Grinding It Out

Filed in archive Internet Poker on March 8, 2007

Thirty-six hour sessions, table side food, and maybe a tint of not-so-fresh feelings at the live tables are the norm for those who call themselves professional poker players. They've seen all the one outers for and against. Winning has seeped into making their nut for the month versus the thrill of taking down a pot that keep people like myself at the tables.

After cashing out a significant amount of my bankroll, I'm currently grinding out daily wins that are not coming as easy as getting someone to call my all-in while showing down the nuts. The games are not as simple anymore as more and more people like myself have been force to move down in limits and the games even at the lower limits have become more challenging.

I cannot mindlessly six table PLO8 games as in the past due to being one big variance swing from going busto. So, play tighter, lose less, win less, correct? Actually playing too tight works against you in Omaha where controlling pot size and maximizing those hit draws is the key to winning. I'm left with becoming a more patient player, calling less, raising more, and folding like its my job. But, I haven't been doing that, very bad calls have emitted from my computer screen costing me a percent of a stack with every "who cares" donation to my opponents.

Its not the stakes as they are plenty high to keep me interested but maybe step back and see why I'm making this horrible calls then throwing a pity party that my dominate pre-flop hand goes down. A break isn't the answer, but I may have to go back to being a student of the game again if I intend to take it seriously.