Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

do you think the cash games at dtd have got harder or maybe that people know your game better?

^^^  This

BTW...how's the back?

Much improved. Only another 35° and I'll be upright.

[TheChipPrince]

Can I ask Tom what you consider to be the figure you would be 'happy' to be your profit figure per month?

[RED-DOG]

Can I ask Tom what you consider to be the figure you would be 'happy' to be your profit figure per month?

That's a tougher question than you might think. I've never had a regular wage. I've always managed on whatever I get, and tried to get more.

I suppose I need £300/400 to break even.

[byronkincaid]

what new stuff have you learnt about poker this year? how many hands have you posted on PHA? how many replies have you posted before someone good comes on and says the answer? how much poker maths have you done this year? what 2+2 strat forums do you read? have you read the CTS book? not having HEM is like a doctor not having a stethoscope btw. if everyone else is doing this and you're not why on earth would you think you can beat them?

some homework to (perhaps) start you off. you have some top pair hand on the river. your opponent bets and is indicating he either has you beat or is bluffing with a missed draw. how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a half pot bet? how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a full pot bet? how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a 1.5x pot bet? what does this indicate about betsizing rivers?

 

[RED-DOG]

what new stuff have you learnt about poker this year? how many hands have you posted on PHA? how many replies have you posted before someone good comes on and says the answer? how much poker maths have you done this year? what 2+2 strat forums do you read? have you read the CTS book? not having HEM is like a doctor not having a stethoscope btw. if everyone else is doing this and you're not why on earth would you think you can beat them?

some homework to (perhaps) start you off. you have some top pair hand on the river. your opponent bets and is indicating he either has you beat or is bluffing with a missed draw. how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a half pot bet? how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a full pot bet? how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a 1.5x pot bet? what does this indicate about betsizing rivers?

 

what new stuff have you learnt about poker this year?

I've learned that if you run bad, you can't win. (Sorry Byron. Proper answer on it's way)

[Tonji]

Maybe consider coaching from a player you trust, if only just to boast confidence or to find a new way forward, a new way of thinking...

btw not qualified, I just splash around in pokers pond, normally floundering with no direction 

Best of luck Red.

[RED-DOG]

what new stuff have you learnt about poker this year? how many hands have you posted on PHA? how many replies have you posted before someone good comes on and says the answer? how much poker maths have you done this year? what 2+2 strat forums do you read? have you read the CTS book? not having HEM is like a doctor not having a stethoscope btw. if everyone else is doing this and you're not why on earth would you think you can beat them?

some homework to (perhaps) start you off. you have some top pair hand on the river. your opponent bets and is indicating he either has you beat or is bluffing with a missed draw. how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a half pot bet? how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a full pot bet? how often does he have to be bluffing for you to call a 1.5x pot bet? what does this indicate about betsizing rivers?

 

what new stuff have you learnt about poker this year?

I don't know if I've learned anything about poker this year, but I've learned a few things about the people who play it.

I've learned that a certain player in the cash game at DTD always talks loudly when he has it, but stays silent when he doesn't. Another player, who used to be a huge fish, has improved his game no end. A third player, who just appeard out of the blue, but has become a regular, never enters a pot unless he has a premium hand. He makes massive overbets with pocket pairs, but tries to see cheap flops with AK/AQ. I Never show bluffs, but I've learned that one guy takes it as a personal insult if you bluff him off a pot, and he then goes on tilt and targets you....

how many hands have you posted on PHA? how many replies have you posted before someone good comes on and says the answer?

As you know, I don't post on PHA. I just can't accept the theory that insulting people who ask polite questions is "Good for them" or "It will toughen them up". I don't like the "I know the answer to this, and if you don't, you're a retard" attitude.

Oh of course I know that not everyone is like that on PHA, but it doesn't take many bad apples to spoil a barrel.

