Lightbulb Moment

One of things I love reading about, are the moments when pros realised something important about the game for the first time. Over the years Daneil Negraneau has written about many of his, and I think that's part of why I like him so much.

Anyways, I think I may just have had one of mine; though in fairness this is going to sound incredibly stupid.

For the past two years (aka about 90% of my poker "career") I have been struggling with a real dicotomy. On the one hand I have a mind set that is best suited for for STTs. On the other hand I have a playing style that is best suited for cash games.

If I play STTs, my playing style holds me back; I can win if I bring my best game, but if I'm slightly off (or if I am just having sub-par luck) I can't win. If I play cash games, I screw myself over in all the ways they tell you not to; when I get ahead I start playing nervous, because I'm scare of losing my winnings; this often leads to me quiting after making just small profits; when I am behind I will play till I'm broke; I am the classic example of playing results. Moreover, I am always wanting the feeling that I either won or lost, making most sessions unsatisfying.

I have spent a long time trying to fix my mindset so I can play cash games, and I have come to the conclusion that I just don't know how to fix it. I have tried every reasonable suggestion I can find, but none of them work for me.

Then after two years of alternating between trying to adjust my mindset to play cash games, and struggling to win at STTs I came to a realization tonight - I should just adjust my game to fit STTs. Since STTs are where I find my joy, what sense does it make to play anything else?

The silliest thing is that as soon as I reaslised this I knew exactly how I needed to change my game. I am a small ball player; have been for as long as I can remember. But small ball just isn't the way to win STTs. (I have long known this; I just never considered not playing it)

So look out world, starting today Frosty's playing long ball.

(since I didn't find a way to work it in above, I thought I'd mention that this blog entry is what inspired me; ironically I don't agree with his system, though I do plan to borrow parts of it)