Re: Hit and Run vs. Taking Command vs. Trapping
Hi Shaman,
I'll humor you. What you should be asking yourself is, "Why am I losing my big stack?" I'll take a guess: you don't play that well in general, and specifically, you continue to take big risks after your opponents have observed your strategy and adjusted. If this likely scenario is what's happening to you, then a short-term answer is quitting after a short TIME at the table--regardless of whether you're up or down.
But sadly, I doubt this will work for you. I suspect that what's actually happening at these tables is that you're making one bad play after another, and eventually it costs you your whole stack. In your mind, the bluffs you get away with and the junk hands that hit hard are evidence of your genius play, and the hands where you bust yourself are the mistakes. In reality, your plays "work every time but once." It could cost you your whole stack the first time you do it, or the second time, but your opponents are content to wait you out until they're sure they're ahead, and get you on the 5th mistake or so. The problem with NL (for you) is that whichever time they get you, they'll get most or all of your stack.
The long-term solution to your problem is to get better at poker. You sound like you may have a decent start: rather than playing nitty, conservative poker at small limits, you are showing some heart, and taking advantage of your very weak opponents' numerous faults. Now you need to temper your heart with some brains, and learn to extricate yourself from certain trap situations that will routinely cost you all your chips. This is way harder than learning how to raise pre-flop, then auto-bet the flop. There are too many examples to note here, but one thing you might consider is not playing 2-gappers like Q8. With this hand, you may find yourself with the 2nd nut straight against the nuts (KQ) more often than you'd think possible.
You may think I sound very presumptuous in my assessment of you, a player I've never met. But trust me, I've met you. Actually, I've been you. And some days, I still am you.
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