An Update

So it's been a couple weeks. I've been playing a lot but really just spinning my wheels I guess. It was suggested to me to use the DONs (double or nothing) as a bankroll building tool. After a couple hundred of those, I'm pretty much burnt out on the idea. It really doesn't pay much for the amount of time you have to invest. Mind you, I could be way off on this. Maybe I just haven't put enough effort into it or maybe I'm just not playing well enough. I did come up with another explanation tonight but that may also be way off. Here goes anyway:

What if I expect more than what is possible to achieve at the levels I play?

Think about this for a minute. Everyone of the professional instructors that teach this game say that all you have to do is play ABC poker at the micro level. Do that and you'll have no problems. Well, let's put a couple things together shall we. Most people that play this game are hobbyists. In other words, it's a past time they use to forget about their real life or just something to do for fun. Many of these people are now joining these training sites and becoming better players. That's really not a huge number but enough to make a difference in the micro games. To build a decent enough bankroll to move up, you really need to dominate at the micro levels. Hence the problem. If the players are getting better and better, how do you build a bankroll in a reasonable amount of time? Good question.

I thought I'd give an update as to what the plan is to date. I had gotten away from the original project. I have decided to pick up that torch and continue on with it. The little change in it is that I shall play 500 games at each level of the turbos to figure out an accurate ROI. From there we can tweak a few things and come up with a new plan. I'll also continue playing the $4.40 180 man games at PokerStars so I can keep up with my MTT training. Here are my current BR numbers for both sites:

Cake= $604.05
PS= $285.31

I'll give a better set of accurate game/itm/roi numbers in my next post. To start being realistic about the goals of this hobby, I must find good hard numbers to base the approach on and then we can have some fun. Sometimes being a little over critical can have it's drawbacks but in the end it shall lead down the good path. I hope all is going well with everyone and good luck at the tables!!!

Frustration

So that little bug has a sharp bite aye? You get it in good and actually start praying because you know your opponent is a maniac from hell and is just as likely to take you out. You know beyond a shadow of a doubt what they hold in their hand but there's still two to come. All good on the turn. Sdfhhsfhasfhsfsdfhshfwoerfwehfwhf!!!!!!!!! WTF OVER!!!!! AGAIN!?!?!? "Breath Rodney" says the kind little voice inside. Time after time. Over and over. You spend endless hours studying. Going over betting patterns, win/loss percentages, taking notes on every play. Hour after hour, trying to learn how to crush the competition. You think you've got it wrapped together and then comes the miracle 1 outer to dash your hopes again.

"Breath Rodney", the voice calmly says.

No One ever said any of this was going to be easy, did they? Fortunately, no, no one ever did say that. If they had, I would feel relatively saddened by the lashing they would receive from aspiring players like myself. Of course, there would not be any reasonable explanation for my recourse, which is why such action would sadden me. I still believe that people can act in rational, if not logical, ways. This is what leads to all the frustration, my friends. The art of poker is one of deception. If I want my opponent to give me his chips, I must make him believe that he is winning. That is not the easiest of tasks. Those of you who play in the micro levels will be able to attest to that quite fervently. How do you get a fold from someone that doesn't have a fold button? Guess what folks. You don't. You tag them with their little "calling station" note and play the nuts against them next time. That's where the fun comes in. When is next time? More frustration!!!

"Calm down, it'll be alright"

So I guess I must say it as honestly as I can. The world of the online micro degenerate is not an easy one. I saw in a chat room earlier someone say that poker is nothing more than a new form of drug. After a little bit of thought, I can see some similarities. For those of a competitive nature, the thrill of the win is irreplaceable. For the math geek, the number of number combinations is excruciatingly deep. Could take a lifetime to really understand it. For the fun lover, where else can there be so much activity in front of a computer screen? The game, the people, the enjoyment of maybe winning the big one! All of these can lead to an "addictive" expression that most drug/alcohol genres include. More frustration.

So let's put this puppy to bed with a few realizations. #1- it takes more than a years experience to understand the game, let alone win at it. #2- the frustration will never go away as long as you choose to strive to be good at it( why? the game is ever evolving silly). #3- drugs and poker can have similarities if you choose the right context of comparison. What does any of this have to do with the price of tea in China? Absolutely nothing!! That's the fun of it. We are all going to go through times when the game, or variance of, makes us feel horrible. It will cause you to question the who's, what's, and whys of what you do. If you're as enthusiastic about the game as I am, it will go so far as to cause you to question your character (those are details for another post)!!

Frustration will always be in the game and if we can accept that, we will be better players for it. Is it worth all the trouble? I will respond with this. Aren't the things that give us the most trouble the ones we find most gratifying? Good luck everyone, til next time.......

Caisson