Excess focus on short term fluctuations?

[r3vbr]

I wanna know if it's normal to check the CASHIER window several times between the session.

[r3vbr]

btw i check an average 8 times, meaning sometimes i check 2 (never less than this i think) and sometimes over 20 also.. but most of the time around 8. and i think it's too much. am I right?

I check much less than once per session, and I don't notice what my balance is when I join tables.

On a per-session level, the cashier has extremely little to do with how well you're playing poker.

So if you want to focus on playing poker to the best of your ability, the cashier is counterproductive.

And it takes your focus away from what it should be on much than watching TV does. This is because it makes you want to control something you don't have control over: Results. And I'd be willing to bet it affects some of your decisions even if you tell me it doesn't.

[Sniper]

You need to check the cashier to know if you are up or down while you are playing? (a clear sign that you are not paying enough attention to your game)

[SoftcoreRevolt]

If you've been multitabling, and had a table or two break up forcing you to switch, its not hard to forget exactly where you are for the session, especially if you are actually paying attention to gameplay.

Although if you just buy in for the same amount at a new table this problem isn't as present.

I check about once a session if it's long, especially if I've been splitting my play between two sites.

[dibbs]

If all your play is covered by pokertracker I think you should never have to check and your game would improve because of it in all around kind of way.

[MicroBob]

I check too much (either cashier, or pokertracker, or whatever) and I agree that it can effect one's play.

Yesterday I just kept looking and looking as I bled away a whole ton of chips.
I was up 80BB's at one point....lost a few big hands that knocked me way down...and I'm pretty sure that keeping the p-tracker stats/balance open helped exaggerate my down-swing with some good old-fashioned tilt.
After dropping 130BB's total (so I was now down 50 BB's) I decided it was time for bed...and today I RE-decided to not look at my damn balance so much and instead focus on actually winning whatever hand/s I happen to be playing (novel idea, I know).

[dibbs]

I play to get even too much or play to try and stay true to my hourly rate and it's a problem for me. Only playing 6 tables I pretty much have an idea at all times where Im at for the night.

A huge part of my game is the struggle to reach a zen like detachment to my current gain or loss in a session. Every time I think I got it, I realize I'm not even close.

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Every time I think I got it, I realize I'm not even close.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yeah.
That pretty much summarizes where I was last night.


I'm still not entirely unconvinced that it's so terrible to know where you stand in a given session.
But when you start chip-spewing, like I was last night, it's obviously a problem.

[Weatherhead03]

Im in the middle of a downswing..I check way too much. Most likely contributing to me being in the downswing.