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how to increase my confidence

  
 
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bunthorne
Old 02-01-2006, 04:13 PM     Post subject: how to increase my confidence #1 (permalink)  
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bunthorne
Thanks for all the previous tips - seems I'm always asking for help of some sort.

At present my confidence is low from suffering a number of bad beats and losing out to weak play. I took a break for over a week but normal service was resumed on my return. I've gone from a monthly profit in January of $3700 to $1500.

I play in 6 player cash games ($100 and $200 NL) and my game has been affected so much I can't make my normal moves.

Example. I raise to 5 x bb with AK and, on average, receive 3 callers. (On the site on which I play, players will call these raises with any two suited and any two connectors such as 87o. This used to be highly profitable, but I seem to have lost it.)

Flop comes down K 9 8, two suited. Normally I would lead out on this with a pot sized bet or even larger. The problem is that the flush draws and straight draws will call (even if I don't give them the odds), as will anyone with two pair which, on a board like this, is quite possible. One pair is also likely to call. And lately a third straight or a third flush card will come to cook my goose, or the one pair player will pair his other card.

I am now scared to make such bets as I cannot make players fold drawing hands and I am fed up being outdrawn. I know that I must lead on these flops but most of my opponents, who seem to be greeks, italians or scandinavians, will call with any piece of it or a draw. If I was against just one opponent that would be fine, but I can't seem to bring this about at present and three opponents is too many.

Some of them love to move all-in and put pressure on you. Another example. UTG, who plays any old rubbish and raises with hands like JT, raises to 5 x BB, I call with AK, button calls, blinds fold. Flop comes down 8 8 3. I am certain that the flop has missed the UTG and almost certainly the button as well, so I reckon I am in front with my AK. UTG leads out with a pot sized bet (as usual) - and here is my problem. If I call, he will go all-in on the turn. If I raise he will go all-in now. And even if I think I am in front, I have lost the bottle to call him and so I forfeit the pot.

I also do not know how to play against the players who will play any two cards - I simply cannot read them.

Help!
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nutsinho
Old 02-01-2006, 04:56 PM #2 (permalink)  
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 You should be happy to get so much action.

Drop the fucking hammer.

If everyone is calling a PSB, then with your TPTK+ hands, bet three times the pot and stick it all in on a non-scary turn.

The situation you describe is the one in every good player's dreams.
My bankroll is the amount of money I would spend or lose before I got a job. It is calculated by adding my net worth to whatever I can borrow.
 
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finky
Old 02-01-2006, 05:09 PM #3 (permalink)  
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Raise harder, pre and post flop. If 5BB gets 3 callers, try 6-7. Make them pay till they cry, bleed and are scared to be in a pot with you. If the loose player in your example raises before you reraise with AK, isolate and punish his weaker cards.
Read or re-read this.
http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...ic.php?t=25206

Loose tables have higher varience, it comes with the terratory. Stay tight and as long as they are drawing against you, if you keep hitting hard with made hands and you will make money, its an undeniable fact.

You cannot read the cards of super loose players but you can read there betting patterns, what they do when they hit their 2 pair or draw. Don't try to read their hand, just their overall strength. Rate your hand out of 100 and then rate how how you think they feel about theirs and see how you go. Remember, just because the 3rd flush card hits it dosen't mean they have it.

If confidence is a problem and your getting gunshy, try dropping down a level untill it comes back.

Or if all else fails try Counterplay, the whole thing might be a bit too tight for 6-max but there are some quality ideas to beat these types of games.
http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...hlight=#154528
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Miffed22001
Old 02-01-2006, 06:35 PM #4 (permalink)  
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 go to 10NL.
raise every hand, pull every move ou know. leanr what its like to kick people around.
Go back to 100NL/200NL.
Stop being a pussy.

Its harsh and i apolgise, but it works
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bunthorne
Old 02-01-2006, 06:40 PM #5 (permalink)  
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bunthorne
I tried using counterplay but found I was not getting enough from my good hands.

I've tried raising big and overbetting the pot as suggested, but again I find I am not winning enough cash for the hands.

The most frustrating aspect at present is this - I CANNOT MAKE PEOPLE LAY DOWN HANDS whereas previously I could do so.

For example, I make a raise on the button, the BB reraise, and I call with AK. Flop comes down A x x. BB bets the pot - I've put him on a pair of Js or Qs, so I go all-in over the top. He calls and manages to hit a flush.

The most frustrating thing is that I know my play is correct. With JJ you ideally want to collect the pot preflop. YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT CALL A RAISE ON THE FLOP WHEN THERE IS AN A SHOWING. In other words, the BB had to fold. He didn't and hit something.

It's all very well saying that in the long run I will take the money, but I don't want to lose the $3700 I worked so hard to accumulate. It is almost all gone. And yet I have been careful not to make any rash plays. But I keep losing to people who hit things - it is very rare that I am all-in and am not favourite.

Earlier I had 87h and the flop came JT9h. Three of us in the pot. One player bets, I call, the third player goes all-in, the first player folds, I call.

The other player turns over A4h - the turn and the river are the K and Q of hearts. I nearly smashed my laptop up!

I once naively suggested that Internet poker was rigged. I withdrew that suggestion later, but I'm now beginning to think that this site, and I only use the one, is skinning me!
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freechus9
Old 02-01-2006, 07:21 PM #6 (permalink)  
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Don't you want that guy with JJ to call you? If you can get guys who should fold to call, you must be doing something right. Yea it sucks, I'm sorry. And though I'm playing only 2NL online, I've played cash games live and have lost well over 1000. And I just keep reading FTR and practice, because I know that if I keep on making moves that have been proven to make money, then I will make money. Maybe not now, maybe not soon, but I WILL make money. And when I do, I'll make them bleed poker chips.
And come on, you know it's not rigged.

