staying focused

[techrush]

1st time poster long time lurker! just wanted to thank you guys because you all have improved my game a ton. now on to the question...

i seem to play poorly at times just due to not being patient. ill make a bad call early in an SNG for no apparent reason ill quicky hit the call button. or if im re-raised sometimes ill quicky go all in without thinking it through.
this is especialy a problem early when im folding most hands. im not sure if im just getting bored or what. if anyone has any tips on how they stay focused while playing poker id appreciate it! thanks again...


tec

[zaphod]

Play more than one game at a time. It is much easier to fold a decent hand when you have a monster hand on another table..

[Scuba Chuck]

Hmmm, my thoughts are that you are exactly the type of person I hope I'm playing against. I need others to make stupid mistakes, that's how I win more money. I am not going to be that guy.

[lorinda]

Set yourself some targets to make it more interesting.

One of my favorites is to try to have an accurate note on each player before the end of the tourney, but anything equally silly that makes you pay attention is good (Bet a friend that the Ac will be on the flop more times than the Ad or something)

Lori

[The Bloke]

Hey Tec,

I've been playing poker for about 4 months, and I can sympathise with your problem.

I've had exactly the same issues - I'm quite a hasty, impetuous person by nature. I'm also a gambler. This has hurt my game enormously - like you, I've got bored, or simply wanted to 'try my luck' on unfavourable hands.

The only advice I can give you is to keep improving your game. I'm still a long way from being a great player, but I have found, only quite recently, that I seem to have hit an amount of knowledge that makes me much more comfortable playing. I understand what's going on: I can recognise good and bad plays, I can calculate odds, I can (sometimes) spot bluffs, I know when and how to bluff/slowplay and when to not, etc. I am not yet very good at any of these things - but I can at least do them to some level, which I couldn't until now.

Apart from the obvious advantages this has given my game, it has also made me a much more concentrated player. Before I tended to get frustrated because I knew I was a losing player, but I couldn't seem to get any better. I'd read this site and poker books, and then everything I'd read seemed to go out the window when the cards were actually in front of me.

Now that (some of) this knowledge has finally 'clicked' into place, I feel much more comfortable making the right decisions - I don't feel the need to take silly gambles any more, because I know that if I make the right decisions I can win anyway. And the rush I used to get from occasionally winning one of those gambles has been replaced by the thrill I get from outplaying someone.

So in short, no concrete advice, just don't give up and keep getting better /images/graemlins/smile.gif


Tom

[PE101]

Welcome!

I think that patience is the primary difference between an rookie and an experienced player. Anyone can read the books, but if you can't wait for the hands, you're screwed...

By the way, I disagree with the previous response that suggested that you play more than one tourney at a time. I think that should come after you have more experience (and patience).

I agree with the suggestions that you pass the time by studying the other players - make a game out of it. Try and guess their hand. Try and predict if a player will fold to a raise, etc. Just keep in mind that playing hands is not the only thing you're doing. Studying the situation is an intergral part of your play, not a waste of time...