Slightly Settled

Before this afternoon, I hadn't played any serious poker online in about a week and a half. My last session was fairly disastrous. I was doing everything wrong and lost about $8 playing .5/1. Just playing dumb poker. My mind wasn't right. And the time was never right. And that's just not going to work if you're serious about playing and playing well and getting better.

With that in mind, I waited. You can't make decisions like this unless you're confident and disciplined. And that's the key, that discipline. I got this idea in my head late last year that if I can dedicate myself to becoming a better poker player, and actually have it work, that I could take that discipline and apply it to improvin gother areas of my life. Like I said at the end of last year, things need to change this year.

So I fired up Party Poker and entered a $5 No-Limit SNG. Armed with a new strategy, I finished 3rd for $10, but just as important, I felt like I played my best game. I didn't chase (and I haven't actually hit a draw in about three weeks); I folded when I thought I was beaten; I made strong bets with hands and got respect for my plays. I only lost, I think, three showdowns. Unfortunately, one of them was the last one.

It was The Hammer (7-2 offsuit) that did me in. We're three-handed, and the button (the best player at the table) limps. I complete the big blind and the BB checks. Flop comes 7QQ. I bet, BB folds, button calls. Turn is a 3. I push, he thinks about it for a bit... and calls with JJ. Oh well.