Operation one goal at a Time
Introduction: I just recently started playing online poker at pokerstars. I have been playing live for about a year and am a winning player which I now realize isnt that hard. I quit playing poker live and now plan on playing a whole lots online since I have nothing better to do with my time. I planned on depositing $1000 on Pokerstars, but had problems. Thankfully I did because the games online are way tougher than I thought and I would have probably lost it all.. A friend sent me $50 and I played 2NL until I hit $150, then 5NL until I hit $300, and I currently am playing 10NL with $425. Even though this sounds quite good I feel like I have alot of leaks in my game and need lots of advice. I have only been playing cash for about a week now so I dont want to set my goals too high yet, but I would like to be playing 25NL by the end of the month.
LEAKS that I know of:
1.Suck at playing SC( I hardly ever play suited connectors unless I am SB or BB in a limped pot)
2. Bluff donks(dont really need no advice on this one I know just dont bluff at these stakes)
3.Play PP any position for just about any raise as long as the raiser has a deep stack(I just realized this leak and am not sure how bad it is)
4.I may be playing too many tables( I played 16 at 2NL, 14 at 5NL, and now play 12 at 10NL. I dont read players very well, but dont seem to make much money when I only play a couple tables.)
5.Playing too many hands(I have been playing about 3 sessions a day at 2500 hands per session, and most of my money earned seems to be in the first 1000 hands of each session then I slowly lose a couple bucks through the last 1500 or so hands)
I will be posting alot of hands that I am not sure about and hopefully with the help from all the great players here I can reach my goal and set another one.
Re: Operation one goal at a Time
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kbryce23
4.I may be playing too many tables( I played 16 at 2NL, 14 at 5NL, and now play 12 at 10NL. I dont read players very well, but dont seem to make much money when I only play a couple tables.)
5.Playing too many hands(I have been playing about 3 sessions a day at 2500 hands per session, and most of my money earned seems to be in the first 1000 hands of each session then I slowly lose a couple bucks through the last 1500 or so hands)
Definitely need to decrease the amount of tables. Try a quality over quantity approach. It will be harder to improve your game with that many tables at the same time. You will be getting better at multi-tabling rather than playing.
Re: Operation one goal at a Time
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kbryce23
LEAKS that I know of:
1.Suck at playing SC( I hardly ever play suited connectors unless I am SB or BB in a limped pot) not playing SCs is fine. If you do choose to play them (my advice is not too often to start with!) then do so from position only
2. Bluff donks(dont really need no advice on this one I know just dont bluff at these stakes) C-bets are a type of bluff, do this. Also semi-bluff some flops and turns, but not as default.
3.Play PP any position for just about any raise as long as the raiser has a deep stack(I just realized this leak and am not sure how bad it is) not such a bad leak so long as the raiser has 15x what you're calling to see a flop. Micro = hit sets, get paid
4.I may be playing too many tables( I played 16 at 2NL, 14 at 5NL, and now play 12 at 10NL. I dont read players very well, but dont seem to make much money when I only play a couple tables.) depends what you're after, I think multi-tabling is fine. Others disagree
5.Playing too many hands(I have been playing about 3 sessions a day at 2500 hands per session, and most of my money earned seems to be in the first 1000 hands of each session then I slowly lose a couple bucks through the last 1500 or so hands) sounds like you lose concentration/focus. Don't play >2hrs without a break.
I will be posting alot of hands that I am not sure about and hopefully with the help from all the great players here I can reach my goal and set another one.
this is good, and will probably help you find the other leaks!
Re: Operation one goal at a Time
Quote:
Originally Posted by daven
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kbryce23
LEAKS that I know of:
1.Suck at playing SC( I hardly ever play suited connectors unless I am SB or BB in a limped pot) not playing SCs is fine. If you do choose to play them (my advice is not too often to start with!) then do so from position only
2. Bluff donks(dont really need no advice on this one I know just dont bluff at these stakes) C-bets are a type of bluff, do this. Also semi-bluff some flops and turns, but not as default.
3.Play PP any position for just about any raise as long as the raiser has a deep stack(I just realized this leak and am not sure how bad it is) not such a bad leak so long as the raiser has 15x what you're calling to see a flop. Micro = hit sets, get paid
4.I may be playing too many tables( I played 16 at 2NL, 14 at 5NL, and now play 12 at 10NL. I dont read players very well, but dont seem to make much money when I only play a couple tables.) depends what you're after, I think multi-tabling is fine. Others disagree
5.Playing too many hands(I have been playing about 3 sessions a day at 2500 hands per session, and most of my money earned seems to be in the first 1000 hands of each session then I slowly lose a couple bucks through the last 1500 or so hands) sounds like you lose concentration/focus. Don't play >2hrs without a break.
I will be posting alot of hands that I am not sure about and hopefully with the help from all the great players here I can reach my goal and set another one.
this is good, and will probably help you find the other leaks!
Thanks Daven. I forgot about Cbets, I Cbet quite often when I think the flop missed villian. Right now if that Cbet doesnt work I am done with the hand, until I get better then I might try a 2barrel bluff.
Re: Operation one goal at a Time
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kbryce23
LEAKS that I know of:
1.Suck at playing SC( I hardly ever play suited connectors unless I am SB or BB in a limped pot)
2. Bluff donks(dont really need no advice on this one I know just dont bluff at these stakes)
3.Play PP any position for just about any raise as long as the raiser has a deep stack(I just realized this leak and am not sure how bad it is)
4.I may be playing too many tables( I played 16 at 2NL, 14 at 5NL, and now play 12 at 10NL. I dont read players very well, but dont seem to make much money when I only play a couple tables.)
