Mental Game Forum

Jared,

One of my biggest flaws is my belief that everyone is full of shit.  Perhaps this mirrors my own playing style because I bluff so often?

I am playing cards with someone and the board will fall Js 6d 5d.  I have a pair of tens.  I bet and the villain pushes all in.  I look at the board and see draws everywhere.  Its like the scene from Dumbo with the little pink elephants.  I call and I lose.

Is this a mental problem or a game theory problem?

I go through their potential hand ranges before making my play its just I always end up putting them on air more than an actual hand.

Ching

Jared,

The Dumbo reference is the one where he is pissed and can see little pink elephants everywhere!

Let me try and phrase this comment differently.

In my local game there are a few (and I mean a few) people who I know have me stuffed when they raise.  Other than those select few my local game is full of bluff after bluff after bluff.  The bluffing frequency is so high it is probably +EV to call all the bloody time.  I am the biggest winner in this game over the long term.

When I play online poker I am not sure if subliminally my live play is being transferred to my online play but I am calling down all the time.  I even say I am beat out aloud and call.  This is not based on any particular read I just call.

Example from yesterday.

A guy raises in front of me and I 3 bet with QQ and he calls.  The flop comes K55.  I CB and he shoves.  I think (yes I thought!) why would he do that with a K or 5 and settled on the idea that he must be full of shit so I call and he has AK.  It was a terrible play and would have only have gotten value from a calling station like me!

So they next day I tell myself to stop calling down and I do it again.  And again.  And again.  Something is not sticking and usually things do stick with me.

Does this help explain things a little better?

Ching

This is exactly the same conversation I have had with my coach this evening. 

I am not working hard enough in the study area and I am studying on the wrong things.

I am making call/raise/fold decisions based on zero mathematical logic.  I make most of my decisions based on instinct and my instinct is to gamble.  If I am not sure what to do in any given situation I will generally call.

Thanks this has really helped.

Lee