09-04-2002, 11:55 PM
At first, I felt awkward with this new format. But now that I've given myself the chance to play with it, I think it's pretty cool. So now, here's my new format debut post. It expands on a subject that I've posted about earlier entitled Utilization Attitude. I hope to get some honest feedback about it from you guys once you've done reading.
What is feedback? Feedback refers to the process in which part of the output of a machine, organism, or system is fed back - that is, returned - as input in order to guide or regulate its behavior. The returned part of the output is called feedback.
How can we poker players use this information? We can begin by becoming completely aware of what our outputs are every time we play a hand or a session. In poker, our outputs are the actions with which we interact with the other players, the cards, the amount of bets in the pot, position, etc. These actions include our individual bets, checks, calls, raises, folds, and check-raises, and also our general strategy which includes how loosely, tightly, aggressively, and passively we choose to play and the resulting image that result from these.
Feedback, in poker, refers to the effects of the above behaviors and actions on our opponents and to the flow of chips around the table. When we win, that's feedback. When we lose, that is also feedback. When we are caught bluffing, that's feedback. When we pull off a bluff, that is also feedback. When the other guy falls for our trap, that's feedback. When the other guy traps us instead, that is also feedback. When we are able to maximize the number of bets that we win from our value bets, raises, and check-raises, that's feedback. When we fail to maximize the returns on our value bets, raises, and check-raises, that is also feedback. And so on.
My point is this: There is no failure in poker, only feedback. Everything that happens to you at the poker table is just feedback. If you are winning because you are playing well, this is feedback telling you to do more of the same. If you are losing because you have been playing poorly, this is feedback telling you that you should perhaps reevaluate your play and then to immediately commit to making the appropriate adjustments. If you are winning because the cards are running well, this is feedback reminding you not to get overconfident and to prepare yourself emotionally for the inevitable bad runs ahead. If you have been losing because your cards haven't been running well, this is feedback reminding you to maintain your discipline and to keep your focus on long-term results instead of on short-term fluctuations. If the other players are calling your bluffs too much, this is feedback telling you to tighten up on your bluffs and semi-bluffs. If the other players are folding against your value bets and raises too often, this is feedback telling you that you may be playing in a manner that's too predictable and unimaginative. If you are losing consistently against a certain group of players, this is feedback telling you that you may be outmatched and should either pick another game or to improve your own game in order to catch up. And so on.
The act and habit of labeling everything that happens at the table as feedback (as opposed to failure or success) is crucial because it is the key to both positive thinking; and objective thinking at the poker table. It helps to encourage positive thinking because it makes you immune to the negative effects so-called failure can have on your emotions and self-esteem. I mean, how can you feel like a failure when it is impossible for you to fail? If you screw up, no big deal, it's just feedback. And it helps to promote objective thinking because it helps you to disassociate from any positive or negative emotions that comes with both success and failure thus freeing you to play with Vulcan-like scientific detachment.
Insight into Action
I will close this post with a suggestion. For your next 10 sessions, walk into the cardroom with the belief and attitude that everything that happens to you at the table is feedback. Zap out the words failure and mistakes from your vocabulary and replace them with the word feedback. You will be amazed and delighted by the impact this will have on your emotional state at the table.
Everything that happens to you at the table happens for a reason and a purpose - and it serves you. By labeling everything as "feedback" (instead of "success" or "failure"), you will begin to have an Attitude of Utilization. See my post of this title below.
What is feedback? Feedback refers to the process in which part of the output of a machine, organism, or system is fed back - that is, returned - as input in order to guide or regulate its behavior. The returned part of the output is called feedback.
How can we poker players use this information? We can begin by becoming completely aware of what our outputs are every time we play a hand or a session. In poker, our outputs are the actions with which we interact with the other players, the cards, the amount of bets in the pot, position, etc. These actions include our individual bets, checks, calls, raises, folds, and check-raises, and also our general strategy which includes how loosely, tightly, aggressively, and passively we choose to play and the resulting image that result from these.
Feedback, in poker, refers to the effects of the above behaviors and actions on our opponents and to the flow of chips around the table. When we win, that's feedback. When we lose, that is also feedback. When we are caught bluffing, that's feedback. When we pull off a bluff, that is also feedback. When the other guy falls for our trap, that's feedback. When the other guy traps us instead, that is also feedback. When we are able to maximize the number of bets that we win from our value bets, raises, and check-raises, that's feedback. When we fail to maximize the returns on our value bets, raises, and check-raises, that is also feedback. And so on.
My point is this: There is no failure in poker, only feedback. Everything that happens to you at the poker table is just feedback. If you are winning because you are playing well, this is feedback telling you to do more of the same. If you are losing because you have been playing poorly, this is feedback telling you that you should perhaps reevaluate your play and then to immediately commit to making the appropriate adjustments. If you are winning because the cards are running well, this is feedback reminding you not to get overconfident and to prepare yourself emotionally for the inevitable bad runs ahead. If you have been losing because your cards haven't been running well, this is feedback reminding you to maintain your discipline and to keep your focus on long-term results instead of on short-term fluctuations. If the other players are calling your bluffs too much, this is feedback telling you to tighten up on your bluffs and semi-bluffs. If the other players are folding against your value bets and raises too often, this is feedback telling you that you may be playing in a manner that's too predictable and unimaginative. If you are losing consistently against a certain group of players, this is feedback telling you that you may be outmatched and should either pick another game or to improve your own game in order to catch up. And so on.
The act and habit of labeling everything that happens at the table as feedback (as opposed to failure or success) is crucial because it is the key to both positive thinking; and objective thinking at the poker table. It helps to encourage positive thinking because it makes you immune to the negative effects so-called failure can have on your emotions and self-esteem. I mean, how can you feel like a failure when it is impossible for you to fail? If you screw up, no big deal, it's just feedback. And it helps to promote objective thinking because it helps you to disassociate from any positive or negative emotions that comes with both success and failure thus freeing you to play with Vulcan-like scientific detachment.
Insight into Action
I will close this post with a suggestion. For your next 10 sessions, walk into the cardroom with the belief and attitude that everything that happens to you at the table is feedback. Zap out the words failure and mistakes from your vocabulary and replace them with the word feedback. You will be amazed and delighted by the impact this will have on your emotional state at the table.
Everything that happens to you at the table happens for a reason and a purpose - and it serves you. By labeling everything as "feedback" (instead of "success" or "failure"), you will begin to have an Attitude of Utilization. See my post of this title below.