Which hands should be making me the most money?

Typical game is 6-handed, $20 buyin, NL, .25/50

As I've been playing over the last few years or so, I'm discovering that I'm only a slightly above break-even player. Not making much money at all.

For the most part, it seems like most sessions I'm very near even (give or take 15%)

The only big wins I ever see are usually on double-ups from monster hands where the other person just can't let go. However, these are rare, of course.

Where would my biggest leak be?

In short-handed play, where is the majority of your profit coming from?

Top pairs?
Being tricky with pocket pairs to catch sets?

Confused......

[DoomSlice]

Top pair hands have the ability to win small pots and lose big ones.

I'd say you'll make the most of your money off of sets/fullhouses and straights.

[4_2_it]

Get pokertracker. You have some big leaks in your game if you are not beating $0.25/$0.50 after 2 years. Post some hands here and get feedback. What is your range of opening hands? Do you play the same UTG and on the button?

My top money making hands (50k hands) playing 6-max are all pocket pairs (I am a set mining fool [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]), and AK-AJ.

[ QUOTE ]
Get pokertracker. You have some big leaks in your game if you are not beating $0.25/$0.50 after 2 years. Post some hands here and get feedback. What is your range of opening hands? Do you play the same UTG and on the button?

My top money making hands (50k hands) playing 6-max are all pocket pairs (I am a set mining fool [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]), and AK-AJ.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been playing almost all live games, so no stats to keep track of. As for online, I mostly play tournaments, which is a whole different animal.

I think I might start switching to cash and tracking my stats online.

For 6-handed, I typically play:
- any big pockets anywhere (of course)
- any pocket pairs, as long as I'm up against a deep stack
- AK-A9o
- KQ-KTo (usually only mid to late pos.)
- QJ,QT,JT in late position
- Ax suited, Kxsuited, suited connectors for cheap in any position

I'm beginning to think it's more of my post-flop play that is hurting me.

[4_2_it]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm beginning to think it's more of my post-flop play that is hurting me.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you nailed it.

Post some of your marginal hands here. Don't just post your losing hands because you probably know what you did wrong, but post hands that you won, but didn't extract full value. That is my biggest leak.

I'll let the experts comment on your range of starting hands.

[mjm]

I only purchased Poker Tracker a couple of days ago and found the analysis of where I am making money really interesting. I have posted 3,000 hands since then (so this sample is very small)and made $2k on the pokerstars 1/2 $200 buy-in.

All my money is coming from the big holdings AA-TT, AK-AJ, KQ-KJ. Pretty much every other hand is unprofitable or break even for me. The worst hands for me are suited A or K with a kicker below 9. I guess I am getting too involved when flopping a pair and also am willing to call a small raise if the pot is multi-way, without ever seming to hit my flush.

I should add that I think I have been very lucky with the amount of time people have been willing to pay off my monsters.

[Isura]

[ QUOTE ]

I'd say you'll make the most of your money off of sets/fullhouses and straights.


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm curious why you left out flushes. Is it because flushes are not well concealed, and don't get paid off that often? I tend to overvalue flushes since they are so strong in limit.

[4_2_it]

[ QUOTE ]

I'm curious why you left out flushes. Is it because flushes are not well concealed, and don't get paid off that often? I tend to overvalue flushes since they are so strong in limit.

[/ QUOTE ]

I find that if the flush is out there you seldom get action with a push. If you make what looks like TPTK value bets you will get paid, but you rarely stack anyone once the flush draw hits.

You will get paid with a flush if you push on a draw (OESD with flush) and hit.

I;ll put it this way, unless you flop a set are you calling a push with TPTK on a 3 flush board?

[ QUOTE ]
I only purchased Poker Tracker a couple of days ago and found the analysis of where I am making money really interesting. I have posted 3,000 hands since then (so this sample is very small)and made $2k on the pokerstars 1/2 $200 buy-in.

All my money is coming from the big holdings AA-TT, AK-AJ, KQ-KJ. Pretty much every other hand is unprofitable or break even for me. The worst hands for me are suited A or K with a kicker below 9. I guess I am getting too involved when flopping a pair and also am willing to call a small raise if the pot is multi-way, without ever seming to hit my flush.

I should add that I think I have been very lucky with the amount of time people have been willing to pay off my monsters.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd say I've found the Ax suited hands to be pretty useless as well...

Of the flops you'll see, only about 1:8 will give you at least 2 more of the same suit on the board.

Of those, how many do you think you'll actually get to see the flop for the proper odds? For me, it seems like almost never.

In the past, I had always played these hands for cheap, and dumped pocket pairs because I felt they were too easily dominated.

Now though, I realize the beauty of pocket pairs:
- very deceptive
- when you make your hand, you do it on the FLOP
- can take down big pocket pairs (AA,KK,QQ) when a nice low flop comes

So,

Maybe I'm just laying down too many top pair hands to raises?

[Isura]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I'm curious why you left out flushes. Is it because flushes are not well concealed, and don't get paid off that often? I tend to overvalue flushes since they are so strong in limit.

[/ QUOTE ]

I find that if the flush is out there you seldom get action with a push. If you make what looks like TPTK value bets you will get paid, but you rarely stack anyone once the flush draw hits.

You will get paid with a flush if you push on a draw (OESD with flush) and hit.

I;ll put it this way, unless you flop a set are you calling a push with TPTK on a 3 flush board?

[/ QUOTE ]

Good points. I think the real value of flushes is when you make the nut flush and get paid off by lower flushes.