Always

It seems that for the last few sessions I get ahead and then get a few hands that I am scked ot on. AA cracked by 2 small pair. Trips lose to small flush or straight. I know these things happen but I am wondering if I should expand my starting hands in 1/3 NL. I usually play premium hands and will play some marginal hands in late position. If I can limp in for the 3.00 blind should I do so with Ax, connectors or 2 to a flush. I think this would be ok if I didnt continue to play them to a raise.
Also I have a leak where I play big pocket pairs slowly for value and sometimes loose. Should I bet out and if I think I am ahead after the flop make a big raise to freeze every one out.
Also I sometimes check the turn when I now I should bet or raise.
I knpow what my leaks are and after every sessioin I beat myself up for not doing what I know I should.......hopw do I get past this.
How do I learn to play to win. I think deep down I am playing not too loose. Any advice would be appreciated.
I am ahead for the year but just a bit. I never cash big... maybe a hunbdred or so ahead or brerak even.
My resolution for 2010 is to change this

o If you beat the game be happy, a lot of money ends up in the box.

o Ax off is trash at a full table. You really do need to play tight because you run into so many hands with 6-9 other players delt in. Also lighten up on the suited trash.

o Focus more on stuff like position, who's in the pot, table image, etc. than what cards you hold. T2off can be profitable in the right spot. EXPLOIT, EXPLOIT, EXPLOIT!!!

o Make sure you're not under-betting your hands unless you're explitcly playing a strategy that under-bets a lot with a lot of hands. DARE them to chase when you're ahead and watch them make disasterous calls. Make the pot an uncomfortable size against timid players, then take it away more often than not.

o Don't show your cards, even after a great play. If you must brag, do it here. Keep them guessing and get them used to paying to see it.

great post fnord

You're spot on Fnord. I saw this post a day or two ago but I didn't have the time to commit to a reply. It seems as though you beat me to a lot of what I was going to contribute with.

One thing I would like to add on something that works for me in a sense of profitability is consistent play.

Before you write off what I'm about to add, I am not referring to what can be confused with bet when you have it, and fold when you don't. I'm talking about consistent bet sizing.

With the wonderful power of position and playing fearless (not ruthless) you can really exploit a lot of players when you are not scared to lose. If you play as a scared player then you need to work on that before reading on....

As Fnord stated, in the right position with a good table image 10/2o can be just as powerful as AA.

But what I am talking about is BETTING EVERYTHING THE SAME. Valuebet, valuebet, valuebet!!! If you flop a set - valuebet it. If you flop the nuts - valuebet it. If you flop Ace-high - valuebet it. If you flop a royal flush - valuebet it. Just keep being consistent. AND SHOW NOTHING. But also keep in mind that in order to make this a profitable strategy, you have to be prepared (as a mindset) that you will get raised. And you also have to be prepared to throw your valuebetting bluff away if you're blasting the pot with air. If you are able to range someone and know they aren't playing with the best hand don't be scared to fire more than one bullet at them.

By adopting a strategy like this and bluffing 15% of the time you will get a lot of action on the other 85% because players will see you bet all the time and start to play back at you. It's only then when they have done so and you are able to range them etc that you can extract maximum value from them and felt them in a blink of an eye.

Make sure that all your hands tell the right story though. Be consistent with what you are doing and make sure that your actions are making sense. This will prove invaluable to you when your playing a hand perfectly to be chasing a flush for example and when it comes you represent it. To get a better understanding of this, think about the hand that you played where you had a made hand and you bet someone out of the pot. As good as what it is to actually have a made hand in this scenario you don't necessarily need it to win.

Also, try and get some of your strong hands to showdown. What I mean is if you know you have your opponent beat, slow it down a notch or two so the other players can see what you've played (this time). Always keep them wondering.

Oh... and don't forget to switch gears either. When you feel comfortable start playing the opposite of how you just did. Start to check/call, check/raise, check/fold. Call a bet on the flop with nothing, to see how someone plays against you on the turn.

Always mix up your game! And remember, throughout this post I have not mentioned a single thing about playing the cards you are dealt, but adopting a strategy that is profitable.

What I am getting at is that a lot of players will be very unsure about you and wont quite know if you had them beat or not and this is where we bluff only when it is appropriate and pick our spots very carefully because players will start to play aggressive towards you and this is where we love flopping a set/straight/flush/AA preflop/whatever and knowing you've got them beat.

Psychologically beating someone into the ground is the best exploit of all. Break their weak little minds and take them for all they have on the table!!!

On a side note, I have used this strategy for a while now and I have found to be the most profitable (for me).

More examples
1. Flopped a wheel Beat by small flush
2. AA beat by trip 5s
3. AA beat by trip 7s

No 1 I think was my fault., Should have bet at least 45.00 after the flop but got greedy and only bet 20.00 and let him in.

On 2 and 3 I raised to 15.00 before the flop and both players got there trips on the flop.....they wernt going anywhere. I raised on the turn and the river and they continued to called.
I dont have any problem with position pre flop or starting hands but know my leak is betting and turn play. I do have a tendency to fold a little too much after the flop to a bet if I am on a draw and do see a few hands I would have won but there are a lot I would have lost too.

This is where it gets to me so any help would be appreciated

Any help would be appreciated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stinger

More examples
1. Flopped a wheel Beat by small flush
2. AA beat by trip 5s
3. AA beat by trip 7s

No 1 I think was my fault., Should have bet at least 45.00 after the flop but got greedy and only bet 20.00 and let him in.

On 2 and 3 I raised to 15.00 before the flop and both players got there trips on the flop.....they wernt going anywhere. I raised on the turn and the river and they continued to called.
I dont have any problem with position pre flop or starting hands but know my leak is betting and turn play. I do have a tendency to fold a little too much after the flop to a bet if I am on a draw and do see a few hands I would have won but there are a lot I would have lost too.

This is where it gets to me so any help would be appreciated

Any help would be appreciated.

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Example 1 - When you see a loaded flop like you have just described you need to learn how to protect your hand and if you are ahead play the hand fast and remember it is better to take a small pot than lose a big one.

Example 2/3 -Did you open preflop with 15 or did you flat call it? What was your position? Folding aces not an option?

If your leak is betting and turn play, it's safe to say that you will also struggle on the most important street of all (the river). Re-read my post again about valuebetting and start to look into it a little more and understand what i am referencing. You cant just expect to make a post and then get a set of step by step instructions detailing how to play poker. Each hand is always going to be different to the next even if you are dealt the same cards.

Oh and btw, a handful of examples is nowhere near enough of a sample size. Keep playing and keep continuing to learn and adopt. It will all fall in to place :)