Something seems to have clicked!

I've been playing for around 8 months and my performance took a dive about 3 week's ago so I re-read the books I'd bought (it dawned on me that I didn't really understand the findementals of poker after reading them once!) and tried out Ultimatebet for a 2 weeks. $50 deposited and now at $98.00; Mainly $1 - $5 games.

Anyway, I went back to PS last night and I seemed to play with far more confidence than I did a few week's ago. Had money finishes in 3 tourneys last night (1st, 2nd and 3rd)

Things that I now do that I didn't do (effectively) before, to name a few,:

1. actively steal the blinds
2. take notes on my opponant's play
3. watch my opponant's stack sizes
4. stay calm!
5. get agressive on the bubble
6. accept 'bad beats'
7. bluff!
8. accept that my AAs will get beaten...but not in the long run!
9. dond't automaticaly fold to a check or re-raise
10 keep learning

One very important thing I've reduced is my fear.

I was always scared..

Scared to raise preflop, scared to check scaise, scared to bluff, especialy scared to go all in on the bubble when other players are constantly limling in. I acctualy enjoy the fear now..when my hearts pounding so fast it may bust out of my chest!

I'm aware none of what I've said is rocket science (and my l may lose money in short bursts) but I felt good about my play and, what the hell, why not post the good news...!

Anyway..I hope it continues and I'll still keep an eye out for more books to read...

sounds like u getting it down.....key to it is dont be scared just go with your gut some times but fold monster hands too....

I'm not sure if you're talking about MTTs or SnGs, but nice job. You may want to think twice about bluffing in low stakes though, against most players it's not profitable since they think their bottom pair is always good. C-bets are another story though, but if those don't work you should almost always slowdown. Good luck for the future though, with confidence and a little experience it's not hard to keep owning low stakes.

Cheers, mainly at STT but a few MTTs.

Placed 3 times again last night and well chuffed.

I rarely bluff other than on the bubble and against tight players.

Knowing the stack sizes of opponents is one of the most underated things in poker. The best players know the size of their own stack and opponenets stack to know who to steal from, what size bests will commit or wont commit, what odds they are given in terms of pot:stack ratio