X-Terminators Poker Crew

This is a two for one Blog.  I have been thinking of both these topics for some time now.   I hope you can learn something from my trials and errors, and make them your successes.  I have offered these blogs to all my members and also to non-members.  I have offered in the past, and I will offer again, and I will always offer any help that might be useful in taking your game to the next level.  All you have to do is ask.     

Self-Evaluating Your Play; 

Evaluating your game play might be the toughest and single most important thing you do as a poker player.  As individuals it is a very tough to evaluate our own game play, because sometimes we are not honest with ourselves.  In order to evaluate your game play properly, you need to be as objective as possible and take the excuses out of your frame of mind.   

As I have always expressed I am not a professional nor do I think that I am the authority on poker strategy or fundamentals.  The opinions that I have expressed in my blogs are just that "Opinions".  These thoughts that I am passing to you are things that have helped me become a well rounded and more successful poker player. 

In the last year the biggest thing that has helped me evaluate my game play is daily journaling.  If you plan on becoming a serious poker player, this is extremely important.  Daily journaling solidifies your successes and failures as a poker player.  After any particular session of poker, take the time to write down what game you played  (cash game, tournament, satellite etc.) and how you did.  Write down any particular hand that you played well or misplayed.  Write down any important information that can help you in the future (Well-played hands, misplayed hands, successful bluffs, reads on particular player or players, profit gain, profit loss etc.)  

Journaling allows you to go back and reevaluate all your accomplishments, failures, positives and negatives.  After you have re-read and reevaluated the areas of your game that needed improvement, you will start to see major growth in your game.  Your self-evaluation is no longer bias and you have real documentation to go on.  If

you never re-read your journal, just writing information down at the time it took place reinforces independent thought and begins your growth as a player.  Recently I re-read my journal from 2008, and I found several patterns that I have fallen into.  I can now objectively start to fix these issues and patterns without self-doubt.   

Proper evaluation should also come from like-minded individuals that you respect and believe in.  Most these individuals should be players that have more experience and more successes then you.  I have never met a poker player that has refused to give me advice or proper direction when I asked for it.  Just show genuine concern in wanting to improve your game and you will find the people willing to help you.  

Mixing up game types: 

I can't stress enough how important mixing up your game types can be.  This topic has been in the back of my mind for several months now, but I have just found the time to post a blog on it.  In order to be a well-rounded poker player, you must mix up your game types.  I have found that since I have been mixing up my game types (Cash game, satellites, small buy in tournaments, big buy in tournaments, small stack, deep stack, internet, home games etc.) my game has drastically improved in the last two years. 

When you mix up your game types, you broaden your horizons, and learn how to think at all levels.  If you only play one type of poker game, you will never make the proper adjustments necessary to play in bigger and stronger games.  The other down fall of playing one type of game is that it severely limits you in seeing different types of players at different levels of competition.  Regardless of your level of play, if you only surround yourself with the same competition you can't truly see the difference in contrasting styles of play, which can greatly diminish your skills when trying to play in a new game with stronger competition. 

If you are strictly a recreational poker player, and moving up the monetary levels is not in your future, then continue to play in the games that you are comfortable with.   Recreation should be just that "Recreation".  No one is telling you that you should aspire to be a pro, have fun doing what you enjoy.   I am writing this for the individuals that have goals in becoming a more serious poker player, and want to move up in levels.  

Switching up your game types makes you sharper and gets you thinking about different scenarios you may encounter in both cash games and tournaments.  I was reading an article in card player magazine recently when I came across an article by Bob Ciaffone called "Tournaments versus cash games" (card player magazine volume 21, number 26.  This article can also be found at cardplayer.com).  This was a great article, and really summed up the value in mixing up game types.  If you plan on becoming a better player, please take the time and read this article, and just maybe a light bulb will go on and you will take some valuable information from it. 

If I can help any of my three consistent readers, please let me know.  Helping you only strengthens my game.  We can get better together. 

Thank you for taking the time to review my blog.

President of the XTPC.

Paul "The Machine" Valencia