5.Playing too many hands(I have been playing about 3 sessions a day at 2500 hands per session, and most of my money earned seems to be in the first 1000 hands of each session then I slowly lose a couple bucks through the last 1500 or so hands
1. I play SC just like PPs... and yes, they are great to defend with but also good from any position imo. You gotta make sure the implied odds are there.. then you are looking to flop a big hand or draw. SCs are just plain sexy and will be the source of a lot of your biggest winning pots. Typical situation: A guy raises on the button with AA, you call with 87.. flop is 772.. you stack the AA dude. I fold SCs to 3bets unless its a smallish raise.
2. You can bluff the regs at 10NL. Look for peeps running 12/8.. or lower with an af of 2.5 or lower.. you can profitably bluff them all day.
3. I don't like to call raises/reraises with pps for more than 5% of the effective stack.. 10% in a multiway.. same with SCs.. you have to get paid off on a set sometimes and it has to make up for the 20 or so times you either miss or don't get paid.
4. At FR 16 is okay.. for 6 max I don't like to play more than 12.. 8 seems to be the sweet spot for me.. there's just too much reading via HUD that needs to be done in 6max.
5. I am guilty of this as well. I actually have been experimenting with something lately. I'll play 45 minutes or so at 10NL, then 45 minutes of 5NL, and finish with the same time on 2NL. I find it mentally makes it easier for me to play longer sessions doing this.. I then feel like if I play worse after the initial mini session, at least I won't likely be losing any money. For example today I was +$35 in my 10NL phase, then +$12 in my 5NL, and lastly ended up +$9 at 2NL... net gain of $56.. now would I have gotten up $56 in only playing 10NL? Maybe.. maybe not.. but I just seem to feel like I am being smarter doing this, knowing there is no way I can donk off my entire first mini session's gains and am still able to relax and have fun playing. Its all about comfort zones. To put it another way; I remember in school our basketball coach would hit us with all of the drills and fundamentals the first part of practice when our brains and bodies were at a heightened state of awareness and fortitude... but then once we were wiped physically and mentally we would usually scrimmage and put the fundamentals into practice. There we would just play the game and it became more about fun and "art", if you will.. and we weren't stressed because there was really nothing to lose. Its nice to be able to take your game face off every once and awhile in any endeavor. But I guess that ties back in with good bankroll management. When all is said and done we are all doing this for fun right?
Tj
Re: Operation one goal at a Time
Quote:
Originally Posted by Outlaw
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kbryce23
LEAKS that I know of:
1.Suck at playing SC( I hardly ever play suited connectors unless I am SB or BB in a limped pot)
2. Bluff donks(dont really need no advice on this one I know just dont bluff at these stakes)
3.Play PP any position for just about any raise as long as the raiser has a deep stack(I just realized this leak and am not sure how bad it is)
4.I may be playing too many tables( I played 16 at 2NL, 14 at 5NL, and now play 12 at 10NL. I dont read players very well, but dont seem to make much money when I only play a couple tables.)
5.Playing too many hands(I have been playing about 3 sessions a day at 2500 hands per session, and most of my money earned seems to be in the first 1000 hands of each session then I slowly lose a couple bucks through the last 1500 or so hands
1. I play SC just like PPs... and yes, they are great to defend with but also good from any position imo. You gotta make sure the implied odds are there.. then you are looking to flop a big hand or draw. SCs are just plain sexy and will be the source of a lot of your biggest winning pots. Typical situation: A guy raises on the button with AA, you call with 87.. flop is 772.. you stack the AA dude. I fold SCs to 3bets unless its a smallish raise.
2. You can bluff the regs at 10NL. Look for peeps running 12/8.. or lower with an af of 2.5 or lower.. you can profitably bluff them all day.
3. I don't like to call raises/reraises with pps for more than 5% of the effective stack.. 10% in a multiway.. same with SCs.. you have to get paid off on a set sometimes and it has to make up for the 20 or so times you either miss or don't get paid.
4. At FR 16 is okay.. for 6 max I don't like to play more than 12.. 8 seems to be the sweet spot for me.. there's just too much reading via HUD that needs to be done in 6max.
5. I am guilty of this as well. I actually have been experimenting with something lately. I'll play 45 minutes or so at 10NL, then 45 minutes of 5NL, and finish with the same time on 2NL. I find it mentally makes it easier for me to play longer sessions doing this.. I then feel like if I play worse after the initial mini session, at least I won't likely be losing any money. For example today I was +$35 in my 10NL phase, then +$12 in my 5NL, and lastly ended up +$9 at 2NL... net gain of $56.. now would I have gotten up $56 in only playing 10NL? Maybe.. maybe not.. but I just seem to feel like I am being smarter doing this, knowing there is no way I can donk off my entire first mini session's gains and am still able to relax and have fun playing. Its all about comfort zones. To put it another way; I remember in school our basketball coach would hit us with all of the drills and fundamentals the first part of practice when our brains and bodies were at a heightened state of awareness and fortitude... but then once we were wiped physically and mentally we would usually scrimmage and put the fundamentals into practice. There we would just play the game and it became more about fun and "art", if you will.. and we weren't stressed because there was really nothing to lose. Its nice to be able to take your game face off every once and awhile in any endeavor. But I guess that ties back in with good bankroll management. When all is said and done we are all doing this for fun right?
Tj
Sounds good. Dont think I will apply the changing stakes technique though, it is a pain having to open all those tables, I would hate to have to open up 12 tables 3 times in one session.
