Before you read this, please read Part 1 of this series by clicking here.  

Lessons learned. 

If you ever want a lesson in humility, fold every hand in a multi-table tournament. You will see endless comments made about your play (or lack thereof) in the chat box. At first some of the comments hurt, others made my blood boil. I was almost pressured into playing several times, but realized that was one of the hidden lessons to be learned from what I was doing. It really didn’t matter what they thought, I was playing my game not theirs, and my game was to just fold. After fifteen or so days of this, any type of comment made by others just rolls off you like water on wax. I felt invincible to taunts, and knew that I would never again play a hand just to prove something to someone else. 

While folding, I became engrossed in the tournaments, even though I didn’t expect to be. Elements of the game that were previously hidden from view became clearer once I was no longer spending my time making decisions on what to do with my cards. I was able to recognize betting patterns, online tells, and positional opportunities. I saw instances where my aces would have got cracked, and clearly recognized when I would have been able to steal blinds or outplay others. I had the time to make detailed notes on players, and really observed some winning strategies. I saw who made the money, and why they did. 

Though I took ‘playing tight’ to a whole new level, I learned how to avoid becoming bored at the table, and most importantly - learned how to observe others. I discovered the cards that were dealt to me would not make or break me alone. It was a combination of position and timing, mixed in with the odd prime hand, that would result in my success. 

My lesson ended thirty days later, and it cost me a total of $30 in entries. I consider that the best money I ever spent in relation to the game of poker. Interestingly enough, I even made the money a few times, simply from people folding to my big blind, or a large field of players getting knocked out early. 

Next: It became time to apply what I had learned and play some hands