Operation: Circling the Drain!!

$200 to Fulltilt ------ down to $14
$100 to Titan --------- $0.00!

Well i must say, poker is a harsh mistress. Dont get me wrong the journey was fun at times but the frustration was a killer. I have been playing for a bit over 2 years before going online (not too seriously) but the ease of access well im sure that you know the rest of the story. Anyway, iv learnt much over the last 12 months of online thanks to this site and plenty of other reading material (thanks to" Sklansky Theory of Poker"). But herein lies my problem I AM A LOSING PLAYER! after changing my playing style to try and stop the bleeding many many times, a working bankroll of $300 has been whittled right away to ..well... you know, the only number thats left.

Used playcharts to no avail, wait to get the cards and bet 3 to 5 Xbb and get rolled consistantley. So here it is - My operation is (hopefully with the help of FTR pro's) is to rebuild to a breakeven level, that is to show a $300 profit with a $100 outlay. So heres what I need - constructive criticism, i will endevour to post HH and PT stats when i can and eagerly await the help that i so desperately need. Im not doing this for the money but to get better at a game really love to play. Any way please find my first 1000 hands stats for PT (iknow i know, no where near enought get a good idea what the leaks are but its a star. I have played well over 20,000 hands but dont own PT yet should I/) and let me know what you think. First session starts tonight on FT at .5/.10 as thats all ive got left in that account and im not sure yet that thats where ill redeposit, details to follow!.

VP$IP from SB folded SB to steal BB to steal Att to steal Won $ WSF
28.8 59.42 84.62 70 13.79 36.39

WSD% Won $ at SD PF raise
34.81 40.91 8.19

Lower ur VPIP to somewhat between 15 and 25. Raise more hands pf-mainly in good position (CO/Button), appx. 10-20% of ur starting hands.

and btw Good luck!!

are those stats FR or SH?

That would be al full ring No Limit, various buy ins

That's a high vpip for fr. Are you playing a lot of suited junk or a lot of A/K + rag junk?

How often are you calling preflop raises against players with pf raise percentage below 15%? You are probably getting into a lot of hands where you are dominated.

What is your opening range from UTG-Button? What is your limping range?

At first you should close the gap between vpip and pfr. The difference between those should be max 5 points. U should hardly ever limp, if u feel uncomfortable with raising in certain situations, fold. Limping small pp´s in EP is fine, everything else should be raise/fold decisions. Dont open limp behind UTG+1.

Att to steal must be above 20%, when folded to you raise any pp, 45s+, T8s+, AXs, K5s+, Q8s+, 890+, KJ otb/co.


Lowering your WSD to 25% will increase your W$@SD, which is way too low at 40%

What´s your cold call%, TAF, %cbet?

1) Read all the stickies in the beginner forum - ESPECIALLY bankroll management stuff
2) Play less hands. Try and get your VPIP down well below 20, and your PFR well above 10.
3) Fold more flops
4) Get the three biggest losing hands from PT and post each of them in the FR forum, same for your three biggest winning hands, same for a couple of hands where you had AA, regardless of outcomes.

Thanks Daven will do.
No time for update at the moment but any advice on the following debarcle of hands would be great, will post PT stats up soon!

The following is pretty badly played hands i think you will agree, Criticism welcome

GAME #659657047: Texas Hold'em NL $0.50/$1.00 2007-09-18 11:42:27
Table Argenteuil
Seat 1: Marbleboy ($79.60 in chips)
Seat 3: TinaLatinaX ($97.00 in chips)
Seat 5: sprec12 ($265.30 in chips) DEALER
Seat 6: ppaoss ($100.00 in chips)
Seat 8: apa121 ($118.23 in chips)
Seat 10: StanMercury ($105.97 in chips)
ppaoss: Post SB $0.50
apa121: Post BB $1.00
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to sprec12 [C6 D6]
Dealt to Marbleboy [SA HA]
StanMercury: Fold
Marbleboy: Call $1.00
TinaLatinaX: Fold
sprec12: Raise $5.00
ppaoss: Fold
apa121: Fold
Marbleboy: Call $4.00
*** FLOP *** [H9 S9 C5]
Marbleboy: Check
sprec12: Bet $8.00
Marbleboy: Call $8.00
*** TURN *** [D8]
Marbleboy: Check
sprec12: Check
*** RIVER *** [D7]
Marbleboy: Check
sprec12: Bet $17.00
Marbleboy: Raise $34.00
sprec12: Call $17.00
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $92.50 Rake $3.00
sprec12: wins $92.50

