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poker is not for me


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I think I have finally come to the realization that Poker is not for me. In the 3+ years that I have been playing poker I have never really been a consistently winning player. I mostly play small stakes limit hold ‘em, lately at a B&M. I never seem to win online playing limit, and have never cashed in an online tournament. In 2004 I was down -$500. In 2005 I was down -$1400. I was all excited to keep accurate records for 2006. However, on New Year’s Eve I was drunk and lost $200 playing 5-10 online. Today I just lost $200 playing 3-6 in a B&M. That’s -$400 in 2 days. What a great start. Lately I play 3-6 limit at a B&M. Sure I have put together winning sessions. And it feels great to triple my session buy in. When that happens, everything goes right: all my pocket pairs hit their sets, and I always hit my straights and flushes. Typically however in a session, my flushes and straights never hit, and my aces get cracked. And I have more losing sessions that winning ones. Ultimately, I think it is my emotions that are preventing me from being a good player. I can’t stand folding for an hour, it drives me crazy. When I finally get a marginal hand and decide to play, someone invariably raises, and of course I call, and I never hit my flop. I have read all the books, and feel like I understand Slansky’s Small Stakes Hold ‘Em strategy. It just doesn’t seem to work for me when I do what they tell me. I know there will be the inevitable flaming for this post. I’m sure none of you care. Why am I writing this? I have enjoyed the 12 months or so that I have been involved in FCP. The latest battles with Dreamclown have been great. I just feel that I need to give poker a long rest, and to some extent, this post is a bit of closure for me. I won’t be coming ‘round anymore. I need to get rid of poker in my life. It is not making me happy. I did play NL for a brief time tonight, and that certainly was more fun than limit. I’m sure I would get crushed in NL, but for a $200 buy-in, I might take my chances. In a few months. Perhaps 6 months. I can’t understand how Daniel or any pro could make a living playing poker. Right now, it feels like they have a skill that is akin to Michael Jordan, something I couldn’t possibly ever attain. I read post after post of all the winning players on this forum and I wonder if anyone here ever loses. Well, here is one loser. It sucks. Have fun.

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I appreciate the fact that you made a post like this. It's great and enviable to hear the guys talking about their thousand dollar hits, but this seems more real to me. I know how you feel, a majority of players know how you feel. I enjoy playing cards, but I could never do it for a living. If I piss away a couple hundred bucks every month or so, such is life; the cost of entertainment. Good luck getting everything together, hopefully you'll be in a place to make a run at it down the road.D

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I don't think your post is flameworthy at all, OP. It takes a lot to be that honest to yourself. I do think that if you truly enjoy the game and you take a break for a while and then return, you'll really appreciate it again. Maybe you can play some lower levels and just treat it as an enjoyable hobby and see how that goes at first. But if you do that and you're not having any fun then there are certainly better ways for you to spend your time and your money. Best of luck with whatever you choose to do.

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Take a break, read some poker books, focus on your leaks, and when you return:BR managementBR management is there to lessen the impact of downswings. Play 2/4 with $1200 and if you lose the $1200 then quit poker. You didnt mention in your story what your BR was but it didnt sound like you were managing it.

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I agree that this post is not flameworthy. Just remember that the vast, vast majority of online players are NOT winning players. I mean, I know that is no help, but it's always good to put things in context.I agree that bankroll management is one of the keys to success in online poker. Personally, a lost a lot of $50 deposits because I was an absolute moron with my money. Keep reading books and the strategy portion of this forum if you're serious about getting better and playing again after a couple of months. Best of luck to you.

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You sir, I have mad respect for. I can totally relate to how you feel. Not to highjack but Im in a similar situation. I migrated to poker after having played a different card game competitively for the past 6 years. All the people I used to play withhave also moved to poker and seem to never lose when I talk to them, But I over the past 1.5 yrs am a break even player at best. Just really getting to the point where I feel like Im missing something and I may never learn it, so why not stop before I become a losing player. Its really tough because I enjoy the game very much but the objective is to make money. So Im caught between just playing for entertainment purposes or finding a different hobby altogether. I feel ya bud..

