First post alert! QQ vs. LAG

[SteamingFish]

Villian sees nearly every flop, raises everything without looking at his cards, yet somehow always seems to win. Not much other info to give since I recently started multitabling (multispewing?), and can barely keep up. Also, I'm tilting like crazy (which makes me play even more passive than normal).

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+2 3-bets</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP2 calls, <font color="#666666">5 folds</font>, Hero calls.

I should have reraised PF. It was just about the last hand of a very painful evening, and I'm a coward.

Flop: (10.50 SB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+2 bets</font>, MP2 folds, Hero calls.

I should have bet out, right? And called his inevitable raise?

Turn: (6.25 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+2 bets</font>, Hero calls.

River: (8.25 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+2 bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.25 BB


On that note, here is why my evening was painful:


This has made me rethink my strategy somewhat. Clearly, two pairs and sets are overrated; they should be abandoned completely. (TPTK? HA!) I know straights aren't usually so bad, so I will call down with them IF I flop one on an unpaired, rainbow flop. If the board pairs or a third suited card comes on the river, I'm folding (even if checked to me on the button). They're just too costly to play.

This leaves flushes and full houses. While I did win an unusually high 50% of my flushes, this may be due to the small data set. On second thought, I'm going to fold those, too. Full houses -- I like these. I will keep them.

I also have a new strategy preflop. I will play AA from the big blind for free ONLY! This has two advantages. First, in the long run, I expect to run about -8BB/100. This is about 5BB/100 *better* than I've been running the last couple nights. This is a HUGE improvement! I've given up trying to win, my goal now is just to get screwed less. Second, this should give me a pretty ultra-tight image. When I get aces and forget the aforementioned strategy and raise from the big blind, it should scare off my more observant opponents. Of course, when 7-8 of them call anyway, I will fold unless I flop a full house, but only aces-full.

I just started reading SSHE for the third time, and as usual, will completely ignore everything I read. Also, I'll drop back down to .50/1 (are there any sites that host $0.01/0.02 games?) Yeah, sorry for this post, but it's my first, so I wanted it to be, you know, special. Since I'm really asking for it, flame away!!

-SteamingFish

[mantasm]

Cap at least 2 streets. Your new strategies sound terribly poor.

[SteamingFish]

Really, cap the flop, too? Is this because he's a LAG? Admittedly, I was afraid of the somewhat coordinated flop. But still call down on 4th and 5th street if nothing too exciting comes?

Sorry, I was kidding about my new strategies. I actually get somewhat aggressive with two pair, and more aggressive with three of a kind and above. But I will follow the usual advice, drop down a level or two, post hands (without the extra garbage), reread SSHE, etc.

[Grease]

Cap PF and the flop. Lead the turn, especially because he's a LAG.

Take it easy and only single table if you can't handle more than one. It took me a while to realize I couldn't do it, but when I was ready, I made much more money than if I just stuck with it and futily tried to multi.

[crunchy1]

[ QUOTE ]
Clearly, two pairs and sets are overrated; they should be abandoned completely.

[/ QUOTE ]
I've won more money with 3-of-a-kind than any other hand.

[ QUOTE ]
Also, I'll drop back down to .50/1 (are there any sites that host $0.01/0.02 games?)

[/ QUOTE ]
PokerStars has a .02/.04 game.

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, sorry for this post, but it's my first, so I wanted it to be, you know, special. Since I'm really asking for it, flame away!!

[/ QUOTE ]
If you were really that sorry you wouldn't have posted it in the first place. As for the rest of your post that I didn't comment on: whoop-dee-fuk-o!!

(I just wanted to use that word! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img])

[bozlax]

[ QUOTE ]
whoop-dee-fuk-o!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me likey.

[Derek132260]

Well, congratulations on your first post. While I am sensing the sarcasm in your tone, and while I can identify with your feelings of desparation (we all have nights like that at some point), here's what I think.

As for this particular hand...obviously, you should cap pre-flop, and if he'll let you, I'd raise towards a cap on the flop as well. Bet out the turn, if you're raised there, call him down the rest of the way. You've got to punish uber-LAG's for their sins, and you just didn't do it on this particular hand.

In general, it sounds like you're not ready for multitabling just yet. If it's still so hectic for you that you are unable to have good reads on opponents and you're merely trying to "keep up" with the pace of your tables, you're not there yet.

Do you have a monitor that allows 1600x1200 resolution? If you don't (and therefore can't see all your tables at all times), it can be very difficult to multitable effectively. Tables popping up while you're thinking about another one can be very distracting. That's step one.

Step two is to play a lot more to where these types of decisions (ramming and jamming an uber-LAG with QQ) are so automatic that you don't have to even think about it. Sounds like that will require more game-play on your end before you're ready for serious multi-tabling. Try playing one table 90% of the time and then adding in a second 10%. Slowly up that to the point where you're comfortable 100% of the time with two tables...and then add in a third 10% of the time, etc. That's what I've done, and it does take a while to get used to the speed.

Third step is this. When you're tilting this badly, you do need to stop for a while. Take a walk, turn on a baseball game, have sex if the option is available to you, etc. When you're feeling better, more calm, not scared -- then and only then come back to the tables.

It's a rough road, and you're in good hands on this board (with many hands being more capable than mine). Hope these suggestions are helpful.

-Derek

[jskills]

I'd cap preflop. I'd lead the flop and 3-bet a raise given your read on him. If he caps the flop, call down the turn and river. If he shows you a 7, KK, or AA so be it.

[einbert]

You obviously haven't been playing very long.

If you want to move up you're going to have to develop a little better ability to stomach these swings. 50BB is not the end of the world.

[einbert]

Oh yeah, folding anywhere in this hand would have been a terrible mistake.

I probably would have capped the flop and turn and check called the river, depending on how maniacal this guy is I might have capped the river too.