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XCloud · Three of a Kind Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 78

Anyone have any tips for my game? I've played Poker for money on and off for about 3 years now. I used to actually enjoy playing, and would rake up a lot of money with donk strategies in the beginning (chasing draws like crazy). I started reading poker books and soon developed a tight game. I played poker a bit after that and eventually hit a brick wall, consistently getting bad beats, to the point where I'd expect I'd be outed on a bad beat every tournament. I took a long break from Poker and I've stuck onto my tight play, but always end up getting the short end of the stick. Should I change my style of play?

Here's an example...I was playing Poker with a few buddies last night at a live 4 person table. the 2 others in the pot don't even play Poker that much. I had about 40 chips, while the 2 others in the pot had around 80 or 90 chips. BB at 4 chips. So, my starting hand is Q7 off-suit on the BB. Fold, button calls BB, SB calls BB and I check.
Flop: Qd7s6d
I raise 6 chips after the SB checked.
Both call.
Turn: 3d
SB checks, I raise 10 chips, button raises to 20, SB raises to 30 to put me all in.
After thinking about it, I thought maybe they'd have the flush, so I folded my 2p.
River: 10h
Button checks, SB goes all in, button folds.

I tell them I laid down 2 pair, then the SB adds salt to the wound by showing his Ad8h.

What should I do?

Pokit2s · Message Board Junkie Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Posts: 1261

First of all, it sounds like you are thinking way too much. Its like trying to think about every motion your body makes when you are walking. Sometimes you just have to let instinct take over. I personally think that analyzing things too much at the table is just as bad if not worse than not analyzing them enough.

As far as this game. It sounds like the guys you are playing against aren't really that great. You have to realize that they will make big raises and stupid bets with a wider variety of hands. Thus, increasing the value of your good hands. Playing these guys can be tricky, but the best thing you can do is let them duke it out when you don't have anything, and value bet the sh*t out of your good hands. Good luck and start having some fun!

XCloud · Three of a Kind Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 78

Yeah, you're probably right. I always have this thing where if I have top pair or better and there's 2 of the same suit on the flop, I usually place some low-mid level bet because of flush potential. When people just flat call like that, I automatically think they're chasing something. Then with 2 people raising it up like crazy with 3 of a suit showing makes me think they have a flush. I guess knowing your competition helps, too. ...But yeah, I know what you're saying. I just need to bust out of these bad habits. Thanks for the reply

Pokit2s · Message Board Junkie Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Posts: 1261

No worries. You are just folding for the wrong reasons. You always fold because someone MIGHT have the flush. You need to fold by deciding that in a certain situation, the call or raise is not profitable in the long run. That depends just like you said, on knowing your opponents.

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