Duh Duh Duh Dynamics!

Not so "Duh" for everyone because it's really something a lot of players overlook.

Dynamics in Poker isn't much different from Dynamics in your everyday life.

So, I'd like to think this blog can be related on and off the tables to help make everyones lives easier...

--Batter Up!!!!

Psychodynamics, the study of the underlying psychological forces driving human behaviour

Social dynamics, the ability of a society to react to changes

Human behavior??? React to changes??? Sounds like Poker Dynamics to me!

When you are sitting at a table there is a lot more to think about than just what's directly in front of you (cards/chips). I can personally say that there has been numerous people who've told me you can't get "reads" online... I'm sorry I disagree strongly. To all the people saying "BS!" right now, my answer is dynamics. Then there will be some who say, "well, you can read betting patterns"... My answer to that is yes, but still ultimately dynamics.

Betting patterns, bet timing, aggression, passiveness, chip stacks, blind size etc... these are all things that come together in a beautiful harmony to help you figure out the dynamics of your game.

Poker is always about the BIG PICTURE. Every time you switch tables, you are being presented a different piece of your "BIG PICTURE", and it's up to create a finished picture or "strategy". Usually an easy way to get an idea that your picture isn't quite in focus is when you find yourself saying "wtf just happened", "why am I in this hand", "I'm not gettin cards", etc... You are trying to figure out what the picture is!!!!! This means, CHANGE GEARS!

Changing gears might as well be Dr. Dynamics number 1 patient. The Table Dynamics is what will decide the gear of your game. If you aren't paying attention to the dynamics of your table, and adjusting gears accordingly you won't be successsfull... it's just the way it is.

I won't get into any specific examples, because seriously... I could talk about it for days...
Life is quite the same to these examples and can be applied to anything. (I can relate about any poker
concept to real life... try me! haha)

LIFE IS ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE TOO!! Life continues to change, and we need to change gears occasionally too to "stay on top" or in my eyes what is "living a better quality of life". You might be surprised what you'd find...

GoodLuck all!

Another way to stay on top of your Poker Game.

To be the best you can be at this CRAZY GAME OF POKER there are things you can do that you won't necessarily read in any of the well known poker books.  I'm going to let you in on this little secret that can help you stay on top, or get you closer to it. 

STRETCHING AND EXERCISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (Who cares Drew?)

Well if you are like me and constantly look for ways to stay on top of your game, then you'll see that stretching/exercising releases Endorphins or "feel good chemicals" into your body.     

What are Endorphins?
Exercise decreases the stress hormones such as cortisol and increases endorphins.  Endorphins are the body’s natural feel good chemicals, and when they are released through exercise, your mood is boosted naturally.  As well endorphins, exercise also releases adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine.  These chemicals work together to make you feel good. (Keeps your mind clear, happy, and helps you to make better more calculatd decesions vs emotional) 

Types of Exercise to Release Endorphins
The best type of exercise for improving your mood is cardiovascular exercises and aerobics.  This is because vigorous exercise helps to release the chemicals necessary for the mood-raising high.  Yoga is also great as it reduces tension and stress while improving the mood.  It focuses on stretching, breathing, and motion that release negative emotions in the body.

How long do you need to Exercise to Feel the Benefit?
Even if you only exercise for a short period of time, your mood will be improved.  Just ten minutes of moderate exercise is enough to improve your mood, your vigour and also decrease fatigue.  However, to obtain all the benefits from exercise, not just the mood improving aspects, you should do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day.
                          -http://www.naturaltherapypages.com

Good Luck at the tables, and don't forget to keep your mind sharp everyday!

Drought is over! Big Shippin!

It's been about 3 months since I've had a big ship, so I just had to blog about it. 

Haven't played the $80R on merge for over 3 months, but decided to play it the last 2 nights...

Yesterday got 3rd ($1250), and tonight got <strong>1st</strong> ($3200)!!!

Why Haven't I been playing this???  Haha.  Well I hope this good run continues...

GoodLuck all!!

Variance Sucks...

"Online poker is rigged", "Noone runs as bad as I do", "This would never happen in real life", "Great, another setup by merge", etc etc...

If you've found yourself saying one of these statements or one similar I've got news for you... YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of these statements can be sum'd up in 1 word.............

V A R I A N C E  V A R I A N C E  V A R I A N C E  V A R I A N C E.

Ok, now that you get my point.  I'd like to add on to this.

If you are one of those folks who is still talking to yourself, still.  STOP.  Everyone who plays poker, and is successful on a regular basis has had a bad streak of cards.  Just because your AK lost to Ax,Kx,etc doesn't mean anything other than variance.  Suck it up and move on to the next one.  There is no hand you can possibly hold that guarantees a 100% win ratio preflop. 

So, are you really helping yourself by complaining all the time about it?  Are you setting yourself up for future success by dwelling on a "bad beat"?  Are you four betting someone for the hell of it, trying to make something happen when you know you should be folding? 

Stay focused on your goals, Stay focused on your game, and don't focus on "bad beats", bad runs, bad cards... patience will be the key to getting past tough times.  I hope you have the will power to allow yourself to see the better times come back around. 

