Older wiser and less experienced
Hope all is well with the regular readers here on Pokersift. Its been a while, I drop in from time to time to check the regulars…some still here….some long gone. I guess blogging is a momentum and timing issue – as it is for me. Hope everyone is enjoying the best the holidays has to offer and surviving. Here in mightly Coldwater, Ontario we are getting pounded by the Apolcalypse in terms of snow fall…mighty hard winter.
First, an update. The poker career certainily has taken an interesting twist. With a second child, a real demanding job, and responsiblity to go with fatherhood, poker has fallen deep off the map.
While I still play, I guess its a lot less then it use to be and lot more focused. I concentrate on each SNG like its my last, play tight aggressive in the tournaments and try not to blow my BR playing cash games.
I stiill struggle as I always did with cash games, my SNG play sucked lately and the only part of my game that has yielded results is my tournament efforts. Not sure what stage it is – but that 50th – 100th range (in terms of place ) when you have 30k in chips and the blinds are 1k/2k with antes. Got there a few times and felt like I dummied all my chips off with a steal reraise one time, and a A8 all in from the button. Plays like that where you feel like – hmm – all in is my only play here with 10-15 BB.
I definitely need to focus on improving that decision making and using a better ICM combined with player reads to really maximize my tournament play. Its amazing how I have become a much better “feel” player – and can get to those stages by playing a looser style, while at the same time, getting to stages I have less experience in – and struggling to get through. Its rough when you invest 5 bucks and play for 5 hours, only to feel like you made a bone headed play and cash out for 8 bucks….with 2k waiting there. A whole 3$ profit!
I’ve rededicated myself to learning the game…as I reread the staple of poker books I own. I’ve started with the Little Black Book by Phil Gordon, call it a warm up – from there will reread Harrington’s and then deep into the Sklansky/Malmuth snoresville lineup. I still watch PxF and hope to become more regular and really focus on getting good. I’ve tried for years to be a top notch poker player, and feel like its only a matter of time when I catch a few outters to take me real deep to a final table finish.
That’s all. Let’s hope 2009 brings us all so good news. With all the economic disaster talk, the knee jerk reactions by all industries, I get the sense a few wins at the poker table are necessary!!!
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I think my game is pretty much at the same level as yours. Comfortable playing Harrington poker, but not really going deep that often in tournaments, and feeling frustrated that when cashing out double your buyin.
I have been reading a book by Mitchel Cogert which made me realize that in order to win big in tournaments you need to embrace risk.
Regards
Mark