I'm Down 117 Big Bets
I'm running bad and/or playing bad the last 4 sessions.
I lost 57 Big bets at 5/10 Brantford in 3 sessions.
Dropped down to 2/5.
Lost another 60 Big bets in one session.
Plan.
1.
Study more.
Re-reading Middle Limit Holdem, Small Stakes Hold'em, Hold'em Poker For Advanced Players.
2.
Posting more hands.
3.
Working on my postflop play.
4.
Yell at the monkey Brain
I'm looking for tips to get through this downswing and improve my game.
Comments?
I lost 57 Big bets at 5/10 Brantford in 3 sessions.
Dropped down to 2/5.
Lost another 60 Big bets in one session.
Plan.
1.
Study more.
Re-reading Middle Limit Holdem, Small Stakes Hold'em, Hold'em Poker For Advanced Players.
2.
Posting more hands.
3.
Working on my postflop play.
4.
Yell at the monkey Brain
I'm looking for tips to get through this downswing and improve my game.
Comments?
Comments
It will help, trust me. And stay away from 2/5.....the monkey loves 2/5.....
I live in Brantford so getting to the casino is pretty easy for me (minus the wife/kids)
The only word that comes to my mind is variance and I mean, 60 bets is nothing.
The 2/5 tables were very soft, often 6 or 10 players to the flop. Very passive, I was often the only person raising. The players were not tricky. I was usually the only person who made a check raise. If the person donk bet then they could beat top pair or the card made their flush or straight. For the most part I didn't bluff except sometimes semibluff with 12 or more outs (say pair and a flush draw )
5/10 tables were usually 4 to 6 players to the flop.
The players were a little bit better than 2/5 but not by much.
Usually I was the most aggressive player on the table.
Preflop Opening.... (I pretty much followed HEPFAP)
I played, Group 4 in early position (QTs, J9s, T9s, 98s, AJo, KQo, 88+)
Group 5 in middle position (AXs, Q9s, T8s, 97s, 65s, KJo, QJo, JTo, 66+)
Group 7 late position.
Pot sizes were all over the map. Often I was playing in the largest pots since I was open raising most often. 5/10 was a bit more aggressive then 2/5. But most of the players were very very passive.
Note: Just dropped another 37 Big bets.. at 5/10
I have to say you play too many hands. Loose the J9s, 89s, and stupid hands like K10, in early. The only time you should play them is in the BB not raised. These are loosing hands. I will sometimes play them in 6+ way hands but only in position.
Group 5 hands the same. Ax hands are the worst type of hands in low limit, limit. You flop a A and call down to show second best. You flop a flush and no action. Not worth all the calling you did to hit the one in whatever the odds are. Don't even get me started in group 7 hands....I didn't even know there was a group 7, I call them preflop muck hands.
IMO 5/10 is one of the hardest to beat for the reason you said earlier, 7 way flops. TPTK is not a winning hand in this game and top 2 most of the time is a looser! The real money in this game is sets, straights and flushes.
If you want to beat the game, tighten up and play only group 1 to 3 hands only, don't chase inside straights, and if a 3 card flush is on the board, I can pretty much guarantee that some one has it! My motto is: "if they don't add up to at least 20....and are not one gappers.....and are not suited, you just saved $20.00 at the 5/10 table"..... 2 big bets.
RM
You also have to be aware of HOW you are playing those hands.
Looking at group 5, with 3 or 4 limpers, in late position, I'm coming in with my suited connectors (connectors, not 2 gappers) and throwing away KJo and other dominated crap.
However, folded to me, I'm raising my KJo and throwing away my suited connectors and weak suited Axs.
60 bets is nothing is correct. That is a bad day at the tables. I say take a break and do nothing (not even read poker) When your ready start reading and head back.
I'll disagree. You just have to know to value your draw and not TPNK type hands.
I agree with the sentiment that the OP is too loose in EP and MP with marginal hands. I'd toss the middle suited one gaps, but might be tempted to play some suited broadways ands , decent Axs hands (maybe A9s+), as well as adding some smaller pairs if the game is passive preflop. I open up in limped pots in LP with smaller suited connectors, and stuff like middle suited one gaps. Offsuit hands are often trouble in crazy multiway pot games.
Although you think this is a semi bluff, (and maybe sometimes it sort of is), it usually isn't. And you SHOULD be raising, but not for the reasons you think you should. I'll give you a hint, you have an equity edge, and you're raising for value...it doesn't matter if you currently have the "Best" hand. Pound those draws in multiway pots for value when you should.
Actually I'd consider this better advice playing in tough games. At Brantford, you can loosen up (although generally doing it OOP isn't ideal). And you often SHOULD be chasing that gutshot, if the pot odds warrant it.
Yes, at Brantford I'd ask for a table change long before I'd consider playing a tight, tough game (group 3 in early position, group 4 in middle, group 6 in late)
By the way, Group 3 is:
99, JTs, QJs, KJs, ATs, AQo