Poker
So for anyone that wants to know I just played poker - and I lost - even though I was up 90% of the night … here’s what happened…
I sit down and in the first hour i more then double up. Good sign. I’m good at playing the tables and controlling it…the problem is i eventually get too arrogant, make a few stupid bets and get paranoid and then run in head first into a brick wall. I did that tonight - twice…
to the same person…
The second time I had Pocket Kings and lost to a flush…and he checked when he hit the flush after a reraise, I should have seen it coming …
But here’s why i lost …. I didn’t follow my own rules…
What are my rules?
1) When i’m up 80% over my buy in, take a break for at least 20 minutes and eat something after i lose a hand I play in (even if its only the blinds)
2) when i give myself a set time to leave, I go.
I didn’t follow either one.
So What’s the point of the first one? It’s to avoid hubris. When your up, you think you are on the top of the world and when you’re playing NL Holdem (esp. high stakes) you’re always dumb money to someone else so sure you could have caught a hot streak but be happy you’re winning and take a break and relax a bit…then keep playing and it’ll be like a new session all over again
And why the second rule of leaving when i say i will - because otherwise you rationalize and end up looking at the clock. Looking at the clock almost guarantees losses because you lose focus and once you break one rule you end up chasing cards which generally means tilt and more losses
So whats the moral of the story…if you set rules keep them…
And oh yea…always follow your gut!