GAME #674825766: Texas Hold'em NL $0.10/$0.20 2007-10-03 13:00:50
Table Goya
Seat 1: eriq117 ($3.70 in chips)
Seat 2: G3NoRules ($20.00 in chips)
Seat 4: Moro12 ($25.07 in chips)
Seat 5: rapidrowdy ($3.70 in chips) DEALER
Seat 6: lira1977 ($13.57 in chips)
Seat 8: YaBa4tw ($4.00 in chips)
Seat 9: Marbleboy ($11.90 in chips)
Seat 10: virmos1 ($19.40 in chips)
lira1977: Post SB $0.10
YaBa4tw: Post BB $0.20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to G3NoRules [DA DK]
Dealt to Marbleboy [HA SA]
Marbleboy: Call $0.20
virmos1: Call $0.20
eriq117: Fold
G3NoRules: Call $0.20
Moro12: Fold
rapidrowdy: Fold
lira1977: Call $0.10
YaBa4tw: Check
*** FLOP *** [CJ H8 D4]
lira1977: Check
YaBa4tw: Check
Marbleboy: Check
virmos1: Check
G3NoRules: Check
*** TURN *** [D7]
lira1977: Check
YaBa4tw: Check
Marbleboy: Bet $0.20
virmos1: Fold
G3NoRules: Call $0.20
lira1977: Fold
YaBa4tw: Fold
*** RIVER *** [D3]
Marbleboy: Bet $0.60
G3NoRules: Raise $19.60
Marbleboy: Allin $10.90
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $31.50 Rake $1.00
G3NoRules: wins $31.50

Please dont slowplay aces like this - yr just giving free cards for your opponent to beat you with. They will call you with crap at these stakes so just raise, and bet bet bet.

Good luck.

agree with jimmy. never ever limp/call aces. dont do it, its expensive.

I think it was massimo quoting:

"It´s okay to play your cards face up, when your opponent is blind"

First update as i havnt really played much lately. Lost a $10 buy in by playing very stupidly:

Full Tilt Poker Game #4377242096: Table Donna - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 4:54:05 ET - 2007/12/03
Seat 1: RaisyDaiser ($6.30)
Seat 2: 8geronimo8 ($6.75)
Seat 3: miryna281 ($7.70)
Seat 4: mailknee ($3.30)
Seat 5: Hotfrog5 ($9.85)
Seat 6: Topkappe ($5)
Seat 7: fraktor ($0.85)
Seat 8: fablepoker ($4.20)
Seat 9: AirTim56 ($4.50)
Topkappe posts the small blind of $0.05
fraktor posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hotfrog5 [Ks Ac]
fablepoker folds
AirTim56 folds
RaisyDaiser raises to $0.25
8geronimo8 folds
miryna281 folds
mailknee calls $0.25
Hotfrog5 raises to $0.40
Topkappe folds
fraktor folds
RaisyDaiser calls $0.15
mailknee calls $0.15
*** FLOP *** [2s 5s Jc]
RaisyDaiser checks
mailknee checks
Hotfrog5 bets $0.60
RaisyDaiser calls $0.60
mailknee folds
*** TURN *** [2s 5s Jc] [7s]
RaisyDaiser bets $2.55
Hotfrog5 calls $2.55
*** RIVER *** [2s 5s Jc 7s] [6s]
RaisyDaiser bets $2.75, and is all in
Hotfrog5 calls $2.75
*** SHOW DOWN ***
RaisyDaiser shows [As 8s] a flush, Ace high
Hotfrog5 mucks
RaisyDaiser wins the pot ($11.85) with a flush, Ace high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $13.15 | Rake $1.30
Board: [2s 5s Jc 7s 6s]
Seat 1: RaisyDaiser showed [As 8s] and won ($11.85) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 2: 8geronimo8 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: miryna281 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: mailknee folded on the Flop
Seat 5: Hotfrog5 (button) mucked [Ks Ac] - a flush, King high
Seat 6: Topkappe (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: fraktor (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 8: fablepoker didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: AirTim56 didn't bet (folded)

