Operation: Learning to Think - Eliminate The TAG-FISH in Me

This is what a graph looks like when one plays well, and does not tilt. This is what it looks like when you fold. This is what it looks like when you don't make stupid, idiotic, uncharacteristic tilty plays.

Don't play tired, don't play angry, don't play upset, don't play on tilt - and if you know to fold a graph should look like this.

This is a reminder to me that I am capable of playing well, now it's time to do it. Volume goals for the month are no longer valid, as this just leads to pressure to play which may lead to playing when I shouldn't.

Nuff said, I'm going to learn from this, despite how simply retardedly easy it looks to fold in that previous hand, and move on.

Interestingly, this post has created a new page in my thread. I like the idea of such a coincidence which sorta looks like I'm going to start over with a fresh mind, on a fresh page.

Woah what is that spam?

Spew doesn't exist on this page sir!

*Last edited by BooG690 on Tue, 21 Jul 2009, 2:03am; edited 1 time in total*

Thanks for dropping in Boog690.

I discussed the situation with JKDS in IRC and came to the conclusion that after being out in the sun all afternoon I was too exhausted to play poker and this was the likely cause of being impatient/tilty during the session, which inevitably led to this major spew. I felt like I wasn't thinking well about anything at all, so I need to be better prepared next time when facing the decision of whether to play or not, and do whatever is best for my expectation.

In this case, taking the evening off from the tables would have been the correct decision. Live and learn.

Today is a new day...no more fucking around.

Well you know what you did and what you have to do, so I have nothing to say. Good luck my friend.

Played a quick session of 50nl this morning. Played well, was focused etc.

I think I may have missed a profitable 4betting opportunity, so I'll explore that later on.

As for 50nl sessions I think I'm going to keep them short and sweet for now (~ 1 hour) and typically only play 1-2 a day until I'm fully comfortable.

Post the 4betting hand!

About the ~1hr sessions... You may find it useful to play for an hour, then take a 5 minute break. If they don't kick you out after 5 minutes, you don't even need to leave your table, just sit out.

To each his own. If you like this process, then stick with it, but I'm not sure I think this is a good approach. It looks like you're trying straddle the stakes ... like slowly dipping your foot in the water or something to make sure it's not too cold or shark invested Wink

I briefly tried that method when I made my first jump from $2NL to $5NL and came to the conclusion that I was only doing it out of fear and that I had already, through Bankroll Management and beating my last stake, built a system through which I had no reason to play $2NL anymore and no valid reason to fear $5NL. I had 10 full buy-ins to "take a shot" at the next level. If I lost that many buy-ins, then I was clearly not ready for it and could drop down a level where I could clearly win back the money and try again another day. It's important to give yourself permission to fail through either coolers, bad beats, bad play, or whatever as long as you are trying to play @ your best. It's much worse to try to rise up and play scared money because you'll never be @ your best.

So, I would argue you're either ready for $50NL and should jump in full time with both feet or you're not and you should focus on $25NL. With this 1-2 hour a day method, you're putting $50NL on a pedestal and making the challenge larger than it should be both mentally and game wise with the subtle differences between each stakes as far as blinds, raise sizes, and villain tendencies. I've only been playing full time $50NL for a whole 3 days and it's taken me half-way through day 3 to realize that when a shortstack shoves allin for $10, that's the same number of big blinds as $5 @ $25NL - it seems like more @ $50NL. That example and so many other things add up, but by me focusing right now on one stake, I'll adjust better and faster.

The exception that I could see as being more acceptable is when you get to the higher stakes and the game selection just isn't there like @ $1000NL, $600NL, and maybe $400NL. As you move up more, there could be more situations where a really juicy $200NL table is twice as good as a tough, nit invested $400NL table. But, I'm pretty sure there's always a juicy enough selection of games @ $50NL to keep a capable, rolled player out of $25.

Anyway, just some food for thought - good luck with whatever you do.

I think this is a hand that should be calling or folding to the 3bet.

If we're calling 3bets here ever, I think KQ should be in the calling range.

Assuming he's defending with a reasonable range, KQ is too good to 4bet/fold but too bad to 4bet/call. We can raise a certain range, but it should be hands that are significantly better than KQ (stack off hands) and hands that can easily fold if he shoves.

I wrote the above before really reading your analysis. The thing that sticks out at me is that he's 10-15 tabling 50nl FR. Even if he's a hudbot he's probably not 3betting super-light. I give him credit until I see a reason not to.

Cool. What types of hands would you recommend 4betting if we assume he's 3betting light enough to start adjusting?

It depends on what he does after the flop.

If he's playing fit or fold in 3bet pots then my calling range is wide.

If we might get outplayed after the flop then I think we've got to 4bet for value pretty much any time he could be calling or 5betting with worse.