Although I don't post on PHA, I do read it on occasion, and I see some stunning analysis, but it's usually after the analyser has considered everyone else's thoughts, and then sat back and had a think about it for a while. I'm not saying that this isn't extremely helpful, but you don't get that luxury when you're playing.



how much poker maths have you done this year?


I have to admit that I don't really know what poker math is. I know the approximate odds for filling my draws (Or for my opponent filling his) but everything else is subjective. i.e "What are the odds he will fold if I bet the river?"


what 2+2 strat forums do you read?

Some, but only occasionally.


have you read the CTS book?

No, what is it?


not having HEM is like a doctor not having a stethoscope btw. if everyone else is doing this and you're not why on earth would you think you can beat them?

I'm sure you're right here Byron, but I just hate the whole concept. This is one of the main reasons I will probably end up concentrating on live cash games.

Do you think HEM is equally important for online STT/MTTs?

The "Homework"

I would probably get the answers wrong, but I would be basing my decisions on a lot of factors. How has he been playing? Is he winning or losing? Is he aggressive or passive?  How much of his stack is he betting? How big is the pot in relation to amount he has pulled up? Have we played many pots together? What is my table image at this point? etc etc.


Great input Byron, I appreciate it.

[Dingdell]

1. State of mind is very important imo. Go play somewhere else for a few days, you don't know them they don't know you. Chances are you are much better then them so you will feel superior  and unbeateable after a few hands. Get the measure of the table, make a few quid and leave. Rinse and repeat. Go back to DTD feeling great, make money.

2. Watching the snow boarding on tv last night - you have to watch it - 4 guys on the most amazingly long cross country run down the mountain, lots of jumps twists and turns, vying for front position. Heart in the mouth job.

[EvilPie]

Just an observation Tom but do you think you've maybe become too friendly in your regular game at DTD?

I see all the banter and there's always a laugh going on and it seems like you have a lot of fun playing.

Could this be affecting your game at all. These people although your friends are also your source of income. You should be studying their play to find weaknesses to give you an opportunity to take their hard earned away from them.

I can't help but think that this may be less important at the moment than having fun and taking the mick out of each other's desire to eat more food.

Obviously when you're in a hand you're more serious but you need to be focussed 100% during the whole game. Start taking notes on players. I mean written notes not mental notes and see if you can see any patterns. Study their big pots especially if they go to showdown. Note what cards they 3 bet with, what they flat with etc.....

I know it seems like a pain but it's important to know these things and could give you an edge. You may end up spending an hour of you 6 hour session writing notes. As this is your job I think spending an hour this way is better than spending it joking about and missing what's going on in hands you're not involved in.

In online play all this can be done afterwards using your software. I find it helpful to review hands after a session and make notes on players when the game's over. Obviously this can't be done in live play but it wouldn't hurt to leave the table for 2 minutes to make a voice recording of a big pot.

[EvilPie]

Although I don't post on PHA, I do read it on occasion, and I see some stunning analysis, but it's usually after the analyser has considered everyone else's thoughts, and then sat back and had a think about it for a while. I'm not saying that this isn't extremely helpful, but you don't get that luxury when you're playing.

The idea of analysing a hand afterwards is to see where you went wrong. Of course we all have plenty of time to think and some even change their mind during the course of a thread but that's the whole idea.

You play a hand. You analyse the hell out it at your leisure and discuss it on the forum. Next time it comes up you play it better or at least don't make a complete hash of it.

You don't get the luxury of time while you're playing but if you don't use that luxury afterwards how are you going to stop it happening again.

If you were put in an awkward spot in a regular day to day job and didn't have a good answer to a question what would your reaction be? Would you go home and think "well next time he asks I won't have the luxury of time again so I'll just forget about it". Or would you maybe do a bit of research so that next time you were asked the same question you could give a complete and accurate answer and maybe even know a bit more than the person who put you in that spot?

Poker is your job Tom. Your job the same as any job requires training.

