I'm taking it in the shorts lately.. will someone look at this?

[cold_cash]

I've been having a real rough 2 weeks or so playing Party .50/$1. Up until now I've been steadily making a pretty good profit (for my standards) but it seems like nothing has been going right lately. I cringe every time I check the last "call" button every time I'm in a hand, because I know inevitably those damn two "You lost, muck?", and "You lost, show?" buttons are going to pop up. I think (obviously) my confidence is shaken and I'm not exactly sure what to do about it. I don't feel like I'm doing anything different.

Anyway, enough with the pity-party. Here's what seems like a typical hand from my last few sessions. It's not an incredible bad beat or anything, I'm just looking for any advice on my play at this point. Thanks in advance.

(By the way, at no point in this hand did I think I was going to win it. Should that tell me anything?)


Typical Party table -- loose and weak.

From what I know about MP1 he could have anything from 55 up to 2 face-cards. The SB already has money in the pot, so he's coming along with any 2 come hell or high-water.

Party Poker 0.50/1 (10 handed)
Hero has Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and is MP2

EP1 raises, Hero 3-bets, Button calls, SB calls, BB folds, EP1 calls

Flop(13 SB): K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

SB checks, EP1 bets, Hero raises, Button folds, SB calls, EP1 calls

Turn(16 BB): 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

SB checks, EP1 checks, Hero bets, SB calls, EP1 calls

River(19 BB): T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

SB checks, EP1 checks, Hero checks

I'll post the results after while.

[SpaceAce]

That hand looks pretty good to me. The flop raise was bold but I think it's the proper play unless you want to roll over and play dead. The lack of a reraise on the flop helps rule out the made flush unless you've got a slow player in you midst. Hmm, no raise on the turn? OK, the flush is not out there. The river is another ten. Check, check to the aggressor. What's that I smell? Is that a check raise? Eh, probably not but why risk it? I think the river check is just fine. With three diamonds and a pair on the board, the only thing you're going to do with a bet is fold the small blind who missed with his Ace of diamonds. EP1 is going to put in one more bet to show you his AK.

OK, maybe I'm a million miles off but I think EP1 has a King and it would be perfectly reasonable to expect the small blind to show you the Ace of diamonds. Of course, in these games it would be perfectly reasonable for EP1 to show you the Ace of diamonds and the small blind to show you KQ. The point is, if you bet the river you probably get called by a King or raised by something better. You're unlikely to get another bet out of someone who missed completely on this board although you might get one from JJ or AT* if they held on this long. Of course, AT beats you now so that sucks, too.

To be fair, although I win, win, win at these silly micro games, my thoughts very rarely seem to square up with the other 2+2ers so don't pay too much attention to what I said until you hear from some more people [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

SpaceAce
* This is a joke, of course. You wouldn't be able to beat AT off this river with a stick.

[Nate tha' Great]

[ QUOTE ]
(By the way, at no point in this hand did I think I was going to win it. Should that tell me anything?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Even before the flop you didn't? Take a break like *now*. I've been there, and that's a horrible state of mind in which to be playing.

[chesspain]

I think you played this fine, although I might even have checked it through on the turn, since your flop raise would likely stop any Kx from betting, although any Kx will still call the turn, assuming the card wasn't a diamond. However, at least the bet on the turn is almost guaranteed to get you a free showdown.

By the river, it is difficult to believe that your hand is going to be good. However, no worse hand is going to call, so checking it through on the river is fine.

[scotnt73]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
(By the way, at no point in this hand did I think I was going to win it. Should that tell me anything?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Even before the flop you didn't? Take a break like *now*. I've been there, and that's a horrible state of mind in which to be playing.

[/ QUOTE ]

i agree take a break. ive been there too. (read or reread one of the great poker books during this break). when you come back try to make sure you have several winning sessions in a row no matter how small. if you are up 10 dollars tell yourself you are going to leave at least 5 dollars up. string several small wins together and you will have your confidence back in no time.

[StellarWind]

Looks fine.

You need a break. Whatever you like to do to study/improve your game, go do it now. It'll help you and make you feel better about yourself.

[Brain]

(not to echo everyone else, but that's what I'm doing anyway)

If you start to feel that way, take a break. I was that way early in January (with suckouts and one or two mediocre/bad plays per session on Party) so I didn't play for two or three weeks. I read S/S and WLLHE, played some PS play money games (to practice tight/aggressive on loose tables) and got two winning real money sessions on Stars this past week and I feel better and more confident. Hope you do soon too!

[cold_cash]

Results --- MP1 shows K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
SB shows 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]


I think you guys are right and I probably do need a hiatus.
I was happy to find out that I didn't completely butcher this hand though. As soon as the flop came down I figured I wanted to get to showdown as quickly and cheaply as possible, was that the right way of thinking? Was there a way I could have made it there cheaper?