It's performance appraisal time

Those of you with corporate jobs have probably gone through formal performance evaluations.  Some years I like them, some years I hate them, mostly in between.  Since I manage folks, this is an extra busy time for me because I have to write and conduct theirs.  We have a pretty large form, I think it ends up being 10 pages of content for each person, split between their comments and mine.  To make it worse, we use a web app to get everything done, and the interface is pretty horrible, so it takes a lot of time.  I keep thinking that the next year I do reviews, it won't take me that long.  I've been doing them for a number of years, and so I should be able to pretty well blast through them.

Then I start doing them, and I find that it takes me just as long to write them every year.  I feel like I really owe it to the people I'm reviewing to invest the energy to write a good review.  For some of them, it's a wasted effort as they don't give a shit about it or the process.  For some others, I can see that they truly appreciate the time I've taken.  But for everyone, even if I think ahead of time I'll just plow through, when the rubber meets the road, I feel too guilty if I don't give it my all.

So, for the last week or so, I've been burning the midnight oil trying to get things written away from the office, where I just have too many distractions.  Then I'm pounding a couple extra cups of coffee in the morning so I have some energy to actually walk through the review with them.  Fun times.  Well, I've got two more to go this week and one more to do in the next couple weeks, then I'm done for the year, and I can get back to other stuff with my spare time, like playing some poker.

But I was wondering how applicable the performance appraisal concept is to poker.  Most of us do a fair amount of self evaluation, which is a critical piece.  But none of us have a boss who can give us the perspective from an evaluator standpoint.  Coaches can come close, I suppose, but I don't think it's as consistent or as thorough.  I wonder if the coaching sites like Deuces Cracked or Leggo Poker have thought about implementing a consistent review process/form for their coaches to use with their students.  I think it would be pretty cool.

Rough Session

Had a lot of big hands that did not go my way (and a couple that did).  I think I played fine, but you be the judge on these big ones (they're not all necessarily losers...the key is they have postflop action.

==================================================

Villain is a regular with TAG stats, on the tight side.  I've been pretty active on the table, but with cards, so I haven't shown down anything out of line yet.

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP: $261.20
Hero (CO): $203.00
BTN: $193.00
SB: $200.00
BB: $148.70
UTG: $268.55

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is CO with 9 T
1 fold, MP raises to $6, Hero calls $6, 1 fold, SB calls $5, BB calls $4

Flop: ($24.00) 6 8 T (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, MP bets $20, Hero calls $20, SB folds, BB folds

Turn: ($64.00) T (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $50, MP raises to $235.20 all in, Hero calls $127 all in

River: ($418.00) Q

Not a hand I'll always play, but the circumstances were good here.  BTN is tight, BB is loose, most of the time I'll have a pretty easy hand to play postflop.  That said, I don't think this hand ended up being easy.  Can't fold on the flop, but not sure a raise gets called by worse, and can't stand to be reraised, which would make me give up TP+gutshot.  I didn't think through his range well enough at the table, though, and played the turn pretty poor.  He's got to have something, or I don't think he makes the flop c-bet.  He's aggressive, but there are 3 other people in the pot and the board is drawy.  When he checks the turn, I think that I'm probably ahead, but the more relevant question is whether I'm ahead when he check/calls (maybe), and whether I'm ahead to his c/r (almost never).  I think now that the bet was fine, but I need to fold to the CRAI, which is such a strong move.  Or, I could get lucky and have him play AA as the nuts!

=========================================

Villain here was total LAG smack tallker, big plays, big loser in my database, although I didn't have any specific notes on him before the session.  He showed a double barrel turn/river bluff after I folded the river, and it was on a scare turn.  He plays over 50% of his hands and will get in light.  Same table as the hand above, and it happened soon after.

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $471.20
Hero (BB): $203.00
UTG: $200.00
MP: $213.00
CO: $146.20
BTN: $258.75

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BB with J J
1 fold, MP raises to $6, 1 fold, BTN calls $6, SB calls $5, Hero raises to $30, 1 fold, BTN calls $24, 1 fold

Flop: ($72.00) T 4 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $50, BTN raises to $228.75 all in, Hero calls $123 all in

Turn: ($418.00) 6

River: ($418.00) 2

With the read above, I'm fine with the hand.  I showed that I will play a marginal hand, if he was paying attention.  Against a sane player, I would fold to the raise.

