Full House
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Denton, TX
Posts: 1,152
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I have some thoughts to outline.
Doubt is something that has a profound impact on my life, and I suspect it affects others in similar ways. It is my belief that those who "soar" through the stakes are those with either the intuitive ability or necessary experience to play without doubt. I'm not meaning flawless play, but rather they have a confidence in their execution of this rather simplistic game that allows them to remove themselves from the actual enormity of it all.
Doubt, like all criticisms, should serve as an enabler. I must both be allowed and allow ourselves to grow as players when facing doubt. I, considering the stakes most I play, am my own greatest opponent. Obviously, my doubt stems from my unfamiliarity with any number of situations, but I think more importantly so it is the result of something deeper. I believe I have a wholly unsophisticated thought process when it comes to this game, and thusly am lacking in the necessary critical thinking skills to get to where I would like to be. I'll do it simply:
Every poker situation is a combination of the same factors that are constantly manipulated by a number of variables. Hands can probably be viewed as only a function of Range and the most appropriate Response. These are rather vague terms but it's nothing no one has talked about before. In fact, Range and Response are so closely linked that they rely on each other and I cannot successfully consider one without the other. Since I play at 50 and 100NL, I can generally get by without too much deep concern for Range, rather just playing my own range and using the correct response. There really isn't much more to it than that, yet I seem to struggle so greatly with these two things. I think it's pretty clear that it is because of all the variables that go into any poker decision, all of which affect our ranges and responses. What variables ought we consider? Well, there are a shit-ton of them and a lot of great articles written about them, so do some homework. The important thing is, is that at any moment we always have a variable to consider, and how it impacts R&R.
My doubt stems from those gray areas where player tendencies (the variable most significant to range) are less well-defined, probably because I have not given his action enough thought. Our opponents don't generally think on a level where they attempt to manipulate our actions to best suit their ranges. People aren't really exploiting the Baluga Theorem at 25nl, but I would be still stacking off w/TP facing a c/r on the turn regardless. So we have villains who play completely transparently, yet we are not completely crushing the games. Why is this?!?!!?! Because I am my own worst friend and greatest enemy. I make any number of excuses for my mistakes, and often ignore them. I will review a set of hands and make what is essentially the same mistake four times in a row and now consider the true reason I made the mistake. My mind, which allows me to do everything I want, is also the greatest imposition to my success. This applies to our opponents as well. They are bad players, take bad lines, all because they don't know any better. They cannot help themselves...but sometimes neither can I.
The only thing that separates me from them is that my mistakes are more profitable than theirs.
I think the only way to remedy this problem is to categorically refine my thought process. I need to write it down. Review it. Understand where I am consistently messing up. For now, I'm going to enjoy some grapes and play some poker.
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