I posted this on the PokerVT forum but felt it was worth repeating. Below I have posted links to some great posts from 2+2 poker forum archives that every poker player should read.
I have been playing poker seriously for about 18 months and I have gotten to know many poker players through various forums and I have seen so many of them give up playing due to their frustration with the downswings and beats they suffer. The thing I've noticed most are the people who seem to have the worse problem with tilt and post the most bad beats seem to give up the fastest. Not everyone has the psychological stamina to play poker even for a hobby much less a living but with the right attitude anyone can develop the psychological stamina and ability to be become a good player.
Another thing I've noticed is the better players who have continued to play the longest post the fewest bad beats and tilt the least. Not that I'm a great player by any means, but I don't even remember the last time I even thought about posting a bad beat and for quite awhile I only posted them because they were humorous in some way.
Not to say I never tilt because that would just be lie, I do tilt but the intensity of the tilt and length of time I say tilted is getting better and better. We all get momentarily pissed on those nights when we've suffered one too many bad beats and we fire off a bit of profanity to friends on Skype, take a few deep breaths, get over it and move on. Good players realize that it's all just part of the game and if you get it in good and played correctly that's all that matters. When we let bad beats change our mood and change the way we feel about the game then the negativity will take over and you will lose because you've allowed yourself to become a loser, or should I say to think you are a loser.
There are two types of players who will have two different reactions when reading this blog and the 2+2 posts and their reactions will be either:
1. Wow this is good stuff and so true and I'll do better if I can just keep this in mind
or
2. This is bullshit I play well I'm doing everything right but I just run like crap and can't ever get ahead
If your reaction is the later then good luck and I imagine you won't be around here too long. If your reaction is the former then I don't look forward to running into you at the tables.
2+2 posts:
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3
I just changed my signature on the PokerVT forum to something I posted in the poker quotes thread, we often need to check our reality. I changed it to read: "The world economy is in the crapper, soldiers are dying in battle in the middle east, kids are going to bed hungry all over the world and I'm freaking out and going on tilt because my aces got cracked in a $5 sit-n-go." In the grand scheme of life having aces cracked is so insignificant.
One last thought: Getting your head around poker in the proper way takes time and it takes experience and it takes patience. If you don't agree with or understand my post or the linked posts you eventually will if you don't let your unbalanced brain get in the way. Realize that if you have only been playing a few months and don't have 1000+ games or 10K+ hands of cash yet you're just not there yet. Your play may be correct but your mind is probably not right yet nor do you have the experience it takes to win consistently yet. Poker doesn't come easy, it's hard work and it takes time and experience and patience to get it right.
Personally I'm just a little above break even right now but the changes in my thinking now compared to even 6 months ago is drastic. I believe over time and another 3000 games and another 25K hands of cash I will be a winning player if I can get and keep my mind straight and focused.
There are two types of players who will have two different reactions when reading this blog and the 2+2 posts and their reactions will be either:
1. Wow this is good stuff and so true and I'll do better if I can just keep this in mind
or
2. This is bullshit I play well I'm doing everything right but I just run like crap and can't ever get ahead
If your reaction is the later then good luck and I imagine you won't be around here too long. If your reaction is the former then I don't look forward to running into you at the tables.
2+2 posts:
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3
I just changed my signature on the PokerVT forum to something I posted in the poker quotes thread, we often need to check our reality. I changed it to read: "The world economy is in the crapper, soldiers are dying in battle in the middle east, kids are going to bed hungry all over the world and I'm freaking out and going on tilt because my aces got cracked in a $5 sit-n-go." In the grand scheme of life having aces cracked is so insignificant.
One last thought: Getting your head around poker in the proper way takes time and it takes experience and it takes patience. If you don't agree with or understand my post or the linked posts you eventually will if you don't let your unbalanced brain get in the way. Realize that if you have only been playing a few months and don't have 1000+ games or 10K+ hands of cash yet you're just not there yet. Your play may be correct but your mind is probably not right yet nor do you have the experience it takes to win consistently yet. Poker doesn't come easy, it's hard work and it takes time and experience and patience to get it right.
Personally I'm just a little above break even right now but the changes in my thinking now compared to even 6 months ago is drastic. I believe over time and another 3000 games and another 25K hands of cash I will be a winning player if I can get and keep my mind straight and focused.
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