NLHE - Do you ever let your mood or boredom effect your poker play? (1 Viewer)

[Mojo1312]

There are two decks in play at the $1/$2 NLHE game I play in on Tuesday nights. Typically, we see a decent number of hands per hour. Not the case during the game from a couple a weeks ago. Roughly 30% of the hands involved a player going into the tank on one of the streets, which really slowed down the pace of the game. This continued for two hours. At that point, I had run out of patience.

In a casino, I would have cashed out. The weekly home game I am in is different. Dave's expectation is that in return for taking time to organize and host the game, players shouldn't be cashing out before 11PM or leaving after one buy-in. Earlier in the year, Dave asked us who wanted to lock in a seat as a way for him to save time sending out invites. I made the commitment.

The hour long drive is another factor. Due to my work schedule, I rush to get there as early as I can. Most nights I am 15 minutes late, so when I arrive, I am geared up to play. I also am thinking about the hour ride home, as a result, I sometimes feel squeezed to get hands in.

I believe it would be different if I lived closer or had time to relax after work, but that is not the case. Also it is Hold-em. The majority of these players have been playing against one another for 10+ years. How many spots are you going to find yourself in where you need to tank for more than 60 or 90 seconds?

 

[Lil Tuna]

There are two decks in play at the $1/$2 NLHE game I play in on Tuesday nights. Typically, we see a decent number of hands per hour. Not the case during the game from a couple a weeks ago. Roughly 30% of the hands involved a player going into the tank on one of the streets, which really slowed down the pace of the game. This continued for two hours. At that point, I had run out of patience.

In a casino, I would have cashed out. The weekly home game I am in is different. Dave's expectation is that in return for taking time to organize and host the game, players shouldn't be cashing out before 11PM or leaving after one buy-in. Earlier in the year, Dave asked us who wanted to lock in a seat as a way for him to save time sending out invites. I made the commitment.

The hour long drive is another factor. Due to my work schedule, I rush to get there as early as I can. Most nights I am 15 minutes late, so when I arrive, I am geared up to play. I also am thinking about the hour ride home, as a result, I sometimes feel squeezed to get hands in.

I believe it would be different if I lived closer or had time to relax after work, but that is not the case. Also it is Hold-em. The majority of these players have been playing against one another for 10+ years. How many spots are you going to find yourself in where you need to tank for more than 60 or 90 seconds?

This explains a lot. Not the optimal circumstances for you when it comes to playing in this particular game. Too many expectations put upon yourself before you even sit down.
I would find it tough to be in the proper frame of mind if I had to deal with what you have mentioned.
Going to be tough to play consistently well under these conditions.
My advice would be to find a game that plays more on your terms and is more optimal to your schedule.

 

[upNdown]

I think I like nlhe tournaments because of the boring nature of the game. I feel more comfortable drinking and bullshitting when I don’t have to overthink my decisions every hand.

I can totally understand that.
I don’t have the patience to play cash NLHE seriously (like in a casino - real stakes, good competition) for hours upon hours. But a tournament is different. I don’t need to be patient, because there’s a clock and increasing blinds, driving the action.
In a cash game, it sometimes feels like every hand can become a war. But in a tournament, I don’t need to worry about playing every hand perfectly - each hand is really just a minor battle in a much larger war - I can “play” the tournament - the situations, the clock, the blinds, the stacks, laddering up, etc.
I don’t know if I’m explaining it well, and I know it seems counterintuitive to people who say they don’t have the patience for an 8-hour tournament.

 

[Lil Tuna]

I can totally understand that.
I don’t have the patience to play cash NLHE seriously (like in a casino - real stakes, good competition) for hours upon hours. But a tournament is different. I don’t need to be patient, because there’s a clock and increasing blinds, driving the action.
In a cash game, it sometimes feels like every hand can become a war. But in a tournament, I don’t need to worry about playing every hand perfectly - each hand is really just a minor battle in a much larger war - I can “play” the tournament - the situations, the clock, the blinds, the stacks, laddering up, etc.
I don’t know if I’m explaining it well, and I know it seems counterintuitive to people who say they don’t have the patience for an 8-hour tournament.

Explained interestingly well. Love hearing another’s true perspective on the topic.

 

[Highli99]

I am guessing that is because you haven't seen this classic skit:

That scene is one of my favorite in any movie. The highlight for me is when the armless black night runs over and kicks him in the head. That is the poker player i aspire to be.

I find holdem to be formulaic and boring, especially among competent players. I more enjoy it deepstacked so that a meta game can develop between the players that want to tangle.

I am pretty good and switching between “have fun” and “make money” modes depending on the game. Stakes doesn’t always factor in that decision. Some $20 games require make money mode while some $xxx games allow have fun mode. As long as I play within my means this is a hobby not a job.

The people and competition are what make it boy the stakes. I have the same rushes binking a low stakes PCF tourney as I have winning $1k in a casino.

