Online vs Home Game
Looking for some input on developing a solid home game strategy:
When I first starting playing poker about 1.5 years ago, I only played with friends at No Limit home game tourneys.
At first I did quite well, mainly because we were all donks and thought it was more about luck and balls, little to do with skill.
I developed a passion for poker and began playing online, for fun first then for cash and donked away about $250 when I realized there was so much more to poker than my original perception. I stopped playing for cash online, and began visiting forums like this, RGP, UPF etc and bought a few books - Harrington and Mike Caro etc.
I now consider myself a okay Low Limit, No limit tourney player and okay Low Limit Limit HE cash game player online - I would classify myself as tight aggressive
However at my home games I have gotten worse - I can never seem to win, and finish in the money rarely - and I am trying to understand why.
Our typical home game would be a $20 - $40 buy in, no rebuys, 8 - 10 players- starting stack of $400 chips, blinds of $5 and $10 doubling every 20 minutes.
Typically I find myself playing very tight, and going card dead for the first few levels before I start getting hurt by the blinds or I loosen up but find myself making marginal calls only to miss the flop completely etc.
I would say overall I find myself much more anxious in live play than online - online I can force myself to use Dave's 5 finger checklist (adapted to my own leaks), and calculate odds etc - at our home games I find I just get rattled or go blank and just make stupid plays
Anyone have any suggestions or shoring up my live play?
Any suggestions on our typical tourney structure to quick (most nights it can seem like an all in fest)
Any thought would be appreciated
Scots
When I first starting playing poker about 1.5 years ago, I only played with friends at No Limit home game tourneys.
At first I did quite well, mainly because we were all donks and thought it was more about luck and balls, little to do with skill.
I developed a passion for poker and began playing online, for fun first then for cash and donked away about $250 when I realized there was so much more to poker than my original perception. I stopped playing for cash online, and began visiting forums like this, RGP, UPF etc and bought a few books - Harrington and Mike Caro etc.
I now consider myself a okay Low Limit, No limit tourney player and okay Low Limit Limit HE cash game player online - I would classify myself as tight aggressive
However at my home games I have gotten worse - I can never seem to win, and finish in the money rarely - and I am trying to understand why.
Our typical home game would be a $20 - $40 buy in, no rebuys, 8 - 10 players- starting stack of $400 chips, blinds of $5 and $10 doubling every 20 minutes.
Typically I find myself playing very tight, and going card dead for the first few levels before I start getting hurt by the blinds or I loosen up but find myself making marginal calls only to miss the flop completely etc.
I would say overall I find myself much more anxious in live play than online - online I can force myself to use Dave's 5 finger checklist (adapted to my own leaks), and calculate odds etc - at our home games I find I just get rattled or go blank and just make stupid plays
Anyone have any suggestions or shoring up my live play?
Any suggestions on our typical tourney structure to quick (most nights it can seem like an all in fest)
Any thought would be appreciated
Scots
Comments
Play good cards, make good hands and this also means playing some hands that have huge implied odds, like suited aces and connectors. Loosen up a little, but fold a hand quickly if you don't hit. They will call your all in bluffs with middle pair.
Study, practice, repeat.
At face value it appears that you are applying the right strategy. So, I'm not sure I can help.
I am not sure you WANT to change this. You are after all, playing for fun and not that much money. You don't want it to be the WSOP. You might find this article useful: http://www.canadianpoker.com/amateur-poker-player/amateur05.htm
There is an
Tried an experiment last weekend, at yet another stag.
Blind structure was very similar, low denomination of starting chips - short levels
What I noticed was that anytime there was multiple betting pre flop or post flop, the chips were in the middle before the turn - no laydowns, very little trapping etc.
First game I tried to limp as much as possible from middle to late position, with lower starting hand values than I would online.
Was fairly successful - played 3 games, won 1, came 3rd in another and finished out on the bubble losing to a runner runner flush in the other.
I found playing suited connectors and low pocket pairs that I would normally fold in middle position to be the most profitable. People could just not let go of their big hands - twice I was put all in by Ace high on a suited, co-ordinated flop or when there was no paint.
Could be an one off, but I will be interested to see if the same strategy works the next time we play together
Cheers
Scots