5 replies to this topic

[Rhegium]

I have been playing poker for 5 years now and have never had a run like I have had the past two months. The problem is I believe one of marginal advantage in playing hands. What do I mean? I tend to play big pots as I feel I can read semi-bluffs very well but the past two months I have been getting murdered. I keep getting busted out of tournaments and cash games and have lost thousands over the past 2 months. Usually win my fair share.Anyway, is it wrong to play marginal advantage (60-40, 70-30, 65-35) for huge pots that can break you? Examples of hands past couple of days.Dealt A7 unsuited in the SB, Four limpers including the chip leader on the button. I don't like to raise with Ace-rag especially out of posistion so I just call. Flop comes A78 with two spades. I check so I can check raise the flop and take the pot. One person bets the pot of 500 and the chip leader for 8000 goes all in. Very agressive player and I put him on top pair decent kicker or flush draw, maybe even lower two pair. I have 6000 in third place and I call. I was right in that he had mid-pair but was on a flush draw. Of course the spade hit. But should I fold as I was only 58-42?Another hand, five handed pre-flop 400-800 with 100 antes. I am second in chips with 8000, in the SB. Button has 10,000 and BB has 6000. Everyone folds to me and I rase to 2000 with A6. The BB, another agressive weak player goes all in for 6000. I think he has either a small pocket which I would be behind but I really thought he was making a move. I figured I was 60-40 ahead so I called. I was right and he had KJ. But flop comeas AQ3 and a 10 on the river. Again should I have pushed a marginal hand?Thanks for the advice

[Jam-Fly]

If you think you can chip away at smaller pots, playing big pots is not essential. But since not all of us are the Daniels or Gavins of this world, playing big pots when your ahead may be the way to go. So, if you think you can steal the blinds enough or out play your opponenets, dont play the big pots with a slight advantage (60-40 or worse). All that said, every situation is different. E.g. playing a big pot may enable you to have a giant stack which increases your % of winning the whole tournament. JC's call with KQ is a good example of this.

[GCP]

I think both of these hands were played well and you just got unlucky. Nothing to see here, drive along.

[terradawg]

my feeling is that by playing this style you are subjecting yourself to larger swings than someone who prefers to chip up gradually.

[checkymcfold]

in cash games, an advantage is an advantage and should be taken for as much money as possible (increasing variance obviously, but in a profitable way).in tournaments, the unfortunate thing is that the play of your opponents often dictates the size of the average pot, making it impossible for you to small ball your way to victory. i mean, folding every coin flip along the way isn't going to make you any money if every 50/50 or 60/40 spot is going to be for all the chips by virtue of your opponents' actions. you can either ride out the much higher variance of 60/40s for all the cash in tourneys, or you can attempt to keep pots much smaller pre and postflop by taking more passive lines than would otherwise seem correct.the latter thing is a recent adjustment i've made in my tournament play after realizing that i was gambooling more than i wanted during the middle stages of tourneys, and my results are significantly more consistent (and better) for it. not sure if you're talking about the exact same thing i felt as though i was encountering, but in any case, the thing to do is think through what is happening, why it's happening, and what you can do to make these situations more desirable for yourself.

[WhatArunAA]

meh.. i'll push any marginal edge early in a tournament beacuse I know if I can win I can use those chips and put them to goooot use.