For some reason i tried to bluff him out, thought i only had to hit K or A to beat lower pair and he makes his flush on the river.
Biggest winning hand for that table:

Full Tilt Poker Game #4377303268: Table Donna - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 5:10:59 ET - 2007/12/03
Seat 1: RaisyDaiser ($8.90)
Seat 2: 8geronimo8 ($1.90)
Seat 3: miryna281 ($6.55)
Seat 4: mailknee ($11.15)
Seat 5: Hotfrog5 ($3.05)
Seat 6: vladyon1 ($1.80)
Seat 7: fraktor ($1.90)
Seat 8: fablepoker ($3.50)
Seat 9: AirTim56 ($3.20)
vladyon1 has 5 seconds left to act
vladyon1 posts the small blind of $0.05
fraktor has 5 seconds left to act
fraktor posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hotfrog5 [Kh Th]
fablepoker calls $0.10
AirTim56 folds
RaisyDaiser calls $0.10
8geronimo8 folds
miryna281 folds
mailknee calls $0.10
Hotfrog5 raises to $0.20
vladyon1 folds
fraktor folds
fablepoker calls $0.10
AirTim56 has been disconnected
RaisyDaiser calls $0.10
mailknee calls $0.10
*** FLOP *** [7c 8c Ks]
fablepoker checks
RaisyDaiser checks
mailknee checks
Hotfrog5 bets $0.20
fablepoker calls $0.20
RaisyDaiser calls $0.20
mailknee folds
*** TURN *** [7c 8c Ks] [2s]
fablepoker bets $0.90
RaisyDaiser folds
Hotfrog5 calls $0.90
*** RIVER *** [7c 8c Ks 2s] [Qc]
fablepoker checks
AirTim56 has reconnected
Hotfrog5 bets $1.75, and is all in
fablepoker has 15 seconds left to act
RaisyDaiser is sitting out
fablepoker folds
Uncalled bet of $1.75 returned to Hotfrog5
Hotfrog5 mucks
Hotfrog5 wins the pot ($3.05)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $3.35 | Rake $0.30
Board: [7c 8c Ks 2s Qc]
Seat 1: RaisyDaiser folded on the Turn
Seat 2: 8geronimo8 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: miryna281 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: mailknee folded on the Flop
Seat 5: Hotfrog5 (button) collected ($3.05), mucked
Seat 6: vladyon1 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: fraktor (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 8: fablepoker folded on the River
Seat 9: AirTim56 didn't bet (fold
Moved up to .10/.25 to try and have a shot at making it back. Did surprisingly well. (for me anyway)

Best Hand:

Full Tilt Poker Game #4377861609: Table Carlisle Crossing - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 7:52:46 ET - 2007/12/03
Seat 1: Vogon42 ($23.25)
Seat 2: drgoat ($9.30)
Seat 3: sargasso ($15.40)
Seat 4: knuffepuffe ($24)
Seat 5: ApexX ($25.50)
Seat 6: Martamars ($35)
Seat 7: ThinkTank80 ($4.30)
Seat 8: -moerkk- ($5)
Seat 9: Hotfrog5 ($17.20)
Martamars posts the small blind of $0.10
ThinkTank80 posts the big blind of $0.25
5 seconds left to act
-moerkk- is sitting out
Time has expired
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hotfrog5 [Ac Qh]
-moerkk- has returned
Hotfrog5 raises to $0.50
Vogon42 folds
drgoat folds
sargasso has 15 seconds left to act
sargasso folds
knuffepuffe folds
ApexX raises to $1.85
Martamars folds
ThinkTank80 folds
Hotfrog5 calls $1.35
*** FLOP *** [5s Qc 9h]
Hotfrog5 checks
ApexX checks
*** TURN *** [5s Qc 9h] [Ad]
Hotfrog5 checks
ApexX bets $2.50
Hotfrog5 raises to $5
ApexX calls $2.50
*** RIVER *** [5s Qc 9h Ad] [3d]
Hotfrog5 has 15 seconds left to act
Hotfrog5 bets $5
ApexX calls $5
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Hotfrog5 shows [Ac Qh] two pair, Aces and Queens
ApexX mucks
Hotfrog5 wins the pot ($22.85) with two pair, Aces and Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $24.05 | Rake $1.20
Board: [5s Qc 9h Ad 3d]
Seat 1: Vogon42 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: drgoat didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: sargasso didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: knuffepuffe didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: ApexX (button) mucked [Ah Kd] - a pair of Aces
Seat 6: Martamars (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: ThinkTank80 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 8: -moerkk- is sitting out
Seat 9: Hotfrog5 showed [Ac Qh] and won ($22.85) with two pair, Aces and Queens
Considering i only took $10 to this table i was happy with the results although a lot more improvement needed. I was on a this table with another player who was killing it, i looked him up on my PT and realised the massive difference in his starting hands to mine, im talking a difference of massive proportions, as soon as i started emulating his style of play things started to turn around for me.
GTG update soon.

