This One's Been Bugging Me

[Festus22]

Party $0.5/1. Normal/loose table, no maniacs.

A /images/graemlins/heart.gif J /images/graemlins/heart.gif UTG+1. I open limp (yes, I know I should raise so I'll save you the key strokes). 3 more limpers to CO who raises. BB and all call.

Flop A /images/graemlins/spade.gif 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. BB checks, I bet, one caller and CO raises. BB folds, I 3-bet, caller folds and CO caps.

Turn was 10 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif. I check and fold to CO's bet.

Should I have fired one more shell on the turn and folded to a raise?

[Joe Tall]

[ QUOTE ]
yes, I know I should raise so I'll save you the key strokes

[/ QUOTE ]

THEN DO IT!!!!!!!!

I think not-raising prefolp is how you lost this hand. You never could be confindent in where you stood.

Granted you could be out-kicked or the turn may have 2-paired the CO, but you'll never know.

You are right, this one should bug you.

Peace Fes,
Joe Tall

[Festus22]

Damn, I had hoped you were on vacation or something since I knew you'd bust me /images/graemlins/smirk.gif.

The problem is I've played weak preflop for SO long it has become my style and I've been fairly successful with it. When you raise preflop, you're presented with different circumstances post flop. I'm hesitant to introduce new variables into my "system" since again, what I'm doing seems to be working just fine.

You mentioned in some other posts you were once pretty passive. How did you make the transition to more aggressive?

[Joe Tall]

[ QUOTE ]
Damn, I had hoped you were on vacation or something since I knew you'd bust me

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, Fes. I'll give you credit for having the ability to come back with reponses/questions when I come over the top with my replies. So many of the newer players seem to quit on their discussions with me; that it becomes discouraging.

[ QUOTE ]
When you raise preflop, you're presented with different circumstances post flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

And in this particular cirumstance the post flop situation would be much easier to play, agree?

[ QUOTE ]
I'm hesitant to introduce new variables into my "system" since again, what I'm doing seems to be working just fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's ok that you 'system' is working 'just fine'. However, you must leave room for your game to evolve. Especially when you wish to further into higher limits and such aggression should allow you too.

[ QUOTE ]
You mentioned in some other posts you were once pretty passive. How did you make the transition to more aggressive?

[/ QUOTE ]

I went through the typical weak-tight stages when getting out of the mirco-limits. More aggression preflop started to pay off when I became a much better post flop player, and I'm sure it will for most players. If I have time I'll dig up some old post of mine where Dyanasty, Clark, kong, JTG and the like beat me into a better player.

Keep posting and RESPONDING, Fes.

Peace,
JT

[Kevin J]

You may have saved yourself a bet or two by folding. Then again, you may have cost yourself the entire pot. Learn to accept the fact that in poker, you sometimes HAVE to lose some bets.

I'm not saying you should mindlessly pay off or that you can't sometimes make a precision fold. But realize that making folds like this can cause huge problems for you. Not only does it cost you many bets when you are wrong, but it should also be obvious to your opponents that you folded a decent ace. This will encourage astute players to start taking shots at you and you will now be faced with more problems and tougher decisions in the future. Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and pay off a better hand.

[lil']

The problem is I've played weak preflop for SO long it has become my style and I've been fairly successful with it. When you raise preflop, you're presented with different circumstances post flop. I'm hesitant to introduce new variables into my "system" since again, what I'm doing seems to be working just fine.

What's the matter? Life on weak tight island got you down? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

It sounds like you know when you should be raising. What can I say? Just do it, man. You're already successful. This will just make you more successful.

As for transitions, they are all hard. Being more aggressive will introduce new variables. That's why you come back here and post some hands after you try something new until it becomes more comfortable.

[Festus22]

I really am trying. I doing kind of a phobia desensitization thing by adding a few hands to the "almost always" PF raising list. So far I'm up to:

AA
KK
QQ
AKs
AKo
AQs (new addition)
KQs (new addition)

I think if I add too many too fast, I'll end up in a fetal position and revert to playing Pacific $0.05/0.10.

Seriously, I know AJs is a solid multi-way hand that should be raised in the typical 4-6 post flop opponent game.

It's those AQo and JJ passages in HEPFAP that I really struggle with PF. A lot of really good players here say always raise PF in a loose game while S&M say it is better to call with these hands. I raise maybe 10% of the time with both and that is only after it's been folded to me in MP or LP. Based on practical experience, both are pretty darn good hands. I think HEPFAP may be a little tight in their advice here.

[CrackerZack]

This is pretty ugly Fes.

You should raise PF although unlike Joe, I'm not gonna say its a horrific tragedy that you didn't. If you're not raising AKs though PF I'll start yelling.

Personally, I think this is flop I'd like to C/R and see what happens. If you get 3-bet, decision time. I think your check-fold is prudent on the turn though although if the guy was loose, I'd call it down.

[Saborion]

When I started playing I didn`t raise pre-flop with QQ, because I always felt that an A or a K would be on the final board. People said, always raise pre down to JJ, so now I do. Poker tracker shows that JJ is my second most profitable hand, which it shouldn`t be, but it`s up there alright. And now people tell me to raise with TT as well, and even though I haven`t done so yet, it`s a profitable hand so far. Should be better once I start raising pre with it too I believe.

So I would add JJ, TT, AQ, AJs, KQ, KJs (depending on situation) to that list. I believe there are more hands that should be raised pre-flop, depending on situation, but that`s a few more that will increase your winnings.