Joined: Mar '11
Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
Age: 42 (M)
Posts: 1042
Greetings to the entire BRM community, today I wanted to tell you about the pressure at the time of playing poker and the uphill cost that can be for a player external problems especially money. I want to clarify that it is not my intention to ask for money from anyone in the community, I will not mention the room where I play despite being one of the sponsors of BRM, for the respect to all the forum members and the rules of the forum I will not mention everything this not to incur a violation of the regulations of the forum, this is rather a personal relief and ask for advice to the community on how to isolate itself when being in a tournament of external problems. I have been a poker player for more than 19 years I have had very good times, but as every player knows I have also fallen into interminably bad streaks, one of the reasons is that due to circumstances of the country where I live (Venezuela) the $ is very difficult to get (well if it is difficult to buy medicine and food, you can imagine) and my bank I had to sell it in a house of change several years ago for a family emergency since then, my bad streak began, every time I play more concentrated on this is the solution to a daily problem, either for my father's medicine or in many cases also food as it seems a priority, this leads me to make mistakes and I can not get the level of concentration necessary to face a tournament, where for most 9 $ they are nothing but in my case they would be a great relief, I ask the community what techniques they recommend me to use to block those problems and be able to play as efore? I want to emphasize that this is not a request for help nor do I do it to inspire pity I just want answers to see if I can succeed and finally get out of this bad patch that haunts me. P.S. for the administrators of the forum I ask that if I have incurred any fault please delete this message immediately and I apologize since it was not my intention, also to the entire community as the post was very long I apologize for my English. Thank you very much and good luck at the tables
Joined: Oct '11
Location: Sweden
Age: 32 (M)
Posts: 1410
I feel for you and your situation must be really tough. But I think that the very best way you can back to your previous success is to try and block out all those thoughts of how much you need to win yo get this and that. What you instead need to do is to block out all of your mental issues by simply concentrating on your gameplay and where you have your leaks.
Most likely this is way harder then it sounds but you're just gonna need to focus on your game and not care at all about your profit, that will come automatically ones you get that
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 51 (M)
Posts: 696
I play for maybe 30years games for money,slots,cards,Roulette and so on,and i can say when you really need money its very difficult to win to win in any game. Most time when i really need money and i try to win something,the most time i lost all.Sometimes i had a good Start and i think i have a good run,but in the end all was lost. A few times i was lucky but not often.
When you must win in Poker you must be full concentrate,but deep in your head a little man said ,you know you must win,often you hear not the voice but they are there and talk the whole time,and then you get nervous or make mistakes and so on.My english is not so good so i hope you understand what i will saying with that.
My biggest wins and best plays i had when i had no problems and the focus was only on me,so no problems with girls,Friends,Family,work and so on.
I dont know where you play but on 888Poker a lot of good freerolls with big pricepools,but for the most of then you need a good VIP level for play this.But you can spin every day a wheel to win Tickets there for free.In moment the highest ticket is a 33$ ,i win two times a 16,50$ and a lot of 1500g tickets. The last week i win 8$ the week before 9$ only with freerolls.
And maybe you can try to Register on so many sites as you can and playing the freerolls there.As i Start with online Poker i do this.I Register on every site to playing freerolls. So you can win money but you dont risk to lose anything. And playing small buyins on 888Poker is a 150$ g. for only 11 cent. Maybe thats can help
Joined: Jan '17
Location: Lithuania
Age: 66 (M)
Posts: 1756
Yes bad situation to you and of course external problems affect poker like you ask, i think poker is hard to make money not a lot of people do this, so maybe easy thing to.do.is.find job. Play poker not because you need to win to buy food
Analyze your game to find the mistakes luck is also a factor. The best site to build a bankroll without deposit I agree has to be 888Poker. Poker stars used to be good with freerolls and the VIP system soon they will offer $50 freerolls with minimum deposit of $200 and pay only 1st place.
Joined: Jan '10
Location: Indonesia
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 1875
erru and watoba said really correct ( for me ). Poker really really need good instinct !! so that we no doubt fold premium hand when we ( I am ) feel something dangerous for our game. And good instinct just come when we play without pressure,focus, play loose, confidence. Try to play just one table.
To keep your bankroll will not decrease when lose , I suggest play online live baccarat, just to win buy in tourney. Don't play too long for baccarat, max 30 minutes win or lose .Stop when you win amount you need to play poker tournament. My English is bad but I wish you will understand what I mean. Good luck
Joined: Nov '11
Location: Poland
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 1090
Like other members said - you can't play for living! It's hard, and only few best players can do that. You have too much pressure on you that you must win, because it allow you to buy food, medicine, etc. It's very risky thing, and it may towards you to the gambling, or even worse things. Of course, poker etc, may be additional source of income, but it can't be primary! I know your situation pretty well, because the cash on pokersites is more valuable for people in Venezuela, or even in Poland than in Germany, Sweden, UK etc. For them, $10 is pretty nothing, for us is some cash. But you must free your mind and play without pressure. Try it. It's not easy, but hey - life isn't easy either.
Joined: Jan '17
Location: Lithuania
Age: 66 (M)
Posts: 1756
Yes i too say this and many people say it and it is so important to play not like your job, just to have fun and maybe look like dmall business, you can go bankrupt but it is one business and you can create new and still havr job
Joined: Oct '11
Location: Sweden
Age: 32 (M)
Posts: 1410
I think that Mysik hit the nail on the head. You should never play because you MUST win, but rather to earn some additional money. In your country the small amounts are actually quite big for you so in some ways it's easier for you to live on playing poker. But if a month is a really bad one, you're gonna be hurting a lot, especially since it sounds like you don't really have any safety net.
Joined: Jan '10
Location: Indonesia
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 1875
Look like he really need side income. Don't play if you must win useful to remind : forget external problem before play. If can't just don't play. Anyway why no response from him ? is he serious asking advise or just write this threat cos frustrating ?
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 51 (M)
Posts: 696
I have another info too. For every business you should have the money for min. 1 year in the best 2 years. The money must have the amount that you can pay all your bills,eat,rent and so on without any income from your business. Every serious business man will say that when you ask him. And is logic and simple,your head is free for the business,you must not think where you get money from for eat and rent when anythink happens or dont work.
The money to buy thinks for your business you must have too.By Poker the buyin you need every day. When you have the money then can you try to life from Poker or any other business as a real job.
As i said before try it with freerolls or only really small buyins.
Honestly I have no valuable advice to give here because I have no real life experience to bring up in comparison of what is happening now in Venezuela. But whenever my thought process suffers during gametime I found that it helps listening music (something which calms you) or a podcast so your real life can't interfere for the time you have your headphones on...
