When Do I Know I’m Awesome?

I generally read poker literature for specific, concrete concepts to help my game. I usually don’t like philosophical articles all that much, because they are generally too soft and squishy. This one, however, I really like. Very nice.

And yes, no matter what your walk of life, hotshot or no, it’s much better not to be a tool.

I’m always disturbed by the people who are in it to be awesome. I kind of feel like John Cusack in Grosse Point Blank: a psychopath plays poker for no reason. I play poker for money.

Hey Ed.

Very Zen. I like it.

I really enjoyed this article. I agree that many new players, myself included, have an extremely difficult time learning to let go of the results.

One of the things that I find funny, frustrating, intriguing, etc… is that as soon as you feel you have gotten past a problem poker has a way giving you an even harder one. If you are ok with having a -150BB downswing, then a -200BB downswing will be FedEx’d to your home briefly. Whenever I say this to myself it seems to help me remain humble.

You are aware that you are using poker as a metaphor for life.

Ed -

Even though this was written a month ago, using a Zen-type of thinking, it found me today - at the right time.

Thanks for writing it so perfectly clear; the article cleared my head (at least temporarily) of the negative feedback loop from last night’s sessions (and sessions like it).

I’ve always told people that poker is a metaphor for life and it is the reason why it is, and it has been, so popular. Your article hear shares that mindset.

PB

Um…change “sessions” to session

and “hear” to here

Yeah, I know how to write - my students would have a field day with it!

Ed, There are things I need to do around my house that aren’t getting done because I am busy reading great articles like this.

This is one of those articles that I will have to come back to again and again just to get it all digested. I think I like your answer on this subject better then any other that I have heard. Good job!

[...] site is called Noted Poker Authority. His article that I just finished reading is entitled “When Do I Know I’m Awesome?” and it has to be one the of least definitive, yet best answers I have heard on the subject. [...]

Wow,

Fantastic read and phenominal advice. Keep up the good work Ed!

Beef

Wow indeed.

Awesome article!

Consentrating on winnings/losses too much is probably my biggest leak I have. When I’m running hot I forget to stay “humble” and when I am having a bad day I tend to make it even worse, just to get even.

Reading articles like this really help my lay down the bad habit.

Thanks Ed,

Arctic

You know you are awesome when you can cash out on a somewhat regular basis.

In general I have a bankroll of 30 times the max buy-in for that NL game (play deep).

If on any given day, by the end of the day I have more than 30 times the max buy-in in my bankroll then that leaves my bankroll and moves into my bank account. (I am comfortable playing the limit I’m at, why ruin a good thing, I’m not gonna move up)

If my bankroll dips below 30 times the max buy-in, then I never cash-out again until I am above 30 times the max buy-in.

Problem is everyone lives beyond their means. They will win at a lower limit, move up to a higher limit and get wooped, only to find themselves trying to rebuild their bankroll at a lower limit.

Over-extent yourself moving to a higher limit too quickly without proper bankroll and you will SUFFER.

Ed,
Great post, even though I got in on it pretty late.
If there is one thing I hate it is seeing someone (unknown or pro) showboat a big hand or a big suckout. Being awesome is not about a good hand, session or even a good year. It is about being consistent over your poker career, and as you imply: know that you don’t know everything and as soon as you do know everything, you have a lot more to learn.
If I may say so, you have a very Bruce Lee approach to the game, which I think is awesome. As a late comer to your site, I have to say thanks for taking your time to point us all in the right direction, I look forward to soaking in all the knowledge I can.

Great post.

No way, you loser! All you losers..

You are just saying you have been beaten by poker..you cant win except in your turn..

you play poker every day and mystifyingly you cant play poker.

very zen..

Learn how to win when the cards dont fall for you. All the top pros consistently win. You just sigh and say the cloud isnt moving its really the world that is turning.. ommmmm

Being awesome is not about a good hand, session or even a good year. It is about being consistent over your poker career, and as you imply: know that you don’t know everything and as soon as you do know everything, you have a lot more to learn.

If you play for very long, you will have both kinds of sessions: Those where you get the option whether or not to display humility, and those where humility is imposed upon you.

Having had the former for the first time in a good while this past weekend (live, at least), I tried to keep a clear head and remember that just sitting behind $1200 after buying in twice for $100 didn’t make me a smarter player than the previous sessions where I was running terrible. A couple of people commented, and I just said I was really lucky the last few days, which was absolutely true. I also called poker “gambling for smart people” which is also true — the point being not that I’m any smarter than anyone else but that it’s still a game of luck.

What I didn’t make a big point of — and this is hard for me, because I love to talk about the game — is that my great sessions are more than good enough to make up for my horrible sessions. But it’s still awfully tempting to think you’re really that good. You’re never really that good, not as good as your cards when they’re running good.