Year in Review

October 17, 2004

Posted By: hdouble

hdouble

"A mighty lesson we inherit:
Thou art a symbol and a sign
To Mortals of their fate and force;
Like thee, Man is in part divine,
A troubled stream from a pure source; "

"It's a good idea to obey all the rules when you're young just so you'll have the strength to break them when you're old."
--Mark Twain

A year ago, I began this blog in the hope that it would help me develop my game and my writing style. 145 posts later, I think it's done both of those things, and helped me to meet some amazing people along the way. I don't think it's coincidence that this past week has been one of my best ever, and the bankroll is at an all-time high. I'm still making plenty of mistakes and end up kicking myself for one bad play every session, but I've come a long way from the days of $3-6 and struggling to calculate pot odds of a year ago.

On a personal front, the year has been one of acceptance and adjustment. The words "football player" have always been tied to my identity, and this year represented the first real year I haven't been putting on the gear 3 times a week. I posted about this in one of my first posts:

John Updike said that retirement for athletes is like a "little death." An athlete feels the rush of adrenaline every day, feeling your muscles tense as your body obeys your brain's almost subconscious commands. Then one day, you don't feel this ever again. It's tough to swallow. I'm hoping that I'm being reborn as a poker player.

I've reluctantly become much more of a poker player than a football player, and without an outlet for competition and concentration, I'm sure I'd be restlessly trying to figure out what to do with myself.

I've also had to accept the grind of the 9 to 5 workday, doing a job that often leaves me feeling I haven't used the skills and talents that I spent my educational life developing. Hours of concentration at the poker tables have helped to soothe this frustration. Sitting down in front of the computer and devoting full concentration to playing each and every hand has a calming, meditative effect. Just as running a post route and knowing that the only thing to do at this moment is make the catch, being "in the moment" and playing the cards I'm dealt makes me feel alive, making the most of myself at that moment.

So what have I learned? I think the main goal of a beginning poker player should be the same as anyone trying to learn an extremely complicated task: learn the fundamental aspects of the task so well that you no longer have to think about them. Whether you are learning an instrument, a sport, or poker, there are a lot of basic procedures surrounding the task that can't be learned without a great deal of experience. In poker, basics such as pot odds for common draws and starting hand requirements represent these procedures that a beginning player must know so well that they don't need to waste precious thought while at the table during play. Only when these basic procedures become so ingrained in the player can he open himself up to true observation of the game, making room for creative improvisations that make the game so beautiful.

As an analogy, think of the lead guitarist who is learning to play many different scales. If he is forced to search his memory for the pattern of a scale he is playing, this takes away from his concentration and feel for the music. A year ago, I was too busy trying to calculate odds and remember the preflop betting to notice obscure signals my opponent was sending. These days, those things come automatically, and the slight twist of the wrist when my opponent throws in her chips is a signal that I receive and act upon. Freed from the mechanical fundamentals of the game, my mind is now free to open up my game with creativity and imagination. In other words, I feel like I'm starting to play real poker.

Of course, a big part of that is moving beyond the no-fold 'em games where you have to show down the best hand to win. There isn't much room for creativity when your opponents will call you down no matter what you do. And although I find the middle-limit games much more enjoyable due to the increased reward for reading hands and players, I wouldn't stand a chance in these games without the lessons I learned in the low limit games. You've heard it before, but if you can't beat the no fold-em low limit games, you're in for a big surprise if you think you can beat the next limit up.
I want to say a big thanks to all my readers and fellow bloggers for their support, advice, and comments. I've always tried hard to write quality posts, in the hope that I can communicate some of the lessons I've learned and help you to avoid learning the same lessons "the hard way." I believe that your time is sacred, and I greatly appreciate the hours that my loyal readers have spent with me along my journey.

Ok, time to get back to the tables. I leave you with the top 10 things I've learned in the past year at the tables, in no particular order.