But for gods sake I do appreciate people who make quick decisions. God bless the MD crew for that. Only tanking that happens is usually the preamble to a slow roll lol

 

[Mojo1312]

This explains a lot. Not the optimal circumstances for you when it comes to playing in this particular game. Too many expectations put upon yourself before you even sit down.
I would find it tough to be in the proper frame of mind if I had to deal with what you have mentioned.
Going to be tough to play consistently well under these conditions.
My advice would be to find a game that plays more on your terms and is more optimal to your schedule.

It is a good game. The stakes are perfect for my bankroll and the game is profitable. There are times when I get tired of having to drive straight to the game after work.

I consider myself lucky to have a seat locked up, although it would be nice to not feel obligated to play each and every week. I am looking forward to my workdays shortening in length once business slows down in mid November.

I can totally understand that.
I don’t have the patience to play cash NLHE seriously (like in a casino - real stakes, good competition) for hours upon hours. But a tournament is different. I don’t need to be patient, because there’s a clock and increasing blinds, driving the action.
In a cash game, it sometimes feels like every hand can become a war. But in a tournament, I don’t need to worry about playing every hand perfectly - each hand is really just a minor battle in a much larger war - I can “play” the tournament - the situations, the clock, the blinds, the stacks, laddering up, etc.
I don’t know if I’m explaining it well, and I know it seems counterintuitive to people who say they don’t have the patience for an 8-hour tournament.

A tournament requires a different approach from a cash game. I don't mind people taking time to make a decision in the latter, unless it is the same person again and again. That "one guy' annoys me.

I find holdem to be formulaic and boring, especially among competent players. I more enjoy it deepstacked so that a meta game can develop between the players that want to tangle.

That is definitely a plus in respects to our weekly game. Everyone starts out buying in for 150BB's. I am the exception, buying in for 125. In a typical evening there is $7500 to $8000 on the table.

Due to Covid and the fishing season that average has dropped by a grand the last few games, even so, it is still deep stacked poker.

 

[LeLe]

There are two decks in play at the $1/$2 NLHE game I play in on Tuesday nights. Typically, we see a decent number of hands per hour. Not the case during the game from a couple a weeks ago. Roughly 30% of the hands involved a player going into the tank on one of the streets, which really slowed down the pace of the game. This continued for two hours. At that point, I had run out of patience.

In a casino, I would have cashed out. The weekly home game I am in is different. Dave's expectation is that in return for taking time to organize and host the game, players shouldn't be cashing out before 11PM or leaving after one buy-in. Earlier in the year, Dave asked us who wanted to lock in a seat as a way for him to save time sending out invites. I made the commitment.

The hour long drive is another factor. Due to my work schedule, I rush to get there as early as I can. Most nights I am 15 minutes late, so when I arrive, I am geared up to play. I also am thinking about the hour ride home, as a result, I sometimes feel squeezed to get hands in.

I believe it would be different if I lived closer or had time to relax after work, but that is not the case. Also it is Hold-em. The majority of these players have been playing against one another for 10+ years. How many spots are you going to find yourself in where you need to tank for more than 60 or 90 seconds?

If is always the one guy, maybe can chat personally with other guy in group to see if they also felt the same or is it just you.

If most agreed he just tanking too much maybe have a courtesy talk about that with him, some people just have difficulty making quick decisions especially if they playing scare money since it seem like the pot seemingly tend to be quite big too

I don’t mind people tanking abit if the decision is for a big pot but not for a small pot and tanking when they have the second or third nuts

 

[Mojo1312]

A couple of pictures from this week's game

Poker chips are PCF approved

 

[shorticus]

I had to leave some $$$ for the rest of y'all. I'm a nice guy like that.

Am I missing some sort of dry humor here?

 

[shorticus]

Here is my proof.

View attachment 798112

Yeup, I was. Lol!

 

[JustinInMN]

To answer the question in the title it does happen to everyone. If you let it happen to you in less than the average opponent, you have built yourself an advantage.

At a casino, if I feel this coming on, I will usually just take a walk or cash out if I don't think the focus is coming back.

This is much tougher in a home game, especially hosting. (Also why I always host for lower stakes than I would be willing to play away from home.)

 

[legonick]

I made a bad play, with a larger bet with AQo against a UTG limper who then shoved and had me covered. I went in the tank for a long time. This is the one guy at the table who could actually make this bluff, and he had been showing AJo all night. I knew there was a pretty slim chance I was ahead unless he was bluffing. I put him on a small or even medium pocket pair. Ultimately, I had had a good run, he was the new guy at the table and I wanted him to have a good night, so I called. Sure enough, he had AKo. Ouch. He was planning on limping and shoving when the BB, who was a short stack, shoved on him. I just beat the BB to it. Anyways, if I had not committed so much with my bet, I may have actually had the patience/skill to lay that down, but I just...couldn't. I think the "animal spirits" got the best of me. So here's the best part...I call, die inside seeing it's not even a flip I'm just crushed, and a miracle Q hits on the river! He had me covered, but not by much. He was blinded all in the next hand and out, while I carried his stack to heads up (was 5-handed when that action went down) and ultimately took it down! So that little impatience/bad play got rewarded way too much! LOL.