Do some training and you will improve your abilities in your job imo.

[RED-DOG]

Just an observation Tom but do you think you've maybe become too friendly in your regular game at DTD?

I see all the banter and there's always a laugh going on and it seems like you have a lot of fun playing.

Could this be affecting your game at all. These people although your friends are also your source of income. You should be studying their play to find weaknesses to give you an opportunity to take their hard earned away from them.

I can't help but think that this may be less important at the moment than having fun and taking the mick out of each other's desire to eat more food.

Obviously when you're in a hand you're more serious but you need to be focussed 100% during the whole game. Start taking notes on players. I mean written notes not mental notes and see if you can see any patterns. Study their big pots especially if they go to showdown. Note what cards they 3 bet with, what they flat with etc.....

I know it seems like a pain but it's important to know these things and could give you an edge. You may end up spending an hour of you 6 hour session writing notes. As this is your job I think spending an hour this way is better than spending it joking about and missing what's going on in hands you're not involved in.

In online play all this can be done afterwards using your software. I find it helpful to review hands after a session and make notes on players when the game's over. Obviously this can't be done in live play but it wouldn't hurt to leave the table for 2 minutes to make a voice recording of a big pot.

Great advice again Matt, although it is difficult not to take the piss out od people who eat more than me.

Seriously, I think I'm guilty if believing that I would still be a winning player if I wasn't running so bad.

I just don't know atm.

[EvilPie]

Just an observation Tom but do you think you've maybe become too friendly in your regular game at DTD?

I see all the banter and there's always a laugh going on and it seems like you have a lot of fun playing.

Could this be affecting your game at all. These people although your friends are also your source of income. You should be studying their play to find weaknesses to give you an opportunity to take their hard earned away from them.

I can't help but think that this may be less important at the moment than having fun and taking the mick out of each other's desire to eat more food.

Obviously when you're in a hand you're more serious but you need to be focussed 100% during the whole game. Start taking notes on players. I mean written notes not mental notes and see if you can see any patterns. Study their big pots especially if they go to showdown. Note what cards they 3 bet with, what they flat with etc.....

I know it seems like a pain but it's important to know these things and could give you an edge. You may end up spending an hour of you 6 hour session writing notes. As this is your job I think spending an hour this way is better than spending it joking about and missing what's going on in hands you're not involved in.

In online play all this can be done afterwards using your software. I find it helpful to review hands after a session and make notes on players when the game's over. Obviously this can't be done in live play but it wouldn't hurt to leave the table for 2 minutes to make a voice recording of a big pot.

Great advice again Matt, although it is difficult not to take the piss out od people who eat more than me Mitch and Neil.

Seriously, I think I'm guilty if believing that I would still be a winning player if I wasn't running so bad.

I just don't know atm.

You might be running bad in the big pots but do know how you're running in the small pots?

As a professional player it's the small pots that should be your bread and butter. The big pots are a bonus.

How many spots do you think you may miss to nick the odd small pot here and there? Most people switch off when the small pots are being played. Try studying them more closely. Small pots are usually won by mediocre hands. Who's involved in the small pots? Who's winning all the small pots? Can they be targetted to pick up a few quid here and there?

[RED-DOG]

You might be running bad in the big pots but do know how you're running in the small pots?

That's a good point.

[GreekStein]

Hi Tom,

From someone who's just gone through his biggest online downswing in terms of number of buy ins I'm really glad you've brought a topic like this up. However, mine has been completely different to yours. I've been playing at the wrong times, in a bad mindset and just not trying to win hard enough. I can't really complain too much about bad variance though for sure I've run below EV too, which never helps.

Whilst Byron has said what I was going to say I also think that maybe you should talk to the other regs in the game. I don't mean to step on anyone's toes as it's not to someone like Mitch's advantage to tell you what his opinion of your leaks but I'm sure a few of the guys won't mind. In the games I play in here in London, usually at places like the Empire and Big Slick the decent regs will talk about hands and play away from the table. If you don't like dissecting hands on PHA (and btw the tone is far less aggro the last 3 or 4 months) then try and do it with people you respect. Ding Flushy or Alex Martin or anyone who's game you respect a pm even?

