Thoughts on Running Bad
So I continue to beat my head against the wall at the Muck this week on Tuesday. My bad run of sessions continues. I have not been able to play live that much so while is seems like a two month bad run it had only really been 4 sessions of live play in Washington this year. I guess I can look on the bright side that if I were playing every day it would be less than a week of playing. The downside is that is still feels like a two month bad run.
A couple of thoughts on the game up here in Seattle. I played at both Commerce in LA and the Muck in Seattle this last month. I can tell you without a doubt the game in Seattle is 50 times harder than the games in LA. There are not very many bad players in the game up here this last month so there are not really any easy spots to make money. I wish some fish would come back to the game up here. In one session this year we had a WSOP bracelet holder, a highly successful WSOP, WPT tournament player who plays very high, two full time pros, and the rest of the table were very good knowledgeable players. You could say that was actually a very shitty game to play in, but when left with the choice of either playing in that game or not playing at all, I make the choice to play. You just don't have the game selection options that you have in LA.
So what do I think about when running poorly. #1) Try to keep a positive outlook and table image. When you look down, get down, feel down the other players pick up on it. They already know you are running poorly and will pick on you when given the chance. There was a player last week who was running poorly at the table. He had raised the pot in middle position and was three bet by the button with Q,10 hearts. That is a very questionable three bet hand in that spot against this player, but he had been running poorly so the thought was I want to isolate this player and I will win the hand anyway. That did happen, and to his credit, the player who had been running poorly quit after that hand. He knew he was not going to win that night and recognized he was in a tough spot. Good management.
#2) Discipline. I try to tighten up when running poorly. Really tighten up. If you read my blog you know that I fight with good preflop discipline all the time. I really try to concentrate on this when I am getting the shit kicked out of me. Chasing weak hands only makes it worse.
#3) Take more breaks. After taking a stupid beat or playing a hand poorly take a break. Collect your thoughts, cool down, and try to refocus. You are already in a shitty state of mind because it sometimes feels like you will never win a pot. There was a stretch of time this week were I felt like I forgot how to play poker. I could not make a pair, I could not make a move, I could not make a draw, I was just getting run over. To top it off we were 4 and 5 handed so the variance was even higher. This makes it very hard to stay positive. Taking a break will at least try to get you back into the right frame of mind.
#4) Lastly, this too will pass. If you believe in your game and your skills it will turn. Just try to minimize the loss and come back and get them the next time.
Tuesday was a shitty session. I played $50/100 and lost 1 and 1/2 buyins. The curse of Dr. Chako lives still. I started losing before he even got to the casino as if I knew he was coming or already there. While I was taking a break I did sweat him a bit in the $4/8 game and then I watched him in the $10/20 game. If you read his blog you know he is going through a tough time at the tables as well. His is a bit self inflicted at this time however.
So how about a few thoughts on lower limits. #1) Discipline is KEY in lower limits. Be vary careful playing weak hands in early position. What I mean by that is playing hands that have a high probability of being dominated by hands that will most likely be in the pot from later position when they call. Hands like A,9, Q,10, K,J, 77's and below, etc. I would almost rather take 4,5 a 6,7 or 8,9 sooooted hand and raise in EP than call with those other hands. But only if you can get away from them when played back at or you miss. #2) You almost can never bluff in lower limits. You have to make a hand. Never try to force a hand through. If you don't have a strong hand after the flop don't try to bluff at 3 people. It almost never works. Lastly I subscribe to the thought of if you are going to open the pot, ALWAYS open for a raise, never ever limp. Even if you are going to play a weak hand. In lower limit games you want to drive as many players out of the pot as possible. Too many people see flops in the lower games. At least try to give people a reason to get out. In some of the bigger games it can be ok to limp with KK or AA's every once in a while to try and trap. NEVER do it in a $10/20 or lower game. You are just asking for 6 callers and a stupid hand to beat you.
