ThorGoT
09-29-2004, 08:39 PM
This question has been asked many times before, in various formulations. Short and sweet, I lost $1,000 over about four or five months playing various games (limit, no limit, and finally sit-&-gos); put in another $500; won $2,500 in a week playing $50+5s and $100+9s, and was up another $1,000 the next week; and am now at about, oh, say, $120. Give or take $10. I should note that it was a rather long, slow decline -- a little less than two months. Now, I'm not hurting for money -- but $3,500? That's a trip to New Zealand right there! What was I *thinking*?!? (Well, on one hand I was thinking "KK" postflop, but I know my problem there). Now, one or more of you probably has a chunk of that, so you might not want to offer advice. /images/graemlins/smile.gif And to think that I was once upset that I lost my first $50 deposit and had to redeposit . . . .
Now, I think I know why, or at least how, I am such an idiot. I either play a game I can't beat ($200+15) or multi-table games I can't play stupidly and win ($50+5 and up) but play them stupidly. So that's easy enough. But what to do about it? Single tabling a $50+5 isn't going to work, I don't think -- not enough action and excitement. /images/graemlins/frown.gif I know, I know, I'm destined to lose. At least not unless I could somehow commit to playing every game exactly right . . . but then the money would just grow too slowly! (BTW, I recognize that as the money is currently going in the opposite direction of growth, this probably seems like a misplaced lament). Or I could multi-table $10+1s. I will note that I had a 100% ITM and a 175% or so ROI multi-tabling 4 10+1s. And if I can't extrapolate from 4 games, what can I do? (Note: In the next four I had a negative ROI. So there.)
Seriously, though, I'd be interested in hearing recommendations. Perhaps I had a very healthy swing at the 50s and 100s and am really a losing player. Well, actually, I clearly am "really" a losing player -- but I think I can play better. If you think this is delusional, feel free to chime in. Otherwise, is the solution to try to bear down on a single table and psych myself into thinking that the money matters? Or is it to multi-table at a lower level? The problem is I really want the money back -- not the $1500, but the $3500 (and more). And I want it now! If you have no sympathy, that's perfectly understandable. But help me anyway!
To anticipate possible responses: no, I don't have a lot of hand histories to share (well, you can look at my KK on a three-spade flop -- that's an extreme example); yes, I know that if you want help you need to share hand histories; no, I don't use pokertracker, but often request tournament summaries (would be interested to know if others find pokertracker particularly useful for sit-&-gos); yes, I sometimes review the summaries; yes, I've read a number of books (HEPFAP, TPFAP, Super/System, Rueben & Ciaffone (sps?), the Cloutier book); no, I wasn't playing under the influence all the time; no, I'm not playing above my bankroll (well, at least it's not money I can't afford to lose); yes, my basic problem is that I am multi-tabling games that are too high to play stupidly ($50+5 and up) and nonetheless playing them stupidly or playing games I can't beat ($200+15); yes, I'm probably in stage 2 of Ray Zee's poker player life, thinking I deserve to win because of my intrinsic moral worth (see: KK hand) or at least high self-opinion and playing as such; yes, my problem in part is that I lack patience; yes, part of the problem is that I just don't fully understand odds -- so that I think I know that calling all-in with a flush draw, two overcards, and a gutshot straight draw is a mistake against TPTK, when in fact it's a favored hand (not saying that makes it right, just saying I did not know the odds); yes, I have a skewed view of reality, as since certain 2+2 posters make $250K a year from sit&gos, I consider myself equally deserving of the same.
Oh, and I agree, to the extent that I value $3500 as a trip to New Zealand, my problems are incredibly minor in the grand scheme of things. But help me get back there anyway! I must canoe the Wanganui!
Now, I think I know why, or at least how, I am such an idiot. I either play a game I can't beat ($200+15) or multi-table games I can't play stupidly and win ($50+5 and up) but play them stupidly. So that's easy enough. But what to do about it? Single tabling a $50+5 isn't going to work, I don't think -- not enough action and excitement. /images/graemlins/frown.gif I know, I know, I'm destined to lose. At least not unless I could somehow commit to playing every game exactly right . . . but then the money would just grow too slowly! (BTW, I recognize that as the money is currently going in the opposite direction of growth, this probably seems like a misplaced lament). Or I could multi-table $10+1s. I will note that I had a 100% ITM and a 175% or so ROI multi-tabling 4 10+1s. And if I can't extrapolate from 4 games, what can I do? (Note: In the next four I had a negative ROI. So there.)
Seriously, though, I'd be interested in hearing recommendations. Perhaps I had a very healthy swing at the 50s and 100s and am really a losing player. Well, actually, I clearly am "really" a losing player -- but I think I can play better. If you think this is delusional, feel free to chime in. Otherwise, is the solution to try to bear down on a single table and psych myself into thinking that the money matters? Or is it to multi-table at a lower level? The problem is I really want the money back -- not the $1500, but the $3500 (and more). And I want it now! If you have no sympathy, that's perfectly understandable. But help me anyway!
To anticipate possible responses: no, I don't have a lot of hand histories to share (well, you can look at my KK on a three-spade flop -- that's an extreme example); yes, I know that if you want help you need to share hand histories; no, I don't use pokertracker, but often request tournament summaries (would be interested to know if others find pokertracker particularly useful for sit-&-gos); yes, I sometimes review the summaries; yes, I've read a number of books (HEPFAP, TPFAP, Super/System, Rueben & Ciaffone (sps?), the Cloutier book); no, I wasn't playing under the influence all the time; no, I'm not playing above my bankroll (well, at least it's not money I can't afford to lose); yes, my basic problem is that I am multi-tabling games that are too high to play stupidly ($50+5 and up) and nonetheless playing them stupidly or playing games I can't beat ($200+15); yes, I'm probably in stage 2 of Ray Zee's poker player life, thinking I deserve to win because of my intrinsic moral worth (see: KK hand) or at least high self-opinion and playing as such; yes, my problem in part is that I lack patience; yes, part of the problem is that I just don't fully understand odds -- so that I think I know that calling all-in with a flush draw, two overcards, and a gutshot straight draw is a mistake against TPTK, when in fact it's a favored hand (not saying that makes it right, just saying I did not know the odds); yes, I have a skewed view of reality, as since certain 2+2 posters make $250K a year from sit&gos, I consider myself equally deserving of the same.
Oh, and I agree, to the extent that I value $3500 as a trip to New Zealand, my problems are incredibly minor in the grand scheme of things. But help me get back there anyway! I must canoe the Wanganui!