Copyright 2005 Full
Tilt Poker
December 26, 2005
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Poker Lesson: Stepping Up, Stepping
Down
Author: Kristy Gazes
My first poker
experiences were in the low-limit 7-Stud games at Commerce Casino
in Los Angeles. From the start, poker was an important part of
my income. It had to be. I couldn't afford to go broke. I needed
to avoid the fate that hit many of the good players around me.
They experienced massive swings in fortune -- one day they're
playing in the big games, the next they're on the rail, trying
to scrape together enough money for a buy-in.
Early in my poker career I set a simple rule for
myself: I would never move to a higher limit until I won three
consecutive sessions. If I lost three consecutive sessions at
a given limit, I would move down to a lower limit.
It took discipline to stick to my rule. For a very
long time – years, in fact – I never made it beyond
the low-limit tables. I couldn't put together three consecutive
wins. It was frustrating, but it was a great learning experience.
By the time I made it to higher limits, I was a seasoned, experienced
player who could deal with the intense competition I encountered.
Another nice thing about using such a patient approach
was that I always had comfortable padding in my bankroll. In those
early years, I may have had a hard time winning three sessions
in a row, but I was beating the games regularly. I could pay my
rent and add to my bank. When I moved to higher limits, I had
plenty of money to sustain myself through any bad runs. In any
case, if a lousy run of cards lasted three sessions, I'd back
down to a limit where I was risking less.
I know a lot of players who have a hard time using
an approach like mine. Most can't step back because they feel
a lower-limit game is beneath them. Their egos tie up their heads
and they try to prove themselves against better players. They
end up playing higher than they can afford, in games that are
tough to beat, and they wind up broke. As a professional, I play
for money, not ego and, often, a smaller game offers a better
opportunity for profit.
Think about incorporating something like my three-win,
three-loss rule in your own play. Stepping down a level when things
go bad will not only preserve your bankroll, it will sharpen your
skills and build your confidence. When you step up, you've got
the momentum of a winning streak behind you. You'll be playing
your best – ready for higher stakes and sharper players.
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