I don't play FR, but I think this guy is too tight to be 3betting light. It works better if he's like an 18/15. Also, if a guy is playing 12+ tables and starts 3betting light, you can just make him miserable by 4bet bluffing and calling for value. He's got to fold a lot of his 3bet range to bluffs and play OOP vs. you when you have the goods and can put the pressure on after the flop. He probably wouldn't figure it out until after a session or two (if he figures it out at all).

One more thought that should probably weigh in all our decisions is how well are we beating our current stake? If you were only beating $25NL in the 1bb-4bb (.5ptbb-2ptbb) per 100 hands range over 50k to 100k hands, then, yes, that is probably a legitimate concern if you can beat your next stake, but I feel like even if you have a low sample in the 10k to 50k range, if the win-rate is pretty high around 10bb-30bb (5ptbb-15ptbb) range, that SHOULD be a reasonable indication that you will at least be a winner @ $50NL or whatever the next stake may be. I've yet to hear a clear consensus that there is ANY one stake where there's a dramatic drop off in win rate or dramatic rise of skill level.

As for that hand, I think folding is right. What hands does a 15/10 12-15 tabling player raise with in early position that we feel good about calling with KQo? Without a confident read, raising back just seems spewy to me. We do have position and he could be raising light because he thinks you're stealing, but for 6x more bb's, you better have a good read with a range we think we can play profitably, hope he misses, hope you hit and you're not dominated - that's a lot of skating on thin ice. Just give him your 3bb's and pick a better spot ... oh nevermind, you did Wink

Well I'm breakeven at 50nl over 10k hands.

Something to keep in mind: I've spewed a few buyins. Let's just say that I have lost 5 after adding up all the poor bluffs/call downs/etc.

If none of that happened I'd be a 5bb/100 winner.

Shows you how important executing the correct decision is, regardless of whether you know it to be right or not.

I guess this is pretty standard (for me) moving up. I broke even for a while at 10nl, and 25nl, so it's not a big surprise here. Eventually things will turn around. Until then I must make sure that I'm playing my best at all times, and aren't tired/tilty/hungry/thirsty/etc while doing so.

sigh....fuck poker

Alright changing gears now. I seem to tilt pretty bad when I'm at the table and for a few minutes after, but I manage to snap out of it pretty quick. I think I'm suffering from some burnout...I'm not going to get into details about it, I know why etc. and working towards fixing that for next month. The biggest thing for me right now is to see the tilt coming before it happens...it's kind of hard to do when you get top set cracked multiple times in a session...but playing catch up is just too stressfull. I tend to force things if I know I'm down money in a session, even though it doesn't even matter because the money went in good.

Anyway, I'll be idle from any cash games until Friday. If you guys see me on Stars grinding 25nl-50nl full ring, heads up, or 6max, please slap me tyty.

Fuck tiny sample sizes, ok? I have 55K hands at 50NL FR. I have 2 10K BE stretches and 2 15K hand BE stretches. Yet I am nearly beating the stake for 3.5ptbbs.

You are a tremendous player, and better than almost everyone at your level. We all have issues with emotional control. When we master those, the clarity with which we will live will have been worth all the effort.

You know where to find me!

See you at the $4.40 180 man SnG's Wink

d-d-d-donkaments!

Ok I am sorry, I really hate posting short term graphs, but this is just too sexy and looking at it is a relatively cheap and effective confidence booster:

And I still got stacked twice as a >70% favorite Very Happy

, not that it isn't incredibly standard or anything, but I didn't let it affect my play, and hence, I kept climbing up those stairs.

This is 6max btw...

Today was my winningest day at NLHE cash games. I finished up about 10 buyins or so divided amongst 25nl and 50nl 6max.

+$342.60

I usually don't post results often but I guess this result is kind of cool since it is pretty motivating to me. This is because I know I played with a very clear head today, and depsite the fact I ran well, there's no way I could have done this without playing my best. I think I got stacked 4-5 times as a huge favorite and it didn't affect my decision making at all..which is new to me in some ways. I was playing 6max and 'expecting' more swongs, so I guess I was just overall better prepared to face what would inevitably happen during the game.

So for the future I'm going to continue to play the best I possibly can, which should increase the chances of days like this happening down the road, and put days of trying to outplay ex 600nl regs into the past.

FT'd 2 more $4.40 180's, for 3rd place and 4th place.

Roll ~ $3450

A little detour:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/forum/m2m-s-mini-op-grind-or-gtfo-t87726.html#917956

Hey M2M,

I know you're like super busy with your ubergrind atm but if/when you have time I'd love to hear your thoughts on the ups and downs of 6 max vs full ring at the micros since you've played quite a bit of both. GL with the grind. I was tempted to take your prop bet for 10$ or so but felt like spew since you'll probably make it npsssss.

