Confession and request for help

Rococo · #1 12-09-2005, 11:29 AM

This is more of a psychology post than anything else, but I need help from the people on this board.

I am seriously beginning to wonder if I will ever be able to acquire the proper mindset for a good poker player. Without going into detail about limits and opponents, I think that any observer would say that I exercise horrible game selection. This has been a problem for me ever since I started playing, and I can't seem to fix it.

I don't play nearly as often as most posters on this board, and I don't play for a living. Consequently, my bankroll is shorter, I'm sure, that most of the posters on the board. Nevertheless, I seem drawn to games above my bankroll and I am largely indifferent to who my competition is. Although I seem to hold my own, I am under no illusions that I am the best player at the table in the higher limit games. Often, I don't seem to care. In any event, my bankroll is not large enough to handle the variance associated with playing high limit shorthanded NL against competent opponents. As nearly as I can tell, I seem to play in these games for the challenge, not the thrill. I am not ecstatic when I win big, nor am I despondent when I get hammered. I don't know why I don't care about the money more than I do (other than the fact that I don't need the money to live).

Although I make plenty of mistakes, I should add that I don't believe that tilt is my problem. I rarely drop multiple buy-ins in bigger games or begin to play recklessly. Nor do I believe that I habitually drop into weak-tight mode in games above my bankroll. Both of those problems flow in part from "caring" too much about the money. Like I said, I seem to have the opposite problem.

I am not worried about spiraling out of control. I have never lost money playing poker in a year in my life. I have never borrowed money from anyone to play poker. I would quit before doing either. I just feel like an idiot for exercising such poor game selection.

Has anyone overcome a similar problem?

Niwa · #2 12-09-2005, 01:00 PM

Just play in the games you have bankroll for and since you dont play alot you wont recognize the regulars. If I didnt play alot I would look for high av. pots and spectate the games for awhile and try to see a few showdowns.

I used to have this problem with tableselection but since Im a regular at my stakes I recognize the other regulars (the good ones) and in general look for unknowns or use my buddylist.

Rococo · #3 12-09-2005, 01:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Just play in the games you have bankroll for and since you dont play alot you wont recognize the regulars. If I didnt play alot I would look for high av. pots and spectate the games for awhile and try to see a few showdowns.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what it means to exercise table selection. I know who the good regulars are. I just can't seem to make myself do the right thing. That's the problem.

whitelime · #4 12-09-2005, 02:30 PM

The biggest reason to play in good games is to make more money. You don't seem to care too much about the money, so I don't really think you have a problem.

Niwa · #5 12-09-2005, 03:07 PM

yeah I figured you did and not practicing is either being lazy, not wanting to make more money or you just love the thought of being able to beat any table no matter who sits at it.

RikaKazak · #6 12-09-2005, 03:46 PM

if you don't care about money, then play in the hard games, you'll get better quicker, and eventually you'll beat it. If you think you just don't have what it takes, well, you don't care about the money, play in the games that you have most fun in.

#7 12-10-2005, 02:02 AM

the way you play sounds a lot like the way you hear many pros talking about their early days. they always wanted to beat the hardest tables, and consequently they would move up, lose their bank roll, then drop back down to rebuild before moving up again. it just sounds like you are more interested in playing the best players as opposed to playing the best game to make money. doesn't sound like a problem unless youre not happy doing it.

thabadguy · #8 12-10-2005, 02:10 AM

Depends on what you want to do with your poker "career".
I have quit now, but i always played the biggest game i could play. Its a [censored] disease, i mean i could beat the 1k/2k online very comfortably, but i didnt care about the money, i just wanted to be freaky nasty...and be the best.
It brought on a lot of stress and stuff.
Its just a bigger rollercoaster, thats all

Woolygimp · #9 12-10-2005, 02:32 AM

[ QUOTE ]
if you don't care about money, then play in the hard games, you'll get better quicker, and eventually you'll beat it. If you think you just don't have what it takes, well, you don't care about the money, play in the games that you have most fun in.

[/ QUOTE ]

Rococo · #10 12-10-2005, 12:10 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Depends on what you want to do with your poker "career".
I have quit now, but i always played the biggest game i could play. Its a [censored] disease, i mean i could beat the 1k/2k online very comfortably, but i didnt care about the money, i just wanted to be freaky nasty...and be the best.
It brought on a lot of stress and stuff.
Its just a bigger rollercoaster, thats all

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. It sounds like you had the same problem. So how or why did you quit? Did you just wake up one morning and decide?