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Its a funny old game
Im writing this mostly for my own benifit so i can look back and remind myself that one day i didnt tilt. But im also sharing this for other players who suffer from serve tilt.
I don't even know if you can class poker as a sport although i think alot of sport caractaristics are required. I dont believe you can gain knowledge by winning. But infact you gain more from losing. Infact all my big poker lessons have came from losing. Why? Because if you apply your knowledge to why you lost, you can figure out your leaks, the reasons why those leaks are there, and maybe how to cure those leaks. I dont believe you ever lose a tournament (important as im a tourny player) on one single hand. But how you play every hand until that point. Ok sometimes you get unlucky, running big hands into bigger, or just get outdrawn by some fish. But i think there are still lessons to learn from these times too.
The last few months since SPT Leeds ive learnt more about myself than i could imagine. Ive not only learnt about myself, but about the game of poker. A few months back i thought i was the best player since Phil Ivey. I could only be beat by a bad beat, a hero call, or a cooler. This was clearly the wrong thinking. I dedicate alot of my time to understanding the logistics of things now, not even that but, why do they happen? Is it pre-judged by some almighty guy, or is it just part of life (more likley). Why is it that i play poker, why is it that people are good at the game and others arent. Why do some very good players never make it? All these questions may never be answered but i believe these are the questions that we need to ask.
In some walks of life, im seen as a no good gambler. To you guys and gals, im just another player. Am i profitable? Not at the moment. I can break a profit but keeping it is hard. Why is this, i believe im good enough to beat levels higher than what i play. Its simple. In poker you need more mental strenth than in almost any other game. Mental Strenth is something that i just lack self control in. I tilt far to easily. This means i have to stop playing, this means i dont get anywhere close to the volume i need in. This means the maths doesnt always break out. This means i dont make money.
This was something i refused to admit time and time again. Time and time again i proved when i got the volume in, i made money. But id just tilt it away. Today i wasnt even going to play. I went to look up a UKIPT package deal and there was a £1 rebuy going into a £108 2 seats GTD sat. Pfft why not ill just do it. I got through the rebuy with just £11 spent (my budget was £20). However the £108 had already started so i was late reg'd in and had missed the whole first blind level, and half the second. I played some really good solid poker, some of the best i have in a long time. But i never got the cards, and because of how tight id been when i did, its hard to get a customer. Some time ago id have just tilt shoved. However this time i thought, i can do this i can beat this. i stayed focused.
Only last night my mum said, "what you want for your birthday?" i looked up for Barry Carters book on mental game and poker and sent her the link. I think just reading bits from it that where placed in various places helped me loads. There where 6 seats with the top 12 getting paid (great layout) and with 17 left. I was 17th. I hadnt ever got going. I need to find my hand and go for it. Eventually i did. But i lost. I got it in good. 60/40. But sometimes 60% just isnt enough. A little while ago i would have tilted and gone crazy. Yes i was frustrated. But i said, "I played the best i could, given the equipment i was given to work with. I got it in good and thats all that matters."
This is probably the first time ive ever said such a thing.
I know this read is probably boring. But as i said at the start ive wrote this up so i can look back at it when i need to, when im down or when im tilted. I hope that other people who tilt can maybe gain a little from it aswell. I know it doesnt say enough. But i think learning from losing is the best advice ill ever be able to give someone.
Don.
I don't even know if you can class poker as a sport although i think alot of sport caractaristics are required. I dont believe you can gain knowledge by winning. But infact you gain more from losing. Infact all my big poker lessons have came from losing. Why? Because if you apply your knowledge to why you lost, you can figure out your leaks, the reasons why those leaks are there, and maybe how to cure those leaks. I dont believe you ever lose a tournament (important as im a tourny player) on one single hand. But how you play every hand until that point. Ok sometimes you get unlucky, running big hands into bigger, or just get outdrawn by some fish. But i think there are still lessons to learn from these times too.
The last few months since SPT Leeds ive learnt more about myself than i could imagine. Ive not only learnt about myself, but about the game of poker. A few months back i thought i was the best player since Phil Ivey. I could only be beat by a bad beat, a hero call, or a cooler. This was clearly the wrong thinking. I dedicate alot of my time to understanding the logistics of things now, not even that but, why do they happen? Is it pre-judged by some almighty guy, or is it just part of life (more likley). Why is it that i play poker, why is it that people are good at the game and others arent. Why do some very good players never make it? All these questions may never be answered but i believe these are the questions that we need to ask.
In some walks of life, im seen as a no good gambler. To you guys and gals, im just another player. Am i profitable? Not at the moment. I can break a profit but keeping it is hard. Why is this, i believe im good enough to beat levels higher than what i play. Its simple. In poker you need more mental strenth than in almost any other game. Mental Strenth is something that i just lack self control in. I tilt far to easily. This means i have to stop playing, this means i dont get anywhere close to the volume i need in. This means the maths doesnt always break out. This means i dont make money.
This was something i refused to admit time and time again. Time and time again i proved when i got the volume in, i made money. But id just tilt it away. Today i wasnt even going to play. I went to look up a UKIPT package deal and there was a £1 rebuy going into a £108 2 seats GTD sat. Pfft why not ill just do it. I got through the rebuy with just £11 spent (my budget was £20). However the £108 had already started so i was late reg'd in and had missed the whole first blind level, and half the second. I played some really good solid poker, some of the best i have in a long time. But i never got the cards, and because of how tight id been when i did, its hard to get a customer. Some time ago id have just tilt shoved. However this time i thought, i can do this i can beat this. i stayed focused.
Only last night my mum said, "what you want for your birthday?" i looked up for Barry Carters book on mental game and poker and sent her the link. I think just reading bits from it that where placed in various places helped me loads. There where 6 seats with the top 12 getting paid (great layout) and with 17 left. I was 17th. I hadnt ever got going. I need to find my hand and go for it. Eventually i did. But i lost. I got it in good. 60/40. But sometimes 60% just isnt enough. A little while ago i would have tilted and gone crazy. Yes i was frustrated. But i said, "I played the best i could, given the equipment i was given to work with. I got it in good and thats all that matters."
This is probably the first time ive ever said such a thing.
I know this read is probably boring. But as i said at the start ive wrote this up so i can look back at it when i need to, when im down or when im tilted. I hope that other people who tilt can maybe gain a little from it aswell. I know it doesnt say enough. But i think learning from losing is the best advice ill ever be able to give someone.
Don.
Comments
seriously though, a great read m8 and your game is def a lot stronger than most on this site, myself included, you put in more effort to improve your game than 99% of ppl on sky poker and it's good to see it being rewarded, as a fellow tilter I will try to take a lot from what you have written.
keep up the good work and if you have any more de-tilting advice then fire it my way!
2 Words, Whatever your chosen Field or sport!!
FOCUS & DISCIPLINE!!!
Mick.