Party is such a great site, maybe jump in and grind some NL5? Good luck!
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Originally posted by taavi1337
Party is such a great site, maybe jump in and grind some NL5? Good luck!
Thanks. I enjoy playing on Party! Lots and lots of fun-players.
Cash is NOT queen today? 
Nope. Not today. Even though we had a good session, especially in PLO! We played about 1,5 hours CG, then we got a bit tired (still a little bit "sick-ish"). While in Holdem we were totally card-dead, there was some nice action in PLO!
Villain can pay!
Sorry, my house is better!
The outcome was a bit more than one stack up in CG!
But nevertheless, Pom Pom is not our big winner today. Cash is not queen today, it´s Baby Peach who took down the 0,22 $ PLO8 (15 $ Gtd.)! 
BR: 104,47 €
Not exactly like a queen....
..but was okay anyway. NL2 went a bit crappy and I played it a little bit sloppy today. Many junk hands, many totally missed boards and not really being in the "flow" as player. I didn´t really "feel it" today. I was playing more like a robot and missed some good bluffing spots. With all that said, no big results in NL2, but hey, we got a session-saver: PLO!!! :f_biggrin::f_ugly: While Holdem went crappy, PLO2 went great!
Getting there with nut flush
Cash is queen(s)
But even though PLO was lovely, we only take a small winning today: +0,72 €, pretty break evenish. I was hoping for more, but that´s okay. Better than nothing...
BR: 105,19 €
Originally posted by Primrose6789
I was hoping for more, but that´s okay. Better than nothing...
So many days my sessions end up "Better than I expected, not as good as I hoped"
Originally posted by VorpalF2F
Originally posted by Primrose6789
I was hoping for more, but that´s okay. Better than nothing...So many days my sessions end up "Better than I expected, not as good as I hoped"
Same here, Vorpal! But hey, winning is winning! 72 cents are 72 cents. :f_biggrin::f_thumbsup:
Ooopsie daisy!
Okay, let´s start with the fact that I wasn´t REALLY in the mood to play today, but I thought: "At least you gotta do something". Well, I did a lot today: working, then cleaning, then working on the field. Anyway, I wanted to play a little session on Party. But I did play badly! I had some good hands, especially in PLO, some in Holdem, but 3 bad calls can ruin your session! Oh boy!
Just simply, I was calling when I shouldn´t have! I called down a maniac aggro fun-player with middle pair, just to look into top pair. I called a big river bet with a marginal hand and I bluffed into "no fold button"-fun players.
To be honest: I was more in the mood for freerolls and MTTs, but didn´t have the time. Instead, I opened 3 cash tables without big motivation. I played sloppy! I was already thinking about going for a nice swim at the outdoor pool in the nearby town.
Okay, let´s keep it short: one stack down! Of course! Bad mindset! All I would have to do was just waiting patiently for a good hand and value bet. Should work on my mindset!! 
BR: 103,94 €
Originally posted by Harrier88
Hey, at least things got better when I showed up to rail, didn't they?Yes they did! But wasn´t enough to make up for my poopy play before. :f_ugly::f_ugly::f_ugly::f_ugly: But that´s why it´s only one stack down.
Expectations vs reality (mental game)
Yesterday, I had a successful MTT-session but before my session, I read this article from Barry here. As many of you know, I had HUGE struggles with the mental game in the past. This is not only because I´ve been diagnosed with a mental condition (Bipolar disorder type 2), but mainly, it was because of my false expectations. Poker is NOT like tennis, where it´s all about skill, endurance, speed and coordination! I won most of my tennis matches, but this doesn´t mean, that I will win most of my CG-sessions or poker tournaments!
Variance is involved and I remember, back then, I had a GREAT start with SnGs and MTTs. And then, suddenly, out of the blue, a BIG downswing hit me like a truck: I regularly ran with KK into AA, or AA lost vs some random hand, most of the hands I got, were total junk, my draws didn´t get there ...etc. etc. It hit me by surprise and I couldn´t cope. Another reason why I couldn´t cope was, that I put WAY too much pressure on myself! Hey, poker is NOT tennis!
With that said, even though I was running hot yesterday, I must be prepared for the "worst case": when things will turn sour, when AA (or AAKKds) will loose frequently, when I will totally miss 99 % of the flops, etc.
So, what is different this time? Well, I´m older and wiser for sure! :f_biggrin::f_ugly: But I can report also a VERY positive outcome: My mental illness has been dormant for about 4 years, even without medication! I focus on good nutrition, sports and meditation. This time, I see my BR-challenge in a completely different light: It´s JUST FOR FUN! :f_wink::f_thumbsup: Hey, I´m a recreatonal player after all! 
The BR I built this time is from scratch! From 0 €! No pressure, just for fun, see how far you can go. In this aspect, I see it like tennis: It´s a hobby, but you can set some small goals and see if you can get there, right?! If you get there, you celebrate it, if not, well, so what? it´s still a hobby, it´s still just for fun, poker is a great brain-exercise! Tennis is for the body, poker is for the brain!
Like in tennis, while I´m playing, I don´t think about my goals, or winning - I think about enjoying the game and play my best tennis/poker!! I´m more focussed on earning skills, getting better, getting experience and less on the bankroll. While I´m playing I´m focussed on Villains: what they do, how they play, their betting patterns, their possible ranges, etc. And I just try to adapt and exploit. That´s what I also do in tennis. Focus on Villains weeknesses and exploit them! And I have FUN doing that! No pressure - at all, but focus on understanding the game!
So with that said, I start this time with more realistic expectations, no pressure and a completely different mindset than a couple of years ago.
