Friday, September 09, 2005

Welcome to internet poker blog #2,914,812,003.



Call me....Brick.

Let's clear something up right now.

I suck at poker.

I have no delusions about my skill level. The only difference between me and 99% of the players on PartyPoker is I know that I suck. Sure, I play well in spurts, but any winnings quickly dissolve when I play too long, lose focus, and start cold-calling raises with 10-9 offsuit. Let's just say I know how to play much better then I do. I read the books. In fact I own seven strategy books and just ordered one more this morning. The problem is, owning books won't make you good. Reading them won't make you good. You have to consistently apply what you learn. You have to do what you know, not just know what to do. Knowing you should fold and actually folding are two completely different things. Anyone who knows anything about poker (especially 10-handed limit hold 'em) is you should spend the great majority of your time folding.

Everyone knows that to lose weight you just have to eat less and exercise. Except that it is much easier to eat more and not exercise, and you won't see the difference in the moment. "Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now."

I started this blog because I want to become a winner at this game. I waste most of my free time sitting at my computer clicking "Fold", "Call", or "Raise." I should at least be winning or my continued involvement makes no sense.

It all began two years ago when my roommates and I started playing during the 2003 WSOP. I started reading about poker strategy for the sole purpose of beating them. Then we moved apart and poker night didn't come around often enough. Enter: PartyPoker, April 2004. And, well, it has since taken over my life. For a long time I thought I was good. I would win $100, cash out (thinking I was awesome and winning $100 every time), then I would lose what I had left, buy back in, lose that, buy back in, win $100, cash out, wash, rinse, repeat. I estimate that I have lost a few thousand dollars. Every time I started keeping records I quit when I started losing. Nice system, huh? So two months ago I bought a program call StatKing and started entering in each session. After 165 hours, I'm down $930 (for the benefit of those readers happening to be my girlfriend, through the magic of rakeback and bonuswhoring, I'm up $900 in real dollars during that time, but from the actual playing of poker, I'm down $930).

I decided I'm going to study more and apply what I learn. I have put to together a plan with goals for the next 1,000+ hours of play. I will post my progress and results here. I am starting with a bankroll of $1500, and will begin by playing 2 tables of 2-4 limit hold 'em and keep moving up until I am beating 4 tables of 5-10, or until I go broke. What will most likely happen is I will quickly abandon my plan, play limits too high for my bankroll, lose the $1500, quit posting on this blog, and continue wasting my time and money. Yes I am a pessimist, but I am also a realist. Whenever I hear someone who is overweight or an alcoholic say something like: "Yeah, this time I'm REALLY gonna change...", I don't believe it for two seconds.

Anyway, we will see what happens. I hope this isn't my only post.


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