When moving up in limits, pretend that you're starting over from scratch. The game changes so much from $3-6 to $5-10 and $5-10 to $10-20 that you really need to go back to the basics and be open to learning the new game. If you are an online player and were playing multiple tables at a lower limit, play a single table at the new limit for a while before trying to play 2.
Fight hard to be performance oriented. If you're committed to the game, results are irrelevant. As long as you're properly bankrolled to play, you shouldn't worry about results. Good performance will get the money in the long run.
Have a stop loss limit. A lot of people argue against this, but I've seen very few players who can play their best game after losing more than 35 big bets. Of course, if you've truly gone beyond results-oriented thinking and can focus solely on performance, than you don't need a stop loss. Like I said, this is extremely rare.
Do things to avoid the grind. Poker should be fun, and if you are playing the same game the same way for hours and hours every week, you need to do things to "shock your system" that force you to improve your game. Take an occasional shot at a bigger game if your bankroll can handle it. Drop down in limit and play looser than your normally do. Change your game temporarily and you'll come back to your regular game rejuvenated with new tools to beat the game.
Review your play. If you're an online player, use PokerTracker to review your sessions after you've left the table. It takes 15 minutes to review a 3 hour session, and will drastically improve your game.
Celebrate your good performance, and be critical of your bad plays. Personally, I tend to focus on my mistakes, and end up beating myself up for a single bad play even if the rest of the session I played perfect poker. Everybody makes mistakes, so lighten up on yourself.
Make the most of your time at the table. When you're not in a hand, try to put other people on hands, or think about the last pot you played and what you did right or wrong. If you're going to play poker, don't read a book or watch tv.
Read. A few hours spent reading a poker book can give you a new perspective on the game, and is often worth much more than just a few hours at the table.
Create an environment conducing to winning. Time is precious, and it's often difficult to set aside a block of time to play poker. In the past, I found myself logging on to play a few orbits while dinner was in the oven and my attention wasn't fully on the game. If you don't have a block of time where you aren't going to be disturbed, don't play.
Find some people who you can talk to about poker. When the cards go cold for weeks, and your bankroll is being depleted by bad beats, it can be tough to sit down at the tables and face the poker gods alone. It helps to have a perspective of the game other than your own.

Thanks for reading and good cards.
Posted by hdouble at October 17, 2004 06:09 PM | TrackBack

Maximize your profits: learn how to use the most powerful tool in online poker.

Comments

great post.
happy one year anniversary on da blog.

hank > iggy

Posted by: iggy at October 17, 2004 07:06 PM

Damnit. My "year in review" is almost done and you have to go and post yours first. Now I have to try to live up to yours. *sigh* :)

Make the most of your time at the table. When you're not in a hand, try to put other people on hands, or think about the last pot you played and what you did right or wrong. If you're going to play poker, don't read a book or watch tv.

Oy. This is one of my big problems. I have the TV near the computer and it's almost always on in the background. I may not always be watching it actively, but it's there. Thanks for bringing this up, I'm going to work on this some more.

Great job on year 1, glad it was successful. I'm jealous :) Keep up the great work!

Posted by: Chris Halverson at October 17, 2004 07:27 PM

great post. regarding your last point, i'd like to extend a personal thanks to you, good sir, for helping me out. i know your words have helped me through some dark poker times, peronally and its been a great help.

i look forward to reading future wisdom.

Posted by: helixx at October 17, 2004 08:27 PM

oh. thanks for the abuse too.

and i'm still waiting for a pokertracker tutorial...

Posted by: helixx at October 17, 2004 08:29 PM

Thanks for opening yourself up to the world for the past year with your intelligent posts that are always head and shoulders more insightful than many well know poker. Your insights on poker and self discipline have both inspired me and taught me how to become a better player. For that, I thank you.

I wish you good luck in the future with both this blog and with your poker career.

Posted by: Pauly at October 17, 2004 10:19 PM

I meant to say this:

Thanks for opening yourself up to the world for the past year with your intelligent posts that are always head and shoulders more insightful than many well known poker publications.

Sorry about re-posting that, I hit the wrong button!

Posted by: Pauly at October 17, 2004 10:24 PM

Congrats on the first year, HDub! Yours was the first blog I found when I decided to start my own, and your insights have always been helpful. Continued success to you!

Posted by: Sean at October 18, 2004 05:53 AM

Congrats on your one year anniversary! Your insights have been a pleasure to read and I consider your blog to be in the top tier and a must read. I look forward to many posts to come!

Blu

Posted by: Blu at October 18, 2004 07:58 AM

Let me join the parade in wishing you congrats on the 1 year anniversary of your blog.

A loyal reader.

Posted by: BadBlood at October 18, 2004 09:20 AM

thank you for your blog. you have an impressive bag of talents that you share with your readers ranging from tactical limit poker advice to introspective wisdom about the game itself. all of it is packaged in good writing and excellent outside sources, and all of it available for us to enjoy on those rare(!) days when a new post is up.

if i were to add anything to your list of helpful advice points i would suggest this: a stop-win limit? at this point in my career i actually think it's easier to not-tilt when i'm losing, since in my head i'm constantly mumbling "just play right, all you can do is play right," whereas when i'm winning big i tend to loosen up and succumb to fancy play syndrome. now, at the first evidence of looseness i've learned to just stand up, take a break, and let my new winnings cement themselves as a reality to be protected.

Posted by: dankhank at October 18, 2004 09:53 AM

Seems like we all got started about a year ago, doesn't it? Of course, not all of us had articles published in major poker magazines, but some of us were MENTIONED in major poker magazines, and for that me and many others have you to thank. So, thanks, Hank, keep on playin', and keep on writin'

Posted by: mean gene at October 18, 2004 09:56 AM

Congrats, HDub. One year in and the posts remain top-notch.

