Busting

[Ron_Mexico 4,219]

no offense, but I dont see how someone could be a losing player for 2 years...Have you put any effort into learning the game? read books, posted in strategy forums, talked to winning players etc...?Also, what limits are u playing?

someone needs a reality slap.there are people that play this game for a lifetime and a down overall.

[hblask 1]

hey mike matusow sucks even worse at spelling and grammer than I.

I believe he's broke.... but anyway, I didn't mean to flame you, just a curious observation. To answer your original question, I didn't really start learning until I did two things.First, I started playing ridiculously tight in cash games. It was not unusual for me to see less than 17% of the flops. Google on "pokerroom expected value texas holdem" and memorize the charts. If it's not a +EV hand, don't even think about playing it, and even then it's questionable. I took the charts and put them into Excel and did various operations on them to make them easier to use. Makes for some interesting study and analysis.Second, get PokerTracker and after a couple thousand hands, sort them by biggest losses per hand, and see what pops up. You may be surprised. AQ was a HUGE leak for me, which I've mostly fixed now. I still don't play it optimally, but at least I'm not bleeding. Check both by total loss and loss per hand or per hundred. Also, check the big wins and see if you are playing some hands you shouldn't and are just sucking out too much. Basically, PT can show you your strengths and weaknesses if you are willing to put some time into it. Replay hands frequently, especially the ones that are losing you money. Your hand EV in PokerTracker should more-or-less match the charts I mention above from pokerroom. If not, do more hand analysis, repeat as necessary.After about six months of that, start over, re-read the books, revisit PT, and post hands to the forums. If you still can't get it after that, decide if you are playing for fun or for profit, because you may just not have it. For example, I am a marginally profitable player after a year of the above. I seem to have figured out SnGs pretty well, my cash game is borderline. I like poker, but if I am going to stagnate, I doubt I will stay interested for another year. I don't know if I have "it", that something that it takes to be really good. I seem to be getting there. But at some point, if I don't improve, I may stop trying so hard and just make this a hobby that puts a couple bucks in my pocket each month.(So far I am hoping for bigger things, like paying my mortgage with poker.)

[ripptyde 0]

great post

[dirtystacks 0]

yea i talk to alot o fplayers, i even took classes from Tom Arnold!

Problem. He's a no talent hack.

[aknapp1112 0]

My two cents...You sound similar to my major issue.. lack of patience. You might have to ask yourself if you are playing to learn, make a living OR palying to learn and as a hobby. Go back to the beginning i say, start at .25/.50 cash games and play those for about 800 hours, keep a GOOD log on how you do. I would break it down to what you are making per hour and see how it goes. BTW, is there some sort of guideline as to what you are supposed to make per hour? 20 times the BB of whatever game you are sitting at per hour? anyone know?Anyways, my advice is to go back to the basics at the .25/.50 game until you are a constant winner (after 800 hours you will know). once that is good, go up to a new game, .50/1 or 1/2 until you win at that. you always want to keep getting better, when you are READY to get better.Good luck....

[Balloon guy 158]

Go to a $.02/.04 game at Doyle's room, man is that tough. I have found a fun level that I can be challenged at, and never have any issues with BR. It's a trip to see people folding to a $.02 bet after thinking for a bit. I thought they would be like me, whatever $.02, but they seem to be playing good poker most of the time.I have found this level to be much tougher than $5/10 and I can ignore swings and stay focused.I play for fun though, so if you need money the $5 a day you can make isn't going to help much

[sixhands 0]

Listen boyz...reading isn't the key to success. LEARNING is.

QFMFT

[Actuary 3]

Raise preflop to 250If BB calls, play the flop cautiously.

[Dr_Shakes 0]

Raise preflop to 250If BB calls, play the flop cautiously.

I would prefer to raise to about 300 but thats just me.If BB calls make a half the pot continuation bet on the flop.

[PrtyPSux 0]

someone needs a reality slap.there are people that play this game for a lifetime and a down overall.

I guess I didn't word it correctly. "I cant see how anyone who puts even a little bit of effort into improving can be a losing player for 2 years at low limits"The people who play for a lifetime and are down overall dont try, they play for fun and blame luck.... I became a winning player at .10/.25 nl and $5 sit n gos after 2 weeks of playing and watching a howard ledderer dvd...and I'm pretty dumb when it comes to learning new things...all you need is a starting hand guide and a few pointers on how to read boards, and when to bet..... pretty much anyone can be a winning player at games from .25/50 - 3/6 imho.

[StrippersNBlow 0]

You don't have a poker problem. You have a gambling problem. It's just manifested itself in the form of poker. If it's fun, play. If it isn't, stop. Playing 5-10 with under 1K in your roll is gambling. Nothing wrong with that as long as you realize and accept it. There's a lot more destructive ways to entertain yourself, trust me

[Brisco 0]

no offense, but I dont see how someone could be a losing player for 2 years...Have you put any effort into learning the game? read books, posted in strategy forums, talked to winning players etc...?Also, what limits are u playing?

DittoI have been playing only since January and have won over 5k. I grind out around 400-600 a month in my spare time and am no poker genius. There are limits I consistently beat and limits i consistently lose. So i stick to the limits I can beat for the moment, and never play a limit with less than 20 buy ins in reserve for what ever limit I am playing.