Help Please - My Poker Game Needs Help

[gpineo 0]

Pokertracker comes with PokerAce hud built in.

I have installed Poker Tracker but haven't got a clue how to set the application.Also am I suppose to be able to view my stats within the tracker or the opponents?Any tips for configuration I would appreciate.Tks.

[regionx8 0]

I have installed Poker Tracker but haven't got a clue how to set the application.Also am I suppose to be able to view my stats within the tracker or the opponents?Any tips for configuration I would appreciate.Tks.

http://www.pokertracker.com/products/PT3/d...ickguide#Confighttp://www.pokertracker.com/products/PT3/docs/If you have skype PM me you're name and maybe i can help you set it up if that doesn't help sometime tomorrow.. Going to bed now GL

[gpineo 0]

http://www.pokertracker.com/products/PT3/d...ickguide#Confighttp://www.pokertracker.com/products/PT3/docs/If you have skype PM me you're name and maybe i can help you set it up if that doesn't help sometime tomorrow.. Going to bed now GL

I have followed those links and have it running. Just looking for more tips is all. Thanks for the offer.

[gpineo 0]

Ok everyone who has given me great comments on my HH.Here is tonights stats.During current Hold'em session you were dealt 56 hands and saw flop: - 4 out of 6 times while in big blind (66%) - 0 out of 6 times while in small blind (0%) - 10 out of 44 times in other positions (22%) - a total of 14 out of 56 (25%) Pots won at showdown - 3 of 3 (100%) Pots won without showdown - 6I played 0.01/0.02 NL Cash Game on PokerStars. My buy-in was 5.00 and finished the session with 6.60. I had PokerTracker loaded and running for the whole session but not sure what I should post here for you to view how I played tonight.I felt very good about my play. I was agressive and got paid for my good cards.Let me know what I should pull from PokerTracker and I will post it later.Thanks to all of you that has helped. I know it's only one session but I think I have figured out what I might be doing wrong.Because I haven't figured out how to post Pokertracker HH I will again post a txt file from PokerStars HH request.

PokerStars_50_Hand_History_031009.txt

[cloverstorm 0]

I have pulled some stats from my last 100 hands on PokerStars. I also have hand history from cash games.100 hands played and saw flop: - 10 times out of 13 while in small blind (77%) - 11 times out of 13 while in big blind (85%) - 21 times out of 74 in other positions (28%) - a total of 42 times out of 100 (42%) Pots won at showdown - 3 out of 11 (27%) Pots won without showdown - 11I have also included at Txt file with my last 50 hands. Some in the cash games and some from tournaments. My game handle was gpineo.Thanks.

Start throwing out some of the hands you play because 42% is way to much. Playing 42% is not profitable at all. Just by the stats I would assume you are only raising good hands and limping with about anything suited or maybe even any connectors. I would suggest finding a good book/article on position poker and study that. It will help you to understand when it is best to just call based on position or raise on position. It will also give you a great idea what should be required to be folded based on position also. I think being able to fold around 20% to 25% of the hands you play(Assuming 42% is about the average number you play) will make you more profitable in the longer run easily.

[gpineo 0]

Start throwing out some of the hands you play because 42% is way to much. Playing 42% is not profitable at all. Just by the stats I would assume you are only raising good hands and limping with about anything suited or maybe even any connectors. I would suggest finding a good book/article on position poker and study that. It will help you to understand when it is best to just call based on position or raise on position. It will also give you a great idea what should be required to be folded based on position also. I think being able to fold around 20% to 25% of the hands you play(Assuming 42% is about the average number you play) will make you more profitable in the longer run easily.

Those stats you have presented Cloverstorm were stats before lastnight. I have taken the advice of other poster on my subject and tried to apply them last night. If you read the previous reply you can see the improvement. Yes I know it's only one session but I think I have taken the advice and tried to apply it to my game and I think coming out a winner is a good thing. Now all I have to do is become consistent on my play from the advice and I will become a winning game.You suggested good books/articles. Would you have any examples that I should look into?Thanks

[TAGteam 0]

glad to see you're improving. definitely post hands here though. general stats and discussion can only go so far...

