It Turns Out I Suck at Poker
Golf isn’t for me. The startup costs are too high: clubs, shoes, pants, lessons, fees, whole Saturdays… I think about how soccer took off everywhere because you just need a ball but football/golf needs so much.
I turned 37 and I have to admit something: sports can be boring. I love the Chiefs, but there’s a pretty good amount of boring in there.
But poker, which I suck at, is an instant hot wire for me.
I don’t recommend this because you may not like pain, but I have been taking poker lessons . These are the lessons where you sign up to be taught by 8 coaches, all who want to completely destroy you and send you home in shame. Their names are Larry, Akmed, Cliff, Ray, Julius, and Texas Pete. They spend all free time and pension at the poker room. They are looking to kill you before heart disease gets them first.
If I was good at poker, I would do what they do:
Never limp into the flop (this is where you place a bet, you know, just to see what the cards may be)
Have some type of betting strategy beyond hey these cards look good let me instantly go to my chips
Calculate odds on the spot so you know what probability you have of making your full house. My odds calculation is basically 100% or 0%.
Actually understand dollars. I shouldn’t put this on the internet but I am dumb at dollars and also numbers. If I walk into a room and you ask me how many people are here I will say 100 people and there will be 25 people. So if I bet $30 and you raise me $60, my refurbished brain will think. Oh so basically $30.
Play the table and not just the cards which is basically all previous points rolled into one. This is the reason I love/hate poker. When I win it’s because I outplay you or I get lucky and the former is satisfying. But I suck so often I play the cards and get beat.
But each time I take a lesson, I suck a little bit less. I play a little tighter and test the waters with some strategy. The other day, I saw a round of betting where I was positioned in such a way to use the information the table gave me against them, and the best information they give is the money they put on the table (also how they do it). Or at least that’s the stage I’m at where I think this, because I do still suck at a record of 1-3.
The reason I write this post is because I’m curious about the thing that happens when I play, where focus comes and curiosity flows and skills build and notes are taken. Where I replay hands on the way home. When I think about how to improve. Where I think about strategy and psychology. A place where I’m willing to suck, for now.