Path to online poker grinding

[kurthead]

It seems odd to say you wouldn't ask questions if you were a winning player. It implies your desire to improve would somehow vanish once you do improve enough to become a winning player.

I'd guess that you wrote this because you really didn't think beyond the moment. To me this looks like it could reflect how you are at the poker table. You start losing, you get the urge to play higher to try to win it back, and you follow said urge without thinking beyond the moment.

You also say you want to be able to view yourself from the outside, but when I offer my external view, you dismiss it as an expression of superiority, probably because you simply don't like what I said. If you're only willing to accept feedback that you like, you make it a lot harder to improve.

And since it appears you didn't understand that I was offering advice, I'll try to state it more clearly. What I think you really need to work on is basic self-discipline. Unless you improve in that regard, tips aren't likely to control the problem, not very well anyway.

For example, I can say "Since you start losing after 4 hours, don't play sessions that are any longer." But how much would that help? It seems safe to assume you already thought of this. If so, it means you ignore it, which comes back to self-discipline.

I could also say "Set a timer for 4 hours when you start playing." There's some chance you didn't think of that. But if you don't improve your self-discipline, how often will a little beep or ding be enough for you to stop playing? Probably more than never, but still less than always. So it will help, but it won't solve the problem.

I've had and continue to have self-discipline issues in my play, although not this particular one. Each one I've managed to get reasonably under control took time. I've tried bunches of tips. Various ones helped, but none was even close to being a cure. The vast majority of my improvement came from within. It was and still is hard and slow because we're talking about learning to control urges and emotions, which none of us likes to do.

So, the heart of my advice is to understand and accept that real change has to come from within. There's no road map, so start drawing your own.

And the change coming from within is helpful. I think with concentration and maybe even meditation I can begin that slow process. But, also the journal thing the guy listed has been helping a little with discipline too. So if I keep doing that I might be able to get used to it and apply it. And I think I will try some sort of timer to stop me from playing if at least only for a break or something. But, yeah I know it doesn't really seem like there are any tangible help with controlling myself. But, that's why I was just hoping for tips and I did get a few helpful ones.

 

[kurthead]

bankroll management is very important----does no good to win anything if you cant hold on to it----be a player not a gambler. play for the $ dont play for the thrill of gambling.

You're 100% right, but god that's so hard to do.

 

[kurthead]

FWIW I had one more idea that might help you, that I have used. To go along with your journal you should write out a pre game list of goals to focus on.

IMPORTANT!! MONEY IS NOT ONE OF THE GOALS!!! You want to focus on a couple of things that you can absolutely control.

Example: (based on my issues your list will be unique to yourself)
1. Focus on position. Don't start playing laggy UTG.
2. Don't call 3 bets out of position 4 bet or fold
3. Don't be a station on the river.

Your list might focus on length of playing session or other issues but the important thing is to make it relevant to you and to make it something that you can do successfully if you're running in god mode or being variance's bitch.

The root of 99% of self control problems in poker is a results orientated mind set. It doesn't matter. The suck out that fish just made doesn't matter. The flush you just rivered doesn't matter. Making the right decision is the only thing that matters. Make that your mantra.

At first I was like oh that lsit doesn't really apply to me, then I realized ha it's an example! This is a great idea. A very great idea. I think that will go a long way. Actually try to achieve those goals while on the table should help me a lot. Like no bluffs unless I have a good reason for doing. Usually if I play out the hand in my head I can decide whether or not the guy has a hand or not. But, every now and then I bluff just because I don't wanna lose the pot, and that usually bites me in the ass. And I can't seem to stop doing it at least seldomly. So I think making a few goals like that it would be very helpful. Also, lol you're definitely right if a money quota is a goal then you're screwed once you sit down. Also playing length should be a good goal.

I also really like the "results oriented" paragraph.

 

[kurthead]

I took a big hit to my BR and I wonder if it's because I was playing too many tables. I'm decent and multi cash tables, but it obviously takes away from my concentration. I had some good rakes until I took the bad hit, and I think if I had been at only 2 tables or something it wouldn't have happened. Because I'm fairly good at folding big hands when i'm beat (it's one of my stronger points). And in those two hands one I flopped top two pair with KJ in the hole and KJ on the flop. But another guy turned trips. I think he bet like he had trips, but I couldn't really put a lot of thought into it because of the other tables. Another one a guy got trips when I had an over pair. He bet like he had trips and I did the same. I think I wouldn't have made those plays if I had lower tables. How many tables do you guys play? Think I should be playing less?

 

[alaskabill]

OP,

It says in your profile that you play at Bovada. If you play there you can't use Holdem manager or poker tracker. You should seriously consider moving to a merge skin IMO and then get HEM or poker Tracker. You would be able to easily go back and review individual hands and also you could post them in the forum. Its a great tool for finding your weaknesses and fixing them.

Unfortunately, if you are American (I'm assuming you are, correct me if I'm wrong) you just don't have many choices but I suspect that you would greatly benefit from having a tracker and they won't work on Bovada. You can get free trials on both Poker Tracker and Holdem manager (HEM) and see which you like best. Also, there is a sub-forum here where you can get help with any tech questions about setting them up.

 

[kurthead]

OP,

It says in your profile that you play at Bovada. If you play there you can't use Holdem manager or poker tracker. You should seriously consider moving to a merge skin IMO and then get HEM or poker Tracker. You would be able to easily go back and review individual hands and also you could post them in the forum. Its a great tool for finding your weaknesses and fixing them.

Unfortunately, if you are American (I'm assuming you are, correct me if I'm wrong) you just don't have many choices but I suspect that you would greatly benefit from having a tracker and they won't work on Bovada. You can get free trials on both Poker Tracker and Holdem manager (HEM) and see which you like best. Also, there is a sub-forum here where you can get help with any tech questions about setting them up.

Yeah I know I actually have a months worth of poker edge and I CAN'T USE IT!!! sucks so bad. Cuz I thought I'd be able to use it on bovada
it's supposed to work on intertops but it doesn't. I have to play intertops atm cuz my card.

 

[alaskabill]

Yeah I know I actually have a months worth of poker edge and I CAN'T USE IT!!! sucks so bad. Cuz I thought I'd be able to use it on bovada
it's supposed to work on intertops but it doesn't. I have to play intertops atm cuz my card.

I'm not a hundred percent positive but I think Poker edge is against the TOS of most sites because it actually tells you what to play. HEM and PT give you lots of stats and ways to analyze your game but it won't tell you what to do.

If you want to play on any of the Merge skins just use Western Union. No need to involve a bank at all.

 

[fugitive67]

well no MTTing for $20 bankroll

micro-cash is a possibility, but i would personally recommend SnGs and not 50/50s, IMO ... that buy in gives you about 18 $1 SnGs

finally even if you grow your $20 to $50 or even $100 ... never lose sight of BRM ... don't start playing $5 SnGs with $100 bankroll b/c essentially you'd still be at 18 buy-ins and you would be equally vulnerable to variance as you were playing $1 with a $20 bankroll