Losing

Well folks, the past few days were rough. They say it’s through adversity that we learn the most about ourselves, to this I would like to add that it’s through losing your ass off that we learn the most about Poker.

What did I learn? Nothing that I didn’t really know before.

YOU. WILL. LOSE.

On some days it’s just inevitable. It doesn’t matter how many books you have read on the subject, no matter how many fishes are sitting at your table and no matter how many BB/100 you’re crushing the game at your current limit; those days will eventually happen. The days were nothing ever goes right. The days were the fishes who usually donate their money to you will river their 22-1 dog or catch that 4 outer every single time you hold a big pocket pair. THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN AND IT’S ALL ABOUT HOW YOU REACT TO THEM WHEN THEY DO.

I’ve just gone through four straight days of losing and it sucks. Big pocket pairs not holding up and getting rivered by gutshot straight draws that manage to hit? Check. Huge draws missing? Check. Tilting chips away like a dumbarse calling all the way down to the river with bottom pair? Check.

150 BB down was the end result (That's 1500$ in 4 days). Nothing too drastic, it basically sets me back to where I was at the start of April. But what it does tell me is that I have a LOT to learn about this game, especially the psychological aspect of it. It seems I’ve yet to acquire that level of maturity in Poker where you can solely focus on making the right decision and not on the results. Not an easy thing to do, especially when most of your losses occur with the best starting hands in Hold’em. Yes in the long run I’ll end up with the chips and yes, these idiots chasing me with their gutshot straight while getting nowhere near the right odds will go broke before long but damn...

So what’s the plan now?

#1 - Drop back down to 3/6 and reacquire my confidence which is all but shot right now

#2 - Focus on what’s working for me lately. I’ve cashed in my last three MTT’s including a 4th place finish at a 400 person 10$ tournament on Pokerroom for a 250$ payout. The other two were in 180 SNG where I stupidly got all my money in way ahead only to lose twice to rivered flushes.

I’m not mad or bitter. A wee bit frustrated, that’s it. I won’t quit the game obviously, I’m still having the time of my life. But Poker has thrown me the gauntlet and it’s now up to me to stand up and meet the challenge.