Questioning Motives for playing Poker

Bradnock

Right, have a real bad time of it lately and not sure how to identify my leaks.

I am a LOSING recreational player mainly because i ignore BRM advice, a frequent pay day depositer/ A fishy.

I am considering whether i should continue to play as i dont think i have all the required skills to be a PROFITABLE player, financially i am fine so although i am playing middle limits i do have a STOP LOSS in place, a monthly limit.

I work longish hours, fair salary nothing to be excited about but some disposbale income which invariably ends up on CASH tables. On my days off i will inevitably end up playing on one site or another but each month i seem to end up with the same results a horrible old NET LOSS.

On my days off i am fresh, dont play before or after work, i get on the tables and play a mixture of styles depends on the table really. I have good and bad days, but by the end of a month i am looking my account and those the groundhog day style sight of 0.00 in account.

Now theres an arguement to say well i have a STOP LOSS, i am not taking it seriously as others, so i should just consider this an entertainment fee. But i am starting to question my motives for playing.

Surely Poker is about the PROFIT only? Or am i being too honest and should i say yes its just for entertainment so there is no need to get depressed when all the money has gone in and though % says i should of won i get outdrawn, thats just the game.

Do i think it was mistake to write all this drivel, quite possibly, but its took me a while so over to you?

yb

If you see poker just as a hobby then its fine to carry on even if you're a losing player, if you think the amount you lose is worth the enjoyment you get from playing the game, just like you would pay to do many other hobbies.

As you play more you should get better. If you want to take it seriously then you can buy poker books/post hands on forums/watch tuition videos etc. which should help your game.

wynne1938

Just enjoy it, learn to take the good with the bad beats,It is a lot of fun.
Although I play to win, it is recreational.Sometimes I take it seriously and other times it is fun.
There are times I go on tilt. It is part of the game and there are some very good guys/gals who add to the entertainment of the game, unfortunately there are a lot of bad losers, best ignored.

beaneh

I would say poker is about 'the game itself' rather than 'profits'.

Because you can play so well and get bummed and have no profits, I try and play to make the right decisions, if I win I win (as if). 

Tbh being able to be honest with yourself that your not where you would like to be with your game and similarly with your +/- results automatically makes you better than most people as lots of people struggle to be honest with themselves let alone think to do something about it.

Maybe try moving down stakes and using a more conservative buyin strategy, I realise that 20 quid may not keep your focus like 100 or whatever but the game is measure in big blinds so it's still the same game at all levels people just value the absolute amount of money differently.

As is if you aren't enjoying it then take a break, if you don't feel you can afford it find a less expensive hobby, if you fancy a change maybe try some mtts or something. maybe just play live for a while etc.

As it is i'll be honest, if played with you quite a bit before I think over the years, and you've never been bad. You don't often do silly things and you manage to quite often confuse me obviously because you keep changing your styles up grrr. There is a big difference though from sitting and not giving it away to sitting there and being comfortable that what you are doing is correct.

Poker will often start off like an obsession because there is just so much to learn about and think about, after a while though you get kind of burnt out/full up with stuff to think about and you just play for a while not really thinking to improve. Then you realise you're not thinking and start enjoying it more when you think more then rinse repeat. Constantly striving to be the best you can be and make the best decisions you can make is the only way to enjoy the game. Where is the fun in sitting down getting all your money in pre flop and losing, if you're going by your decision then you've made the right one and you need to just be able to reload (whilst affording to reload) and keep on playing make the same correct decisions over and over.

Sorry rambling.

Bradnock

Are there any books you would advise i read? I have read all of Harringtons and Brunson, almost a Poker Cliche to read those books.

The sick thing is i just WONT/CANT play like nl4 />nl30 not because i think i am better than it or any other reason, just that when i am playing i want to challenge myself against players better than me, which is now starting to tell, i feel i have developed but is it possible i may be plateauing or is the game getting a lot harder?

It sounds really immature but in my spare time i want to be playing for a sufficient prize also, theoretically i know i could probably spread my risk on lower limit tables but the urge is always there to be challenging myself at higher levels.

If anything the Bigger games are loose and that means bigger pots and harder decisions, its almost like therapeutic this writing as i am listing reasons i should consider dropping levels and setting lower STOP LOSS's.

beaneh

Sounds like you'd like live pokerz. the game plays physically much bigger and the standard is terrible. like all our nl30 players would go to a £1/£2 cash game in a casino and be outclassing most people!

I totally understand the desire to play higher/against better players etc. The fact that you enjoy being put to tough decisions is basically a good thing because if not you wont enjoy poker.

There is nothing to stop you from playing nl50 and trying to grind a set figure up. Then take shots at higher levels but with the knowledge that you only have a x bankroll and that if this session goes bad you'll have to drop back down.

There are alot of books you could read. But then again you don't need to read books anymore, discussing poker with people is the best way to learn,  the clinic is a good place to post questions.

If you going to post a hh (anywhere) make sure you include

stack sizes, reads, recent table history, don't include the results, don't include villains hand, just start the hh from wherever you have your first tough decision that you're not sure of.  posting the results always ruins discussion. 

Also with regard to playing for a bigger prizepool you could try some MTTS on the side of a cash table or two so you get used to the differences in the game as you play the same hand in both different formats you can see what factors affect your decision and why and which are more important in which format.

There are tonnes of ways to learn, vids to watch etc.  Hiring a coach may be a better way to spend any money you would spend on books or a bad session etc. 

Bradnock

Cheers all the feedback peoples.

I think my original post is was very much how i i was feeling in the heat of the moment, i think i generally make the correct decisions but i have PLENTY of room to improve. I think about tightening up from time to time but i am not a set miner and like making decisions down the streets.

Played live a few times with mixed success, do enjoy it, just a matter of convenience because you are right about the standard of play. Also TILT is put under control, well mine is.

I take all my losses in a good manner, i cant say i ever go mad at anyone except myself for being blind to see the obvious.

Beaneh i think i may look at 'coaching' it might be valuable in identifying my true leaks, as you say you can make the right decision all of the time but the game is going to bite you once in a while. Maybe a coach could identify what i think is the right decision is actually completely wrong.

I am going to try and post a few hands from a games of $2/$4 that i have had difficulty with, i have chased thinking i have the odds, hands i have won also ect...

beaneh

In Response to Re: Questioning Motives for playing Poker:

Cheers all the feedback peoples. I think my original post is was very much how i i was feeling in the heat of the moment, i think i generally make the correct decisions but i have PLENTY of room to improve. I think about tightening up from time to time but i am not a set miner and like making decisions down the streets. Played live a few times with mixed success, do enjoy it, just a matter of convenience because you are right about the standard of play. Also TILT is put under control, well mine is. I take all my losses in a good manner, i cant say i ever go mad at anyone except myself for being blind to see the obvious. Beaneh i think i may look at 'coaching' it might be valuable in identifying my true leaks, as you say you can make the right decision all of the time but the game is going to bite you once in a while. Maybe a coach could identify what i think is the right decision is actually completely wrong. I am going to try and post a few hands from a games of $2/$4 that i have had difficulty with, i have chased thinking i have the odds, hands i have won also ect...
Posted by Bradnock

Feel free to pm me if you want to talk through some hands or about coaching. :-)