[Sens-Eh 0]

Just picked up on this thread. I find it great to see someone who is willing to admit they need help at the basic level and to begin to apply that help...So the first thing everyone told you was "tighten" up. And it seems you did on your last session. You seem to be playing better, and I will offer some constructive critiques - I hope you take it in the spirit it is offered, and continue to apply concepts you learn here and from other resources as you play...You are tighting up preflop which is good! I even saw you folded pocket 6's in a pot preflop to a 6xbb in hand #4 (actually your 4th last hand...)- which demonstrated how you are changing your play ...In that case though, you may have been ok with calling preflop there with another caller infront of you and two big blinds having posted - might have been a good spot to set mine...but the instinct was good, and it wasn't a "bad" fold...In hand #11 you picked up 2,2 action folded to you in the Hijack...As a basic rule, if everyone has folded and you plan to enter the pot, try this rule of thumb out..."always enter with a raise - never be the first to limp in.." I noticed you often overbet the pot on the flop, so you took the advice of being more agressive post flop to heart as well...only maybe you need to tone it down a bit...it's rare you will need to be betting more then the potsize...For example hand #12 you basically potted it with a gutshot and an overcard. I don't mind you betting out there - especially after the preflop raiser checks to you - but maybe try 3/4 size pot bet on the flop...Hand #20 the same thing only this time, you had flopped trips...with .24 or so in the pot you bet .30.... Now I know there is a couple diamonds on board and some vague straight draws, but you have an awesome hand and you want a caller there....instead of 30, something like .18 or .20 would have got some value out of a player who had one of those draws, while denying him the proper odds to actually chase it. Hand #22 - I like the check on the flop...On the turn you hit two pair, which is good, but that board is scary if someone is slowplaying...even so overbetting the pot is not a good idea...either they have been slowplaying a better two pair, or you have just priced them out with their single pair...basically only the hands that beat you take your money, and the hands you were going to beat anyhow fold...That bet will cost you money in the long run. Decide before you bet...are you trying to take the pot right then and there, or are you trying to coax a little more value out for your hand...Hand #27 - Pocket KK's again...I like the preflop but again, with that overpair, I don't think you need to bet more then the pot on the flop...try notching it back to 3/4 of the pot as something of a default amount on the flop...You want someone with Q,7 to call you there...I noticed that you are not the only one who does this at the table, so maybe it is typical at this limit...admittedly I don't play this limit.(still doesn't make it right, and if everyone is doing it, feel free to call with small pocket pair preflop because the value when you hit trips will be that much better)Hand #38 - you can just check that river unless you are worried he will try a bluff, He's not calling anything unless you are beat, and your hand has some showdown value...Hand #39 - good fold preflop...Don't worry about what the flop was, make sure you set aside result oriented thinking...folding those cards UTG (under the gun) is the right thing to doHand #40 - make your raise preflop be to at least .06 if not .07 or .08 - min raises should be avoided and pretty much never ever be done preflop. as played flop bet was good size, turn was a touch small something like .25 would have been a better amount... curious if you remember while you slowed down on the river...I think you have to put another bet in there - mostly for value, if he has you beat, he should have raised you sometime by now...(re-evaluate if he raises you after you bet here, but most the time, you have the best hand I think..) Hand #46 - again, first to enter the pot - avoid being the first limper...maybe then the villian doesn't sense weakness and put that big raise in preflop...and instead you go to the flop as the agressor, and if you fire the c-bet (continuation bet) into the pot, it is them, that are folding...