Peep the links.

I have put up a list of links to several of my other blogs, two of which I have updated. Also, there are a few links to some poker friends of mine.

WOW!!!!!

I had an amazing August and was feeling like I could beat the world heading into September and then it all came crashing down. In no way do I feel my game has changed and I know I have the skills and emotional control to crush the game. The only problem is when cooler after cooler keeps happening it makes you question yourself. The 1st week of the month was my worst ever and I was making some bad choices at the table. I did some serious reevaluation and started back strong the next week. I recouped a large chunk of my losses whihc had occured when I took a shot at the next level and this week I was nearing even for the month. In reality it isnt the money. I could give two shits. It is the helplessness I feel when I get it in good only to lose to a 2 outer. Wah fucking wah I know, but man it hurts.

Rather then bitch and moan and tilt off my roll I have decided the poker gods are simply telling me to slow down. I have decided I will not be taking anymore shots till my roll reaches 10K unless I decide to move sites. I am seriously considering after the whole AP scandal that is going on. Change is good! Also I am searching for leaks in my game and working on plugging them as well as opening up my game a little. Another thing I have decided is essential is to reread some of the poker bibles and really get that shit hammered into my mind.

I have to go as I feel sick at the moment and I dont know what to do. Here are the two latest coolers if you enjoy seeing them.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1499558 Villain is a complete fish. I got it in here knowing I had him crushed.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1493188 Villain again is a mega donk and I am looking to take him to value town on a blank river. I imagine I dont get much from him on the river because I out him square on a FD. Yeah, I cant call that river. GG sir.

Thoughts on thinking and feeling.

I know there have been several books on the subject and it is becoming more and more emphasized yet I still feel the mental edge is neglected still. If you are not capable of processing the information presented to you with a clean crisp mind how will you be capable of putting it to proper use? Simply put you wont. You can read every book and study hours on end while playing 3 thousand plus hands a day but if you aren't thinking clearly you are going to get nowhere.

Don't get me wrong you might see positive results but they will be sub par to the results you could get with a clean mind. When I say clean mind what do I mean? I am speaking of a mind that is not tired, not upset over a bad beat, not fearful of losing, not unfocused, and not functioning without processing. In order to play at your optimal performance level you must be thinking clearly. The 1st thing I ask myself prior to every session is if I am well rested and capable of performing at my best. If the answer isn't yes I don't play. How will I be able to play poker at the level I want with the success I want if I am not on my A game. Simply, I wont and neither will you. Know yourself and know when you aren't capable. Always start your new sessions with a positive frame of mind.

The mental edge comes from being capable to play bot like poker with no emotion involved in processing the situations we become involved in. We are human so this is much easier said then done but with practice you will go numb. Avoid singling out an opponent. I am not saying not to target the donkey at the table but don't go out of your way to play big pots with hands you shouldn't be playing big pots with just because this guy is a donk. This is not bot play. Bots process the information, retain it for future battles and play the game. Let the game flow, force nothing. Stay calm mentally and emotionally and if you feel yourself slipping, quit.

The other key besides knowing when to play is knowing when to stop. Much easier said then done. We might think are AA vs KK suck out loss has no effect on us but it does. Some more then others. Until you can become consciously aware of this effect you will be helpless. Learn to identify when your play has changed and acknowledge it. Once you begin to acknowledge it you will be able to quit at such times. Quiting a session when your mind state has changed is so fucking +EV it is not even funny. Think of those long sessions where you lost 5+ BI. How much of that could have been avoided if you had just turned off your fucking computer? I know I am guilty of tilting. But now I quit. I walk away and think about why my mind state changed and how I can control it. Get your mind right and your game will be tight.

August stats.

Pretty solid month as you can see. Didnt play as much as I would have liked but the results are still there. I am not satisfied though and will be looking to double my hands played and my results this month. With no school and finally getting settled in at my new place, where I have a home office, I am set for my biggest month yet. Also this month I am looking to start mixing in some 200NL probably the same way I made the transition from 50NL to the 100s, playing two tables of each.

The future is NOW!

I am not 100% decided on the purpose of this new blog but I will lay down some of the ideas I have. Writing about poker has been the best tool for my growth towards the player I aspire to be. Here is where I will be writing infrequent theory pieces on concepts and ideas I have about the game as I see it. Also I want to use this blog as a tool to help me learn and teach fellow poker players that aspire to be great too. Last night I met Daniel a 22 year old precusionist with a desire to improve his poker skills. Through conversation I offered my knowledge to him for a small fee and I am hoping a friendship and mentorship is in development. I am fortunate as Daniel has chosen me as his mentor and we will begin a semi-intensive coaching deal starting in September. I feel not only will Daniel benefit from the wealth of knowledge I have about the game of poker but I too will benefit from being forced to clearly explain my thinking behind my actions. I see this as a stepping stone on my way to becoming an amazing poker player and teacher, Daniel being my first student of many.

About me.

Just wanted to throw together a quick bio on me in regards to my poker life. Basically been a gambler since I was young but not a risk taking throw my money down the shitter type. Was more about finding an edge. Poker came along when I was 18 at an Indian casino my buddy turned me onto it. Then I found a local card room five minutes from my house and started playing regularly when I turned 21. Right away I bought books and started reading and was winning at 3/6 limit hold em. I never took it crazy serious but way more then anyone else I really knew. Dabbled a little online never making a withdrawal and always going busto. At the end of 04 I actually began dealing poker at the very casino where i started playing cards regularly and quickly realuized how great the cash was beaing a dealer but how sad the people around me really were. They stunk at poker and most of them life as well. I made a pretty penny and with that I took several hiatus from the working world. After reading the January Bluff article on Durrr I starting thinking about online poker a little more and decided it was time to dig deeper.

In late Febuary I found Cardrunners and on a $100 deposit on Absolute poker began grinding 25NL 6 max. I went on a heater and turned it into 1k fast. I jumped up to 50NL and did ok. Around this time the July grinders crew started and my game kept improving. I had also quit my latest dealing job and decided online poker would be my income. Fast forward to the present and I am still paying the bills (they are minimal) via poker. My winnings total somewhere around 15K from my play. Of course RB has been huge and the fact I got a table share of a badbeat jackpot for 5.6K was pretty sweet as well.

It hasnt been easy getting to where I have but it has been fun. I honestly think i could be alot further along if my mental strength was better as well as my work ethic. I have logged about 180K hands in that time. Thats nothing. I want to be doing near 50K hands a month this year. Currently I am playing 200NL and have been struggling till recently. Basically everytime I have a rough session I start to doubt myself. This is like the worst possible thing by the way. My latest breakthrough as far as poker goes is personal. Its the simple fact that when I do sit at a table I am making money because every decision I make will be +EV. I also have to realize it isnt money at the poker table just big blinds/big bets/buy-ins. If I can conquer these two things I should be able to continue to improve skills wise with ease.

I am definately playing slightly over rolled for 200NL at the moment but that is due to the fact that I feel I have to improve my mental game prior to stabbing 200NL. My win rate over 63K hands at 200NL is 1.5BB. This must improve as well.