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Today I just lost $200 playing 3-6 in a B&M.
I lose at donkey bingo (3/6 B&M) all the time, that in itself isn't anything to quit over. I do quite well in the 2/4 full ring games online, and am slowly learning 6-max and other games besides hold'em.I find a good session at Stud8 or PLO does wonders (both for the bankroll and fun factor). I even load up FullTilt once in a while and play some small stakes Razz. I don't keep any records for Razz or Stud8 (or even Omaha until I get Pokertracker Omaha soon) but I find it renews my interest in playing. I pretty much break even at all these games (except PLO) but I have fun doing it.Maybe try taking up some new games at low stakes, don't worry about winning so much.
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wow. i dont think anyone on this forum has ever been as honest as this guy about poker. we all know we fuc up, but no one ever admits it. i got a lot in common with u mate, but am going to try to stick it out. hope u make a good comeback. good luck in whatever u do. catch ya later

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I recently heard a stat that 98 of online players dont make money(counts break even players). People who make money doing this are few and far between. I play this for fun and as hobby more than anything else. If you dont like playing poker you have made the right decision because you will probally never make a profit and if u do the hourly rate is so low you are better off working at Mcdonalds. Good luck and thanks for being a man and speaking the truth.

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wow. i dont think anyone on this forum has ever been as honest as this guy about poker. we all know we fuc up, but no one ever admits it. i got a lot in common with u mate, but am going to try to stick it out. hope u make a good comeback. good luck in whatever u do. catch ya laterI was being honest.Poker is easy. If you're not good at it you're probably clincally functionally retarded in some way.good luck.

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It really sounds like you are upset about your recent losses, Jeff. Taking a break is definitely in order. No one can play their best when they are down on themselves or concerned about making back money. I'm not sure why you said you might try again at $200 NL. If you do decide to play again, I'd really recommend going down in limits. Take that $200 and start grinding it out....whether in limit or no limit, aim for micro limits. Hard to go broke if you are using bankroll management. :wink: Or try challenging yourself by only doing freerolls for awhile (it will drive you insane, you won't need alcohol any more). Speaking of alcohol, no more drinking while playing ! Or....open a play account at one of the ".nets" and make that your playing while drinking site. I'm not trying to tempt you with gambling if you have a gambling or financial problem that necessitates you never playing poker again. That didn't sound like the case from your post though.....just sounds like a rough patch. Can't beat yourself up because you're not DN/not meant to be a pro. Neither am I......or a lot of people on here ( some just don't know it yet :wink: ). I do not have the aggression to be great at NL. I do not have the bankroll to be able to play higher limits. That's okay.....I set my own goals. Poker is not how I make a living; it is my entertainment.So don't be so hard on yourself. Take a break. Practice bankroll management. Good luck !

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Ive been a losing online player for the better part of a year but its not because of my lack of skill or knowing the fundamentals of a game.I think you might be in the same boat as me so i could offer a little advice,1) make sure you play within your bankroll2) if holdem is going rough for you try and learn new games like stud/omaha and things just might turn around.The best of luck to youAndrew

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wow. i dont think anyone on this forum has ever been as honest as this guy about poker. we all know we fuc up, but no one ever admits it. i got a lot in common with u mate, but am going to try to stick it out. hope u make a good comeback. good luck in whatever u do. catch ya laterI was being honest.Poker is easy. If you're not good at it you're probably clincally functionally retarded in some way.good luck.
Or you're normal. Most players aren't "good" at poker. And 90% of the people that are good still go broke because of other issues. Not everyone gets satisfaction out of 30 tabling low limits, Smash.
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Not hijacking.. just quick clarification. Someone said use 1200 and play $2/4 giving you 300x.. That's the rule being that he is alimit player right? Isn't it different for NL? or is that the NL one? I've seen that limit is big bet and nl is big blind (I think) just for some reason the general X rule never caught in my stupid brain..

