New Years Resolution (Poker Related)

[pokerprop]

A little late to make a resolution for New Years but going to do it anyways. I think posting it might help me actually stick to it.

Anyways here goes:

My resolution is to stop playing tournaments with buy-ins under $215 online.

I'm not a massive loser in the lower limit games, but am still a small loser and playing them is a waste of time which is the much bigger issue. I have no clue why this is. I've played the $215 Stud 8 7 times and have 5 cashes, I played Sunday Millions 9 times and cashed 6, I played $215 8-game mixed once and cashed in that. The same size is small but in the bigger games i seem to do well, and the smaller games I just totally donk off.

I'm pretty sure the factor is mental and I'm fully capable of beating the smaller games, i just don't concentrate enough and get bored. With massive field sizes I don't care about mini cashes and the worthwhile prize money seems a mile away.

The one exception to this is step SNGs. I think running the $27.50 Step 2 tickets into Step 4 tickets is rather simple. So going forward this is the only tournament poker i plan to play online.

More of a personal post here but figured once i post it I'll stick to it.

[Gydian]

Sounds like a good plan if you're not cashing often in the lower buy-in games.

Aside from the fact that I've played 1 tournament in the past 6 months (maybe 2 tournaments, I can't remember) and that I've never played a tournament with a buy-in over $50, I don't think I could make a resolution like that.

[LadyHoldem]

I read some great advice once, a loss should sting a bit. It shouldn't cause u to mortgage the house, but it shouldn't be 'no biggie' either.

I agree whole heartedly, If I play 100NL or lower, I find that I donk often. If someone irritates me, i'll mess with him, I'll probably felt him, betting into him constantly, until he tilts and i take his money. The trble is, my mindset is now all screwy, and i'm playing manaic style .

If I'm playing just a touch higher up the scale.. say $600NL, my game improves tenfold and I can safely play and profit, thinking cool, calculated thoughts.

Same goes for higher stakes, those scur me, and i become a nit . Sad part is, I'm a nit when I'm staked too, so I usually cash, but nothing to write home about .


GL GL GL GL

[pokerprop]

Posting this thread actually helped me realize a lot. I started with saying I don't know why this is and then by time post was finished I came up with a reason haa. I was just reading this post again and thinking about "when I have backers I want to impress I generally do VERY well, when there is a TLB or player of series race on line I might compete for I do well". When I'm at Golden Nugget at 2AM playing some $105 donkaments with drunks because I didn't feel like sleeping and my friend wanted to go there, I rarely cash (i've actually had some sick run bad in that tournament too, but w/e point is still there). I actually think I have it in me to be great a tournament poker but the big question is the motivation issue.

I'm on break with poker anyways now for 4-5 months (was planned). I'll probably skip the WSOP this year because want to get business going first. After that my plan will probably be to spend a couple hours per day on Step tournaments and then 2 days per week playing all the $215 @ Stars + MTT satellites to Asian events and heading to Macau every 5 or 6 weeks for a few days.

I'm much more looking forward to it. I totally need to stop wasting time on $50 tournaments.

[Sebastian]

Yeah, don't set the stakes too high though...

I remember playing what they call a "life flipament" at the Bellagio in the 90s.

I had wagered my wife, kids, kidneys, dog, house, 401K, hair, clothe and car.

My J4 off suit got cracked at the river.

I ended up being homeless and eating dumpster food in the parking lot of Fry's electronics.

But Pokerprop is smarter than me, so this likely won't happen. I could see Superiorword or Gydian failing at this though.

[Lenny]

Prop, think its totally mental, I have the same exact problem.

Lot of times in smaller tournaments, would say under 200 buy in, i might get bored and play with marginal hands thinking its only $xx or $xxx , so think whats the big deal losing.