I've lost over 50 percent of my roll in the last week with very good bankroll management.

Isn't that great?

It's a huge, huge downswing for me. Probably the worst I have ever had. Oh well, good thing I built it up so high before this. It's tough losing all those SnGs...but you have to move on.

I'm going to get back to something I started the live 4.40 180 man SnG disaster blog. Did that suck, or what? I plan on doing another one, I'm sure you're glad. Seriously, everyone posts their winning history. How about watching someone not catch anything?

We had talked about three things you need for winning at poker:

Emotional Control at all times.
A basic strategy that you adhere to (this does not mean formula).
Proper judgement during play.

I have talked about emotional control. However, I'll go over a few more things.

Certainly we're talking about going on tilt. Tilt destroys your game if you let it. There are many forms of tilt, and one that I'm on right now is "downswing tilt."

This type of tilt really sucks because it effects your confidence. That is deadly for your game. You begin to think, "Can I win again?" Shouldn't I be folding more often? I have QQ, maybe I should just fold it, or not raise.

Of course, I raise with QQ, and I even get aggressive with it, but the point is, there is a new fear because you keep getting ass raped with good hands running into better hands.

If you're on this type of tilt, it's time for a break. Something. You have to drop down in levels (which is what I'm doing), and take a break. This way, if the downswing continues, you're at least limiting your losses. One thing you can count on is...if you play poorly, the downswing will continue. But, what are some things that you would do on tilt that is poor play?

1. Calling even though you know you're beat.

This one sucks because you know you're on a downswing, and you're trying to prevent yourself from being TOO tight (which you can't be too tight in a downswing). You call with your QQ with a K on the board, and you know he COULD have a K, but you hope he doesn't. Generally, when you HOPE someone doesn't have a K, and you're CALLING...they will have it. Your instinct is telling you for a reason, and you should trust it. I don't know how much money I would save (because I wouldn't have seen the winning hand of my opponent) if I had just layed down my GOOD hand that I thought was beaten over the past week alone. It would have been quite a bit.

2. Trying to hit big, and quick.

Poker seems like it could be a get rich quick venture...but it is not. Making money in poker takes a LOT of time. Every time you're on an upswing you're not making as much money as you really think because at one point, you're going to have a downswing, and it is part of the game. The only thing you can count on is your good play, and with good play....over time...you will make money. You not only need patience during the game, but you need it outside the game because it takes so much time to make money in poker. If you graphed your money making over time, and you were a very good player, it wouldn't be a strait diagonal line. There would be many peaks and valleys, and the peaks would, in general, be JUST a little taller than the valleys. Think about it...you win 1000 one day. Lose 1200 the next. Win 1300 the next. You've made a small amount, almost break even, yet you've had 1300 dollar profit days, and 1000 loss days.

Trying to hit big and quick while playing in SnGs is also something that you could do. You might start out with 1500 at a 9 person table, and 10/20 blinds. Fast forward to the 25/50 levels, and no one is out, and you're pissed. How is the table so tight that no one is going out, yet I can't raise anyone off a hand no matter what I do?

Have you had this thinking? It doesn't cross your mind, while on tilt, that the players you are raising on the flop might actually have something.

So, you're down to about 1100 in the 50/100, with 8 people at the table, you start pushing, someone calls you with a better hand, you're out, and the tilt continues. What you are failing to think about, however, is that if your pushes were the right play at the time (late position with it folding to you, etc.) then you have nothing to be upset about. All you can do is your best play.

3. Moronic early play.

This is when the tilt is really bad, and is a combination of every bad play you can make. Full table, and it's 10/20, and you have Q4 off suit, and you raise from MP. You get four callers, and you bet the pot, and someone raises you, and you call them having not even paired anything. You call the turn bet, and the river bet, and you're even somewhat satisfied that everyone can see that you have absolutely fucking nothing, and look like a donkey's donkey. King of donks.

There are a few others, but the point is that tilt alters your play. You have to actively work, off the table, for ways to combat your tilt. If not, when it comes, you will not be prepared for it, and it can destroy your game.

The next thing we want to talk about is a basic strategy that you actually adhere to. Because I don't want to make any one blog too long, I'll start with how we do that in the next blog which will be later today.