flair1239
06-05-2005, 03:12 AM
In May I had my worst month ever. This was made more depressing by the fact April was my best month ever. I did barely breakeven in May (thank you rakeback and bonuses) and managed a small withdrawl ($65; I withdraw half of my monthly winnings and use the other half for continued BR growth.)
Anyway after some session reviews I decided that I did play bad. Not bad enough to justify the horrid month, but obviously had some work to do.
However I also made some procedure changes. My girlfriend was very helpful in talking through some of this stuff. She pointed out that the worst nights, seemed to be the ones where I was coming to bed 3:00AM and later.
Sure enough this jibed with my written records. Some of my worse nights were 800-1100 hand nights (I three table). Also some of my more depressing downswings featured back to back marathon sessions.
So #1 quit chasing losses.
She suggested I go back to four hours or 500 hands and quit. The problem is I really love to play poker. Not all those marathons were frustrating death marches in a quest to end a downswing. I really love playing the game. It relaxes me in a way I really can't describe, maybe if some of you fish (I mean on a lake), you know what I mean. A bad day of playing poker (yes even the downswings) is actually ususally fairly enjoyable to me.
Anyway what we came up with is when I feel that I am either:
1. Frustrated.
2. To tired to play my B+/A game; but still want to play.
3. Or zoning out.
4. Or already have put in my Holdem hands but still want to play (An exception can be made for the times I am at a phenomanal table).
I will not be playing my 5/10 holdem game. Instead I will direct my time into $25 PLO8.
I have been doing this the last week and I am having a lot of fun again. I have screwed around with PLO8 in the past. But per my GF advice I am taking it seriously. The change seems to have snapped me out of a rut. Since Wednesday I have played about 1500 hands of 5/10 holdem and about 600 of PLO8. With great results in both. But even throwing the results out the window, I have a more positive outlook.
Now Quitting a hold-em session when I know I am slipping is not so hard. I just think "OK I will go log a couple hundred hands of PLO8 and then goto bed". In other words my poker night does not have to end.
Also it is fun concentrating on a new game. Also I think that thinking about PLO8 is helping me think about Holdem and Poker concepts in general in a much clearer fashion.
Anyway sorry about the rambling post. But at least one other person should find this helpful.
Anyway after some session reviews I decided that I did play bad. Not bad enough to justify the horrid month, but obviously had some work to do.
However I also made some procedure changes. My girlfriend was very helpful in talking through some of this stuff. She pointed out that the worst nights, seemed to be the ones where I was coming to bed 3:00AM and later.
Sure enough this jibed with my written records. Some of my worse nights were 800-1100 hand nights (I three table). Also some of my more depressing downswings featured back to back marathon sessions.
So #1 quit chasing losses.
She suggested I go back to four hours or 500 hands and quit. The problem is I really love to play poker. Not all those marathons were frustrating death marches in a quest to end a downswing. I really love playing the game. It relaxes me in a way I really can't describe, maybe if some of you fish (I mean on a lake), you know what I mean. A bad day of playing poker (yes even the downswings) is actually ususally fairly enjoyable to me.
Anyway what we came up with is when I feel that I am either:
1. Frustrated.
2. To tired to play my B+/A game; but still want to play.
3. Or zoning out.
4. Or already have put in my Holdem hands but still want to play (An exception can be made for the times I am at a phenomanal table).
I will not be playing my 5/10 holdem game. Instead I will direct my time into $25 PLO8.
I have been doing this the last week and I am having a lot of fun again. I have screwed around with PLO8 in the past. But per my GF advice I am taking it seriously. The change seems to have snapped me out of a rut. Since Wednesday I have played about 1500 hands of 5/10 holdem and about 600 of PLO8. With great results in both. But even throwing the results out the window, I have a more positive outlook.
Now Quitting a hold-em session when I know I am slipping is not so hard. I just think "OK I will go log a couple hundred hands of PLO8 and then goto bed". In other words my poker night does not have to end.
Also it is fun concentrating on a new game. Also I think that thinking about PLO8 is helping me think about Holdem and Poker concepts in general in a much clearer fashion.
Anyway sorry about the rambling post. But at least one other person should find this helpful.