How do I measure the cost of mistakes ?

[Rotating Rabbit]

Putting a $/hour rate on your play is, I think, only a bad thing for your head to mess with you. Its past performance , and does not mean you can repeat it. If the world worked this way we could look at a financial share-graph for a company and predict its future based on that. As others have said its better to concentrate one hand at a time, each hand is statistically (maybe not psychologically) independent from the next.

I think having a benchmark in your head while you're playing is a very risky thing, because the moment you exceed it you'll get complacent or afraid to lose it, and when you underperform you're running a risk of going on tilt.

[ginko]

Who else thinks OP should be playing limit? That game is more mechanical.

[Mark1808]

[ QUOTE ]
Thats not going to answer my question. This is part of the reason poker annoys me.
Is hard to get discussion on highlevel concepts. People will ask how many people in the game was there a tight aggressive dawarf with a wooden left in mid position. Oh well I would suggest check raising but if he was if late position well thats a whole different story.

I understand pot odds I also understand that every situation is unique in some way. But im not after a detailed disscussion about a few particular hands.

The two forms of poker I have always made money from of the last couple years are live NL holdem and holdem tournaments, Internet+Live.

What annoys me is there are few absoultes in poker. If I have to make a big call it often comes down to a judgement call about the other players personality and playing style.

Sometimes the pot is big and calling is a nobrainer. Othertimes I might have enough outs to justify calling.

The frustrating situations are where I have to decide right then and there if im believe Im ahead. If I think yes but the answer is no then its a huge screw up.
SO did I just make a bad play by calling or do I apply the logic .. I was wrong this time but based on this players play history I usually would have been right in this situation
so my call was ok even though went I called I had no pot odds and was a massive underdog.

Thats the concept im trying to get discussion on.

[/ QUOTE ]

One caveat I am the dumbest guy on this board, but individual hand analysis is the key. Are you ahead most hands when the money goes in? Then you are a winning player. In Blackjack often the deck swings heavily positive and you may be doubling down with multiple hands with big bets and lose your ass. Same in poker.

One thing that helps me with suck outs is realizing that when I win when I am ahead I am winning more than I should. For instance if I am all in with AA vs KK for a $1,000 pot I am an 80% favorite, but I win $1,000 or $200 more than my EV. I put that amount in a mental bank to pay for my bad beats.

Sometimes your money will be in with the worst of it, as long as that is the exception rather than the rule you are OK. Poker is a lot like golf, the guy who hits the best worst shots is usually the better player.

[mudbuddha]

dude, read theory of poker