I have to say that it is good to be back. I was a member of TPE before Black Friday and I loved it. The people and the learning were second to none. Then that happened… Things went dark. I tried live and gave playing a shot for a bit, but it just never really took for me. I felt lost and missed something. I ended up leaving TPE for a while, not really losing touch with some of the great players I met, but not really staying connected. I missed it. Thankfully NJ saw fit to give me an option to get back in action online and start playing again. I got in on WSOP.com’s launch in NJ and I didn’t really look back. I have had some minor successes but I am rusty. Very Rusty. Good news is that I was smart enough to realize that when I need help to get better at playing there is a great place to go to kick it into gear. So fast forward to now and boom, the Gman is back. Ready to play, ready to dominate. So when you get back into playing it is important to set goals and objectives, things to work towards and measure. Poker is about learning and improving. If you think you know it all you are doomed. Good thing that I know that I am behind, saves me a lot of grief and wondering when my bankroll disappears. So what are my goals you ask, well here they are:
1. Blog — When I played before I wrote, a lot. A whole lot. It helps. Focuses me and allows me to discuss ups and downs and help me maintain. I like writing and communicating with folks, so this is important for me.
2. Bankroll Management — As anyone who played with me before, this is not my strong suit. I like to play what I like to play. It wasn’t until I started exercising discipline with my roll that I started to advance and move to mid stakes. Time to get smart and not make a lot of mistakes so I can get into the groove.
3. Win a seat to the 2015 WSOP Main Event. — I am playing on WSOP.com so first part check, the option is there so it is a possibility. What I need to do is get smart, learn, engage, focus and get better. I think that a year of solid work should be good to put myself in a good spot to go after this goal.
Okay so 3 goals may seem light, but there is a lot there. Goal 2 and Goal 3 are a big deal and will require a lot to accomplish. Bankroll Management will be key to allowing me to get to where I need to be to support the volume required to advance. It also means that I need to track my progress, monitor how I am playing and adjusting accordingly. Trying to win a seat means I have come to the right place. I need to learn, both from myself and others. I need to make sure that I am paying attention, looking for weaknesses in my game and understanding the game as it is in 2014, not how I remember it in 2011. I am really looking forward to TPE University. I have started it and looks like a great way to cover all of what I need to get back up to speed. I think giving myself a year also helps me set expectations for myself. The first time I started playing in 2010 I thought since I am a smart guy I can beat this game. I lit money on fire. I mean burned. In heaps. Not cool. So a little bit of time, a little bit of wisdom and the benefit of experience says, this time we do this smart. I am going to make sure that I am learning and watching, asking and understanding to make sure that I am moving forward. When all is said and done I am also a big fan of coaching and finding a common group to play with. I love to talk poker. I like to analyze and understand so if you play and like to be in chat, I love to talk situations, what if’s and review long passed hands to see how everyone things.
Well that is all at the moment. I am going to go back and start playing some SnGs to help get into the full groove. Stay tuned and I’ll provide another update tomorrow. Until then, good luck and the felt and run good!
Colin
–lespaulgman