Last week of Grading… Is it wrong that I do not want it to end? It has been fairly gruelling at times having to regiment hours, but it has been great to have something to help me focus on playing better and fixing my leaks. The workshops have without a shadow of doubt been the best part of the Grading process for me. There is very little I love more in the world than sitting down and talking about poker. A lot of emphasis is put on training videos, and books and magazines, but I genuinely believe there is no better learning tool than just discussing the game and breaking down hands.
Since moving to cash in Week Three, I have had a lot more comfortable ride, and had no real downswing to speak of. Then on Saturday I just ran into a few bad spots and paid off a few river bets I shouldn’t have and was on a slide. If the Grading were not on, my usual tactic would have been to take the next day off and then sit fresh and pretend it did not happen. For obvious reasons, that was not an option. Instead, I had a quick sweat session with another Grader to get my mind right again, and went back to work. Thankfully, I managed to turn it around, but it was another example of the resources available to you in the Grading. If anyone’s game has not improved by taking part in this process, then they are doing it wrong.
Black Belt London Live this weekend. Looking forward to it. Hopefully should have the hours finished up by then, but if not, I can squeeze some in during the breaks :-). Should be a fun tournament, and will be good to see a few familiar faces turn up for it. Quite a bit coming up to look forward to, between BBLL next weekend and Amsterdam the following weekend (for a well deserved break and a very well deserved ty for my girlfriend who has provided me regular food and drinks during the Grading)! Also, have a hotel booked for the Irish Open. I’ll keep working hard and try my utmost to get one of the IO spaces, but if not, I will still be at the Burlington to cheer on other Graders and play some side events. The IO seats have been an excellent incentive to shoot for and have 100 percent provided added motivation.
Post Grading is going to be weird. I’m so used to working 7-5.30, playing 6-10, bed, repeat. It will be hard going back to not having set hours to play. Usually I just load up a few tables for a couple of hours when I get back, and just quit when I start to get tired. It’s been nice to have something pushing me again. I think I will try and keep a routine upon completion, where I try and play approximately 5,000 hands a week minimum and have some form of forfeit if I don’t make it. I’m looking forward to seeing other Graders around the tables as well. Some of the hand dynamics have been excellent!! We all have an idea about each other’s images, but do not have a massive amount of table time together. Meta-game has been superb and I hope that continues long after this ends. I’m def in support of some form of Graders’ dinner a month or so after it ends, so we can follow up on who has done what since.
I hope everyone is crushing!!