Prose from a Poshboy

[cambridgealex]

Builders outside banging so loudly its shaking the whole house so obv can't sleep. I'm interested in all your suggestions to play online. (Are you sure it's safe? How much can you lose? etc)

These are my problems with it-

1) Most of the time, I don't enjoy playing online. The whole appeal to playing poker for a living is cos 90% of days I fkn love it and have a great time during my sessions. Even losing sessions most of the time I come home thinking it was a fun night even if I lost. If I don't enjoy what I do then my reasons for dropping out and choosing this path become farcical. As I've said b4 25k/year live poker pro >>> 50k a year banker. Similarly in 10 years time. 50k/year poker pro>>>100k a year banker.

2) It doesn't play to my strengths. I don't have HM or any software, how are you supposed to know who's a fish and who's not without this. How can you get reads off people without any information other than a sn? Live you can basically just look at someone and use basic stereotypes and work out how they're likely to play pretty accurately.

3) Isn't 50/1 online supposed to be pretty tough this days? Games full of regs, very high reg:fish ratio how can it be that easy? Would I even be a winning player?

4) Are you all suggesting this because I've had a bad losing month? Or looking at the entire 6months and thinking I should do something different? Because 1 losing month in 6 isn't too bad. I only know two other guys who have played at DTD for a living for 2/3 years Mitch/Deadman and I think they both have had 4/5 losing months in that time (roughly, not sure) so it's not uncommon at all.

[bookiebasher]

Mitch 4-5 losing months ?

Are we still doing April Fools ?

Pics or never happened.

Great diary by the way Alex .

[cambridgealex]

Mitch 4-5 losing months ?

Are we still doing April Fools ?

Pics or never happened.

Great diary by the way Alex .

Thanks Jim. Maybe it was only 3. Not sure. Seems unlikely I realise. 

[WotRTheChances]

Are you at the club tonight? We can discuss playing online if you'd like. I have a few mates who play online and do very well from it, but the games you play and motivation/concentration are big factors in that. I could do that, but chose not to put in the volume they do, so don't take online that seriously. There are very beatable games out there, if you know where to look, you don't need HEM either (although I have it).

[Mondeoman]

I’m waiting for a skip to be delivered so until it arrives here are some words of wisdom.
Apologies if any of it comes of as patronising etc its not intended that way…

Don’t get too down with a losing month – In poker the downswings due to variance are much higher than you ever think they will be.  During the bad times you have to think about it positively and think this is what will separate you from the other players.  It’s the easiest game in the world when you’re winning but when you really earn your money is by minimising losses and not tilting.  Whenever you get unlucky you need to see it as a test.  In short do whatever you can not to tilt – this IMO is one of the biggest factors that seperates average players from good players.
Don’t know if this will make you feel better or worse but to give you an idea my biggest downswing lasted about 100,000 hands and 30 buy ins.  I think any downswing you have should be less though as you should have a bigger edge in a live 0.5/1 game than I have in my games.
If I was a good live pro I think id have to expect to have 2-3 losing months a year due to few number of hands you play.

I think your bankroll is way too small.  Firstly it puts you at risk of going broke.  Secondly I don’t see how you can make optimal plays if you know one bad move could cost you 10% of your roll.  Finally if you are losing amounts that hurt your roll significantly it makes you pretty unhappy (and life is all about maximising happiness).
 
My advice would be have a separate life and poker roll.
Easier said than done I know when you don’t have much cash.  I remember you saying somewhere in your blog you can play some low level tournies online which were boring but was like printing money slowly.  Well my advice would be get playing those games and put some serious hours in and build your roll.  I understand that you don’t like online/prefer live etc.  The online grind isn’t forever but you may have to do it for a few months just while you build a roll.  Playing lots of hands will also be good for your game.
Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like but as long as its short term and you will eventually be able to do what you really want to do it will be worth it.

I think you are correct in thinking even 0.5/1 online games are tough.  Its also easier to tilt online because you are playing so many more hands the games are more agrressive and the action comes round a lot faster.  If you are going to play online I strongly advise you get PT or HM.  Fish stick out a mile online because of their stats – its easy enough to learn.
I watched a guy play recently who had table selecting software that located the soft tables for him – I don’t use this personally because there just aren’t that many games running at my stakes but it seemed to be a pretty good tool to have. 

Keep the faith and don’t panic – its amazing how quickly confidence can evaporate during a downswing.  If you keep working at your game I’m sure you will be a success.


Now where’s this bloody skip?