============================================

A different LAG...this ones somewhat reasonable stats wise, but have no notes on him.  He's 27/15, but his 3-bet preflop is 11%!  Over a couple thousand hands.  Postflop he is also very aggressive.

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $155.00
SB: $221.45
BB: $200.15
Hero (CO): $200.00

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is CO with J J
Hero raises to $7, 2 folds, BB requests TIME, BB raises to $24, Hero calls $17

Flop: ($49.00) 7 2 T (2 players)
BB requests TIME, BB bets $36, Hero calls $36

Turn: ($121.00) 6 (2 players)
BB bets $92, Hero raises to $140 all in, BB calls $48

River: ($401.00) 4

My biggest question was whether to shove preflop or wait for a non A/K board.  I planned to get it in somehow if an ace or king didn't show up.  Mission accomplished :).

Goals and sabotage

Here's the bulk of a comment I posted to an entry on Malfaire's blog.  I don't know how many other people deal with the same stuff, but we tend to be at least somewhat ambitious, so maybe it's fairly common.  Anyway, I'm not sure if my comment is any good or helpful, but it's long, so I thought I would re-post it here as general food for thought.  It's not poker-related, although it could apply.

Yeah, I've got the same issue. I don't know if I'd call this exactly a problem, you need to figure out yourself how much you really want to change that aspect of your personality.

I've got quite a few years on all the poker-blogging guys I read, so I guess I speak from experience somewhat, and I'll sometimes wonder where I'd be at now if I'd stuck with one of my own Big Goals. My life is filled with guys I used to be equal with at something (sports, girls, business, even poker) who have gone on to greater "success" but I'm not sure they're more successful or happy across the board. Better/happier in some ways, worse/with regrets in others.

The thing is, the Big Goals don't get met for free; they take a fuckload of work and sacrifice. The guys who can meet those goals and still be happy are the ones who only care about that goal...nothing else matters to them. Otherwise, they either meet the Big Goal and feel some sort of negative towards what they gave up...or else they get distracted from their Big Goals. IMO. So, until you decide that you're willing to sacrifice whatever in order to meet whatever your Big Goal is, don't beat yourself up too much about it.

All that crap said, I totally know what you mean about self sabotage...and I've done that to myself way too many times even with regular old Goals...they don't have to be Big ones. Actually just knowing I'm prone to it has helped a lot, so you are doing something right by questioning it. I think the best thing I've come up with to stop self sabotaging is to find someone to share whatever my goal is, how I think I can reach it, and hold myself accountable to checking in with them in terms of how it's going. I hate to admit defeat in something that I'm actually trying to do (a pretty big part of why I self sabotage...I just stop trying, so I won't fail). So, that's what's worked for me. Another thing I've tried is just to put stuff in writing. Something about that takes away the excuse to self sabotage, I guess. I used to do that with monthly poker goals, actually.

Wow...kind of hippie stuff.  Better head on over to Noel's blog, now :).

Catching up with some larger hands

I finally got a chance to play just a little bit, and will post the big hands that had some postflop action.  You guys can thank me for not putting in 2 times I lost set under set and once set under turned flush....but in spite of feeling really rusty, things went OK.  It really is funny how a week or so off messes up your rhythm, though.

Villain is an unknown, just a few hands with him, nothing stood out.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (UTG): $109.00
CO: $27.10
BTN: $87.55
SB: $38.55
BB: $100.00

Pre Flop: Hero is UTG with A K
Hero raises to $3.50, 1 fold, BTN calls $3.50, SB calls $3, 1 fold

Flop: ($11.50) 6 3 A (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $9, BTN raises to $38.50, SB folds, Hero raises to $105.50 all in, BTN calls $45.55 all in

Turn: ($179.60) 5

River: ($179.60) 9

When he raises, my range for him is a club draw (possibly pair plus flush draw or a gutshot + plus flush draw), 33, 66, Ax, and a bluff (whether air or turning a pocket pair into a bluff).  I decided to go with my hand, but I think now I could find a fold, or if I didn't want to fold, call and shove a non-club turn and check/fold a club turn.
===========================================================================

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $146.25
Hero (BB): $100.00
UTG: $79.00
MP: $208.00
CO: $87.05
BTN: $72.15

Pre Flop: Hero is BB with A T
2 folds, CO raises to $3, 2 folds, Hero calls $2

Flop: ($6.50) 4 7 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $5, Hero raises to $16, CO calls $11

