I don't like to gamble..any hope?

[momsvisa]

Just sending this out there to see if there's any hope for me as a shorthanded player. I've got about 35,000 hands in at 5-10 6 max and am stuck between .7 and 1 BB/100 earn rate-wise..I am by nature a conservative player and this worked well enough for me at full table where I have a win rate of 2BB/100 at 5/10..

The trouble is, I just can't face going back to the tedium of a full table game...My V put $ in pot is only 20 and my preflop raise number is around 13.7. My main failing as I see it is that I just hate to gamble...Here's an example from a recent hand...There's a MP poster who checks, a button who limps, and I'm in the sb with 77..Now my sense is the good player, the cool player, the 2+ BB/100 player, would raise there...
But my thinking typically is, ah screw it, these bums aren't going anywhere so put in your three bucks and see if you can't score a set...you've got a crummy pair of sevens and you're out of position..

On the plus side, I must say I'm much better these days at value betting the heck out of things, even though I often have to literally cover my eyes when I do...What a pathetic wuss, I know...Still, what counts is the bet, not whether I look cool making it...

Again, just thought I'd throw this out and see if there's hope...are there any rehabilitated chicken hearts out there...Is there any hope?

[PokerDonkey]

From what I saw in that hand that you described, I don't know if there is much other way to play that hand. You probabably aren't even dominating one of your three opponents. A lot of players will call the flop with nothing because of their position on you. Which leads me to my next thought...In a short-handed game I believe you have to gamble but you have to make educated gambles. Thus playing your position, dominating hands, and advantage over LAG's and LP players. PM me if you want to chat about this.

Donk

[tolbiny]

my first ~15-20k hands of 5-10 i was just about the same 20%vpip and 13-14% preflop raise. Just suck it up. thats all there is, play one table (maybe 2) and force your self to raise.
Btw there is nothing wrong with just completing 77's in the sb in that sit- though raising is good if the big blind is on the tighter side.

[Girchuck]

I disagree. He is only competing with one legitimate hand and two random hands. Random hands will have only one overcard to the 7s on average. They need to be driven out or charged. If MP limped on his own free will, then I would prefer completing.

[Roy6]

I'm also on the weak side. 20/12.
I close my eyes and raise now with QJs, 99-88 UTG but have problems with postflop play. Although I don't have a very big sample size, my stats shows that I made losses raising first in with QJs, A8s, 99, A6s.

[PokerDonkey]

I can see your point. If it were a typical game wouldn't you think that all would call considering the PF odds? The BB could possibly be thinking "if I call here, and everyone else does....I'll be getting 5:1 at worst, and 7:1 at best" having said that, are 7's good enough against the two randoms and one legit? Dunno, I like your post dude. Making my wheels turn. PM me if you want to further discuss. I would enjoy to hear where you are coming from! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ISF]

If you cannot beat these games with those preflop stats, you have to work on your post flop game. It is very possible to win at 2+bb/100 playing 20/14 poker.

[tolbiny]

the problem in this hand is his position- if undercards flop its not as ideal as there are two Big blinds in this hand- if overcards flop you agian don't really know where you stand.
I didn't say you shouldn't raise, i said its alright not to. Someone who is struggling to add hands above 20%vpip probably doesn't want to get involved in postflop situations like this.

[JMP300z]

What the heck??

This not raising enough is an epidemic.

Its really easy, push the button. If you want, start small by only doing it on the button. I raise w/ 9To and better, you could try just doing PP's, Axo k9+,QT+ or something.

Then expand to the CO raising...and so on.
Just do it. Click the button.

-JMP