I want to improve my game

I am a new poker player who plays regulary at 4/8 hold`em. I have been tought by a very good player (MJ) how to play the game, I have practiced online and am reading a book on hold'em.


This week I have played nearly every day, and throughout this time, I have found myself making un-profitable decisons such as calling a rasie in early position with 9 & 10 suited, chasing cards on the turn if they don't drop on the flop (when i should have folded) and simply playing too many hands.


I have identified the main flaws in my game, so how can I fix them???????????????????????????

I have identified the main flaws in my game, so how can I fix them?


Don't do these things any more. Isn't it that simple?


I have found myself making un-profitable decisons such as...


1. calling a rasie in early position with 9 & 10 suited


Simple solution: Don't cold-call raises ever. Ever! If your hand isn't strong enough to 3-bet with, then fold it.


2. chasing cards on the turn if they don't drop on the flop


If you miss the flop entirely, you should fold. When you gain more experience, you will learn when it is correct to call flop bets with just overcards or an underpair which needs to spike a set to win. Until then, you will be giving up very little by folding on the flop when you miss.


3. simply playing too many hands.


Focus on severely limiting the hands you play in early position. Don't play any suited connectors lower than JTs. Don't play pairs below 88 unless a couple players have limped ahead of you. Don't play any offsuit cards except AKo or AQo which you will raise with. That means you should be folding KQo and AJo in early position. Again, when you gain more experience, you can loosen up a bit.

you have identified the problems and solutions on your own. Stronger starting hand requirements and dont chase draws when you dont have pot odds.

Firefox,


Don't call two cold with T9 suited, fold if you miss the flop, and don't play so many hands. Ok, that was easy, now the hard part. If you know not to do those things, why did you do them?


Most poker players, are there to be players, and not to be spectators, and your biggest profit probably comes while you are being a spectator. You probably want to be involved, and to do so you think you need to have cards, learn that you don't.


When you release those hands, find another way to be involved, count the pot, figure out the odds, try and figure out where the next bet is coming from and figure out who is going to win, and with what. If you can do these things while you aren't holding onto a hand, many of the things you want to know, will come to you when you are holding a hand, and you will play better in the pots that you are involved with.


If you are involved even when you don't have cards, you might not find it so necessary to hold onto them to be 'playing the game'.


Good luck,

Play well,


Bob T.

A good player sitting next to me once, said (as we both folded trash once again) "If you hesitate and have to think about calling, FOLD, trust your instinct". Most poor pre-flop calls, you have to talk yourself into it. (he's too loose, that one's on tilt, I'm on a rush)

Read "The Psychology of Poker" by Alan Schoonmaker. It will help you realise why you play the way you do, which is the first step to changing.


Good luck from a fellow learner!