bigblinds&threeofakinds

I am the sorest loser you will ever meet. When I was ten years old, I was ejected from a recreational baseball game for cursing at an umpire from the outfield. I remember sitting out for an entire season either because I was on suspension from the league, or my dad was too embarrassed to bring me back. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to cope with losing in other ways. Stress balls and pillow punching usually do the trick, but in poker you sometimes need a different approach.

As I noted in my previous blog, I got my rear-end delivered to me on a silver platter this past week. I decided I needed to reset my systems and take a break from poker for a while. This blog is my first toe in the proverbial “poker pool” since last Monday. I used my time off to focus on school and exercise; I wanted my mind to be fresh for my next assault of the virtual felt.

An extended break from poker is sometimes the remedy for a long run of bad cards and “donk-esque” play. It’s amazing how poor results can influence even the best players at times. During my break, I discovered an article by Wachovia (the player, not the bank) that addressed the issue of mental preparation. The article, titled “The Mental Side of the Game” offers a full circle approach on poker tournament preparation. In the “Pre-Tourney” section of his post, Wachivoa delivers an excellent quote on the mental wear of poker.

“Your mind gets worn down when you play poker. The game exacts a price. If you think you can be a 14 hour a day player, non stop and expect great results, you’re crazy. You need to have some form of mental rest. For some it’s faith. For others family. Some get into a sport or hobby. It can be a combo of them, but the point is you MUST have some form of mental release.”

Wachovia explains that as poker players, we have a mental “gas-tank.” After a certain amount of continuous play, more for some than others, we begin to taper off of our A-game and make decisions based on our mental state. He goes on to say that any form of release from poker is effective. No two players are alike; mental rest techniques can differ from player to player.

I agree one hundred percent with this claim. Poker is, in theory, a mental game. Your only piece of equipment is your brain and you need to maintain it like you would maintain your golf swing form or your free-throw shot. My lack of mental respite was allowing previous played hands to have a much stronger effect on my game and I was making moves that were uncharacteristically bad.

I was letting the past affect the present, and in turn, letting the present affect the future. I was losing chips because of my attitude and I was losing equity because I was losing chips. In essence, I was losing equity because I had a crappy attitude. Then, if you take it one step further, my loss in equity is a gain in equity for everyone else in the tournament. I was making my opponents chips worth more to them because I was angry. Incredible.

After that thought crossed my mind, another gem popped right in. I know I’m not the only one upset; I’ve seen others fill the chat box with spews of hatred. My opponents had in fact given me equity before without me even knowing it! Why in the world, then, would I want to get upset and give it right on back? If I can wrap my head around this concept, I will become more profitable.

As Wachovia mention, focus begins well before the first card is dealt. Focus should begin before you open your poker program, before you sit down, before you wake up in the morning. Focus is a learned habit, developed over time with dedicated practice. These brief breaks from poker and periodic breathers during games will not only influencing my play in the present, but have a profound impact on my play in the future.

That, in essence, is the true game plan of a profitable poker player. Profitable players play for the future as well as the present. I know that if I make correct moves now, or force my opponents to make mistakes, there will be a long-term profit regardless of the outcome in the present. I know that if I make the correct shove with KK enough times, the idiot who calls with Ax will lose money in the long run. I just need to grasp the fact that I will give the equity right back to everyone else in the tournament by tilting and making incorrect moves.

The moral of the story is “embrace the donk”. Do not berate a player after he takes you out with a worse hand; this only serves to educate him. Instead, tell them good hand, and make them feel like they've done something right. The moves your opponents make now will only fatten your pockets in the long run.

slowplays&broadways

I once actually considered investing in a punching bag to hang next to my desk. It seemed like a good way to help cope with a two-outer on the river, or KK>AA on the bubble of a tournament. Bad beats are a part of the game, but doesn’t it seem like you take them more than you deliver them? Those who don’t catch my drift might understand it better coming from grapsfan.

One of the best and worst things about playing low stakes poker is the inexperience of most players. Inexperienced players are great for your bankroll; they play horrible hands and overplay most of the draws they get. Although this is where most experienced players will make their money, these pros can turn to cons in the flip of a card.

Lets take for instance a hand I ran in to early Sunday afternoon:

I wake up UTG with QQ, a desirable starting hand. The villain calls my 3x raise two positions later and everyone else folds. The flop comes down 69T, rainbow. I lead out for about 2/3 of the pot, a moderate sized bet for an overpair. I make this bet for two reasons:
• I’m putting my opponent on a hand like Ax
• I want to give my opponent poor pot odds to call a potential draw

Naturally, my opponent flat calls and we go to the turn. The turn comes 7d, a non-threatening card that only really adds the danger of a straight draw being completed. I check in this position, hoping that I can induce a bet and check-raise the villain in the event that he does make another run at catching his A or K. The villain does what is expected and bets about 1/6 of the pot, a very inexperienced bet by any standards. I proceed to check-raise as planned; this usually deters opponents from playing weaker hands. The villain proceeds to three-bet raise, so I decide to shove all in. His three bet seemed weak, as if he was trying to call me on a bluff. He called and showed me J8 for the straight and I went home with my tail between my legs.

His mistakes:
• Calling a 3x raise with J8, a very weak starting hand.
• Calling a 3x raise with J8 and 4 players behind.

My mistake:
• I offered him correct pot odds to make the call on the flop
• I was over responsive to the three-bet.
• I gave my opponent too much credit for having a good hand.

The moral of the story is that bad hands get lucky sometimes. That’s why some low stakes players decide to play them. Although QQ vs. J8 preflop is about and 80/20 favorite, I am at fault for making it a profitable play.

The hand is just relived is one of many disasters of the weekend that I hope to forget soon. I’m probably going to turn down the number of tournaments I play this week and try some live poker instead. Live poker is another monster and usually makes for some good writing material.

threebets&floppingsets

Big pots and gut shots is a blog about texas hold'em. This blog is not the first of it's kind, nor will it be the last. I have the luxury of drawing inspiration from many well-established and successful poker blogs. We can all read and enjoy these blogs, but sometimes it's hard to relate. As a low stakes player, I feel that this blog targets the mass of the poker population.

For now, I will talk about my trials and tribulations, my successes and failures. I will learn and grow as a poker player; hopefully some will learn and grow with me. I will try to tackle the hot topics, starting hand ranges, three betting ranges, blind stealing, and whether or not Durrrr is busto.

Oh yeah, I'll also try to have some fun along the way.