[kinboshi]

I’m waiting for a skip to be delivered so until it arrives here are some words of wisdom.
Apologies if any of it comes of as patronising etc its not intended that way…

Don’t get too down with a losing month – In poker the downswings due to variance are much higher than you ever think they will be.  During the bad times you have to think about it positively and think this is what will separate you from the other players.  It’s the easiest game in the world when you’re winning but when you really earn your money is by minimising losses and not tilting.  Whenever you get unlucky you need to see it as a test.  In short do whatever you can not to tilt – this IMO is one of the biggest factors that seperates average players from good players.
Don’t know if this will make you feel better or worse but to give you an idea my biggest downswing lasted about 100,000 hands and 30 buy ins.  I think any downswing you have should be less though as you should have a bigger edge in a live 0.5/1 game than I have in my games.
If I was a good live pro I think id have to expect to have 2-3 losing months a year due to few number of hands you play.

I think your bankroll is way too small.  Firstly it puts you at risk of going broke.  Secondly I don’t see how you can make optimal plays if you know one bad move could cost you 10% of your roll.  Finally if you are losing amounts that hurt your roll significantly it makes you pretty unhappy (and life is all about maximising happiness).
 
My advice would be have a separate life and poker roll.
Easier said than done I know when you don’t have much cash.  I remember you saying somewhere in your blog you can play some low level tournies online which were boring but was like printing money slowly.  Well my advice would be get playing those games and put some serious hours in and build your roll.  I understand that you don’t like online/prefer live etc.  The online grind isn’t forever but you may have to do it for a few months just while you build a roll.  Playing lots of hands will also be good for your game.
Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like but as long as its short term and you will eventually be able to do what you really want to do it will be worth it.

I think you are correct in thinking even 0.5/1 online games are tough.  Its also easier to tilt online because you are playing so many more hands the games are more agrressive and the action comes round a lot faster.  If you are going to play online I strongly advise you get PT or HM.  Fish stick out a mile online because of their stats – its easy enough to learn.
I watched a guy play recently who had table selecting software that located the soft tables for him – I don’t use this personally because there just aren’t that many games running at my stakes but it seemed to be a pretty good tool to have. 

Keep the faith and don’t panic – its amazing how quickly confidence can evaporate during a downswing.  If you keep working at your game I’m sure you will be a success.


Now where’s this bloody skip?

Excellent post imo.

[stato_1]

Builders outside banging so loudly its shaking the whole house so obv can't sleep. I'm interested in all your suggestions to play online. (Are you sure it's safe? How much can you lose? etc)

These are my problems with it-

1) Most of the time, I don't enjoy playing online. The whole appeal to playing poker for a living is cos 90% of days I fkn love it and have a great time during my sessions. Even losing sessions most of the time I come home thinking it was a fun night even if I lost. If I don't enjoy what I do then my reasons for dropping out and choosing this path become farcical. As I've said b4 25k/year live poker pro >>> 50k a year banker. Similarly in 10 years time. 50k/year poker pro>>>100k a year banker.

2) It doesn't play to my strengths. I don't have HM or any software, how are you supposed to know who's a fish and who's not without this. How can you get reads off people without any information other than a sn? Live you can basically just look at someone and use basic stereotypes and work out how they're likely to play pretty accurately.

3) Isn't 50/1 online supposed to be pretty tough this days? Games full of regs, very high reg:fish ratio how can it be that easy? Would I even be a winning player?

4) Are you all suggesting this because I've had a bad losing month? Or looking at the entire 6months and thinking I should do something different? Because 1 losing month in 6 isn't too bad. I only know two other guys who have played at DTD for a living for 2/3 years Mitch/Deadman and I think they both have had 4/5 losing months in that time (roughly, not sure) so it's not uncommon at all.

1) no comment
2) Erm... Get holdem manager
3) Sort of. Stiil fish around tho. Even so ur an intelligent guy, grind, improve, and beat the regs. It will improve ur game if ur not instantly a winner
4) Its probably sparked by the fact you had a losing month but i think all the advice is pretty solid advice either way. Particularly Keefs post

[Dubai]

are the 0.5-1 games really tough online? i mean come on? REALLY?? Surely tough in this case just means they are playing an exact abc style ie 18/15 and 3bet a range of suited connectors and big hands. Not exactly gonna take a lot of thinking to beat that surely

[Skippy]

are the 0.5-1 games really tough online? i mean come on? REALLY?? Surely tough in this case just means they are playing an exact abc style ie 18/15 and 3bet a range of suited connectors and big hands. Not exactly gonna take a lot of thinking to beat that surely

I love how "18/15 and 3bet a range of suited connectors and big hands" is suddenly ABC poker. Sounds like a tough, solid player. If you think that is easy to beat, I'm definitely subscribing to your training site.

