Things I wished I would have known 1 year ago on this day

Last February on the 21st 2006 I decided after dilly dallying around with poker for a few years, I was going to study, post, and try and play better. For anyone who is new to the game or FTR, I would like to just share a couple things from someone who may be a year ahead of what your going to experience.

These are little things, maybe already mentioned, and so forth. Whats most important is, whatever you have read in stickies or been told.. Take my story as an example and do not give up on poker.

1. I thought I was a good poker player. I was wrong.

2. I was mentored by alot of people, it helped.

3. Variance is a widely used term and you need to re-evaluate your game to see whether your making correct decisions.

4. I re-read HOH 1 and 2 and 3 (5 times) until I finally go it.

5. I posted lots of hands and stopped arguing. Most comments are all constructive on FTR.

6. I played ring when my BR was booming, I learned the value of a chip. When its real money and not tourny chips, you treat every chip with respect and stop spewing them all over the place.This will help you in a SNG, MTT, or whatever.

7. Your either comfy multitabling or your not. Do not attempt to multitable until you understand all of the basic concepts of the game.

8. Learn to use poker stove, and understand what a ICM calculator is, does, and so forth.

9. You have to master PF strategy in all aspects of the game. Whether it be 2/4, SNG's, or MTT's.

10. Waste your starting or (restarting BR) at lower levels (even 4.00+ .40 on stars MTT's) your paying to learn a game!!!!!!... and never play outside your Roll.

11. Fame or fortune with anything does not come over night. You will not learn everything and be a good poker player right away. Its takes years. I am not a pro, semi pro, or anything like that. I know people that have played this game for years, and much like golf... when you think you have it down.. There is always something new to learn.

12. Bubble play and shorthanded play ... You need to master this. Keeping your BR alive strives off this.

13. EV is not Expected Vagina. Learn what it is, make +EV plays everytime ( win or lose) and guess what ... A year from now.. I expect to seem some crazy shit like this posted on FTR.

Bottom line, poker is a long term sport. You cannot do anything in a couple months. Yeah , you may run hot a little... Watch yourself, and understand; win or lose... I win because I made the right decision. If your saying to yourself..But I keep making good decisons, and I keep losing or getting sucked out.... Your attitude sucks and you need to reevaluate that.

Poker is a long term sport.
Poker is a long term sport.
Poker is a long term sport.

I will never be results oriented.
I will never be results oriented.
I will never be results oriented.

Good post. Also I lol'd at "Expected Vagina", that goes in my sig.

Originally Posted by HalvSame

Good post. Also I lol'd at "Expected Vagina", that goes in my sig.

Its cool.. I have copyrights.

Great post man. You've come a long way since you first posted here. Another testament to the power of these forums as a learning tool I guess!

Originally Posted by fasin8ing

EV is not Expected Vagina.

...made me spit coffee all over desk...


great post homie.

Originally Posted by fasin8ing

If your saying to yourself..But I keep making good decisons, and I keep losing or getting sucked out.... Your attitude sucks and you need to reevaluate that.

Can you explain that a little?

Great post Fas!!! I agree with Tai that you have come a LONG way.

Originally Posted by Tjorriemorrie

Originally Posted by fasin8ing

If your saying to yourself..But I keep making good decisons, and I keep losing or getting sucked out.... Your attitude sucks and you need to reevaluate that.

Can you explain that a little?

I think what he is saying is that even if you go through a period where you keep getting sucked out on, don't let it get you down. Keep making the correct plays and it will turn around.

Funny thing, I still have problems seeing actual quality content in threads started by you Fas. You were very argumentative and intense before. You have it sorted out and have really improved from before, i had started to notice it myself, First impressions are lasting impressions, but not set in stone. GL an hope the rest of things have got along as well as your posting and playing.

Originally Posted by Tjorriemorrie

Originally Posted by fasin8ing

If your saying to yourself..But I keep making good decisons, and I keep losing or getting sucked out.... Your attitude sucks and you need to reevaluate that.

Can you explain that a little?

It's an excuse people use in their heads to not look at their play. It can be bad luck when you're losing, but more often than not there's some bad play in there too, and that is something you actually have control over so it's best to be always try and figure out if you're making mistakes.

fasin8ing post. but really, great post.

I remember when I used to call him frustr8ing.

Originally Posted by Tjorriemorrie

Originally Posted by fasin8ing

If your saying to yourself..But I keep making good decisons, and I keep losing or getting sucked out.... Your attitude sucks and you need to reevaluate that.

Can you explain that a little?

Iam taking it your 60/30's arent holding up.

