Poker, Alan Wake 2, Life

AI Answer (google)

Adrenaline can make you feel happy because it stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter
known as the "happy hormone". Dopamine is associated with pleasurable sensations, learning, and memory.

Does playing poker still give you the same rush that you used to get when you were playing poker all day every day?

On April 28 2024 02:55 PuertoRican wrote: Does playing poker still give you the same rush that you used to get when you were playing poker all day every day?

That is a good question. Back in my 20s I didn't think about cortisol, adrenaline, or dopamine. I was typically drugged for most of my hands (marijuana, caffeine). I would say poker still lights me up even though I'm sober when I'm playing. I'm playing relatively low stakes so I don't know if the rush is as keyed in compared to when I used to play especially in bigger situations. Although the speed of the tables and playing big pots gets me going. It's just a matter of playing more hands and getting used to the software and the rush will die down except if I was playing higher stakes or more tables then I would probably get more of a rush.

What solver should I get?

Great poker players are autistic performance machines.

Also, I'm probably set on Pio Solver v. 3 but I don't know whether to get Pro or if Elite is worth it.

On April 29 2024 01:52 RiKD wrote: What solver should I get?

I never played with a solver, so I have no input.

Were solvers a thing pre-Black Friday? I haven't played online since then.

On April 30 2024 05:31 PuertoRican wrote: Show nested quote + On April 29 2024 01:52 RiKD wrote: What solver should I get? I never played with a solver, so I have no input. Were solvers a thing pre-Black Friday? I haven't played online since then.

No. Solvers were not a thing pre-Black Friday. In 2010 there was Pro Poker Tools and I don't even remember what the best software was called for nlhe but it was similar but had better visuals. Basically, there were equity calculators and there was a bit of voodoo involved with constructing ranges and doing math. According to a quick Google search solvers became commercially available in 2015. This means that solvers were around before 2015 and that solvers were probably not adopted until later than 2015. I was not around online poker then so I don't know. Either way going from Pro Poker Tools / other to solvers was a mahousive jump in ability to "solve" poker in the "lab." I remember casually following Stroggoz's hands and marveling at how much better at poker he was than me. Now, I have access to charts and GTO trainers pre-flop and my ranges are so much more powerful than in 2010. My hand reading is still pretty strong but now post-flop people use smaller sizing typically and also overbets which I understand to a point but I am far from "perfect" post-flop. Hell, even pre-flop will take a long time to "perfect." Even something as simple as BB v SB open is complicated to get ranges / frequencies perfect. For example, I don't understand why I 3bet K7o ~60% of the time and call 1% of the time yet 3bet K8o 5% and call 55%. It's similar in SB v BB 3bet. I don't understand why I 4bet T9s, J9s, Q9s, K9s 50% of the time and call 50% but call the A9s 100%. Call QJs 100% yet 4bet KJs ~90% and call 10%. It can be difficult to memorize all of that without actually understanding why it's doing the things it is doing.

Poker Stove is the software for nlhe I was trying to remember!

Which Poker Stove and a calculator was a mahousive jump over nothing!

The thing is back then you could just kind of play a lot and not study but it's pretty obvious now that if solver is not studied there is really no hope probably even at 100 NL or lower these days.

"A hyperactive person would have disgusted Nietzsche: the "strong soul" keeps "calm," "moves slowly," and "has an aversion to what's too lively." Thus Spoke Zarathustra declares:

All of you who are in love with hectic work and whatever is fast, new, strange - you find it hard to bear yourselves, your diligence is escape and the will to forget yourself.

If you believed more in life, you would hurl yourself less into the moment. But you do not have enough content in yourselves for waiting - not even for laziness!" (Byung-Chul Han, The Burnout Society)

Nietzsche would not have been a fan of multitabling online poker. I am unsure if it is possible to maintain a leisurely, contemplative, slow, lingering type of lifestyle and get a bunch of poker hands in. That lifestyle is difficult to maintain being in any late capitalist situation / employment though. Han is kind of insulated by being a college professor at an arts school and a writer and now professor emeritus. Poker player is kind of a hidden blessing and curse because it is easy to exploit oneself and most are playing to acheive pleasure and desire through capital. One does not escape the achievement-subject / auto-exploitation just because there is no boss. On the contrary, it probably increases this idea of being compelled to perform and poker players must perform or they lose money, time, attention. It's even easier to burnout in poker. Kudos to all who are still playing it for a living. It's fucking tough and treacherous out there.

I've been putting forth a lot of attention and energy towards improving at poker the last few days and I'm exhausted. Improving at poker is definitely a game for 18-19 year olds. It is still possible at 40 but where is the stamina? I am used to being inactive most days and treat everyday as if it were the Sabbath but everytime I get involved in a rat race I end up tired and burnt out.

On May 01 2024 02:39 RiKD wrote: I've been putting forth a lot of attention and energy towards improving at poker the last few days and I'm exhausted. Improving at poker is definitely a game for 18-19 year olds. It is still possible at 40 but where is the stamina? I am used to being inactive most days and treat everyday as if it were the Sabbath but everytime I get involved in a rat race I end up tired and burnt out.

