I could use a little help from the big guns.

[Jdanz]

Hey everyone, i'm here every day. I don't post often, but i read everything. I've read sklansky kreiger malmuth brunson jones carson and even hellmuth who i surely didn't like. among others. I go to nyu i have a 3.8 and got a perfect score in math on my college boards. Both the above are relatively meaningless except to explain that in my own mind at least i believe i'm smart enough to play poker and win. I play the right hands preflop, at least i'm pretty sure. I play ten handed games and have 18-20% flop percentage and i can't win with big pocket pairs and big slick almost never holds up to a 4 that rivers the 4. I don't know where to go. I am about to register poker tracker and i've ordered turbo texas hold em. I also don't plan on quiting i plan on getting better. Actually to revise that statement i'm not quiting i'm going to get better. I play enough and read enough to know i can, i just need to figure out how. Please if anyone has any advice on taking my game from break even to a true winner, i'd love to hear it. Anyone who's played online forever, who is relatively confident they are a winning player, please respond with anything of worth, especially keys you find to playing well, and also what mindset you enter a game with (i.e. in no limit many look for hands that you can back with a stack like a flopped set, rather then a k which is an all-in loser.). I'll take everything with a grain of salt so feel free to respond with anything, any new perspective could be helpful. I play mostly .5/1 at party poker and have about a hundred bucks there, but i am absolutely certain that my pre-flop selection makes me better then 50% of the party poker .5/1 players out there, and i still can't win money consistantly. Sorry to ramble, i don't know if i'm just looking for reassurance, but knowing i'm not going to quit i'm going to learn, i'd like to here what everyone has to say about the most important step(s) in terms of moving from concrete book knowledge to translating it into money in the bank. wow i can ramble.
Hit me with it.
-JDanz

[JTrout]

Of all the big guns on here, I'm a Daisy b.b. gun [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img], but here goes:

I'm guessing you haven't played enough hands yet to get a true idea of how you're doing. Whether you have or have not, you've got to look at your win-rate objectively.

Playing pre-flop is a small (but very important) part of the game. Study on post-flop. I found Ciaffone's "Middle Limit Holdem" very helpful. Also, you didn't mention how often you raise when you come in. Tight-aggressive is what you want.

Make notes of some hands that you're unsure of your play. Post them here. Discuss. You WILL improve.

Good luck.

p.s. Put paragraph breaks in your posts, and you'll get more responses! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Cosimo]

Of the big guns, I'm the 15c water pistol that breaks after an hour.

First, study statistics, if you haven't yet. Calculate the margin of error on your current win rate. That should give you a good idea of how much variance there is in this game. A winning player after 3000 hands can easily be just lucky. Keep good records of your play!

JTrout mentioned posting a hand now and then; this is a great idea. Put just one hand in a post, once a week or so. Spend some time reviewing hands where you lost a lot. Studying strategy isn't sufficient; you might know all the rules, but understanding is much harder to come by. It's easier if you study, play, and then re-study.

Poker is also extremely deep. I'm just starting to pick up on other players' habits, and I've been playing for nine months. (Others here are faster than me, of course; I've only been playing seriously for a couple weeks.) There are a lot of intricate correlations that will start to make sense once you get used to the simpler stuff.

Also, to me, disorganized writing indicates disorganized thought. Don't treat your poker knowledge as a giant list of rules; try to integrate them together. Make your poker knowledge 'simpler' (by finding ways to make connections between similar rules) and it becomes much easier to understand. But, again, this is an iterative process, and it requires serious effort. Winning poker isn't easy.

[Joe Tall]

Try the return bar it makes it much easier to read a lengthy post.

See.

Post some specific hands. There is no way to tell how you are playing without us knowing how you play. You may play tight but you could be playing weak or over-aggressive. Not getting he maximum when you got it good or trying to get too much and overplaying.

Download some hand histories and pick one out, post it in the micro-forum using a style that is readable and you'll get some answers.

Welcome to the forum,
Joe Tall

[bicyclekick]

I think 15-20% is way too low for .50/1. You're leaving profit on the table.

Most players recomend something more like 25%. Personally I'm 29% and I'm crushing the .50/1 game...3.5BB/hour after 7k hands. I did play 15,000 2/4 hands and now i've dropped back...so maybe it just seems extra easy, i dunno. You can do it. Add more suited connectors and stuff, and play any suited ace from any position less your at a table that's almost always raised pre-flop.

[Joe Tall]

Your right, kick. He is a little tight, and could be playing weakly.

However, I was trying to get through to the poster that it's more than just PF% and a few other statements. We have no idea how our poster actually plays. As you know, it's such a dynamic game there is no 'cure-all' answer to his question.

Peace,
Joe Tall

[Mike Gallo]

Jdanz,

Welcome aboard. You did well in Math however I think you have suspect writing skills.

Post specific hands, that way you can see what leaks you need to concentrate on.

[nykenny]

Dan (if that's your name),

first, please answer these questions. how long have you played online (hours)? how much have you win/loss? do you tilt and play bad often?

i assume you play good hands and positions since you have read all the books and study on 2+2 alot (by the way, how long have you been reading 2+2?). if you are still consistent losing player (for a long period of time, hundreds of hours), then the problem may be in areas of post-flop play. are you maximizing on your winning hands and minimizing on the losing ones? do you use aggression to increase your chance of winning pre and post-flop (ie. knock out players behind u with a raise)? do you value bet enough?

Kenny

[Mike]

No gun, little ego, some experience.

I would guess your experience aside, you do not match your playing style to game conditions. Most of the books you mention are aimed towards an average game where people play somewhat correctly. I am still looking for that average game. Carson does an excellent job, but you have to apply what he says to your game play in the right way.

You are playing in a game where few are trying to play correctly and most are just there to have fun. Watch what type of hands take down pots, and rethink your play to match the game you are in.

Most importantly change your paradigm as it applies to your game.

[Ed Miller]

You want to improve your poker play? Be precise and concise. Ask specific questions. Don't ramble.

It is no coincidence that the best writers on this forum tend also to be the best poker players. Playing poker well requires you to think clearly and logically. Writing well requires the same skills.