Marginal Situations

Got an email from somebody the other day who wants to bring the band to India for a concert in December. Just in the early stages of discussing it, and of course it would be logistically challenging to say the least, so who knows what will come of it. But at the very least I'll see where it leads. If we do undertake it, tho, it'll be fraught with risk, myriad ways for something to go wrong. At least relative to a gig in, say, Seattle. But we might do it anyway, because of a belief the potential upside justifies those risks. Plus, you know, the sweetest fruit is on the highest branch, or something like that. Right?

I've been trying to cut down my 'marginal situations' in poker, especially as I aim to continue increasing the number of tables. And unless I am extremely focussed, 100% on my 'A' game, I find it difficult to do so. At least by a significant margin. I keep making the same marginal calls I always do. And I think part of the problem, psychologically as it were, is the idea of avoiding the marginal spots seems to run counter to how I'd like to live my life otherwise. I'd like to think I go after things, take chances, don't mind hitting a wall (or worse) once in a while in pursuit of adventure or achievement.

But it's ultimately a flawed analogy. Because most of the mistakes I make in poker are of the passive variety, which is just not the same thing as going after it. And when I do make aggressive mistakes it tends to be reckless, unreasoned aggression. Which will work some of the time, but ultimately be pretty costly in the long run. Same as in life.

So what then have I learned? Isn't it obvious? Calling in the blinds? No. 3-betting IP? Yes. Going to India? Maybe.