I know there has to be an answer to this

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
So my question now, what can be done about these idiots catching miracle cards at such a mathmatically improbable rate?

[/ QUOTE ]

If the idiots are truly catching miracle cards at a mathematically improbable rate, the only thing to do is quit playing the site, because it is clearly rigged. If, as I believe is actually the case, the idiots are catching miracle cards at just about the mathematically expected rate (and remember, if 6 people are seeing the flop and 4 seeing the river, one of them is going to suck out pretty frequently, what you need to do is find the leaks in your game. You are not losing because the idiots are sucking out on you. It probably feels like that's why you are losing, because those are memorable hands, where you lose a lot at once, when you expected to win, but the real reason you are losing is the bets you dribble away when you don't have the best of it, and/or the bets you fail to collect on your winning hands. If you are not raising pocket jacks or pocket queens preflop, that is probably one of the leaks. Those hands will win more than their fair share even in a loose game. If you're not raising them, you're giving up chips. Yes, they will get cracked frequently. You should probably fold them frequently on the flop or turn when there are overcards on the board and the action indicates somebody has you beat. You don't want to be hanging in to the river with QQ against K3 off an a K high board, you want to be playing a set against top pair, or an overpair against a rag top pair. You definitely want to be playing AK against K3 offsuit. As others said, get some good books, post some hands, and figure out what you're doing wrong. I was where you are a couple of years ago, thinking I knew how to play and wondering why I couldn't beat .50/1.00. Now I'm making good money at 15/30, and I built the bankroll to do so playing lower limits, so I know it can be done.

[PokerGoblin]

CORED,

Thanks for the encouragement. I was being sarcastic when I said I don't see the value in raising with big pairs... I do and I do play them appropriately. My frustrations occur when the flop brings 2 jacks and I am beat by a dude holding j-3 out of position while I have queens. The whole post was nothing but an immature rant, however I do respect your advice, and to be perfectly frank, I am actually an alright holdem player as far as home games and casinos. I have had, by my accounts 7 profitable sessions for every one losing session. I just have the problem of playing the same way I do in those environments as I do online.

As far as the suckouts are concerned, I know it's not happening any more to me than it happens to anyone else. Most of my table activities consist me me getting way ahead at one table where I can seemingly do no wrong and having to rebuy frequently at the other table where I can't seem to make a hand hold up. It is just frustrating to see poor play rewarded w/ giant pots.

I have read a few books (notably theory of poker, PPLTP by Hellmuth, Caro's book of tells) and I have been able to maximize my gains on the strong hands... as well as minimize my losses on hands that maybe some other players might chase cards with. Point being, I have evolved, and will continue to evolve my game to the highest level I am capable of.

Thanks for the advice again, I wasn't going to continue posting on this thread but I felt obligated to respond to the only real piece of constructive criticism I received (not that I didn't deserve the ass-ripping that I got for posting that nonsense). I have posted a hand or two on here, as well as on some other forums. I rarely find myself losing for long streaks, and most of my losses are from overplaying hands like TPTK and overpairs to low flops that appeal to a lot of drawing hands.

I acknowledge I have a long way to go to get where I need to be, and I do see the value of this forum (if you look at my other posts, you will see a legitimate contribution to the discussions), and I will be posting more cognitive and pointed threads in the future.

PG