(that's not to say that I think it is a good idea to basically bluff at this flop with third pair - you probably shouldn't against two opponents..)Hand # 47 - ...first to enter the pot - avoid being the first limper...playing suited Ace rag are a good idea, but they are actually a tough hand to play from early position, you may consider just folding this preflop from the first few positions and then start playing them in middle positions (opening for a raise, or occasionally limping in behind someone else)- so one of your best hands of the session, I'm basically advise you to have folded preflop, LOL(the hand has some merit, and some players can play it even from early position, but it usually requires a fair amount of post flop play skill) - oh well great flop for you - so as played preflop...I'm again confused by the oversized bet on the flop - you desperately want action here - don't chase them all away...ok, getting to the turn, things get wild again...when you re-raise him, re-raise him a bit bigger then a min-reraise, he obv likes his hand, now it is time to make him pay...raise to .30, now when he re-reraises you, you need to re-evaluate and you should have a plan...either he has a full house, having hit something like 10's over 4's or you have him beat...if you decide you have him, then you want to think about how you will get all the chips in the middle... *hint* this involves bigger reraises then min re-raises and it involves not calling him - but to keep on re-re-re-raising...on the river a flush card comes, scaring you both...The way he has played this hand though does not look like he was on a flush draw- in fact he very much looks like he has a 4 as well, and with his check on the river, I don't think he paired his other card (which must  be weaker then your ace) so you need to take a deep breath, and decide if you can make another value bet. You can and it should be large. Lots to think about that hand...Hand #49 - if you are going to raise, after someone has already limped in - raise bigger - saying to .08 or .09. On the flop, I would have considered checking to the guy who 3bet you preflop and then raising his (likely) bet...you have a good hand, but it is vulnerable (a card could pair on the turn which will counterfeit your bottom pair) leaving you with two pair but likely someone else has an A as well, with a better kicker)... so this is one time, I would be happy just winning it on the flop...turn you slow down, which I don't blame you give that you could be behind A,Q or A,10 - at least the flush didn't come in...you need to weigh the likely hood that someone is on a flush draw against the value of just trying to get to showdown cheaply here. I'd probably fire out another bet to chase out the flush draw, but it would be sick to get raised by someone here. River is a disaster for you...other then a heart (someone surely has a flush draw here, right?) this is the worst card for you...just check it down and see which one of these guys has a better A then you - - no sense trying to steal it... - - wow they both had baby pocket pairs, and you win...consider their calls on the flop a gift to you.I'd advise you to tighten up even further preflop(shoot for 20% or maybe 22% is more realistic for you), online poker is 99% about being patient, wait for the best cards (besides they are the easiest to play) - and raise slightly larger preflop when you do enter the pot...Bet slightly smaller then you have been when you do plan to value bet the flop...and try and take the time to think about what sorts of hands your opponents are calling with...you won't always get it right (look at what I thought was going on in hand 49!) but the more you do it, the more accurate you will become. You need to decide when you are betting if you are trying to chase out the other players and steal the pot, or if you are trying to earn the most you can by getting the maximum value for your bet. Use that decision combined with what you think are their most likely types of cards and your bets and checks will make more sense to you, and you will actually face less difficult decisions.

