Brunson's Checklist:

On whether or not to play.

Almost verbatim from his book 'Poker Wisdom Of A Champion' which is kind of like 'Ace On The River' by Greenstein because it's more so about the life of a poker player than the game itself. It's a fun read and mostly just a bunch of short stories.

Anyways:

(1) Have you had enough sleep? If NO, don't play.

(2)Is there something else you'd rather be doing? if YES, don't play.

(3)Are you feeling physically well enough to sit through a movie? if NO, don't play.
When you have a headache or are tired or you'd be fidgety in a theatre, you probably won't play your best poker.

(4)Are you so mad at someone that it is interfering with your concentration? if YES, don't play.

(5)Are drugs,alcohol or medication interfering with your logical thinking? if Yes, don't play.

(6) Are you emotionally upset? if YES, don't play.Fights with your wife or girlfriend are not healthy for you bank roll.

AND MOST IMPORTANT:
(7) Do you feel that you're going to win? if NO, don't play.
Give credibility to your hidden feelings. Your subconcious mind might be analyzing things you're not aware of.

If it looks like a good game and you survive the checklist then sit down and do some serious winning. Otherwise, save your energy for tomorrow.

edit- can someone fix the typo in the title.

I think number 2, 4 and 6 are my biggest problems. or rather, she is the problem lol.

I would almost never put in hands if i had to pass that checklist.

looks good though

i pass these 90% time i play , hardest is #7 when you are in a downswing imo

On January 16 2009 19:53 traxamillion wrote: I would almost never put in hands if i had to pass that checklist. looks good though

really i can't see getting good consistant winning sessions without passing these 80+% of the time you play

FUCKing GF AND FAMILY KILLING MY BANKROLL

if i followed this id have a LOT more money.

I agree with number 6 especially. Lost my bankroll in one night after some shit with my then gf.

fuck that haha.

lol this is exactly what I try to think about before I start a session, funny

I don't always have them every time I play though, and that's usually when I end up with a bad session, or where I could win for the first 4/5ths of it and then I start losing my concentration and just kinda donk all of my winnings off =)

Hmmm, there has to be one missing in there somewhere.

Interesting, this actually pretty much my checklist except I have a couple of extras. I didn't really think many people did this heh.
To add to the list, I don't play after 12am and I want to be fully concentrated when I play so I don't play when there's people watching tv in the next room, cleaning (vaccuming)etc...

actually, the two important things for me aren't on the list:

8) Are you hungry?

9) Are you cold?

On January 16 2009 23:45 thundza wrote: actually, the two important things for me aren't on the list: 8) Are you hungry? 9) Are you cold?

hungry is a good one, dont play on an empty stomach

i feel i play the best poker right after a nap/sleep. peak focus.

god damn #7 aajs;dofihawlkefasldkfj

nice, got a new quote

(2)Is there something else you'd rather be doing? if YES, don't play.

well, of course i'd rather be out having fun with friends or whatever, so this is probably always in the way

(7) Do you feel that you're going to win? if NO, don't play.

and during downswings, i feel like im never going to win, yet i still play anyway

but you could have a break during a downswing, move down in stakes a little so that you know for sure you crush the games, and then play. Might make downswings shorter too (or might not).

anyways I found these pretty useful

for those who havent read ket also wrote an article about these things, http://www.liquidpoker.net/pokerarticle/423038/Ultimate_Zone_Warriors

i think that i should never play poker

There's almost always something I'd rather be doing than playing poker, I don't find it boring, it's just never the thing I want to do the most.

I either have an understanding girlfriend.... or a greedy one...

either way we don't pick fight over me playing poker, cuz i make monies ~_~

#7 <3<3

#2 is always when i lost most money

when i know i should do university stuff or go out with friends or train MMA
but i decide to skipp all that and play poker instead

thats always when i tilt lose a bunch ^^

Number 7 fits perfectly for me. Whole month i've been losing and I kinda lost my confidence in my game.. This is a never-ending circle aaaaaaaaaah!

This is a very good checklist. I use my own personal one, but this one branches out some of the finer points. Its a good set of rules, and it just underlines the importance of good psyche in poker.

On January 17 2009 09:33 Fayth wrote: I either have an understanding girlfriend.... or a greedy one... either way we don't pick fight over me playing poker, cuz i make alot of monies ~_~

fyp

i cant point out how important that list is, i would say it more often but i know everyone will ignore it, they will stand interested then go back to their habits.

nobody is just going to read a line "if you rather do something else, dont play poker" and actually do it.

Anyway, doing these is one of the reasons why i have a killer winrate, because i dont ever bring life tilt to the table, i may tilt on the table but i bring my A game to the table almost every time.

I follow most of them. If I feel tired or a bit annoyed or whatever and still feel like playing I'll play a bit lower. 7 sounds important but I don't really need that much sleep or whatever to autopilot 2/4 and still be +ev in the game as long I as game select a bit. I've got a stacked enough schedule as it is, if I actually had to take time to sleep and shit I'd never have time to play poker.

the most important ones imo are:

1.- if you have emotonal problems (mad at GF etc): Dont play, you will bring those emotions to the table

2.- if you rather be doing something else... then dont play. Sometimes i just feel id have more fun killing zombies in L4D than playing so i do.

On January 17 2009 00:08 TalentedTom wrote: Show nested quote + On January 16 2009 23:45 thundza wrote: actually, the two important things for me aren't on the list: 8) Are you hungry? 9) Are you cold? hungry is a good one, dont play on an empty stomach

yea, Even when I play broodwar or anything I play so bad if I don't have nutrition. Its not even that my stomache is distracting me or that I'm really hungry or anything. It's just the lack of brain food imo.

On January 17 2009 13:18 Baal wrote: 2.- if you rather be doing something else... then dont play. Sometimes i just feel id have more fun killing zombies in L4D than playing so i do.

This is me all the time, poker is so not fun for me online, I think of it like a second job. Playing live is fun still but online is like 'hurry up and make the monies' I'd rather be playing any other game, especially L4D.

jeeze brunson would never make SNE

i feel like im the only one who actually likes playing poker

Online poker is such a chore to me. Especially since I am grinding really low limits in which I don't give a shit about. Which is another thing Brunson mentioned; Players playing lower than their usual limits tend to play looser, players playing about their usual limits tend to play tighter.
Since I don't have enough bank roll to play higher limits and I'm on a huge downswing it's totally not fun right now.

(1) Have you had enough sleep? If NO, don't play. CHECK(I havent woke up to an alarm in 6 years)

(2)Is there something else you'd rather be doing? if YES, don't play. ALWAYS(DRINKIN, GAMIN)

(3)Are you feeling physically well enough to sit through a movie? if NO, don't play. MAYBE
When you have a headache or are tired or you'd be fidgety in a theatre, you probably won't play your best poker.

(4)Are you so mad at someone that it is interfering with your concentration? if YES, don't play. MY WHOLE LIFE STORY!

(5)Are drugs,alcohol or medication interfering with your logical thinking? if Yes, don't play. I'VE BEEN HUNGOVER THE LAST 4 YEARS OF MY LIFE DOES THAT COUNT?

(6) Are you emotionally upset? if YES, don't play.Fights with your wife or girlfriend are not healthy for you bank roll. LIFE TILT, YES.

AND MOST IMPORTANT:
(7) Do you feel that you're going to win? if NO, don't play. NEVER!


time to put in a 12k hand session.........

Very importand is in my opinion, to dont play too drunk. I think more www players play drunk.

I like a little weedpoker.