Taking a Break from Online Play
The last few weeks have been brutal for me online. The suckouts have been really hammering me, and I'm obviously becoming desperate as my play and reads are falling way short of where they should be. Starting to make amateurish moves and donkey calls knowing I'm not on my game at all.
Think I'll take a break from online play for abit, maybe a couple of months, and try to get some re-education going...read and reread some of my poker library and what not, and still hang around the various forums, but actual online play is going to be shut down for abit.
My online bankroll has taken quite the beating, but my live play has shown a nice return of late, so maybe I'll do more of that instead....at least for awhile. I don't know why the two games shouldn't reflect each other more, but it seems to me that when I'm running good one way, the other suffers.
I know I get bored online, and that's generally when I start to make stupid mistakes, risking and chasing when I know I shouldn't. And since its more difficult to get online reads on players, I'm coming off very weak and loose, but my live play, I'm much more tight.
So its back to the books for me for awhile. I only have one book dedicated to online play, and frankly I can't even remember the title. But the way I'm thinking right now, I'm considering going right back to 'Theory' and working through them all before I go back to online games.
Its a slump/rut/downhill slope, I know, but if I don't do something now to slow it down abit, I'm only going to regret it later and become more frustrated with myself. Quite frankly, I don't want to become THAT player...the one who NEEDS the fix of winning regardless of the long term costs associated with it. I've heard of alot of players who just don't know when to quit, and it doesn't appeal to me to become like that.
Any advise from the seasoned vets here would be much appreciated, as to how to get my game back on again, and how to avoid it from slumping again. I'll still be active on the forum, no doubt, as I still find the gems of knowledge here VERY useful and effective.
Think I'll take a break from online play for abit, maybe a couple of months, and try to get some re-education going...read and reread some of my poker library and what not, and still hang around the various forums, but actual online play is going to be shut down for abit.
My online bankroll has taken quite the beating, but my live play has shown a nice return of late, so maybe I'll do more of that instead....at least for awhile. I don't know why the two games shouldn't reflect each other more, but it seems to me that when I'm running good one way, the other suffers.
I know I get bored online, and that's generally when I start to make stupid mistakes, risking and chasing when I know I shouldn't. And since its more difficult to get online reads on players, I'm coming off very weak and loose, but my live play, I'm much more tight.
So its back to the books for me for awhile. I only have one book dedicated to online play, and frankly I can't even remember the title. But the way I'm thinking right now, I'm considering going right back to 'Theory' and working through them all before I go back to online games.
Its a slump/rut/downhill slope, I know, but if I don't do something now to slow it down abit, I'm only going to regret it later and become more frustrated with myself. Quite frankly, I don't want to become THAT player...the one who NEEDS the fix of winning regardless of the long term costs associated with it. I've heard of alot of players who just don't know when to quit, and it doesn't appeal to me to become like that.
Any advise from the seasoned vets here would be much appreciated, as to how to get my game back on again, and how to avoid it from slumping again. I'll still be active on the forum, no doubt, as I still find the gems of knowledge here VERY useful and effective.
Comments
PM if interested.
Play 2 tables at a time and perhaps a 3rd sit n go also. Drop down limits if you like but play more than one table.
It sounds like you are getting bored while playing therefore playing "speculative" hands which is costing you money. Play basic poker while multi tabling and you should be back on track... Or you could lose 2-3 times but I doubt it.
I venture to estimate that at least 60% of the players above the 10-20 (limit HE) level are good TAG players.
There's your on line leak right there.
I took a break from on line play (actually a break from playing) and I'm finding on line bores me to tears. I did play a tourney the other night live..... well just ask steveK how I did as I was done first. But then again I always felt my strength was live cash games anyways. I got to get my tourney game back on mind you. Once I get moved maybe re read some of the books I've packed away.
Yea, I'm kind of thinking along that line as well Joe. I don't needless chat online and I kind of miss that interaction as I do enjoy it in a live game, but I also find other things to do in a live game to occupy myself with...watching players, figuring out their hole cards by their gestures and what not...particularily, I enjoy discovering the reads I see after reading Caro's book...90% of what I see in a live game comes right out of his book!!! I find it fasinating to watch other players, and online that just isn't possible.
I tend to find NL Hold'em boring sometimes on-line and will play more Stud Hi/Lo, Omaha Hi/Lo, or HORSE both in cash and SnG's all small stakes.
