Just When You Think You Have It Figured Out...

[TexasCoffee 0]

I've been running down the poker road now for several years. I've read the books, thrown them away, bought some more, burned them, and have ended up a decent middle limit poker player. In the early days, I watched my game change dramatically from session to session. I would stumble upon a new trick or theory and alter my play. Then, I saw a leveling out and less change. I have reached a point where my game doesn't change all that much. Just when you think that you have it figured out...I have a wrinkle... I buy-in 20-25x big blind. I have never really paid attention to my buy-in amount. I just like to have enough in front of me to get my game going without rebuys. Here's the problem... For the last several sessions (with different people in different card rooms) I have lost nearly all of it... then rebounded dramatically usually doubling/tripling my initial stack. It looks like a swing on a graph... but it is the same thing happening over and over. So, no swing. Go broke, rebound - go broke, rebound. It has been profitable sure... but I have no control and have no idea what is happening. I feel like a golfer who has developed a hook in his swing... a hook plays ok on most courses, but the lack of control usually lowers confidence and ruins other parts of his golf game.I am about to start tweaking but thought that I would throw out my delima to y'all.Cheers,Mike[/b]

[BPV 0]

tweaking?

[curq 0]

I've noticed similar swings during my limited experience albeit at .5/1 tables where I usually buy in for 15x BB. I've noticed that any hand I play will get attacked by new players joining the table after I do who I figure I've been losing so far, or by the players that were on the table before me and take me for scared money. I've personally found that this works to my advantage if I tighten up my play initially and then loosen up if/when my stack size grows larger than most of the table.I'm not sure if this would happen at mid limit tables but maybe you can tweak your buy-in on a few tables to see if you get treated differently. Cheers,Eugene

[TexasCoffee 0]

Last night I was reading an old journal posting from Daniel about his intensity when his back is to the wall. This got me thinking. Maybe I am not focused until I get down in chips. Then I bring out my "A" game and fight like hell.If this is the case... Do I move up in limits or come up with tricks to keep my focus up to where it should be?

[Smasharoo 0]

If this is the case... Do I move up in limits or come up with tricks to keep my focus up to where it should be?Are we talking about limit, or no limit, and what limits are we talking about. Moving from $1/$2 to $2/$4 lijmit is much less of abig deal than moving from $500 max buy in NL to $1000 max buy in NL.

[Matt Miner 0]

Personally I feel you should always buy in for 30-50x/BB.

[Smasharoo 0]

Personally I feel you should always buy in for 30-50x/BB.Online I buy in for whatever the default is, or 50BB. Live I ussually buy x amount of racks that's closest to 30BB. So for 2/4, I'd buy a rack of $2 chipse, which would end up being 50BB.I guess I'm saying I do the same thing, but just sort of cooncidentaly

[TexasCoffee 0]

5-10 to 8-16 Limit

[Smasharoo 0]

5-10 to 8-16 Limit

/shrug. Plays almost identically most places. You might me see increased aggression, but is that going to make you focus more?Do you have the $4800 bankroll fre to play $8/$16? If not, you're likely to end up real focused and broke due to the increased variance of a potentially more agressive game. Are you a winning player at 5-10?

[TexasCoffee 0]

I am sorry. I should have been more clear.I play between the limits of 5-10 and 8-16 currently. It just depends on where I am playing and how long the list is. (ie, 8-16 at Belagio is much better game than the 4-8, 6-12 at Lucky Chances - SF CA is a good game, etc.)I have adequate bankroll for the limits that I currently play and make enough money at my day job to fund an increase in limits if necessary.

[Smasharoo 0]

I am sorry.  I should have been more clear.I play between the limits of 5-10 and 8-16 currently.  It just depends on where I am playing and how long the list is.  (ie, 8-16 at Belagio is much better game than the 4-8, 6-12 at Lucky Chances - SF CA is a good game, etc.)I have adequate bankroll for the limits that I currently play and make enough money at my day job to fund an increase in limits if necessary.

If you're moving up to improve your game I can help you right now. Be prepared to deal with much, much, more agressive players. Be prepared for 70 percent of hands to be won without a showdown. If you're a cautious player who normally waits to have a solid hand before betting or raising, you're going to absolutley get run over in these games. Learning when you play back agressively at very agressive, but tight players is the skill of playing at bigger limits. If you're not prepared to raise middle pair on the turn, cap a three bet and bet out again on the river and call another raise...It's probably not a good idea.The good play live usually starts at about $20/$40ish. Give the Bellagio $30/$60 game a shot. next time you're there. Bring $2000 and just play your best game and see how it goes. It'll give you some idea of where you are at as a player.If I feel like a challenging game in Vegas I play the Bellagio $30/$60. If I'm looking to cover the cost of the trip, I play the Mirage $10/$20 which is probably the softest $10/$20 game on the planet with the possible exception of the $9/$18 game at Commerce in LA.

[TexasCoffee 0]

All good information. Thanks.I will be in San Diego in late January. I have absolutely no experience in this area. Any advice?I am comfortable in middle limits and will probably stay there. I am just frustrated at the new "twist" in my game (as related in my original post) and am looking for possible solutions. I really think it all comes down to focus.Cheers,Mike

[Smasharoo 0]

I will be in San Diego in late January. I have absolutely no experience in this area. Any advice?I played there at a place amusingly named "Ocean's 11" maybe a year ago. It wasn't a very impressive place, but the game was very live. If I remember correctly they only have kill games for limit holdem, so most of them played a little "bigger" than they normally would at those limits because they were fairly lose and there were a lot of kill pots. If you're pretty tight PF kill games are probably a good deal for you. You're going to be posting the kill blind less often and will be getting good value when you catch a big hand in a kill pot.I think I played 4/8 and 8/16 both with kills. They did spread higher non kill games but I didn't play any of them or really pay much attention to them.It's a little srive from SD, I forget how long, not terrible. There are some Indian casino's that I've never been in in the area too, couldn't tell you anything about them.