Mental Check List

[theted]

I have played dealers choice poker since I was 10 (I'm 33 now) and have been studying hold-em for 18 months now. I am an average player. I've played in a few daily Tunica tourneys and made 3 final tables. I break even online. I have a weekly homegame where we play about 3-4 STT in a night. This is my background. I've learned enough to know between a bad beat and a bad play on my part. The bad plays ALWAYS have to do with one of the factors of the hand not being considered at the time (knowing all the cards that can beat me, the pot odds were bad, not realizing my outs aren't outs at all, misreading an opponent etc.) I end up focusing on aspect too much and totally miss something else.

I was wondering if any of you use a mental check list of things you ask yourself that you will quicky go through in making hard decisions in hold-em? I know most of the time the decision is obvious but when it is not, I make mistakes - mostly in live games. If you use, or could think of a checklist, please share it here.

[Blackwolf]

I assume you mean a list what to do when you are close to tilting? If not please correct me.
If its mental youre after there are some very nice books on the subject (Like The psychology of poker by Alan Schoonmaker) that's helped me alot with the mental bit of the game.
Other then that just tell the dealer to deal you out, go outside, take a deep breath count to 10 (slowly) if youre not relaxed then repeat count to 10 then come back refreshed.
People will give diffirent advices I just found that staying out of the action while frustrated doesnt hurt my bankroll sitting and grinding it in my head does [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
Good luck!

[theted]

That's very good advice on tilting but I am talking about when everything seems to br going good and I call or make a bet thinking I have evaluated the situation correctly only to find at the end I made a GLARING error by not paying attention to something so simple as 3 hearts on the board (or something else) because I was focused on a straight. This doesn't necessarily put on tilt either. It just usually costs me making money in a tourney. I do this more in person than online.

[ThaHero]

I don't exactly have a mental checklist- I do look at the whole board, consider the size of the pot, my hand and possible outs, and how many opponents there are, and position. There is a great deal to consider on any given hand. Playing online, you don't really have time to go down a whole checklist, especially if you're playing multiple tables. Often times though, you might overthink a situation.

The only time I make a mistake such as missing 3 hearts on a board or an obvious straight is if I am multi-tabling and click "bet" or "call" too quickly with my set and don't really pay attention, while looking at websites or talking to my brother. That's been one of my biggest problems.

A lot of times 3 card flushes and other scenarios just depend on a situation. Many times there are situations where it's three to a flush, and you don't have the flush, but the proper play is to bet. It depends on the situation you are in really. But I don't have a real mental checklist of questions that I ask myself EVERY TIME on every hand or every street.

[theted]

I actually do alot better online but in person, it seems at least once a session I make a BIG mistake. I think I am so focused on one thing that I miss other things. I remember once folding a flush (9 high) on the river because I was looking for a straight or straight flush. River gave me a flush but not the str8 or str8 flush. I folded to a bet and a call thinking I'd missed when I should have called te single bet. I would have won the pot. I knew I had a flush but I didn't reevaluate it. I flopped an opened ended str8 flush draw and that was all I saw.

Also I wouldn't use a checklist for every situation just when I feel I need to reevaluate everything. I will probably read the Psychology of Poker and see if that helps me.

[maryfield48]

Try this thread and this one.