Anatomy of a Bad Player in the Making...

In talking to a friend ("That Guy") a few days ago, we were engaging in poker talk. Of course, I'm always trying to help in out, in a similar manner that Shark often helps me out (we talk poker, and he shoots me out helpful nuggets of information, which I later see how they are both relivant and imperative to improving my game).

"That guy" was describing a hand he was in a few nights earlier during one of our tourneys. And of course, I stop him, asking what he had, where the blinds were, how was his stack relative to other people's stacks, where were the loose players, the weak players, etc. Pretty much typical information that one needs when getting the context of a hand. Unfortunately, I had to stop him when he answered the "what he had," asking him what the hell he was doing playing the 3-6 UTG. His response "they were suited and I was sick of seeing my folded hand hit the flop hard."

I'm not sure why people cannot divorce themselves from their hand once they lay it down. Yet, so many people tease themselves (and later trick themselves) by rabbit hunting or mentally continue in the hand after they've folded. I told him, of course, that if he's trying to do more playing and less fishing, he cannot play shit like that, first of all. Second, he cannot worry himself with what he correctly threw away after the flop comes. This is a primary reason a knowledgable player turns into a bad player (there are a few, but this is a biggie for the newbie).

When the flop comes, and you've thrown your hand away, DO NOT SECOND GUESS YOURSELF AFTER THE FLOP. Don't remember that 3-6-6 came down when you discarded your 3-6 preflop UTG. The cards don't remember, so neither should you. Instead, focus on more important and profitable things, such as who does this flop help? How do those still in the hand act? Try to anticipate everyone's actions, guess their hands, break down their play, figure out who is weak, who is aggressive, who is tight and who is loose in their play. Study the things that matter to improve your game, as oppose to corrupting it via "card memory inclusion." Remember, when you're not busy sweatin' yourself, there are lots to learn from others. You profit most from people making mistakes after the flop. Don't enter making a mistake, as you'll start off in the red. Nuff said...




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