Okay..

[xGoreDudex]

Well sorry boys for posting my earlier post in the main forum, just was really discouraged. Now, the rest of this is for anybody that wants to possibly help me out, if not this read is definatley not for you. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Okay, well I began playing Limit Hold'em back in July on PokerStars. I started with $150 which was 300bb for .25/.50
I played about 2,500 hands their, a pretty insignifigant sample I know but from my previous study I felt I was ready for .50/$1 after winning about $50. I was a bit under-rolled, but I was clearing a $50 bonus on Eurobet and I also was prepared to drop back. I played roughly 14k of .5/1 and was only a 2.00/100 winner preceisely. Again sample isn't huge but this just what I have to go on for you.

I had done a few bonuses from Party/Empire/Intertops at this time, so my bankroll was in good shape. I then took a couple of pops at $1/2 and seemed to be a good fit, I was running really really well, but found my over-all game was pretty good, and was very happy. Then, as I hit 7,200 I had an 81bb down-swing today, definatley not the biggest.

But what I'm concerned about, is that although I only have 24k hands played total, I obviously don't know if I'm a winner in this game, so its hard not to worry about down-swings in this stage of my poker journey.

I had $1,400 from my orginal $150 back in July so I was definatley happy, down to around $1,200 now, still signigantly rolled.

So here's my questions...

#1) my vpip is around 16 for $1/2, how do you loosen up without playing too loose pre-flop

#2) my went to SD is way below avg, around 28 and my won at show-down is 56% obviously too high, this is the stat that really bothers because, I feel post-flop I play decent, which obviously I don't, but how do you get more marginal hands to Show down without spewing your ass off?

#3) I'm weak tight apparently, any thoughts?

Anyways, appreciate any advice, including start over, just really want to nip this spewage in the butt and get moving up the poker ladder.

Thanks.

G.

[NateDog]

I'm taking the week off. I'm going thru a dip a little larger and longer than yours, but also at 1/2. Difference is I've got 45K @ .5/1 and 10K @ 1/2.

Here's my thoughts on your VPIP: Don't try to play more hands just to get the #'s in line with some 'magical' theoretical number. You'll start to play more hands when you identify the sitiuations that call for them. I don't really want to go into specifics, as there are way too many sitiuations BUT lets say you have JTs in the hi-jack, and the players behind you are tight and the blinds are bad. Raise. Let's say you have the same hand and 4 players have limped in front, are you raising? Pre-flop can be played effectively from a chart, but as your game evolves, so should your PF hand selection. Start thinking about why you should (or shouldn't) play a hand instead of some 'rule' that you read when you were just starting out.

You are folding too many winners, but you know that. It may be that the stakes are a bit too much for you. This may help, wait till the next reload bonus, and play 1/2 then. You are giving yourself a buffer that way, and a downswing won't hurt quite as bad.

Hope this helps (both of us).

Nate