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Server Time: 11/20/2008 4:22:31 AM PACIFIC |
 poker musings for the day, Angel, 10. Sep 2003 00:15 | ||
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| I just woke up with a few thoughts I thought I'd share after a particularly long, grueling session. I played longer than I might have otherwise because the game was so good and I could still function at a level beyond my opponents. I was playing my 'A' game for a very high percentage of the night. I think we all drift away from that at times but imo the important thing is to constantly evaluate yourself at the table so the moment you notice it - you can stop the drift and re-focus 100%. Anyway - I did this right with excellent results: ie: I stayed focused, attuned and used all the weapons at my disposal to play the best poker I knew how. Secondly, I sometimes have some difficulty not becoming angry if too many bad beats come within too short a period of time. I'm pretty good about not berating anyone (I'm considered friendly, outgoing and good for the game by peers and casino staff)- but inside my own head I can get pretty extreme. I'm not sure but I think I'm in contention for the highest blood pressure reading at a poker table award. I'm truly pretty good on the outside though - ppl know I'm steaming, they know it's not going to affect the way I play my next hand - they just don't choose right then to talk to me. I haven't liked this about my game and have made a conscious effort to do something about it. Last night I had great success in this. I didn't act calm - I was calm - even when the most bizzare hands came down. One in particular stood out - when the man turned over his hand on the river I think the whole table blinked. He looked up at my sheepishly and apologized and I accepted for probably the first time that it really is about the long term. I've known that for ten years - but I think I accepted it for the first time last night. And I started laughing - I joke and banter and laugh at the table constantly - but this is more about entertaining them then it is about me, but this was a genuine laugh - and despite more than one person pointing out to him that they sure wouldn't be laughing. I felt really good about making that leap today. All that said, I took my worst beating of the year today. It was one of those days. I don't know about anyone else but it always takes me a little time to recuperate from such a beating but today I feel like I'm way ahead of schedual. It's about the long run. Thanks for being a sounding board. | ||
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| Re: poker musings for the day, Roy Cooke, 10. Sep 2003 06:43 | ||
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| Hi Angel I think you are heading down the right track mentally...One trick I do in an effort to keep my mind focused on the long run is not to cash out my chips until the end of the month...It makes me think in terms of a month as a play...I feel like I am winning more often than I truly am in a given play.... That said, keep working on your mental thoughts....Everything else being equal....He (Or she :-) who retains mental toughness under duress takes the money over time. Life is Good :-) Roy Cooke on 10. Sep 2003 00:15 Angel wrote: > I just woke up with a few thoughts I thought I'd share after a particularly > long, grueling session. I played longer than I might have otherwise because the > game was so good and I could still function at a level beyond my opponents. > I was playing my 'A' game for a very high percentage of the night. I think > we all drift away from that at times but imo the important thing is to > constantly evaluate yourself at the table so the moment you notice it - you can > stop the drift and re-focus 100%. Anyway - I did this right with excellent > results: ie: I stayed focused, attuned and used all the weapons at my disposal > to play the best poker I knew how. > Secondly, I sometimes have some difficulty not becoming angry if too many > bad beats come within too short a period of time. I'm pretty good about not > berating anyone (I'm considered friendly, outgoing and good for the game by > peers and casino staff)- but inside my own head I can get pretty extreme. I'm > not sure but I think I'm in contention for the highest blood pressure reading at > a poker table award. I'm truly pretty good on the outside though - ppl know > I'm steaming, they know it's not going to affect the way I play my next hand - > they just don't choose right then to talk to me. I haven't liked this about my > game and have made a conscious effort to do something about it. Last night I > had great success in this. I didn't act calm - I was calm - even when the most > bizzare hands came down. One in particular stood out - when the man turned over > his hand on the river I think the whole table blinked. He looked up at my > sheepishly and apologized and I accepted for probably the first time that it > really is about the long term. I've known that for ten years - but I think I > accepted it for the first time last night. And I started laughing - I joke and > banter and laugh at the table constantly - but this is more about entertaining > them then it is about me, but this was a genuine laugh - and despite more than > one person pointing out to him that they sure wouldn't be laughing. I felt > really good about making that leap today. > All that said, I took my worst beating of the year today. It was one of > those days. I don't know about anyone else but it always takes me a little time > to recuperate from such a beating but today I feel like I'm way ahead of > schedual. It's about the long run. > Thanks for being a sounding board. | ||
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| Re: poker musings for the day, McMonkey, 10. Sep 2003 07:15 | ||
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| Thanks for your thoughts Angel. I find that when I take unusually bad beats I handle it in much the same way you described. On the outside I seem fine, maybe just a bit distant, but inside I'm boiling with outrage. And knowing that the short term is not what matters usually only makes me more upset..at myself for getting upset over 1 hand to begin with. And I'm usually such a happy guy It's not for the money that I get upset, because I play well within my workable financial limits, but because I'm so competitive, to get beat by a player that I KNOW I'm better than. What I'm realizing now..usually an hour or so later..is that even with the bad beats, the game is still a blast. Of course I'd get rid of all the bad beats if I could, but there's a part of me that says that those bad beats are part of what makes the game so intriguing and fun; they are part of what keeps it fresh for me and keeps me on my toes every time I play. I too am getting to the point where I can laugh over the bad beats. I'm glad you had this breakthrough and it can only help your game. You'll be able to play without fear and even the small/unconsious effects your steaming had on your game will be gone. For me it's like a weight lifted and I hope its the same for you. | ||
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| Re: poker musings for the day, endif, 10. Sep 2003 11:38 | ||
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| "We're outgunned and undermanned, but you know something? We're going to win. And I will tell you why. Superior attitude, superior state of mind." Steven Segal, Hard to Kill ( for the audio: http://www.wavcentral.com/movies/hard_to_kill.html ) e | ||
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| Re: poker musings for the day, LJH, 10. Sep 2003 13:51 | ||
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| ANGEL, YOU NEED TO GET SOME COUNSELLING. ALSO READ "THE PSYCHOLOGY OF POKER" BY ALAN N. SCHOONMAKER. LJH | ||
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| Re: poker musings for the day, Angel, 10. Sep 2003 14:02 | ||
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| on 10. Sep 2003 13:51 LJH wrote: > ANGEL, YOU NEED TO GET SOME COUNSELLING. ALSO READ "THE PSYCHOLOGY OF POKER" BY ALAN > N. SCHOONMAKER. LJH LJH, YOU NEED TO GET A SPELLCHECKER. ALSO, I HAVE READ SCHOONMAKERS BOOK. SINCE I HAVE A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY I'LL JUST TALK TO MYSELF AND SAVE SOME MONEY. ;) | ||
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