Emotions In Motion

I've found that my emotions keep getting the better of me when I get unlucky and knocked out of tournaments. I'm a very competitive person, and I HATE to lose. However, I'm going to get high blood pressure or an ulcer if I don't learn to chill out and accept bad luck when it comes. Since there's no option to change the fact that luck is part of poker, I have to work on changing myself. I have to find that inner zen monkey and when i get unlucky, learn to laugh, or take a deep breath, instead of throwing things or seething.

Doing the poker thing seriously comprises more than learning strategy and playing well. You also have to deal with the emotions and up and downswings properly, or you'll never make it. If I get mad about losing a $20 game, what's going to happen when I get knocked out of the WSOP?

Hot Streak

Having made profit in 18 of my last 19 sessions, I believe that the recent changes I've made to my post-flop play are reaping dividends. As a poker player, you have to step back from yourself every now and then and examine your strategies, and if necessary, make adjustments. You might win for a while and then suddenly find it much harder to do. This could be because you are playing differently, are not focused, or because you are facing tougher competition (or the same competition is learning your tendencies and taking notes).

This is one of the great things about the game of poker. You can never stop learning and striving to get better. Those that don't constantly strive to swim upstream will soon find themselves drowning.

$20 Games Now, And A Few Tweaks

I'm finding plenty of action at the $20 level, and have gotten off to a good start. A single table win at this level is worth $90, twice as much as my last level - so game on, and I'm looking forward to reaching level 6 of my plan, though I might not hit it by my original goal date.

I've made a couple of small adjustments to my play lately, especially after flops. So far, these changes have made a big difference. After a week of downturn, I made the adustments and have posted 12/13 profitable sessions since making those changes.

Nearing $2000 / $20 Games - Kat Reaches Level 4

I'm getting close to the $2000 mark, where I'll be moving up from $10 games to $20 games, with both higher risk and higher reward. Looking forward to the challenge.

Kat just passed $400, getting her to Level 4 of her plan. She says her goal is to pass me, but I'm not about to let that happen...