[Dubai]

How can it be hard if u know exactly what they are doing? It might have been a tough style 3 years ago, now its the norm and id suggest a tough style is someone who thinks differently from everyone else.

Just because something is considered good and the way to play, doesnt make it correct. Usuallly its the people that are doing something different and thinking creatively that are going to be in front of the game, not just a normal 12 tabling reg who is happy to win 2bb/100. To anyone good, the regs are more exploitable and profitable in the longterm than the fish. Fish come and go, regs win enough of the fish to survive so they can afford to lose to the actual good players

[Skippy]

How can it be hard if u know exactly what they are doing?

Just because you know what they are doing, doesn't mean you can do anything about it.

It might have been a tough style 3 years ago, now its the norm and id suggest a tough style is someone who thinks differently from everyone else.

Just because something is considered good and the way to play, doesnt make it correct. Usuallly its the people that are doing something different and thinking creatively that are going to be in front of the game, not just a normal 12 tabling reg who is happy to win 2bb/100.

I'd agree, but I think that a strategy that can beat these players "doesn't exactly require much thought" as you said in your first post is nonsense. 99% of people who are doing something "different" are doing something "wrong", and are called fish. It's only the 1% of players that are doing something different that are big winners. I understand that you are probably in the 1%, and I'm glad you've found it easy. MBN, etc.

To anyone good, the regs are more exploitable and profitable in the longterm than the fish. Fish come and go, regs win enough of the fish to survive so they can afford to lose to the actual good player

Yes, but like I say, being "good" is not as easy as you think. I think if you break down the %ages, 90% of players are losing players. Of the rest, 5% break even, another 4.5% are winning regs, and 0.5% of players are in the category you describe. It's a tough bracket to get into.

[outragous76]

How can it be hard if u know exactly what they are doing?

Just because you know what they are doing, doesn't mean you can do anything about it.

It might have been a tough style 3 years ago, now its the norm and id suggest a tough style is someone who thinks differently from everyone else.

Just because something is considered good and the way to play, doesnt make it correct. Usuallly its the people that are doing something different and thinking creatively that are going to be in front of the game, not just a normal 12 tabling reg who is happy to win 2bb/100.

I'd agree, but I think that a strategy that can beat these players "doesn't exactly require much thought" as you said in your first post is nonsense. 99% of people who are doing something "different" are doing something "wrong", and are called fish. It's only the 1% of players that are doing something different that are big winners. I understand that you are probably in the 1%, and I'm glad you've found it easy. MBN, etc.

To anyone good, the regs are more exploitable and profitable in the longterm than the fish. Fish come and go, regs win enough of the fish to survive so they can afford to lose to the actual good player

Yes, but like I say, being "good" is not as easy as you think. I think if you break down the %ages, 90% of players are losing players. Of the rest, 5% break even, another 4.5% are winning regs, and 0.5% of players are in the category you describe. It's a tough bracket to get into.

lol if you think regs arent expoitable!

[GreekStein]

I play $0.50/1 rush hold em sometimes because I don't want my NL game to be rusty and its pretty easy. I'd expect you do beat it for like 5-10bb/100.

[SuuPRlim]

How can it be hard if u know exactly what they are doing? It might have been a tough style 3 years ago, now its the norm and id suggest a tough style is someone who thinks differently from everyone else.

Just because something is considered good and the way to play, doesnt make it correct. Usuallly its the people that are doing something different and thinking creatively that are going to be in front of the game, not just a normal 12 tabling reg who is happy to win 2bb/100. To anyone good, the regs are more exploitable and profitable in the longterm than the fish. Fish come and go, regs win enough of the fish to survive so they can afford to lose to the actual good players

This so much. In the games I play in the reg pools are kinda smaller, there is always two of the group at the table at any one point, so what do you do? Jusst put lots of work in on to exploit there style's most effectively - the fish are akways going to be easy to play against so it's crushing the regs we need to work on.

i think Alex in your opinion you see the internet as too much of a grind, and grinding the cheeseburger stakes hard for a time is a bit tedious and grindy but it's just part of the parcel and if you dont wanna go broke it's what you have to do imo - i would suggest a euro site though. as you can get better RB reals and the regs tend to be slightly worse

[Sack it off]

How can it be hard if u know exactly what they are doing? It might have been a tough style 3 years ago, now its the norm and id suggest a tough style is someone who thinks differently from everyone else.

Just because something is considered good and the way to play, doesnt make it correct. Usuallly its the people that are doing something different and thinking creatively that are going to be in front of the game, not just a normal 12 tabling reg who is happy to win 2bb/100. To anyone good, the regs are more exploitable and profitable in the longterm than the fish. Fish come and go, regs win enough of the fish to survive so they can afford to lose to the actual good players

This is the right attitude