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Not everyone gets satisfaction out of 30 tabling low limits, Smash.It's more the massive amount of cash that satisfys me really.Allthough, I do enjoy 30 tabling low limits.good luck.
I thought that was Marion's job.I was so sure you'd reply with "I like money". Can't really argue results with you since I've dropped 200 BB at a limit I couldn't beat before.
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I think I have finally come to the realization that Poker is not for me.    Well, here is one loser.  It sucks.  Have fun.
There are many variables that can associate with why u are a losing player.I get the feeling you have decided to play these 1/2 and 3/6 stakes from the start.Online especially you should be starting very very low. It sucks and everyone wants to climb quickly, but my online start was with 50 bucks deposited on a site a couple years ago where i played nl holdem with a max buyin of 5 bucks. managed to stick with the passion i had for the game, and found my way to this site.Which is another key aspect to being a winning player. Theres a couple classes i believe, some with just the solid understanding of the game, and how to beat it. And others who are passionate, and who want to excel, and eat sleep breath the stuff.If theres one thing i can say is your poker BR shouldnt be funded from another source of income.It should be built up 1 way or another from winnings, and not hard earned cash. Unless of course you're rich, than who the F cares.
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If theres one thing i can say is your poker BR shouldnt be funded from another source of income.It should be built up 1 way or another from winnings, and not hard earned cash. Unless of course you're rich, than who the F cares.
Why do you think that?
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If theres one thing i can say is your poker BR shouldnt be funded from another source of income.It should be built up 1 way or another from winnings, and not hard earned cash. Unless of course you're rich, than who the F cares.
Why do you think that?
honestly?I think that way because i want to build my way up to high limits.But obviously if you play for fun, enjoyment, pass the time etc.. than its totally ok!, just like a round of golf or what have you.But this guy doesnt seem to play for the "enjoyment" because he wouldnt be posting this thread.so i only hope it doesnt become a problem and tie into his actual living expenses and finances
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If theres one thing i can say is your poker BR shouldnt be funded from another source of income.It should be built up 1 way or another from winnings, and not hard earned cash. Unless of course you're rich, than who the F cares.
Why do you think that?
honestly?I think that way because i want to build my way up to high limits.But obviously if you play for fun, enjoyment, pass the time etc.. than its totally ok!, just like a round of golf or what have you.But this guy doesnt seem to play for the "enjoyment" because he wouldnt be posting this thread.so i only hope it doesnt become a problem and tie into his actual living expenses and finances
I guess we are kind of talking about different things. It seems that you're talking about large deposits to play high limits while I was thinking small deposits to help get up to the next limit (I had 900, felt like going up to 2/4 so I deposited $300). I also know for sure that I can beat the game, so that helped with the decision.
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There are many variables that can associate with why u are a losing player.I get the feeling you have decided to play these 1/2 and 3/6 stakes from the start.Online especially you should be starting very very low. It sucks and everyone wants to climb quickly, but my online start was with 50 bucks deposited on a site a couple years ago where i played nl holdem with a max buyin of 5 bucks. managed to stick with the passion i had for the game, and found my way to this site.Which is another key aspect to being a winning player. Theres a couple classes i believe, some with just the solid understanding of the game, and how to beat it. And others who are passionate, and who want to excel, and eat sleep breath the stuff.If theres one thing i can say is your poker BR shouldnt be funded from another source of income.It should be built up 1 way or another from winnings, and not hard earned cash. Unless of course you're rich, than who the F cares.
This is the bset post I've read in this whole thread as far as advice goes. I started with $25 (the minimum deposit on PokerStars), played a few $5 sit-n-go's and then when I had around $50 I started playing .25/.50 limit. I know I didn't have enough to play at that limit, but I simply couldn't start any lower and not go insane. A few months later and I'm still at .25/.50 and have my bankroll up to $150 (where it should be) playing just a few hours a week when I'm not working crazy hours. I play in home games (NL tournies) and do quite well in those, but the reason I'm going so slowly online is that I'd never played limit before, so I'm taking the time to read and learn as much about it as I did at NL. I'm able to learn in a no pressure situation, because even if I go broke I'm only out $25 which is long gone and not missed by this point. As Royal said, I eat breathe and have dreams about poker hands, so I'm real big on money management and doing things the right way.Now I'm following a bankroll guide that details using bonuses to continue to build it up, and I'm consistently beating these low limits for 3+BB an hour. I'm staying at this limit until I hit the $300 mark before I move up to .$50/$1. I really want to earn my jump up in the limits and learn as much as I can along the way. The best thing is not to rush it. Take a few months off and start fresh with a very small bankroll and try to work yourself up to 3/6.It's a grind, but if you play the way you know you should (you've read Sklansky's LLHE so you're off to a good start..re-read as often as you can) and you'll find that these low limits are easy to beat if you can be patient, and if you put in the time, you'll be better prepared for the next level up.I'm done rambling, good luck.
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If theres one thing i can say is your poker BR shouldnt be funded from another source of income.It should be built up 1 way or another from winnings, and not hard earned cash. Unless of course you're rich, than who the F cares.
Why do you think that?
honestly?I think that way because i want to build my way up to high limits.But obviously if you play for fun, enjoyment, pass the time etc.. than its totally ok!, just like a round of golf or what have you.But this guy doesnt seem to play for the "enjoyment" because he wouldnt be posting this thread.so i only hope it doesnt become a problem and tie into his actual living expenses and finances
I guess we are kind of talking about different things. It seems that you're talking about large deposits to play high limits while I was thinking small deposits to help get up to the next limit (I had 900, felt like going up to 2/4 so I deposited $300). I also know for sure that I can beat the game, so that helped with the decision.
ya, thats a bit different. You already had 900. u added another 300 from odd jobs, or working the corner. (however you got it :club: )so that you could simply jump a level.What I took from his post was he was funding his poker from his own pocket, ie : depositing 200 to play some 5/10 etc.. then losing that and going back to his bank account for another session the next day, instead of using a BR to judge what levels he should be playing, and how his rate is going.
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