Geekster
Monday, August 07, 2006
I'm going to dedicate this post to my newest reader, Neil, from www.geekster.org. He sounds like all the rest of us out here just trying to make some scratch from our wonderful hobby. Please go by and leave him a comment if you get time.
I am by no means an authority on poker advice, but I will give you my 2 cents worth.
First off, some of the questions you ask about don't have any real answers that can be conveyed from me or from any other poker player, for that matter. They are very personal questions that can only be overcome through trial and error on your part.
How to play better poker?
Read books, study strategy posts on every blog out there, watch it on tv and finally, just play. Even if you are playing for play money or for very low stakes, play poker. Experience is gained through participating and watching (and applying) everything you see at the tables to your own game. My advice may be very good for one player, but yet not be worth a nickel to the next player. The critical point is to take all the advice out there and apply it to your indiviual game in order to find out what works for you. Only you can decide that and only you can pick out the good advice from the bad advice.
Avoiding tilt is something that every poker player the world over has to work at and learn to overcome. If you read my last two months' worth of posts, you will know that I am wrestling with that same problem and there is no simple solution. It takes your own experience and experimenting with many different options to be able to overcome it. Alot of times, the best medicine is to log off immediately. Easy to say, not so easy to do, I know.
You are at least one step toward heading in the right direction, as you have realized what happened and are now looking for a solution to the problem. I hope you don't think any of us can tell you what to do in order to handle it, because there is no cut and dried answer. Take your break, that always does my game alot of good. I like that you are re-reading some poker books, it never hurts to re-read something that you have found useful in the past.
Some other tips for you: (remember, take them for what they are worth)
-Try a different game. Either move away from Hold Em for a while or if you are playing ring games, move to sng's or vice versa. Mix in a little diversity into your game to change things up. If you've never played Stud, Omaha or Razz, use the time you are taking away from poker right now to study up on a new game. When you return, you will have a clearer head and be ready for the challenge of a new game.(as well as being armed with a bit of strategy, hopefully)
-Set aside XX amount of dollars and buy into a higher-limit game than you are used to playing. Play tight and watch the play at the table, but play poker. Know that the buy-in may go away (quickly) but use it as a learning experience and realize that even at the higher limits, the players still suck out and for the most part, the play is close to the same as at your regular limits.
Finally, there is a term in poker know as "variance" and believe me, variance is a bitch! This is something that you have to be able to live with in order to continually make money at this hobby that we all love. Bad beats and variance happen to every single player at every single limit out there on a regular basis. The key to playing solid, winning poker is found in how you learn to deal with the hard times. I promise you, the good times are that much sweeter when you finally get away from the variance.
Hang in there and good luck to you.
G
posted by GaryC @ 9:59 AM,
1 Comments:
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At 6:46 PM,
Neil said...
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Thanks for the words of encouragment! Every little bit helps! I cheated a bit tonight. I played a little poker, but it was with fake money. I played well, nice and tight in a 3 table sit-n-go. I got tired and way loose and ended up in forth place. I was still "in the money" but I know I could have won if I had not gone bone-head, been tired, as well as known it was fake money. But I did play better, picking my spots, bluffing at the right times and the whole nine yards. I feel a little better about my play, except for the bone head mistake at the end. Oh well such is life. I hope your night ends up better than mine, and your making millions of dollars! :)
