horseshoez
4 of a Kind
My friend, who runs a local garage game, recently wrote and shared this with me. This guy is not only passionate about the game, but he's also incredibly skilled. He's gone deep in several WSOP events, both live and online. He's a crazy good player and also very poetic when it comes to poker. I thought I would share this with those who love the game. It's an eye-opener and will change how you look at poker. Enjoy.
The Poker Mindset: Playing for the Right Reasons
Know why you play poker.
If you think about it, we don’t need the money like some do, so that reason is out.
We don’t need to feel bad about ourselves which in the wrong state of mind, poker can make us feel.
We don’t need to feel dumb or unprepared, outmatched like a superior lawyer, tactician, basketball player, etc. which poker can make us feel.
Poker is filled with fallen heroes, too many who feel they should be dealt a better run in their life and seeking to rectify that on the felt. We know this is not a healthy way to go about such feelings. So that’s not a good reason.
Once you can surely eliminate these unhealthy reasons and enmesh into healthy ones from start to finish, from first deal to last, from first chip to last, regardless of runouts, regardless of whether “that annoying guy” sits down at your table or someone with B.O. or some other inevitable negative aspect of the poker arena that you have no control over, then you can find the few healthy reasons that remain and decide if you’re immune to the toxic and then ensconce yourself in the purple velvet of the good reasons below to enter a poker tournament.
1. To compete mentally in an unpredictable puzzle where skill can accumulate 2-5BBs extra in value over unskilled to get a chance at a few video game extra lives. 1ups.
2. To have fun, embracing the chaos of the unknown in a self contained relatively safe space where you get to listen to music if you desire. Maybe the chaos forces at play coupled with a few skilled plays and a couple second chances thanks to your extra lives will result in a deep run of silliness maximized to clownish glory (and maybe a photo!) Trust that literally anyone can accidentally make it there too. The myth of poker talent is that it only helps you get some extra chances really and avoid a few obvious pitfalls.
3. To practice a bit of out of body/out of mind character performance art to channel inner creativity, a bit of comedic subterfuge, challenge poker and societal norms and expectations of “should” be in a sophisticated but harmless troll. No cruelty. Just joy for the sake of joy while remembering how life is not poker, poker is not life, and what waits for us after our exit is superior to even the best result that remained. To avoid the death spiral of second guessing and negative thought loop, we immerse our being into another being of our creation and exit upon our chip ruin.
Find the flaw of these healthy attitudes. I can’t. Love of the thing comes from loving act of doing the positive things within, not the act of bemoaning the negative aspects that come with it. For all the practice and time you put into getting better, there will always be similar or better players than you. Big deal. And all the work you put in will only buy you 2-5BB at a time in EV as you chip up in spots others miss and win ONLY A FEW pots other don’t. This small edge is big but it still ONLY buys you a couple lives or half lives in the tourney for big pots that’ll happen. Now instead of busting, you’ll have 12Bb left instead of 0. Maybe that allows you enough to spin back. Or when you sun run, your extra lives will be multiples higher allowing you to survive the pre-final table cooler or flip or find a few extra orbits of patience that others cant afford. You’ll still probably bust well short of your goal, prob even short of the money, same as you would if you had not prepared and had no skill at all. Doesn’t seem too bad when you consider that.
Summary. We prepare so we can grab extra lives. We play for the joy of competing. We persevere by having joy permeate our being regardless of individual hand outcomes.
The Poker Mindset: Playing for the Right Reasons
Know why you play poker.
If you think about it, we don’t need the money like some do, so that reason is out.
We don’t need to feel bad about ourselves which in the wrong state of mind, poker can make us feel.
We don’t need to feel dumb or unprepared, outmatched like a superior lawyer, tactician, basketball player, etc. which poker can make us feel.
Poker is filled with fallen heroes, too many who feel they should be dealt a better run in their life and seeking to rectify that on the felt. We know this is not a healthy way to go about such feelings. So that’s not a good reason.
Once you can surely eliminate these unhealthy reasons and enmesh into healthy ones from start to finish, from first deal to last, from first chip to last, regardless of runouts, regardless of whether “that annoying guy” sits down at your table or someone with B.O. or some other inevitable negative aspect of the poker arena that you have no control over, then you can find the few healthy reasons that remain and decide if you’re immune to the toxic and then ensconce yourself in the purple velvet of the good reasons below to enter a poker tournament.
1. To compete mentally in an unpredictable puzzle where skill can accumulate 2-5BBs extra in value over unskilled to get a chance at a few video game extra lives. 1ups.
2. To have fun, embracing the chaos of the unknown in a self contained relatively safe space where you get to listen to music if you desire. Maybe the chaos forces at play coupled with a few skilled plays and a couple second chances thanks to your extra lives will result in a deep run of silliness maximized to clownish glory (and maybe a photo!) Trust that literally anyone can accidentally make it there too. The myth of poker talent is that it only helps you get some extra chances really and avoid a few obvious pitfalls.
3. To practice a bit of out of body/out of mind character performance art to channel inner creativity, a bit of comedic subterfuge, challenge poker and societal norms and expectations of “should” be in a sophisticated but harmless troll. No cruelty. Just joy for the sake of joy while remembering how life is not poker, poker is not life, and what waits for us after our exit is superior to even the best result that remained. To avoid the death spiral of second guessing and negative thought loop, we immerse our being into another being of our creation and exit upon our chip ruin.
Find the flaw of these healthy attitudes. I can’t. Love of the thing comes from loving act of doing the positive things within, not the act of bemoaning the negative aspects that come with it. For all the practice and time you put into getting better, there will always be similar or better players than you. Big deal. And all the work you put in will only buy you 2-5BB at a time in EV as you chip up in spots others miss and win ONLY A FEW pots other don’t. This small edge is big but it still ONLY buys you a couple lives or half lives in the tourney for big pots that’ll happen. Now instead of busting, you’ll have 12Bb left instead of 0. Maybe that allows you enough to spin back. Or when you sun run, your extra lives will be multiples higher allowing you to survive the pre-final table cooler or flip or find a few extra orbits of patience that others cant afford. You’ll still probably bust well short of your goal, prob even short of the money, same as you would if you had not prepared and had no skill at all. Doesn’t seem too bad when you consider that.
Summary. We prepare so we can grab extra lives. We play for the joy of competing. We persevere by having joy permeate our being regardless of individual hand outcomes.
