Might take a break

[Dodoubled]

Any time anything you enjoy becomes a grind, I think it's always good to step away and look at it from the outside in. Think about what got you into poker in the first place. Was it the possibility of making money, was it because your friends did it, was it because you liked the casino scene, or was it because you just like playing cards in general? When you can answer that question, I think you'll be on your way to figuring out why it isn't as much fun right now.

For me, I got into poker because the guys at my old job got me into it. I don't get to play as many live games as I used to because I left the job in December, and I have neither the time nor the money to travel to A.C. consistently.

That leaves online poker, which I play a decent amount, but not enough to build a serious roll or really get my skills where they need to be to build one. That's why you never see me on here hawking out straight poker-playing advice. I'll occasionally ask for it, though. But life advice? That's a whole new can of worms.

If you're bored online because you're crushing your opponents, moving up may not be a bad option. But if poker isn't fun to you right now for other reasons, then don't move up. If you want to succeed at the higher stakes, it HAS to be fun. The players only get better, and the second you start getting bored again, your game's gonna slip.

A few more questions: Is your game purely online, or do you get in some live brick-and-mortar games, too? How often? Do you play purely Hold-'em, or do you vary your games? When you're not playing poker or working, how else do you spend your time? What do you enjoy the most about it? And, on the same vein, if poker isn't much fun for you right now, what is?

Figure those things out, and I think (read "hope") poker will become fun once again for you.

My two cents, anyway ...

[Akverno]

I would love, absolutely love to get in some more live play. My online game doesn't scratch my live game. But, I live in Alaska and I work really weird hours so online it is.

I play every game known to man, but I focus on hold em and 7stud with seven stud being my best game. Seven stud just happens to be a specialized game that from what I can tell has better opponents then hold em. I have been absolutely killing .5/1 six max for a little while now and it is getting very boring.

My nl cash game needs a lot of work. If I could play 25nl or 50nl profitably I probably wouldn't be as bored, limit has just seemed mechanical the past few times I've had a chance to play.

As for when I'm not playing poker or working, that total time sums up about twenty hours a week at the moment. And I spend most of it watching either lost, alias, or house. I get my weekly softball game in every other week these days.

If I had the time (or if pokerstars would quit resetting their servers every damn time I have a day off) I would be playing tournaments which I love. I am also very good at tournaments, which makes it worthwhile. I have an extremely high cash rate which is nice, but, I seem to hardly ever make it to the final three which sucks because the only good money is in the last three.

So, as it stands, I'm gonna try to move up in stakes in 6-max lim and see where that takes me. Hopefully I can fit in the occasional tourney. Who knows, if it still doesn't give me enjoyment and relax me like it used to I might take a break.