Page 11 - August 2005 • Southern California Gaming Guide

A Hammer and a Fiery Lantern by Jim Mercurio
One of my favorite lines from Leah, a song from Bruce Springsteen’s new album Devils and Dust, is “I walk this road with a hammer and ery lantern/With this hand I’ve built and with this I’ve burned.” In concert, he clari es the meaning in his
introduction:“We all carry the seeds of our destruction merrily on our way with our seeds of creation and creativity.”
Taking it one step further, I think these seeds are the same: people’s strengths and weaknesses come from the same place.
e willingness to gamble that keeps you a loser in your nickel-dime home game is only a shadow away from what it takes to call a 4-times-the-big-blind raise with a suited A-2 out of position to try to bust the chip leader with a nut ush, knowing you will be able to throw away the hand when an ace ops and you know you’re beat. Problem is it’s a thin and nebulous shadow.
e absolute best thing that can happen is that you get it out of your system.
Sigmund Freud said the unconscious knows no negation. If you do something—even symbolically— it has happened for real to your unconscious. So although you didn’t risk your tournament life.
Although, you picked your spot. You still raised with 8-3. Savor the moment, draw it out and experience it. Good for you.
Now get back to your A-game.
Speaking of Freud, he would say this column has focused on loose aggressive play because it has been a form of projection for me. Every time you see “you” above, it really means “me.” But what does he know? I’d rather discuss his favorite—not really—poker opponent, Carl Jung. Jung says to become the best person you can be, you have to own your shadow; i.e., you have to incorporate all of the negative and hidden stu inside of you. To be the best poker player you can be you must use all of the warring factions of your psyche.
Survey your game and identify your aws. Struggle to see how deep down inside of denial, compulsion, and recklessness is the ability to stay calm while playing for high stakes, a commitment to your game and courage.
Be honest with yourself.
Your whole self.
Pick your spots.
And remember, “With this hand I’ve built, and
with this I’ve burned.”
Exercise your demons and you might just exorcise
them.
Jim Mercurio is a lmmaker, writer and poker player. He recently produced the feature lm Hard Scrambled, which stars Kurtwood Smith (Robocop) and Richard Edson (Do the Right Thing).
He was raised Catholic and this has been his rst confession in over 25 years. Expect more on psychology, poker and his upcoming “Challenge to the Pros,” in future columns. To say hi to Jim or stake him, email him at www.jamespmercurio.com.
Although most of the players I play against at the $100 no-limit game at
a countdown of his chips. Accidentally-on-purpose knock over your tallest
If your aggression
gets the better of you,
then pick a time—one
time—and raise with
8-3 o suit. But just
don’t throw your chips in. Take the time to enjoy it. Randomly pick a big-stack yet to act and ask for
nebulous shadow.”
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
Hollywood Park were born before the original Star Wars, we can all learn a lesson from Darth Vader: Embrace the dark side.
If you know you just have to call once a night or tournament with 2-7 o suit just to put players on tilt, that’s ne. Just pick your spot. Do it when you’re getting 4:1 heads up against an all-in player. Embrace the dark side, don’t get devoured by it.
pile of chips. Pick them up. en call for “time.” Shu e your chips. As you put the amount of the call in, say “raise.” Shu e your chips some more. And then put in your bet.
The third best thing that can happen to you is that you get re- raised and throw the piece of cheese away. The second best thing is that you showdown the hand and it acts as a little bit of advertising. However, you better tighten up for the rest of the session, ’cause, my friend, you are going
to be visiting more calling stations than Superman during a terrorist attack.
“The willingness to gamble that keeps you a loser in your nickel-dime home game is only a shadow away from what it
takes to call a 4-times-the-big- blind raise with a suited A-2
out of position to try to bust the chip leader with a nut flush, knowing you will be able to
throw away the hand when an ace flops and you know you’re beat. Problem is it’s a thin and
AUGUST 2005 Page 11
Column: Wired Aces and River Rats with Jim Mercurio