The Harsh Reality of Daylight…

I mentioned in early posts that I did not enjoy cash games; the truth is I am not good at them. I have primarily played micro limit sit n go’s and have won money. I have played tournaments and been successful. I listen to a lot of Podcast’s (see the list below on the right side). Most of these are geared to tournaments, it’s what is hot.

It appears that cash game players do not have much respect for tournament (only) players. Barry Greenstein stated that great cash game poker players can also be great tournament players, but great tournament players are not cash game players. Another podcast even asked a guest do you still play sit n go’s and went on to talk about when they use to play sit n go’s… I thought they were all crazy.

I mentioned in my last post that I have begun the Iron Man challenge, I started trying to get as many points as possible, I play either 3 or 4 tables at a time, my usual sit n go number was 1 table at a time. Since Thursday 12/6 I have played approximately 16 hours of ring game play, averaging 200 hands per hour or 3200 hands.

Here are the things I have learned.
1. I over play a lot of hands.
2. Statistically you are rarely as big a favorite as you think you are.
3. Its not dumb for some to call with middle pair with a four flush and a back door straight draw, when you are not playing for your tournament life.
5. What tight really is.
6. What small ball really is.
7. Nobody folds at micro limits. So why bluff. (some say nobody folds at any level)

Between Stars and Full Tilt I have played over 2000 Sit N Go’s, many tournaments cashed quite often and love playing them. I feel in the last 16 hours of Ring Games I have learned as much as I did in all the Sit N Go’s.

I also learned I am not nearly as good as I thought I was. It’s the harsh reality of daylight, when you go along thinking one thing and something happens to make you realize that you were incorrect. I am beginning to feel the same rush as I did when I first started playing poker, for free, I just hope I do not go broke as often.