Questioning my play

Can someone please comment on my play. My last three times to a B&R poker room I have lost. I know to most no big deal, but I don't feel the competition there is very strong. It's a grey market place where it's known but not legal. The players are calling stations big time, every hand is raised 6x BB pre-flop and there are usually 3 or four callers. People are not afraid to call pre-flop with anything. and they'll call down with Ace high, it's donkey central. Which makes it all the more frustrating. The blinds are only $1/$2, last night one guy cashed out with almost $900 in chips, using a very LAGGY style. He played a lot of hands and was always pushing the action. I went in with the strategy wait for good cards and play them aggressively.

I sit down there's 8 of us, everything is getting raised pre-flop. After a round I'm first to act with AJo, I muck it. call call raise 6xbb, call etc. Turns out the board shows A849A. The LAGGY to my left is telling the pre flop raiser I've got an Ace meanwhile three people are betting like maniacs, one drops out and it's the initial raiser and LAGGY, of course LAGGY shows the ace with a 5 kicker!!! I'm like bloody hell what the???

The only mistake I believe I made was I raised 6xBB from early position with KQ got three callers. I then proceeded to check the flop and turn only to have LAGGY bet $25 on the river and take the pot. Looking back I'm sure he had nothing perhaps Ace high. Othere then that I thought my play was fine I raised another time with KQ didn't hit and got raised on a paired flop and folded. I didn't play many hand, perhaps 20% if that.

I had bought in for $100 and after an hour or so I was down to $45 in chips. I was second to act and look down to see JJ. I'm thinking hmmm raise 10xBB try to go heads up and get it all in pre-flop. The donk who's first to act raises 6xBB, he's a real donk who could have anything. I'm thinking anything from AK-AT or AA-66, that loose. I think for about 30 seconds then say I'm all in for $45. I think hmm looking good three folds then I get to donk number two he's like should I call gets into a discussion with the entire table. I'm like great QQ, possibly AK, I'm thinking insta call with AA or KK. Anyway he takes literally 2 or 3 minutes then calls. Donk number one proceeds to call and raise another $70. I'm thinking I'm screwed here. Guess what they turn over, the initial raiser has TT not a bad initial raise but to call both of us? The second guy who ended up calling a $115 called both of us with,......you guessed it pocket 7's. You can see where this is going, the donk to my right is saying a ten is coming screaming for a ten. He got it on the river.

I got up to leave and everybody, particularly the calling stations were like you're leaving? I said yeah I know when I've had enough for one night.

I know it's not a very detailed discription, but folding AJ tells you I played very tight. I really only wanted to be raising with AK, AQ, KQ, AA, KK, QQ, JJ, maybe AJ & TT depending. Calling with Ax's, pocket pairs, and suited connectors as long as I wasn't cold calling and there wasn't a pre flop raise. I diviated from that strategy twice, once costing me $15. Other then that I played very tight as I thought it would be a good way to pound them. In the end it was I who got pounded for the third time in a row.
Any thoughts would be really appreciated. I'm questioning my abilities. These players are really poor. There were only two of us who didn't rebuy, like I said earlier LAGGY walked off with almost $900.

yeah you played fine. very nitty but thats what you have to do at a table like that. the simple fact is that you just ran bad. being down 3 buy-ins is no biggy. you should be happy they make those calls and raises with A5, because when you have AK it's pay day.

Thanks Will, I'm really begining to doubt myself, I'm nitty by nature. I generally like winning a pot being up a few dollars before I bluff or loosen up. Any posts or suggested reading for me?

Originally Posted by davekp2003

I'm questioning my abilities.

You got your money in as a huge favorite and got sucked out. Is this a whine post?

That's a great game to be a nit in, although you should see more flops if it's only 3bb every time.

Don't buy in short anymore, and for Chrissake, if you lose a buyin, you don't leave a great game like that. You've had enough for one night? That's called pouting.

Maybe poker isn't for you? There's no game that's a guaranteed win.

Sejje, forgive me but this is the beginners circle is it not? I have very limited experience playing live some online. When I left I didn't feel angry sad or mad, I knew I was a pretty good favorite and just thought time to call it a night. I was pretty emotionless. I guess yesterday when I posted I was wondering if I should be playing this game that's all.
More specifically I'm questioning if being in a nit in that game is a proper strategy. I agree you're right. I realize with the players there I should've stayed, I only brought $120 with me, and it was after midnight so I did sort of want to get home.
By the way most of the pre flop blind raises are 6xBB, and I'd say that happens roughly 70% of the time.

Any other advice suggestions? Ive read Sklansky/Malmuth's Theory of NL Hold em.

Perhaps, you should try programs like poker tracker. I'm still new to it, and really haven't a clue on how to use it, but it breaks down players and your own personal play. Does anyone know of a post here that deals with Poker Tracker faqs?

be sure there's no cheating going on. if you're ever losing to any particular people or at particular places, you just have to exercise prudence and avoid them

and yeah, there are people who aren't made for gambling. some have the nittiness in a small enough dose that they can still function effectively, if not optimally, as poker players (harrington). I see myself in this category. Then there are some who just can't. Just as there are some people who just can't dance or like me I just can't sing

Your nittiness is good, although if it's rag ace city you may be able to open up slightly and start playing AJ and then stuff like ATo in late position.

How deep can you buy in for?

Originally Posted by Jonny_MEMPHIS

Perhaps, you should try programs like poker tracker. I'm still new to it, and really haven't a clue on how to use it, but it breaks down players and your own personal play. Does anyone know of a post here that deals with Poker Tracker faqs?

PT doesn't work in IRL, sry.

whats IRL? Sorry, I'm new to forums. Figured it can only help my play, so tried it out. Anyone in this post play Absolute?

The OP was about a live game...hence poker tracker does him no good. (IRL = In Real Life)

dave, go read "aokrongly's starting 19" and go from there. once you have that figured out, start to open up a bit IN POSITION ONLY.

you want to see LOTS of cheap flops with anything that plays well multiway (suited conns, small pp's, AXs, etc.). you are looking for big draws or strong made hands. with A3s, you are NOT looking for an A on the flop as justification to go ballistic (i think you know that one, tho). you are looking for big str8 draws and nut flushes and sets. maybe TPTK on dry boards.

when you hit these hands, its GO TIME! you are looking for stacks. when you miss, you only draw with proper pot odds, as these guys most likely bet softly anyways.

watch the seat you sit in. if you happen to be to the right of LAGgy McLAGgerson, you are in for a rough night. if you are sitting to the right of Cally McCallerson, you arent going to be very aggressive, etc. and, adjust your post flop plays accordingly.

RAISE your premiums very large. 6X may not be enough. you may need 10X to get it HU (heads up). you dont want 5 players in a 6X pot when you hold AKo, let alone AQo or KQ. when you hit QQ+, look to get it in right away...pre flop. send out a huge raise, and hope to get RRed. if you only get called, you look for the overpair on the flop....and SHOVE, or bet at least half of your opponents stack...you are looking to commit him on the next street.

if you get 3bet, its prolly strong. tighten up your calling range, or shove over with the goods, its up to you.

sooner or later, you will get the hang of it. make sure you have a bankroll to last many sessions because your variance will be VERY high, and the hands coming will be VERY slow. you need to exercise extreme patience because you wont see your hands too often, and you will have a difficult time folding one to a raise when you've waited 45 minutes to get ONE decent hand.

but remain vigilant, nittyness pays in these games.