Seeking advice/input

[morello]

Hi, I've got a few questions that I'm hoping the very knowledgable readers here can answer. Any input of any sort would be appreciated.

I've read in a few places that the most important thing to becoming a successful poker player is not strategy, pot odds or the like, but rather, <font color="red"> "finding a good game" </font> So naturally, my question is: Playing online, how do I find a good game? How do I determine which tables to play at? I know I could sit and wait on a table to see how many see the flop etc, but that would be fairly tedious, and players are always leaving/joining. Ideas?

Another question I have relates to chasing and drawing hands. Typically I will fold unless I have an open ended straight draw, a flush draw (not backdoor), or have made a top pair. Should I be paying to see the turn and river with hands like AJ or AK, when I have the possibility of hitting top pair?

Another question that ties in to that, is how to play weak pairs. If I'm sitting with pocket 4s and I can get in without a pre-flop raise, I will play them hoping to hit a set. However, if I don't hit the set, should I fold immediately, or should I fight through and try to hit on the river, or even win outright? I have seen pocket 7s hold up on multiple occasions, but never feel like I should be hanging on to them that long.

Hoping to gain some knowledge from you all.

[gunboat]

#1. You would like to play against loose, passive players. So online look for a large percentage seeing the flop. This is available on most sites. I generally try to get an average of at least 30%. If you find one at 40%, sweet. If the games have similar flop percentage, the one with the lower pot size will likely be more passive. That said, you need to keep abreast of the table action while playing. With players coming in and out constantly, the make up can change quickly. One loose player can change the whole table. Once you take your seat, be especially observant to the 2 players to your left and the one to your right. These are the players who will have the most influence on how many and what type of hands you play. If you find an aggressive player in these positions and are not comfortable sitting close to a frequent raiser, find another table...or better yet, learn to take advantage of it. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

The other two questions are extemely situational dependant and should be discussed in separate posts. You will get many different viewpoints.

[MS Sunshine]

"Another question I have relates to chasing and drawing hands. Typically I will fold unless I have an open ended straight draw, a flush draw (not backdoor), or have made a top pair."


This is right for most flop play, but you must be very selective pre-flop with hands that are most likely drawing hands. Be pretty sure that you will get 4-6 players for a single bet.

"Should I be paying to see the turn and river with hands like AJ or AK, when I have the possibility of hitting top pair?"

If you get the right answer to this please PM me with it.

"Another question that ties in to that, is how to play weak pairs. If I'm sitting with pocket 4s and I can get in without a pre-flop raise, I will play them hoping to hit a set. However, if I don't hit the set, should I fold immediately,"

YES

" or should I fight through and try to hit on the river, or even win outright? I have seen pocket 7s hold up on multiple occasions, but never feel like I should be hanging on to them that long."

That feeling you have is either gas or the feeling of going broke. Take some Maalox, if the feeling doesn't go away then start throwing away under pairs to the flop.

"Hoping to gain some knowledge from you all."

ROFLMAO

MS Sunshine

[crockpot]

don't chase sets with small pocket pairs if you don't flop them. there are exceptions, but they are so rare that you will not go far wrong always mucking them if they miss.

as for your other questions, my website has entire essays devoted to just about everything you asked, so i'll leave you to read them if you want. a link is in my profile; click the section on advanced poker strategy essays.

[LetsRock]

[ QUOTE ]
I've read in a few places that the most important thing to becoming a successful poker player is not strategy, pot odds or the like, but rather, "finding a good game" ....

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
Another question I have relates to chasing and drawing hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

The answer to your "chasing" question relates directly to your underestimation of importance of pot odds in your opening statement. If you have the proper odds to "chase" a draw (assuming it will win if you hit it) then it is correct to "chase". Another response mentioned that you need to have enough players in the hand to begin with or you shouldn't even see the flop with drawing hands.

Pre flop and post flop raises will often give you incorrect odds even if there are many players so don't let the "lots of players" rule serve as your only criteria for the entire hand. If there are lots of limpers and callers, it's often correct to chase any drawing hand to the end. (By any drawing hand I don't mean any 2 cards.) Open end straights and 4-flushes are typically easy to draw to correctly with as few as 4 or 5 limpers (and no raises) again, providing that they're likey to be the best hand if they hit. Gutshots and set-chases take considerably higher pot odds adn are rarely chasable, but there are times when it is correct to chase these as well.

"Seeing the turn" odds are usually easier to make because the flop bets are still SBs. "Seeing the river" odds is usually not reachable for most drawing hands since the pot has been built from SBs and the bet is now a BB. Effective odds come into play and this is a deeper subject than I am qualified to cover properly but, in a nutshell, once you've found the "best" table to play, don't forget to use the rest of the poker tools to help you make correct decisions.

[gunboat]

[ QUOTE ]
don't chase sets with small pocket pairs if you don't flop them. there are exceptions, but they are so rare that you will not go far wrong always mucking them if they miss

[/ QUOTE ]

The exceptions are not all that rare. There are two that come up frequently enough that you are losing money if you ignore them.

1. Uncoordinated flop, little flop action and a pot is getting close to 20 SB. You are getting correct odds to take one off if you can get it for one SB. This often happens when you limp after several in LP and one of the blinds pops it. Or you call in the BB after limpers and a raise.

2. You are heads up or three way and rags flop. Your PP is often good at that point. You need to know your opponents reasonably well to make correct decisions on this one.

[scotnt73]

if i dont know any1 at the table i usually try to put the guy with the most money to the right of my avatar. if hes a solid player and not just lucky he will play few hands and raise when he has a good starting hand. Therefore you will almost always go right after him and can get out of his way without loosing a bet unless you have a great hand too. plus the people before him will play a little tighter usually which gives me quite a few chances to be the first one in from middle position and raise to get heads up or steal the blinds with my good hands.

[morello]

I play at Party, so flop statistics are not available to me (or are they somehow?). Obviously this would be a great indicator if I could use it, but I cannot. Any other tips on game selection? Right now I pick a random table (I try to shoot for the one with a high avg. pot and a good number of players.)

[Mike Gallo]

I've read in a few places that the most important thing to becoming a successful poker player is not strategy, pot odds or the like, but rather, "finding a good game"

Ok, I have to stop you right in your tracks. You have to learn how to play well before you can spot other peoples mistakes.


Another question I have relates to chasing and drawing hands. Typically I will fold unless I have an open ended straight draw, a flush draw (not backdoor), or have made a top pair. Should I be paying to see the turn and river with hands like AJ or AK, when I have the possibility of hitting top pair?

According to your flawed logic this shouldnt matter since game selection takes precedence over learning how to play.

Hoping to gain some knowledge from you all.

Start by picking up a good poker book whose authors give solid advice.