Muscle Memory / Unconscious Competence (Starting Hands)

So I am exploring methods to build muscle memory as a GUIDELINE not as a definitive for starting hands. Taking the starting hands from cardschat here as their guideline, I am trying to build my muscle memory (again as a guideline). My method so far is to laminate paper to play in position and post them around the computer monitor. I have not achieved this yet as glare back has been the issue (with lighting)..(really a whole other thread in itself) This is just my most comfortable way of playing, having a huge light on to see the laminated paper for hours and hours simply wears me out. (I laminated the paper so they would not wear out or tear and can be used for a long time)

What I am next exploring is adding led lighting to each of the laminated posted paper I post around the monitor. (Circling the monitor per position)

The idea is to have it stand out while playing online, and not to constantly have neck strain looking at a sheet of paper for starting hands to build memory.

This is just an idea, not sure if it works...but I am a HUGE believer in repetition and building unconscious competence.

Anyone try a method like this? Or rather, how did you master having a guideline for each starting hand? This is for the use in online micros, no way would I go by starting hands in live game poker as when you get to a live game, the cards are not THE huge factor in the game.

Or maybe it is better to just play poker and enjoy the process?

Pokerstudy said:

So I am exploring methods to build muscle memory as a GUIDELINE not as a definitive for starting hands. Taking the starting hands from cardschat here as their guideline, I am trying to build my muscle memory (again as a guideline). My method so far is to laminate paper to play in position and post them around the computer monitor. I have not achieved this yet as glare back has been the issue (with lighting)..(really a whole other thread in itself) This is just my most comfortable way of playing, having a huge light on to see the laminated paper for hours and hours simply wears me out. (I laminated the paper so they would not wear out or tear and can be used for a long time)

What I am next exploring is adding led lighting to each of the laminated posted paper I post around the monitor. (Circling the monitor per position)

The idea is to have it stand out while playing online, and not to constantly have neck strain looking at a sheet of paper for starting hands to build memory.

This is just an idea, not sure if it works...but I am a HUGE believer in repetition and building unconscious competence.

Anyone try a method like this? Or rather, how did you master having a guideline for each starting hand? This is for the use in online micros, no way would I go by starting hands in live game poker as when you get to a live game, the cards are not THE huge factor in the game.

Click to expand...

I think your idea is valid and one many of us follow otherwise charts with starting hands would not exist in the first place. Not sure I quite understand the need for lamination. Print a sheet of paper (no glare) and print another as needed.

I am a HUGE believer in repetition and building unconscious competence.

Absolutely- with so many scenarios presented it's important some decisions become automatic. However, it is also important not to go into auto-pilot. Every so often I will cue up a live stream (recorded) of a high level pro event and make simple notes (I do not want to drill down to boredom).

I make a note of opening hands. I note the flop, turn and river, and simply who won. That provides a wealth of info.First - actual as opposed to theoretical opening hands.

Some pros open with a wide range others are very disciplined. What it showed is I tended to do too much by rote. I would technically make the right play, odds wise, but was limiting risk too much. Its something which I constantly need to work on (essentially playing too tight) because others do not play that way (i.e. make the most sensible play) and yet they are as successful as I am.

So while I agree wholeheartedly with you regarding opening ranges becoming automatic I also think it vital to develop an intuitive sense of play also and attempt to balance both.

DS3 said:

I think your idea is valid and one many of us follow otherwise charts with starting hands would not exist in the first place. Not sure I quite understand the need for lamination. Print a sheet of paper (no glare) and print another as needed.

I am a HUGE believer in repetition and building unconscious competence.

Absolutely- with so many scenarios presented it's important some decisions become automatic. However, it is also important not to go into auto-pilot. Every so often I will cue up a live stream (recorded) of a high level pro event and make simple notes (I do not want to drill down to boredom).

I make a note of opening hands. I note the flop, turn and river, and simply who won. That provides a wealth of info.First - actual as opposed to theoretical opening hands.

Some pros open with a wide range others are very disciplined. What it showed is I tended to do too much by rote. I would technically make the right play, odds wise, but was limiting risk too much. Its something which I constantly need to work on (essentially playing too tight) because others do not play that way (i.e. make the most sensible play) and yet they are as successful as I am.

So while I agree wholeheartedly with you regarding opening ranges becoming automatic I also think it vital to develop an intuitive sense of play also and attempt to balance both.

Click to expand...

Yes for sure, this is only as a basic guideline for micros (excluding button play where I steal blinds) and to just get a great feel of a guideline for stakes real play. (If that makes sense)

The lamination is an idea so I don’t need to keep reprinting, (and so I can remove and replace when playing a different game around monitor) the glare I was referring to was so I can illuminate the info around monitor (laminated or not) so I can play without a overhead light in general and to reduce eye strain. This is all just in theory so far lol..bought some balloon led lights (lights you put in balloons) and going to try and stick them on the paper...it’s a process lol but hey could be useful to find a way for this to work even outside of starting hands and with other post it notes. If I find a good method I will post a picture...it’s all one big what if.

