How do I improve my discipline?!?!

[UATrewqaz]

Ok, I'm a pretty intelligent guy and have studied all the books, memorized all the odd %'s for common situations, can calculate pot/implied odds on the fly, have been using Poker Tracker for awhile now, etc. etc.

When I am "on" I win consistently, I guess due to the fact I play against mostly idiots (I play low limit and some small buy in SNG's). The problem is I don't STAY on. Example, I'll call when I KNOW KNOW KNOW KNOW I should fold... (flop comes Q/J/x, I've got AJ and someone raises behind me). I'll fold this situation 98 times out of 100 but the two times I don't are a serious leak. I replay these hands in Poker Tracker later and am like "WTF is wrong with me?"

These lapses in discipline really cut into my winnings. I'm up over $1100 the past 2 months (which is a good bit considering my limits) but it could be so much more. I've thrown away at least $400 playing hands I had NO business playing (middle pairs, overcards all the way to showdown, chasing non-nut draws).

Are there any tips or techniques anyone uses here to stop this nonsense? This has to be a common problem among new poker players right?

[krazyace5]

Try one of those shock collars, every time you make a bad call click the buzzer, this should take care of your problem.

[Ianco15]

It sounds like youve already know what some of your problems are so why dont you just stop doing those. Also post some specific hands where you have questions about your play so it will be easier to identify any leaks.

[Ianco15]

Here's some quick advice to get you started:
[ QUOTE ]
Example, I'll call when I KNOW KNOW KNOW KNOW I should fold...

[/ QUOTE ]

Fold.

[Altaslim]

[ QUOTE ]
Are there any tips or techniques anyone uses here to stop this nonsense?

[/ QUOTE ]

Try taping your finger to the fold button. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[theBruiser500]

i heard someone had a "5 second rule" or something like that, meaning before he makes any big river plays he always pauses and htinks about it before clicking without thinking

[Siingo]

Atlast a good tip! I have the same problem except it is more like 10% of the time.

Ohh the buzzer thing was nice too but I think I am to much of a chicken for that one!

(And I hate to say this but this question should probably be asked in the psychology forum too. I think there is people that can anser this question better there.)

[Siingo]

Ianco I think that you tottaly have missed what the post was about "Discipline". He asked what he should do, so that he always do what he know is right. Not to find what he always do wrong.

Read the post again.. Do you see what I mean?!

An exampel is that if a player have a gambling problem and he know that he should quit playing but he do not now how. Then it probably wont help much that you tell him that again...

Have fun! /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Michael Davis]

[ QUOTE ]
When I am "on" I win consistently, I guess due to the fact I play against mostly idiots

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll call when I KNOW KNOW KNOW KNOW I should fold... (flop comes Q/J/x, I've got AJ and someone raises behind me). I'll fold this situation 98 times out of 100 but the two times I don't are a serious leak.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you have holes.

-Michael

[Lucena]

Imagine the hand you are playing is the only hand you are going to play all day long. Every hand you play today is going to go exactly the same way this hand is.

Also, after each hand remember to take a brief moment to consider your play. Folding hands is an active endeaver. There is a reward and upside everytime you do it correctly. Money not lost is money earned.

This is a game of making choices and you need to be pleased everytime you make the right one.

[krishanleong]

Here is what you do. Everyone pays 3/4BB per 10 hands. Every time you make a bad call on the turn or river, think to yourself, "That's 10 hands I could have seen but instead I choose to fold them all without looking and play this one." It's a nice psychological trick.

Krishan

[UATrewqaz]

Some very good all around tips, I like the 5 second rule and will try to impliment it. And I like that 10 hands thought too.

Would I rather play this hand or see the next 10 hands, makes those marginal hands look alot worse.

[jtr]

I agree, some good advice above.

Maybe you should also think about some potential bonehead mistakes that you never in fact make. Consider looking down at your hole cards and seeing 72o. Knowing what I assume you must know about the value of different holdings, you're not even remotely tempted to play this hand, right? It just doesn't look appealing to you and your mouse pointer is moving towards "fold" before you consciously think about it.

Well, treasure that automatic-and-correct decision-making experience. You need to get to a point where more difficult folds become similarly automatic and not even tempting (e.g., in NL, folding when your set comes on the river but the same card has obviously also brought a flush for the other guy).

[cyorg]

"I KNOW KNOW KNOW KNOW I should fold..."
everytime you do this count how much money you lost. by the end of the day add up all the lost money and remind yourself that it would all be in your account if you had just folded.

[olavfo]

I have the same problem. I know it's wrong but on rare occasions I make these horribly loose calls and go too far with marginal hands.

What puzzles me is that I managed to quit smoking, but I haven't been able to quit this nasty habit.

olavfo

[GrandmaStabone]

I really don't understand your problem here. The only specific example you gave was carrying AJ on a QJx board with a raise behind you. In addition, you said you play against idiots (meaning almost ANY small/micro limit online game). In these situations, it is often not a matter of discipline to fold the AJ, but a matter of your read on the other player. If he has been raising draws, small pocket pairs after overcards have hit, or just an unpaired AK - than it is correct to look him up (taking into consideration his previous plays), and every now and again you will be wrong. Again, I think your post would benefit by some specific examples, but if you are up 1100 dollars in 2 months playing micro limits, than I'd say your game is relatively good - that is not to say you don't have leaks, but you can't look back at every hand you lost and assume that it is a matter of discipline. You are going to lose hands, and it doesn't always mean that you have an inherent problem with your game, especially since your results have been so good. Post some of your PokerTracker results and you will get better, more specific advice.