Poker coaches and top-level poker professionals subscribe to the theory that talent alone is not enough in the game. Only Eric Ivanovich Sidel continues to insist that he does not work on the game at all, but has achieved success because poker is his profession. In other cases, it is important not only to regularly work on the game, but also to be professional about your business. And today we will reveal some of the secrets that poker players put into this concept.
Downswing justification
Before getting used to most rules, beginners learn about the term “downdraft.” They can justify anything: a horribly played hand, a beer session, tilt, etc. But remember the only true rule:
There is no downswing in poker – only poorly played hands.
How can I do that? Are the “fathers of poker” like Sklansky or Greenstein wrong in their books? The problem is not with them, but with a specific person.
Each of us is prone to making excuses. Remember the story of a friend who often says: “The love of my life left me and went to someone else.” “Okay, but if this girl is so important to you, what have you done to keep her?
The simplest thing in life and poker is to raise your hand, give up and cry to a friend, mother or forum because this scoundrel offended you. But in any situation, it is better to calmly analyze and admit your mistakes. What does all this have to do with poker? Beginners and experts alike often feel like they have failed at the dispersal and phishing efforts of their opponents who were lucky enough to get there.
Such pranks happen, but they can be counted on the fingers of one hand. We were eliminated in the pre-finals with JJ and Coins – it’s annoying. But if I have 13 BB on my stack, how can I play this differently? There is no special way to deal with this situation, but it is important to study the previous figure and find the answer to the following questions:
- Why are you short stacked?
- Could you have played differently in previous hands to get into the later stages with a bigger stack?
Often, you will be able to find 1-2 hands where chips were given to your opponent. And it was because of them that you found yourself in such a difficult situation where you had to put your entire stack on the line.
The pop star principle
Today there are many rather strange characters in the music arena (we will not list their names), but in general there are two rules in show business:
- Lack of talent can be compensated by diligence and desire to work
- Talent cannot compensate for lack of will
What about us in poker? The exact same scheme works here. Many players who believe in their talent and their exceptionality believe that they will do absolutely nothing to improve their game.
What does this lead to? Even with a positive initial ROI, the field will gradually begin to take over. You can’t sign up for a trainer, show up for a class, fold your pen, or wait for 100 million people to stand at the cash register. It doesn’t work that way. A coach won’t do all the work for you. Get ready to work like the devil. Yes, yes, what did you think? Of course, poker gives you freedom and you can “work” from anywhere in the world, but money will not fall from heaven.
Every cent, every dollar must be earned by training for many hours every week. If you are not ready for such an attitude, it is better not to start playing. Or treat poker as entertainment. We lost £100 – oh well, but we had a fun night.
