Tuesday 24 August 2010

My Last Shot - And This Time Its Serious

so i've spent the last couple of days in the think tank, where am I going wrong? how can I be such an erratic player? take a look at my graph, its a mess!!



looking at this kind of thing in my old mindset I would say to myself i'm a winning player i just have tilt issues - this is bullshit! my game has gotten worse over the last year, i'm break even over the last two months and about $200 down overall (excluding Omaha, i dont want to mention Omaha!)

i spend a fair bit of time playing poker as a hobby and I need to make sure its worthwhile, i dont want to make millions, I want to make enough to justify the time spend away from the wife and kinds, the time spent away from mates and other hobbys etc.

so what i've decided is to give it to the end of the year, i'm not setting a profit target, i'm setting a $ per hour target.

by December 31st 2010 I want to have earnt $6 an hour including rakeback

the sick thing is even with $0 table profits my $383 rakeback & tourney profit means I currently have earnt $4.97 an hour!!

maybe I should revise a higher target?

to achieve this I need to work on my game, both poker wise and mental wise

poker wise I need to study my stats, watch training vids, read articles and post hands on forums

mental wise I need to work on game selection, play when i'm not feeling tired or distracted, stop playing when i feel tilted etc

I'm going to use this blog as a notepad, the side columns will have room for me to make notes on things i think will improve my game, i'm also going to add in more things to monitor my game graphs etc.

if i put all this work in then i should suceed.

2 comments:

Nevermore said...

Unless you are willing, and I mean really willing to change your approach you will never be more than a rakeback needed break even player. However, if you are truly willing to make changes, nothing will limit how far you can go.

First off, Poker listings for NL cash games has you as a tight passive/aggressive style or what is better known as "a rock"


Secondly, from reading your blog the main leaks you need to fix is shoving stacks with draws, refusing to lay down hands when you know you are beat, and betting into 2 pair boards when you have the low end of the full house. These instances were apparant from your most recent hand histories and from ones you have posted in the past. Maximize your winnings and minimize your losses must be a motto that sticks to you like glue.

Remember, the difference between an amateur and a pro is the pro can lay down the big hands. Even if turning pro is not what you strive for it is necessary to be a successful amateur. Currently you can't even lay down the moderate hands to say nothing of the flushes, boats, straights and sets that needed to be tossed in the past because it was obvious you were beat. How many times in this blog have you yourself stated "I knew I was beat, but called anywyay."

I feel it is not too late for you. You have an opportunity to turn your poker around to that of a consistant winning player, but all the books, videos, and instruction in the world will never help unless you can honestly say, you are READY to do what is needed when it is needed.

This includes playing situations and discipline. Specifically bankroll discipline. Some of the things I have read that you have done I wished I could reach through the screen and strangle you then smack you upside the skull and say "Don't do this no more!" and in a perfect world you don't do this no more. Playing Omaha which you obviously should not go near. Playing $2/$4 heads up.... need I go on?

I see such potential in you for greatness at the tables, but the biggest thing holding you back is you. Study, learn, and employ that which you have learned, but do not allow yourself to veer away from discipline. And this stuff about "I have tilt issues..." Bullshit! it's an excuse and the so called excuses need to end as of right now. You have the talent. You have the tools. You can accomplish great things in the poker world. Do whatever you need to, but do it now. This is the first day of the rest of your poker life and I want to see the remainder of your days for you to be reaching for the stars and cathching them and when you do, you will be on top.... if you really want it. As always I wish you only the very best.

Starlight

Anonymous said...

Wow, quite possibly the world's longest reply by Mr Starlight Coast!

You should ideally be looking to make $6 per hour without rakeback and us the rakeback as a bonus IMO