8 replies to this topic

[Jubba]

Hi there. I have been having some trouble with online play lately and I was wondering if there was anything I can do about it. The only problem is I don't think its anything I'm doing. As with most of you out there, I prefer live play as opposed to online, but live games in my area are scarce and I don't have the time to drive a couple hours to the closest casino, so if i want constant action I have to rely on online play. The only problem is I have been a consistant loser online. Somewhere to the tune of $300 or so. $50 at a time. It just seems like bad beat after bad beat. A couple examples:.25/.50NL - MP raises to $2Im in the BB with 6-5s and I haven't been defending my blinds very much. I have a feeling this guy has a big pair, Jacks or Queens, because he raised less the last time he had Aces. I decide to call because there are like 4 others in the pot by the time it gets to me. Flop comes 10-6-5 giving me bottom 2. I know I'm way ahead and that pretty much everyone else in the hand was playing high cards. I know the MP raiser won't give up his overpair and will pay me off. I go all-in. A Queen drops on the turn and I'm broke again. The guy drilled his two outer, yay for me. (Actually, any 10 or if the board caught a running pair, both of which were unlikely. He had 5 solid outs in that deck)I'm not saying that I'm the best player, I'm actually mediocre. I can consistently win the local games, tournaments, and club games, but for some reason online it seems everytime I put my money in with the best hand I get sucked out. Honestly I don't even really like playing no-limit. I would rather sit down at the 3-6 or the 5-10 but I don't really have the money to deposit enough for the BR this limits require so I've been trying to build it up through the smaller games. But I usually know when I'm beat and I usually know when I'm ahead and I keep getting sucked out.Another time, I was up against the same kid in 3 different pots. I raise a bunch pre-flop with KK, enough to get stupid stuff like 9-5 and crap out of there. Flop comes K-6-7. I push knowing that he has crap and he'll pay me off. An 8 drops on the river and he catches his straight. I asked why he called my pre-flop raise with 9-5 and his reply, anybody care to guess? "They were suited." I left the table (and threw a rather large book at my roommate/nephew).Oh yeah, apparently, online, 9-5 is a monster. Even offsuit. I have been crushed by that hand numberous times. So watch out.Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can offer.

[Wilderness]

Well, your post didn't show any leaks, simply bad beats. That's not to say that leaks aren't there, but those couple of bad beats doesn't really mean anything. Bad beats are going to happen, and at least its a sign that you are getting your money in when you are fairly well ahead.If you don't like NL, why not play limit? I know you said you'd rather play 3/6 or 5/10 but if you don't have the BR for that, why not play 1/2 or .5/1? Its always best to be comfortable with the limits and the game that you are playing.

[Jubba]

Yeah I realize putting my money in with the best hand isn't a leak, although someone online told me I made a bad play with that 6-4s hand. They told me I shouldn't have gone all-in. I was confused. I think my major problem comes with getting bored with not seeing enough action. Online I am pretty tight. I have a set group of hands I like to start with and I don't really play anything outside of that (only when online) mostly because I can't read the players as well as I can in a live game (not saying I can't read them, just not as well as I can when I'm actually face-to-face). So I'm usually just playing my cards as opposed to picking up on their tells. Sometimes I'll stop being tight and play crazy for a few minutes, jamming pots with 10-3 and 4-9 and stuff to get a bit of a crazy image and then go back to playing my normal game. I realize that this isn't bad either.I really just think that I run unlucky. I keep getting beat by gutshots and 2outers.Someone said on the forum in another post that anyone that is a consistent loser online has major leaks in their game. The only problem is, I have been reflecting on my online play for a couple of weeks now and I can't seem to find any leaks.I have been playing on Pacific so I don't have a hand history but I have been keeping a written log. For one day, I sat for 3.5 hours. I saw about 100 flops. I played 29 hands to the river and of those 29 I won 27 of the showdowns. Net profit was about $150. I ended up losing that money the next day because of suck-outs (and more than a couple stupid calls of mine, knowing I'm beat but wanting to see what their cards were).I usually know when I'm beat and I am capable of making a good laydown. But there has to be something I'm doing wrong...

[FromTheRail]

Your first leak is you mind set in relation to "bad players" and the "bad plays" they make. Remember, it is these "bad players" who keep the money comming into the poker community. When I have someone push all their chips into the middle drawing practically dead, and then they catch one of their two remaining cards left in the deck to beat me, I don't get upset or angry, I smile because I know in the long run I'm going to make the money back I just lost and much more. This is the economy of poker, and if you want to play poker it is something you are going to have to learn to embrace, instead of seeing it as a setback. Concentrating on the negatives, are only going to affect your confidence and then your game is going to fall to pieces. Instead of concentrating on the idea that you just lost a pot becasue "someone sucked out," look at the situation as a positive, "I had my money in with the best hand," or "I played that exactly right for the situation." Negativity will only breed bad play, so it is pivital that you have the mental tools to remain on an even temper while playing, not too excited and not too dejected. Remain positive, make good descisions and reap the rewards.

[TheHammer24]

Truthfully, I think the reason you're losing money is, like you said "you make bad plays" "you get bored." We all get bad beats, believe me I expierenced a seemingly innumerable amount last night. However through losing on the river 7 times in a .50 NL game, I ended up only losing 30 dollars. In the scheme of things that is not much. I simply stayed at the table, continued to make the right plays, and ultimately got paid off. Albeit I was still down. You're one beat wasn't that bad. QQ is only 3:1 against your two pair. Granted he played it wrong, no one folds big pairs in online games. Play well and you'll win. Last night I had KK in 10/25 NL. 3 way. Guy Raised the pot pot raised 3 x BB. Cold call. I reraise the pot with KK. Call Call. The flop comes 758. Cold caller bets, I reraise. First raiser goes all in. Cold Caller calls I call. Me and the raiser both had KK. The cold caller was calling with 79s preflop. Whatever even though he actually had ok odds on the flop with two bettors. Still considered a bad beat IMO. In the long run. He will lose and I will in if we play thay way though.

[Markmadness]

When you only working with 50 bucks at a time. its hard to gauge. You see you can lose 50 bucks in one session even playing .50/1 just do to bad luck. I remember 6 months ago, i withdrew 200 from party. I left in a 100. Figuring that was enough for my limit. well one week later i was dows to 7 bucks. Miraculously i got it back to 75. ine one evening. when i got to 50 bucks, i starte dplaying way scared. I don't want to come to conclusions but i think you might be playing scared. What limits you play. If all i had was 50 bucks. I would play pokerstars limit .5/.10. I had a bad live session afew days ago, i have not played poker since. Not confident, in a few days i will get back to it when my mind is ready.

[Smasharoo]

Bad beats don't cost you money.It's small mistakes made again and again that cost you money.

[wrto4556]

Smasharoo said:

Bad beats don't cost you money.It's small mistakes made again and again that cost you money.

What do they say? "Limit is a game of pushing close edges".You're either good, and make small profitable plays--over and over...or you make small mistakes over and over...and are a loser.

[Jordan]

Smasharoo said:

Bad beats don't cost you money.It's small mistakes made again and again that cost you money.

Well, this is true, but a little short (I think).Bad beats don't cost you money. Bad beats put bad players (good players too sometimes) on tilt and in turn, make small mistakes again and again that cost them money. Small mistakes turn into big mistakes, or just add up. Either way, take your bad beats in stride and avoid tilt.- Jordan