I'm sitting here after a 4-hour losing session (-$130) at the casino and would just like to throw out some thoughts on losing sessions. Losing sessions aren't bad. In fact, I think they are essential towards making you a better player. Now, I know there are times when you play everything perfect yet still lose, but when you deserve to lose a session because of your play, I think some good comes from it. Tonight, I realised that every table is different. Plays that worked on my table 4 days ago, were absolutely horrific at my table tonight. A good player is able to adjust and play well at any table. I did not adjust tonight (and along with losing focus) and was humbled by it. In order to play well at a table, you must be in control of the action, yet also be "inside the game". Sometimes being in control of the action means simply waiting there and only betting your good hands. Being in control does not always mean you're raising and re-raising every pot. That's where I messed up tonight. I tried to bully around every pot I came into, popping and re-popping almost every time. Never once did my opponent(s) fold, so I probably bluffed off somewhere in the neighborhood of $800. Also, "being inside the game", in my opinion, means knowing at all times the flow of the game, the way people are playing, and how you should play hands against each player. But this is just my opinion...
Tonight, with the exception of the first 30 minutes, I was totally out of sync with the rest of the table. When you realize this, you must channel all your energy into focusing intently on the action, thereby getting you back on the right track, or take a walk/switch tables. Unless your just playing to have fun, poker demands an insane amount of attention when at the table.
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3 comments:
I couldn't agree more...There is no perfect way to play a hand. It all depends on the action and style of play at the table. I believe losing sessions are critical to making you better as well. Also as you mentioned focusing is probably the most important quality to maintain at the table. if you find yourself unable to focus or you feel that something is out of sync at the table the best thing to do is immediatly cash out and call it a night. Whenever i have found myself in this situation and have not cashed out i have always done poorly.
Good Post by the way
Another thought that has been rolling around my cerebral cortex, is how well you play/focus when you are winning as oppossed to when you are losing. I find that after I win a nice pot, my level of attention to the game rises exponetially. When I'm stuck, I only focus on how and how soon I am going to get even, when the real goal should be to continue to make correct decisions. This in turn emphasizes the importance of starting off your session well. If you sit down and immediately get stuck, it literally sets the tone for your next few hours at the table.
Max, I actually was playing when I read this post and had to sit out from the tables to give it the full attention it needed.
First off, you are completely right. I was tearing through tables left and right playing as agressive as I had posted earlier and doing well. One day I completely hit a wall. I was at 3 tables (bodog max) and was getting called down on every pot. I bluffed almost all of my stacks at all 3 tables. I couldn't hit a hand I couldn't focus all I could think about was how I couldn't wait to get even a pair so I could make some money back because the table was calling everything. In reality I should have changed gears. I should have tightened up and made large bets on my hands because they were going to get action. Anyway, my play deteriorated as I kept losing and before I knew it I had dropped around $700 (3.5 buyins). There is so much to attend to in poker that I think sometimes we get lazy. A certain style has been working that can make you lazy in other aspects of the game. Losing is something that happens, in fact it happens often. You can call yourself a winning poker player and only have to win slightly more than 50% of the time. That means that almost half the times you are losing (obviously).
Anyway, I couldn't agree with your post more. I wanted to post something along the same lines after my losing session but couldn't word it correctly. Losing points out flaws in your game that must be fixed. You know when you have misplayed a hand vs getting outdrawn. In fact, if I get outdrawn I rarely get mad because I knew that I did the right thing. What will really put me on tilt is calling someone when I'm beat or making a completely horribly timed bluff.
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