I need help with my game

[Capone1]

Hi, I have been playing poker online for sometime now(3-4 months). I started playing the NL tables and got my ass handed to me began talking with more experienced players who probably are considered semi pros and said they only play the limit tables so I switched over to the limit tables. I started with .5/1 then steadly moved up to the 3/6 limits and played some 5/10 on pokerstars. A year ago I couldnt play for [censored] and now I feel(or felt) as though I am(was) a good poker player. Basically to sum it up, a pattern over the last couple weeks started to develop that has ruined me. I would put 100 in my account then lose it then put 50 in and make 600. Take out 300. Lose the rest then steadily put what I had taken out back into my account. Lose it all. I then just got so angry and thought that I could turn it around because I thought that I was good enough that I put all of my money into my account a couple of days ago and lost it all in sit n gos and on cash tables. This is the second time this has happen the consequenes of this will probably be worse than the first.

I really dont want you all to thrash me as being a bad poker player or a rookie, blah blah blah, trust me ive figured that out. I am taking a long break from playing poker but in the mean time I want to become better. I dont have any money for poker books. The only one that I have is probably the worst one around "Phil Hellmuth's, Play Like the Pros". What I want is some real good advice on learning the "game".

Like I said I cant afford any books at the time but any websites that have excerpts from authors like Sklansky would be very much appreciated. Also, I dont think I am a terrible poker player. I do fold when I think I have the best hand and I think someone has outdrawn me, etc., etc. I just think I got over my head and got myself into an undisclciplined mindset playing on a limited bankroll.

Please dont reply with insults.

[bernie]

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Please dont reply with insults

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Where's the fun in that? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Bankroll is an issue, obviously. It's very common for many not to fully understand BR for a long while. Usually busting out a few times.

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Like I said I cant afford any books at the time but any websites that have excerpts from authors like Sklansky would be very much appreciated.

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Get a library card.

Many bookstores now let you sit and read right there in the store while sipping coffee or sitting in a chair at the end of an aisle.

Actually, if you can afford to keep 'buying in' on a site to play, you can afford $20-30 for a book. The book will pay for itself many times over. All the good/great players found a way to get ahold and read/reread all the pertinent books out there. Why make it that much longer of a road than it has to be?

Sorry, there is no weekend seminar that teaches all you need to know. It takes awhile. It also takes alot of hard work.

How bad do you want it?

b

[theyweresuited]

i am going through the same problem, basically. i will also be taking a long break and trying to get my head right. it was suggested to me when i posted this same question that maybe i was too focused on winning and not focused enuff on playing correctly... obviously we both have bankroll issues to deal with too... i know this isn't gonna help you solve your problem but just wanted to let you know that you aren't the only one with this problem... my suggestion is to study this site and like the previous poster said a book is only 20-30 bucks, isn't that worth trying??? when you/ I start playing again we need to realize that if we keep this same cycle going that maybe this isn't something we can control, and unfortunately will have to give up playing poker...hopefully this is fixable though...best of luck to you!!!!!!!!

[Cardzy]

I'm no expert or pro and have only been playing for 1 year now, but my progress has been remarkable in that time span. I have increased my knowledge of the game to a point I didn't even think the game had and I now realize how much I STILL have to learn about it. I stayed at the very low micro limits playing well below my bankroll for months and months. Recently I have made the move up, .50/$1 and now I play $1/$2. I will be playing $2/$4 next month I am sure.

Anyway, I guess I don't have a whole lot to add here exept one thing. From reading your post it sounds very familiar to a phase I went through to get to where I am at now. I track every session on a spreadsheet and track every days wins and losses, etc. I look at my monthly sheet that shows my winning days and losing days throughout each month marked with in red for a loss and green for a winning day. For months I was very eradic, 4 greens then 2 reds, then a green then 2 reds, then 4 greens, then 5 reds, etc. Constant roller coaster. Now for this month I only have 4 reds total. Much more stable and controlled. Of course I expect losses along the way as variance plays it's role.

Anyway, my point here is this. You might just be at that point in your learning that you are on the roller coaster ride. You are applying newly learned concepts both correctly in spots and very wrong in other spots and don't quite got it all worked out where to apply them.

The biggest breakthrough for me was (yes, books, specifically SSH), but hopping in the forums and evaluating other peoples play. Reading the suggestions given and why they are given and trying them out. Then play some and individually have certain hands that I wondered if I had played properly sent to me so I could then post them and ask for criticism.

The wonderful players here (and the bad ones..:P) have no problem criticizing your play! And that is a GOOD THING! That is the absolute best tool I have found for learning so far. This forum is a VERY valuable tool for learning almost everything you will ever need to know about the game except of course what you can never learn without the actual experience and even then this forum is a great primer for it.

So there is my suggestion to you. Fork out the money for SSH first and foremost. Read and re-read it over and over until you understand the concepts presented (who cares about the starting hand requirements, understand WHY they were chosen and the actual "concept and principle" behind it). Read the forum hand posts and critiques and try to understand why the suggestions are given that are. Then play some and post some of your own hands and be open to all criticism, good and bad. If you don't feel advice given is good then ask why they say to do it that way. This forum is AWESOME and I have found nothing better for getting through the slumps and humps.

Get dedicated to being disciplined, never tilting, controlling your emotions and your bankroll. Concentrate not on the results of your play but on whether you played it properly or not. Results will come by themselves.

