Finding Leaks

[4_2_it]

I was just responding to a post and it occurred to me that I have not read a decent thread on what some of the most common leaks are at NL $100 and more importantly how do you identify them.

I'll start with a couple:

Overplaying Pocket pairs --If after 50K hands all your pp are not profitable then you are probably overplaying them on missed flops. TT and JJ were killing me until I realized that most of the time I should be playing them for set value (especially OOP)

Overplaying JT -- I noticed that JTs and JTo was my most unprofitable connected Broadway hand. After a review of losing hands, I found that I hung around too many J or T high flops with no back door straight or flush potential. I also lost more playing them OOP.

I know you guys must some other good ones to share.

[Ghazban]

Not having a clear idea of what I want my opponent to do when I make my action and/or not knowing how I'll respond to whatever he does.

Stack size/pot management. Some hands, you want to get it all-in no matter what cards come (flopped boat, whatever); those are easy. Hands where you flop a strong hand and make a big bet then get a nasty turn card with an uncomfortable amount of money behind are tough to play.

[xorbie]

Leaks: bluffing too often, stealing blinds in the wrong situations, and often I will play big hands the wrong way, and realize half way through that I botched it completely.

[4_2_it]

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Not having a clear idea of what I want my opponent to do when I make my action and/or not knowing how I'll respond to whatever he does.

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I have this one too. Let me know if you figure out an easy way to fix it (other than stop 4 tabling).

[Ghazban]

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Not having a clear idea of what I want my opponent to do when I make my action and/or not knowing how I'll respond to whatever he does.

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I have this one too. Let me know if you figure out an easy way to fix it (other than stop 4 tabling).

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Its easy to fix; you just have to take the time to think through what you have, what you're representing, and what your opponent has (and also what he's representing, I suppose), then do things that make him do what you want him to do.

Often its as simple as that I raise preflop, bet the flop and get called, then see a turn card. If I was just on autopilot with the continuation bet, I don't know what to do if the turn helps me (or scares me or whatever). If I took the time to think about that stuff on the flop, I might play the hand differently (maybe I'll checkraise the flop, or check it and lead a safe turn or even just check/fold).

[4_2_it]

[ QUOTE ]
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[ QUOTE ]
Not having a clear idea of what I want my opponent to do when I make my action and/or not knowing how I'll respond to whatever he does.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have this one too. Let me know if you figure out an easy way to fix it (other than stop 4 tabling).

[/ QUOTE ]

Its easy to fix; you just have to take the time to think through what you have, what you're representing, and what your opponent has (and also what he's representing, I suppose), then do things that make him do what you want him to do.

Often its as simple as that I raise preflop, bet the flop and get called, then see a turn card. If I was just on autopilot with the continuation bet, I don't know what to do if the turn helps me (or scares me or whatever). If I took the time to think about that stuff on the flop, I might play the hand differently (maybe I'll checkraise the flop, or check it and lead a safe turn or even just check/fold).

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I find I can do this almost without thinking when playing live, I guess I just need to focus more and maybe go to two tabling when I see this leak springing up.

[Skuzzy]

What about actually identifying leaks though? Glad you identified some here but how do you go about identifying your leaks when you know you have them (your winrate is pitiful or negative) but you don't know what they are?

Havin naturally (or learned?) weak tight tendancies, I think probable leaks are:

1. hands I don't play. ---- 'Li'l Devil - "Go on! Its suited!; Li'l Angel "Tight is right."
2. Value I miss out on through staying out of marginal situations.
3. Having no idea what 'outplaying them postflop' means. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
4. Feeling 'owed', or 'No f**king way he has AA again! I push my Kings up his ...."
5. Feeling like the bully keeps punching me in the face while I retaliate by wagging my finger at him.
6. My $500 a day 'habit'. shhhh

[4_2_it]

Getting all-in pre-flop with KK is not a bad thing and is definitely not a leak.

Change your no.1 to hands you doesn't play in position. Do you loosen up your calling/raising standards in late position?

Marginal situations? Post a few hands and you will see that maybe these situations are not so marginal.

Outplay post-flop is just what it sounds like. After you see the flop you adjust your play accordingly. A flop of T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] when you hold A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] is not optimal. Adjust your play and try to get to a cheap showdown. Of course you should be able to fold this to any aggression.

I'm sure someone else can explain this better.