Greediness

The title just about says it all.

When it comes to that little thing called 'Life', people are very very greedy. In all areas, and Poker is no exception.

When people first start out playing Poker, they play for little or no money and enjoy it. They see the beauty of the game and learn to love it. Of course, winning is always enjoyable - but it's not the be all and end all.

As they progress, onto smaller sums of money and they start to win a few tournaments - the Greed starts to set in. Instead of playing in the games that are affordable, the games that no matter what - you will always be somewhat happy, people start to want more.

You can't blame them for that, but it's the wrong way.

Take Bill for example.

Bill plays his first $3 sng and takes 2nd place, he wins $30. He's over the moon...however, it's not enough, he want's more - so he enters a $10 sng right away...he gets knocked out within 15 minutes. Now he is deeply upset. He deposits another $10 and enters another $10 sng...he loses again, and is very frustrated - he can't understand what is going wrong. He uses up the rest of his winnings in a cash game, and ends up broke. So he adds some more money. Again, losing.

Within 3 hours, Bill has gone from being happy and winning $30 towards his bankroll to being deeply frustrated (which in turn rubs off on others around him) and down.

Instead of staying at 'the level' he was ready for, the level that was for him - he got greedy, he wanted more and was found...well, wanting.

Jill on the other hand, she enters the same tournament as Bill and takes 4th for $15. She enters another tournament for the same buy-in and finishes 5th for $9. She's happy with the way she is playing. She enters a final tournaments for the same buy in and takes 1st place for $42. She is delighted, and enjoying her Poker.

She decides to take a break, and go for a walk with her dogs.

3 Hours later, she logs back on and decides to enter another $3 tournament. This time, she isn't so successful, but she plays well, gives it her all and finishes 14th out of 45.

She's happy with her days play. And, is profitable too.

She wasn't greedy, she didn't want to gamble away her winnings, she was happy with the way she was playing, and the level at what she was at. Progress is a slow process. She realised this.

Now, those were only examples - but they are so true.

People get very very greedy. They don't want to play Poker and win modest amounts, they want to play and win BIG! Like the Stars.

This takes time, and patience, LOTS of patience.

The only thing you can do is continue playing, and continue playing well. To the best of your abilities.

Do not let your emotions get the best of you.

Do not let the $000000's entrance you.

Stick to the levels you know, and to the ones you enjoy.

Greed is one of the biggest predators at ANY Poker table. And it's not sat across from you.

It's right within.

Keep playing, and stay focussed.

Good Luck at the tables.

BF

Wow, I think I'm Bill. I've been trying to learn and apply more bankroll techniques but this really put in perspective for me. I WILL take alot from this. Thanks alot!

I'm glad you found it helpful mate.

I think that a lot of people view Poker not as the game it was intended to be, but more as a 'quick money making tool'.

Sure, winning some money is great - but that shouldn't be the main reason for playing. You should play to further your skills and enjoy yourself. If that means losing hundreds of dollars in a few hours...then knock yourself out.

What I'm saying is this. It dosn't matter if you've had a bankroll of $50 est for the last 5 months, as long as you are playing to the best of your ability and withing the boundaries of your limits, then and then only can you hope to get the best out of the game...and win a few extra dollars along the way.

When you do get good enough, and DO have the bankroll to fund bigger games - then go for it. But don't jump the gun, don't get one step ahead of yourself too quick.

Enjoy the game. Don't play on whilst sitting on eggshells. They will break.

BF

There's nothing more painful than chasing your lossess!

I did it once...lost..lost..lost..went to higher level to recover lossess faster..lost...lost etc!

When I did go from $1 on PS to $ on PS the players were far, far better!

Not done that again!

This is just an example of bad and good BR using a story. Really Bill is just a perfect example of tilt. And Jill is just a solid good player.. I understand people can get greedy but where is the startegy in this thread? Just wondering

Wow, great post. I can soooo relate to everything you just wrote.

Sure this may be just talking about bankroll management and tilt but it is the way it is written and in a way that I and no doubt a number of other people can really sit down and think, geeez, I do that.

Like the earlier response, I am in no doubt that I am Bill. In fact it is almost spooky reading that and comparing it to myself. It felt like you had been looking over my shoulder since I have been playing poker online.

I tell you what, I am going to either print out this post and have it somewhere visible or load it up everytime I play online poker so I can read it before I start playing so that I can stop being so reckless with my bankroll.

I know that I do it, its just a case of fixing what I do and I have no doubt that what you have written will help immensely.

Last night I played like Jill and I tell you what, I had a winning session, played well, logged off and am still happy today knowing that I built my bankroll a little on the back of sensible play and sensible game selection.

AND IT FEELS GOOD!

In the past it has felt great to win a huge pot at stakes way aboe where I should be playing or get 1st in a bigger buy in sit n go, but doing what I did last night feels sooo much better. I can confidently say I EARNT my profit last night and didn't get lucky as, looking back, was probably more of the case when taking down that huge pot or winning that big buy in SNG.

So thank you Black Fox!

Thank you very much!

I totally see what you're talking about, I'm "kinda" like Bill but not that extreme. When I first started playing hold'em it was for very very small stakes, almost nothing, and I played 100% for fun. Then when I started playing online I grew my bankroll, and grew it and grew it and grew it until I had $9000. Then greed started to set in a little and I started playing some pretty high stakes with the motivation of $$$, not for fun like my old motivation was. And believe me, losing large amounts of $ in a short time can be a real downer and can put you in tilt, not saying I lost a lot of money but I did lose like 1 or 2k. I wasn't as extreme as Bill but I was kinda like him. Anyway, now I've got a smaller br because I withdrew most of my old BR, and I'm playing smaller stakes and I'm enjoying myself just as much if not more than when I was playing higher stakes.