I suck at HE poker

[Smokey98]

I just needed to say that so that I can realize to myself that I suck. GrunchCan made a good point in a post

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First, humility is one of the most important parts of learning to play winning poker. You need to be able to admit that you probably suck at poker. This admission enables you to improve.

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Well, I'm just putting out there right now so that I can convince myself of this. I need help.

It's strange; I just started back playing online. I start out at Empire with $100 and turn it into $550 in about 25 hours online. I was once again crushing 2/4. Then all of sudden I'm seeing my BR drop....then drop some more....then some more...I'm looking over my hands during the winnings and during the loosing and I can't see anything that I'm doing differently. Does this sound familiar? Do you guys hear this a lot? If so what "usually" is the answer?

I know that I have enough HE knowledge to be a winning play, I just can't get that push over the hump. I know a lot of you guys that play for a living know exactly what I'm talking about because I'm sure you were there once and I'm sure you've heard this exact same statement 100 times. I just don't know what part of my game needs help. /images/graemlins/frown.gif /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Pov]

I imagine there are several issues you need to address, but bankroll management is the first that leaps out at me. $100 is not enough to start out on Empire. $500 is not enough to play $2/$4. The 300 BB rule is a solid guideline for decent winners. If you're not even sure you're a winning player yet, playing $2/$4 with < 150 BB is near certain doom.

Even with that, your fluctuations still sound very LAGy. How many hands are we talking about here?

[SheridanCat]

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I just don't know what part of my game needs help.

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I agree with Pov that you were playing too high. Having so little room to lose can result in playing with scared money, which leads to weak play. Of course, there is also the possibility that you were overconfident as you felt you were crushing the game and started to loosen up. Either mistake can be costly and with a small bankroll, you can be broke before you catch the problem and turn it around.

So, how do you figure out what's wrong with your game. My suggestion is to post hands you question to the appropriate forums and ask for advice.

Good luck,

T

[GrunchCan]

You are playing much, much too high. With 550 you should be playing .5/1 or possibly 1/2. But your BR is even a bit too low for 1/2 according to the generally-accepted rule of 300 BBs.

Even if you are the greatest player in the world, with a BR of 137 BB your risk of ruin is extremely high.

You should knock all the way down to .5/1 (if on party limit games), and start posting to a strategy forum, as SheridanCat suggested.

[Dave H.]

To think that you couldn't experience variance enough to wipe out your bankroll at the limits you're playing is obviously incorrect, and the thing is, YOU KNOW IT! So, do what you have to do...play at the correct limits for your bankroll and chalk it up to discipline. We're not in this for gambling (are we??); we're in this to make money (aren't we?)

Good Luck!

[Manque]

Try your hand at SnG's