One of those do I suck threads

[nossodo]

I have been loosing quite much recently, I've only been playing for 2 months and I have done better, I would like to have a way to know if the loosing is because I get worse than average cards or just playing bad.

Is there a way to know?

For instance this is the starting hands of my last sng up til the point I got eliminated, are theese hands that you should expect or are they bad or even good? Doesn't seem so good to me, but as I said, only played 2 months.

As 6s
6d 2d
3s 2s
2h Jd
Qc 2s
Ad 7s
Kc Jh
4c Jd
7c 5s
Ts 3c
8d Ah
8h 9c
Kd 7h
Jh 5s
2d 9c
Qc 3s
8c Td
6h 3h
Jd 7s
Td Qd
Kd Ad
2c Js
6c 9c
8h 6s
Tc Ad
Jd 5h
7d Th
As 8h
9c 7s
4h Ad
5h Kc
8s Ac
9c Qc
2h As
7s 2s
5s Ks
Td 4d
Qs 4s
9d 7c
8h 6d
5c Th
7s 2s
Qh Js
Qs Qh
7h Kc
Jc 2h
4h 9c
2d 7d
8c Tc
Ah Js

[arkana]

Although you can get bad runs of cards, in most of the cases the reason people lose is due to errors they make and not the cards they get. How about posting a complete SNG hand history and asking for advice on how you played?

You might also want to read a book or two to get a feel for pot odds (tournaments are different from normal cash games and you have to play accordingly, sklansky's tournament poker for advanced players is an excellent book in my opinion on this matter) etc if you havent yet and read the stickies in the tournament section of this forum.

[Staresy]

It is difficult to assess this because your position and the action in front of u would determine a few of these.

But, for the sake of argument (and others can pitch in as appropriate!)

As 6s – might play in late position, with a multi-way pot and no raise
6d 2d – junk, fold
3s 2s – junk, fold
2h Jd – junk, fold
Qc 2s – junk, fold
Ad 7s – would probably fold this early
Kc Jh – depends on the action in front of u
4c Jd – junk, fold
7c 5s – junk, fold
Ts 3c – junk, fold
8d Ah - junk, fold
8h 9c - junk, fold
Kd 7h – junk, fold
Jh 5s – junk, fold
2d 9c – junk, fold
Qc 3s – junk, fold
8c Td – junk, fold
6h 3h – junk, fold
Jd 7s – junk, fold
Td Qd – might have a limp if I could get in cheap, but more than likely binning this. Would definitely fold to a pre-flop raise
Kd Ad – raise this pre-flop/call a pre-flop raise
2c Js – junk, fold
6c 9c – junk, fold
8h 6s – junk, fold
Tc Ad – might limp in if I could in late position, more than likely going to let this one go tho, especially to a raise pre-flop
Jd 5h – junk, fold
7d Th – junk, fold
As 8h – junk, fold
9c 7s – junk, fold
4h Ad – junk, fold
5h Kc – junk, fold
8s Ac – junk, fold
9c Qc – junk, fold
2h As – junk, fold
7s 2s – junk, fold
5s Ks – junk, fold
Td 4d – junk, fold
Qs 4s – junk, fold
9d 7c – junk, fold
8h 6d – junk, fold
5c Th – junk, fold
7s 2s – junk, fold
Qh Js - might call in late position, in an unraised, multi-way pot (depending how I felt and potential action behind me)
Qs Qh – raise this pre-flop, possibly re-raise someone, but almost certainly calling a raise pre-flop with this
7h Kc – junk, fold
Jc 2h – junk, fold
4h 9c – junk, fold
2d 7d – junk, fold
8c Tc – might call in late position, in an unraised, multi-way pot (depending how I felt and potential action behind me)
Ah Js – tricky one AJo, might raise with no action in front of me, late position and a couple of limpers, would probably fold to a pre-flop raise, depending on the player who raised

Others may offer different advice but I hope this helps. Happy to explain a bit more as to why...

[SpceManSpif]

Read a few books. I think Hellmuth book is good for new players. He takes about good starting hands. I enjoyed Super System. But I read it to early and it messed me up because I started to think that I now know this game and can play more. lol. But later it turns into a great book that I've reread a few times.

A poker tracker program will let you also see what you play and the results of it.

[drmcboy]

if the loosing is because I get worse than average cards - in the short run this is always possible. Long term cards are not going to beat you, though.

Recognize that in the right spot you had double up type hands a couple times - QQ, AK, and several A highs that may have been good blind steal shots, and some connectors/flush draw hands to maybe limp. But if when you have QQ and someone else has the AK and flops an A/K, and with your AK you miss the flop... you're either folding or going broke. If you're playing tight (which starting out you should be) you need two things to happen to win tourneys- 1) pick up a hand 2) have someone else pick up a hand as well. Some nights they just won't match up.

Cloutier's NL/PL hold em book is a good starter for tourney play. Harrington's book is also great but maybe a little advanced. At some point get SS or SS2 - even if you can't/won't play Doyle's style you must understand it.