General Poker Discussion Poker Forums

Let me just start by saying that when I've put my mind to it I've been a solid winning playermfor several years now. I tend to get burnt out after about 4 months or so. Generally it be deposit $200-300 dollars play for a few months, not major amount of hands, and cash out $8-900. I would then take a few months off and come back. A few months ago I had ran $100 to about $600 in about 1 1/2 mos. One day tilted it all away. Ran bad and then stepped up in limit. Well since then it seems I literally am clueless. I've become a fish. Seem lost and tilted. Dont even know if it's worth playing. Almost feel like I need to start over in learning. Any suggestion?

1)Start again from the basics.
2)Strenthen your fundamentals.
3)Make goals, dedicate yourself to those goals
4)3)Work on your game constantly(review hands, watch training videos, do ev calcs...)
5)Don`t chase loses, it`s the most noobish thing to do.Work on anger managment and tilt, since you say that`s prolly ur biggest problem, work on it.
6)Watch newer training videos,since the game has evolved so much in the past year or two, and check posts of other people/cash game regs on Dc forum or 2+2.
7)Possibly change games, it worked well from me.
8)Learn new games.Even if you play them only with your friends, or the smallest stakes, learn Plo, Mixed games it will strenthen your overall game.
9)Yeah i think it`s worth playing if you`re committed to succeed, there is still a good amount of money to be won in poker.But for those who constantly work.It ain`t an easy game no more.
That`s just off the top of the head.Hope some of this helps.
This post also helped me alot:
http://www.deucescracked.com/blogs/tecmosuperbowl/87531-Lessons-Learned

For a second I thought you were gonna say you moved up to 25/50 and lost your money to Sauce.

You gotta bottle up the sauce:

http://vimeo.com/5623298

But seriously, start with working on your game. Try finding spots you have trouble with and figure out how to be comfortable playing them well. Review your play often.

And detach yourself from the success = making money mentality. Success in poker is making the best play for the situation, even if it doesn't work.

Ate ing up in stakes has been a mistake I make every couple of months. I get tired of grinding it out and make a play. The unfortunate thing is sometimes it works. I've had some patience problems the last month or so due to the fact that I've quit smoking and also haven't work since late December and have had little mental stimulation outside of the home. I've also made super tiny like $50-75 dollar deposits due to the fact that I've been saving money for a vacation. Think maybe take a few weeks and watch some vids and read a couple of books and get my mind going. Also since being off work for surgery I have had little working out at the gym. Very limited in what I can do and I think this plays a role.

I've gone through the same thing really- I even just had surgery and am off work for like 6 weeks. Poker really sucks sometimes. I have been playing more after my surgery because I can't do much else and I'm doing ok but there is just so much frustration sometimes in this game.

Seems to me like you`re just whining about everything and don`t care to improve, study or put in some volume.Man up and put in work.Or quit poker.

Don't think it's whining. Just venting. It's definatley hasn't been as fun to me as it used to be. Just gonna take a break for a bit and start over. Don't think there's a big need for dicky comment.

Don`t be so sensitive, i`m just keeping it real with you.I left u a constructive post above, that should tell u i have no bad intentions.Do what you think it`s best, prolly take a brake and chill, if u don`t feel like playin, more in life then poker.Anyways, best of luck to you.

One day tilted it all away. Ran bad and then stepped up in limit.

All the studying in the world won't stop your emotional leaks.

Poker is a pure mental game and if your not 100% sharp then your leaking.

Money saved is money earned.

If you lose a big hand ask yourself

A) did I play it correct?
If yes to A) then thank the poker deities you had a plus Ev situation. And thank yourself for finding that +Ev line.

If No to A) go to B)

B) STFU and fix the leak so you play it correct next time.

These are the only 2 questions I ask at the table. I may go into more detail in a session review but theres no need to waste that mental and emotional energy @ the table.

After a while bad beats are actually funny.
But you have to lay the right metnal foundations. Ground yourself in reality.

You're at the tables, you are a ship going through rough water, bad beats are rough ass waves tryin to topple you, the steadier your ship (mentl focus, Br management etc) the more likely you are to get where you want to be.

There are a million and 1 ways to deal with + stop tilt at the table, not to mention all you can do away from the table to make sure you're at your A game @ the table.

The only problem is people let their ego get in the way and this side of their poker game s often neglected.

I would say join a skype study group so thers always someone to share a bad beat with, talk strat with , run a hand by someone, + they may actually be able to stop you tiltiing/jumpin up.

If you are going to play Limit at the lower stakes I would suggest simply believing players bets unless certain players have given you a good reason not to. Even in Limit sometimes you have to make tough laydowns.

I understand the whole surgery thing. When I was hit by a car 3 years ago I was laid up for several months. Poker was a mixed blessing because it gave me something that I liked to do while I was recovering but my injury prevented me from doing a lot of things that folks in the know say players should do like exercise and as you mentioned outside mental stimulation all of which hurt my game to a degree. But all of that is something you can get past. Dusty Schmidt is an example of someone who successfully played poker while he was laid up from his heart attack. This is probably just a storm you need to ride out.

What surgery?I hope nothing serious.You should, when/if you start playng again, not be results oriented from the start.I know when i did it like that, i got easily discouraged.Remember why u started/liked playing poker, is it your ability to outsmart others, to use ur inteligence in order to figure out any oponnent, while having fun doing it, and just don`t let it become an insta grind, if u don`t have the need for the cash.Slowly you will become more confident in your decision making, and stop being a fish .Then poker will again make sense, and all the decision making will come naturally.

Your are right and I apologize for saying you were dicky. Had shoulder surgery and it's just taking a while. The longest I've gone without working in 24 years is 3 weeks and I've been off since for 7 months. I think my brain is turning to mush with lack of mental stimulation. I find myself having long conversations with wife about the real housewives of new York city show. Just getting stir crazy. I will take your advice and thinking about getting life coach/psychologist to help. A have a few anxiety issues in life as well I need to work through(heights/confined spaces) and maybe we can analyze this tilt issue. Biggest problem is I'm super competetive and make things personally.