DON'T LET THE POKER DEMONS GET THE BEST OF YOU!!!!

Goodluck all!  Hope this helps!

-DrewSki   

PCA Main Event Hand, and question...

I put off playing poker for most of the night to try and watch this PCA championship on TV and It feels like I have been in this damn tourney!!!  It's taking forever HU...  I guess if I was playing for an extra $500k and prestigous championship I might "take my time", "make calculated decesions" and "play smart poker". (As I write this I'm still watching...)

Anyone like this format of televised poker where you can see EVERY HAND being played?  I think I almost prefer to watch the edited version where you only see the big hands and it's all juicy poker action. 
Better question tho is could you fold a hand that was folded during this HU match on tv... here is a short breakdown... you tell me. (incase you didn't see it)

---3rd hand in HU:

Player Pumpkin - A2 (up to this point this player had been playing like a huge donk, just because they were the dominating chip leader)
Player Cactus - 84

Community - 532 2 A

Player Pumpkin checked on turn in front when they hit their set, and Player Cactus checked to see his str8 for free...

Then on the river both players hit their big hands...there is a bet from Player Cactus with a str8, and Player Pumpkin goes all in (with boat, but you don't know that).............. 

Can you fold your str8 to a player you know who could potentially hold any 2 cards????

The Poker Life: Momentum!

The Poker Life: Momentum!: "Finally, after hearing all my boys going deep in these tourneys I decided to make my rounds... During my morning session today I got wins 1..."

Momentum!

Finally, after hearing all my boys going deep in these tourneys I decided to make my rounds...

During my morning session today I got wins 1 (1/176) and 2 (1/172) of 2011. I'm hoping this momentum carries thru the evening and I can knock some more down...

Had to dodge a lot of donketition, but in the long run we come out on top!


Good luck!

The 1st went deep...2nd went to the parking lot!

So as you are reading this blog and sippin your drink... slowly sippin... steadysippin maybe??

Let me tell you about steadysippin.

Steadysippin (handle on merge) hit me up the other day on a table and mentioned he saw my coaching info on my blog and asked if we could talk. After a skype session and some chat thru IM looks like we might need to put steadysippin batting cleanup! What a day he had yesterday, and what coach isn't happy when their boys are GETTIN IT DONE!?

This is how steadysippin got down:

- 4 final tables out of 7 MTT's.
- 1 gold medal (1/326)
- 1 silver medal (2/59)
- 1 bronze medal (3/62)

AWESOME JOB MAN! Uncle Drew is proud!

My 1st Pupil goes deep!

So, I've been playing poker since college... mostly for fun then and with beer caps.  haha.  We always had a decent turn out for on the spot games, and my buddy Jeremy was usually in the mix.  His philosophy in college was "see a flop"... oh boy!  Times have changed...

He had caught wind that I was playing full-time so we got to talking about poker... We decided together that his "see a flop" book would not sell many copies, and got into some more involved sessions about poker. 
Today he (pcoqsprotege on merge) made a deep run and fell just 1 shy of the "W" (2/113) but played fantastic all the way up thru Heads up. 

To be honest I'm writing this blog purely because I'm super excited for him and like Ron Burgandy, I just wanted to stand on the highest mountain and shout it, BUT I didn't have a mountain... ALL I HAD WAS THIS BLOG!!!! 

Nice job buddy!

The Week of the Rag

So this week has been the closest to full week I've played in a long time. Tho it's not over yet, I'm noticing a serious trend. Kk vs Ax is a bad spot to be in... haha. Damn! Seriously, I'm sure we've all been here but I am for some reason terrified to see someone flip Ace Rag now. Man is it funny. Oh well, the most recent KK vs Ace Rag loss right before a final inspired this blog. I haven't even gotten to sweat it out, the aces are wild on the flop... let me sweat it out at least and get rivered!!!! Time to get back at it... Beware of the Ace Rag!

dREw-Cap 2010

TO ALL POKER PLAYERS:
So, as the year ended I turned to a calendar and found that it had been precisely 7 months since I started playing poker full time. I learned a real lot this year that no books could have taught me or anyone else could have told me.
Some things involved in this crazy game of poker you just have to walk thru yoursef to be able to appreciate them. I could tell you that watching Step Brothers while playing poker doesn't help your game, and you can read from a book that Bankroll Management is important to continued success in poker... BUT, until you actually feel the negative effects of these 2 concepts will you TRUELY appreciate it. Poker is a, 1 step back 2 steps forward type of game, and if you plan on being a successful player you will continue to experience this affect... it's bad for a hot second, but once thats over the joy of success will quickly make you forget about your troubles. That's what this game is about, and once you appreciate the game for what it is you will be unstoppable.
This is my Opening Ceremony statement to all poker players dedicateD to the game in 2011. Good Luck and the my best to you all!

Drew 2010 Accomplishments:
7 months of MTT Tournaments - $59K Profit, 94% ROI, Avg. buy-in < $20, #5 Rank in MTT Tournaments on the Merge Network, WPT Seat Won, and probably the most important is the amount of friends I've made.
Here is to 2011!