Peer Pressure and Poker

[pkrplr4116]

I'm a member of a live group of poker players who meet once a week. Once a month one of the members hosts a NL cash game at their house. Its NL with a 90% discount. The buy in is $30 and it gets you $300 in chips. I love these guys, but I will NOT play in their game. I was asked repeatedly to join the game and each time, I said no. Why? Because the first rule of poker is this:
If you know you are the worst player, don't play.

Even though it's a 90% discount, why waste my money playing NL cash with real big stakes NL cash players? Its just crazy. Sure, for $30 I can learn how they play, but the thrashing my ego will take isn't worth what I'm supposedly going to learn. There is no positive expected value in playing with them, if you don't count the food and drink.

What do you all do when presented with an opportunity to play against better players for real money? Am I just being a silly girl, or what? If I am just being silly and scared, why aren't more players playing in the big game at Bobby's Room at Bellagio?

[Fonzi]

I actually prefer to play against better players because it's makes me a better player. As I don't know your finances, $30 may be a lot to you, to me it's a cheap night out. If I take the wife and kids out to dinner it's easily way more than that.

As for Bobbys room, well the buyins are very steep and you're not playing against better players, you're playing against the worlds BEST players. I know a few have taken their shots at them and I'm sure that will continue.

[CFB402]

It's kind of hard to be successful in anything if you expect not to do well before you even begin. With that said..I agree with Fonzi..the best way to become better is to play vs players that are better than you. If I were you I would give it a shot....playing only good starting hands...get like about 5 or 6 drinks in ya and then play like a maniac....lol. They expect you to be tight and non aggressive and if you lose u lose...nothing lost. And maybe you might learn some stuff to improve your game in the future.

[pkrplr4116]

I am quite a nit. They're having another one again in Dec. I may try your method and loosen up; they DEF wouldn't expect it (unless they'rre reading this forum).

[dhawkins701]

well if they aren't reading this forum,they should be!!!!!!!! lol jk

but yeah,like everyone said,i think you should take a shot. Only way you will ever make progression in your game is by playing better players. Poker isn't all about the money you have won,it's about the experience you gain each and every time you play. As for how to play in this game,it's hard to say. My suggestion is to start playing your game and just adjust when the time calls for it. Keep this in mind,the fact that you have posted this,must mean you have put a lot of thought into playing or not playin in this game. Sometimes in poker and in life you have to take some shots in order to succeed. The overall experience you could gain in this game is well worth the 30 dollars.Good luck in whatever you do.

[ttwarrior1]

better players my ass, start learning how to play or change up your game, start playing games here and u should be the best

[pkrplr4116]

Thanks THawkins and Twarrior. At least I won one of our hpc games today...so far

Originally Posted by ttwarrior1

better players my ass, start learning how to play or change up your game, start playing games here and u should be the best

[dsteele02]

Originally Posted by pkrplr4116

What do you all do when presented with an opportunity to play against better players for real money? Am I just being a silly girl, or what? If I am just being silly and scared, why aren't more players playing in the big game at Bobby's Room at Bellagio?

Because we don't have the money to sit.

In answer to the rest of your post, I've always forced myself up levels. IE if I'm running 1/2 for a few months and I'm above expectation I'll step to 3/6, and then 5/10, ect.

In online MTTs I stayed in the micro ($1-$5) games for a while, and when after 600 games I still had 100%+ ROI I stepped up, and kept stepping up.

Every time I've ever stepped up my profits immediately dropped for a week, or a month, or even a few months. But, every single time, I've been able to turn it back into about ~100% ROI.

The moral of the story is that I work hard. A lot of people don't know this, but I spend 4+ hours every single night reviewing my play with Holdem Manager. It has cool features that allow me to replay every hand from a single session, so I can see spots I missed, spots I forced the action too much, where I made +EV plays and where my plays are long term losers.

99% of HEM users (Or PT3) think the strength of the program is in it's analysis of other players, and every single one of them is wrong. The strength of HEM is in the tools it gives you to analyze your own play.

So, as a most recent example, I just started playing $55+ BI MTTs on a regular basis, and after a week I was down almost $4,000. But, I work. I review, and I learn from my mistakes, mistakes I wouldn't have even known I had made without a tracking program. Within a month I had ground my $4,000 loss to about an $1,100 gain, and have now worked up to ~65% ROI at games that are $55+ BI.

My point is, you'll never get better if you stay in your comfort zone. Ever. If I had stayed in the micro games I would never have been forced to get better. But, if you jump into the fire and are willing to put in the work to honestly analyze your play, you'll work through the initial losses and come out the back side a far superior player than you were.

I see so many players with great potential that never even take their shot at getting better. They just sit in the $2 private games and that's all they play. If you're only logging in to have some fun, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If, however, your goal is to improve as a player, then you're never going to get where you want to be without stepping up.

Ego has it's place in poker, and it's right here on the forums. You've got to learn to leave it home when you play, because if you're going to allow your ego to be bruised every time someone outplays you, you'll have no self confidence within a week.

Sorry this post is so long, I can just relate to the fear that comes with facing better competition and realizing that "hey, at these stakes I may not be the 'man.'" I just wanted you to know that I can relate to how you feel, and if you want any tips on how to gradually step up or on how to analyze your game, feel free to skype me.

Regards,
Daniel

[pkrplr4116]

WOW! Daniel, thanks VERY much for that analysis. And you have hit my flaws right on the head. I do not analyze my hands after all is said and done. I was put to the question by one of my poker mentors, "Are you REALLY serious about your poker, or is it just a hobby?" I couldn't answer him for almost 3 days. And I hated to, but I had to, admit to him its a hobby, but that doesn't mean I don't want to get better. And so in his innimitable way he still pushes me to get better when we're at the same (live) table, by literally picking me up by the collar and asking me questions about the table. I so enjoy these pop quizzes even tho they show I cannot give him the answers he wants me to give him.

Daniel, I have to want to be more committed to my game, to be as good as you but I know how to want to do that. Motivation is the key to this, I know. I live in Vegas. If you come out here, may I take you out to a meal and sit down and talk poker with you?
Jane

[dsteele02]

Originally Posted by pkrplr4116

WOW! Daniel, thanks VERY much for that analysis. And you have hit my flaws right on the head. I do not analyze my hands after all is said and done. I was put to the question by one of my poker mentors, "Are you REALLY serious about your poker, or is it just a hobby?" I couldn't answer him for almost 3 days. And I hated to, but I had to, admit to him its a hobby, but that doesn't mean I don't want to get better. And so in his innimitable way he still pushes me to get better when we're at the same (live) table, by literally picking me up by the collar and asking me questions about the table. I so enjoy these pop quizzes even tho they show I cannot give him the answers he wants me to give him.

Daniel, I have to want to be more committed to my game, to be as good as you but I know how to want to do that. Motivation is the key to this, I know. I live in Vegas. If you come out here, may I take you out to a meal and sit down and talk poker with you?
Jane

Absolutely. Now that I'm in Texas I make the Vegas trip pretty often, as there just isn't much action to be had in Texas.

Don't make me out to be this 'great' player though lolz, I'm a work in progress at the moment.

Still, I'd love to sit down and have a chat with you. I'll PM you my cell before my next trip.