Jazz Legends + Mass Data = ?

Something I messed up often – 

In my early years of playing poker, when I knew even less than I do now, I would often absorb myself in studying for days at a time. The game was fascinating, and I couldn’t wait to go back to play and try out all these new theories.

But it usually didn’t go smoothly.

In theory, if you take someone winning at poker, and teach them more stuff about poker, you would think they would start winning more money.

Turns out it doesn’t always work like that.

One of my favorite quotes from the jazz legend Charlie Parker –

“Master your instrument. Master the music. Then forget all that bullshit and just play”

Back then, I had no way of sitting in a game and just letting myself be present while listening to my gut for every decision. So after every bout of studying, I ended up further in my head than ever, less present, full of ideas of things I “should” do, and apparently a worse poker player than before.

I was on a call with a potential client yesterday.

He had taken a very intense training course from a prominent company a year ago.

He now had a protocol to follow for just about every spot he would ever encounter in the game, based on a massive amount of data and solver output. In theory, you’d think he would be winning more than ever.

Yet he wasn’t.

And it’s certainly not the first time I’ve heard a story like this.

Without a reliable way to –

1. Integrate everything you’ve learned
2. Show up, forget it all, and listen to your gut –

You’ll often find that when you learn more, you’ll sometimes be worse off for it.

A spot comes up –

All of a sudden there are a lot more thoughts about what you could do

Or even what you “should” do. 

The curiosity you once had for the game is replaced by a prescription you feel obligated to follow.

The fix to all this?

Learn to be present with all the new thoughts and emotions happening at the table, accept all of it, and find the choice you actually want amidst all the noise. No matter how much new stuff you learn, you’ll be able to show up feeling like yourself.

Win or lose, you’ll walk away feeling like you couldn’t have played any better.

If you want this to consistently be your experience at the poker table, hit me up here: