So I've been playing quite a bit of poker lately. For the most part it's just been a freeroll here or a play chip tournament there, and actually even a low-stakes home game just recently, but it's all gone rather well. Now I do have a decent bankroll split up between my online account and cash-in-hand, but I really want to make this go-around count. I'm easing myself back into the grind that poker can become, and just dipping my toe in the water with, like I said, freerolls and microstakes cash games, is the way to go.
You see, over the last two to three years I've rarely played for a variety of issues, but now I think I have come to a point where, if I wanted, I could jump back into the thick of things and commit a lot hours to playing. Yet, every time I've done just that before I would be in over my head, and would forget/ignore even the most basic, fundamental concepts of play. My bankroll would then dwindle a bit, and just as soon as I started to play I would stop.
But now? I'm rereading game theory books I already read five years ago, and although I once went over all these basics, it's brand-new material all over again. This analytical side of the game I never really had a stable base for, and going over that material will be a good point to jump from so that I don't repeat mistakes I've made in the past.
The instinctual part of the game, what I believe is my strength, will come definitely back to me... it always does once I get on a regular schedule of play. Most poker players, hell even just people in general, claim that they can "read" people well and naturally have that instinct. Said people are full of horseshit, just for the record. In my case though, that actually rings pretty true. I'm not going to drop the cliche that I've always had a sixth sense for these kinds of things (I hate people who say that), but I do hone in on people's body language, voice level, and more - all of which you can learn a tremendous amount from - more than the average person.
Ideally I'd like to arrive at the point where I equally weigh this sixth sense I have (ugh) with my understanding of game theory for every decision, but that's a long ways away. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say that, at my peak as a poker player, I gave maybe 10-15% credence to game theory, and mostly relied on instinct for my decisions. So as you can see, I'm reaching for the sky here with regards to where I aim to go.
You see, over the last two to three years I've rarely played for a variety of issues, but now I think I have come to a point where, if I wanted, I could jump back into the thick of things and commit a lot hours to playing. Yet, every time I've done just that before I would be in over my head, and would forget/ignore even the most basic, fundamental concepts of play. My bankroll would then dwindle a bit, and just as soon as I started to play I would stop.
But now? I'm rereading game theory books I already read five years ago, and although I once went over all these basics, it's brand-new material all over again. This analytical side of the game I never really had a stable base for, and going over that material will be a good point to jump from so that I don't repeat mistakes I've made in the past.
The instinctual part of the game, what I believe is my strength, will come definitely back to me... it always does once I get on a regular schedule of play. Most poker players, hell even just people in general, claim that they can "read" people well and naturally have that instinct. Said people are full of horseshit, just for the record. In my case though, that actually rings pretty true. I'm not going to drop the cliche that I've always had a sixth sense for these kinds of things (I hate people who say that), but I do hone in on people's body language, voice level, and more - all of which you can learn a tremendous amount from - more than the average person.
Ideally I'd like to arrive at the point where I equally weigh this sixth sense I have (ugh) with my understanding of game theory for every decision, but that's a long ways away. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say that, at my peak as a poker player, I gave maybe 10-15% credence to game theory, and mostly relied on instinct for my decisions. So as you can see, I'm reaching for the sky here with regards to where I aim to go.
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