teaulc Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 take a break totally from the game? it has been a very strange year for me,i have a little success just to keep me in the game,but i am constantly outdone by what i term as lesser cards and it is hitting me a bit confidence wise. i know where i want to be and i am nowhere near the level i should be at. should i accept that this is how it is going to be and just plod along and try to enjoy this game i love? or am i just rambling again knowing that Gaf will just tell me its variance.if so how long is it before the variance is going to change? thing is i wouldnt know what to do without poker,how sad is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaF Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to It's just variance mate :tongue2 When will variance change? If it doesn't, then you are making mistakes where you think you are making the right choices! Mistakes are not necessarily always obvious. If you are making sub optimal, negative ev decisions (regardless of results) because of what has happened in the past (i.e. you are on permanent tilt!), then it's probably a good time to take a break. I'm a strong believer - so much money is thrown our way by the poker companies, that there is no reason for any player to be losing their own money - if you're losing, then your stakes are too high and you need to drop down (ultimately you drop down to freerolls and dont move back up till you have earnt sufficient bankroll). If you can not possibly lose money at poker, then there's no reason not to play it for leisure if you enjoy it! You must play within your bankroll and ability level though (ability level as you prove with results over time at levels where you make a profit!). If you are good enough - your bankroll will get you to the levels you should be at! (lack of bankroll management will probably constrain you and hold you back!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glceud Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Thinking about giving it up too, let us know how you get on. Big difference is you claim to love the game were as I absolutely hate it, just cant find an easier way of making money without disrupting my family life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glceud Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to P.S theres no such thing as variance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaF Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Can I suggest - clear out your Blue Square account (if you have any funds there) and play a strict bankroll building game there - start with nothing - play the 10c STT giveaways and build up as your bankroll increases. Play the same type of game throughout (10 seat regular STTs?) - dont play any other games on the site (and preferably at other sites either - so that you develop your game to the level and format you are playing) - never lay down more than 5% of your bankroll and play at the highest stakes you can afford within that - see where you end up - this is a good measure of ability as you should end up playing somewhere around the level where you break even - you wont want to play there long term, because you're not making money - but once you find your break even level, you know where you can (and cant) make money! Report back every 500 games or so. I think you'll be surprised how quickly your bankroll will tgake you up the levels..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glceud Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Can I suggest - clear out your Blue Square account (if you have any funds there) and play a strict bankroll building game there - start with nothing - play the 10c STT giveaways and build up as your bankroll increases. Play the same type of game throughout (10 seat regular STTs?) - dont play any other games on the site (and preferably at other sites either - so that you develop your game to the level and format you are playing) - never lay down more than 5% of your bankroll and play at the highest stakes you can afford within that - see where you end up - this is a good measure of ability as you should end up playing somewhere around the level where you break even - you wont want to play there long term, because you're not making money - but once you find your break even level, you know where you can (and cant) make money! Report back every 500 games or so. I think you'll be surprised how quickly your bankroll will tgake you up the levels..... Not having a go GaF but I think once you pass a certain age these kind of projects would drive you insane. Looks more to me like Al is unhappy withe hourly return from his poker as it is. The last thing he needs is 100hrs+ to build up a $20 bankroll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nade Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Teaulc i think you need and should concentrate more improving your game psychologically rather than how to build a roll advice. The generic thing Gaf is advising is good for a beginner but we know Teaulc is an experienced player who has been there and done it and i think there comes a point where there is only so much you can learn. Think about the things you enjoy about poker, is it beating other people? the money? competition? bragging rights? socialising? Try and get to the core of what you enjoy most about poker and then play whatever form of poker stimulates your happiness. There's not many people in the world who can make money playing SNGs, MTT and cash games so it is probably best to concentrate on one form and then seriously think about goals you want to acheive in that chosen form. Only then can you really start to concentrate on how to beat those games for your chosen desires. Something that's helped me so much in the last couple of months or so is realising that poker is variance, not in the EV americanized maths term but the fact that poker is a card game that is played by humans looking to beat eachother. The maths guys look to justify everything through numbers which is fine for some people but in the end it's just a game of cards and the biggest edge of all can be in your psychological state. A break can be good but the biggest mistake i ever made in my life was taking nearly 3months off from poker after i started to beat 200NL late last year. I got bored of playing and by the time i came back everything had changed in poker and i became a bad player, i'm only just getting back to the psychological place i was a year ago in knowing what i want from the game and how to beat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morlspin Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Wise words Nade! Alan....give the game up for a few months after next weekend, one of us are bound to 2 outer you in the Holdem and destroy you without knowing what were doing in the Omaha.......;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweetypie05 Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to You're getting some sound advice here Al! If making money is a big part of playing for you and you're taking a pasting then suggest you go down a level and try to enjoy the game with less at risk! But if your head's not in the game and you're not enjoying it you'll end up losing. A break might be the right thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Teaulc i think you need and should concentrate more improving your game psychologically rather than how to build a roll advice. The generic thing Gaf is advising is good for a beginner but we know Teaulc is an experienced player who has been there and done it and i think there comes a point where there is only so much you can learn. Agreed, we're talking about a player that cashed in the WSOP this year after all. 10c STT freebies isn't where he needs to be. It's an utter waste of his time to play in these donkey fests. Take a month, do some reading. Perhaps sign up for an training program. After a month your desire for the game will be back. When is a good time to take a break ? The answer to that question is simple, now. If you need a break walk away now, all your doing is wasting money by playing when your head isn't right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhornet Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to I agree totally with AJ, if you are thinking that you need a break, it is because you do. Take a