Lessons Learned For Phase 6

For the reader who dared trawl through the lengthy history of my poker journey so far way back in December of last year, it wouldn't have escaped notice that the lifetime path through this great game we call poker can be broken up into phases. For me, it is my belief that these phases are leading up to something more and more meaningful and I thoroughly believe that each one is a kind of stepping stone in making me stronger and better as a player. Phases 1-4 have all been explained in that long post while Phase 5 has unraveled over this year and is documented in this here blog of mine. Needless to say, some lessons have been learned and, for the record, I'm going to outline them right here.


Four big meta-game changes will be made to my game in 2012 (The Start of Phase 6):

1.  Phase 6 will begin in 2012 when my new-found attitude towards money will hopefully see my game taking off in a new and more fulfilling direction. This will involve a much less precious, almost indifferent, attitude towards my bankroll with the idea of cutting out my results-orientated way of thinking which was getting in the way of my game. These were small issues that I allowed to creep into my head but which I have now come to realise are poisons that no half-decent poker player should allow to fester in their consciousness.

2.  The consumption of alcohol while at the table will either be cut back drastically or cut out altogether. This problem has made a huge difference to my bottom line this year and my game can only improve without it. I guess you could say that as an amateur player, having the odd beer and getting sozzled at the table once in a while shouldn't be a problem - BUT, as I will be considering myself a "semi-pro" next year, excessive alcohol intake at the tables will just have to STOP.

3.  Online poker will be much less of a focus for me in 2012. This year, after paying around $2500 in rake alone and barely breaking even, something is telling me that my fortune is not going to be made on the virtual felt. The reality (at higher levels anyway) is that it has now become the domain of "maths wizards" who play huge volumes in bulk (multi-tabling) and who have, as a unit, thanks to 3rd party software tools, pretty much monopolized the market. The result is that the shark to fish ratio has tipped so heavily in favour of the sharks that it's just harder to even find the fish anymore let alone take their money before someone else does.

Also, in comparison to the live game where you can take things easy and study various tells, online poker is a bit like playing poker on crack. It is super-convenient and easy to settle into; it always has the allure that manages to call you back and it always seems to convince you that the big win you are hoping for is just around the corner.  Still, while it is true that I will no doubt head back to it, I think I'll need a more stable strategy than making endless cycles of deposits and withdrawals  - which is what I always just end up doing. It may even be that I just stick to satellites in future, but I'll see.

4.  In 2012, my results will now be my business and my business only (and this will also likely mean the end of this blog). As I also mentioned in a previous post, giving out results is just an ego-driven way of proving to the world that you are a winning player - but, I have since realised, it is not the world that you have to prove this to - the world didn't ask to see the results and it's none of their business anyway! Profits and losses are considerations for the individual player and the individual player only.

Also, giving out results left right and centre can only bring unnecessary pressure on yourself. When you're winning, you're just proving what you set out to do in the first place but when you're losing or are on a losing run, you are forced to tell others of your loss and it's just too easy to make yourself out to be a victim - and that's not a very good state to be in. Furthermore, it is easy to perceive that non-poker players, who know nothing of variance, may actually see you as a loser - and just that thought alone can also mean quite a bit of a hit to the ol' ego. So, yeh, best to keep results to yourself.     

---------------

These are the four main changes I will be making to my game that do not involve actual hand to hand combat. That area will be improved by in-game practice and studying the game as part of the ongoing process. (I am currently reading some very useful books that I recently ordered off Amazon.) So there you have it. These are the main things that Phase 5 has taught me and what I intend to do about it when I launch into Phase 6 next year. In an upcoming post I'll review the month of November and clear the way for the final home straight that is the month of December. Will it be a crawl to the line or a sprint finish?

The answer, my friend, may only be held in my buttocks or, perhaps, may be blowing in the wind that contains the gas that just emanated from between my buttocks.

Until next time...

Uncle Wobble.