my ritual

as i choose whether or not to start a session

HALT: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. If I am any, don't play (friend told me that, if the credit goes to someone, please tell me).

every hand

POST

Pot odds (duh)

Other odds (Stack to pot, starting hand goodness, etc)

Stack (how big is my stack relative to everyone else, which dictates how agro or not agro i play)

Tells and other noteworthy observations.


sorta KISS, but its a ritualized and mnemonic way of playing sharp every hand, every session.

I like HALT.

For some reason the idea that one is feeling lonely does sound like a good reason for me not to play. That would contribute to self esteem/self-worth deficiences that would probably make it hard to play correctly.

All the others make sense as well, the lonliness factor was just one into which I had never really put any thought.

In addition to HALT and POST as you mentioned, I like a little something I've come to call the "6 P's of Poker."

Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Progress

In my game, starting pre-flop, I like to go into a hand with a general outline of how I intend to play it to the river. That isn't to say that I won't wind up folding the hand before that, just that I like to have some idea in my head of how I intend to play it out. A course of action is always a good thing, and so easy to alter when necessary.

You do of course have to change your plan up with every piece of action you see through the course of the hand, but I find having that initial plan of action makes it much easier for me to either stay the course or jump ship with less emotion attached to the hand. For some it might create more of an emotional attachment to the hand, but that's how it works for me.

Do recognize that patience is an integral part of those 6 P's. There is no better preparation for battle than aquiring the right weapon with which to strike. I'm a firm believer that PATIENCE = PROFIT.

I should state, the 6 P's apply in life as well. With proper preparation, you'll generally progress much more swiftly in any thing you might choose to do in life.

absolutely gotta agree on all counts with ya. its all common sense and patience in the long run.

Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired if fine, but what about Drunk?

DHALT!

As for playing hungry... I know Negreanu has mentioned in his blog that playing hungry (for food, not just "hungry for the win") seems to end with better results. I can't find the exact post, but found this which mentions it.

OK, how about HALTED?

Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, Erect, Drunk!

Erect is in there for two reasons, I need the E to make it work for one.

The other reason would be...I know when I have sex on the mind I'm not as focused on the poker. That really does go hand in hand with being drunk though.

Anyway, shouldn't it be common sense not to play when shitfaced? I'm drunk right now, and therefore not playing poker...

Bars are a waste of money, by the way. I came home with one tonight, but something tells me it would be cheaper in the long run to just frequent some hookers. As we all know, the long run is what look tpowrads.

wat