couple of weeks away from the game Al, and see how you feel.:ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypermeganet Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Some very good advice on here. I'm not a heavy poker player so can't really speak from the same experience level, however when I reach the point where I'm considering taking a break, deep down I know I should be taking a break (or else it wouldn't even cross my mind). However, for the more experienced player, it does mean a jolt to the system and you will probably lose the momentum and psychological tie with the game that you currently have, which could hurt you even more in the long-term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glceud Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Something that's helped me so much in the last couple of months or so is realising that poker is variance, not in the EV americanized maths term but the fact that poker is a card game that is played by humans looking to beat eachother. Like that, dont think its quite what I've ben saying for the past couple of years since the "V" word emerged as an excuse by mediocre players not to be able to beat other mediocre players every time they play, but its getting there:ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadken Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Teaulc, i know how you feel, i recently had exactly the same feeling. First off, im sorry i busted your Jacks last night with my k-q, it was a bit of a big blind special, ill be honest with you, my mind had already been made up, about my play a long time before your all-in bet. I had already decided that as long as there was not a raise by an early position player and my big blind did get attacked by a player in late position, i was going all-in to defend it. Im not going to say it was the right decision,but it was one i felt i needed to make, at that part of the game. Lets be honest, blind stealing does happen. I personally am not playing Virgin poker tournys at the moment as i seem to get beat after beat, so i had a break for two-three weeks and when i came back i tried a couple of different sites. I have done this before and it has worked for me, i think some of my problem also was that i was over-playing. I found that the break gave me time to clear my head, analyse my play and when i came back the hunger for the game had returned. Virgin poker had not got any better lol, but the rest of the sites seemed a lot better. Your a very good player, you know that,im sure you will pull things around. All the best and good luck to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy the punter Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to I'm running at my worse at the moment, but I feel I'm playing as good as I've ever done. As long as it isn't affecting your game, running bad alone should not be reason enough to take a break. Firstly I'd try and pin down where you think your biggest weakness is at the moment. Despite playing well I still think I'm a little over confident in live play, which can lead to a move too many. Is there anything particular about your game that is bugging you? :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teaulc Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Ken, no problem mate about the KQ,,all done and dusted,we have all done the same,just feels like being rivered is the norm these days :lol. look guys,thanks for taking the time to post and all the advice,as it is i will be playing less anyway as i have had notice at work i have to go on to shift work,so every other week i get a break and more cash in the wage packet. Trev,i totally get where your coming from,but i feel i am better at high stakes poker rather than low stakes,just a matter of getting the roll at the right level. i am liking Betfair and will stick there for a while and see how it goes,i cant just stop just like that,i will wean meself down a bit,also i am preferring Live poker to on-line so i am determined to do more of that,although where i live it aint easy. thanks also to AJ and Nade,you are both right and Nade hit it on head with the psychological part of poker. thanks again all,i appreciate it very much :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teaulc Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Is there anything particular about your game that is bugging you? :ok players not giving me enough respect,but the main bitch of my game is the inability to mix it around like i used to. i am too predictable imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaF Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Not having a go GaF The wider the range of views Al gets, the better :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy the punter Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to I'm running at my worse at the moment, but I feel I'm playing as good as I've ever done. As long as it isn't affecting your game, running bad alone should not be reason enough to take a break. Firstly I'd try and pin down where you think your biggest weakness is at the moment. Despite playing well I still think I'm a little over confident in live play, which can lead to a move too many. Is there anything particular about your game that is bugging you? :ok Three more killer beats tonight and it has finally affected my game. Went a bit tilty. Sitting out and walking around the block now. :lol Sometimes a small break can do the trick too Al. :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubermonkey1 Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to players not giving me enough respect,but the main bitch of my game is the inability to mix it around like i used to. i am too predictable imo. al when your playing well your a very good player as you showed at the wsop but i think as nade said the psychological side of the game lets you down some times. its not that your getting out thought as such, more that your own mindset is defeating you. the above qoute is a very good example:( yes i love to play an aggressive mix it up style but when the time is right,although it's not as exciting i'm quite happy to play a carefull conservative game as well,what i'm not happy doing is the wrong thing:ok as long as i've done as well as i can then i'm happy,going in with the mindset I MUST MIX IT UP will only end in tears. going with a gameplan like that is okay but you've gotta be willing to adapt that if needs be ,otherwise you end up getting caught up in a hand you should never have got involved in ,all because of your need to do something. tbh i dont think your any more predictable than a lot of other players,mixing it up all the time will make you more predictable tho,maybe not your cards but how to counteract how your playing;) just do the best you can as often as possible,as long as your doing that then be happy with your game even if the results arent coming as often as you'd like:ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to I could recommend some "motivational" CDs if you like. I know a lot of people don't like them, but I've found them useful, and I believe Irish poker player Andy Black is an advocate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadlydaveLDN Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Andy Black is an advocate. Probably a good reason to avoid them then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadlydaveLDN Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Think about the things you enjoy about poker' date=' is it beating other people? the money? competition? bragging rights? socialising? Try and get to the core of what you enjoy most about poker and then play whatever form of poker stimulates your happiness. [/quote'] Probably the best piece of advice in the thread :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnley Joe Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to "Try and get to the core of what you enjoy most about poker and then play whatever form of poker stimulates your happiness". For me Poker passes the time whilst watching porn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadken Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Re: when is it a good time to Could that not be bad Joe if youve just had a bad Beat , take that how you like peoples lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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