Holes

[BrettK]

Okay, so I'm still trying to find a major hole in my game. I was brainstorming last night and came up with two possible things..

1. I've noticed that on the bubble in $10+$1s, there are *many* players who love to call all-ins with low-medium pocket pairs. In the 80 or so SNGs I've been in so far, I've been pushing (in the SB, BB or Button against no raises with 4-6 people left) with any ace, AA-88, K9-KQ, QJ and J10s while under 10xBB. Should I eliminate some of these because of the pocket pair calling tendencies?

2. Does anyone profitably steal from the button in earlier levels when it's been folded around with much worse hands than these? These situations are rare, but I'm wondering if my selection is too tight.

80 $10+$1s
ROI: -22.7%
Has anyone had a bad streak that lasts this long? Is it safe to assume that I'm a losing player at this point? All replies, however harsh, are appreciated.

Brett

[BrettK]

If it helps, I find that most of the time I have between 550 and 650 chips going into level four.

Brett

[eastbay]

Because you haven't played any hands, or because you've played hands and lost chips?

eastbay

[BrettK]

Hi eastbay. I just had the strangest experience. I was writing a reply to your post and playing on the bubble (5 people) in an SNG when my power went out. When it came back, I logged on to find that I had made the final three, and that I now had about 80 chips left with the blinds at 200/400. I tripled up and then doubled up twice (or something like that) and stole blinds until I was in a comfortable second. The third place guy got knocked out and I got heads-up with a maniac. I pushed on K9 and he called with Q9, doubling me up to just over 4k. I waited a few hands and pushed again with an ace, and he called with KJ, knocking me down to 200 and out on the next hand.

Anyway, back to your question. I am usually short stacked because I haven't played many hands. I can't cover every situation, but here are my general plays:

Please note that with a lot of these hands, I'm leaving out the fact that if it's folded around to me in very late position, I'll raise to steal.

-AA and KK: Any position: If there hasn't been a raise, raise to 3-4xBB. Reraise otherwise. Call any all-ins.
-AKs and AKo: Any position: If there hasn't been a raise, raise to 3-4xBB. Reraise otherwise, but almost never *call* an all-in.
-QQ and JJ: Any position: If there hasn't been a raise, raise to 3-4xBB. Otherwise be willing to call a 3-4xBB raise, but don't get involved with all-ins.
-TT through 22: Any position: Limp as long as there's at least one limper in front.
-AQs: Any position: Limp.
-AQo, AJs and ATs: Early position: Muck. Late position: Limp as long as there's at least one limper in front.
-KQs: Early position: Muck. Late position: Limp as long as there're at least two limpers in front.
-Anything else: All positions: Muck.

Thanks again,
Brett

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi eastbay. I just had the strangest experience. I was writing a reply to your post and playing on the bubble (5 people) in an SNG when my power went out. When it came back, I logged on to find that I had made the final three, and that I now had about 80 chips left with the blinds at 200/400. I tripled up and then doubled up twice (or something like that) and stole blinds until I was in a comfortable second. The third place guy got knocked out and I got heads-up with a maniac. I pushed on K9 and he called with Q9, doubling me up to just over 4k. I waited a few hands and pushed again with an ace, and he called with KJ, knocking me down to 200 and out on the next hand.

Anyway, back to your question. I am usually short stacked because I haven't played many hands. I can't cover every situation, but here are my general plays:

Please note that with a lot of these hands, I'm leaving out the fact that if it's folded around to me in very late position, I'll raise to steal.

-AA and KK: Any position: If there hasn't been a raise, raise to 3-4xBB. Reraise otherwise. Call any all-ins.
-AKs and AKo: Any position: If there hasn't been a raise, raise to 3-4xBB. Reraise otherwise, but almost never *call* an all-in.
-QQ and JJ: Any position: If there hasn't been a raise, raise to 3-4xBB. Otherwise be willing to call a 3-4xBB raise, but don't get involved with all-ins.
-TT through 22: Any position: Limp as long as there's at least one limper in front.
-AQs: Any position: Limp.
-AQo, AJs and ATs: Early position: Muck. Late position: Limp as long as there's at least one limper in front.
-KQs: Early position: Muck. Late position: Limp as long as there're at least two limpers in front.
-Anything else: All positions: Muck.

Thanks again,
Brett

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're playing too conservatively. "Not getting involved with all-ins" with QQ and JJ seems crazy to me. For example.

Also, you may be playing too timidly on the flop. If you hold AQ and the flop misses you after someone calls your raise, how often do you bet out?


Finally, for TT: limp only if there's limpers ahead? Otherwise, do what... muck!? That's horrid...

eastbay

[BrettK]

I should have put TT in its own category, because I limp with it even without limpers in front.

So QQ and JJ are actually hands that are good to get all-in with as long as you're not calling and as long as the situation presents itself? I was doing this originally with QQ, but I got burned enough times to stop.

I think you're right about the timid flop play. That's a part of my game that I've changed since moving to Party, since the LAG plays that worked on UB seem to get burned all the time by calling stations. Maybe I've taken it too far. I used to bet the pot every time I had at least two overcards in last position and it was checked to me against one or two opponents. Should I go back to doing this? What I do now is take a free card every time.

Brett

[ECondreras]

Brett - that is basically my strategy, which I got off of a post here. Most of the time I will catch a fish with my premium hand and I can get some early chips. Then I go right back to the strategy and watch people knock each other off. Every now and then I'll play a hand that can flop big (mostly suited connecters when I can get in cheap with my big stack) and I'll look to ambush someone. But if I can make it to level 4 with 1100+, I am almost always in the money.

I only have 30 under my belt, so I am not going to post any stats. I'll wait until I have 100. But for now, I am having a blast, making some money and gaining some experience.

[Roman]

you sound weak tight.

I suggest a strategy in between your old LAG and new weak tight self.

Also, limp with AQs in any position? It def deserves a raise in LP once blinds worth winning.

I always will call all ins with JJ QQ and AK at the 10+1 level.

Being first in with PPs is allright....

[HoldingFolding]

This has also, essentially, been my strategy; again drawn from the AleoMagus post It served me well - too many thirds, but at least I was doubling up - until recently. For the last 5 SnGs (not a great statistical sample) I've been out in 4th or 5th.

I put it down to 2 things:
My tight approach is identified and any bets are folded to
I haven't been getting the one or two hands in the BB or SB that have given me a decent hand (2 pair etc) that have resulted in an extra T200-300 to see me past the bubble.

With the BB at 15/20/30 I've decided to play suited connectors more and, if it can be done cheaply, even try showing some dodgy hands just so opponents don't become over-cautious.