The Marketplace of Ideas, Slot Demo Update, and More

 The Marketplace of Ideas, Slot Demo Update, and More

Well, in one sense I've made it through one part of the course I mapped out, and in another I've gone even further into the waters of 10/20 and above. I honestly never would've expected this to happen, and at least one of the things that helped make it happen was pure longshot luck (the jackpot). Whereas 2004 was a year of firsts, 2005 was a year of applying what I knew and refining my game while plowing through the small stakes games.

Significant parts of that second year process were not necessarily fun or immediately rewarding, but extremely worthwhile nonetheless. Learning to take the pain of my first large downswing, to play four or even five tables at once, to respect variance and plan for it, and to relentlessly value bet regardless of the short term results -- those were not easy things to do, and I'm still learning in each area. Learning to play live with confidence and full enjoyment was another thing I really picked up in 2005, thanks in large part to the WPBT events, and a certain 72 hour bender in AC with Pinky, Helixx, and SirAlCanHang. Hell, that trip was probably the hilight of the year in terms of sheer entertainment.

I won't recap anything else because recaps are boring, other than to say I am truly satisfied about one thing from my poker play in 2005: I demonstrated that I can beat the 2/4 game without breaking a sweat. That was what I set out to do and I did it in convincing fashion -- over 65,000 hands at that level and a very respectable 1.5BB/100 Slot Demo. Anything that came on top of that was just icing on the cake. Whatever happens at the higher limits, I always want to have this competency to hang my hat on, plus a basic ability to play 1/2 NL games and both beat them and enjoy them. I figure I'll always be able to get something meaningful out of poker as long as I've always got those two tools in my arsenal.

Of course, I went well beyond 2/4 hold'em. I hit limits as high as 15/30 and games as far and wide as razz, crazy pineapple, and stud/8, and the HORSE combo for the first time (Full Tilt, you guys rule for hosting the HORSE Tourneys!!). And I won't be at all surprised to look back in 12 months and be able to say the same sort of things yet again. For those who approach poker as an adventure rather than a profession, there are truly an almost unlimited number of new opportunities, and of course with a little luck and persistence, the chance to try even higher stakes games.

But its those higher stakes games that concern me somewhat. Like Icarus flying higher and higher, I see so many poker players rise through the small stakes ranks only to blow it all when they reach a level they can't beat. Read the 2+2 forums if you want some evidence of this -- plenty is available. Hang out at PokerStars or FullTiltPoker and just wait a few minutes... someone is almost always coming by the tables in observer chat asking for a loan of $50 after going bust. I'm sure a few in the blogger community know of players who have run into this trap.

While it might not seem like much, I believe one of the greatest challenges I (like many other recreational players/bloggers) will face in the year ahead is the consequences of my success. Thus far, I've largely maintained discipline. I've been playing games where even a fantastic session man mean only $75 or so in profit -- the equivalent of a nice pair of jeans or a night of partying hard at the bars. But what happens when I find myself in games where suddenly we're talking about the equivalent of a nice television or a few car payments are at stake.

Not that I'm not bankrolled for these games (I am), or skilled enough to beat them (have you *SEEN* the level of play in Party's 5/10 and 10/20 games?!?!?!) -- its more a question of holding to the same rules and principles that got me here, while really buckling down and doing the little things right (recordkeeping, table selection, tax preparation, datamining). In a longwinded way, I guess I'm saying that in some senses the stakes are higher and that means a lot more than just the denomination of the chips in play.