I personally prefer limit ring games over sit'n'goes or tourneys or NL. It is a structured limit and easily understood at all points. It is very challenging (much more so than most ever think before learning it) and restricts your losses to a point while learning. There is a major variety of levels to play that fit anyone's bankroll. It is a great game and goes from simple to terribly complex. I suggest you pick one type of poker you want to play the "majority" of time and concentrate only on that for a while. Like I said, I ONLY play limit ring games. On a rare occasion I may play a sit'n'go here and there but most of the time the only reason I do is because I want to hang with people that are doing it and it will be a nice variety change on occasion. Anyway, my suggestion is specialize in one type of poker you want to play, be it limit ring games, NL ring games, sit'n'goes, etc. Pick one and stick with it until you get it down and feel you are a consistent winning player. Then rethink your goals and for your next challenge either move up in limits or try something else (like say you started with limit ring, now that you are confident in it up to a certain limit, maybe you decide you want to learn sit'n'goes. So do it the same way).

Anyway, this is my suggestions and this is what works well for me. As I said, I am no pro by any means, but I know more about limit hold'em now then I ever thought possible as I didn't think there was even that much to the game. I also know there is twice as much still to learn about it. And that is why I continue to play and enjoy the challenge.

Take it slow and at your own pace. Don't rush to the bigger pots and higher limits or big tourneys, etc. Pick one, specialize, get good and stable and confident and the results will come automatically in time. Play for the challenge and challenge yourself to learn and become disciplined.

Ok, take it for what it is, there is my advice. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Good luck to you.

[Cpt Spaulding]

Have you tried playing freeroles for awhile until you develope your game? Poker books are pretty much worthless in my opinion. Take golf for instance...A person can read 100 books on how to play golf then go out and shoot a 130. Theory can only take you so far...Practice...Trial and error...That will improve your game.... The mental aspect of poker can't be taught, it can only be developed. Most important of all is not to get upset at a loss... Nobody wins everytime...Anyone who says different is a liar...

[shutupndeal]

Oh man Y do I do this ...but I just cant help feeling sorry for a guy like you.... wanna know the truth I could teach you in 3 hours what would save you 5-10 years of playing on the tables but first of all what you would ideally need is just that a TEACHER!!
When I learned this game I was a punk kid who didnt believe that U could make a living playing poker, thats exactly how I got into the game to prove it false.....what U need my friend is a "steel-will" and PitDog determination. U must realize that Poker isnt a joke, its a plce to get your rearend whipped but good unless you are gonna take it seriously. I know, I know you DO take it serious right? Maybe you will NOW but you didnt b4 because you WOULDNT be playing online at those limits with a short bankroll and when you did have money you didnt invest in any books which by the way aside from a TEACHER is the BEST way to grasp the basics....do you know the odds of almost every single situation online? Like whats the odds of drawing back to back of the same suit to make a flush? What about the pot odds needed to even make that draw? We dont just PLAY, this isnt a game it is a business or its a good way to lose money...which one do you want?
I only say this so you will understand that you NEED those books, forget what the mope b4 me posted and golf.
I hardly play golf I cadied for a living at one point tho! : ) You can find them at the library or a lot of them there for free, invest the time, take it easy your young and you have a longway to go in life Ok? First thing you want at your age is an income to pay the bills and THEN you save to play/pay for your poker education and yes I said education..again as in TEACHER, books and basics, get the free versions of the online Texas Hold-em programs and learn them, a lot of those can teach you basics and odds and get to that library.........heres where Im gonna kick myself but do you live anywhere NYC?
I wouldnt teach you unless we had an agreement worked out like the last guy I taught made me a website and Im not saying I want you to make me one and I dont want cash I only made him do it because he needed to learn the lesson of paying his way but anyway theres a bunch of ways I laid out for you, the book you have is better than people believe but its NOT the book for you, get one of David and Masons begginer books and start there like I said in the library AND then get yourself the free for a month Texas Hold-Em programs offered all over the place, read "thecardplayer.com"...I may have the wrong address so gooogle it if U have to and for now BE SMART stay offline playing, dont even go there again until you know ALL THE ODDS and WHEN TO PLAY A HAND ACCORDING TO THE POT ODDS in any given situation, it doesnt take that long to get to know these things and if you cant learn these things then get the job and just save and invest in gold until I tell you differently Ok? If I see that you get serious I may be of more help as we go along and I may even give you my e-mail.....IF you get serious, but think about it, this is a job like any other and ask yourself Y do you wanna be a poker player, would U be happy making money doing anything else? This is NOT something to do for fun.....and also.....lol, thats enough for now isnt it? I can be long winded but Im trying to help ya is all!
Have a VERY Merry Christmas and lets keep the Christ in Christmas and listen, dont worry about what ya lost, learn the lesson behind it, you need to get better or forget this stuff and theres no shame in letting it go either. If you decide to really wanna be a player than U must get serious bro!
and again...........Have a VERY Merry Christmas and lets keep the Christ in Christmas

PS This could be an early Christmas present Ok, I outlined a bunch of free ways of getting better so now its on you!

[Reef]

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Have you tried playing freeroles for awhile until you develope your game? Poker books are pretty much worthless in my opinion.

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WHAT?! Free rolls are horrible for developing ones game because often people will just play wrecklessly and stupidly, as it is free. Getting a false sense of skill can really be destructive.

Good poker books are ESSENTIAL for any serious poker player. 99.9% of this forum will agree with me on this.

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Take golf for instance...A person can read 100 books on how to play golf then go out and shoot a 130. Theory can only take you so far...Practice...Trial and error...That will improve your game....

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How are you comparing golf and poker? One is physical one is mental. That's like comparing chess and soccer. For mental activities, studying and reading books on it CAN improve one's ability. The same can not be said of physical sports.


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The mental aspect of poker can't be taught, it can only be developed. Most important of all is not to get upset at a loss... Nobody wins everytime...Anyone who says different is a liar...

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So preventing tilting is should be the #1 priority of everyone? Give me a break. That's just one discipline of many needed to be successful