Playing for profit vs playing good poker (10 Viewers)

[vozy]

I'm having a tough time trying not to be results oriented. What I noticed is when playing super nitty and playing for profit I'm happy making $ even if I played the hand horrible but get really upset for losing $ even if I play the hand correctly. How do you guys manage playing correct poker even when losing the hand? I personally just get really in my own head every time I lose a hand so it's hard for me to even think I played it correctly.

 

[drdr]

Some thoughts. Probably depends on why you are in the cycle. When I had similar it was because the money really mattered at the time. If similar, take the sting out of losing by playing well within your bankroll. Maybe drop down stakes too. Move back up once have corrected play. Playing correct gets us more profit after all.

 

[ChipMonster]

Just have to understand variance and be ok with that. Playing to your bankroll is key as well.

I just read this book and it talks about maintaining mindset and correcting your process for optimal play for the long run.

https://a.co/d/75fsvyY

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

It just comes with experience. Money saved is just as valuable as money earned! Its easy to play every hand, its challenging not to; stay disciplined.

I can rationalize blowing a few bets to get invited back to a private game, but if its a casino or online just make good decisions and money will come to you. Read books on it and share hands here, we can comiserate or berate you depending on the line.

 

[PlaidDragon]

Playing for profit vs playing good poker

Isn't that the same thing?

 

[Bronson]

Isn't that the same thing?

Precisely what I thought; both variants require good poker skills.

 

[vozy]

Isn't that the same thing?

When I say playing for profit i mean taking the lowest variance spots possible and just being a nit all together. folding anything under top top and not chasing gutters etc... of course good players will make profit in the long run.

 

[Tight_Lay_DOWN]

So what you really talking about is a specific playing style. You can play nitty as you say, and be profitable, you can play loose, aggressive, and also be profitable. You can play tight and aggressive and also be profitable.

Playin nitty requires more time at the game because to play nitty, you’re playing a very select few range of holdings, which you get infrequently. And even playing a small range hand, you will still get out drawn and run down occasionally and your bankroll has to be able to sustain playing so few hands and also getting rundown, and you also have to have amount of available time to dedicate towards that playing style to be profitable.

 

[demonnic]

Are you adjusting your play by position? I find that's way better for my win rate than just being nitty in general. I'm a total nit UTG at the casino but if it folds to me on the button I'll just about raise with A2C. Especially if I have otherwise been playing super nitty. But nitting it up is not only slow but also the most boring way to make money at poker. There's a lot of mileage between "only 4bets pre with AA,KK, and AKs" and being in every hand chasing all the gutshots.

 

[Phoe9x]

When I say playing for profit i mean taking the lowest variance spots possible and just being a nit all together. folding anything under top top and not chasing gutters etc... of course good players will make profit in the long run.

Funny enough. If you play a “high variance” style where you take as many +EV spots as you can, you will win more BB/hr. The higher your win rate, you will end up seeing less length of downswings because your win rate is much higher.

 

[vozy]

Funny enough. If you play a “high variance” style where you take as many +EV spots as you can, you will win more BB/hr. The higher your win rate, you will end up seeing less length of downswings because your win rate is much higher.

I completely agree with you which is why I posed the original question of how people deal with those moments when they still make the correct play or the highest EV possible play and still lose short term.

 

[Legend5555]

Some people never get over this.

And the answer is you have to think about it purely as the game or is. The goal is to make the most profitable decision at every decision point. Not rely on happenstance of great results from bad decisions.

For me, this mostly just took time. I probably didn't "fully" get over until 10-15 years into playing. For me, it when it still manifests, it's me not bluffing as often as I should and folding more in close spots.