Turn: ($38.50) K (2 players)
Hero bets $25, CO raises to $50, Hero raises to $81 all in, CO calls $18.05 all in

River: ($174.60) T

I think that preflop and flop are fine.  The flop probably missed him, and obviously I have a lot of pot equity if he calls.  The turn was a bad play.  I think that I was trying to rep a stab on the flop turning into a hit on the turn, but there's nothing that's calling the flop and folding to my bet  on the turn, and in fact AK is a somewhat likely hand for him at worst.  I could maybe fold out a pair between 77 and KK, but I'm not so sure about that, as really the King is not very likely to have hit me.  After I make the initial bet, though, I'm committed.  The turn pretty much sucked here.

=========================================================================

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $100.00
BB: $102.35
UTG: $139.00
Hero (CO): $104.40
BTN: $51.50

Pre Flop: Hero is CO with K K
1 fold, Hero raises to $3.50, 2 folds, BB calls $2.50

Flop: ($7.50) K 8 7 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5, BB calls $5

Turn: ($17.50) J (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $10, BB raises to $20, Hero calls $10

River: ($57.50) 2 (2 players)
BB bets $25, Hero calls $25

I think I played this one OK.  His min-raise spells trouble for me on the turn, but I've got odds to call.  Getting 3:1 on the river, I think the call is OK, too.  Does anyone push their set?  Does anyone fold?

Catching up

Haven't played any since last time, but can catch up at least on some reviews and as promised some big hands. 

I think that I'm going to exclude hands that got all in preflop (I guess unless there's something interesting).  I had 3 that were when we both had big pairs, and I imagine that pair vs pair or pair vs AK, etc. is both boring and going to balance out over time.  Also, when I flop a set or better, play it fast, and get it in I'll also exclude...win or lose, because what's the point in that?  If I flop huge and play slow, I'll probably post those, though, just to make sure I don't get too fancy.

Villain is 32/18/2.6, and I've got a note he can be pretty spazzy, for what that's worth.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: $104.10
UTG: $95.00
Hero (MP): $101.50
CO: $115.35
BTN: $98.50
SB: $44.05

Pre Flop: Hero is MP with J A
1 fold, Hero raises to $3.50, 3 folds, BB calls $2.50

Flop: ($7.50) 8 5 7 (2 players)
BB bets $5, Hero raises to $18, BB calls $13

Turn: ($43.50) T (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: ($43.50) A (2 players)
BB bets $45, Hero calls $45

Preflop and flop seem pretty standard.  Against a more straightforward, tighter player, I would follow up on the turn, but I think here that I have pretty little FE once he calls the flop, and in fact there's a small chance he could have gotten there or made a pair on the turn, since he's pretty loose.  The river is close, but without a better read than I have and his high aggression, I am OK with a call.  I'm certainly beat a lot, but I'm also getting 2:1 odds.  His missed draws will bet even with the Ace.  Since the Ace has to hit me a decent amount of the time, and he bets so large, I think a fold would be OK, too.  Given the strength of his bet, I think a fold is marginally better, but like I said, it's close.

=======================================================================================

Villain is 53/20/2.4, no other notes.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP: $164.10
CO: $93.50
Hero (BTN): $100.00
SB: $115.85
BB: $100.00
UTG: $61.05

Pre Flop: Hero is BTN with K A
UTG raises to $6, 2 folds, Hero calls $6, 2 folds

Flop: ($13.50) K 5 4 (2 players)
UTG bets $5, Hero calls $5

Turn: ($23.50) 9 (2 players)
UTG bets $50.05 all in, Hero calls $50.05

River: ($123.60) 9

Preflop is usually a 3-bet, but I'll flat AK once in a while.  However, usually, that's against someone I think could be decent (based on stats or a note), so they don't just put me on a pair when I flat them.  And especially against this guy, I won't mind playing for 60bb (or even 100bb) if I 3-bet and he comes over the top.  So, preflop is probably a mistake in this situation.  Once I play weak preflop and hit the flop, I'm going to play for stacks .  My plan was to raise the turn (or bet if he checked).  Flop is so dry that I don't mind waiting for the turn.  His huge overbet means I'm either way ahead or way behind, but I can't play it the way I did, hit TPTK against a LAG, then fold, so I'm OK with it.