This is where going to the gym comes in handy. It not also makes you look better, but it also makes you feel better in several ways.

For example, you mention you lack stamina. If you go to the gym, your stamina will improve on the poker table and in the bedroom.

At the poker table I need A LOT of work.

In the bedroom there is nothing going on there.

Gym is a no brainer I just can't find a program I'm excited about.

I think a problem for me is that I want to play hands but I'm not near as +ev as I want to be. Some work with a solver would likely fix that except it's sort of an unknown because I've never used one before.

I am having fun grinding and kind of learning on the fly but I have to ask myself: Do I really want to be sitting behind a screen grinding out all these hands as well as tedious work in the lab (solver)?

It's a lot of time, attention, energy that could probably be used elsewhere. The thing is it is mind candy for me. Like, probably better than reading a good philosophy book, or doing math, or learning how to play chess. I don't know what I'm going to do.

The thing is when I was 18-19 years old I had plenty of time and the opportunity cost was not studying as much or "building a network." Neither of those things ended up mattering whatsoever there was opportunity cost by studying or spending time with friends (I couldn't be making money at the tables (probably 50c / hand 6-8 tabling which is by no means trivial)).

Now, I am 40 and the fact I didn't study or "build a network" in university still doesn't really matter. My resume is a piece of trash that can only attract trash. I majored in history which taught me "how to think" and write papers. Most employment does not give a shit about those type of things. If I start to think too much about my employment situation I start to think about killing myself. So, I guess poker is a nice escape and there is the pipedream that I could make more money in a year doing that someday. My therapist says I should go back to school and get a PhD in philsophy. That seems like a pipedream too. I've heard the market is trash.

Didn't have any cards, didn't hit any flops, and played weak tight.

I was going to say that poker is probably a more fun intellectual activity than say reading late Heidegger (which I thoroughly enjoy) but man after a session like that just sitting and losing maybe I'll read the Heidegger next time.

Better than losing a bunch of big pots.

I didn't really want to read the Heidegger anyway.

I think that I am leaning towards GTO Wizard. I have a powerful computer so that is not an issue. GTO Wizard just seems more accessible than PIO. Am I making a fish play?

I'm so trash at poker. I'm improving fast though. Makes me sick some of the chips I've spewed off. It's ok. There is always tomorrow. I have to somehow purge the bad from 2010 poker. NLHE is not PLO either. I had and have bad PLO habits. Unlike PLO it is hard to make pairs, 2pair, trips, straights, flushes, boats. I was losing money playing too weak then I think I went the other way and started spewing. Every day I get a lot better. I don't know if it is a good project but it has actually made me happy lately. I'm really sperg'ing out over it.

I did not even play any poker today. I think I'm a bit gun shy. I'm up money but it's a bit tenuous because I've only played 6k hands. I don't even 4 table anymore because I think I autopilot too much and miss spots way too often. So, it's hard getting hands in especially on an A game. I can joke I don't have an A game but I really have no business autopiloting and playing like the undead. I think I am doing a good job of uninstalling my 2010 bad nlhe game and good plo game but they both cause bad habits in 2024 nlhe. I suppose in the grand scheme of things I am just playing poker as an experiment but I could use a mental game coach to put in more hands on my A game that I am slowly assembling. So, I need a mental game coach, a poker coach, a life coach, a fitness coach, a nutrition coach... I need a lot of help.

On the bright side practice on the GTO Trainer is going exceptionally well. Are we not supposed to talk about that? Just let me know if I'm not supposed to talk about that. I watched a couple of RunItOnce videos. I just have essential for now. I have had elite. It's tricky. In some ways I don't trust essentials in other ways I do. Some guy crushing 200 Zoom on PokerStars is going to be way better than me at the moment. There is definitely something to be learned there for me but on the other hand if Sauce is playing a video there is a high probability that what he is saying is true spanning all (or most) limits. A winning 200 Zoom player is going to have leaks and I will be watching mistakes. Jungleman probably not as much. $199/month is steep for me at the moment though so I don't really have much choice.

It's funny though that on a Tuesday at 1pm the games are pretty bad even at small small stakes. I swear some of the regs are bots. Why would people have bots at small small stakes? People botted Diablo 2. I shouldn't really start on this though because I don't know how bots work. Pluribus was Facebook AI mixed with a Carnegie Mellon project. Is it possible that Pluribus gets released into the wild? How difficult would it be to build a bot and first try and test it at the lowest stakes? Even if there aren't bots there are some good players that take GTOw lines. It's much much much tougher than when I first started in like 2005. The fish get absolutely chewed up. A part of me really wants to get in there and reg battle to improve but the rake is so god damn high it's kind of insane.

"So, don't get any big ideas. They are not gonna happen." - Thom Yorke (Radiohead - Nude)

I definitely don't have any big ideas of playing poker professionally again. Competition is fucking stiff. I also don't have the time to put in the hands like I did in college with all of the free time that comes with not studying or going out too much. I mean technically I do TODAY but eventually I will be employed and working 40 hours a week + commute. My time, attention, energy, focus will probably all be lacking. I can still play when I can. Games seem to be best on EST after work on weekdays and on weekends. There is just something about poker that other games just don't have. That is including all strategy games and video games.

