Advice on plugging a psychological leak...

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nameless1537

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Last night, I was playing a $0.25 SNG MTT (45) on PS. I had just installed PT4, and was looking at this as the cheapest way to set up the tournament HUD -- prior to this, I had an annoying time setting up the cash HUD, as the information got in the way of me actually seeing my hole cards clearly. I ended up making the adjustments on the HUD on the cash side and spent the first 2 of 3 levels refining and fiddling with the HUD while trying to play a tourney. I had also just gotten off a cash table where the player directly to my left was playing loosely and I had a hard time getting my game off the ground... so I just left that table. So that's the backdrop to what happened here.

Now, I know that I played this hand poorly, both from a poker fundamentals aspect, but also from a psychological perspective as I was playing with a bit of edge and not a calm mind, which further exasperated my error and translated to misappropriated aggression. I'm looking for words of advice on how to handle a situation where the player to my left is playing a little passively... and my annoyance factor is going up as someone to my left thwarted my attempt to steal some blinds earlier in the tourney. Last thing I wanted was to get blinded away at that stage.

So here's the hand:

PokerStars - 80/160 Ante 20 NL - Holdem - 8 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4: http://www.pokertracker.com

MP: 0.95 BB (VPIP: 8.62, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 58)
MP+1: 24.67 BB (VPIP: 19.35, PFR: 10.34, 3Bet Preflop: 11.11, Hands: 32)
CO: 10.6 BB (VPIP: 12.12, PFR: 6.25, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 46)
BTN: 32.01 BB (VPIP: 31.03, PFR: 25.86, 3Bet Preflop: 11.76, Hands: 58)
Hero (SB): 23.66 BB
BB: 30.63 BB (VPIP: 20.00, PFR: 11.11, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 10)
UTG: 22.67 BB (VPIP: 17.07, PFR: 12.50, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 42)
UTG+1: 11.06 BB (VPIP: 24.14, PFR: 3.70, 3Bet Preflop: 4.00, Hands: 58)

8 players post ante of 0.13 BB, Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.5 BB) Hero has 8c Ad
fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, BB calls 2 BB

Flop : (7 BB, 2 players) Tc Ts Qh
Hero checks, BB bets 2.8 BB, Hero raises to 20.54 BB and is all-in, BB calls 17.74 BB

Turn : (48.07 BB, 2 players) Qd
River : (48.07 BB, 2 players) 9d

Hero shows 8c Ad (Two Pair, Queens and Tens)
(Pre 69%, Flop 72%, Turn 80%)​
BB shows 8d Jd (Straight, Queen High)
(Pre 31%, Flop 28%, Turn 20%)

BB wins 48.07 BB
So here's the deal. Fundamentally speaking, it was foolish of me to go after the big stack on the table, especially since I was OOP. Nevertheless, getting an A8... I felt compelled to raise, especially with everyone folding to me. When he called, I figured that he probably had suited connectors or at least 1 face card (as I could have been simply trying to steal the blind with nothing in his eyes) but nothing on the higher end of the range... otherwise, he would have probably re-raised me.

So on the flop, I figured that he probably hit the board with something. Psychologically, I ignored that hunch and my annoyance took over and all I wanted was to make that guy fold and decided not to CBet because I didn't like the texture of the flop and then somewhat spontaneously check-raise on a bet (what I callled "misappropriated aggression" earlier in this post). Foolish, I know... But I'm also dealing with leftover annoyance from a similar situation earlier in the evening. In truth, I think I should have either CBet (although not sure how I'd handle a re-raise if I think I'm beat) or simply folded on his bet and save my chips for later.

I was also thinking about how others on the table would interpret another failed blind steal attempt (I had failed earlier... someone called my raise, and then bet out on the flop and I folded because I attempted to do so with a very questionable hand and an M of around 13, so I didn't want to attempt a steal going all-in at that stage). This time, I think I had a decent hand in a heads up situation but he ended up with a straight draw on the flop (but could have easily paired up with something on the flop too, based on my estimated range on him).

If I folded and others might think that I am trying to steal with air... and I was afraid that my fear equity (what little I had) would dwindle and be hard for me to pick up blinds or bluff my way to small pots later one. Perhaps that would be a good time to switch tacts, and just play more TAG at this stage and essentially "admit defeat" to the dude on my left? And my last question is: how do you handle the game when you have multiple failed steal attempts? Do you keep trying or just tighten up and only raise with premium hands?

Sorry for the long post. Would love to read your feedback.
 
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eetenor

eetenor

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Player pool strategy

Last night, I was playing a $0.25 SNG MTT (45) on PS. I had just installed PT4, and was looking at this as the cheapest way to set up the tournament HUD -- prior to this, I had an annoying time setting up the cash HUD, as the information got in the way of me actually seeing my hole cards clearly. I ended up making the adjustments on the HUD on the cash side and spent the first 2 of 3 levels refining and fiddling with the HUD while trying to play a tourney. I had also just gotten off a cash table where the player directly to my left was playing loosely and I had a hard time getting my game off the ground... so I just left that table. So that's the backdrop to what happened here.

Now, I know that I played this hand poorly, both from a poker fundamentals aspect, but also from a psychological perspective as I was playing with a bit of edge and not a calm mind, which further exasperated my error and translated to misappropriated aggression. I'm looking for words of advice on how to handle a situation where the player to my left is playing a little passively... and my annoyance factor is going up as someone to my left thwarted my attempt to steal some blinds earlier in the tourney. Last thing I wanted was to get blinded away at that stage.