If you noticed I have not talked about LAPC. I got my trip vaporized by work and will be unable to get down there. I am bummed about it, but hey it happens. Joe is ripping up the $40/80 games down there. Go JOE. He tells me the games are super fishy. Hope you are all winning and we will try to get them again next week. Talk to you soon...SJ
A couple of thoughts on the game up here in Seattle. I played at both Commerce in LA and the Muck in Seattle this last month. I can tell you without a doubt the game in Seattle is 50 times harder than the games in LA. There are not very many bad players in the game up here this last month so there are not really any easy spots to make money. I wish some fish would come back to the game up here. In one session this year we had a WSOP bracelet holder, a highly successful WSOP, WPT tournament player who plays very high, two full time pros, and the rest of the table were very good knowledgeable players. You could say that was actually a very shitty game to play in, but when left with the choice of either playing in that game or not playing at all, I make the choice to play. You just don't have the game selection options that you have in LA.
So what do I think about when running poorly. #1) Try to keep a positive outlook and table image. When you look down, get down, feel down the other players pick up on it. They already know you are running poorly and will pick on you when given the chance. There was a player last week who was running poorly at the table. He had raised the pot in middle position and was three bet by the button with Q,10 hearts. That is a very questionable three bet hand in that spot against this player, but he had been running poorly so the thought was I want to isolate this player and I will win the hand anyway. That did happen, and to his credit, the player who had been running poorly quit after that hand. He knew he was not going to win that night and recognized he was in a tough spot. Good management.
#2) Discipline. I try to tighten up when running poorly. Really tighten up. If you read my blog you know that I fight with good preflop discipline all the time. I really try to concentrate on this when I am getting the shit kicked out of me. Chasing weak hands only makes it worse.
#3) Take more breaks. After taking a stupid beat or playing a hand poorly take a break. Collect your thoughts, cool down, and try to refocus. You are already in a shitty state of mind because it sometimes feels like you will never win a pot. There was a stretch of time this week were I felt like I forgot how to play poker. I could not make a pair, I could not make a move, I could not make a draw, I was just getting run over. To top it off we were 4 and 5 handed so the variance was even higher. This makes it very hard to stay positive. Taking a break will at least try to get you back into the right frame of mind.
#4) Lastly, this too will pass. If you believe in your game and your skills it will turn. Just try to minimize the loss and come back and get them the next time.
Tuesday was a shitty session. I played $50/100 and lost 1 and 1/2 buyins. The curse of Dr. Chako lives still. I started losing before he even got to the casino as if I knew he was coming or already there. While I was taking a break I did sweat him a bit in the $4/8 game and then I watched him in the $10/20 game. If you read his blog you know he is going through a tough time at the tables as well. His is a bit self inflicted at this time however.
So how about a few thoughts on lower limits. #1) Discipline is KEY in lower limits. Be vary careful playing weak hands in early position. What I mean by that is playing hands that have a high probability of being dominated by hands that will most likely be in the pot from later position when they call. Hands like A,9, Q,10, K,J, 77's and below, etc. I would almost rather take 4,5 a 6,7 or 8,9 sooooted hand and raise in EP than call with those other hands. But only if you can get away from them when played back at or you miss. #2) You almost can never bluff in lower limits. You have to make a hand. Never try to force a hand through. If you don't have a strong hand after the flop don't try to bluff at 3 people. It almost never works. Lastly I subscribe to the thought of if you are going to open the pot, ALWAYS open for a raise, never ever limp. Even if you are going to play a weak hand. In lower limit games you want to drive as many players out of the pot as possible. Too many people see flops in the lower games. At least try to give people a reason to get out. In some of the bigger games it can be ok to limp with KK or AA's every once in a while to try and trap. NEVER do it in a $10/20 or lower game. You are just asking for 6 callers and a stupid hand to beat you.
If you noticed I have not talked about LAPC. I got my trip vaporized by work and will be unable to get down there. I am bummed about it, but hey it happens. Joe is ripping up the $40/80 games down there. Go JOE. He tells me the games are super fishy. Hope you are all winning and we will try to get them again next week. Talk to you soon...SJ
posted by Seattlejohn at 6:15 PM
1 Comments:
Exactly. I just posted basically the same thing. Thanks again.
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