So, before you go thinking I’m just another greedy poker player trying to make a few dollars off of some meaningless blog, I should explain a little.
I’m not.
That’s not enough? Well it’s the cold-hearted truth that I’m trying to get across here. Being cold-hearted is an important attribute in being a winning poker player. And before you go arguing that you can win and be nice, I’m going to let you know now, that you might be right. Some people might win playing a different style than me. In fact, I know plenty of people win playing a different style than I do, but I can’t teach you different styles. For one reason, I try not to have a style.
Having a style can beat you. For this reason, being cold-hearted is the only style you should have towards others, and more importantly towards yourself. You can’t lie to yourself in poker. You may say that you’re a good player, but for most people, they’re not telling the truth. And I’ll bet all of them realize it too. If one can’t realize it, then that is the first thing they need to work on.
So before I go off on more thought process rants, I still need to tell you some about myself.
As of now, you probably think I’m a real jackass. I’m actually a nice guy (which turns out the be one of my weaknesses in poker), but I’m also a realist. There are many times in life when I say the “right and nice” thing, but am thinking inside of the “real” side of things. There’s the cold-heart in me. I do keep it in check though.
Anyway, I’m great at math. Sure maybe now you can add in cocky too (or confident as I like to think). Trigonometry, Geometry, or other trees aren’t really my thing. It’s the percentages and fractions and quick numbers that I can run laps around others with. The numbers have always given me an extra edge on the tables.
Back to the realist quality, I have to give credit to my dad in that one. He was a great father, always proud, but never “over-the-edge” proud. He would give me credit and confidence, but always had a way of keeping me grounded. I knew my shots at professional baseball were slim, but he kept pushing me at pitching. A radar gun never topped 80mph, and that was it for me. Got to move on and succeed elsewhere as high school was my limit. I have no time to be a mediocre college pitcher.
On the other hand, he probably accounts for most of the reasons that I haven’t made it to the next level in poker. He insisted that poker wasn’t a sure thing, was not a steady career, and that I needed to pursue other interests in life. And you know what? He’s right. So few people make a living in poker, that it’s not really worth it to try. The exceptions being the comfortably retired, or the successful business man with a small-time poker hobby. Other than that, you’re probably going to go broke and be forced to quit the game before you make it on the WSOP.
I can honestly tell you that I am a winning poker player. I also believe that I could consistently win in Las Vegas. I also realize that luck plays a factor in the game, and I can’t gamble my life pursuits like that. I will keep playing though, and waiting for the day that my bankroll allows me admittance into a big tournament.
That bankroll, though, has to grow quite large first. One thing I’ve realized in my playing days is that emotion plays a huge role in the game of poker. The greatest player in the game will never win if he can’t keep his emotions untied from the money involved. If you care about losing whatever amount you’re gambling, eventually, you’ll play poorly enough that you will in fact lose that money.
So, I’ve passed onto you my rant for the day. Come back and check me out again and I may just tell you a little more.
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