He Aint Kidding

Part of my daily routine as Managing Director of Poker Verdict is to do a full sweep of the web site and to identify any areas where we can build up or improve our content.

On doing my sweep today, I joyfully scribbled “13th November 2007: Site full of new fresh content” pausing only momentarily for dramatic irony before noting the one exception to this statement “David Gross blogs – no update for 4 months”.

Has it really been that long? Yes - I’m afraid so.Why? Well I have definitely been a busy man – loads on at work, lots of traveling, lots of social engagements, about to buy my first flat etc etc. Too much going on to find time for poker? No – not really, I’ve still been playing a couple on online sessions a week.

I guess if I’m honest, the main reason is that in poker terms, it has been 4 months of frustration, disappointment and sustained losses. Whilst I am not averse to bearing all for the Poker Verdict community, waxing lyrical about losing spells, the perils of poker burn-out and the odd bad beat, it’s obviously more motivational to write about some success stories.

But I guess having waited 4 months to find some good poker news and failing to find any, its time for a cathartic dwell up on the depressing times since I last blogged – and what I intend to do about it.


1) Greater Offline Edge

The WSOP proved to me that, with the rising standard of online tournament play, I now have a greater edge in offline tournaments. It also proved that my edge is greatly multiplied when I am on holiday and free to play without worrying about early starts and full working days to come. Having risen to the heady heights of being ranked as the 26th best player in the UK (and the highest ranked ‘amateur’) in July, since returning from the WSOP, I have only found time to play in one offline tournament (without success).

This is something I intend to put right. Whilst EPTS, GUKPTs, WSOPEs and the like may be off limits for a someone with a full-time job, the odd one day or weekend offline tournament is definitely an option and one that I intend to pursue.


2) Returning to my natural game

The standard of opposition I face online has improved immeasurably over the last couple of years. With training sites and manuals to learn from, my opponents have cottoned onto the aggressive tournament style that was once the cornerstone of my game. In response, I have tightened up and have been too fearful of individual tournament exits. Whilst I have suffered many suck-outs and lost races at key tournament stages, I have achieved a dozen top 20 finishes online in the last 18 months online but have only finished in the top 3 in one measly tournament. This can’t all be down to luck.

I need to reduce the fear factor and combat aggressive opponents with greater tactical aggression and thinner value calls when the situation demands (even when I am putting my tournament life on the line). Aggression is my natural game and whilst in today’s more educated poker age it may mean less cashes - I am sure that sooner or later it will lead me to an elusive top 3 finish or outright win that will restore both my confidence and my bankroll to their previous peaks.


3) Improving my set-up

Work prevents me from competing with the online pros when it comes to tournament volume. However, provided I focus on quality not quantity - playing when I have the spare time and the energy to give it my all - I know I have the skills to compete with them when I do play. One area I do need to improve though is my actual set-up.

In talking to a handful of top online pros, it is clear that they are well set up for multi-tabling MTTs. Firstly they use dual flatscreen monitors to view the tables more clearly. Secondly they run poker tracking software in the background giving them info on their opponents and their playing tendencies - which players aren’t defending their blinds, which players are always making continuation bets etc.

Meanwhile, I am regularly playing 3 MTTs on one laptop screen, unable to view all the tables clearly and manually struggling to focus on the same player tendencies. With a small time investment and capital outlay this is something I intend to put right as soon as possible. In the meantime, it’s back to basics and one tournament at a time.

Sometimes it’s easy to focus on the short term problems you have in life and let everything get out of perspective. Often it only takes a short holiday or one positive day for all of that to change and to put you back on track. So too with poker it’s easy to let short term losses affect your morale and put you in the doldrums.

But just as in life, it’s important to remember that if you work on your issues and play well, it only takes one great tournament when the cards fall right and the races are won to register a big win and turn everything around.

I am sure if I follow my own advice, it will only be a matter of time before I turn the corner and am back to my winning ways with happier news to report

Until next time…