Now I've played against you probably only 3 or 4 times and I know you should definitely be a winning reg in that game at DTD from you're style so I'm confident that your run will turn around. But if you take the advice people are giving on here it will definitely turn faster.

Finally, and I hope you don't mind me posting this on here but some months ago (October I think) myself, you, Hopkin and Kinboshi were playing in a cash game at DTD where the following hand took place (amounts aren't exact but similar). There was a straddle to £4 in the game and one flat call when Hopkin raised to £20 on the button. You called from the big blind and the limper also called. The flop was K64 and you both checked to Hopkin who led for £40. You raised to something like £110 and Hopkin moved all in. You passed showing KJ. You were right to fold as the clown faced luckbox had the aces but you 'raised for information' which is only going to be a play that costs you money in the long run. The only card that really scares you on the turn is an Ace and Hopkin is either bluffing or had you beat. By raising him here you shut out worse hands and lose value and only keep better hands in the pot (losing money yourself). If you had called and seen a King or particularly a jack on the turn you stood to win a big pot for stacks on the turn.

I know I've probably come across as a know-it-all but I didn't want to - I'm just hurriedly writing before the end of lunch. Try and make tweaks to your game all the time and make changes and improvements. I know not everyone is 24/7 poker obsessed like I am but a little study and discussion helps.

Good luck!

[RED-DOG]

Hi Tom,

From someone who's just gone through his biggest online downswing in terms of number of buy ins I'm really glad you've brought a topic like this up. However, mine has been completely different to yours. I've been playing at the wrong times, in a bad mindset and just not trying to win hard enough. I can't really complain too much about bad variance though for sure I've run below EV too, which never helps.

Whilst Byron has said what I was going to say I also think that maybe you should talk to the other regs in the game. I don't mean to step on anyone's toes as it's not to someone like Mitch's advantage to tell you what his opinion of your leaks but I'm sure a few of the guys won't mind. In the games I play in here in London, usually at places like the Empire and Big Slick the decent regs will talk about hands and play away from the table. If you don't like dissecting hands on PHA (and btw the tone is far less aggro the last 3 or 4 months) then try and do it with people you respect. Ding Flushy or Alex Martin or anyone who's game you respect a pm even?

Now I've played against you probably only 3 or 4 times and I know you should definitely be a winning reg in that game at DTD from you're style so I'm confident that your run will turn around. But if you take the advice people are giving on here it will definitely turn faster.

Finally, and I hope you don't mind me posting this on here but some months ago (October I think) myself, you, Hopkin and Kinboshi were playing in a cash game at DTD where the following hand took place (amounts aren't exact but similar). There was a straddle to £4 in the game and one flat call when Hopkin raised to £20 on the button. You called from the big blind and the limper also called. The flop was K64 and you both checked to Hopkin who led for £40. You raised to something like £110 and Hopkin moved all in. You passed showing KJ. You were right to fold as the clown faced luckbox had the aces but you 'raised for information' which is only going to be a play that costs you money in the long run. The only card that really scares you on the turn is an Ace and Hopkin is either bluffing or had you beat. By raising him here you shut out worse hands and lose value and only keep better hands in the pot (losing money yourself). If you had called and seen a King or particularly a jack on the turn you stood to win a big pot for stacks on the turn.

I know I've probably come across as a know-it-all but I didn't want to - I'm just hurriedly writing before the end of lunch. Try and make tweaks to your game all the time and make changes and improvements. I know not everyone is 24/7 poker obsessed like I am but a little study and discussion helps.

Good luck!

Thanks for taking the time to post Cos. I appreciate it.

I remember the clown hand well btw.