Focus and Discipline

[Fonzi]

Focus and Discipline

By Tony Guerrera

When asked about the philosophy I take to the tables, I recently put forth the following two aphorisms: 1.) Embrace the process, and have no attachment to outcomes 2.) In general, don't generalize

I didn't put focus and discipline on this list because they didn't even cross my mind. I've always assumed that focus and discipline are part of who I am. But after a recent edition of Killer Poker Analysis (in which Todd Brunson emphasized the importance of focus and discipline) and a careful look at my own game, I realize that focus and discipline can never be taken for granted.

Since landing my deal for Killer Poker By The Numbers back in the fall of 2005, I've been a writing machine. Add coaching and some random consulting here and there, and well, 2006 and 2007 weren't exactly spent playing a lot of poker. Now we're in 2008. I'm still writing, coaching, and consulting, but I'm also putting in some serious online playing time.

My old stomping ground, Party Poker, is no longer a possibility for me. After some serious scouting, I decided to adopt Cake Poker as my new home. Their rakeback deal is excellent, and the competition on Cake is easier than average. I don't know exactly why it's easier, but one hunch of mine is that it's because they don't allow the use of player tracking software and heads-up displays (HUDs); the hoards of HUD-using multitablers on Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker aren't at Cake.

Of course, this means that I myself can no longer be a HUD-using multitabler. Luckily for me, I was multitabling before HUDs. But in those days, I was playing 4 tables at most. The beginning of 2008 has been all about honing my 6-max no-limit hold'em multitabling chops to where I can play 8-10 tables without a HUD. 6-tabling seems quite comfortable. 8- and 10-tabling territory has been tough. Observing opponents when not involved in a hand is difficult, as is typing player notes (I'm currently working on a system of note-taking acronyms to help in this department). Fatigue is also a factor (both mentally and physically). And leaving tough games can be a hassle especially when it comes to navigating through the lobby to find a new game to sit in.

Unfortunately, the difference between success and disaster is slight. If you have KK preflop, and you're facing a preflop reraise from a very tight reraiser, is he on {AA, KK, AK} or {AA,KK}? Is a suspicious looking bet on the river coming from a known floater or a straightforward, hit-to-win player? The difference between my big wins and my big losses at Cake (well, big in terms of big blinds anyway) has been subtle, almost undetectable shifts in judgment. Focus and discipline are the keys to reigning in these shifts.

Tony Guerrera is the author of Killer Poker By The Numbers and coauthor of Killer Poker Shorthanded (with John Vorhaus). Visit him at Killer Poker by the Numbers: Poker Math, Strategy, Coaching, News, Online Deposit Bonuses and More, by Tony Guerrera | Home.

[KeepBlinkin]

i like the article.. there are things that are very true

[Calmplay]

Tony admitted that discipline didn't even cross his mind

[CactusJack]

So very true. I had an A-game in 2005-2006. Then it seemed my game went to hell. As my health went down hill I finally went to the doctors last year.

He told me my thyroid quit working (hypothryroidism). One of the many symptoms is brain fog, not being able to concentrate (focus) and fatigue. It takes awhile to get your hormones balanced back out with the meds. I'm finally getting there and see my game improving again.

Goes to show focus plays a very big role.