New Player with Question about "Reverse Tilt"

I have just gotten interested in NL Hold-em. After playing with Play Money at PartyPoker long enough to get a feel of the interface and game, I signed up with the Instant Bankroll thingy and am trying to make it through the necessary 500 raked hands with the $75.00. I started with $10NL then (After dropping $20) realized that I needed to back off to the $5NL (.02/.04) tables.

I am doing ok now, staying about where I was when I backed off to the micro limit tables. Since I won $20 playing at a home game last Friday, I consider myself 'even' overall!

One thing I noticed yesterday was that I was playing VERY tight, to the point of folding when I shouldn't, because I didn't want to lose another buy-in. Sort of a reverse tilt?

One example (sorry I don't have the hand history, but you'll get the idea.):

I was in middle position and drew pocket 2's and limped in to see the flop. And I was REALLY happy to see a 2 in the flop. The fact the other cards were KJ made me a bit worried. The flop was all different suits, so there was no flush potential. I raised a .08 bet to .16. The better re-raised to .24 and I chickened out and folded.

I know I should have stuck it out. Of course the fact that the 4th 2 appeared on the river didn't make me happier about my play.

Thoughts?

oh.. and Thanks for all the great information here!!

Pay off set over set every single time - you are going to be ahead way more often than you will be behind here to ever fold.

Originally Posted by DWayneBos

I was in middle position and drew pocket 2's and limped in to see the flop. And I was REALLY happy to see a 2 in the flop. The fact the other cards were KJ made me a bit worried. The flop was all different suits, so there was no flush potential. I raised a .08 bet to .16. The better re-raised to .24 and I chickened out and folded.

The whole reason you limp with 22 is to hit your set, and take someone's stack. KJ2 rainbow is just about the best god-given flop you could have received. You said you limped with 22 right? So you basically have the nuts. People don't generally tend to limp KK and JJ, which are the only two hands that beat you. What you are most worried about is QT but you are still a significant favorite to win. Even if he turns the straight you have ten outs to redraw.

You very possibly missed out on someones whole stack here.

Originally Posted by DWayneBos

I was in middle position and drew pocket 2's and limped in to see the flop. And I was REALLY happy to see a 2 in the flop. The fact the other cards were KJ made me a bit worried. The flop was all different suits, so there was no flush potential. I raised a .08 bet to .16. The better re-raised to .24 and I chickened out and folded.

I dance around the room a little sing a song high five my imaginary friend and then figure out how to get him AI!

Its an unraised pot KK and JJ raise pf, hell KJ (who you are hopefully about to destack here) often raises at this level. You also destroy AK AJ QJ.... I could go on. This is the sort of situation you are playing NLHE to get into when you think about it, sets are sneaky and hidden and even good players have a hard time spotting them!!

Originally Posted by DWayneBos

One thing I noticed yesterday was that I was playing VERY tight, to the point of folding when I shouldn't, because I didn't want to lose another buy-in. Sort of a reverse tilt?

sounds more like playing scared. No offence. If you play scared, you will not make money playing poker.

Read up on here as much you can. In particular, read up the stickies (esp. the one about Bankroll Management). You will gradually learn some fundamental factors about poker, one of which is about making correct decisions and not being results orientated (on a hand-by-hand basis). It is all about the long term.

anyway, the fact that you have not only found this site, but have signed up, shows you are willing to learn. Good luck and welcome to FTR!

Yeah, looking back at it I know I made a bad error. In fact, a few seconds after I clicked Fold I knew.

Why is there no "Undo" command?

Originally Posted by DWayneBos

Why is there no "Undo" command?

lol, I wore it out!!!

Mulligans for poker would be fun

its not really reverse-tilt, its just tight-passive play taken to an extreme. if youre weak-tight because youre a weak-tight human being, thats one thing. if youre weak-tight because youre playing scared and the money means too much... well, you know thats a bad thing.

Originally Posted by midas06

Mulligans for poker would be fun

wtf is a mulligan

btw siknd i'd bang the hell out of mercier

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Originally Posted by midas06

Mulligans for poker would be fun

wtf is a mulligan

btw siknd i'd bang the hell out of mercier

Oops. Meant to write something.

A mulligan is a fudge, particularly relating to golf. Wiggle room. Something that doesn't count. An Undo button.

That's the concept.

You can't play successful poker fearing to lose money, I know because I have been there when I started playing. You end up giving your opponents way too much credit and getting bluffed out of pots left and right. Then you dont get paid for your hands that hit because you only play premium hands.

If you are afraid to lose the money move down in stakes until you get your confidence

you are worried about JJ or KK?