West-Side
10-05-2015, 02:22 PM
So I've been mastering my tells and strategy, pretty much utilize the tight-aggressive style. It's working good, I crush 1/2 & 2/5 on the regular. I'm currently working on my mental game. I'm understanding most concepts and have been improving my mental game significantly. I've been using a journal and have outlined what makes me lose focus, get angry, or play loose (poorly). As a result, I've stopped playing poorly when I have a big pair. Both in terms of being reckless with them or overbetting. I also play them properly pre-flop now (ex: if I have JJ, I raise more than I would with AA, to get headsup action only). I personally think playing JJ aggressively (more-aggressively than any other hand is the only way to play that hand). For two reasons:
1) You must get heads-up action.
2) With an aggressive bet, if someone re-raises you; they could only have AA-QQ. Even with AK suited; if I raise to 40/50 pre-flop at 1/2, I don't see anyone re-raising me with anything other than QQ-AA. This strategy has helped me win a lot more with JJ's.
Anyways, I know you've been playing poker for a living so I want to ask your advice about variance. I get the concept and its helped me significantly improve my mental game (because it forces me to tilt less, but I keep my focus at all times).
The problem I'm encountering now, is that I get no cards (or no flops). I'd end up grinding for 5-6 hours and either be up 30/40 bucks (due to playing my position) or end up going broke. I play 1/2. I go broke because I get aggressive near the end. I always feel like "what's the point of wasting 7 hours of your time grinding, just to be down 40 bucks or up 20." So I get aggressive and try to double up before I leave, almost never works.
This has been happening for months now, at least since May. Same session. I NEVER get straights, flushes, full houses etc. And when I do get the rare quad, trips etc. I rarely get paid. The variance has irritated me. I know the concept of long-term profitability and I know I shouldn't do what I do (near the end of my session). But is there a better strategy for me to use?
Should I just play my best and leave after about 5/6 hours if I just don't get the cards or see the flops. It's around that time, I either get dinner or I start losing focus. Problem is, I work in the mornings so I can only play for maximum of 7 hours on weekdays.
Basically, what's your general strategy when dealing with bad variance over long periods of time?
Focus on your performance rather than profits, right?
1) You must get heads-up action.
2) With an aggressive bet, if someone re-raises you; they could only have AA-QQ. Even with AK suited; if I raise to 40/50 pre-flop at 1/2, I don't see anyone re-raising me with anything other than QQ-AA. This strategy has helped me win a lot more with JJ's.
Anyways, I know you've been playing poker for a living so I want to ask your advice about variance. I get the concept and its helped me significantly improve my mental game (because it forces me to tilt less, but I keep my focus at all times).
The problem I'm encountering now, is that I get no cards (or no flops). I'd end up grinding for 5-6 hours and either be up 30/40 bucks (due to playing my position) or end up going broke. I play 1/2. I go broke because I get aggressive near the end. I always feel like "what's the point of wasting 7 hours of your time grinding, just to be down 40 bucks or up 20." So I get aggressive and try to double up before I leave, almost never works.
This has been happening for months now, at least since May. Same session. I NEVER get straights, flushes, full houses etc. And when I do get the rare quad, trips etc. I rarely get paid. The variance has irritated me. I know the concept of long-term profitability and I know I shouldn't do what I do (near the end of my session). But is there a better strategy for me to use?
Should I just play my best and leave after about 5/6 hours if I just don't get the cards or see the flops. It's around that time, I either get dinner or I start losing focus. Problem is, I work in the mornings so I can only play for maximum of 7 hours on weekdays.
Basically, what's your general strategy when dealing with bad variance over long periods of time?
Focus on your performance rather than profits, right?