Hmmm that's sort of a tough question and I don't think I can really answer. It's sort of opinion based among many people, though typically I find the earnings to be a bit more steady at full ring - then again I have graphs to contradict this statement lol. Depends on your style etc I suppose. I feel like I get stacks in way more often in 6max, maybe thats a leak :O

July Results:

Graph is in 'big bets' as opposed to dollars so its easier to put my 50nl downswong into perspective.

Cash: $850
MTTs: $275
SNGs: $100
Bets: $200
FPPs: $250
Total: $1675

Best month $ wise, though I have good feelings about August being a sick month for my developement as a player.

in terms of growth as a player, HU > 6m > FR
in terms of fish donking off stacks, FR > 6m > HU because in FR you're going to have stronger hands more often

Yeah, I plan on putting forth an effort at heads up cash this month. Going to watch some videos and get some hands in, review, rinse/repeat.

Hmm... I think I lost a buyin today due to misclicks and missing value bets in a couple spots. Rather than taking risks on iffy check/raises I should probably just keep doing the straight forward betting thing. Something for me to think about while I go eat.

Bleh I think I'm a bit burnt out from playing poker. Anyway here's some monthly goals. Will edit list as I see fit. Feedback/suggestions appreciated.

I think I'm going to be focusing on cash game development in particular with an emphasis on short handed play. I'll probably still play some MTT's here and there but what I am really trying to do is get that learning curve to skyrocket.

August Goals:
[]Learn, learn, learn - get down into some serious study:
---Read TOP/then take notes*
---Take notes from TAP*
---Read the extensive list of articles I have yet to read
[]Review sessions more thoroughly - something I have been slacking on
[]Develop a stronger Heads up/Short handed game while still working towards escalating up the full ring ladder
[]Focus on discipline and control. Be powerful and objective in decision making - emotions have no say in what is correct.
[]40k hands of cash
[]Last but not least have fun. I'm going to hit up the golf course a few times this month (been working on my game at the practice facility but haven't really got around to playing so I'm looking forward to getting some rounds in) and I'm also taking another trip back to Toronto.

*When I read a book that has such heavy content (TAP/TOP/PNL) I go through it once and underline alot of important/stressed concepts/lines/paragraphs etc then go through the book once again and take notes.

Well the never ending run worse than ever before crap continues.

I'm kinda scared my bankroll is going to nosedive to nothing, and I'm not even kidding :/

Meh. If you continue to follow Bankroll Management, it would take playing exactly as long as it took to build it up and as equally bad as you played good to lose it all ... very unlikely.

You will run worse than you ever thought possible.

And then it will happen again. Trust me, it happens to everyone, so much so that it's a cliche.

Relax. Cut down tables, spend more time evaluating hands and less time playing. It'll be over before you know it.

I am studying like crazy, 3 video's a day + various readings + HH review.

I still haven't found that video where it says calling ATo OOP 100bb deep to a 3bet and flopping gin on QTT is profitable though. Can anyone confirm that is possibly profitable to play hit to win with junk in 3bet pots? It's something I am not doing although seriously considering since apparently its some secret I am unaware of.

I'll post some hands to get some feedback. I'll be honest, most of them are coolers, but I think I'll at least get some feedback on bet sizing or how I could have played the hand better to maximize my value versus opponents range.

The trick is to stack the deck, so do that.

ahhh, I guess I'll contact Stars Support and see what they can do for me Razz

I have completely removed any statistics that are results oriented such as win rate, $/hour, even rake paid etc. from PT3 so whenever I open it up I can only see my statistics, hands played, hours played, and everything that doesn't have to do with money.

im going for supernova. im qutting mtt's for a long, long time. im going to move up, and im going to make lots of money.

YES YOU ARE.

well, back to $0. time to deposit and grind back up Sad

This just in:

m2m gets re-deposit Bonus from PokerStars
m2m will grind that Bonus by the end of the month
m2m will retain PlatinumStar VIP status
m2m will then set forth and whore more boni in attempt to pay for a new set up (new desktop + 2 samsung 20's)

This blog needs some spicing up, it's all just me bragging and bitching.

Time to recap some sights from my trip to New York City..I guess this is a hidden brag depending on how you look at it so FML but w/e enjoy the pictures. I'll eventually try and write up some deep philosophical shit that you newbie guys can get some value out of. For now, you can put up with my random bs Very Happy

Harlem ^

^ Greatest city in the world.

I love it.

<---- born in Brooklyn.

I love NYC.

Poker Forum

Join Our Poker Community!

Poker Forum Index

FTR Blogs and Operations

Operation: Learning to Think - Eliminate The TAG-FISH in Me

Poker Forum Index

FTR Blogs and Operations

Operation: Learning to Think - Eliminate The TAG-FISH in Me