impatience?

Question

im a good poker player , i know exaclty how to play in every situation BUT i always lose in tournaments because im impatient and i make wrong moves that get me knocked out -knowing that- because im impatient and i get bord easily.
how cani be more patient?you advice plz.
ps: i play online.

Answer 1

You claim to be a good poker player, yet you admit to being impatient. It's one or the other, brother.

You also say you "know exactly how to play in every situation," yet in the very same sentence, concede you "make wrong moves." Again, which is it?

The bad news is you're NOT good. However there's good news as well, and, fortunately, it outweighs the bad: You know, accept, and by virtue of asking for help, are taking measures to address your weakness.

Now, at this point, I really should rewind and point out that you (like nearly everyone else) actually have multiple weaknesses including, but not limited to, your ego. And to become profitable, you must also identify and address those other weaknesses. I'll get to that in a moment.

Your question, specifically, is "How can you be more patient?" Understand, patience is not really an acquired trait and I'm not certain, in fact I doubt, that it can be learned. (The yoga may work though. Who knows?) Fortunately it CAN be practiced, however, and practice makes permanent.

The first thing you need to do is look at poker as a business. Like most any other job, it sucks. It's boring. It's tedious. It's repetitious and it's NOT FUN. If you're serious about becoming profitable and only if you're willing to accept that (for the most part) it's a boring-a$s grind, keep reading and start practicing winning poker.

Step one: You must re-learn to crawl before you may re-learn to walk. By that I mean re-learn all the most basic fundamentals (most importantly for you is hand selection for given positions) you thought you knew and force yourself to apply them.

Quit playing no-limit. In fact, quit playing all tournaments of any kind. Play online for free or with a computer simulator. (I used an ancient version of Hoyle's Casino myself, honest to God, forever before eventually taking a seat in a cash game.) Play at a full table of 9-10. If after no less than two weeks, you can honestly say you folded K-J under the gun EVERY SINGLE TIME, proceed to step two. If not, either practice step one 'til you get it right or give up the game.

Step two: Re-learn to jog. Re-learn how to calculate pot odds and adhere strictly to them. Re-learn positional post-flop play. Did I mention position? Re-read the "Position Play" chapters in all your favorite books then re-read them all again. Adhere strictly to the wisdom you'll discover there. Damn-near never bluff! Almost never slow play! Study common scenarios with commonly-agreed upon expert strategy recommendations. Adhere strictly to those recommendations.

Practice this for the next month (perhaps longer). If after this time, you've really begun to find the game boring, GOOD! If you want to continue, better yet. Don't cheat, though. If you're still catching yourself bluffing, playing out of position, etc. a bit too often, re-read and re-practice.

Note: At this point, you'd better not have cheated and played in a money game of any sort (even with friends) and you'd better not have cheated and played no-limit or a tourney (even for free).

Step three: Re-learn to run. Alright, now you're ready to play for cash as well as personalize your game. Only at this time may you permit yourself to deviate from "the book." You want to raise 7-8 suited from late position to build a big family pot? Definitely! You want to raise that 2-7o pre-flop (in a position and at a time you don't expect any callers), then show, to loosen up a game and change (or at least force opponents to think twice about) your image. OK. Want to make an intentionally bad call to showdown a known thief in an attempt to keep him in line on a bigger hand down the road? That's OK too. Now's the time. (Don't get carried away with sh-t like that, though, or you'll end up back at step one.) And, again, keep it fixed limit.

Keep reading everything you can about strategy. Krieger and Sklansky may disagree on some finer points, but that's OK. Find which style works (and more-importantly is more profitable) for you. And while on the topic of style, don't dramatically change up your overall style in a game for no reason. It's more important to play whichever style is most profitable against your given opponent(s) - whether that happens to be your preferred style or not.

Evaluate your play. Analyze every hand. Would you have made more by smooth calling with the nuts and three others behind you on the river? Did you miss a bet? Was a value bet on the river foolish since your opponent was likely drawing and would either raise or fold? Should you really have gone for the check-raise with your two small pair from the BB following the flop or should you have led? Should you have realized this particular opponent always calls others down when they're representing a strong ace pre-flop, but are likely to be overplaying it post-flop? Did you just lose your a$s with a lousy kicker... again? Did you really just smooth-call kings!!!???

Think everything through and be a damn tough critic. Eventually you'll notice certain negative trends - leaks. That's OK though because you're now able to identify, and should be disciplined enough, to fix them.

Side note: Don't ever tilt! You'd be surprised, it's not as tough as you may think. Pride yourself on, and practice being the most polite, most disciplined player you know. Learn to say, "Nice hand," and say it often! It's easy, kind of fun, and will keep you both sane and in the black.

Important - No, CRUCIAL: During this step, keep a record of your play. Know what you're winning or losing, cumulatively, per hour. Log every session and don't cheat! After three months of profitable fixed limit play, you're finally ready to get back to where you thought you were (minus the impatience).

Step four: Learn how to race (no-limit tournament play). Truthfully, by this point, you should have most of the tools necessary, and a strong enough understanding of the game in general, to be able to sit down and start kicking a$s. But do your homework anyway. Read everything you can about no-limit and tournament play. In particular, read everything Dan Harrington has written. Read books by your other favorite players. Supplement your game with their advice, however keep your adopted overall style intact. Again, keep records of your play and know whether, and how much, you're winning or losing. Assuming you're winning, find the cost and structure of tournament that offers you the best return on your money and start banking. Add some sound money management discipline to your game and, finally, you're a "good poker player." :)

(Sorry this ran so long. Once I get started, sometimes I can't stop.)

Answer 2

You have some problems with your game. First off, you are too arrogant. I mean no disrespect, but even the best players in the world do not know the best play in EVERY situation. If you really believe this about your game, it will get you in trouble.

If you know you are impatient, you need to accept that unless you get past this problem you will never become a great player.

I also have a question for Hi T. Could you please explain how poker is a mugs game? Is it just that you don't understand it or are you just the kind of person who makes stupid comments with no real knowledge?

Answer 3

Start by making a rule that you will only play pairs of 9 or higher or AK through AJ, plus maybe KQ and KJ.

When you do, bet 5 times the BB.

And finally, you are not good and you do not know how to play every situation if you admit to impatience.

Once you get down to 4 or 5 players, you might change your strategy.

I finish in the money in more than half the 10 player tournaments I enter.

Answer 4

Usually with on-line tournaments the blinds go up really fast about ever 10-15 minutes, and only getting about 1500 in chips with blinds starting at 25-50, you really don't have room to be to patience because the blinds will eat at you if you don't make some moves and get some chips.

As far as getting bored, If you enjoy poker and like playing it, I don't see how you can get bored, burned out I can understand, try find some place to play live tournaments. I play on-line but not as often as I play in person. I just can't sit infront of a computer all day, I get enough of that at work.

Answer 5

Take a yoga class to work on relaxing more. Or take a break from poker for a while. You might be too obssessed with it.

Answer 6

1) Nobody plays every situation correctly

2) No advice can help you with your problem, you have to work on it on your own.

Answer 7

Take some yoga lessons.

Answer 8

Give it up, it's a mugs game.