ok so my results have been sucking lately and as a result i haven't had the confidence in my poker abilities to be able to make the "thin" vbets or fire bluffs in ldo spots that are so vital to a decent win-rate. this is basically results orientedness, things like "the last time i tried to get 3 streets with TPTK that dude had a set and check/shoved on me, i'll check it back" in spots where i can, and should, be going for 3 streets because it has a positive expectation based on his ranges for calling said bets. i'm taking this as one of my all-too-regular wake up calls to stop focussing so hard on volume and winning fast money, and spend more time studying this game, thus increasing my $$/happiness EV when i do play. with thus in mind, i intend to spend far more time studying poker in the near future while i'm grinding out the rest of the school year, doing things like:
- range/combo counting practice
- bet/potsize relations and what these mean for v-betting, bluffing, semi-bluffing, calling bets etc etc
- HH analysis (obv ties in with above two)
- "ABCD" ranges and exploitative play, my last coaching session was a real eye-opener in this department
- whatever else spoon shows me
and when i play:
- no more than 4 tables
- "how's my awareness?"
- "how's my mood"
- "how am i playing"
etc, etc
basically, i want to increase my poker and general happiness EV by keeping myself stimulated by this game (studying it), and making every effort to be playing with an emphasis on qualitative factors rather than quantitative. in which case i will hopefully be able to say "i just lost a big pot, but the way i played the hand was the best i could have expected myself to given my current level of poker skill and understanding. next hand plz". to be able to say this is an important thing, i think, and it seems to come from having done the hard work behind the scenes, so that i know that i just made a +EV value bet even though he called with better, or whatever. right view is what i'm after.
i may post some of my studies here for anyone who happens to read this thread. i think i've just about finished ranting now. less talk, more rock imo. seeya.
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