The Big Blind Curse

I am still fairly new to the game (about 4 months of playing seriously, I have been playing poker my whole life) and I have realized that I still suck.

One of my biggest weaknesses, I think, is the Big Blind Curse. I will be sitting in the big blind with a marginal hand, get to see a free flop, and I will flop something that always ends up being the second best hand, and (most importantly) I will go all the way with it and lose my whole stack.

I just don't seem to have any discipline in this department. I am generally a very tight player, so I am not used to dealing with these kinds of situations post flop.

Example: In a tournament I will have J9o on the big blind. Three players limp to me and I check. I the flop comes J 2 3 (suits irrelevant). I bet out with my top pair shitkicker and get called. Long story short, I pot commit myself and lose to JT.

Does anyone else have this problem like me? Also, does anyone remember having this problem and overcoming it?

Put a large sign on your monitor that says, don't over play marginal hands. If it's nothing but lipers, it means a lot of marginal hands that have to hit rather strongly for them to committ a lot. Think of what you would have to hit when limping to be majorly committed.

top pair, weak kicker, out of position in a limped pot is not a hand where you want to put any signifant money into the pot with.

Originally Posted by bigred

Put a large sign on your monitor that says, don't over play marginal hands. If it's nothing but lipers, it means a lot of marginal hands that have to hit rather strongly for them to committ a lot. Think of what you would have to hit when limping to be majorly committed.

Put another sign next to it that says "position is my friend". Bluff less, play fewer hands, and generally be more willing to let go of hands out of position. Unless I flop a monster in the blinds, I'm usually pretty careful. Also check raises in the blinds work wonders on tight weak players.

For me, the ability to execute on this approach to position has been worth thousands of BB's.

My KJ lost with AJ on JJ7 board, my Q9 lost to set on Q95, I was forced to fold my bottom two against big reraise (opponent was nice enough to show me his flopped wheel) AND my flopped baby flush lost to Ace high flush.

I HATE BB specials.

Originally Posted by Vrax

My KJ lost with AJ on JJ7 board, my Q9 lost to set on Q95, I was forced to fold my bottom two against big reraise (opponent was nice enough to show me his flopped wheel) AND my flopped baby flush lost to Ace high flush.

I HATE BB specials.

That's why KJ can be a big loser if you arent very careful.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

UTG+1 ($27.85)
MP1 ($38)
MP2 ($90.25)
MP3 ($81.25)
CO ($100)
Button ($83.40)
SB ($78.45)
Fnord ($216.50)
UTG ($97.80)

Preflop: Fnord is BB with 6, T. CO posts a blind of $1.
2 folds, MP1 calls $1, MP2 calls $1, 1 fold, CO (poster) checks, Button calls $1, SB completes, Fnord checks.

Flop: ($6) 5, 7, T (6 players)
SB checks, Fnord checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, CO checks, Button checks.

Turn: ($6) 4 (6 players)
SB checks, Fnord bets $4, MP1 folds, MP2 raises to $11, CO folds, Button folds, SB folds, Fnord calls $7.

River: ($28) Q (2 players)
Fnord bets $15, MP2 calls $15.

Final Pot: $58

Results in white below:
Fnord has 6h Th (flush, queen high).
MP2 has 4s 5s (two pair, fives and fours).
Outcome: Fnord wins $58.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

UTG ($71.10)
MP1 ($97.60)
MP2 ($18.50)
CO ($60.55)
Button ($36.35)
Fnord ($178.25)
BB ($161.30)

Preflop: Fnord is SB with K, T.
1 fold, MP1 calls $1, 2 folds, Button calls $1, Fnord completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($4) 5, K, Q (4 players)
Fnord checks, BB checks, MP1 bets $2, Button folds, Fnord calls $2, BB folds.

Turn: ($8) 7 (2 players)
Fnord checks, MP1 bets $4, Fnord calls $4.

River: ($16) J (2 players)
Fnord checks, MP1 checks.

Final Pot: $16

Results in white below:
MP1 has 4d 5d (one pair, fives).
Fnord has Kd Tc (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Fnord wins $16.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Button ($98.05)
SB ($99)
Fnord ($204.65)
UTG ($46.65)
MP1 ($50)
MP2 ($26.85)
CO ($147.60)

Preflop: Fnord is BB with 5, 6.
2 folds, MP2 calls $1, CO calls $1, 1 fold, SB completes, Fnord checks.

Flop: ($4) 9, 6, 4 (4 players)
SB checks, Fnord checks, MP2 checks, CO bets $2, SB folds, Fnord calls $2, MP2 folds.

Turn: ($8) K (2 players)
Fnord checks, CO bets $4, Fnord raises to $12, CO folds.

Final Pot: $24

Results in white below:
No showdown. Fnord wins $24.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

SB ($40.50)
Fnord ($100)
UTG ($117.30)
MP1 ($47.15)
MP2 ($186.55)
CO ($53.50)
Button ($214.15)

Preflop: Fnord is BB with 9, 7.
2 folds, MP2 calls $1, 2 folds, SB completes, Fnord checks.

Flop: ($3) 5, 9, A (3 players)
SB checks, Fnord checks, MP2 bets $3, SB folds, Fnord calls $3.

Turn: ($9) 7 (2 players)
Fnord checks, MP2 bets $6, Fnord raises to $18, MP2 calls $12.

River: ($45) Q (2 players)
Fnord bets $20, MP2 calls $20.

Final Pot: $85

Results in white below:
Fnord has 9c 7h (two pair, nines and sevens).
MP2 has 5c Ah (two pair, aces and fives).
Outcome: MP2 wins $85.

Fnord, you look like you'd be fun to play with. What reason do you have for calling pot bet on flop with middle pair weak kicker?

Originally Posted by bigred

What reason do you have for calling pot bet on flop with middle pair weak kicker?

Opponent liked to auto-bet when checked to in the second hand. In the third hand it was probably a silly call.

Finally, consider that splashing around in dinky pots is part of my over-all game plan.