Low-Limit Frusteration...

P-Hound

Dave,

Thanks again for answering these questions, I am sure I speak for everyone when I say your advice and precious time is very much appreciated.

I am new to Hold'Em. There's no denying that. I started playing back in May '04. Just a baby to this giant game. However, I'd like to think that I dove right in. I quickly realized that there was more to this game then folding and calling, and I went out and scoured through various recommened books and information for a possible winning guidelines. I have read, re-read and re-read again winning low limit hold'em by Mr.Lee Jones, I have even read Skalansky(HPFAP), but where I am only playing .50/$1 I know better then to employ Mr.Sklankskys stratagies.

Right of the bat, I seem to lack the consitancy that is required to be a winning player. (so far), Take today for example, I played about an hour and half in the afternoon and had a great run, I was focused, and making a lot of the right calls, I ended up +$23.25, tonight I played three hours (still felt great and focused) after a break from this afternoons session and ended up -$22.25, leaving me up a dollar and some change for the day.

I know that making $23.25 for an hour and half is unrealistic to maintain at the .50/1 level, but there has to be a medium between the two. I have realized that analyzing my play is key and the only fault I can find is that because it's low limit, my pre-flop raisies aren't getting hardly any respect and hence for just an example, when I have a AQo or an AKo or a pair of 10's I seem to be getting outdrawn beause 3/4 stayed in, or I was pushing to hard with them, when there is overcard's on the board. i.e I have AQ, flop comes KT6 and end up getting drawn out by a K4s.

I am not one to sulk, all this frusteration has done (not just tonight's) has made me want to become a great player. I have heard and experinced that there isn't a lot of smart play at low limit tables, but if i seem to be struggling at these, then I know the better players are still a notch or two away.

Anyway, Dave any advice for a guy looking to turn a low limit bankroll into a medium/high stakes bankroll over the next year?.


Thanks,

magithighs

I've seen a few of your posts and I think I might see a problem -- something that plagues me even today. I think you're trying to use poker to make money. Yes everyone wants to make money, otherwise we wouldn't be playing. But there's a subtle difference from many of the winning players I know -- they use the money as a yardstick of how well they're playing. The goal is to play well. The money will follow -- it's the reward for playing well.

Keep in mind that winning 3BB/100 hands is extremely difficult. I challenge anyone on this forum to say they win 3BB/100 over 100,000 hands. One BB/100 hands is very good and if you're breaking even then I hazard to guess you're doing better than most players. So, at a .5/1 game, you're doing well if you make 3 bucks at the end of the day. Hardly seems worth it, right. Well if you love playing then it is good. If you don't then maybe the game isn't for you.

Cheers
Magi

BBC Z

Keep in mind that winning 3BB/100 hands is extremely difficult. I challenge anyone on this forum to say they win 3BB/100 over 100,000 hands.

umm... Didnt you say that you were winning over 5BB/100 and intended to continue that run for a year to win 100k? And then you got all mad when that was challenged?

Jay845

Round 1

P-Hound

Thanks' for the replies and help, but I didn't want this post to become a pissing contest either...Obviously magi and bbc see differently on a lot of issues around here, well thats fine and dandy but lets keep it out of other people's posts, (trust me I need as much help as I can get)


Respectfully,

P.

Dave Scharf

Thanks again for answering these questions, I am sure I speak for everyone when I say your advice and precious time is very much appreciated.

Often, acts that appear selfless, aren’t. I do this because (1) I can’t NOT do it, and (2) I do get a benefit – traffic to www.CanadianPoker.com. But, thanks. I appreciate your kind words.

Right of the bat, I seem to lack the consistency that is required to be a winning player.

I currently boast a 61.39% daily win rate. That means that 39% of days, I go to bed a loser. This is, I think, about in keeping with a lot (actually, I suspect most pros run at about 65%). The lesson is, you will lose frequently.



Fellow Team Canuck Poker member Ralph once ran off a 105 CONSECUTIVE day winning streak online. Wow. In his own words, he gave up some EV to do it, but it was a marvel to behold. The basic method was to play a very conservative, low variance, low-limit game. Play 99 out of 100 hands towards a bonus and then stop. So, his daily win rate was actually 85%, but for those 15% losing days he would trigger a buy-in bonus and turn a loser into a winner.

I have a AQo or an AKo or a pair of 10's I seem to be getting outdrawn beause 3/4 stayed in, or I was pushing to hard with them, when there is overcard's on the board. i.e I have AQ, flop comes KT6 and end up getting drawn out by a K4s.

You have identified two skills you need to work on: (1) Stop pushing when you miss the flop in low-limit hold’em; and (2) folding when you have a loser.

I have heard and experinced that there isn't a lot of smart play at low limit tables, but if i seem to be struggling at these, then I know the better players are still a notch or two away.

I frequently hear “I can’t win at low-limits because the players are so bad.” This is bizarre. If you can’t beat the bad players, do you think you will beat better players? I note this is not what you have said.



There is, however, an element of truth to this statement. As I type this I am playing 2 x $15-30 full ring hold’em games online. Since I am giving almost all of my attention to the forum, I am giving almost no attention to the two hold’em games. I am, however, a winner at this site, in these games ($58.37 an hour). Could I win more? Yes, if I paid attention. But, I have developed a simple rote strategy that makes me a winner in THAT game.



When people say, “I can’t beat low-limit games,” what they often are actually saying is, “The rote strategy that I deploy at the poker table does not beat low-limit games.” In other words, they are refusing to adapt to the game. Since adapting is a FUNDAMENTAL poker skill, I doubt that these same people will have long term success. It is possible that their rote game beats their local $10-20 game, but not low-limit online games.



What is the current condition of this game? This hand? This player? These are fundamental skills that you will need to develop. And, it’s cheapest to develop them at low-limits.



Grrr…. Typing this, I am down $700 in the last half hour including a guy who just bluffed me and went runner runner double gutshot ignorant straight to beat my top pair… sigh, luck still matters.

ScottyZ

Dave Scharf wrote:

Often, acts that appear selfless, aren’t. I do this because (1) I can’t NOT do it...

Looks like those photographs I purchased from the Saskatoon paparazzi are finally paying off...

ScottyZ