in attempting to get FT and take it down so I goes AI as K6o OTB in attempt to steal an extra BB and gain possible BB from a tiny stack but unfortunately the BB itself had an AA and I exited. I will see myself a bit unfortunate not to come out on profit because I was very close to the bubble with a stacksize that might have been deep enough to pass the bubble, I held KK and did a 3bet raise 17BB deep then a 3rd player does a 4bet shove 25BB deep as A5s and managed to bust me.
I did obtain one other prize in the 6K BH, I didn't actually pass the bubble of this but I was able to obtain a HP which is more than what it cost me to enter from 5 attempts in AI sats. My run in that MTT was itself going very well but then came 2 bad losses against a weak calling station and a weak tight short stack. my loss against the tight short stack was unfortunate, I goes AI with Q9 in attempt to get him to fold but unfortunately he had AQ and won 10BB. I might have made the wrong decision going all in with Q9 and should have simply complete SB or MR because when I think back, any call from him would leave me very weak. the other spot I involved a mid pair which I double barrelled intending to get value from a player who'll chase gutshots
I'm intending to get value from all his gutshot and strate draws but the last thing I wanted was to be raised and on the river his bet seems very small but his overall action is seems too weak for even that to be called.
I view my overall game well in the A zone. their was the occassion mistake in the late stages of the tournaments but that will be a thing because right now I'm still learning to play tournmanets in a way I can take them down.
Tonight i've had a very good run in the tournaments and came out with profit in them all.
My first tournament of the night was a £500BH, in this tournament I could have made it past the bubble if I wished but I was more determined to win than bubble so I 3bet shoved 20BB as AQ and got bust by an A4, I finished that one 34th and made a profit thanks to £6.22 and it's the same story with all but 1 of my tournaments.
I was having a great run in a £1000 BH and could have past the bubble of that too but luck turned against me at the very end therefore I busted in 30th place obtaining a prize of £5.14.
My chance of getting past the bubble in the mini wasn't certain of a prize but winning a flip at the very end could have made a huge difference my chip stack was 30BB deep, I could have folded to a 30BB shove just didn't thinking he could well be shoving to simply make it easier to win a HP from the other short stack. Still I made £6.57 from HP in this one.
The one tournament I did get past the bubble was infact two tournaments, first up I got past the bubble of the semi which enabled me entry into the main event and it was the main event itself which I was able to cash out. My run in the early and mid stages of the MTT got me a great stack, I was sitting in the top 6 for the majority of it, part of my time in the MTT saw me sharing the table with mattbates but even he didn't scare me, I was simply very determined to try and win it. My final position in this was 19th, I made a cash prize of £32.98+76.12 in HP. My overall performance in this MTT gives a clear impression of how great my game is ATM. I was making hero calls calm and relax, made bluffs with ease, didn't get fussed over bad luck, the only thing I did wrong was make the odd mistake.
tonight was my first night of poker since monday and it's been a very short one. What happend is I've went out of the 500BH in the very second hand and have been left annoyed at myself for making the river call. If I thought about his overall range what possibly could Ch/R a dry paired flop which goes on to Ch/R turn and donk shove the river things might have been different but snap decisions were make therefore I was left frustrated when I saw afterwards what he actually had.
I've got a few birthdays coming up and also a number of other events planned so I don't have as much free time as I normally would therefore I'm gonna take a break away from the poker tables and use whatever spare time I do have for reading the mental game of poker book, writing down notes and using primed mind app.
Mental game side of poker is something I think everyone is constantly working on. We aren't robots and we will always make mistakes. It's great to work towards eliminating them but don't beat yourself up when you make a mistake. There is always another mtt. Hope the break treats you well.
I've had a decent couple of weeks break away from poker and now gained a decent idea of where my mental issues lie, now I'm starting to work my way towards a resolution for those mental game problems.
I've played the occassional nl4p cash and intend to continue to do so for the rest of this year. NL4p is a great place to practice making improvements to my mental game and unlike tournaments i'll be able to walk away whenever I feel like it.
Each time I've finished a cash session I'll write down the major factors in what causes a mental issue and describe in brief detail how to view these things positively IE I lost my cash but the money was in the pot when ahead.
This month is gonna be a full month of mental game imrpovement poker, I'll be listening to a big of primed mind and reading through all my key notes on my poker profile.
I've had a few decent sessions where potentially poor mental gaming hasn't got in my way. Today's session was looking very much like another one but a table containig a LAG changed that. Thankfully I did realize the bad mental game was coming therefore I walked away before it would really start kicking in therefore I left with a small loss and know from my profile what were the problems and what it was really made the negative mental game start coming.
Comments
Good luck
I would echo what James said "give yourself a break".
It is good to be reflective and always aim to improve but...
Needlessly putting tons of pressure on yourself to do well at the tables is rarely a good thing.
Try to have fun when your playing and study the game when you have some chill time and the rest will likely take care of itself.
Tonight has been an excellent night on poker, I didn't come out with a profit and did have a few times of bad luck but my game itself was anything but. I decided to have a bath myself before going onto the tables to get myself calm and relaxed having just watched newcastle get and unfortunate draw. I did do a brief check up on some of my hands from the previous night to help get myself in the right frame and thinking of poker full and clears
I've played the occassional nl4p cash and intend to continue to do so for the rest of this year. NL4p is a great place to practice making improvements to my mental game and unlike tournaments i'll be able to walk away whenever I feel like it.
Each time I've finished a cash session I'll write down the major factors in what causes a mental issue and describe in brief detail how to view these things positively IE I lost my cash but the money was in the pot when ahead.
This month is gonna be a full month of mental game imrpovement poker, I'll be listening to a big of primed mind and reading through all my key notes on my poker profile.
I've had a few decent sessions where potentially poor mental gaming hasn't got in my way. Today's session was looking very much like another one but a table containig a LAG changed that. Thankfully I did realize the bad mental game was coming therefore I walked away before it would really start kicking in therefore I left with a small loss and know from my profile what were the problems and what it was really made the negative mental game start coming.