We all know what makes a bad player "bad"- their lack of understanding the fundamentals of the game, the mistakes they make over and over, the fact that they get married to their hands, and the basic level one thinking that engulfs these players. There are also other factors that add to their "badness". These include the bad player's compulsiveness to "gamble" often with no edge, their failure to recognize mistakes and improve their game, and the blame the "luck" factor- meaning how unlucky they are, and how lucky their opponents tend to be. This post is not to complain about bad players. All are encouraged, believe me. I can't turn a profit if my opponents do not repeat their mistakes, gamble, seek to get lucky, etc. This post is about what separates us (the thinking player) from them (the bad player).
Good players lose a pot and say to themselves- what did I do wrong? What can I do to improve my game? How could I play that hand differently? Next time, can I do something to maximize my profit? How did my opponent play their hand and how can I exploit their mistakes in the future?
On the other hand, bad players, ask different questions. Those players ask- Why did my opponent call my flop bet? How does he stay in with a flush draw? Why do I always get unlucky? Why is it that I can't win a hand tonight? The questions that the bad players ask produce one result- further bad play. Guaranteed status quo for the bad player. They will not improve with these questions. All these questions do is lock up the good players' hold on the bad players' money. Keep asking those questions please.
I played at the club this week and saw a gerat example of my good/improved player v. bad/stagnant player- two guys I have played with for years. The first gentleman was Alan**(names changed to protect the innocent) and the second was Mario. Alan, if it is possible, has gotten worse over the years. More likely, his bad play is just that much more obvious to me. I observed him make a mistake pretty much on every street in every hand he played, with the exception of the one time he flopped a set and played it well (against Mario, ironically). But, in most hands, when it was clear he should bet, he would check, when he should've raised, he just called, when he should fold, he called all in., etc etc. Additionally, he blamed luck on every pot he lost, and complained the pots he won were too small. Very negative mindset- the icing on his bad play.
Contrary to this, Mario, has improved tremendously in the last two years that I have known him. He has gone from a super tight player, to a player who exercises pot control, discretion and handles post flop play very well. The amount of his mistakes has diminished, and the quality of his play has dramatically improved. He and Jon have spoken on several occasions on proper play, execution of bets, etc. He is a prime example of how focusing strategic questions designed to evaluate your game, can ACTUALLY improve your game. In a strange way, I feel proud of Mario for his improvements, and I am truly happy for the successes he has experienced in poker. He is a humble player, with a quiet demeanor and good instincts. He has become a player I shy away from in hands, which is a huge compliment to his play.
The bottom line that as good players, we are ALWAYS looking to improve our game. I remember when I first began playing, it was a complete mystery to me how there was such a thing as a "professional poker player". In my mind, I believed that you had to always make the best hand to make money and further, bluffing was virtually impossible, because why would anyone fold a better hand?
This is level 1 thinking.
This is ignorance.
It took a long time- years- for me to talk to other players, learn what I needed to do to improve, and then actually apply what I learned to my game. This is a law school concept for me. Read a strategy or a rule in a book, and then apply it to a case. Just like in poker- you read a strategy- three bet with nothing, check raise on a draw, etc, and then find an ideal scenario to apply this strategy and execute it. It is much more difficult than it sounds. Just like in law school- you think how hard can it be? Then you open up the first page of your final exam, stare at the 8.5 x 14 page single spaced fact pattern and want to run screaming from the room- how are you supposed to apply the law you learned to this miniature novel in less than 2 hours? But somehow you manage, and it gets easier and easier, just like in poker.
And again, the bottom line- good players are always looking to improve. Just like in law school, once I mastered the skill of applying what I learned to ideal fact patterns, likewise, I have been able to do that in poker. And I am always looking for more spots, better ways to exploit the game, more nuances to refine...and all that good stuff.
Other than that, I have been running well in cash lately. I have had several earning sessions in a row, and I am happy about that. I am playing the Borgata 50k guaranteed tomorrow, and I will let you know how it goes. I will try to record some interesting hands for you. That's it for now, good money at the tables!
Good money and peace,
Lucky C, and Ace.
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