I suck at poker, but I'm a winning player

Do many of you have the same feeling? I've never played anywhere but at loose tables, VPIP 50% or so, and as a result, I am easily able to win money as my opponents are so bad. I started with the partypoker beginners tables, moved on to the 6max .50/1.00, and now to the 6max $1/$2.

But I really don't feel like I'm very good at all. For example, I utterly suck at heads up situations. Heads up after the flop, I seem to have no clue what's going on with my opponent, and I tend to stupidly call to a showdown with no pair.

Well, fortunately I don't find myself heads up all that often on the flop, since the tables I play at are so loose, and in general my opponents are such blundering idiots that I can make money despite what I see as my own lack of skill.

I think that at low limit loose tables full of players who call to the river with any pair or any draw, you don't really have to be a good player to win money. Be tight aggressive, calculate pot odds on your drawing hands, take into consideration what sort of player your opponent is (which is easy using pokertracker stats).

There's clearly a lot more to poker than just that, and I gotta learn it if I'm ever gonna be able to graduate past the lowest level tables.

Anyone have any general advice on this?

What I've decided to do is to stop playing 1/2 6max for now, since I could easily crank out hundreds and thousands more hands without changing my playstyle, and find an online cardroom that has heads up tables. I believe I'd learn more even at the tiniest microlimits heads up (I think stars has something like 1/2 cent heads up tables) than I would learn by continuing to play my usual game.

[aargh57]

I also think I suck but usually after a bad run. After a good run I think I'm ready to go pro. I don't play on as good of tables as you but I still make money. The relatively short time that I've played 6 max has really helped my game. [ QUOTE ]
I think that at low limit loose tables full of players who call to the river with any pair or any draw, you don't really have to be a good player to win money. Be tight aggressive, calculate pot odds on your drawing hands, take into consideration what sort of player your opponent is (which is easy using pokertracker stats).

There's clearly a lot more to poker than just that, and I gotta learn it if I'm ever gonna be able to graduate past the lowest level tables.



[/ QUOTE ]

I think right there shows that you do not, in fact, suck at poker. If you did, you wouldn't be trying to improve your game. I think playing on the HU tables would be a good idea, at stars there always seems to be people willing to play those penny HU tables and you could get a lot of experience that way. Also, do that technique that Droolie's post outlined. He basically said to try to guess what the other player's hands were when you're not in the hand and then check the HH to see if you were right. I just use PokerAce and it tells me if it went to showdown anyway. I predict you will find that you're not so dense at reading hands after all.

[stoli]

Just because these low-limit games feature poor players doesn't mean you can't develop good poker skills while playing in these games. Many of the posters playing at higher levels started in these lower levels. As far as your personal knowledge and skill... Buy Small Stakes Hold'em. It's the handbook for playing like an expert in these loose low stakes games.

After you buy it re-read it. Then once more then re-read once a month or so. Many of the concpets really won't stick until after you've re-read and played applying the concepts.

I don't really know what you look to gain from playing one on one heads up matches. In a heads up match the starting requirements for hands will be much lower and won't prepare you anymore for playing low-limit full ring games.

[stoli]

If it is hand reading he is concerned about, Inside the poker mind has some really good material on this. Also like the other poster said. Pay attention when you are not playing. Put yourself in their spot, what do they see, how do they view the action in front of them, what would you be betting/checking/calling with from their position.

[ QUOTE ]
Just because these low-limit games feature poor players doesn't mean you can't develop good poker skills while playing in these games. Many of the posters playing at higher levels started in these lower levels. As far as your personal knowledge and skill... Buy Small Stakes Hold'em. It's the handbook for playing like an expert in these loose low stakes games.

After you buy it re-read it. Then once more then re-read once a month or so. Many of the concpets really won't stick until after you've re-read and played applying the concepts.

I don't really know what you look to gain from playing one on one heads up matches. In a heads up match the starting requirements for hands will be much lower and won't prepare you anymore for playing low-limit full ring games.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have SSHE, and your suggestion to reread it is a good one(for all of us, I'm sure). As to why I think heads up play is a good thing to learn, I assume that if I stick with 6max tables and move above the $1/$2 level, I'll end up with tighter tables, where many of the hands will be heads up after the flop. Probably many situations where everyone folds to the blinds, and the blinds end up playing each other with almost any two cards, which is I believe what you do in heads up.

[aargh57]

Playing HU will be helpfull to him (and me and you too). While it's true the hand ranges will be much larger it's postflop play that we're looking to improve here. Also, if you play 6 max (or even full ring for that matter) it will help you when you're on the button or in the blinds in a possible steal situation. Play from then on will be very similar to HU. If you have a good foundation here and the other guy doesn't you will have a big advantage.

[POKhER]

I know the feeling bro, i often think "Jesus, I suck.. sure i just won that hand... But i still spew heads up vs ooponents after he raises the turn... I suck.. poker cant be this easy".

What you need to do is just continue to move up stakes, buy TOP/HEFAP.

Remember its a "Easy" game to "Learn" but mastering it is impossible. There are SO MANY more concepts to learn.

I can bet you not implementing freecard play or handprotection enough in your game? Maybe not value betting enough?

Post PT stats, find your leaks, Read new books. Theres so much more to be learnt.

Im in your shoes, infact im 10ring 1/2 and feel "gee i suck, where should i go from here"?

[aargh57]

Here's Droolie's post just in case you don't have it.

[stoli]

I can see the value of playing the heads up games to work on that set of skills. You guys that are coming away with the sentiment, "i suck," are you guys posting lots of hands and making sure that your plays are +ev. I guess that's one way that I stopped feeling like that. From posting hands or reading similar hands and making sure that you made a positive +ev play.

There are lots of times when what feels like a spew might have just been a +ev situation that didn't come through for you. Alternatively there are times that you win and know or feel that the play you made was poor. Review these and learn to identify these situations better in your game that way you can be confident in your actions.

You should be able to come away from a game you won or lost and be able to identify your good plays and bad plays, and then cut down on the bad ones.

if you are having trouble identifying which ones are which re-read sshe, and hpfap and post lots of hands. As you guys know there are some quality players and teachers on here that can get you confident in the decisions you are making in your game.

Best of luck.

[POKhER]

i'm just a perfectionist mate, One bad play will bug me for ages. Il then think "Im crap". Ill never be happy with my "Poker skills".

Theres many times today i've been raised on the turn when the board paired, I called down on some simply because i'd seen previous hands by the same guy totally bluffing it. After those call downs i think "geee im crap" even though it one of those things you can stop lol. Unless turn weak tight of course.

Got to log 20k at 1/2 then see how im going. Hopefully finish SSH this week and get onto HEFAP. Will purchase HOh1/Hoh2 and Weighin the odds.

Then ill constantly study them all.

Anyhow good luck to the OP, Just keep on reading. Post some hands... but the books are best for concepts. Forums are best used for specific hands IMO.