Can't understand why I don't do well online (long)

[mike4bmp]

Thanks for the compliments...

I tried using the pokertracker demo version and was little overwhelmed with the amount of info...but then again I didn't spend much time with it I guess...so I will start using it again...
Do you know if Statking is useful? I've seen it advertised somewhere and the ad says it helps calculate your WR and other things...ever used it?

[aces_full]

I am living proof that you don't have to be good at poker to be a winning player. I consistently win both online and live, and my game is full of holes big enough to drive a [censored] Mack truck through. The thing is, and a few others pointed this out, is that the signal-to-noise raito is very low when playing in games where your opponents are loose gamboolers. Their horrible mistakes are the "noise" that drowns out the "signals" that SHOULD be telling you that you have leaks. When some moron gives you his entire stack with middle pair/no kicker, it's easy to forget the hands where you made bad plays.

I too learned this the hard way. I started out at the bottom online and I was absolutely crushing the lowest stakes. When I hit the mid limits, reality, and humility set in-I realized that I was no longer the shark, but a fish! I often remarked that I felt like I was the only player at the table playing with my cards face up for all to see. My monster hands almost never got paid off, but then my AA would get outflopped and whamo, there goes my whole stack, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't make up that lost ground from ONE SINGLE COSTLY MISTAKE. I found that my biggest leak was overplaying big pair type hands. So after dropping ten buy ins over 10,000 hands and nearly swearing off poker for good, I cashed out out nearly all of my bankroll, and literally started over at the bottom.

It's worth repeating that you don't have to be a good player to win at poker, but what you MUST be good at is game selection. If you are playing at a full ring .5/$1 limit table where every pot is contested 2 or 3 handed, you are playing in the wrong game. Get the hell outta UB and open an account at Party or one of the skins ASAP. You need to maintain a buddy list, and get PT so you can not only track your stats, but you can get a good read on your buddies. When selecting a table, look for loose tables with big pots. Also 6-max tables are where the action players are. Full ring is tight even at the micro-limits.

I suppose the downside to this is that constantly playing low stakes against bad players really isn't going to improve your game very much. If you want to learn to beat good players, you are just going to have to play against good players and pay for your education. Still I'm lazy, and I would rather practice good game selection and prey on the weak than play against trick aggressive players who must be outplayed to get their cash.

[ZenMusician]

I was going to flame this tired online conspiracy theory thread, but
anyone who ever thinks this should re-read these gems:

You don't have to be a good player to win at poker, but what you MUST be good at is game selection (aces-full)

I routinely place lucky-drawing donkeys on my buddy list and check up on them. Without fail, I later find them losing big. (Ignignokt)

Seriously, it is easy to forget that these georges lose when you seem to
be their target. You are never betting that your current hand will win
the current pot...YOU ARE BETTING THAT IT WILL SHOW A PROFIT OVER
TIME. There will come a day, with great effort that you will suddenly
"get" poker...and it isn't really in any book.

Good Luck man,

-ZEN

[McHonts]

I loved this post and almost all the responses. I played fulltilt .05/.1 NL then got a deposit bonus on party. Well, their cheapest game is .5/1. I won huge the first night. I was up $80. I then proceded to lose $15-20 almost every time I played. After running through the bonus and another hundred, I went back to fulltilt and played .25/.50. I win almost every time. The difference was poker tracker. (and re-reading sshe ten times) I bought it and realized I was playing 44/3 ish. I had no idea that I was that loose a player. I have now stats at full tilt of 26/9. (this is maybe over 1500 hands. I currently play tighter than that.)What really gets me is that when I go back to party, I still lose. I have only played two or three sessions so I know it is not statistically significant, but I also can tell a difference between the players. Party players are way more loose aggressive. The effect is a huge swing. I play in very few hands now but you can really tell a difference in the tables. Here is my question : Are the tables more passive at other sites? Tilt is definately tighter and more passive than party where I routinely see some guy call me to the river with nothing and my middle pair wins. I find it hard to fold on the turn or river becuase people routinely raise any two cards. Party is almost like playing for play money but it hurts when you lose. So, let me know if you all think is there that much difference or what.

And thanks for all the great responses to mike4bmp's post.