Friday, March 6, 2009

nuttin doin

It's sad how you look forward to some live poker all week, and then have a beat-down session that leaves you shaking your head and wondering if you're getting any better at this friggin game at all.

Describing hands from last night would amount to one big whine session, and I'll spare you that. I can summarize by saying that just about every decision I made turned out to be the wrong one. I chased away people with my big hands and didn't get paid. I bet for value into better hands, my bluffs were raised, my c-bets were floated, my clever calls with middle pair against an obvious bluff were buried by a full house (nice read there, champ).

It wasn't pretty - down 2 buy ins in 5 hours. At this point I called it a night, even though 1) I had a third buy in in pocket, and 2) we were playing at my house, and the game wasn't over yet. It just wasn't my night and I knew it.

For the remaining hour, I sat back from the table and focused on watching the game. Watching people, especially. Seeing if I could pick up on any of the tells I've read about from Caro and others. I try to do this while playing, but my game isn't anywhere near good enough yet to direct my focus on those things. I'm still too worried about what I have or what I'm drawing to, and trying to put opponents on hands, which I must admit is still a very hit-and-miss affair.

There's much work to be done.

2 comments:

Memphis MOJO said...

At this point I called it a night, even though ... It just wasn't my night and I knew it.

For the remaining hour, I sat back from the table and focused on watching the game. Watching people, especially.


Excellent.

Forrest Gump said...

+1

Great discipline on being able to 'quit losing'. I also completely relate to that feeling of being out of step. I'm not sure of the break down of bad luck and bad play when that happens, but i figure it starts off bad luck then swings to bad play more.