[gpineo 0]

Another Session Update - 03/11/09During current Hold'em session you were dealt 50 hands and saw flop: - 6 out of 7 times while in big blind (85%) - 1 out of 7 times while in small blind (14%) - 6 out of 36 times in other positions (16%) - a total of 13 out of 50 (26%) Pots won at showdown - 1 of 1 (100%) Pots won without showdown - 8PokerTracker on my session of 50 hands.VP: 16 / PR: 12 / AF: 14.0Buyin 5.00 - Cashout 6.14. - 1.14.I think this is working what you have been teaching me fellow posters (Teachers). I played even more tighter tonight and was also focusing on position. I will include the hand history again as an attachment.During this session I had one hand I wasn't completely sure of what I should do. Here is the single hand history. I know I played it wrong but not exactly sure what I should have done.PokerStars Game #25865871623: Hold'em No Limit ($0.01/$0.02) - 2009/03/11 20:54:14 MT [2009/03/11 22:54:14 ET]Table 'Parvulesco II' 9-max Seat #2 is the buttonSeat 1: gbcjb1975 ($1.58 in chips)Seat 2: sibianul ($6.49 in chips)Seat 3: cmdmac ($1.84 in chips)Seat 4: synthmessc ($4.99 in chips)Seat 5: Quikone007 ($5.02 in chips)Seat 6: marta1985 ($3.97 in chips)Seat 7: txintxor ($2.45 in chips)Seat 8: gpineo ($5.40 in chips)Seat 9: Aeistmer ($0.98 in chips)cmdmac: posts small blind $0.01synthmessc: posts big blind $0.02*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to gpineo [3h 3c]Quikone007: foldsmarta1985: foldstxintxor: foldsgpineo: calls $0.02Aeistmer: foldsgbcjb1975: foldssibianul: foldscmdmac: foldssynthmessc: checks*** FLOP *** [2d 5d Ad]synthmessc: bets $0.04gpineo: foldsUncalled bet ($0.04) returned to synthmesscsynthmessc collected $0.05 from potsynthmessc: doesn't show hand*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $0.05 | Rake $0Board [2d 5d Ad]Seat 1: gbcjb1975 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 2: sibianul (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 3: cmdmac (small blind) folded before FlopSeat 4: synthmessc (big blind) collected ($0.05)Seat 5: Quikone007 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 6: marta1985 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 7: txintxor folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 8: gpineo folded on the FlopSeat 9: Aeistmer folded before Flop (didn't bet)Other then that had I feel I played fairly well but I bet I had some areas that I still need improvement and refining.I look forward to your comments. And I hope I am applying what your guys have been telling me . It seems to be working that's two sessions with profit.Tks.

PokerStars_50_Hand_History_031109.txt

[gpineo 0]

Sens-EhThat is great feedback and I will definently take a read of this a few times and try to apply what you are instructing.I was actually reading it while I played tonights session and tried to apply some of your suggestions.I will take feedback like this anyday.Thanks and I look forward to future feedback.

[jmbreslin 0]

Another piece of feedback: if you're going to play cash games, you need to play far more than 50 hands in a session. You can't expect to do well if you're only sitting down for 45 minutes. Cash poker takes a lot of patience. Short sessions might be one of your problems.

[gpineo 0]

Another piece of feedback: if you're going to play cash games, you need to play far more than 50 hands in a session. You can't expect to do well if you're only sitting down for 45 minutes. Cash poker takes a lot of patience. Short sessions might be one of your problems.

jmbreslin,Well I am aware that it's only 50 hands of play. At this point I am trying to apply what has been instruction and see what works for me and get feedback from my play each session I have.Is the saying "You have to walk before you can run" Well I was in an accident and I have to learn how to walk again Thanks for the feedback I will make longer sessions once I feel I have the concepts and methodology down that I am not making stupid plays in the wrong positions.

[regionx8 0]

During this session I had one hand I wasn't completely sure of what I should do. Here is the single hand history. I know I played it wrong but not exactly sure what I should have done.PokerStars Game #25865871623: Hold'em No Limit ($0.01/$0.02) - 2009/03/11 20:54:14 MT [2009/03/11 22:54:14 ET]Table 'Parvulesco II' 9-max Seat #2 is the buttonSeat 1: gbcjb1975 ($1.58 in chips)Seat 2: sibianul ($6.49 in chips)Seat 3: cmdmac ($1.84 in chips)Seat 4: synthmessc ($4.99 in chips)Seat 5: Quikone007 ($5.02 in chips)Seat 6: marta1985 ($3.97 in chips)Seat 7: txintxor ($2.45 in chips)Seat 8: gpineo ($5.40 in chips)Seat 9: Aeistmer ($0.98 in chips)cmdmac: posts small blind $0.01synthmessc: posts big blind $0.02*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to gpineo [3h 3c]Quikone007: foldsmarta1985: foldstxintxor: foldsgpineo: calls $0.02Aeistmer: foldsgbcjb1975: foldssibianul: foldscmdmac: foldssynthmessc: checks*** FLOP *** [2d 5d Ad]synthmessc: bets $0.04gpineo: foldsUncalled bet ($0.04) returned to synthmesscsynthmessc collected $0.05 from potsynthmessc: doesn't show hand*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $0.05 | Rake $0Board [2d 5d Ad]Seat 1: gbcjb1975 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 2: sibianul (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 3: cmdmac (small blind) folded before FlopSeat 4: synthmessc (big blind) collected ($0.05)Seat 5: Quikone007 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 6: marta1985 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 7: txintxor folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 8: gpineo folded on the FlopSeat 9: Aeistmer folded before Flop (didn't bet)Other then that had I feel I played fairly well but I bet I had some areas that I still need improvement and refining.I look forward to your comments. And I hope I am applying what your guys have been telling me . It seems to be working that's two sessions with profit.Tks.