There are some downsides though. It seems like when I play poker that is just what I am into. I haven't read a word of a book in over a week. I have been meaning to read Nichomacheon Ethics by Aristotle or The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky but would rather practice or study on GTOw. I have only hung out with my parents. It is bad to let social connection decline. Especially, if one hits a bad patch. There is no one left to hang out with when one needs it the most. Poker is a great way to mask things that are not as desirable in a life. I don't mind that I have few friends, no job, poor health, generally lacking eudaimonia, etc. if I am immersed in poker. It's clear to me that teaching philosophy would equate to higher eudaimonia. It's one of the few things I can probably do at this point to promote eudaimonia. There is an aspect of challenging the intellect and competing in one of the best strategy games ever. I don't equate poker to smoking crack for me. Poker may be a little dangerous for me. It's not alcohol though. My therapist said I was playing poker because I was bored. She's not wrong.

The Odyssey that is life. Yet, it ends before we know it.

Friday nights are banging but I have no stamina. Maybe that's because I spend all day training and studying and don't leave anything left for the real thing.

Anyone else get poker dreams if you've been immersing yourself in poker? I am talking about all sorts of different hands and board textures and it's really fast yet kind of disjointed and doesn't make sense? It's difficult to recall anything and kind of annoying because it just keeps coming yet nothing gets resolved? Working in my sleep I guess. Have to upgrade the system.

I decided to chill a bit and read some Dostoevsky and take a nap. Highly reccomend!

Yesterday, it was running into the nuts in absurd situations. Today, it was just brutal grind. Poker will be poker. There are losing days of all kinds. Yesterday, it was about playing disciplined and picking my spots. It's easy to want to get in there and gamble with everybody and play an "invisible ante" game. And, you want to just wait for TT in the CO and get it all-in to show the bugger who's boss but then he shows up with AA. No, I didn't fall for that gambit. I had KK and ran into AA which is probably equally as frustrating if not more. Was how it went. I won't go into more hands because no one gives a fuck. No one gives a fuck anyway but I need an outlet. I was like so proud of my self that I was so disciplined and then I felt sorry for myself that I had to stay so disciplined and my A game fell off. Today, I was proud I kept my A game despite just running into shit the whole session. I think why I don't have stamina is because I don't have stamina but part of that is do I really want to sit and suffer in these games for not even a cent / hand? That's not even $1 / hour lol. I am playing for the love of the game! Trying to install spirit from a spiritless game.

On May 11 2024 20:31 RiKD wrote: I decided to chill a bit and read some Dostoevsky and take a nap. Highly reccomend!

Old school Russians were pretty cool. Too bad the new school Russians aren't as cool.

I'm back n ready to grind as well rikd, getting paid tomorrow n finally have a BR again. Made money from poker but spent it on stuff lol

Don't lose hope rikd, use GTO lucid it's good

On May 14 2024 04:51 PuertoRican wrote: Show nested quote + On May 11 2024 20:31 RiKD wrote: I decided to chill a bit and read some Dostoevsky and take a nap. Highly reccomend! Old school Russians were pretty cool. Too bad the new school Russians aren't as cool.

Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Gogol, Checkov, Turgenov. I know nothing about new school Russians though.

On May 14 2024 08:08 lostaccount wrote: Don't lose hope rikd, use GTO lucid it's good

I'm on GTO Wizard and love it. Feel like I have to keep practicing to increase my edge cuz these streets are difficult these days. Rake is sky high and competence is surprisingly high. I don't want to just be gambling and blundering my way through. 6-Max NLHE is a pretty tight game pf but post-flop no one has anything so it gets interesting. It sucks to be really grinding out the small pots only to lose a cooler or 2 or 3. Have to play the small pots, medium pots, and big pots well. So, NLHE is gambling but in reality there is a lot of discipline there. It takes discipline and powerful play. Powerful play not spewy play. Disciplined play not nitty play. Sorry, man, I am just thinking aloud.

Another night that I don't put in any hands. I've been playing some on the trainer though. The biggest reason is my doctor has got me on Mounjaro (similar to Ozempic) and I just haven't felt very well the last 2 days. Last night was torture: Nauseous, horrible stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting. I hope tonight isn't like last night but I was slightly nauseous like all day. I have little desire to eat food. I wake up and force feed a small breakfast just so I can take my morning medications. Eat a small lunch about the time I think I should be eating. I don't get hungry so far. I didn't even finish a small dinner. I think I am going to push it and see how much I can get away with as far as eating. Just try to eat simple and healthy small meals.

So, yeah, that is an excuse for not playing any poker but I probably could use a mental game poker coach as well. Or, it's just not that big of deal if I am choosing Dostoevsky over playing poker. My scores versus the GTO Trainer are getting high. I could always use more work which is a problem. It's like how much work do I put in on studying and practicing versus mixing it up in the real thang?

How is everyone else doing?

Friday nights are the spot. One thing I think that is important is not to get your expectations too high. It's just a night of poker that typically has a bit higher expectation than normal but expectation can lead to resentment and resentment is a bitter, bitter poison permeating it's way through everything we touch.

