Discipline
Being a part of a new card room, I have watched the shakeout of the regs. Many aren’t coming back anymore. They come from the home games and don’t understand that the ‘chase game’ causes too much variance.
You can lie to yourself, but money don’t lie!
Then, the ‘money man’ sits down behind me and changes everything. This player type doesn’t really play poker, but like a maniac makes huge over-bets that don’t really fit the game or the situation. Sometimes he wins, but losing doesn’t really matter to him he’s so over rolled. But I pay attention to his lines and what’s working or not for him and I change seats to get behind him.
And there I sit in the midst of this madness with players that will chase anything and others that will bet anything and me trying to navigate. I make mistakes: I reraised too big, alerted maniac & let him get away from his hand - I bet too small & let the draw get there - I didn’t recognize a bluff, I could have picked off, etc.
Recognizing, countering and adjusting to different opponents is necessary. You have to have the discipline to play good cards and good situations, but that’s not wins for you. The most discipline is necessary for folding good cards that are beat and this is why most players lose.
How many times do I hear, “I’ve got to call” when actually you have to dump QQ with a king on board and the guy that always bets top pair is betting. You have to dump a hand that got counterfeited, or when the draw gets there. You might have to fold JJ three times in a session. Can you fold AK? A person that blasts off with aces with a four flush on board can never win. Yet, I see plays like this nearly every session. You have to recognize!
There’s so many ways that winning poker is about discipline and so many that lack it. Yet, is there anything more important than discipline in NL Hold’em when one mistake can make or break a session? Didn’t even get into bankroll management and other areas, like feeling good when you play.
I don’t know about the rest of you but discussing poker helps me ‘do better’. I’m a happy, humble guy trying to improve. This topic is so important and I’ve barely scratched the surface. Hope some of you will give an opinion: what do you think? what have I left out? when do you get out of line? any tips?
3 Replies
You're absolutely right in all of that. I would say experience is what helps us improve in those areas yet it does of course remain difficult to maintain that discipline. Also the counter side of that coin is that it can in itself make you more easy to exploit. I recall having a time where i was overcalling as online at least its surprising how often people have complete air. There is no definite answer to the everlasting problems we face as thats simply part of the game.
Agree with you OP, I find bankroll discipline and emotional control to be the most important things to me at the tables. To clarify, by the latter I mean treating winning and losing big pots the same and not over reacting to either. It helps me control myself with regards to tilt but key in that is playing well within stakes I am rolled for.
The discipline to fold when you know you are beat is a huge part of winning poker. I wish I were more disciplined in that area, especially when I'm a little tilted (cards aren't going my way, I finally get a good hand, how can I lose w/ AA again, etc.).
