Help! Preflop Solid/Postflop - Having Problems. Ideas?

[jtr]

Good luck, Mr Horace.

I'd suggest playing either Party 0.5 / $1 or even Pokerstars micro-limits (0.05 / 0.10 or some such) until you're sure you can beat those games. This has the advantage of getting you through many more hands in the comfort of nothing but your underwear, plus you can post the histories of critical hands here with much less difficulty.

If you do start racking up a large number of hands online, buy PokerTracker sooner rather than later, as this excellent tool will help you to see what you're really doing preflop. For example, a weakness in my own game that I've just noticed is that I'm not positional enough. I play at about the right level of preflop tightness, but I need to be tighter still in the early seats and much looser towards the button. I would never have noticed that I was failing to do this (I know I should be doing it!) without PokerTracker laying it out in black and white.

Enjoy.

[BeerMoney]

$100 might do it, but, for me, I like to have a big cushion. Also, it really doesn't hurt to put the extra money in assuming something doesn't go terribly bad. However, I started out with $100, and haven't looked back.
Start out at micro-limits.

Also, I suggest learning to play other games. I have been pretty succesful at single table tourneys. These can be very fun and break the monotony of limit hold 'em.

Don't worry about what rate other people are winning at. Your rate is your rate. If you won 2 BB's/hr, would it make you happier to hear someone else only made .5BB/hr? Would it make you sad to hear another person makes 3BB/hr? Look at it like fitness or golf.. Its individual. If you're a fat bastard, it doesn't make you any skinnier if the guy over there is twice as fat, right?

Good luck MrHorace, please keep us posted on your progress.

Beermoney.

FWIW, I lost $250 on my first two trips to foxwoods. I was a fish. I'm not a losing player anymore, but I'm not crushing the games the way some people are, but I still enjoy learning.

[Guy McSucker]

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I'm intrigued by your comment regarding middle pair w/overcard kicker is where one could get into trouble.


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"Get into trouble" isn't quite right. "Make mistakes" is. Something that would never have occurred to me before reading these forums in earnest (and the Ed Miller book) was that in certain situations it's best to raise the flop with a hand like that. (NOT ALWAYS!!!) Those hands are much tougher to play correctly than top set, flopped nut flush, top pair top kicker, etc., but beginning players often focus on the hands they lost most money on, which tend to be the ones where they hit the flop hard and got burned, rather than on the ones they failed to win money on, like the kind of situation I'm alluding to.

Read the book. It's great. Read this forum. It's also great. Put everything these guys preach into action and you will win.

Guy.

[MrHorace]

JTR, Thanks for the suggestion. BeerMoney also suggested PP 0.50/1 as opposed to my $2/$4 at Foxwoods, which has ~10% rake rate plus tips, and 4x on upper limits. I will definitely be doing this sooner rather than later. I've read that it's best to have 300 BB bankroll, and am curious to your thoughts on this. I will also be buying Hilger's book before this venture.

I have been reading a lot about Poker Tracker, and it seems like it is a pretty valuable tool. I will definitely get this at the same time I move to the online poker. The more I'm learning, and thinking about things, the more I realize that it may be better putting off the Live Poker sessions.

By the way, good luck on your positional play. Are you reading SSH by Ed Miller et al.? I just got it this week, and think the section on dominated hands is exceptional. One suggestion that I read recently, and will pass on, "would you call a raise with the hand you are calling the bet in early position on?" One of those simple, powerful statements in life. Hopefully it helps.

Good luck and thanks again.
David

[MrHorace]

BeerMoney,
Glad to hear that others have also lost at Foxwoods. I think I've also been a fish at times. I've always chalked it up as a good learning experience, but it's an expensive one that doesn't need to be with the online play available. The more I think about your suggestion, the more anxious I get about moving to online play. I think I will get the 300 BB bankroll though. I'd like to start w/ 0.50/$1. Is that too high do you think?

I do want to learn other games as well. What do you think has helped make you successful at single tourney games. Also, what games did you play starting out other than hold 'em? Have you played any 7-card stud at all? I think you have a good idea to play other games as it really sharpens your mind overall.
As far as crushing the games, I think if you are winning, and not a fish, that is crushing the games. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] You're like me in that you figure as long as you keep learning, you're making progress. I think that's what makes the game so fascinating.
I'll keep you posted.