[Surfbullet]

Hey therockofgibraltar,

It sounds like that you have accumulated some poker knowledge, but your thinking sounds a little fuzzy as to how and why we are able to show a profit at hold'em.

Players who chase too much are a godsend. I scour the 15/30 and 20/40 tables to sit 3handed with a 65/5/.5 fish. If you are feeling stymied because "noone ever folds" you are trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, so to speak. Semibluffing loses its value; multiway you should be pumping your draws when you have an equity advantage (see flopped nut flush draw in 4+ handed pot) and drawing as cheaply as your opponents' allow (see flopped gutshot + over in 4+ handed pot).

Additionally, hands like 2nd pair, or a PP above 3rd pair, become worthy candidates for value-betting all 3 streets, most notably when you are heads-up or 3way against complete calling stations. They'll call with any pair, and sometimes A-hi, and once-in-a-blue-moon Q-hi? GREAT! Bet 99 on a KJ762 river HU vs a mega calling station...he'll call with 33 and A6 and sometimes AT!

Your biggest troubles seem to stem from your approach to the game. When you bet the flop + turn HU, get to the river, and the passive fish donkbets you + shows a rivered gutshot, BE HAPPY. The fact that this happens proves WITHOUT A DOUBT that you played winning poker that hand. Use this to fuel your intellectual energies to putting in more hands...since you're playing well then you just have to start getting to the long run (for more on "the long run" see Krishanleong's "downswing post" on the main page right now).

You can do it. 1/2 is beatable...you have to learn to beat it to understand why you win at poker. Once you TRULY understand that you can move up, and apply what you know. Making people fold doesn't get you to winning poker. I know how to fold, and we could play heads-up all day and you wouldn't show 1/100th the profit you earn from these goons. Good luck.

Surf