Posted by: JD at October 18, 2004 01:07 PM

You're still my favorite blogger. Vnp.

Posted by: Phillip Cheung at October 18, 2004 02:26 PM

Good point from Helixx. I'm still waiting on that PokerTracker tutorial as well.

I like these points especially:

* Do things to avoid the grind.

* Make the most of your time at the table.

* Create an environment conducing to winning.

The gods know that I've spent too much time trying to read poker blogs while sitting at the tables and haven't set aside enough time to devote to play (reason number one I've temporarily stopped playing ring games).

Again, nice post.

Posted by: StudioGlyphic at October 18, 2004 02:31 PM

Your blog is a regular read for me with good reason. You search the deepest recesses of the game and shed light on them, you are critical enough of your own game to spot your weaknesses, and you push harder every day to improve. It's not surprising at all that the last year has been a successful one for you. Congratulations on all that you've achieved thus far, and here's hoping that success only continues to grow.

Posted by: Jason at October 18, 2004 03:14 PM

I just recently stumbled across your blog and got into poker blogging, but what I've seen so far on your site has been great. I really agree with the part of your post where you mention that poker is a way to stimulate your mind away from work where we may not feel that our skills are used. I really couldn't have said it better than you do. Congrats on the 1 year!

Posted by: Nick at October 18, 2004 06:32 PM

Hank,

I discovered your blog a couple of months of ago while grinding it out on Party 3-6. Well I read a couple of posts, liked what I read, and have gone back and reviewed the entire year of posts and have not only enjoyed your writing immensely but have improved my game significantly with some of your advice. Congrats on your first year and thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Cosmo (Tampa, Fl)

Posted by: Cosmo2000 at October 18, 2004 06:50 PM

Number 11 must be: Start your own blog :-)

Congrats!!!

Posted by: Bill Rini at October 19, 2004 01:20 AM

Well mister Double, congrats on a year.

Posted by: Poker Penguin at October 19, 2004 04:18 AM

Excellent post! Congrats on the Year. I have only been doing this for a few months and year(s) is impressive! I would be interested in seeing what kind of things you look for in the PT hand histories. Is it purely did I have pot odds for making that call.. or more "Did I read that guy right".. what is a good criteria for judging if you played a hand correctly?

Posted by: SirFWALGMan at October 20, 2004 07:47 AM

Congrats and thanks for a great blog. Your thoughtful "journey of poker" style is regular reading for me. Thanks for putting in all the effort.

Posted by: Soxx at October 21, 2004 03:41 PM

HD,

Great post and thanks for the blog. I’m still working on your previous posts so maybe you’ve addressed it already, but why not quit your real job? After all, you said:

“I've also had to accept the grind of the 9 to 5 workday, doing a job that often leaves me feeling I haven't used the skills and talents that I spent my educational life developing. Hours of concentration at the poker tables have helped to soothe this frustration. Sitting down in front of the computer and devoting full concentration to playing each and every hand has a calming, meditative effect. Just as running a post route and knowing that the only thing to do at this moment is make the catch, being "in the moment" and playing the cards I'm dealt makes me feel alive, making the most of myself at that moment.”

And, I’m guessing that your poker earn rate is starting to approach your real job earn rate. With your analytical abilities and discipline you'd have to expect your earn rate to just get better. And, you'll have more time for your writting.

Posted by: at November 1, 2004 05:25 PM

Oops, that previous post was mine.

Posted by: fep at November 1, 2004 05:27 PM

All I have to say is, GG man. VNH

Posted by: Monty at November 9, 2004 09:21 AM

I will also join the long list of "fans" to say congrats.

You hit two of mind with avoid the grind and review MY play. I seem to lean towards reviewing others instead of myself. I habit I plan on breaking next year.

Thanks for great posts.

Posted by: 4Flush at December 22, 2004 05:53 PM

'So what have I learned? I think the main goal of a beginning poker player should be the same as anyone trying to learn an extremely complicated task: learn the fundamental aspects of the task so well that you no longer have to think about them. Whether you are learning an instrument, a sport, or poker, there are a lot of basic procedures surrounding the task that can't be learned without a great deal of experience. In poker, basics such as pot odds for common draws and starting hand requirements represent these procedures that a beginning player must know so well that they don't need to waste precious thought while at the table during play. Only when these basic procedures become so ingrained in the player can he open himself up to true observation of the game, making room for creative improvisations that make the game so beautiful.'

This is such a great paragraph for a beginner like me. It gives me something to aspire to and to learn to put the learning curve into context and try to get to that point where it does all become so instant.
I now realise after reading this paragraph that I am not there. I spend too long thinking of outs and whatever. So I have a long way to go.
Cheers
Keith

Posted by: Keith Jackson at January 16, 2005 03:21 PM