I feel like some sessions im unbeatable, dealt dream hands and players calling. Other sessions im not allowed to win, no matter how good i flop i will bet big and get outdrawn by a backdoor full house or something sick. Constantly outdrawn even when im an 80% favourite on the flop.
So my question if poker is so much skill how do you consistantly win when the cards are very much against you?
And please dont say 'youll win in the long run' ive been playing for a year now and cant consistently win because of the sessions i get horribly outdrawn almost every hand when i should be winning them most of the time!
Both. In MTTs over the long haul, the better players are going to win. That's a fact. If you look at the top players in both live and
online poker...it's the same players year after year. Are they just always lucky?
Good players maximize wins and minimize losses in cash games...they lay probabilities regardless of whether they feel "lucky" that day.
In MTTs, the best players get aggressive near the "bubble" and the weaker players ry to "make it" into the $$.
It's also human nature to remember bad losses and forget the many times we "draw out" or get lucky.
It's a massive ploy on the part of our egos to keep us safe and feeling good...but inability to recognize our mistakes keeps us from growing as human beings AND as poker players.
I have been playing many many years. I generally don't make too many mistakes, if any, in a big, live tournaments. I still don't win every tournament because of VARIANCE...no one does!
Last month, I was on a roll, then I made an absolutely terrible rookie mistake at a final table that cost me my chance at a 25K seat to the
pokerstars Caribbean classic, plus 20K for first... I busted out 9th for $800+...an absolute disaster. My terribl mistake threw me out of whack for a few tournaments, and 8 live tournaments later, I am just now getting back to myself.
We all need some luck to win, but luck doesn't help bad players over time...they will lose. Good players will be able to take advantage of good fortune, bad players won't.
Discipline is the key...keep looking at your game for mistakes and areas of improvement.
I took step waaaaay back. I wouldn;t allow myself to enter big tournaments and started playing very low buy-in (including the $100 free roll here (came in 4th after leading with 4 players left when my AK lost to JJ) and a $10 1K GTD Limit HE tourney yesterday. The limit is a different game, but for me, well it makes me slow down and think and grind ad stay patient. Wound up winning that yesterday.
Played the free roll Venom on ACR this morning for the $10 seat tonight. 348 players, 3 seats...got one!
No it's only a $10 seat... but sometimes going to lower stakes and committing to winning at lower levels before playing the levels you feel you "deserve" is a good way to develop discipline and bankroll management.
Don' worry...if you are truly a good player, you will win over time. If you are not winning, that's okay too...1 year in poker is the embryo stage. There is plenty of time to LEARN to play better.
The key element for me was having a great poker partner who would tell me the truth and a good dose of humility and willingness to see where I was making mistakes. I had to stop blaming "bad luck" for my losses and learn from them.
There at a ton of good basic skills poker videos you can find for free. You can find more advanced FREE videos from people like Doug Polk on youtube. I have been playing longer than Doug Polk has been alive... but I can learn a lot from a guy like him and others, too. There is always more to learn...the game is always evolving. If you have the instincts, you can be great. If you don't, you can still be pretty decent by learning.
Get back at 'em!