I NEED HELP SHORTHANDED

[Chris Daddy Cool]

I don't have much experience playing shorthanded, probably too few hands to really draw any conclusions, but whenever I do play, I get mixed results. My most recent adventure into the 1/2 6 max UB table left me befuddled and confused, down 50BB in 1 hour and 52 minutes. I didn't quite know what to make of it. I played a little looser than I'm used to, but I'm supposed to right? I played more aggressively than I'm used to, but I'm supposed to right? My downswing was a mixture of the inevitable bizarre river straights and two pairs and multiple missed flush and straight draws along with 1 super LAG who'll 3bet just about anything and 1 tight trickster who I probably gave too much respect to. But, I think quite possibly that the main factor was my own poor play, specifically overvaluing my own hands and becoming far too aggresive at times.
For example, I'll 3bet preflop with pocket 9's. An overcard will flop, say a Q, and I'm bet into and I'll raise only to find myself 3betted and calling down the rest of the way.
Or, another, I'm the preflop raiser with AK. The flop misses me completely against 3 players. I'm bet into and I either a) become a calling station and call down or b) raise the entire field with overcards, miss the turn, but still bet, miss the river yet again and still bet, only to find myself called down by pocket 4's.

My question to all you shorthanded pros. Should I expect these large fluctuations in my results? Is it normal to win so much or lose so much over such a short period of time? What tips do you have to beat these games?

[naphand]

Welcome to the Forum.

But come on Daddy...give us a break /images/graemlins/mad.gif

This forum has answered this question many times over. Make the effort to read through ALL the threads and you should have answers to your general questions. There is a wealth of information FREE for you here, well, free except for the fact that you have to make the effort to read them yourself.

When you have done that, post up some specific hands that are giving you trouble (using the format you see here) and people will respond.

[Chris Daddy Cool]

Gotcha, sorry bout that. I actually read a post that asked the same question not too long ago, but the answers he got were pretty general, i.e. never coldcall, never openlimp, defend blinds, value bet, etc. etc. Just wondering if there was anymore insight being thrown around while the subject was still up, and I cna't find my HEPFAP anywhere. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

But yea, I'll scroll through this forum.

[stripsqueez]

i agree with naphand - he was responsible for some great posts that will specifically address some of your dramas - you should extend your search back 3-4 months

for what its worth your desription sounds typical - i think you will look and feel stupid more often playing short handed if your doing it properly

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[Nate tha' Great]

[ QUOTE ]
Or, another, I'm the preflop raiser with AK. The flop misses me completely against 3 players. I'm bet into and I either a) become a calling station and call down or b) raise the entire field with overcards, miss the turn, but still bet, miss the river yet again and still bet, only to find myself called down by pocket 4's.

[/ QUOTE ]

Placing turn and river bets with ace-high against several opponents is a significant leak. Although I'll not infrequently raise a bet on the the flop with AK or AQ in an effort to get a free card (especially if the flop comes with something like a gutshot or backdoor flush draw), I'll often check the turn through, and very often give up on the river.

[TazQ]

First thing I noticed about my play that I wanted to fix was autobetting the flop/turn with overcards nearly every time. Obviously this is a winning strategy vs weak players, but vs your general calling stations/LAGs you'll be splashing chips around (unless you're value betting A high obviously).

If I raise preflop and 2<= people call, I'll usually fire one bet out on the flop if I have position. If the top card on the board pairs or I pick up a draw on the turn, or a person drops, I'll usually fire on the turn again (depending on oponnent(s)). Generally I'm taking a free card though. Then there are meta game considerations. I'm a lot more likely to take shots at pots when I'm up over +20BB at a table when I raised preflop than I would if say, I was down -15BB. Or if the cards have been very cold, and I know one or two people might notice this who are involved in he hand. The converse is true as well. If I've been raising non stop with good hands, you can't expect your bets on the flop/turn to have any meaning (if you haven't shown down winners).

Obviously there are exceptions. There are some total idiots I'll go to war with nut no pair, or I'll value bet all the way to the river with ace high. Generally though, I think what Nate said true. If you're constantly betting A high on the flop/turn/river, without improvement of some kind, and not taking into account your opposition, you'll be losing money in the long run.

[Kenrick]

[ QUOTE ]

for what its worth your desription sounds typical - i think you will look and feel stupid more often playing short handed if your doing it properly


[/ QUOTE ]

Ahahahaha! It's so true. You'll feel like you're doing the stupidest stuff and that no one could possibly have a worse hand than you, but then they call you with something that is lucky to beat an Ace-high. Crazy.

And then you call down a full house with Ace-high yourself. *shrug*

[kiddo]

Here is a page where you will find some good links about shorthanded play:

http://www.no-treason.com/wild/poker/rgplinks.html