Looking for tips to improve my game

[Los Feliz Slim]

Don't you think that you need to be able to walk before you run?

All I'm saying is that a firm grasp on TAG play is necessary to get the ground underneath you so that a LAG-yer approach is more comfortable. Also, I don't think there's any question that getting involved in a bunch of hands, seeing a bunch of flops, and getting your butt handed to you a couple of hundred times is invaluable.

Also, why are you shouting?

[zaxx19]

There is a large yawning gulf between LAG or "active" play and 14% VPip.

Somewhere between the two a good poker game plan for a SSNLH player lies.

I capitalized things bc I want to impress upon people here 14% VPip is just not even poker...its pin the tail to the nuts. Why is this important?? Bc the poster said he wants to develop as a player and move up limits...not just learn how to grind out 10 bucks an Hr online or whatever.

[Dommer]

You were right about unchecking the include pre-flop aggression numbers... I unchecked it and now my AF is 3. 4.32 on the flop (since I bluff a lot there), but past the flop I am only betting hard if I think I have the best or if I think a worse hand will call. So my turn/river aggression is 2.19 and 1.86 respectively.

Thanks for the tip.

[Los Feliz Slim]

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There is a large yawning gulf between LAG or "active" play and 14% VPip.

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Agreed. But, I do think that getting more comfortable playing different kinds of hands in different positions with different stacks, etc, is a somewhat gradual process. I don't think someone like this who's been playing straight ABC poker can all of the sudden identify when, where, and why to make plays. Which is presumably what he's doing here.

[ QUOTE ]
I want to impress upon people here 14% VPip is just not even poker...its pin the tail to the nuts. Why is this important?? Bc the poster said he wants to develop as a player and move up limits...not just learn how to grind out 10 bucks an Hr online or whatever.

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Again, I think we're basically in agreement. And I think a lot of the advice he's been given is valuable, including yours.

[Dommer]

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First I want to ask you what your bankroll is? It´s very hard to play correctly if you are worried about losing your buy-in. Remember you play poker for the long run not to make a score today, play your best game and don´t worry about the money. I suggest staying at your current limit or even dropping down untill you feel comfortable.


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My bankroll right now is about 3k, which is healthy for the 50$ buy-in. Very healthy actually, but I make a living off poker for the time being so I keep it at a very safe level (need a buffer for all my expenses etc). When I move up though my buy-in definitely feels too small, and I believe that's one of the reasons I don't do as well. I fall into a very weak tight game, always afraid of sets and other things when someone bets big. Just the last time I tried to move up I lost 300$ in an hour to some crazy bad beats, so I had to move down again (couldn't afford to lose more)

[ QUOTE ]

Your preflop strategy looks ok I don´t see anything wrong there, you might want to limp with the low pp´s but raising is good too. I assume you raise 3x BB first in and then add 1 BB for every limper, you migt want to make it 4x but 3 is fine. In some situation you might even get callers if you make bigger raises, remember that with AA they correct raise is the biggest one that will be called, and the worst that can happen if you raise to much is that you win the pot.

A more imporant part of preflop strategy is what you call raises with. A lot of people play way to loose when someone has raised. I basically only call with AK and pp´s when someone has raised, AQ and worse are situational.
Hands like KJ, KT, QT, AT, etc can be hard to play even in unraised pots when you flop top pair and you will probably want to fold those types of hands.

It´s really hard to point at anything your doing wrong without any actual hands but I think you might be giving you opponents to much respect in some situations.
You need to realize that your opponent might just be bluffing or value betting something you can beat. Watching your opponents and seeing how they play is very important in NL, you need to pay attention to what hands they bet in what situation, when they bluff etc.

Well that´s what I could come up with, probably not much help but post some actual hands and you will get a lot of good responses from better players than me.


[/ QUOTE ]
I think you were accurate in some of your observations (like giving my opponents too much respect), but like you say it looks like I'll just have to post some of my hands.

Thanks for the response!
Dommer

[Dommer]

Thanks for all the advice! I agree my VP$IP is too tight, I've been trying to loosen up. What sort of hands do you think I should start playing? Like I said in my post I've been trying SC in lp and even playing 1 gaps and 2 gaps if the odds are good, but I only limp with them, and after about 200 hours of play I really have not won anything at all doing that. Should I be calling raises with these? Just on an unlucky streak as far as flopping flushes and straights?

One thing I notice with the SC because of the way I play them. I only play them when theres lots of limpers already in the pot and I'm pretty sure no one is going to raise, so if I do flop a flush draw another person may have as well (or I'm afraid they did), so I can't play my flush like I'd want to. I end up playing it weakly and I know that's probably not correct. Now say I flopped a flush draw or straight draw in a raised pot and managed to hit it, I'd be all-in in a flash, but I just never put myself in that situation (seem to waste a ton calling raises trying to hit just the draw, which might miss).

I'll start experimenting with your JJ/1010 advice, I do get myself in trouble a lot by raising these early.

I'm eager to start posting some hands here, thanks for all the tips.

Dommer

[swedeD]

Where is it possible to find an explanation of all abbreviations like TAG, TAP and so on? I can't find them in any of the most common poker dictionaries...

[xorbie]

A lot of what I'm going to say is very table dependent, but works pretty well at the tables I'm at.

Limp SC and S1G (suited one gappers) from almost anywhere. Call bets that are about half-pot size when you have either an OESD or the flush draw. On the river if you hit, bet about half the pot (more if they will call).

Limp KQo almost anywhere, but fold to a raise (unless it's from someone you have a good read on as raising with crap, a lot of people on party will raise with any PP preflop).

Limp almost any two on the button or CO if it's folded to you. Bet 2/3 the pot if it's checked to you on the flop and there's 2 or 3 people. Bet again on the turn if they check. If they call that, you're probably done. Check behind on the river, show down a crappy hand and then get called later on your good hands.

Raise occasionally from MP with speculative hands to buy the button if there are limpers in front. SC or Axs are both hands which benefit from having the button. These are all good for raises if you can be pretty sure you will get the button (if there are only three or four people behind you, and if they will often fold).

[pottie]

[ QUOTE ]
Limp SC and S1G (suited one gappers) from almost anywhere.

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Limp almost any two on the button or CO if it's folded to you. Bet 2/3 the pot if it's checked to you on the flop and there's 2 or 3 people. Bet again on the turn if they check.

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Would like more comments on this, anyone else make these plays?

[RiverFenix]

Are you playing full ring or 6max? How many tables at once?

Play a few thousand hands at nl25 6max and really try and get away from your tight playing style.