I would still be playing but I started to have stomach cramps and I could feel the diarrhea gurgling. I would tough it out but I am wearing my favorite grey sweat shorts.

I think the key here is to stabilize and go back in for the kill. No study or trainer on Friday nights even if there were some interesting spots.

On May 14 2024 08:08 lostaccount wrote: Don't lose hope rikd, use GTO lucid it's good

Blog your monthly results.

A recreational player named "MrPoop123" stacked me today it didn't feel too great. He played the hand well though.

On May 18 2024 04:22 PuertoRican wrote: Show nested quote + On May 14 2024 08:08 lostaccount wrote: Don't lose hope rikd, use GTO lucid it's good Blog your monthly results.

nah

On May 18 2024 04:22 PuertoRican wrote: Show nested quote + On May 14 2024 08:08 lostaccount wrote: Don't lose hope rikd, use GTO lucid it's good Blog your monthly results.

na im gonna keep my results to myself, don't want to reveal too much but im studying but shit poker is tough. gonna focus on tournaments only now as the rake in site is too high. 50c for bbj even in 2$ pots but its at 515k atm so I might give it a shot again. got smoke chasing bbj. I usually fold 54s tug but I started l/calling like a fish and a lot of suited cards to be exact to try n hit it. even if u play gto its hard to win given the rake but still beatable cause more fish than world sites.

plus I think my hourly is like 15$ an hour these days less than a minimum wage job but its flexible n I enjoy it.

Saturday night and I'm reading Dostoevsky, playing Tetris, and playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe!? I did put in a short session of poker and stacked some maniac who overbet all-in on the turn with 2 outs. That's when you really have to go in for the kill on these mofos but I didn't have a good feeling and quit a little bit after that.

Well, it's Sunday and certainly a lazy Sunday at that. I was having a hard time waking up so I played some Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Tetris. Now, I am feeling like I am at peak attention for the day and I'm wasting it on this blog post. The problem is dinner will be ready soon. Hopefully, I'll let the dinner settle and play some hands.

I stacked my nemesis last night it felt pretty good. Not that he's really my nemesis I just think he plays well and thought he was a bot but I got him to misplay a hand for stacks and then he left shortly after. I don't think a bot would have played the hand that way and certainly not quit soon after. That's a very human trait.

Now, I am just kind of bored until dinner is ready. I don't mind being bored so much it's mental relaxation and if I find something to do it makes that activity better.

I got stacked by another recreational player last night too. I got too greedy and really played it poorly. The thing about a lot of recreational players is that their ranges can be so wide in spots but that still doesn't mean they are over-bluffing. It depends so much on the player but I think if this player finds a turn raise in a big pot I should have just found the fold because he is vastly under-bluffing that specific spot. I should of checked instead of bet anyways and call and check who knows on the river. Flip a coin basically depending on different factors.

Oh well, time to feed the pets.

I got 3 FT for a small profit 1st 2nd 9th but lost big tournaments c’est la vie small fields

I also hit a 7 team parlay 33x on a really small bet

Nice. What was the parlay bet?

Random nba nhl mlb bets lol not gonna list all 7 teams

sick

We are just 2 spergs sperg'in out.

On May 18 2024 19:27 lostaccount wrote: Show nested quote + On May 18 2024 04:22 PuertoRican wrote:   On May 14 2024 08:08 lostaccount wrote: Don't lose hope rikd, use GTO lucid it's good Blog your monthly results. na im gonna keep my results to myself, don't want to reveal too much but im studying but shit poker is tough. gonna focus on tournaments only now as the rake in site is too high. 50c for bbj even in 2$ pots but its at 515k atm so I might give it a shot again. got smoke chasing bbj. I usually fold 54s tug but I started l/calling like a fish and a lot of suited cards to be exact to try n hit it. even if u play gto its hard to win given the rake but still beatable cause more fish than world sites. plus I think my hourly is like 15$ an hour these days less than a minimum wage job but its flexible n I enjoy it.

gL

Thanks got crushed today, didn’t play well too tired. I know to play one day on one day off. Can’t grind like I use to anymore.

I would like to apologize to PoorUser. I was just playing Celeste on my Switch. PoorUser helped me tremendously with my attempt to get into a school for a Masters in Therapy and gave me the majority of my enjoyment on the Switch among other things. When he graduated getting his PhD in I believe Psychology and voiced his excitement over that I made some comment like "Yeah, and then it's the soul crushing job hunt" or something flippant like that when a simple congratulations was in order. I may have been in my own soul-crushing job hunt because I'm always in a soul-crushing job hunt but that is no excuse and no reason to project. I'm sorry Steve. You will probably never read this but it makes me feel better writing this out.

We are all humans and make mistakes, just have to own up to them. Poor user always been a good man, congrats to him for getting a phd. That’s a lot of work I can’t imagine myself doing it or capable of doing it since it’s a lot of work. Hope he’s gonna make bank with it

Sometimes I don't want to play poker. I don't want to lose. Today, was one of those days. I lost. I couldn't find some folds in spots that probably aren't folds anyway. Just card dead as shit. Then, I lose a flip in I think the only big pot I played. These sessions are going to happen. I hate these sessions. I could be playing the guitar, going for a walk, playing Tetris, playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, playing Celeste, playing Super Mario Brothers 3, reading Dostoevsky, etc etc etc. Yes, I know the gambling nature of NLHE. Yes, I know that gambling nature keeps people coming back. I'm not going to want to lose to my brother 10 times in a row at chess. I'm going to study and practice my ass off and/or find worse people at chess. I did beat my brother one time at chess and then never played him again haha. But, there are other great games out there. NLHE isn't the end all be all. But, damn, NLHE is a pretty good one ain't it?