That way I pay more attention and when I take a bad beat it is only a few dollars.
I know that feeling exactly... I think the key to playing online is being in the right mental state. You really have to WANT to play when you go to the computer, and not just do it for something to do. I know when I really WANT to play poker I play way better than those times where I just log in to try and make some money. My best online sessions are usually when I am reading a poker book or poker forum (;)) on the side, listening to some good music and really have the URGE to play some poker. If I don't have those 3, its pretty much a cointoss and chances are my session will ne -ev.
i just started listening to z103.5 on the internet while playing poker, it motivates and gets you more focused while playing.
How are you trying to change your game and make it better?
What leaks are you trying to plug?
How are you opening your game up?
What under the surface exploitable tendencies are you looking for in your opponents?
What are your poker related goals?
If the answer to all of these is 'none' than it is no wonder that you are getting bored. If you have a purpose and a plan the game gets way more exciting because you start to have "A HA" moments and you start making $$$ from plays that you would never have made before.
This is the reason I want to go through my PT more thoroughly. I know I have leaks, just not sure where to look right now. Hoping my PT analysis highlights some areas I can work on. One leak I KNOW I have is when I get faced with an river value bet by my opponent. For some reason, I just have to put him to the test, can't seem to let it go.
Playing more suited connectors in position, defending my blinds more, aggressive betting post flop and turn (only to get sucked out on btw),etc.
??? can you give me direction here on what I should be looking to exploit? I have a time trying to put a read on an online opponent.
You know, every year since I started this game, I have set goals and targets early in the year, and recorded them religiously. This year though, I haven't set any targets for myself, no goals, and my record keeping has gone to shit. I've mostly been playing to kill time online, and I stopped recording my sessions. I know I know...BIG leak!!! Never thought it would be a reason for my losses though...interesting revelation Caddy.
Wow...great post Caddy... I think these are things that EVERY player that isn't making money should consider whether they are getting bored or not. Could help a lot of people realize why they are not winning more at the tables.
Hope you don't mind if I bounce some thoughts off you once in awhile via PMs in the future.
My door is always open Ace. If you want to take some screen shots of your PT numbers and ship them to me I would be happy to look and let you know if I see anything that I consider to be glaring issues or even some smaller things that you can concentrate on.
You want to exploit anything that is exploitable. We all know how to beat the fish. They are always chasing too much, folding too much, playing too many hands or overvaluing their holdings. These are all things that we talk about but they really are only the surface of things.
You have PT and it can provide you with so much information to use. 99% of this information your villains will not even know you posses and you can use it to pick apart the TAG's too. Why not play profitably against everyone.
Take postional awareness for example:
You can click the position tab to give VPIP/PFR and more #'s for your villian from each position at the table. Even some of the standard #'s in your HUD will tell you this as well, if his fold SB/BB to steal is 70 to 75+ and his attempt to steal is 25+ he is aware of the importance of position.
Tons of players where I hang my hat ($50NL) are not postionally aware. On the surface they have 18/14 or 21/16 PF numbers and reasonable aggression numbers and you would think that they are competent. When you look a little deeper you realize that these numbers remain static whether they are UTG, On The Button, or in the BB.
This information is gold, and you can use it to pound on him when he opens and you have position. Whether you want to call behind or as I prefer (3 bet the shit out of him to isolate) is up to you. It is easy to play against because you never have to adjust his opening range and you can constantly put pressure on him and if he also has some weak-tight tendencies you can rape him for as long as he stays at the table.
First thing I discovered is that I'm not near aggressive enough. Going to have work on that. And even when I had thought I was positionally aware, turns out I can go better at that too.
First comfortable thing I've come across so far is that my blind defending is satisfactory, however I'm losing out by not stealing blinds more.
Still have alot to learn on PT, but it is a great resource once you understand how to get the ##'s you need.
I see alot of players talk about HUD in co relation to PT. I don't have HUD at this time, but I would be interested in hearing what others think of it.
Most people had VPIP, Raise pre-flop %, Agression factor, and fold to steal as must have stats to display on their HUD.
With pokertracker 3, ACEHUD is no longer needed. There's also a number of improvements and features for filtering and analyzing.
Pokertracker 3 is considered a brand new product. It's not an upgrade and you'll need to purchase it.
http://www.pokertracker3.com/