STL FAN
Rock Star
Silver Level
Randomness a word taken at face value one definition just as the word suggests as not appearing to have a pattern or predictability. This would lead the mind to think through randomness we can achieve randomness that would appear to our opponents to be un-exploitable. How do most people including myself perceive randomness? Reading the book by Haseeb Qureshi, when proposed the question and asked to take a pencil then put 100 dots on a piece of paper that indicated randomness. A pattern was formed through precise placement; this indicated that most (not all) would have as close to the same separation between each dot so not to look out of place. This would have a balanced appearance and this would achieve the randomness of what our brain would perceive random dot placement.
Then another question was also presented along with the above paragraph; what is balance? How do most people when asked this question; take the game rock, paper, scissors and what would balance look like in this game when played 100 times. Our brains perception of balance was in line of what most thought of when using this example; this scenario was 33% for each was given for the answer by most. Why? Again our brains perception of balance and from above the perception of randomness was linked together to form how we perceive pokers questions of balance and randomness in our game we all seek to have this in our game.
Why is this important? Does this have any link to stumbling blocks in my mind in how I perceive randomness and balance? Funny thing however, I always thought of against the grain when playing but when thinking in terms of randomness and balance the opposite always happened because of how my brain processed these two words then the unconscious mind would alter my perception i.e. a block in thinking.
The book relays to the reader; randomness actually has no pattern because true randomness has clusters of dots together that have no purpose of exact spacing instead it would look like a toddler who took a pencil and just put dots anywhere on a piece of paper without thought of where they placed them on the paper. Balance is the same instead of 33% for each; balance in this game of rock, paper, scissors would be similar because true balance would have for example rock would be more of 67% paper would 10% and scissors would be 23% thus, this would be more of correct balance and both examples would be what the book was relaying in our mind the brain thinks one way but actually understanding that not being balanced or having clusters in our pattern is what this would represent in poker to achieve both in our game.
I put this information to have a feel for what each means from how our brain takes information that we knew our whole lives then made to think the opposite of what both of this means in poker. Why? Game flow, when doing hand analysis take the traditional way and instead take clusters of 20 hands to see if balance and randomness was being used as the above examples would indicate. However, I narrate my hand analysis in a post rather than through a re-player. I am at a disadvantage to visually see my clusters of hands on a re-player instead I replay them in my mind or write them down to analyze or talk to my coach.
Game flow, the book offers his thought about three and four betting; this is where randomness and balance was being formed from analyzing his three and four betting frequency pre-flop and post flop. The miss-conception of people and how the brain works for example, people who try and form a mathematical system to always have the correct answer for every possible situation do not understand other than academics our brain does not process incomplete information in poker the same way. Why? Because of the humans that play with us. The abstract information that is incomplete. This is just the basics of why. The relatable reasons our brains cannot process the difference in small percentages when trying to understand to fold or shove in borderline + or – EV situations (the difference between 9% or 11% positive or negative EV situation as an example) on the fly. So, making the correct play is impossible for the unconscious and conscious mind to always know the correct play. This is just one example that the book talks about.
Understanding game flow let me practice three and four betting to try and use randomness and balance in my game in focused thought. What happened was trial and error but being used to being aggressive especially at a final table; I took my final table experience and started using this randomly at the start of a tournament. Three betting pre and post flop against certain opponents because of the read I was getting at the table and their perception of my image in and out of position. I always had a plan because I could not just three bet for just to say I was three betting and claim randomness or balance that produced optimal game flow. What happened was a different focus instead of playing passive I was more intuitive to what was happening at the table and my opponents.
Of course through inexperience of playing over 30% (I usually play around 30% but this amount goes up or down depending on the opponents at the table) of my hands but having groups of playable hands that my opponents thought I had (a rush of cards) then playing my passive game either by limping or folding; my game flow in how my brain was processing was having the desired outcome of altering my unconscious minds thought process (unplugging old thoughts and plugging new ones in). I was starting to understand how to use three betting and other plays that helped with balance and randomness. My play when my conscious and unconscious was working together my decisions became clearer to my opponents to react to my play and they always made the correct play to either fold or pay me off. Then I could play off my image as long as the table would allow this to happen.
However, in situations when the decisions are their toughest and for the most part when my reads break down I usually had to fold. Now I have to use my conscious mind to think through spots I was not accustomed to playing. The conscious mind is where our theory’s and poker conversations and what we have read in forums comes from. Problem solving skills and fluid intelligence also is used by the conscious mind. Until I have enough experience this thought process will have to be used until I have logged enough of these tough situations to be able to use my unconscious mind to make the decision.
The book relates from his experience this is why when three betting weaker opponents will fold pre or post and the tougher opponents will make the extra bet the fourth bet that would make me fold. Getting used to these situations help in forming the right game flow that has randomness and balance from practicing three and four betting. Understanding and experience will help in developing my game that I was seeking but not from repeating actions from my coaches from which I could only do from a short term because of emulating something has a shelf life until the brain becomes clouded from what was being presented. There is more information that goes with what I am excited about but will post more when I have a better understanding and experience from getting my ass handed to me before I can actually say what is good or bad; or positive or negative about this experience. His book puts more psychology terms and offers definitions and examples and going to school for psychology we have not covered all of what he talks about this actually has helped me understand myself better. Because of how the book was written to analyze inward our thoughts about the game of poker and his thoughts of how to be a poker player, there was no promise of anything of value only information about poker from his experience.
