Decisions

My first post of 2006, ok I’ll admit it I’m scared. I really enjoy writing about my experience with poker and how it’s growing as time passes. Although recently I’ve been in a terrible slump not able to build any type of roll. I’ve basically restricted myself from investing any serious money in online poker. Why? Well it really comes down to one thing; I don’t have much flow to gamble with right now. Not that I consider poker gambling……. I do still play though live games that is. These games are with some friends, and usually 2-3 unknowns. I have to say though I certain that I’ve pretty much broke even or shown a small profit in my live tournament/SnG play. My good friend rikkidee, has now proven to me that poker can be a profitable endeavor. It’s also safe so say that he’s dominated the multi SnG play, showing numerous accounts of reasonable profits. I’m not surprised at all though by the consistent winning. Its variance and rikki has enough roll to counter it. He also has great discipline and good bank roll management. Me on the other hand very little bank roll management and I can’t with strong confidence put any serious amount of my hard earned money into online poker. But I watch rikki and other big names play all the time on stars. I can’t possibly grind it out for years and years to make modest money. I want big money, and I want it now (this is not an attitude of a sound poker player). From what I can piece together is the actual gamble in the game. I have watched many big tourneys and it seems that to win you need some obscene amount of luck. From what I’ve learned in college, and university you can’t improve luck. The risks that players take are scary and would be very hard for a young amateur like myself to make.
Example:
6th hand of a 6 person SNG
Blinds 25/50
3 players
Dealer, SB, BB
Flop: 9d,Jh,Qc
SB checks
BB checks
Button checks
Turn: 8s
SB bets 500 for a massive over bet
BB calls
Button re raises all-in
SB says does trips beat a straight….lol (he basically knows he’s beat here with a straight, but he has outs and calls)
BB also calls the all-in (three way all-in)
Button and BB have a 10 for a straight
SB turns over 88
River 9h
SB wins with a boat and triples up.

That is a serious fucking call with one player behind you. But again it just reaffirms the fact that you need to take big gambles with lots of chips in the pot. The SB went on to dominate that SnG which is not surprising tripling up on the 6th hand. There are some things that you can control that I think will improve your play. It may sound dumb or completing ludicrous but I’m going to state it anyway. Karma, but not karma in the sense of doing nice things for people, or donating to charity, I mean clarity of mind. You need to make some decisions with your gut, some with math, and others with observations. The only way to decipher which to use in each situation is a clear mind. If you have played any type of poker you know what I mean. You can put people on hands, make good laydowns, and get all your chips in with good odds. I would have to say any serious pro would have this ability honed very well. Right now for me it’s trying to develop it. When faced with a decision in poker, first thing that hits you in your gut. This one is easy to follow because it’s pure impulse. Next for me is my observations, how has this player played against me before, in other hands, in similar positions. Then its math, do I have the correct odds to get involved. Then it’s a three way battle in my brain to see who will make the choice. Refining this decision making process will in my mind make poker that much more elevated for the fishes out there. This is an extremely difficult task and developing it will be an adventure.

Gone Fishin