Question 1: What is your motivation for playing poker?
To make money from a game I truly love. The first day I learnt the game around 5 years ago, I ended up playing online from 7pm the day before until 7am the next morning non-stop. Since then I've played mainly micro-low cash stakes and a few low buy in tournaments on most of the major poker sites with mixed success. However, the harsh lessons I've learnt, the experiences I've had and the knowledge I've gained from playing thousands of hands I feel are invaluable in terms of my continued development. Now I've taken the the decision to completely deconstruct my game and start from scratch as if a novice, in order to analyse all of my flaws and correct them if I can. I feel, in all honesty, that I do have a good feel for the game, my reading abilities, value-bet sizing and situational decision making are generally good but I have a number of flaws too (see question 2) which I hope to address.
To answer the question though, I liken it to being a footballer. Playing every week and getting paid well if you're good enough. It's a psychological battle every hand, so much more than just a game of cards. A truly unique game and I love it!
Question 2: What are your weaknesses when playing poker?
Ok, this is a tough one! I've never really dissected my game but here goes:
1) Tilt of course, but not open tilt with me making stupid all-ins or clear errors, more a progressive type that causes me to make a lot of smaller, uncharacteristic errors that seem to add up to sometimes bad losses, after a number of bad beats.
2) Chasing draws.
3) Getting too attached to big hands even when all the signs tell me to fold!
4) Bad timing. Making squeeze plays or risky bluffs at the wrong times (although I must admit that a fair amount do work!) for big losses
5) Fearlessness sometimes bordering on stupidity. If my turn bluff-bet doesn't work 'My river bluff WILL always work', no it won't.....read the signs and let it go.
Question 3: What does it mean to play tight aggressive?
Tight Aggressive play describes playing a smaller range of hands comprising of the top 5-10% of hands ie AA, KK, QQ, AK etc.... A Tight Aggressive player won't play too many hands but when they do they bet their hands aggressively, forcing their opponents to commit large amounts to a pot and make big decisions if they wish to continue in the hand.
This style of poker works because someone who plays Tight Aggressive gives themselves the best chance of winning because their hands are among the strongest one can have. By betting aggressively, big pots can be built and, if successful in the hand, the pay-offs can be large. The downside is that you may have to sit out a number of hands while you wait for your big hands and, when you do enter a pot, people may fold because you have created a tightish looking image at the table.
This is all very interesting and new to me so I hope I've done everything right? I welcome all feedback and contributions from the community and hope to hear from you guys here in the forum.
Thanks a lot
Ghartman
, J 
(4 players)
, 2 :heart:, Q