I like laddering MK8D (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe). It's similar to poker in that if you win big and get 1st place it feels great and you get like +20 points and if you suck and come in last you lose like -15 points and feel like shit. Most of the time it will be somewhere in between. You break a number barrier and it feels good but then the next few races don't go your way and it knocks you back down.

Tetris is really nothing like poker besides fitting the right pieces into the puzzle. But, it gets really fast and and really quick thinking is needed. I don't play a lot of tables so I can think a little bit and cut out my bets. It's not so bad. I mean 15 seconds is not a whole lot of time to think especially when multi-tabling and the extra 30 seconds is not a whole lot on big decisions. Just have to get used to it I guess. The thing about Tetris (and MK8D) is it primes my mind. It also relaxes me and blows off steam. I shouldn't be spending all day just on mind activities but that's how it's been lately. There should be time for lifting heavy stuff or sprinting or something like that. That is good balance to the mind stuff. I do take walks which is nice but I am missing out on the intense and explosive exercise. I just haven't come across a plan that I can get excited about.

I've said it before I need a poker mental game coach, a life coach, etc etc etc. I want to play some hands but I don't want to lose. I don't want to be put in tough spots. I mean I want a challenge of course but I don't want to lose my ass off. That is the nature of poker. Win some, lose some. Just hope you win more than you lost at the end of the day. And, like I said $500 feels so far away. I've been doing my best to play, practice, and study and I'm a whopping 27 buy-ins away from moving up to 25 NL which will be even more toil and suffering. It never ends. There is never a day that you get a freebie. I remember a time where I won $14,000 in 1 day at 400 NL. That is 35 buy-ins. And, I don't even think I barely took any restroom breaks or even ate any food. And, it felt easy. Like nothing. I was feelin' it.

Maybe, I shouldn't be so concerned with the end of a climb. It's the journey that matters. I am playing for the love of the game but maybe I just don't love the game. I have to be up for playing MONSTER poker or what is the point? And, I am typing all of this out over fucking 10 NL... Fucking retard sperg but it's the only thing that has made me happy recently. Poker, Switch, and Dostoevsky. Because, I need a job real damn bad and there is just nothing *poof*. And, that is stressing me out and making me depressed.

GTO 3-betting patterns from the BB are so strange with different opening positions. I'm trying to find a reason for it because it is difficult to memorize all of that.

I have a 6-sided die and a Swatch watch on my desk as RNG (Random Number Generator) but I have a 100 sided die that is instant on my computer so the ones on my desk become irrelevant. Except for a watch is a watch which is also basically irrelevant because I have my iPhone. I've barely ever worn it. I still like it though. I used to have 6 really nice dice that could be used in something like yahtzee or craps. My 1 die could perhaps be used in Russian roullette with knives.

I was thinking though that I have the craving to play live. Looking at my watch everytime I have a decision is going to be obvious what I am doing to anyone perceptive whatsoever. How do you manage a RNG live?

I was thinking one way is you could look at 1 suit of your card and piece it out diamonds 25 and under, clubs 50-26, spades 75-51, hearts 100-76 is not so bad. Let me know if you have any better ideas. For flop it could be the door card. Turn card and then river card.

I've hit some milestones. I've finally won $100 which is nothing but it feels good. 10 buy-ins feels like nothing versus the 35 total I need to move up to 25 NL but it is a start. I'm also just short of 10,000 hands. 10 buy-ins in 10,000 hands doesn't feel like much but it's 10BB/100 so I shouldn't complain. Also, I kind of sucked when first starting out and I still make way too many mistakes and blunders. I suppose that is all part of the learning process. Some may say I should move up as soon as possible but I don't want to put my bankroll at risk. I am broke and unemployed and that is really weighing heavy on me. I just play poker for fun and to escape. It's like one of the only ways for me to get away from my grim life besides good video games but I also hate to lose and I think at one point I was only winning 50% of my sessions. And, now that I broke through one barrier the game of poker can bring me back a few notches whenever it likes. I never posted my results before but I think I am just bored, have no life, have few friends. It's a little embarrassing playing 10 NL in a way so I am trying to get over that too.

In reflection maybe I should work harder to get a job and have friends. I love poker but it could be a hindrance to these things. Especially, just futzing around at 10 NL. But, I wouldn't call it futzing. There are a lot of good players there and the rake is super high. It's not easy. I don't know. I'm kind of lost. At the poker table I'm not lost. In real life I am lost.

When you feel worried/about your game; just play whatever video game/other things you like instead and chill. Or only play the lowest stake you play and more taggish. If you play poker you can play less tables but enough so it's not just insanely boring or you end up being loose. And observe the hands you aren't in.