I play 6max not FR but IMO you need to be raising any PP from any position. At higher stakes it might be correct to just fold small PP's from EP but at $5NL Your never going to get 3bet or squeezed. The point of raising pre is to build a pot so when you hit your set there is money to be won, and when there is money to be won people are more likely to get involved than in a limped pot. As for post flop im fine with just giving up. Villains range could be anything here and even if you improve on the turn or river you still may be behind and its probably better not to get involved.

[regionx8 0]

jmbreslin,Well I am aware that it's only 50 hands of play. At this point I am trying to apply what has been instruction and see what works for me and get feedback from my play each session I have.Is the saying "You have to walk before you can run" Well I was in an accident and I have to learn how to walk again Thanks for the feedback I will make longer sessions once I feel I have the concepts and methodology down that I am not making stupid plays in the wrong positions.

Just another thought on this. There are going to be times where you will go days and days without winning money even if you are playing GREAT poker. Just keep this in mind cause i know its frustrating. I've only started playing seriously about 6 months ago and have already had a 15 buyin downswing and have had a 15k breakeven stretch and i've only played about 100k hands. If this happens to you it might take weeks/months for variance to catch up with you. All you can do at that point is post the hands you have questions with and see if its just variance of if there is something you could have done better.

[gpineo 0]

Just another thought on this. There are going to be times where you will go days and days without winning money even if you are playing GREAT poker. Just keep this in mind cause i know its frustrating. I've only started playing seriously about 6 months ago and have already had a 15 buyin downswing and have had a 15k breakeven stretch and i've only played about 100k hands. If this happens to you it might take weeks/months for variance to catch up with you. All you can do at that point is post the hands you have questions with and see if its just variance of if there is something you could have done better.

Yes I am expecting there is going to be ups and downs but I am trying to stop playing stupid poker and make more ups then downs. And the advice everyone have given me here so far I hope I can apply to make there more ups and I can eventually say thanks to everyone by applying the instructions and advice to success with my poker game.Once I get solid enough that I know my fundamentals are sound and I am playing proper poker I will for sure post hands that I am not sure if I was correctly executing.gp.

[Sens-Eh 0]