Thanks for reply and all you said is def spot on, trying to fine tune my automatic game for the micros. Would never use starting hands in games with real stakes or reference them as a “only” option in live. Just guideline muscle memory that I have not yet achieved for grinding the recreational micro players.

I give rec players too much credit and always loose to them lol

Pokerstudy said:

Yes for sure, this is only as a basic guideline for micros (excluding button play where I steal blinds) and to just get a great feel of a guideline for stakes real play. (If that makes sense)

The lamination is an idea so I don’t need to keep reprinting, (and so I can remove and replace when playing a different game around monitor) the glare I was referring to was so I can illuminate the info around monitor (laminated or not) so I can play without a overhead light in general and to reduce eye strain. This is all just in theory so far lol..bought some balloon led lights (lights you put in balloons) and going to try and stick them on the paper...it’s a process lol but hey could be useful to find a way for this to work even outside of starting hands and with other post it notes. If I find a good method I will post a picture...it’s all one big what if.

Thanks for reply and all you said is def spot on, trying to fine tune my automatic game for the micros. Would never use starting hands in games with real stakes or reference them as a “only” option in live. Just guideline muscle memory that I have not yet achieved for grinding the recreational micro players.

I give rec players too much credit and always loose to them lol

Click to expand...

Actually I can relate to the eye strain also. I went most of this year with one eye in particular irritating a lot. Eventually (months later I am sorry to say) it was diagnosed as chronic dry eye syndrome and I am now using lubricating eye drops. Needless to say, for most of this year all I have done is be stuck in front of a computer.

Appreciate the back and forth!

I give rec players too much credit and always loose to them lol

This, in a nutshell, and for me not just rec players. Somehow my default position is anyone I am playing in a hand, is playing above the rim, playing optimally. Of course they aren't. But it's incredibly difficult to wean yourself from going automatically where your mind leads you. So anything which expands your horizons...

Good luck on the felt!

So, I will say that I did find a method to develop unconscious competence for online play, but I still see the problems in algorithms that defy randomness, online is simply built for action. Which, isn’t a bad thing, it just makes it impossible to play with the theory of random cards...I will say though that playing on free rolls is way way more legit than playing for cash/tournament games online..it’s almost as if these sites actually care about the skill of players in free roll tournaments with card distribution ...the tournaments I have played for cash have been a complete bust, same goes with cash and micros...something is amiss..I am only interested in live play, so I am just speaking what I see visually Yes, I could be wrong, but I don’t think so, I have played enough to know that the freeroll tournaments are solid, and playing for actual money is absolute garbage on unregulated sites...otherwise I wouldn’t place here and would bust out constantly for freeroll free money. I can’t wait for live games again. FU COVID

I used prints of online based starting hands

Thats all well and dandy but seems like a lot of work NOT playing poker. Not to knock it.

If your having eye/neck strain. Im 35 and every day seems like something new aches. I know Im gonna get some blow back for that comment but...aging is real...and it aint no joke. Might I recommend first commiting your starting hands to memory. Subconsiously thats probably the first trigger to your strain...eliminating that unwanted strain by not having to "look into" what to play from where while IN the moment. You should already know what your gonna play from any positson before even getting dealt your starting two cards. I cant erge this enough...how does ANYone enjoy playing when you dont know WHAT your actually playing.

As far as learning what hands to play from any given position, it doesn't really change.

Because those dont really ever change you can commit those to memory and get rid of the postit cheatsheets cluttering up your screen. Every little bit helps especially if you play a lot of online games. Something else that might help with neck strain would be to use your mobile phone to play in games, as a game controller, all while casting the graphics of the game to your large screen tv. Enjoy playing from the comfort of your Easyboy Recliener without neck OR eye strain. Just dont doze off 4 hrs into a 6 tourney...lol

Learning those start hands and committing them to memory is key to really enjoying the game...THEN you learn can really focus on learning your opponents.

RealNakedNomad said:

Thats all well and dandy but seems like a lot of work NOT playing poker. Not to knock it if your having eye/neck strain. Im 35 and every day seems like something new aches. I know Im gonna get some blow back for that comment but...aging is real...and it aint no joke.

As far as learning what hands to play from any given position doesn't really change.

Because those dont really ever change you can commit those to memory and get rid of the postit cheatsheets cluttering up your screen. Every little bit helps especially if you play a lot of online games. Something else that might help with neck strain would be to use your mobile phone to play as a game controller all while casting the graphics of the game to your large screen tv. Enjoy playing from the comfort of your Easyboy Recliener without neck OR eye strain. Just dont doze off 4 hrs into a 6 tourney...lol

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Totally agree, I am not trying to actually make money at this game long term