Today I folded KK pre-flop without anyone raising before me. Doh! I was playing 4 tables at the time and hit the fold button on the wrong table. When the flop came JJK I felt sick because one other player was betting his Jack. I’ve been 4-tabling for a few months and haven’t made any mistakes like that previously. At the time I was arguing with a player at one of the other tables so I wasn’t fully paying attention when I should have. Maybe I should just turn chat off.
Tag: Tilt
Review: Killer Poker Online
I’ve read some columns by John Vorhaus online and enjoyed what I read. His book, Killer Poker Online: Crushing the Internet Game, is a completely different story. The book is a waste of time and money. I’m glad a friend bought the book for me or I would have been very disappointed in the read.
I read the book expecting to get some new insights into online poker. I was looking for strategy and examples of online play. In the first paragraph of the Introduction, Vorhaus writes:
…I want to put forth the startling idea that, hey, maybe Internet poker’s not such a hot idea…
What? Is this really in a book about crushing the Internet game? Instead of reading about poker strategy, the book taught me the basics of how online poker works. Chapter 2 is titled “The Mechanics of the Thing” and explains the computer recommendations for running a poker client, what a screen name is, what the lobby is, play money tables, hand history logs, setting your options and various other things.
Back to the Grind
Last night after work I decided to step back into the ring. I had some cash left in my UB account so I sat down at two $1/2 6-max tables. It was more of the same. Suckouts everywhere. They are causing me to go on tilt. I see tilt coming, but it’s too late. This […]
Tilt Steering
Tilt is probably the part of poker that is capable of eating away at our bankrolls faster than anything else. Especially for us amateurs. I know I still struggle with it at times and it costs me dearly. Last night was one of those nights.
I found a couple of great 6-max $2/4 games at UB and saddled up for the ride. Talk about a roller coaster! There were a few times where I lost control and it proved deadly. I ended up down about 25 BB for the night and the loss was all due to a few periods of tilt. If I could have controlled my emotions, I would have easily walked away from the tables a winner on the night.
Since my switch to UB on Friday I’ve found great games each time I play. Last night was no exception. In fact, I’ve never come across games like this online. Maybe everyone likes to blow off some steam after a stressful Monday at work, but these people are nuts! I was playing two tables the entire session and at one point, both tables had a pre-flop raise percentage of over 25%. Yes, that 2-5, 25%. On one of the tables I had a player raising pre-flop 50% of the time, another at 20% and another at 16%. Remember, this is all at the same table. I’ve never seen anything close to this bad at Party. NEVER EVER!
So what do I do? I have the winning hand all the way and get beat on the river. Ok, fine, shit happens right? No…I go on tilt for a couple of hands and give away a few BB. I don’t just do this once. I do it several times over the course of the session. Each time I realize it and quickly adjust, but it’s already too late. I’ve given away precious bets. If I had just been able to eliminate the tilt factor, I would have won for the night. Sometimes you have to pay for your lessons though.
I was actually down about 75 BB at one point, was then back to a few big bets ahead, and then back down to where I finally called it quits. It’s frustrating to know that I played like shit in the best position I’ve ever been in at the poker tables. If I had not tilted and the cards went a little more my way, I would have easily pulled a few hundred from these games. I’ll get them next time.
One thing is for sure…I’ll be staying at UB and don’t see myself leaving anytime soon. Well, except to do some bonus whoring on the Party sites.
If Luck Weren't Involved…
I guess if luck weren’t involved, I’d win every hand.
Phil Hellmuth
I think I know where Phil was coming from with that quote. After the big tourney win I was on the poker high of my short poker life. I was invincible. Especially to the fish on Party Poker. Or so I thought!
Growing Up
My game is steadily improving each time I play. I’ve started reading Small Stakes Hold ’em: Winning Big With Expert Play for the 2nd time in the last few weeks and I’m catching a lot of stuff I missed the first time around. The $20-some odd I paid for the book was worth every cent.
I haven’t really tilted like I used to in the past few days. When I get beat by someone hitting their two out draw on the river I think completely different from how I used to. Before SSH, I’d think, “Jesus Christ, another fucking miracle card for these assholes!” Now I think, “Keep playing just like that fish. I’ll beat you way more often when you have those cards than you’ll beat me. Push the chips over here next time.” Once you come to the reality that you need players to actually hit these “miracle” draws once in awhile, it makes all the difference. If they never hit them, they wouldn’t keep playing them and paying you off. It’s as simple as that.
I still have leaks/weaknesses in my game. A lot of them. But in a short period of time, with the help of SSH, I’m a lot better player than I was 2 or 3 weeks ago. The single biggest improvement in my game has been increasing my aggressiveness during all betting rounds. It’s winning a lot more pots than the old passive player I was. My post flop play can still get pretty bad at times. I tend to give away bets when it’s pretty clear I’m beat.
Want to improve your game? Buy SSH, buy Poker Tracker, and start playing low limit cash games on Party Poker. If you are serious about your game, you shouldn’t have any problems winning on their tables with all of the fish swimming around. Start small and think big.
Tilt-A-Whirl
Last night I realized something. Usually when I have a bad session, it’s related to going on tilt for a bit. I know I shouldn’t do it and I always try to prevent it, but sometimes I just don’t see it coming until after I’ve lost everything I sat down at the table with. Afterwards it’s easy to look back and say, “Nick, you dumbass! Don’t let it get to you when someone hits their hand on the river.”
Nick Momrik 