The happy poker player

Quick Shout out to everybody: Great blog posts this month everyone!  One note: I tried to post my personal photos in this morning's post, but there's seemed to be some issues...

Attributes of a happy poker player

1. Having a positive state of mind is one key aspect for remaining a happy poker player and a profit-making-successful one, and I'll put forward my suggestions towards how we can be one.

Secondly....

2. Listen to positive music.  There is scientific evidence which suggests that listening to beautiful music can actually change your own vibrations and ther fore improve our mood.  To back this point up, there is even science which says that gentle, melodic tunes can create intricate shapes in water.  Bear with me.  And as human beings we are 80% made up of water so by allowing physical aspects of us to be uplifted (water) surely this means listening to positive music can be increasingly healing, healthy and create a positive vibe.  I did it this morning and I would say it definitely put me in a good mood!

The evidence

'Another way to visualise the impact of energy frequencies on matter is to pass sound waves through a dish of water.  As the frequency is changes, the patterns in the water change too.  Certain types of classical music produce complex and beautiful patterns in the water, while other frequencies, such as those found in harsh music, produce chaotic and disorganised wave forms.' (Dawson Church - Mind to Matter page 182)

Your personality in a drop of water

'A fascinating series of experiments at the Aerospace Institute (officially, the Institute for Static and Dynamics for Aerospace Construction) in Stuttgart, Germany, used water as a medium.  The studies, performed by Professor Dr. Berne Helmut Kroplin, measured the effect of different people on water.  A large group of students participated in one experiement.  Each one filled a hypodermic syringe with water and squeezed a series of droplets onto a.microscopic slide.  Kroplins team then took photographs of the droplets.  They found that each person's droplets looked quite different to the others.  The droplets produced by the same person, were virtually the same however.

'Just as the finger prints of every one of the eight billion people on the planet are unique, the energy field of each person is unique.  When water passes through a person's energy field, the shapes it assumes are always the same while different from the shapes produced by another person's.

POKER

3. Don't look at the score in tournaments or in cash game, resist the temptation.  I always tend to do far better when I just focus on the game and don't look at how much I've won or lost or where I'm at in the tournament and what the prize structures are...don't do it!  Focus on the cards (and other players) instead.

4.  Go for walks outside in the countryside, woods, mountains - its super healthy and you'll feel better for it.

5.  Exercise and have a healthy diet and drink lots of water.  Lots of energy is being used up with all those thought processes going on, but as you're sitting down a lot at the online tables, it's also important to keep the body moving with some much needed calorie burning.  I'm now off for a run :)

6.  Don't drink alcohol.  I rarely drink alcohol these days - I quit drinking bing drinking on the weekend 3 plus years ago after I used to often go after football matches with my mates and it's changed my life...for the better! (Book recommendation: Annie Grace and the Naked Mind: How to control Alcohol).

Although I will admit, I do dream of the odd real beer binge now and again...it passes though fortunately! Haha.

6.  Do something new - learn to fix something, swim, play tennis, do some volunteer work, go visit ancient ruins, speak to a stranger, do something for someone, try out rock climbing...I don't know!...whatever takes your fancy!  Getting yourself away from the game for a while can be healthy, keep things balanced and provide healthy perspective.

POKER In cash games or tournaments

7.  Don't give up too early or easily, if you get a bad beat or lose don't jump off the table. I've done this countless times, but also the times when (usually AA) I've had a strong hand cracked I decided to stay, feeling I played well, and I ended up winning a lot of money back. Have faith.  Sometimes good players get bad luck...temporarily.  This happened to me two months ago when I built up my stack to $150 from a $25 buy in after losing with AA in my first all in.

POKER

8.  Keep a record of your winnings and losses.  This is something I will do much more vigilantly beginning next month.  It will allow you to keep a track of your goals and not lose motivation.  Having a direction is important and this can really help.

POKER

9.  Now on to something a bit more practical that can be used in strategy play.

What is the difference between the worst players and the expert players? According to Sklansky & Malmuth it isn't down to folding a lot or not folding a lot, but when you fold, depending on the pot size.  If the pot size is small, it is ok, but when the pot isn't big and you have a medium to strong holding, folding the best hand can be catastrophic!

Small stakes poker:  "The worst poker players display common characteristics: They play far too many hands, they do not fold often enough after the flop, and they miss bets and raises with their marginal and strong hands. Studious players watch these calling stations and resolve to avoid their mistakes. They often decide to "fold when they are beaten."

'While expert play requires that you often fold, some players, in their zeal to avoid mistakes of weaker opponents, fold too much. They concentrate on making "good lay downs". They say things like 'fit or fold', and 'a bet saved is the same as a bet won.'

"These ideas are not always bad. For many players this mindset may be useful when the pot is small. Unfortunately, the self righteous folder often does not draw the size based distinction. In small pots, making a good, early fold (especially before the flop) may save you an extra couple of bets. A bad (i.e. incorrect) fold costs relatively little. But when the pot is large, as it is usually on the river, a bad fold costs a fortune.' (Page 202). Even if you are almost sure that you are beaten, when the pot is large on the river, do not fold decent hands for one bet."

The writers go on to explain the more detailed reasoning for this in the chapter.

10.  And finally....

Don't bet what you can't afford to lose!

Thanks for reading and enjoy your Sunday all.