Then another question was also presented along with the above paragraph; what is balance? How do most people when asked this question; take the game rock, paper, scissors and what would balance look like in this game when played 100 times. Our brains perception of balance was in line of what most thought of when using this example; this scenario was 33% for each was given for the answer by most. Why? Again our brains perception of balance and from above the perception of randomness was linked together to form how we perceive pokers questions of balance and randomness in our game we all seek to have this in our game.
Why is this important? Does this have any link to stumbling blocks in my mind in how I perceive randomness and balance? Funny thing however, I always thought of against the grain when playing but when thinking in terms of randomness and balance the opposite always happened because of how my brain processed these two words then the unconscious mind would alter my perception i.e. a block in thinking.
The book relays to the reader; randomness actually has no pattern because true randomness has clusters of dots together that have no purpose of exact spacing instead it would look like a toddler who took a pencil and just put dots anywhere on a piece of paper without thought of where they placed them on the paper. Balance is the same instead of 33% for each; balance in this game of rock, paper, scissors would be similar because true balance would have for example rock would be more of 67% paper would 10% and scissors would be 23% thus, this would be more of correct balance and both examples would be what the book was relaying in our mind the brain thinks one way but actually understanding that not being balanced or having clusters in our pattern is what this would represent in poker to achieve both in our game.
I put this information to have a feel for what each means from how our brain takes information that we knew our whole lives then made to think the opposite of what both of this means in poker. Why? Game flow, when doing hand analysis take the traditional way and instead take clusters of 20 hands to see if balance and randomness was being used as the above examples would indicate. However, I narrate my hand analysis in a post rather than through a re-player. I am at a disadvantage to visually see my clusters of hands on a re-player instead I replay them in my mind or write them down to analyze or talk to my coach.
Game flow, the book offers his thought about three and four betting; this is where randomness and balance was being formed from analyzing his three and four betting frequency pre-flop and post flop. The miss-conception of people and how the brain works for example, people who try and form a mathematical system to always have the correct answer for every possible situation do not understand other than academics our brain does not process incomplete information in poker the same way. Why? Because of the humans that play with us. The abstract information that is incomplete. This is just the basics of why. The relatable reasons our brains cannot process the difference in small percentages when trying to understand to fold or shove in borderline + or – EV situations (the difference between 9% or 11% positive or negative EV situation as an example) on the fly. So, making the correct play is impossible for the unconscious and conscious mind to always know the correct play. This is just one example that the book talks about.
Understanding game flow let me practice three and four betting to try and use randomness and balance in my game in focused thought. What happened was trial and error but being used to being aggressive especially at a final table; I took my final table experience and started using this randomly at the start of a tournament. Three betting pre and post flop against certain opponents because of the read I was getting at the table and their perception of my image in and out of position. I always had a plan because I could not just three bet for just to say I was three betting and claim randomness or balance that produced optimal game flow. What happened was a different focus instead of playing passive I was more intuitive to what was happening at the table and my opponents.
Of course through inexperience of playing over 30% (I usually play around 30% but this amount goes up or down depending on the opponents at the table) of my hands but having groups of playable hands that my opponents thought I had (a rush of cards) then playing my passive game either by limping or folding; my game flow in how my brain was processing was having the desired outcome of altering my unconscious minds thought process (unplugging old thoughts and plugging new ones in). I was starting to understand how to use three betting and other plays that helped with balance and randomness. My play when my conscious and unconscious was working together my decisions became clearer to my opponents to react to my play and they always made the correct play to either fold or pay me off. Then I could play off my image as long as the table would allow this to happen.
However, in situations when the decisions are their toughest and for the most part when my reads break down I usually had to fold. Now I have to use my conscious mind to think through spots I was not accustomed to playing. The conscious mind is where our theory’s and poker conversations and what we have read in forums comes from. Problem solving skills and fluid intelligence also is used by the conscious mind. Until I have enough experience this thought process will have to be used until I have logged enough of these tough situations to be able to use my unconscious mind to make the decision.
The book relates from his experience this is why when three betting weaker opponents will fold pre or post and the tougher opponents will make the extra bet the fourth bet that would make me fold. Getting used to these situations help in forming the right game flow that has randomness and balance from practicing three and four betting. Understanding and experience will help in developing my game that I was seeking but not from repeating actions from my coaches from which I could only do from a short term because of emulating something has a shelf life until the brain becomes clouded from what was being presented. There is more information that goes with what I am excited about but will post more when I have a better understanding and experience from getting my ass handed to me before I can actually say what is good or bad; or positive or negative about this experience. His book puts more psychology terms and offers definitions and examples and going to school for psychology we have not covered all of what he talks about this actually has helped me understand myself better. Because of how the book was written to analyze inward our thoughts about the game of poker and his thoughts of how to be a poker player, there was no promise of anything of value only information about poker from his experience.