KC Patience Article

This lesson pertains to everything, from BR management, how many seesions or games you play, to when it is your turn to act. I've realized lately that patience, no matter how many times you hear the word, is key.

Bank Roll Management- Patience in this aspect is useful to the player who has a set limit of money online. Usually a player can start off playing with some sort of BRM. Then something happens, and some people may think that it is only losing that triggers this, but it is both winning and losing in which failing at BRM can occur. When losing a person usually wants to quickly get back to whee they were and moves up in limits. Bad Idea! When winning, a player may think that he/she has the money now, or thinks that he/she can beat this level of play. Wrong!
The best thing to do when you are winning is stay at those limits, I mean you're winning and beating that level! When you are losing, and I'm not talking about just one bad beat or game, basically just stop playing for a while. I find this to be the best solution, since moving down in limits doesn't mean you still can't lose a lot of money.

Sessions- Patience in this aspect is dependent on how much you play at a time or in a session. A session pertains more to the cash game player, so your best bet is to set a time limit. A good friend of mine almost always plays a 1 hour session. Now that may seem like a small amount of time, but thats not the only 1 hour session in a day. If he is down in a session, he doesn't play more to win more money back, he stops at his hour then plays a 1 hour session later.
When it comes to tournament players it is pretty ovbious. Many last up to 7 hours, so if you go deep that's your session, and most likely a winning one at that. But if you continue to lose early in sngs or mtts, don't keep playing, either your luck is horrible or there is a leak in your early game. The number 1 reason why begginner players are losing players is because they play too many hours. Remember that.

Your Turn- I have been taking a little more time when I act in games lately and it has been helping a lot. I know and see a lot of players who are all about quick action and decisions, and personally I think that that kind of play is a path for bad decision making. My suggestion is to take your time obviously, but look at the other players bets, your position, and then think about what has happened previously in the hand, or before in another hand while playing with these playes. By taking more time, you also can put the person on a hand and be more confident in your decisions.

High Blinds- I have been asked this question before, "what do I do if I am mid to short stacked late in an mtt and sng when the blinds are getting high?". I usually say it depends, or atleast I would have said that before. But now I say "be patient!" I have learned that folding is a bigger weapon then betting, of course pertaining to short or mid stacks. I have been down late in an sng, maybe 5-10 BBs and I would want to give up and push, try to double up and come back. What I have found is that waiting even longer can change a lot of things. I first realized this when I was approaching the Final Table of the 3$ rebuy on Poker Stars. It was late and my friend Aloe kept telling me to be patient don't push with just anything. Usually I'd get anxious and push and pray, but this time I waited got some cards and made the Final tbale and won close 800$. Another example was really late in the 11$ rebuy. I was down to 7BBs and thought I was a gonner. I then kept waiting and before I knew it, 1 , 2 , 3 double ups, since many large stacks gambled with short stacks with mediocre hands. I got to the final table and was the short stack, I was patient...and guess what it payed off, I won the whole tournament for $13k. So be patient...please?

I'd be all for patience if it just didn't take so damn long!

No really! Nice article. It is one of the fundamentals of fundamentals of poker.

(BTW I see 2 small speeling errors. Maybe you still have time to fix em. Search The word 'whee'. And the word 'begginner'.)

Thanks for the post.

lol whoops too late good eye

very sound advice. i have been overall a lot more patient than in the past, and it has made a difference. i agree with you KC. being shortstacked, doesnt mean you have to panic. i folded numerous hands the last few tournies i played. i have a relapse at times and get a bit tilty, but overall i find the more i wait for my chance instead of trying to make something happen, the longer i last. great post.

Another nice article, I would say this is a great piece of advice I have made a few final tables this way and even on the final table it pays to wait sometimes, some player just cannot wait to knock themselves out.

Very true, most...

I would just add, when in ring, don't take your time to act too much. I like to have most factors in mind by the time a decision reaches me, so I can act quickly and consistently. One reason why: In ring games at lo limits, I don't like anyone to think I am thinking, I like them to think I am acting without much thought. If I think too long, that might make them think that thinking is good, which is bad.

Great article, Every tournament I have ever won came because I was determined to make the long haul... I think most players are not successful in tournaments because they try to win the tournament in the first hour... tournaments are marathons not sprints.

Thanks guys I'm glad you liked it. It's one of many articles for my blog

bump

very good post KC

lord grant me patience, and please hurry!!

I'm from the opposing school of toguht when it comes to getting blinded out: I'm in there to win the tourney/SNG, not squeak ITM.

A case where an argument could and should be made towards patience is when $EV > tournament EV, ie. players are stacking left and right before the bubble or before the final table trying to get themselves a huge chip stack. This is where waiting another orbit before gambling might be best since it can rake you in a few hundreds of $ more for the price of 1BB.

But early on, or when ITM and the brackets are like thousand deep ? Screw patience, my time is worth more than going from the 3.87 each bracket to the 9.52 each bracket

yeah im def in there playing a lot of pots early on...but even early i am still patient with my spots

i just wanted to say thanks for the article. its been a help to me. i have to give credit where its due and this has helped me get over the hump a bit as i been missin out on good finishes lately. three times this week, i have waited and waited and waited and next thing you know im in the top 10, top 5 and so on. im sure a lotta people will get somethin out of these.

Thanks, sry I actually missed this alst post. I also wanted everyone to know I have all the links to my articles on my blog, real easy to find at the top right

Thanks for the article KC.
yes being patience is the key.

Thanks for the advice, I also get a bit antsy when i get short stacked! I am getting better with the patience thing. I was in the 10 cent tourney and was down to 125 chips and I ended up making a couple of bucks. Getting better at this game after 2 year's! GL all and thanks again!

This deserves a sticky KC.

Thanks for the article. This does, however, go against what I have read in so many other places regarding tournament play. When you are deep into the tournament and short stacked, you need to play a bit looser. If you wait for cards, the blinds may catch you before the cards come.

If your not patient you will never win.Last nite playing at Poker Stars I was down to 2.2k with blinds at 600 i posted my BB and picked up AJ well 2 people went all in before me so I folded and sure enough some-one had QQ and AK,so good fold by me.The very next hand I got KK and went allin getting 3 caller at 1.7k a pop and went upto 8k.I went on to take 38th place coming from way behind the field.