Here's my comments on your batch of hands from yesterday:Hand # 5 - bet slightly less on the flop - say .06Hand #7 - well playedHand # 11 - I know you don't want to scare them off, but there is an extra big blind posted this hand, you need to bet a bit bigger preflop for this reason. .08 is better - but basically the most possible that you think will get called...on flop nice raise.Hand # 12 - that's fineHand # 14 - excellentHand # 15 - you've been dealt suited connectors, but you are in an earlyish position and no one has entered the pot yet...Later in your poker career you may choose to make a play with this, but for now your best choice is to fold. Well done. You folded suited connecters in some other hands, as well, rather then comment on them all - this will serve as the message for them all...You can limp in behind another limper with suited connectors - if they and the big blind all have largeish size stacks (say 100 bb), other then that, just save yourself some tough decisions and fold them...Hand #16 - Basic bankroll management here. Looks like you took a few minutes sitting out of the game and then posted both blinds when you returned. Instead get in the habit of always waiting for it to be your big blind before you join or rejoin a game and for that matter always leave just before it will be your big blind(if you can). Poker is about patience and that starts even before you begin playing...As for the hand itself - flop is great, turn is great, river is great...you played it very well. Hand #25 - good foldHand #30 - you're first in the pot, enter with a raise - make it .06 - .08...as played, it's fine to fold on that flop..Hand # 33 - I would have raised preflop there...the first "big blind" checked which means, he likely isn't fond of his cards - you have an ace, the real big blind has two random cards, there is .05 in the pot, bet .07 and try and take it down right there. If you get a caller, fire a c-bet and then if they are still tagging along and you haven't hit, you can shut your betting down...you took the safe play though, and that is a lot better then flat calling would have been.Hand # 34 - another well played hand.Hand # 44 - Raise bigger preflop - don't make those minraises preflop.Hand #46 - 3-bet bigger preflop...try something like making it triple the intial raisers amount...In this case, make it .30 Some more general thoughts:You are buying in for $5.00 which is 250bb...this is more then you need/want...Lots of players advize to buy-in for the maximum, because, well that is generally accepted strategy. But there is a flaw with that in some cases. Buying in for that many bigblinds, means you may face much more difficult decisions postflop...As a player's skill level improves, that's usually ok, because you then stand to make the right decision more often in that case...But for just starting out players that tend to get confused postflop, it is better to play with a smaller stack... That way when someone pushes all-in on you, it is a simpler decision...With a big stack you may be tempted to fold too often, and are more succeptible to a bluff (presuming the opponent also has a big stack)...Anyhow, it may not be a big deal for you one way or another, but you should be aware that your stack size and that of your opponents should effect your decisions as you play through a hand...When you have or flop a big hand, think to yourself "How can I make a plan to get all our chips in?" and then work on it...Sure they will often fold out sooner then you would like, but every once in a while someone will pay you often much better. If you're playing with $2.00 maybe they would be willing to double that up... but they would never think of doing it for $5.00...two stacks of 250bb's each playing against each other, the strategy gets a lot more complicated in terms of selecting cards pre-flop(way more cards become "playable"), and making bluff raises, etc...Keep it simple at first and start with a smaller stack size.Cut out the min-raises.Just winning the blinds is a good outcome for any hand (in fact that is what you should usually expect to happen when you have a big pocket pair). Accept it. It is worth it to raise them up because every once in a long while, someone will come along for the ride, and you can win a monster pot. .... but most of them will be tiny pots...Accept it.When no-one has yet entered the pot - never limp in. Always open with a raise. Be the aggressor. You want to win the blinds, or get as few opponents as possible to see the flop with you.Re-evalaute your hand on every street. Think about what you have. Think about what your opponent might have.(that is extra tough at this limit, I know - since it seems like some guys can be in there with just about anything)...But by the time you are on the turn and river, you should have a collection of different possibilities in mind...Don't worry about choosing exactly what cards the villian has...just come up with a collection of possibilities and then decide how your hand compares to the "average" or most likely of that collection.

[gpineo 0]

Got some bad news.I am down 3.54 tonight and I am not please with my results and play.Thought I was playing well but got into situations that I had to make decisions and I think I made the incorrect choices.Played less then 25% of my hands and I was trying to be agressive when I had good starting hands. But I think I was playing again out of position.Have included my HH again. I would like to pick some hand that I think I am not sure of but the whole session was not good.I know that my bad habits won't go away in three sessions so more practice is required.Any thought about what I did wrong would be appreciated.Not please I think I played ok but the results don't show.

PokerStars_Hand_History_031209.txt

[Solar 0]