So here's the hand:

PokerStars - 80/160 Ante 20 NL - Holdem - 8 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4: http://www.pokertracker.com

MP: 0.95 BB (VPIP: 8.62, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 58)
MP+1: 24.67 BB (VPIP: 19.35, PFR: 10.34, 3Bet Preflop: 11.11, Hands: 32)
CO: 10.6 BB (VPIP: 12.12, PFR: 6.25, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 46)
BTN: 32.01 BB (VPIP: 31.03, PFR: 25.86, 3Bet Preflop: 11.76, Hands: 58)
Hero (SB): 23.66 BB
BB: 30.63 BB (VPIP: 20.00, PFR: 11.11, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 10)
UTG: 22.67 BB (VPIP: 17.07, PFR: 12.50, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 42)
UTG+1: 11.06 BB (VPIP: 24.14, PFR: 3.70, 3Bet Preflop: 4.00, Hands: 58)

8 players post ante of 0.13 BB, Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.5 BB) Hero has 8c Ad
fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, BB calls 2 BB

Flop : (7 BB, 2 players) Tc Ts Qh
Hero checks, BB bets 2.8 BB, Hero raises to 20.54 BB and is all-in, BB calls 17.74 BB

Turn : (48.07 BB, 2 players) Qd
River : (48.07 BB, 2 players) 9d

Hero shows 8c Ad (Two Pair, Queens and Tens)
(Pre 69%, Flop 72%, Turn 80%)​
BB shows 8d Jd (Straight, Queen High)
(Pre 31%, Flop 28%, Turn 20%)

BB wins 48.07 BB
So here's the deal. Fundamentally speaking, it was foolish of me to go after the big stack on the table, especially since I was OOP. Nevertheless, getting an A8... I felt compelled to raise, especially with everyone folding to me. When he called, I figured that he probably had suited connectors or at least 1 face card (as I could have been simply trying to steal the blind with nothing in his eyes) but nothing on the higher end of the range... otherwise, he would have probably re-raised me.

So on the flop, I figured that he probably hit the board with something. Psychologically, I ignored that hunch and my annoyance took over and all I wanted was to make that guy fold and decided not to CBet because I didn't like the texture of the flop and then somewhat spontaneously check-raise on a bet (what I callled "misappropriated aggression" earlier in this post). Foolish, I know... But I'm also dealing with leftover annoyance from a similar situation earlier in the evening. In truth, I think I should have either CBet (although not sure how I'd handle a re-raise if I think I'm beat) or simply folded on his bet and save my chips for later.

I was also thinking about how others on the table would interpret another failed blind steal attempt (I had failed earlier... someone called my raise, and then bet out on the flop and I folded because I attempted to do so with a very questionable hand and an M of around 13, so I didn't want to attempt a steal going all-in at that stage). This time, I think I had a decent hand in a heads up situation but he ended up with a straight draw on the flop (but could have easily paired up with something on the flop too, based on my estimated range on him).

If I folded and others might think that I am trying to steal with air... and I was afraid that my fear equity (what little I had) would dwindle and be hard for me to pick up blinds or bluff my way to small pots later one. Perhaps that would be a good time to switch tacts, and just play more TAG at this stage and essentially "admit defeat" to the dude on my left? And my last question is: how do you handle the game when you have multiple failed steal attempts? Do you keep trying or just tighten up and only raise with premium hands?

Sorry for the long post. Would love to read your feedback.

Thank you for posting.

So many symptoms one root cause. Rather than go point by point so you can correct the actions let us identify and move toward fixing the root cause.

Your root cause is tilt.
Your tilt seems to be coming from the expectation of short term success in a game that has a lot of short term variance. You are reacting emotionally to this short term variance. That is causing you to make decisions not based on data (reason) but on desire (emotion).
That is tilt

If you work on the tilt your game will improve because you will do what you know you must do not what you desire to do.

To that end, read these books: The Mental Game of Poker Vol 1-2 By Jared Tendler

Hope this helps

:):)
 
N

nameless1537

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Silver Level
Joined
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Total posts
218
Chips
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Thank you for posting.

So many symptoms one root cause. Rather than go point by point so you can correct the actions let us identify and move toward fixing the root cause.

Your root cause is tilt.
Your tilt seems to be coming from the expectation of short term success in a game that has a lot of short term variance. You are reacting emotionally to this short term variance. That is causing you to make decisions not based on data (reason) but on desire (emotion).
That is tilt

If you work on the tilt your game will improve because you will do what you know you must do not what you desire to do.

To that end, read these books: The Mental Game of Poker Vol 1-2 By Jared Tendler

Hope this helps

:):)


Thanks for your response. I didn’t think I was already on tilt. If anything, I think I was on my way to tilt and looking for ways to keep it at bay for longer without necessarily having to pack it up for the day/night (which I ended up doing because I felt that something wasn’t right mentally).

I’ve always thought that being on tilt involved losing your whole bankroll over a series of a couple of hours and going out of control. I guess that’s the more extreme form of it.

It’s interesting you mentioned that book. I started reading vol 1 on my kindle a couple of weeks ago but put it on pause for a while but now picking it back up on your suggestion.

Right now, I’m trying to keep reminding myself to play my game and not feel entitled to winning - to play the odds correctly and accept the results. And that playing OOP is bad for any poker player and just accept it. I remember reading somewhere that position is so important that even a highly skilled player can lose to someone with much inferior skills due solely to better position.

Anyway, thanks for the comments. Much appreciated.
 
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