Mental Hand History (from Page 61 of The Mental Game of Poker):
1.
Describe the problem:
My mental game problem is a lack of focus.
Throughout the session I am
constantly surfing the net (I play on a laptop). When surfing on the net, I
often find I’m opening the same pages over and over again (Facebook, Pokernews,
Gmail, NRL, DreamTeam).
When I am in this state, my ‘red
line’ goes down at a slope that is larger than it tends to when I am playing
well. And my green line tends to follow suit.
2.
Why does it make logical sense that you
would react, think, or feel that way?
A - There is downtime between hands; I
should use it as multitasking is efficient.
B – Most decisions are automated (unconscious
competence) and with 15 act there’s no rush.
3.
Why is that logic flawed?
A – Multitasking is not always
efficient, poker is something that has a positive correlation between attention
and performance.
B – This game has incomplete
info, the more information we can gain via observation of opponents, stats and self-awareness
the better our performance.
4.
What is the correct way to handle the
situation?
A – There is always hands being played at
your table, this is a good chance to pick up on ways to gain a greater edge on
villains. (The in internet will still be there after my session is finished).
B – A good game is a fast game (I play more
hands therefore more profit, villains are less likely to leave table due to my
slow play), I also get impatient when people are slow so I should not be the
slow one.
5.
Why is that correction correct?
A – The greater my edge on my
villains, the larger my win rate, the less variance I will see in my results.
This will lead to a better chance of growing a decent bank roll in long run.
B – A good game is more
enjoyable, the more fun at the table the more inclined I am to think deeper in
situations.
In order to maximise my chance
of achieving the situation of never considering opening my browser while
playing I will…….
1 – Aim to make notes constantly.
2 – Regularly record myself playing with
screencast-o-matic. And post them to be accountable.
3 – Review this post regularly, going over step 5 before
each session.