#4 bet on the turn is ok but I would definitely give up once called. check fold the river.#5 good pre flop raise. Bet more on the flop initially, but certainly don't re raise. His check raise on the flop is quite strong. There aren't many/any hands that he bets with on the river that you beat.#9 It's not a crime to put in the .01 to see the flop. I remember DN saying somewhere that he would always complete with this type of hand after 2 limpers. As long as you don't go too crazy when you hit, because your kicker will be weak you can play quite a few hands here. Folding is fine though.#14 Good.#26 3-betting with tens good, I don't always do it, but you certainly don't want to just shove. If you shove with a hand like this, he will fold almost everything worse than you hand, and call with anything better. This is a bad thing. You will hear this type of thing over and over. Just raise to about .35-.40.#28 reasonable. unlucky that someone hit that king.#38 With a pocket pair I will always raise an unopened pot. If you don't flop a set, you can often win with a c-bet against one or two opponents.#39 Raise this hand pre flop. AQs is a strong hand and by raising you make money from people who call with weaker hands. unlucky to get no action on the perfect flop.#44 Raise a little more pre flop. After a limper you should raise more than 3 time the big blind. I pretty much always raise pot pre flop which would be .09 in this case. Flop check is ok. The ace on the turn is a good card for you, and you should hope that it hit somebody. Bet close to the size of the pot to get maximum value out of an ace. Very unlucky on the river.#45 Fine#48 Good. Raise those pairs.#51 Wow, very aggressive. This is one of the few situations where I don't always raise pairs pre flop. I would just call the re raise. Often when people do this they have a very strong hand, because they see this happening on TV. He folded this time which was nice but its a risky play.#61 Great flop for you. small flop bet is fine, make it about half the pot. You need to punish those callers on the turn. Bet about 2/3 the pot to get value out of hands like KJ or J9. #62 Too aggressive. AJ is not a strong hand against the hands he 3-bets you with. Calling the 3-bet is ok only because you will have position after the flop. Don't 4-bet with AJ here.#68 Raising eights here is fine, but raise more. All your small raise will get you is a big pot with lots of players who have position on you. This is a bad thing. Again I would just call the re raise. That is a bad flop for you. Two overcards and 3 players behind. As it played out you had the best hand and got very unlucky, but more often than not you will just lose a big pot to a hand like KJ. So, raise more pre flop, and be a lot less aggressive once that dangerous flop hits.#75 Again, raise a little more pre flop after a limper. Betting this flop is ok against one or two opponents but you will rarely win against three. If you are going to bet, make it about 2/3 of the pot. Don't call the turn.#92 Eeek. JT is a weak hand. The pre flop raise is marginally ok, but I would never call the shove.#95 Better pre flop raise and your bet on the flop is a good size. A little risky betting into so many people, but it worked. Pretty well played.#96 KJo is too weak to open under the gun.#103 I like betting the flop and often the turn in these situations. Often in a limped pot like this you will win on a bluff, or in this case as we can see the 5 would have given you a straight. So a little work on bet sizes needed, and I think you were too aggressive in some marginal situations. Overall you were unlucky over this set of hands. Hope some of this stuff helps.

[jmbreslin 0]

jmbreslin,Well I am aware that it's only 50 hands of play. At this point I am trying to apply what has been instruction and see what works for me and get feedback from my play each session I have.Is the saying "You have to walk before you can run" Well I was in an accident and I have to learn how to walk again Thanks for the feedback I will make longer sessions once I feel I have the concepts and methodology down that I am not making stupid plays in the wrong positions.

My point is that you can't really learn to apply what you've learned in such short sessions. There is a lot of variance in poker and you have to give yourself enough time to go through the swings of the game and to see a full range of hands and situations. You can play for an hour and just be leaking chips on crap hands, and then suddenly things turn around. In addition, sitting down knowing that you're only going to play for a short time puts you in the wrong midset because you know you only have a certain amount of time to make things happen (which could also explain why you've been playing way too loosely). I've experienced this myself - I sit down knowing that I only have an hour to play, and I end up forcing things and trying to make things happen within that hour. The result is rarely positive.

[gpineo 0]

Mentors,I think this post is helping my game.Last night I played in a 360 player $0.10 NL SnG and finished 32th. I think that is the best I have finished in a tournament that size. I ended up in the money I applied the suggestions and was very patient and played positional poker.What I see now is that I might be getting to patient and I am getting blinded out waiting for the premium cards in position and then I have to make a move to stay alive. I seem to be blow average stack most of the tournament. Because I am only playing premium hands I am basically getting what I call card dead. I can't be playing 52o or 84o in or out of position for example.So is there another approach to Tight/Aggressive poker so that I don't get blinded out when I am card dead. Or do I open up my starting hands a bit more?In the first few pages of SuperSystem2 - NL-Holdem section Doyle talks about this (don't have book here for the exact quote) and how not to end up blinded out.Any suggestions.gpineo.

