Looking for the holes in my game.....

If I was to reference the "newbie circle of death" I think I'm back around step 9 or 10(I think). I need to find and repair the holes in my game. Everyday I start playing when i get home and things go really good at first then by the end of the night things goes to sh*t. For Example, I've finished third and first in the last 3 SNG's I've sat down at. the third was a multi-table which I was knocked out 8th on the final table, which wasn't in the money but I was happy seeing as it was my first multi-table SNG. So seeing as I had some decent sucess with my SnG's I figured I would play a cash game last night. I started with $25, .1/.25 blinds NL. I turned it into 40 before I hit my huge downslide. I feel like sometimes if I play too long I make moves that I shouldn't. I'm thinking maybe I got too cocky as well. I had won a few decent pots in a row and there was one A-hole at the table who bet everything and then would show crap cards after everyone folded. I was dealt A-10 suited and I called the BB. he raised to .5 and I call. Flop came A-9-10, I bet $2 he raises to $4 something he's done all night, I was sure he didn't have me beat so I said screw him and I pushed in, he called me with J-9 and got two running cards to make a straight and almost busted me.

would you say my biggest mistake was cockyness, or the fact that I made a move based on what the other guy had been doing? I feel as if I play pretty decent poker but I want to get better, looking for advice.

Personally, i don't think you really made any mistakes on that particular hand. When you are playing a maniac you want to milk them for all they have when you flop a good hand, so some may argue that you could have slowplayed a little. On the other hand, assuming the turn card was scary (which it must have been since he ended up with a straight), you probably would have to move all in anyway with your ACES and TENS after the turn. The fact that he runner runnered you sucks, but not much you can do. Just another bad beat by someone that clearly should have folded.

You were concerned that it was a mistake to base your decision on what the "other guy" had been doing. Personally, that is exactly what you should be doing at a poker table. By pretty much knowing what opponents are going to do, you can adjust your decisions so you can get them to do what you want and what you predict. If you predict a player is going to get aggressive with a scary flop when you have hit a hand, then you should let him!!!

Right … first off, it sounds like you might be playing too much in one night. I think it is almost certain that when you play a lot during one night, especially if (like me), you have been working all day (no doubt interspersed with reading FTR and longing to get home and put anything you’ve learnt into practise). You get home and play well to start with but inevitably you become tired and this affects your decision making capability but, most importantly, it begins to impinge on your ability to discipline yourself.

From the example you have given about the ring game, it appears (to me anyway) that you lost this self-discipline. In fact, I think it is evident that you did due to your statement that you “…just thought ‘oh fuck it’”.

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In fact, I think it is evident that you did due to your statement that you “…just thought ‘oh fuck it’”.

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yea I actually believe those exact words came out of my mouth at one point when my stack was almost gone....LOL. I think I will just stop playing as much as I do and if I see myself starting to lose discipline at all just get up and walk away for the night.

One thing I learned for sure. If you say in your head "Aww fuck it!" It's a safe bet you should not be doing whatever it is you are thinking of. In this case I think your move was a good one. In most cases when you say fuck it you are pretty much saying "I'm done thinking about this" and usually signifies a impulsive action, which is one of the biggest killers in poker.

JD

|| The shows over. A lot of people look pissed. ||

yea well I don't take advice from people named JD52 anymore.....LOL JK

I think its easy to spot the hole in my game and its something you've pointed out before that after I've played too long I start making bad decisions.