Application Application Application

Application is the big thing for me right now. All the discussing of the game I'm doing at the moment with Dodgy Ian and Pat is helping immensely, and I can say that there are fewer and fewer SSNL hand history situations on which I do not have a very strong opinion.

Now having a strong opinion in itself doesn't make it right, but as a general rule of thumb if you ask one of your coaches a question, and you get a very vague answer, chances are he doesn't really know. I've been guilty of this myself in the past.

So being sure of yourself is an incredible anti tilt device. Losing 200bbs in a spot where you are absolutely sure you did the correct thing barely even registers to me at the moment. Losing 100bbs in a spot where I was just plain unsure though can drive me round the bend.

But having a ton of theory down pat is one thing, actually applying it in real situations is another. Application is very simply the act of taking what you know, and clicking the button corresponding to that knowledge.

So why is it so fucking difficult?

Reason: other factors cloud your thinking..... Dodgy's watching so you don't want to bore him. You want revenge on the 'lol videomaker' guy. You're stuck, you'r winning, you're break even. You're sure a check raise is cooler than a bet, you don't want your red line to suck, you're curious as to what 100% value hand takes this line for value and so click call, yada yada.

The last session I played had a ton of such spots where I just plain didn't apply my technical judgment. 3bet shoving t7 on 663 in a 3bet pot for example.

What I discovered in the last 15 minutes is that I do fine if I imagine I'm discussing the spot with one of Dodgy or Ian.

I can't use Chris, cos then his response in my imagination is to outline his reasons that my ideas are fucking retarded.

Even though I know what Dodgy looks like, having never met him I find it easier to imagine Ian 'cos then all I have to do is conjure up Karl Pilkington and relate my ideas to the cueball headed one.

So this is my current solution. Think about the hand, then before I click a button tell Karl about it. Longer term though, a real focus on making plays based strictly on my technical thought process is needed.

I'm winning at the moment, obviously running good at all in EV, but I could be up so much more with better APPLICATION.