Time

I put in my time this Winter. I picked up a lot from some reading I did but that does not replace experience. But reading and experience together has brought noticeable results.

The biggest improvement I have made in my game (we are talking poker) is I just do not go on tilt any more, ever. I have reached a point where I come out ahead two out of every three outings. The problem is my up days are too small and my down days are too large.

I have improved on another of my weaknesses, which was to stay too long in big pot big betting in hands which drain a good percentage of my stack. I avoid or get out of such circumstances quickly, unless I have the nuts. I also tend to pay out on the river to to see that I am really beat, though often I already know that I am.

Another weakness, which I have just realized I must address, is not getting up enough to keep the blood circulating and not eating when I spend long hours, a lot of time, at the table.

The quality of one’s spirit and determination influences one’s outcome. When I am having a tough day, not eating just makes it that much harder to keep one’s spirit up. I have to review the Casino’s restaurants and their menus to find some healthy meal choices. I have won a lot of reward points I can spend, but not enough to make up for my losses. Perhaps I will use the reward points to take my wife to a show.

Here is an example of a tough day. I have pocket 5’s. Then 5-9-Q come on the flop. Here I am to bet heavily to get the most out of my hand. The odds are high in my favor that I will win this hand. Well, there are two raisers after my bet on the flop. The betting is capped. Myself and one other slow down, not raising. We get to the river and what do I find. One gentleman had pocket 9’s, the other pocket Q’s. What are the odds?

Then I have pocket 8’s like eight times and not once does it pay off. I had pocket K’s and lost, and in short order five others received those pocket K’s and they all lost. You get top trips (with a great kicker) and lose to a full house. You get a full house and lose to a better full house. Sometimes that is the nature of the table you find yourself at, and it never seems to end.

I have reached my limit as far as losses go. I will still get out to play, since I have improved, but not nearly as often. More important than the loss of money is the loss of time, if there is no return on investment. And now with spring upon us I have so many other things to do with my time.

So I step back a bit to start investing in the garden and other endeavors conducive to the warmer months, and what happens? Well the foul weather is surely a hindrance, but on top of that I catch a cold. I have not been sick for more than half a day for many many a year, but this is the third day of my cold.

I have found some returns on the investment of my time other than poker chips. With a clear vision of the man one would like to become the poker table can be a great proving grounds. Inevitably feelings of greed, envy, despair, jealousy, insecurity, fear and the like will arise. To dispel all these negative inclinations, to enjoy the company around you and not to be dismayed by negative outcomes are strengths one can develop and can lead to having much more fun at the tables.

Time well spent.