My next goal
So, after we clarified my mindset, let´s set the next goal, which is also tennis-inspired. Once, our tennis coach said to us: "I want to wake you up at 3 am in the morning and ask you to play a forehand cross, you do it perfectly without thinking about it for a second." Let´s apply that to poker: If you wake me up at 3 am in the morning (I know you would never do that!) and ask me what the 6-max CG-ranges in a certain position are, I can tell them to you forward and backward without any mistake, without thinking about them for a second. So, let´s get the ranges into unconscious competence! That´s the next goal!
Originally posted by Primrose6789
My next goalSo, after we clarified my mindset, let´s set the next goal, which is also tennis-inspired. Once, our tennis coach said to us: "I want to wake you up at 3 am in the morning and ask you to play a forehand cross, you do it perfectly without thinking about it for a second." Let´s apply that to poker: If you wake me up at 3 am in the morning (I know you would never do that!)
Holdem or omaha ranges or both? 
Originally posted by ghaleon
Originally posted by Primrose6789
My next goalSo, after we clarified my mindset, let´s set the next goal, which is also tennis-inspired. Once, our tennis coach said to us: "I want to wake you up at 3 am in the morning and ask you to play a forehand cross, you do it perfectly without thinking about it for a second." Let´s apply that to poker: If you wake me up at 3 am in the morning (I know you would never do that!)
Holdem or omaha ranges or both?
Let´s start simple with the Holdem ranges, then we go to the more complex ones: PLO!
(I won´t give you my phone number, though!) :sifflote::mdr::mdr::mdr::mdr:
Interesting take with the normalcy bias in that article. I am definitely dealing with something like that too, but - at least consciously - it only seems to apply in the negative direction. When I am on a good run, even after outright shipping a few tournaments, I tend to be aware that I shouldn't read too much into it, that the next session may be completely different, and that it doesn't mean that I'm a winning player in the long run. When I am on a bad run, however, this normalcy bias appears to be in full force. I really do think that those are the expected results, in this case.
Like I said, at least that's how it appears to be on a conscious level. It's quite possible that I also experience "positive" normalcy bias to some degree on a subconscious level. I keep track of my stats almost obsessively via spreadsheets, where every single tournament I play gets noted down with instant updates on ROI and other stats. A single deep run within a small sample can taint the stats quite a bit and result in completely unrepresentative ROIs for a while, Obviously, I am aware of the math and all, but can I honestly say that it doesn't affect me and my expectations in any way, at least subconsciously? I have my doubts.
Just last night, I posted on our shared blog that I plan to essentially give up on Stud Hi-Lo after the bad streak following some initial successes. In the same post, I also mentioned a good but not great Badugi finish and how I don't expect it to reverse the downward trend, which could be another example of normalcy bias mostly working in one direction.
What makes it especially challenging to me is that I experiment with a lot of new games, where I don't have any meaningful samples of my performance and where I often need to develop my own strategies because those games have not been mapped out as much as the more well-known versions - though I do make an effort to read what little material is out there on them. This makes it even more difficult to gauge where I really stand, and as a result, these games tend to be started and given up very quickly, even when there has been some short-term success.
It's a cruel game, but that's how it is. Maybe it prepares us for the even crueler game that is life.
BR challenge report week 1
Starting BR: 99,05 €
CG-hands: 774
Freerolls: 12
MTTs: 3
BR now: 107,45 €
Profit: +8,4 €
Upswing ....or what? 
Yesterday, I read some passages of Altin Hardons book "Mico Stakes Poker" again, as I already mentioned, that I wanna know the ranges forward and backward (and as Monday is always study day). I need at least 24 hours to "digest" the knowledge, that´s why I never study when I plan to play on that particular day. I also remembered what Honigmund38, my coach back then, told me about post-flop play and read also a bit about that topic, just to refresh everything.
I wanted to try out new things today, that´s why I planned to "invest" about 1 Euro for that (so a planned loss if the moves don´t work out). What happened today, was pretty much the best session since I´ve been writing this blog, so far. Was it the book? Or was I lucky? Probably (as always) a mixture of both. But to be honest: I got REALLY lucky today, no doubt.
THIS was REALLY lucky!
Almost a big cooler but getting my 1-outer on the river! :f_ugly::f_ugly::f_ugly::f_ugly::f_ugly:
But on the other hand, some good bluffs worked out (even in NL2), made some good moves, know the ranges better, have better reads on Villains. On the other hand: No great action in PLO, just collecting small pots, but mostly card-dead. Left the table with half a stack up. But in both games, I played focussed, with a good mindset, calm and patient. The right move, at the right time! And I´m not loosing value anymore on the river!
It showed: +6,59 € which means roughly: four stacks up (in $)!
"Meeting" our "Cash Queen"
No CG yesterday, Harrier and I met live for some summer-fun, with an encouter with our "Cash Queen" in action!
We played Super Mario 3d world (Harrier as Mario, and I as Princess Peach) and "met" MY CG-mascot "live". Fun fact: After defeating her, she indeed turns into CASH! :f_biggrin::f_love: It was an honor, to give her the final blow and I hope that she also turns into CASH at the poker tables. :f_wink::f_biggrin: Really the perfect mascot for CG! 
BR challenge week 2
Not so much poker this week, but hey, it was pretty much our last chance for summer activities like going to the outdoor-swimming pool. A heat wave was going on here until yesterday, and I took the opportunity to enjoy some time at the swimming pool and in the lake. Next week, the weather is going to be still fine - but not for outdoor-swimming ...
BR last week: 107,45 €
CG hands: 224
Freerolls: 16
MTTs: 2
BR this week: 114,75 €
Profit: +7,30 €