Is This Variance, Or Do I Just Suck?

[Metternich 0]

I'm new to online poker, mostly played live with friends before this. So tonight I loaded in some money and started playing the .5/.10 tables.It seemed like I took a ridiculous number of bad beats, every time I got my money in good I was getting outdrawn by some shitty hands. Other times I would make a hand and I couldn't get any action, I think that happened with about 3 of my sets. Some examples:QQ all in Preflop vs A-4, A on the flop9-10 all in after turn on a JKQ2 board, river is a ten and villain makes his higher straightAKs all in preflop against K-10os, flop is K-10-blankOn each of those hands I lost $5, and I really don't see how I could have played them differently. I'm now down $25 over the course of about 5 hours (the other $10 was my own fault, messed around with omaha and went on tilt once)I was playing a very standard TAG game, raises of 3x BB when I had something, folds when I didn't. I've been told that strategy is a good idea at the lower limits, since most players won't really be thinking too hard about what you have. So was this a bad run of cards and normal variance, or do you think I am doing something wrong?

[Citizen Erased 0]

In five hours you hit three bad beats. Trust me, it could be a lot worse.At these levels, people are calling so much with sub-par/ draw-reliant hands so much that such bad beats are bound to happen more often than normal.The key thing to remember if you don't want to lose money is that in the long run, playing calm and reposed/ your poker will ultimately gain you money.

[Keebs 0]

getting people off hand is part of the problem in low limit poker, so you just have to take it sometimes, and try to save chips when you fall into these situations.

[potatoman 0]

Bad beats are part of playing solid poker. They will happen to you every day, every session. Try not to let it one day of bad luck affect you. And make sure you're playing within your limits and are properly bankrolled.

[Uniqueuponhim 0]

Bad beats are part of playing solid poker. They will happen to you every day, every session. Try not to let it one day of bad luck affect you. And make sure you're playing within your limits and are properly bankrolled.

Yes, if you only deposited $50, it's a mistake to jump right into 10NL. If you're on Full Tilt, try moving down to the $3 CAP tables where the play is mind-bogglingly bad and you won't lose more than $3 in a hand. If you're on Stars, consider moving down to 1c/2c at least until you're back up to $50 and then play 2c/5c. Keep in mind the max buyin for these levels is 250x and 200xBB respectively, but don't be afraid to buyin for the more standard 100 in order to better manage your bankroll.

[simo_8ball 0]

Bad beats are part of playing solid poker. They will happen to you every day, every session.

*sigh*

[wsox8 10]

I suggest more than 3x raise in those limits.. People don't really notice the difference between 3x and 5x.Good luck, I know it can be tough.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Also, if you are not getting value on your big hands, you may need to mix up your play. You have to convince people you are going to be in hands without big hands to get value for them. Additionally, if yo uare only playing quality starting hands and the flop comes all paint and you're still in the hand, people are going to run and hide. Conversely if you mix it up you can get amazing value for seeing a rag flop hit your raggedy pocket cards.Remember that on-line vs.live people are going to be picking up on your play and betting patterns - they are more acutely aware of these things since they have no other physical tell on which to judge your play. So your TAG tendencies are accentuated and people will catch on to your style more quickly than live where you can mask it more easily.

[mtdesmoines 3]

I'm new to online poker, mostly played live with friends before this. So tonight I loaded in some money and started playing the .5/.10 tables.It seemed like I took a ridiculous number of bad beats, every time I got my money in good I was getting outdrawn by some shitty hands. Other times I would make a hand and I couldn't get any action, I think that happened with about 3 of my sets. ..................

You hit three sets? Wow, what a run. I'm totally serious.

[Uniqueuponhim 0]

Also keep in mind, you got your money in ahead in all three of those situations. That's pretty much the ideal spot for you and exactly where you want to be. You want to get your money in when you're ahead as often as humanly possible. Yes you'll lose a portion of those hands, but overall you'll always come out on top, barring horrendously bad luck.The above poster is also right about 3xBB not really being enough at those levels. At 10NL, I always raise to 4x+1x per limper. You can probably even get away with 5x+1x/limp at a very loose table. But with 3x raises you almost always have too many people seeing the flop, making the hand a lot harder to play even if you do hit TPTK.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

You hit three sets? Wow, what a run. I'm totally serious.

My buddy and I were playing live $1/$2 the other day and he hit 4 sets in less than 2 hours. He walked away with nearly a grand......while I go Rivered by a boat after flopping a nut straight vs. two pair which busted me for the day.

[whatgreatis 0]

I had a dream last night where I flopped a bunch of sets....it was beautiful.