What I mean by this is something very simple.

a. You cannot make someone fold.
b. You swear to yourself you are doing exactly what you are supposed to do ie; offering shitty odds, making correct reads, making correct assumptions on ranges, and your plays are +EV.

When I go into a hand and we flip them over, I see I am ahead, and my play made sense... (alot higher percentage now than the past) I am happy to see my opponent is making a mistake calling with something they shouldnt have.

Poker is about making your opponents make incorrect decisions. When I say poker is long term, I mean you have to play 1000's of hands before your effects show. Just because you had a 10 - 15 game session, or played 1000 hands in a ring session, has no relevance to what +EV plays will show after 10,000 hands, or 10,000 SNG's.

If you let results f*ck with your head, you will be a losing player. You will do dumb stuff like limp behind 9 players because your Aces keep getting cracked. When you see a four flush, you will freak out everytime. You refuse to lay down losing cards and fail to understand how important folding is in this game sometimes. There is a way to handle certain situations. The wrong way is to let results float around in your head and then you have a shitty attitude towards poker... Then you need to check yourself.

When you play a hand, do you have a plan ahead of time?
Like I am going to play this hand because ........
Not because .. Well its in the top 10 starting hands according to Harrington.

Originally Posted by fasin8ing

4. I re-read HOH 1 and 2 and 3 (5 times) until I finally go it.

7. Your either comfy multitabling or your not. Do not attempt to multitable until you understand all of the basic concepts of the game.

4. HOH is Gospel. It is as important, if not more than, Super System was to its time. Every read reveals more. Any example you think is bad, re-read it, apply it, and find out you Harrington is right.

7. QFT. You can increase profit by sticking to whatever strat you've adopted and multitabling it. However you can't really improve your game without focus, playing only one or two quality games at a time with quality reads and taking into account subtle factors in your decision making. You can't get that experience and growth by 6+ tabling.

I've scaled down my tabling to 4, lol. Have much more time to look for reads.

Thanks fasi8ting. You're correct about that. My problem is that some times at night I don't have enough time to play, like only one hour, and I would like to finish that in the profit (so i think this is where i'm results orientated), which means I make a bad call somewhere. I think I must properly start planning my sessions I want to play. At 4 tables i should play 240 hands an hour, so I shouldn't start if I'm going to play for less than 2 hours.

Originally Posted by Tjorriemorrie

I've scaled down my tabling to 4, lol. Have much more time to look for reads.

Thanks fasi8ting. You're correct about that. My problem is that some times at night I don't have enough time to play, like only one hour, and I would like to finish that in the profit (so i think this is where i'm results orientated), which means I make a bad call somewhere. I think I must properly start planning my sessions I want to play. At 4 tables i should play 240 hands an hour, so I shouldn't start if I'm going to play for less than 2 hours.

Switch it to ring.. Multitabling SNG's at what level dude? Set hunt for an hour.. You will see some profit. What site do you play on ?

A great example is.... I am running so good right now.. I am calling in sick tommorow. Finishing ITM is a good thing .. You need to .. Your BR thrives off this. So regardless if its 3rd, 2nd or 1st, you did something right. Go back and look why you didnt take first... Sometimes its out of your hands and thats poker. However; you have total control of how you finish. Remember that.

Goal = 1st
Like you need chicks... BR needs a 3rd , or 2nd at the min.\

Dude its like when you want some cooter. ..... And you end up with some mediocre shit. Thats a 2nd place finish.. But the entire time you were looking for 1st.

sorry i meant ring, lol

That's a funny post, ending up with someting mediocre, like looking for chicks, hahaha!

Originally Posted by Tjorriemorrie

sorry i meant ring, lol

Well then .. Knowing is half the battle. (GI JOE, 1983)

Thumbs way up. Quality stuff here.

Originally Posted by Trainer_jyms

Funny thing, I still have problems seeing actual quality content in threads started by you Fas. You were very argumentative and intense before. You have it sorted out and have really improved from before, i had started to notice it myself, First impressions are lasting impressions, but not set in stone. GL an hope the rest of things have got along as well as your posting and playing.

Originally Posted by Warpe

I remember when I used to call him frustr8ing.

QFT... I use to just skip his post entirely. incredible turn around. GL this year fas...

Originally Posted by thnwkd

Originally Posted by Trainer_jyms

Funny thing, I still have problems seeing actual quality content in threads started by you Fas. You were very argumentative and intense before. You have it sorted out and have really improved from before, i had started to notice it myself, First impressions are lasting impressions, but not set in stone. GL an hope the rest of things have got along as well as your posting and playing.

Originally Posted by Warpe

I remember when I used to call him frustr8ing.

QFT... I use to just skip his post entirely. incredible turn around. GL this year fas...

Thanks Thnwkd... I appreciate your support..