[jmbreslin 0]

Keep in mind that tourney poker and cash poker are different kettles of fish. I'd suggest sticking with one until you're more confident in your game. For someone in your situation there are a couple of advantages to sticking with tourney poker:1) you can learn the game with limited risk2) there is a ton of literature on tourney poker, especially single-table SnGsIf I were you I would pick one game and really work on that one game. Then you can branch out and adapt your skills to different contexts.

[gpineo 0]

Keep in mind that tourney poker and cash poker are different kettles of fish. I'd suggest sticking with one until you're more confident in your game. For someone in your situation there are a couple of advantages to sticking with tourney poker:1) you can learn the game with limited risk2) there is a ton of literature on tourney poker, especially single-table SnGsIf I were you I would pick one game and really work on that one game. Then you can branch out and adapt your skills to different contexts.

Tks for the advice,I was wondering that same piece of advice. I want to increase my bankroll but I don't want to lose it either and if I am playing 10 cent 360 player SnG's I won't be losing much and gaining tons of hand time and also experience. But there isn't much bankroll increase to this format.If I go cash game I can still get my hand and also experience but I could also win/lose an amount more then one buyin to a SnG.Not sure which one I would like to put my time into. At my home game we only play tournaments but when I go the Casino (not often) I play 1/2 NL. So I think I am answering my own question actually eh?Tks.

[jmbreslin 0]

Building a bankroll starting with micro stakes cash is not easy. That's why they call it grinding. It can be very frustrating putting in hours of play and walking away with small profits, or to have a good session and then have it all erased when you get it in with AA vs KK and get sucked out on. The advantage of building a roll with tournies and SnGs is that your risk is always limited to your buyin fee, but the potential reward is much higher than the risk. Think about it this way: First place for a STT is roughly 4x the buyin. Do you know how hard it is to quadruple your buyin at a cash table?

[nosoul 0]

If you can't beat the micro limits, it suggests two fundamental flaws in your game.One, not folding enough. Folding is actually the most profitable thing you can do in poker. A key part of making money is not giving back what money you've already won. From the HHs, it looks like you've fixed this one for the most part. Preflop, anyway.Second, knowing where you're at in a hand. The basic math underlying the game is pretty simple: bet/raise when you have the best hand, check/fold when you don't. The more you bet/raise/call with the worst hand, the more money you'll lose. You have to start thinking about what the other players are holding and figuring out what they have. From the last HH (the losing session), you're not doing this. You're playing your own hands and betting/raising because you're "supposed to", which is wrong. Only bet/raise if you firmly believe you currently have the best hand. If you don't know, don't bet. Try that and see what happens. Aggression for the sake of aggression is a leak at the micro limits.Oh, one more thing. Don't ever slow play anything. If you think you have the best hand, bet it. Every time. No exceptions. Don't try to check raise or anything cute like that. If you think you have the best hand when the action gets to you, bet or raise. Post flop, bet at least 1/2 the pot, but no more than 3/4 the pot.

[nosoul 0]

Building a bankroll starting with micro stakes cash is not easy. That's why they call it grinding. It can be very frustrating putting in hours of play and walking away with small profits, or to have a good session and then have it all erased when you get it in with AA vs KK and get sucked out on. The advantage of building a roll with tournies and SnGs is that your risk is always limited to your buyin fee, but the potential reward is much higher than the risk. Think about it this way: First place for a STT is roughly 4x the buyin. Do you know how hard it is to quadruple your buyin at a cash table?

I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you on this one. I find the cash games far less frustrating than the SnGs. For the exact same reasons you gave. It's annoying to play solid poker for an hour only to have to resort to all-in coin flips because the blinds suddenly go through the roof. Sure, you can quadruple your profit, but how often does that happen? Compare that with how often you finish out of the money and lose your buy-in. A normal ITM rate for good players is around 40%, which means 6 times out of 10 you can expect to leave the table with nothing.As far as building a bankroll starting with micros, it's really not that hard to do. Just takes time.