$200 in PP, now what?

[mack848]

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until the converter gets going, analyzing my mistakes is a bit difficult

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Just in case you are not aware of this - you can replay your hands in PT. After a session I am not happy with, I often review all hands in which I saw the flop.

[@bsolute_luck]

okay, i didn't play any poker saturday, but i did play friday night at .5/1 stakes.

while i ended up winning (please don't read into that about well it was maximum winnings or how many BB/100 or per hour, i just walk away with more than i went in with), i ended with a streak of -30BB. thankfully i had a maniac to my right previous to my downswing that i raped for all he was worth- even to still be up 50BB even after losing the 30BB. i then switched tables because most of the players had left.

anyway, my reason for posting (for myself and any other beginner who might be going through a downswing for the first time): i'm nervous to get back in the ring. i hope this is normal, but i'm nervous that i'll just keep going down, won't get good cards, make tons more mistakes because i'm playing tentative...

is the only solution to get back in there? i know a 30BB downswing is normal, mild probably to other stories, but should i drop down to .25/.5 to regain confidence or just buckle down and play? thanks.

[benkath1]

Read this: Coping with a Cold Deck

[Dead]

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Just sit down with $20 at .25/.50.

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I don't like sitting down with this much. I like to sit with 24 big bets, so I sit with $12 at Stars .25/.50

[@bsolute_luck]

well regardless whether i sit with $12 or $20, the results seem to be the same: i lose. i sat with $20 at .25/.5 (i lowered to hopefully get some confidence). Such was not the case.

i not only see monsters under the bed, i've talked to them, had lunch with them, and lost all my $ to them. i'd say at this point, while i'm still studying, i hate poker. i play %25 of my hands, watch people with crap win pots, and when i get a hand it either doesn't get any help from flop, turn, river, it gets stomped by a monster, or merely wins the blinds to a folded table.

i'm now down 70BB and totally confused. i'm going back through my hands and posting them as i can (aparently, i can only post 1 hand per 4 hours or something), but i don't think i made any major mistakes. very frustrated at this point. i think i'm gonna have to take a break or i'm just going to play out of frustration and not think about the hands.

[Dead]

This game is very beatable. I made 20 bucks in 30 minutes at Stars .25/.50 last night.

Maybe you're just having a bad run. If you're playing correctly then that's all tht matters. Are you playing correctly?

[@bsolute_luck]

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This game is very beatable. I made 20 bucks in 30 minutes at Stars .25/.50 last night.

Maybe you're just having a bad run. If you're playing correctly then that's all tht matters. Are you playing correctly?

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hahah, i guess that's the question eh? part of it, yes, i did have a bad run and i lost more chips on those runs than suggested. i've posted some hands in the micro forum and have learned a leak i have is not willing to letting strong hands when obviously beat.

i lost with QQ twice, my suited cards never even flop a backdoor draw, my 2 AKs never paired. but i'm taking my time. i think it would be more valuable for me to break from playing a day or so to gather my head.

i have records of my past 300 hands i'm going very carefully back over to examine my play. i've found a number of helpful tweaks and improvements. so i am still moving forward. two steps forward, 1 step back right?

[Dead]

You have to look at more than 300 hands. I play 300 hands every hour.

[contentless]

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i play %25 of my hands, watch people with crap win pots, and when i get a hand it either doesn't get any help from flop, turn, river, it gets stomped by a monster, or merely wins the blinds to a folded table.

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Far be it for me to give suggestions, considering I'm relatively new to the poker world compared to some other 2+2ers, but remember, limit hold-em is a game of value bets, not trapping. You don't have the two mixed up, you just don't seem to be pumping enough value out of the fish. I'm not saying you're playing incorrectly, but it sounds as if to me you're calling too much post-flop, and not matching your pre-flop aggression in order to make the other players pay.

Of course, it could just be a cold deck. But since you have SSH, you might as well read it while you take your break from poker, especially the parts on overcards, betting for value on the river, and protecting your hand. And as always, keep an eye on pot odds and pot equity.

Don't get discouraged!

[@bsolute_luck]

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You have to look at more than 300 hands. I play 300 hands every hour.

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i know it is a miniscual sample, but being a new poker player, i think it have bigger holes that are easily findable compared to someone who can play 300 hands/hr.