Dude, you have some leakage going on in those hands u posted.

Hand 1: WTF is that min-raise PF about? I didn't know you even could raise that little Serously, if your gonna 3-bet do it properly. You should make it at least $1 there. And pot the flop, don't give him good odds to chase his flush.

Hand 2: Raise more or muck preflop. Minraising is asking for trouble. And bet more on the flop. That said, i do like your c/c then shove river line, it looks a lot like you hit your flush. IT's risky when u are so short stacked tho, you'll get looked up a lot by TP type hands.

Hand 3: Stop fucking minraising! And muck it once villian 3 bets unless he is a total spewmonkey (which it doesn't look like from his line in this hand). No-one at $25NL is 3-betting with a worse hand than AQo, and you're liable to get stacked on an A high flop.

Apologies if that sounds a little harsh, but really really really really reallly really really really really really stop min-raising.

click here for some thoughts on min-raising. And stop doing it unless you know why you're doing it...

yep, fair call.starting to get the message a little, correct me if im wrong--
in mid to later position raising very strongly, maybe 8 to 10 X BB is to force out weaker hands and impose on the stronger is the way to go (with the warraning cards of course). Calling to see the flop is not an overly strong strategy unless maybe setting up my table image.
so dont call, fold or raise ?

What about bet sizing? i usually bet 3/4 of the pot on a good hand post flop if im well in front to try and suckout a little. right or wrong? should i overbet in this instance to try and take down the pot?. I know its risky to let opponents draw to hands but i try to make it as expensive as i can for them to see the next card. Do i take it out or string along?

By the way should i move this post to the begginers?

Watch Spenda's micro-limit videos (left hand column under the 'Poker Tools' heading), i think you'll find them very helpful. In the $25NL one, he talks about how fold>raise>call. At the lower limits this applies more to postflop (there is little point 3-betting PF often at $10 & $25 unless you are trying to steal the pot, you'll only get called by JJ+ or AK). That said, u can still call IP with decent hands, just try to limit your exposure to being OOP. Don't call out of the blinds with shitty cards, don't limp mediocre hands from EP etc.

As for bet sizing, you are doing it for value, so overbetting is almost as pointless as min-betting. IF you raise your AA to 8XBB preflop and everyone folds, that's a waste. You want to be betting enough to build a pot and still keep a few people with worse hands in. Generally 3-5xBB (+1BB per limper) will acheive this. If you find that the whole table is calling a 3XBB raise, then bump it up a little until less people come along.

Well ive still got a long way to go but........
Last three sessions-
1. Ive stopped minraising
2.Stopped playing OOP and folding JTo and the likes in early to middle (never used to do this).
3.Bet sizing 4 to 5XBB with immediate and positive effects.
3. Folding to more to larger bets post flop with marginal hands (not staying in to try hit turn or river)

Following this plan i have doubled up in two of the sessions ($20) and trippled in one ($30). Fairly happy with the results so far. Lowering my VPIP greatly and raising PFR% has been most beneficial.

What i am struggling with is protecting my blinds. I have been folding to steals heaps and dont know how to play out of the blinds very well also.

What do i do playing BB with 4/5 limpers and half decent hands? do i raise to try and push out? or just check to see the flop?
Folded around to and cut off or SB raises, do i accept this as a straight out bluff to steal the blinds?