Just saying but nl10 has higher rake I think. I don't know the calculus for it.

On May 24 2024 15:20 Oddeye wrote: When you feel worried/about your game; just play whatever video game/other things you like instead and chill. Or only play the lowest stake you play and more taggish. If you play poker you can play less tables but enough so it's not just insanely boring or you end up being loose. And observe the hands you aren't in. Just saying but nl10 has higher rake I think. I don't know the calculus for it.

Thanks. This is good advice.

My thoughts on a hand: (Basically the flop was ATx ss, b/c, turn offsuit Q, chk/chk, river Qs and he bets out almost pot. I have KQo) "(going through value hands thinking I'm kind of boned then I'm like wait a minute QJ and QT probably play it this way and I can beat those. CALL. He shows QT and scoops the pot.... wait a minute.... ohhh, I'm an idiot."

Now, that I am done with that session I can bitch about the heat. It's 80+ degrees F in my damn room. Took some mental toughness to focus and play well.

Lol don’t bitch be a warrior my man, GL

It’s raining in Vancouver

Or raincouver

I wish it were raining to cool things down. It was 90 F today. Meaning 80+ F in my room because the AC isn't working right. Games should have been bumping due to the holiday tomorrow (Memorial Day for those not from USA) but they have not been that good apart from Friday and Saturday night. Joining games is a pain on ACR as well. You put yourself on 1 waitlist and then half the time when a game pops up it says there was a disconnection. Then it doesn't let you put yourself on a waitlist. This goes on until finally I've got my 3 tables to play but I'm already tilted before I'm even dealt any cards.

Ok. I'll stop complaining. Better to be a warrior and accomplish something. The poker flow states and studying and practicing my game has brought me out of depression in a way. I think without poker and video games I'd be in a deep depression.

Damn, I am going to have to learn how to play 200+ bbs deep at some point.

You will rikd, I believe in u

Dog, in due time.

Position goes up in value even more. Hands like the 56dd with deception go up in value although hands like A5ss are still a powerhouse. JThh can only make the nut straight. Bet-sizing and 3-bet sizing should go up. Although, that is only relevant obviously with other players at 200bbs+. The funny thing is that when Full Tilt Poker first came out with their 200bb games I was a massive winner at 3/6 at 18BB/100. Probably, just because I was very comfortable playing deep at that time and was absolutely fearless. Now, with me re-learning the game I need to re-learn 200+ bbs. I am learning solver poker but that is very difficult to master. I am more timid today than I used to be.

There was this player let's call him Player X that I thought they played really well. I even thought they might have been a bot. I think I play better against them because they are on my radar and I am more focused playing against them. I have gotten them to misplay some hands in big spots so I don't think they are a solver anymore. They are still a better player than most that I have come across. I want to reach out and talk poker with them but I don't think ACR has chat. I am dying to talk poker with people.

I don't want to focus on stats so much and just play in the games but when I practice I run into a lot of hands that imo are more playable with a call in position or even in the sb. I don't want to deviate too much though because the rake is mahousive. I'll deviate for fish but I guess in general a raise or fold strategy is best. I don't want to only be calling w/ 66 and T9cc. I am playing 22/18/7 which is getting by in these games. I know Pluribus played 27/18/7. That extra looseness is fine in a no rake 50/100 game but I think it might kill me in 10 NL. And, I know I'm missing some opens and 3-bets still. And, I know I need more GUMPTION in a lot of these 3-bet and 4-bet pots and just in general. Some guys are ruthless with the check-raising on certain boards. You can't just memorize charts and play weak post-flop. That's not going to cut it.

Anyone remember BldSwtTrs?

I modelled my game after him and won boatloads. It was a lot of work compared to today. Now, we have the solvers who for sure play GTO. We used to always joke about GTO. I remember I would pull off a bluff with naked 43ss and be like GTO Mother Fucker! Trying to play identical to a solver is even more work and not sure if possible. I have a pretty good memory but I miss opens and 3-bets and defends and that is just pre-flop. The fun part of working with solvers is just learning how dastardly nasty that solver son of a bitch is! It's very difficult to find all the bluffs and bet-sizes. Just because it over-bets in one spot, for example, if I just take that bet-size and thought of the spot and go ham I'm going to be quickly spewing and over-bluffing.

That was "my solver" though back in the day. BldSwtTrs and lolotrickedu. Of course, there was Cardrunners as well and I eventually developed a group of people I would talk poker with.

Straate was so sick he would blood bath everyone and then lose to a LrsLzk smurf account. I always thought he would make money playing poker and he probably would but I think he smartly got out at a good time and is better off for it long-term. Ket timed things quite right too. TJBentham just crushed it and I don't have a clue what he is up to these days. Playing poker again is bringing back memories.

I didn't play any poker today but I did practice on the trainer. I put the setting on "close hands" b/c at this point it's ridiculous to get a RFI setting and see 72o utg. Yeah, it's a fold. Yeah, my scores are higher but I'm trying to learn here. Sometimes I get a bit tilted with the "close hands." The different bet-sizing too. Many times the difference in EV between choices are trivial but the problem is sometimes they aren't. I don't think .5 EV is trivial and that's really where I'm looking to improve at. Of course, there is avoiding blunders as well. It just tilts me when it says I made a mistake and that mistake is like .01 EV.

