How to get centered again...my play is just lackluster lately....

MrGrob · #1 09-19-2003, 05:51 AM

I am not losing...I am not winning...but have I been before. I know that my play has probably moved to weak-tight, and I just don't trust my reads, though they are usually correct. I believe that my change in play may be related to the fact that I am finally and fully positive by at least 2000$ (having made back about 2000$ also) since starting to play three years ago. This may not be much, but it has all come from games that are no highed than 2/4, but most 1/2 or .50/1. I guess I am just lacking a center now...my goal was to get even...then to 1000$ etc...now I am thinking about either cashing some to pay bills, or moving up. But somehow this has become distracting any loss seems like a huge loss, though I have never lost more than 20 BB in a session lately. What can I do to liven my game again? I have read and re-read and re-read, and I almost feel burnt out...but yet, I want to play...and kinda need to, as I use this as my 2nd part-time job now as of late. I would figure there has to be a pro here somewhere [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] that has had to keep his game sharp, and ideas fresh, no matter how they feel, 'cause they have to play.

Long winded, useless post, I am sure, but can anyone help? Other have said to play other card games, like Gin, but even doing that has not helped....

Winning player looking to "love" the game again...please help.

rayrns · #2 09-19-2003, 06:51 AM

"I have read and re-read and re-read, and I almost feel burnt out...but yet, I want to play...and kinda need to"

Read your statement. Especially the last 4 words. You may want/need a couple of days off. NO poker, NO reading or NO watching poker. Rent a couple of movies, watch movies at home, play more with the kids (if applicable), take a walk in the woods or anything NOT involved in poker. Let your mind refresh as it sounds like you are pushing and even though you feel "like you want to play" may not be fresh enough to play.

This advice is not from a pro. Far from it, I am a low limit player and have only been playing 6 months. So you can take the advice however you want.

Hope you get back to your A game soon.

Cosimo · #3 09-19-2003, 05:41 PM

What variants do you play? Try mixing up your game by playing heads-up, shorthanded, no-limit, tournaments, omaha, razz, or 7-stud.

William · #4 09-19-2003, 05:50 PM

To take a break is the best advice you can get( and this time it does come from a pro) you'll be surprised how much it will help; a couple of days ís plenty.

Fitz · #5 09-19-2003, 09:01 PM

I couldn't agree more. I have over 2000 hours of play in my database, and I have run into these plateus several times. You need time away from the game to let your mind rest. Relax do something else for a few days, and then go back at it. You will be amazed at how you feel.

As far as moving up in limits, that can be scary. I'm just getting my feet wet at 5/10, and sometimes the swings are terrifying. If you are playing online, I imagine you play multiple games at the same time. Try moving up in limits on just one of your games. Then when you become more comfortable, you can move up on the others.

Good luck,

TaintedRogue · #6 09-20-2003, 01:09 AM

Since you've been studying without results, the answer lies in your hand histories.

MrGrob · #7 09-20-2003, 08:03 AM

...I just picked up Kill Poker Online last night, as I find John Vorhaus very fun to read, and his "regular" Killer Poker had given me some new ideas and a fresh look at the game etc. Well, KP Online has been very helpful in showing me how far I have come the last few years. I don't think there is a thing in this book that I have not experienced myself, both good and bad, and re-reading about it all has in itself been an inspiration. I started to remember the holes that I had to work to fill, like calling post flop with a small pair trying to spike trips on the turn just because the other day I was able to do that three times and break 100$ for the 1st time ever on a 25$ buy in etc etc... Somehow knowing WHERE I came from, and remembering all that "fun" (as it was fun, just not profitable [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ) has been great! I plan to read it through today, and maybe play a little, but taking a break does sound good right now too. And maybe trying out some stud or hi/low split games would freshen me up, and give the sharks there a little fresh meat as well [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] well, um...maybe not [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Thanks y'all for taking the time to reply!

PS: Sorry for any spelling errors, I don't have spell check on this machine, and I have just flat never been able to spell worth a dang in my life....

Tommy Angelo · #8 09-20-2003, 01:35 PM

"Winning player looking to "love" the game again...please help."

If you're anything like me, you figure something out and then you're ready to move on. I've done that with half a dozen games and several musical intruments. Sometimes activities are cycled through in a month, sometimes it takes a couple decades. But eventually, everything gets stale, no matter how wonderous it was before, and I look for new conquest. Another example, I stopped writing poker articles for money, for now, because, well, I already did that a few dozen times. I've never written a novel so now I'm working on one of those.

I very often get burned out on poker and take chunks of time off. One time about a year ago, I took a week off and it turned into four months. But somehow, mysteriously, the act of playing poker always gets refreshed to where I'm just giddy about it and I can't wait to sink all my creative energy into it. For a while at least. Til the next stagnation.

Perhaps your enjoyment of poker could return if you make an effort to recategorize the activity, as not an income, as not a competition, but something else. Don't ask me what. I'm just brainstorming on your behalf. Or perhaps you're just burnt on it for good, it happens, and your energy would get better financial and emotional return elsewhere.

Tommy

Ulysses · #9 09-20-2003, 03:02 PM

Come to SF. Sit in a game w/ Tommy. Get him to buy you a hot dog. Have a drink pot for some beers. Come to the realization that you somehow have agreed to seven side bets w/ Tommy and you're taking the worst of it in all of them. Somewhere in there you'll remember again how much fun it is to sit around, shoot the [censored], drink some beers, and play some cards.

Rook1 · #10 09-26-2003, 04:37 PM

been playing party poker since march .up to august i was killing. i went to a casino one friday night to play 10- 20
i was by far the nest player there. I got raped that night from every 20-1 longshot and after that i didnt play for a month. my advise is make yourself not play untill yourfresh. coming back i was good but for that month i couldnt get those hands out of my head.

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