Poker Tip: Managing The Move To Higher Stakes Poker Games
How to cope when you make a transition to a new standard of poker
POKER TIP OF THE DAY If you have taken the decision to move up to a higher stake game than you would normally play, watch for what we call “passive tilt”. This can seriously erode your winnings. How do you spot if it’s happening? Simple. If you lose the confidence to aggressively pursue a good hand. If you in any way feel intimidated by the raises that come into play at the new higher level you have chosen, you should call a halt before any damage is done. It’s easy to slip back to a comfort zone at a lower stakes level and re-group. The worse thing that can happen to any poker player is a loss of confidence. A higher limit game can often trigger it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED POKER QUESTIONS Q: Who was the first person to win over $1,000,000 in tournament poker history? A: That would be Phil Hellmuth a long time ago. He was the youngest ever winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event at age twenty four back in 1989 and that record still stands today. Remarkable guy with a big mouth.
Q: I won a particularly large pot online a little while ago during a heads up. My opponent folded in the face of my big raise. He hammered me through the chat box to reveal what my cards had been. He claimed it was just so he could learn from his decision to fold. I refused. Your thoughts? A: We have the view that if you want to see someone’s cards you need to pay for the pleasure. The showdown defines a player. If someone folds they give up the right to win or to learn anything except that folding means you lose. Your refusal to respond defines you. Good call.
Q: What is the function of the “auto post blinds” box? A: Let’s say you’ve had a winning streak and you feel you really should quit while you’re ahead. You don’t have to quit right away. You can usually see a few more hands for free before you get hit for the blinds again. Uncheck the “auto post blinds” box. This means you will be “asked” before you have to commit chips to the blinds. It gives you pause to think and decide if this is really the time to end your streak without actually leaving the table.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUS We see a lot of people in the office playing Hold’em online. They don’t shut down their e mail program, they don’t turn off their instant messaging client or close their web browser. That’s the three perfect ways to lose focus. All we need now is a secretary to cross her legs nearby and we’re on the way to the poor house. You get the picture? Focus!
