Poker is a strange occupation. You never know how it's going to bend your
personality. But, likely as not, it will bend it.
Doyle Brunson - Poker
Wisdom of a Champion
The key to steadily improving your game is surprising simple. Just dissect
the wins as thoroughly as the losses.
Lou Krieger - More
Hold 'Em Excellence
Players would do well to examine themselves carefully before
every poker game. Occasionally they should put themselves on an injury
list and declare themselves ineligible.
Doyle Brunson - Poker
Wisdom of a Champion
I've had a good break from the tables this week. I've cleared some cob-webs and adjusted my 'vision' which was becoming quite narrow and negative - a dangerous state to be in. I had intended to eschew all things poker during the break, but one trip to the bookstore found me drifting toward the "Games & Gambling" section and I picked up Doyle Brunson's Poker Wisdom of a Champion to read while I nursed my Sunday latte at Barnes & Noble. I'd read half the book by the time I finished my latte and so it went with me to the cash register and on home. It's a book that is destined to become dog-eared and worn as I know I will call on 'Papa Doyle' many more times when I'm in the need of some poker advice.
In between my busy schedule at work, a visit to the doctor, reading blogs and mysteriously breaking out in red spots for 24 hours, I engaged in some heavy duty contemplation of my poker journey over the last year. I began at Party Poker (Bonus Code: KEB, of course) April 18, 2003 inspired, like thousands of others, by the World Poker Tour broadcasts. My poker experience was limited to numerous home games over many years - even playing a 'tournament' while in college at summer stock at at time when Johnny Moss had taken his second title at the second WSOP championship. I knew who Stu Unger was before most of you had learned to play "Go Fish."
Now, a little over a year later, my skill as a "serious" poker player has definately sharpened, but it is not as keen as I would have hoped after this length of time. It was easy to pick apart the negative sessions - I "know" what I do wrong, but just knowing that isn't helping me stay on the winning side. I then turned to those moments when I seemed to be clicking on all cylinders and I could seemingly do no wrong at the tables. What was it about those sessions that went so right?
A friend of mine, years ago while in graduate school, spoke of what she termed "white moments" - these are the moments which provide the greatest reward as a performing artist. They are hard to describe but unmistakable when they occur. The best way I can describe it is these are the moments when all the ingredients blend to make the perfect concoction - in theatre it's when everything - the acting, set, lights costumes and audience come together in a crystal clear moment of truth - the art is complete. I experienced my first of a few white moments onstage in the role of Agnes in Shadowbox years ago. My character had the last lines of the play (always a favorite of mine - I love having the last lines!) - at the end of this particular performance the lights faded to black, there was a thick moment of silence and then a shout from the back of the theatre and the audience was on their feet and applauding.
All of us in the cast knew we'd done something extraordinary that performance. I knew we'd had our "white moment." But we did not get there by accident. Speaking for myself, there was a tremendous amount of preparation before each performance - mental and physical. I had to 'get into' Agnes and then let the rest of it flow - acting/reacting, staying in the moment. Easy to learn, but can take a lifetime to master. Sound familiar?
So....as with my abilities as an actor so (should) go my abilities as a poker player. In order to excel you must rely not only on your poker knowledge and skill, but also your preparation mentally and physically. Playing each hand and each player in this moment in time. When I looked back at the sessions where I was cooking some good chow, I saw that so much more than just catching good cards against bad players was happening. I was acting and reacting to the bits and pieces of information I'd get with each bet, check, fold or raise. I was correctly putting people on cards the majority of the time and acting accordingly. Bad beats did not bother me and I knew who should get my respect at the table and who should not.
I couldn't do that without going into the session sharp, focussed and ready to give my full attention for the time I'd be at the table. Where I inevitably get into trouble is when I play merely for the sake of playing and am not giving the game my full attention. I'm only playing my cards and tune out to what's happening with the rest of the table. That may be OK for home games and occasional play, but it's going to get you broke if that's how you play all the time.
To achieve a white moment in poker demands that you respect the game enough to be in top form when you sit down at the table. Most of the world class players know this - it's fundamental to their play and one of the reasons you see them landing at the final tables and in the top groups of finishers time and time again. It's no accident.
I'm looking forward to this next year of play - one thing has held true over the past year and that is the fact that I love to play. I love the challenge of improvement. And I love the reward of money! I think I'm to the point that if I can ever get to a B&M I can sit down with confidence and play a good session of hold-em. In fact I'm dying to play with real flesh and blood sitting across from me! But, until I can get out of Oklahoma, I'll gladly settle for the electronic versions of my poker pals and all the fish out there ready to give me their bankrolls!
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I want to thank Iggy for pointing me toward some good posts at RGP on playing in loose, fishy games. I'm a little mortified at the depths of my whining about Uber-Fish, but comforted a little to know that there's been debate as to whether some games are too loose to beat or not. I gleaned some good tips from the discussions. While I can't promise that all whining will cease forever, I can state that I will take 100% responsibility for whatever happens with my play at a table. And with that, I'll close with one more quote:
"What you achieve is the product of your own play....until acknowledging
that you are accountable for the results you achieve, you won't have enough
control over your game to ensure success."
Lou Krieger - More
Hold 'Em Excellence
See you at the tables and, as always, keep those cards in the air!
