Quieting down my aggression and become more passive
 

First off, I've been looking off my Pokertracker stats. I've noticed a few things that I think that are fundemantally wrong with my game:

1) I'm too aggressive on the flop and turn. My PF raise looks good (between 14 - 15) but I think I'm taking the bet the flop and turn for folding equity a little too far.

First question is, how do I cut down my flop and turn aggression and by how much? I think I have to be less inclined to bet out on the flop with overcards against two opponents where the flop looks somewhat threatening.

Example:

I raise with AKo and the flop comes Q 4 9 two suited. And I have no backdoor flush draw. In front of me are two passive opponents. If my opponents are not tricky and are somewhat calling stations where do I draw the line? Am I better off betting than check / calling? I'm more inclined to bet. Discuss.

2) The turn. This is probably where I have most difficulty playing the game. I notice a lot of shorthanded players who post their W$SD stats are around the 51% - 53% range. Is this where most winning players should be? My W$SD floats around the 57% range.

It's pretty clear that I'm not going to showdown enough - my Went to showdown is around 31% - 32%. Therefore where I'm going wrong? My guess is that I should be calling instead of betting the turn with my marginal holdings if a scare card falls. This would solve two things:

1) My aggression factor on the turn would go down.
2) I'll be seeing a showdown much more because I won't be getting bluffed out of pots on the turn as much.

Therefore I think a lot of the time with TP or a marginal holding on the turn, I should be trying to see a showdown more than often and that means I should be check/calling out of position, to stop being raised on out of pots on the turn. Therefore my aggression factor would go down, but my went to showdown would increase (currently at around 32%), and my W$SD would decrease because I would be seeing more showdowns.

Of course I'll still outright bet my monsters on the turn, but I think I should be less inclined to bet out with marginal pairs etc. on the turn.

My line has been "keep being the aggressor until be told otherwise that you may be beaten." I think that saying is flawed because I'm being myself left over to bluff raises. Maybe. Or I'm paranoid.

I'd like some comments on this, thanks

Steve Griff

Re: Quieting down my aggression and become more passive
 

I can't get into right now because of time constraints:

However, I will say that you seem to be on the right track with your thoughts on the matter. I used to be you and focussing on the things you mentioned have helped.

Sometimes, getting to showdown cheaply with a marginal hand against an aggro opponent is the right play.

Re: Quieting down my aggression and become more passive
 

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Sometimes, getting to showdown cheaply with a marginal hand against an aggro opponent is the right play

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yea i agree let them use their over agression against them.
also no point trying knock out guys that call down with 22,just value bet against thoe types,
agression works best v weak tighties and players with some sense

Re: Quieting down my aggression and become more passive
 

Check out this linkfrom yesterday it cover this nicely.

Re: Quieting down my aggression and become more passive
 

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raise with AKo and the flop comes Q 4 9 two suited. And I have no backdoor flush draw. In front of me are two passive opponents. If my opponents are not tricky and are somewhat calling stations where do I draw the line? Am I better off betting than check / calling? I'm more inclined to bet. Discuss

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Why would you check? What would indicate that they have any part of this flop?. Bet, your folding equity is great here.

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It's pretty clear that I'm not going to showdown enough - my Went to showdown is around 31% - 32%. Therefore where I'm going wrong? My guess is that I should be calling instead of betting the turn with my marginal holdings if a scare card falls. This would solve two things:


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Your goal is to win money. Not to go to showdown.

I had a period for whatever reason that I got a bit timid. My winrate dropped to 1bb/100 but my W$SF % went up to 3%.
Soon as I changed back to being more aggresive my BB/100 went back up. Won less pots but more money.
My usual aggresion factor are around 3.30 for both the turn and flop. When I went timid it dropped down to 2.50. At times I maybe am too aggressive but I think it is better then too timid.

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Therefore I think a lot of the time with TP or a marginal holding on the turn, I should be trying to see a showdown more than often and that means I should be check/calling out of position, to stop being raised on out of pots on the turn

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Bet top pair unless somebody lets you know you are behind. Check allows players behind to draw for free. One of the biggest mistakes you can make.

Re: Quieting down my aggression and become more passive
 

Thanks for the link, loads of good stuff in there. Also found this page that's very good:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...t=1#Post3012653

Steve Griff

Re: Quieting down my aggression and become more passive
 

Good post.

I have been paying attention to my turn play lately, and I think the turn may be the street where reads are most important (am I right?). I have tried to pay more attention to the different opponent's calling requirements on the flop (some just peel with any hand, some call draws, some raise draws etc.), and it has helped since I know more where I am at when they call the flop (their hand ranges still wide of course, but narrowed) and the turn becomes easier to play.