O.K., this is sounding a little bit like "loser talk", but let me elaborate. I have been playing in lots and lots of tournaments simultaneously online. My drug of choice has been spadepoker.com which runs tournaments every 15 minutes. They have some Omaha pot limit high only, which is becoming a favorite, but I still lack some basic skills....like choosing great starting hands. Still, I have been able to win some pretty big tournaments, and usually get very deep by playing conservatively, waiting for the right position and cards.
When I say that I am moving past results oriented play, when you play several tables at once you are forced to make quick decisions, and those decisions are based on starting hands and position as well as pot odds, which you must calculate very quickly. For example, if I am in late position and there are 4 or 5 limpers, and it is early in the tournament I will limp with any two cards with the intention of folding to a blind raise. The decision is a pot odds one, and I am looking for a miracle flop in position. Because I am looking for a miracle, when the flop is air for me, I am not disappointed in the results. I am basing my actions on making good decisions, not expecting good results, but happy if I get them.
Another way of looking at this is when you get pocket aces. We all love to look down and see American Airlines looking back at us, yet I have busted out of many tournaments when I have gone all in with them. Some players (including me in the past) have cursed the poker gods because of the ENTITLEMENT they feel when starting with the best hand. You just have to get over it and accept that you made the right decision, someone else felt that they made the right decision with their pocket jacks, then got ultra lucky to catch their two outer. The bottom line is that if we focus on results we will sometimes be happy and sometimes sad. If we focus instead on making good decisions we can be disappointed, but still feel good about our play. I busted out of the Legion tournament last night after about an hour of play. I made some marginal decisions (raising in late position with A/3 offsuit, getting called from the big blind, continuing to bet through the river with calls all the way....I did flop an open end straight draw) that cost me chips early, but ended up going all in with my eyes wide open, extremely sure that I was behind. I had A/8 spades, flop was 10/Jack/King with two spades....One all in, one over the top all in, me acting last. As expected, the first bettor had 10/J for two pair, the second had A/Q for flopped straight. What made my decision easy was that I had around 7 big blinds and the pot was laying me very good odds with a couple of limpers folding. I missed my flush draw (could also have split the pot with a queen) but left with no regrets. I did not achieve the results I wanted, but felt I made a good decision at the end.
2 comments:
Phil, I really think that this is why I have been playing much better in tournaments lately - making good decisions. It is not always easy, but I think my results, especially after this last Sunday (see my new post) bear this out. Good decisions eventually lead to good results. It's harder in the cheap limit games, but it works there too. I have been going home with money much more often than I used too. Good luck with your online tournaments!!
Thanks for your nice comments on my championship! I agree with you about the Moose cash games, but I still love (most of) the people there so I like to go once in awhile. Just remember that you and I will not rebuy as often as those crazy players, right? By the way, when might you be at the Moose so I can say "hi"? I will be at The Island again tonight (Tuesday). See you soon.
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