[Sheiky 0]

That's been happening a lot to me lately at the same level.Once i had 64 in the BB with on caller, the flop came 647, the other caller moved all in for $10, i called instantly, she had 72 and hit a higher two pair on the turn. I played 400 hands of solid poker in the day, i played 17% of hands, won about 10 small pots, and was involved in 3 big pots in which my opponent sucked out on the river, overall i was even for 400 hands, which annoyed me a lot.However, that's what playing solid poker can be like, as you'll be involved in less hands, your overall session win/loss will often be determined by a 3/4 key hands in which you made all the right decisions but got unlucky all 3/4 times. But on the flip side, you'll have sessions get lucky and win them all. Considering you've only just made a deposit, i would advise to keep at it and wait for the cards to come your way.My startegy for low limit tables now is to limp with hands that i would raise with in a tournament no matter what the pot, limp with hands like SPPs when there's a lot of callers, and raise with big pairs.I used to raise anytime i had a big ace of KQ in good position, but i think that strategy is a bit futile.I was raising 3/4* the BB and getting two callers, one of which would most likely bet at me on the flop and i'd have to fold because i didn't hit, and even when they checked to me and i bet they would often call.Now when i limp with AK there's on average about one more caller, because i will only hit the flop 1/3 times, when i do hit it i can play the hand hard and get payed of with more people in the pot, and when i don't i can check fold and save the money that i would have raised with.It is also good for deceptive purposes because when someones raises behind me i will often re-raise and bet on the flop, and when my hand will be disguised a lot because i didn't raise.With big pairs, As Ks Qs, i raise a lot pre flop and hope to get one or two callers to pay me off. Raising a lot is good for me because when i get a caller i can put them on a hand and know when i'm beat, if i just limp there's times when i'll have an over-pair but there'll be people in the pot with straight/flush draws who i an never get rid off.

[Metternich 0]

Tried some more today, this time playing a lot looser. Still came out a loser after about 2 1/2 hours. Today it was definitely due to the style I was playing though, I only took one bad beat (guy makes his gutshot on the river after calling 1/2-2/3rd pot sized bets on flop and turn with bottom pair).It's kind of baffling, I've read Harrington/Super System, and I'm generally a winning player at home games. But you can't exactly apply SS, I think I would get called down with just about anything. Anyways, I think I've learned a lot. My conclusion is that the best thing for me to do is play tight, like I did the first night, and walk away after taking a bad beat (or I get a little tilty). After seeing no difference in other player's actions ring my loose play today I am not really worried about being too tight to get paid.

[Sheiky 0]

Learn to take the bat beats instead of walking away after them, it'll keep you sane.My advice is to play V tight for a session or two then gradualy push your boundaries out a bit, not that i'm advising becoming a maniac overnight, far from it, i'm talking about playing some marginal hands that you may have folded before and attempting a well thought out bluff or two, a move that is easier once you are confident at the table.

[sirliej 0]

Bad beats do suck. But the worst thing you can do is loosen up your game and try to beat them at their game. Play your own solid brand of poker, and if it helps (it won't) remember that the majority of beats you take should be bad beats. You're doing the right thing by getting your money in with the best hand and they're getting lucky. If the cards were face up you'd play those hands the same way, right? Remember Sklansky's poker theorem.Also, in my opinion, bluffing at .05/.10 is wasted money. Most of them aren't smart enough to realize what you're doing and will call all day with anything.Good luck.

[Dagata 0]

I wouldnt go as far to say that bluffing is a waste of money at those levels, I play the levels and I can put in a bluff or two.At this level most people just look at their own cards, dont really think too much about your cards, if you think they have a flush draw, and they might chase it to the river, if it misses, put in another big bet they will let it go.They give alot of respect to bets, also you should too, when the str8, or the flush becomes possible and they bet big, just let them have it, i've noticed(and paid for) that the amount of times they dont have it, isnt worth the pot you gain, compared to how many times they do have it and hope you pay them off like you just did.

[TraptSteve 0]

A lot of people will tell you to play micro stakes when you make a small deposit (200 or less), but that isn't true. Aasuming you don't have an issue redepositing, go ahead and play whatever game you want. 50$ for instance could be used as a buyin for a 25 cent NL cash game and a couple SNG's if that is your thing. Oh yeah, swings happen. You're playing against idiots so you'll experience variance but in the long term will win. Key is long term. Don't let a couple hands discourage you.(fish!) jk

[LycoPoker54 0]

Oh yeah, swings happen. You're playing against idiots so you'll experience variance but in the long term will win. Key is long term. Don't let a couple hands discourage youIf you have a few bad beats at a higher level, your money will be gone. you cant play for the long term winnings with no money in your account....