This is a response to the article over at Suited Aces of the same name.
Danny always believed that he had some poker skill, but not what it takes to beat the highest stakes games. Now that he plays high stakes poker, Danny asks, "Why was I wrong? Why did I feel like I didn't have the potential to be the best? Besides the obvious underinflated self esteem, a lot of it had to do with misguided views on what it takes to be a good poker player."
It's a very good article, and I encourage everyone to read it over on the Suited Aces blog. The way I interpret his points is that there are two "leaps of faith" that you have to take to be a world-class poker player.
First, you have to have faith in the theory of poker. You have to believe that even if a player showed up with aces the last time you three-bet him, it doesn't mean it was a bad three-bet. You have to be able to see mistakes for what they are, and nothing more. Mistakes can be large or small, and if you don't exploit them, they'll accidentally (unknowingly) exploit you. Danny specifically makes the point that you've got to integrate ranges into your decisions.
Second, he argues that it's important to understand people and get inside their heads. This will teach you to take your knowledge about theory and ranges, take a leap of faith, and throw it all out the window in order to make better decisions.
I would argue that there's a third requirement: dedication. The most successful players I know are the players who are disciplined and level-headed. They set goals and meet them. They structure their schedules to make time, not only for poker, but for hand reviews, videos, and coaching sessions.
27suited July 26, 2010 4:56 PM
I'm quite certain that there aren't any real reasons for someone not to move up the stakes if he (or she) has the know how and the bankroll. All the limitations perceived are self imposed and through mental training they can be overcome.
People do not get magically better if they play higher stakes, they only get used to the thought that they might lose a big chunk of money and stop being afraid of it. Of course “only” is an understatement, a huge one, because this in itself is a very powerful edge.
Think about it. Most players that play high stakes know the theory to the heart. You can't really find fishes at these levels. They sleep, eat and breathe with poker on their mind. The reason for which some lose and some win, besides luck, is the simple fact that some become afraid to put the theory in practice. Fear and not tilt is the greatest enemy of good poker (at these levels anyway). When you're afraid you tend play too conservatively and invariably you lose. Plain and simple.
So in the end I agree with you. You do need to be methodical, you need to be level headed, but more importantly you need to trust and play your game, because if you don't, you are playing someone else's. And that's no way to make money out of this trade.