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  #51  
Old 12-07-2005, 10:09 AM
Forbillz Forbillz is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

Interesting stuff here. I work probably 50 hr/wk and play poker about 20 hr/wk. I usually play 2/4 x4. The times when I find I'm getting a little drained, I usually either play live 10/20 at the local casino (yes my bankroll more than supports this...I'm just at 2/4 b/c I'm still working on improving my game) or I enter a few more tourneys than usual. Something to break up the monotony.

Also, FWIW, I'm also a TV on guy. Its 90% for noise though, and when I want to "really" focus, I'll just throw on one of the digital music channels. I too look at PT stats a lot, as well as whether I'm up or down at each table. However, I don't feel that I let it affect how I play hands (maybe I'm naive).
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  #52  
Old 12-07-2005, 11:20 AM
Chobohoya Chobohoya is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

[ QUOTE ]
I play because poker is far superior to my other career options(none). I have no resume to speak of and I earned <3.0 GPA in college, so my occupation outlook is limited.

Eventually, I want to earn enough money so that I can start generating passive income while still maintaining a comfortable bankroll.

And, as much as I hate to admit it, I am driven to become an excellent poker player. I have never felt confident in my abilities and I need to put in a ton of hours to get to the point where I will feel happy with my game and my accomplishments.

[/ QUOTE ]

One thing that may help you motivate yourself is taking a part time job--- even looking for one might help you focus yourself better.

I've been working a sort of grunt job, that I definitely don't "need," though the contacts will be useful down the road, and I'm playing more hands per available time than I ever did in college. It really helps to get home, look in PT and say "sooo.... Even though I only played 3 hours today, I made twice as much as I did all week at work." Sometimes the best way to motivate yourself is finding the outside stimulus that you need.

Lately I've been thinking more about variance and its effects on earn. I think it's safe to say we all play better when happy. I think it's also safe to say that we all get happier when we run good. None of this is going to surprise any one, but I think most people underestimate the fact that their running bad cripples their earn or conversely, their running good more than doubles it. Long term effects of this multiply not add: If running bad makes you feel really bad, you might drop down in limits for XX thousand hands. During that time, you play worse at a limit lower than normal. So your theoretical earn is a fraction of a fraction of what it "should" be. Don't fall into this trap! I think shot-taking as outlined in a number of very good, very thoughtful posts is far riskier than it seems at first by the same reasoning as above. If you run hot at first and THEN lose your stake at the increased limit, you're missing not only your earn from your normal game, but also you lose whatever fraction from tilt or time taken off.

The other side of this is that if you run hot for a sustained period, your BR doubles or triples, and you move up. When you move up you have a greater amount of confidence, which not only makes you play better, but withstand swing better as well. This means that you earn at a rate larger 2+X for longer! There are many posters here who took shots, had their BR skyrocket, and have since still been crippled for weeks or months by swings. How many more never even skyrocketed, but instead have stayed at 2/4 or 3/6 for months or years because of being burned?
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  #53  
Old 12-07-2005, 11:41 AM
flair1239 flair1239 is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

[ QUOTE ]
Sheesh, I have a regular 40 hr/wk job and manage >20 hrs/wk.

Do you hate money?

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here.

I honestly don't understand the whole mindset. I do 20-25 hours a week with a fulltime job.

I also know a couple other semi-regular posters around my age here who do the same. I really don't consider it a hardship. Even if you are 8-tabling (I only do 4), I still think there is no excuse for not at least hitting 24 hours a week.

I mean is it really that hard to play (2) 2.5 hour shifts 5 days a week?
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  #54  
Old 12-07-2005, 03:10 PM
aslowjoe aslowjoe is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

[ QUOTE ]
This worked moderately well for me in the past. Earlier this year, I kept a calendar on my dresser and mark down how many hands I played on a given day. I plan to resume this practice and I will evaluate how well I adhered to my regimen.


[/ QUOTE ]

I put in a lot of training for triathlons. Then came poker. More and more it is hard to put in the training time. My biggest success comes when I journal my work and tally it each week.

Dont sweat it. You are one of the most intelligent poster on this forum, your success is inevitable.
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  #55  
Old 12-07-2005, 03:21 PM
Sponger15SB Sponger15SB is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

Jeff W,

Do you own a car yet?


Sponger
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  #56  
Old 12-07-2005, 07:15 PM
Jeff W Jeff W is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

Progress Report:

I played 140 hours between 10-19 and 12-07. That tallies to 2.8 hours/day and 19.6 hours/wk. I still have room to improve, but I have come a long way from when I made the original post.

If anyone has questions, comments or advice, I am happy to respond.
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  #57  
Old 12-07-2005, 07:16 PM
Jeff W Jeff W is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

[ QUOTE ]
Jeff W,

Do you own a car yet?


Sponger

[/ QUOTE ]

You know the answer to that.
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  #58  
Old 12-07-2005, 09:40 PM
Gramps Gramps is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oaktown
Posts: 124
Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

[ QUOTE ]
How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

[/ QUOTE ]

Play more.

If you want to lose weight, eat less (or healthier food) and exercise regularly.

If you want good grades, study more.

Nike has a marketing slogan that's very applicable here. It ain't very complicated.

If you've gotten to the point where you dislike playing poker, that's another issue. Life's not fun when you're forcing yourself to do something you don't like. Better to admit that and go from there.
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  #59  
Old 12-08-2005, 03:52 AM
Sponger15SB Sponger15SB is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

[ QUOTE ]
You know the answer to that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jeff, seriously man, buy a car. If for no other reason than to stop people (me) from making fun of you for not having a car. You probably have $99,999 sitting in your bank account, take some of that out and get something. Anything.

We have discussed this before, but I'm kinda shocked that things haven't changed. Actually, not that shocked, but still, buy a car. Now.
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  #60  
Old 12-08-2005, 04:32 AM
Danenania Danenania is offline
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Default Re: How do I put in more hours/week. (Long/Introspective)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You know the answer to that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jeff, seriously man, buy a car. If for no other reason than to stop people (me) from making fun of you for not having a car. You probably have $99,999 sitting in your bank account, take some of that out and get something. Anything.

We have discussed this before, but I'm kinda shocked that things haven't changed. Actually, not that shocked, but still, buy a car. Now.

[/ QUOTE ]

AGREED!
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