Donkin's

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Donkin's Blog

The Progression of Tilt

The Progression of Tilt

I was chatting with another player about his “particularly bad run” over the last two days. I suggested that he take a break and do something else and he answered that he “plays through” his bad runs and that it “doesn’t affect his play.” I’ve heard the same thing for two decades of playing poker and it’s as much bullshit today as it was in 2000. Do I fall into the same trap as him? Absolutely. But as my career

Best Poker Books

Best Poker Books

Never stop learning. If you believe you know all there is to know about poker, then please, sit at my table! Below I’ve outlined a few of the best books I’ve read recently. Best Online Poker Book The Grinder’s Manual by Peter Clarke Peter Clarke is an accomplished online poker coach at Deuces Cracked. In his 689-page book, he covers online poker strategy ranging from simple position awareness to advanced 3-bet ranges. With the aggressiveness of online poker games all

Tilt and reading The Mental Game of Poker

Tilt and reading The Mental Game of Poker

Accumulated Tilt! That’s exactly what I’m feeling. Of course, it’s just another term for stress, which I was already very aware of, but it was comforting to read that definition when I sat down with The Mental Game of Poker. My technical game in poker is strong. It’s been strong for a long time. There really aren’t any concepts in No-limit Holdem that I’m lagging far behind other players, even the best players. Sometimes though, I just can’t get out

Right Quitting – how to practice

Right Quitting – how to practice

For me, my biggest leak is playing while tilted. I could say it is simply being tilted, but that is not actually the case. I can be tilted and not playing and I won’t lose any more than I just lost. I’m going to get tilted when I play — most of us do. I guess there may be some Zen masters out there who could lose set under set, get someone all in on the turn drawing to 4

The problem playing to meet rewards goal

The problem playing to meet rewards goal

Meeting a rewards goal such as Seven Stars can have significant rewards. Seven Stars players generally get free rooms when visiting the Total Rewards hotels as well as receiving perks such as a free cruise, an Atlantis free hotel in the nicest studio room, as well as better perks for playing in the casino. If you can play poker and make money while doing it, is there a downside? Well, the answer to that is different from every person but

Winner’s Tilt?

Winner’s Tilt?

Winner’s tilt? I’d never even heard of that before watching Dutch Boyd’s twitch stream one evening. I’ve always felt I play much better when I’m winning… usually I believe that if I could just catch a couple good hands, I’d calm down and play better. I’m not certain of how much better I play when I’m winning, but I’m certain I play a much lower variance style. I keep out of marginal situations, with a general thought process of “oh,

What’s in an online poker username?

What’s in an online poker username?

Most players will name their online poker username as something that identifies them or something they like in life. I have a bit of a different approach. I look at every decision in online poker as a potentially profitable decision. Is it possible to name yourself in a way that would cause a player to make bad in game decisions against you? The answer to that is Absolutely Yes. Of course it doesn’t happen all the time and in fact, I