I was reflecting a bit for some reason today. Games are sometimes really bad on ACR even at 10 NL. I could sit down and battle with regulars but I have a feeling with the rake that would decimate my winrate. I was thinking though that a lot of the stacks I've won I've been surprised with what the regulars show up with sometime. They are not all created equal. Sometimes a seemingly solid guy just punts off a stack. I guess that is myself included. Hopefully, less so today.

Again, I didn't play any poker today but I did practice on the trainer. I haven't had the heart or the comittment to put in any hands and it's kind of bothering me. It wasn't conveniant today though. Games are good from like 8 pm EST - 12 pm EST or so. I was doing other stuff then.

Watching the ASL finals I am not built for that. Never was. I got pretty good at Warcraft III but that was about it until I found poker. Poker is a much better game for me. I played chess as a youngin'. I could beat most people but I could never beat my dad and I only beat my brother 1 time (and never played him again hehe). I was very good at Magic: The Gathering but was young and never quite had the cards. I did have a Red, Green, Blue 1.5 that really crushed. I've always loved games since I was a kid. Too many video games to mention. I liked sports a lot too. Athleticism goes. The mind goes too unfortunately but I think I'm still pretty sharp. I am just trying to figure out what I want to spend my time on. 40-50 is an interesting stretch of time. Philosophy is another thing someone can do until later in age. I played with Doyle Brunson in the WSOP Main Event. He came and plopped down next to me on my left. I don't think he gave a fuck really. Was talking to David Oppenheim about prop bets and what they were going to eat for lunch. But, if he was in a hand it was like something came over him and he was a beast. I would like to be that sharp in my 80s. His bustout hand was pretty cool. Some guy with some chips raised MP and Doyle called in the bb. Doyle checks on 773r (1 diamond), guy c-bets, Doyle shoves it in. Guy timebanks hard and finally calls with QQ. Doyle shows 54dd and looks a little pissed the guy slow rolled him but he's probably used to that kind of thing. Doyle seemed happy he could go eat.

I don't mind not playing the last couple of days as long as I can put some hands in Thurs - Sunday.

I'm bad at multi-way pots too

Especially, if I have equity... I've been burned a lot in the past though. I should definitely pay more attention to the specific spot than writing it off because I don't have x, y, or z.

Well, I took 2 days off and got in 3 sessions today. Grinded it up in the first 2 sessions only to play borderline weak tight bitch assness and punt a stack to a regular and just seemed to lose every pot I was in. THAT'S POKER folks. I shouldn't get so intertwined with the results. I was pissed that I punted a stack to a regular though. I HATE that. He tricked me pretty good. Called my 4bet from the CO in the SB w/ AKhh and I bet/called it off on KT7 which is pretty speculative but fucking horrible if he has all his AK combos. Ughhh. Games were pretty good too but I had just had enough of it. That's a Tommy Angelo thing I think. Sitting in suffering hoping to get lucky and win your losses. In reality, I am making like $1 / hr in these games if I'm playing well so no I don't want to sit there and suffer for $1 / hr.

I think another problem is I am quietly entering despair on the job front. I don't want to ruminate on it but the last week there has been barely any listings. I have no idea what I am going to do. I don't want to ruminate but the despair is real. I really just want to sleep a lot.

I'm also not going to lie. Sometimes I can't figure out why GTOW makes some of the bet-sizings that it makes. I obviously can't memorize every situation that is ludicrous. I have to figure out why it's making them. I know it has to do with ranges but for example:

AK7r btn v bb btn has an overbet 125% with 54ss

AA7r btn has a standard 33% with 54ss

That's is just 1 example I'm thinking of. There are (literally?) 1 million potential spots?

I try not to worry about it too much and play exploitative where I can. It's the same with blockers. I try to care in only the most easy/straightforward cases. I am still learning. I'm sure it will be second nature soon enough.

What do you guys think a solver would beat 10 NL for? 50 NL? 100 NL? 200 NL? 500 NL?

Oh, Friday night... The recreationals are out in full force but the regs are out in full force too. It kind of feels like I don't have a gas tank tonight although I did a better job playing than I did last night. I had a mistep in a big pot with a rec though. Cost me a lot of EV. Well, who really knows. Can't always be accurate about these things in real time against someone I have not played a lot with. I overbet the turn all-in when I could have made a 1/3 bet on turn and shoved river would have likely been better.

I am just waiting for God... or I am just waiting for my pot of water to boil so I can make some spaghetti.

I got some Portishead going in the crib. I'm not mad how this Friday went. I could have put in more hands but that is always the case. I downloaded all of Pluribus's hands. Does anyone know who Linus was in that lineup? Looking over stats I have some work to do. Obviously, I can't be as loose as Pluribus due to rake and I can't call pf as much but there is a lot to be learned. I think I was getting a bit too weak and passive in the games. It's bad to miss an open. It's bad to miss a 3-bet , 4-bet, etc. It's bad to miss a c/r. It's bad to miss a turn barrell. It's really bad to miss a bluff or a bluff catch. But, it's also bad not to make the right fold. I've been a bit off in this regard. My red-line and W$WSF shows. It just comes down to discipline, hand reading, and pulling the trigger. I'm not strong enough vs stealing. I'm also not strong enough vs 3-bets. I'm not strong enough in the blinds. I let people realize their equity too easily. Dog, in due time. Dog, in due time.

I’m definitely waiting to see God in the spiritual world as I completed my bucket list of things to do. I can’t wait for my next life though reincarnation into the next life

I don’t want to live to 38 so hoping I only have a few more good years left then wait for my next life cause I know it will be easier then this life as I have suffer so much to attain freedom and spiritual enlightenment yet I don’t know how long I will live. I ain’t depress I’m at peace n fulfill

I want to be born wealthy next life -_-, make it happen God

I got this app called Primed Mind by Elliot Roe. I think it helps therefore that's all that matters? Not sure if I want to use the same "primers" over and over. It's just like meditation with mindset for different circumstances. I did one to feel confident at the table, one to recover from playing, and then a warmup for online cash. The warmup got me warmed up to play but then I backed out when all the games were bad. ACR has some glitch where it doesn't let you sit down at the table and says "disconnected" and then doesn't put you on a waitlist. It's really fucking annoying.

I finally got a picture of how rikd looks, rikd u know how I look?

So, I listened to a primer "warm up for online cash" and then I opened my eyes feeling great and then I promptly took a nap. I guess that didn't work but I woke up from my nap and listened to another primer "reducing anxieties." This time I opened my eyes and was ready to go. Too bad all the tables were bad and then I lost a flip. I think some of these guys only jam over 3bets w/ AKss / AKo. I had TT and clicked call. They had AKhh and spiked an A on the river. C'est la vie.

I so wanted to play poker today but the tables were bad. I'm not against battling regulars but the rake is just too high. I don't want my winrate to plummet and then go on more downswings and need all these buy-ins for a bankroll. I was really in the zone today though. I was doing a lot of the things I said I should be doing. Don't auto-pilot in multiway pots, bet more turns, c/r more flops, squeeze more in the right spots, don't miss 3-bets, don't miss opens, don't miss 4-bets. There is a lot that goes into redline and W$WSF. I like W$WSF as a state more than redline and redline isn't the end all be all but I could just be playing hands better.

Games were gooood tonight. I got a bit thrashed though. I think the solver is a great tool when playing with regs striving to be the solver but multiway pots and recreationals it is worthless.

I wonder what the solver beats 10 NL for?

I saw an article about how a solver couldn't beat 25 NL due to the rake. The argument is that the rake is 9bb/100. Bad regs are -3bb/100. Best players are 3-4bb/100. A recreational is -2 to -8bb/100. I don't know where they were getting this data. The argument being that a winning player will get more out of the recreationals than a solver.

When I play the GTO Trainer I don't even know what it means let's say I play 100 hands against the solver and at the end of the session I did great. I lost 1 bb of ev to the solver or .01 / hand. What does this mean?

And pluribus was actually down in that challenge. They rationalized it with this paper (which I'm not disputing). Linus was down as well. 10,000 hands just doesn't mean that much.

Regardless, I think the key for me moving forward is just making the best decision for every decision. I know I have to make every open, every 3bet, every 4bet. I have to pay more attention in 3bet pots. I have to pay more attention and 3bet people stealing on the button. I have to squeeze more often IF IT'S THE RIGHT MOVE. Most of the time it is but let's say they is a tight opener and a tricky, tight caller then nah I'll pass. Oh well, I don't have to keep writing it out. Pluribus opened my eyes on some things though. It never misses. Although it is losing a lot to a solver because it didn't have overbet sizing. So, RTA (Real Time Assistance) is more deadly than Pluribus. I wonder what Pluribus winrate would be if it included the correct solver overbet strategies?

I sit down to my tables and get things up and running and the power flickers. No idea why but it enough to knock off the internet. Luckily, I wasn't in any hands but now there will be that fear.

I wonder what happened and I wonder if it will happen again?

So, I eventually squeeked in a small sesh. Games weren't great but I felt like playing. One thing I noticed is I am unsure if anyone at 10 NL is using overbets properly but the ones that are closer to it than others can be a pain to play against. I've been working on including more overbets but I am yet to be super comfortable with it. It sure as hell can manipulate a pot size though! Yeah, so if someone is capped and they only want to play a certain sized pot or bets and it's like 125% on turn 200% on river. If one can overbet well they have the cheat codes.

I just read this book called A Game Poker by Elliot Roe. It was pretty good. I read it in one day which may not be ideal but that's what happened. He mentions journaling as a great way to wind down and I as you can see I tend to agree.

Yesterday, I didn't play any poker. I went to a concert of Shostakovich and Beethoven. Two of my favorites. It was sublime.

Today, was rather rough though. I need some blood work done and I start shaking uncontrollably. I was shaking so much that I thought it was not safe to drive and turned back around. Now, everytime I'm in the car I have to worry about that. It's been more prevalent. I shake when I eat, I shake when I drink. I also shake when I play poker. That is the worst. I have to like grab the mouse with my left hand and help guide it. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's making me deeply sad combined with the job situation I am in despair.