Thursday, March 01, 2007

THEY JUST DON'T MIX

Thanks for all the comments left on my last post, all appreciated. Fruitypro’s was of particular interest:

“Hey man,

I think that you are talking a lot of sense regarding taking a break due to lack of time/focus. I also think that poker/work are pretty much mutually exclusive when it comes to doing both well. I guess it's where your priorities lie - obviously things are going well for you at Blonde so that's good and probably should be your priority.

One thing I did notice from reading several posts is that your bankroll management may be a bit out of line. I hope you don't mind me saying this - but as a regular 1/2 & 2/4 player myself I wouldn’t dream of sitting at 5/10 without a 50k roll. Maybe I just don’t have the gamble in me but I just don't like taking unnecessary risks outside of my roll. Also I wouldn't buy-in short...

I don't know if you are a Cardrunners member but if not, and you do want to get back into playing online seriously, I'd strongly recommend watching some videos on there. Many of your opponents may well be members...

Good luck on and off the tables,

FP.”

‘Priorities’ is probably the right word, because so far my priorities have been clouded, as whilst intentions to play have been good, the truth is that my workload with Blonde Poker is too much for me to be effective at the tables. Yep, I can dip in now and then, but if I can’t give it my full attention as I could 15 months ago, then I don’t want to know. I’m the sorta guy who wants to do everything to the utmost of my ability or not at all.

Pre-ban, I could indeed dive in for just several hours a week and still make a great living. I didn’t have to make notes, I rarely made big decisions and I never had to spend hours upon hours grinding away, it was, in truth, easy. But now things have changed – tables are limited, there are a higher concentration of sharks and longer sessions are required to make the same wage – these are hours that I just don’t have available.

Having said this, I am still up for the year, but I know that if I am going to make the same wage that I did last year, I need to spend more time working out how best to attack the game, but I simply don’t have that time. If I did, I would make notes, identify and study the players, work out the best levels to play, find the best offers and so on – I know I could do it, but only if I give it my all.

Finally, in reference to my bankroll, I’ve always believed that I played way under my roll. Ever since I gave up my job in 2005, I haven’t once endangered my roll. I have been sensible, disciplined and although encountered the odd blip where I have gone all antsy in my pantsy, stopped before I committed poker suicide.

I agree that you need more than I have for $5/10, but this was just a one off where I fancied a change, a gamble and a new experience after grinding away at the lower tables – just to get a taste of what the higher stakes were like. Normally I play $1/2 or $2/4, dependent on the state of my roll. I play with $20k at $2/4, which I believe is more than enough, especially considering my style.

Many thanks again for the words of advice – if anything, I have certainly learned that whether it’s an office job and poker or a poker job and poker, work and playing the game I love just don’t mix, unless you want to lose that is…

1 Comments:

At 5:50 AM, Blogger Pokeking69 said...

Hi there, i can relate to your points bout work and poker, you gotta be in the right frame of mind to play poker and if your not your just giving your money away!!

found your blog recently and ita a very good read, like your point and analysis of hands, helps a lesser player like me try to understand the logic required, having said that doesn't mean i will start thinking like that though wish i could!!

if you have time, which i know you don't have much of, would apprecaite you checking out my blog, maybe leave a comment or 2 as i need all advice i can get right now, maybe even link my blog?

cheers

PK69

 

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