And if you're playing out of your BR, well, you'll lose your money by playing well or not.
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finky
Old 02-01-2006, 07:45 PM #7 (permalink)  
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You seem to have a real problem dealing with beats but they are a part of poker and always will be. If all your opponents made correct plays, you won't make any money. If you can't come to terms with the luck factor then there are plenty of other games out there.
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r8ed
Old 02-01-2006, 07:50 PM #8 (permalink)  
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If you put your money in when ahead, then you are fine. Sure it rattles your confidence when you lose a bunch of hands you were ahead on, but that's poker. Lately, people love calling me with any two and flopping a boat and then watching me pay them off when I hold AA/KK. It sucks, but that's not the entire reason I'm on a downswing. I'm making bad plays as well. I think I turned things around yesterday by reducing those bad plays.

Follow these steps:
1. Find the leaks and fix them.
2. Put your money in while ahead.
3.
4. Profit
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Bo G
Old 02-01-2006, 07:51 PM #9 (permalink)  
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 It is after all gambling.
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m3laNcholy
Old 02-01-2006, 08:41 PM #10 (permalink)  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bunthorne
For example, I make a raise on the button, the BB reraise, and I call with AK. Flop comes down A x x. BB bets the pot - I've put him on a pair of Js or Qs, so I go all-in over the top. He calls and manages to hit a flush.

The most frustrating thing is that I know my play is correct. With JJ you ideally want to collect the pot preflop. YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT CALL A RAISE ON THE FLOP WHEN THERE IS AN A SHOWING. In other words, the BB had to fold. He didn't and hit something.
When you moved in on the A x x board did you want him to fold his JJ or call with JJ?
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Bo G
Old 02-01-2006, 08:44 PM #11 (permalink)  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m3laNcholy
Quote:
Originally Posted by bunthorne
For example, I make a raise on the button, the BB reraise, and I call with AK. Flop comes down A x x. BB bets the pot - I've put him on a pair of Js or Qs, so I go all-in over the top. He calls and manages to hit a flush.

The most frustrating thing is that I know my play is correct. With JJ you ideally want to collect the pot preflop. YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT CALL A RAISE ON THE FLOP WHEN THERE IS AN A SHOWING. In other words, the BB had to fold. He didn't and hit something.
When you moved in on the A x x board did you want him to fold his JJ or call with JJ?
I am sure he wanted a call with no suckout.
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bunthorne
Old 02-02-2006, 11:24 AM #12 (permalink)  
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bunthorne
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bo G
Quote:
Originally Posted by m3laNcholy
Quote:
Originally Posted by bunthorne
For example, I make a raise on the button, the BB reraise, and I call with AK. Flop comes down A x x. BB bets the pot - I've put him on a pair of Js or Qs, so I go all-in over the top. He calls and manages to hit a flush.

The most frustrating thing is that I know my play is correct. With JJ you ideally want to collect the pot preflop. YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT CALL A RAISE ON THE FLOP WHEN THERE IS AN A SHOWING. In other words, the BB had to fold. He didn't and hit something.
When you moved in on the A x x board did you want him to fold his JJ or call with JJ?
I am sure he wanted a call with no suckout.
of course I did
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m3laNcholy
Old 02-02-2006, 04:48 PM #13 (permalink)  
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Then what exactly is your problem? You somehow want 10% not to ever happen to you? I assure you it will happen... 1 in 10. Its called statistics.
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Chicago_Kid
Old 02-03-2006, 04:13 AM     Post subject: Re: how to increase my confidence #14 (permalink)  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bunthorne
I play in 6 player cash games ($100 and $200 NL) and my game has been affected so much I can't make my normal moves.
Do you think you playing predictably (raise 4-x with big pairs every time, limp with small prs, etc.)?
Are you betting HARD preflop and on the flop, making people suckout on you?
Have you considered a 2 week break to get your headspace back?
"Been gone so long, forgot how to poker"
 
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daddio
Old 02-03-2006, 03:27 PM #15 (permalink)  
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bunthorne said:

Quote:
I know that I must lead on these flops but most of my opponents, who seem to be greeks, italians or scandinavians, will call with any piece of it or a draw. If I was against just one opponent that would be fine, but I can't seem to bring this about at present and three opponents is too many.
just curious as to how this has any relevance??? could these evil europeans really be the cause of your downfall
"I say never be complete. I say stop being perfect. I say let's evolve. Let the chips fall where they may".
 
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Bo G
Old 02-03-2006, 03:52 PM #16 (permalink)  
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 Do we need 3 threads about this poor sap's bad luck of cards?
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BankItDrew
Old 02-03-2006, 07:27 PM #17 (permalink)  
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 As Matt Stone and Trey Parker's Underpant Knomes would say:

Step 1: Play poker
Step 2: ...
Step 3: Profit

Never thought of Step 2 before...

What I do when I'm on a bad run like this, wheter it be bad beats or bad play, is play on lower levels. I play on 25NL right now, and if I drop $50, I'll submit myself to 10NL until I get me confidence back.

I'll start to notice that I'm on tilt with I'm playing a higher % of hands than normal, and I'm betting at pots strongly OOP with a high card. So take my suggestion, drop down a level until you find yourself looking forward to playing at your prefered level within your 'A' game.


Girlfriend: Why are the werewolves more important than living life?!

Girlfriend: Are you on the forums doing the werewolves again?

Girlfriend: Soo... you forgot to run that errand, but you had time to werewolf? Wtf?
 
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