17 FEB 07
Everyone has this buddy. You know, he’s the one that drinks too much at the boss’s party or drives a little too fast. Part of you wants to encourage it, for no other reasons than it’s fun and entertaining, kinda like college. Another part of you, the good friend part, wants to pull your buddy aside and say, “Give it a rest for a bit, eh bud?”
Theoretically, I’m a good poker player. I make great reads and have won huge sums of money. Right now, I’m in a terrible downswing, and I’m not handling it well. I need someone to pull me aside and say, “Take it down a notch.”
Seattle John is trying to do just that. He kids me that I’m his curse – when I show up, he starts running bad. In actuality, I’m probably good for him because I remind him how not to play. He was there are the ‘shoot on Tuesday. I collected my $200 high hand (straight flush to the 8) and sat in a 4/8 game while waiting for 10/20. In one hand, I showed John my Ace-high after everyone folded before dragging a big pot. He said, “That’s hard to do a 4/8.”
Yup.
After I left the casino (down a bit), I thought more about his comment. I know he has read my posts regarding my play and specifically my problems with ego. Showing him that bluff was a screaming ego issue, and, whether he intended it or not, what he really was saying was, “Okay. You got lucky there. Nice play. Now take it down a notch and let the money come. Don’t force it.”
I’m not sure I heard the message at the time.
But wait. He is trying again! In a great post about running bad, he mentions me again. Without specifically calling out my bad play, he is again giving me great advice about how I can turn this around. It comes down to this:
- Good pre-flop discipline
- Take breaks
- Patience
My buddy Stefan is coming to town tomorrow and we will be hitting the Muckleshoot hard. I tend to gamble it up when he gets here, even though I know I should do the opposite. I am sitting on a small bankroll thanks to some big finishes in a few local tournaments. I think I’m ready to listen now.
2 comments:
Really that post was not about your play it was about how shitty I am playing and running. I thought the A,9 hand was a great bluff. It only works about 5% of the time however in a $4/8 game. I hope you turn it around as well as I. See you this week sometime. SJ
OK, Phil Hellmuth, you can make the reads all you want, but if you are going to play limit poker by the seat of your pants, you're going to leak dollars away left and right.
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