Looking for inspiration...

[That guy]

I began playing limit poker about 20 months ago... after losing a few reloads, I read some books and learned how to beat the low limit games... I built my bankroll up crushing the 3/6 game and started playing the 5/10 game... I then hit a wall... not of losing but just breakeven play... I would just seem to ride the variance swings and not make much money over time... made money including rakeback but just hadn't reached the point of consistently winning...

I then decided NL is the future of poker so I switched. same thing, I learned to beat the low level games, increased my BR and crushed the $100 game... beat the $200 game and decided to try the $400 game... similar result as 5/10 limit... after about 20k hands at $400, I am about even -- ahead with rakeback...

so, I am looking for some inspiration... there is no real quesiton here, just looking for comments from others that may have hit this wall or who have similar experiences...

[MINETZ]

sitck to 3/6 limit and 200 NL.

[HoldEmKillah]

Beat NL400, then beat NL600, then NL1000 then NL2000 then higher and higher and THEN you have what every poker player wants...

all the beer you can drink as many beautiful women as you can screw.

Inspiration enough?

[HoldEmKillah]

Seriously though...

Almost every time I've moved up limits I've had a breakeven streak of about 10k hands and then something clicks where I've made the proper adjustments to the new level and begin posting regular profits. You are likely stuck in this mode.

What is it about your play at the 400 game that's causing you to not win? There is likely something about your game that needs to be tweaked. Any thoughts on what it is? Posting some PT stats and giving some scenarios that make you uncomfortable will help.

[fsuplayer]

[ QUOTE ]
Looking for inspiration...

[/ QUOTE ]

i am breakeven for the last 25k hands.

the 25k hands before that, i was killing the game.

the long run is just really, really, really long, keep your head up. just try to play your best and avoid tilting while on this down/break even streak. when you start winning again, you'll be happy you didnt blow up.

sorry i cant do much better than that.

[That guy]

just try to play your best and avoid tilting while on this down/break even streak. when you start winning again, you'll be happy you didnt blow up.

that is exactly what I have been focusing on. thanks for that comment as I needed someone to say the same thing I was thinking....

----

one thing that seems very different at $400 relative to the sub-$400 games is the EV of the continuation bet...

when miss flop:

my continuation bets were very +EV at lower levels... others would often fold if they had nothing... picking up these small pots keeps your head above water waiting for a big hand...

also at lower levels, my turn (second barrel) bets were not +EV so I generally shut down after flop. Now at $400, my flop continuation bets don't seem to be +EV as I get called more and to compound that, I am prolly not firing enough second barrels. when I do fire a second barrel from position looking for free showdown, it often gets called and then the opponent fires a big bet right into me on the river... that 2/3 pot river bet when I have not much is troubling me...

another thing:

I went on a nice run up when I first started NL$400. I was catching super aggressives with my big hands... I was making nut flushes on turn and checking and then LAG's would go all-in into me on river.... I was making sets and others were overplaying their hands... lately, it seems that nobody is overplaying their hand vs me...

lately, I am making monsters and not making much and pushing big draws hard and getting called down by modest holdings by opponents....

so I have become way too gun shy... I have reduced my AK continuation bets on those Jd Td 8c flops as they aren't working... but this just leads to more bleeding of my stack waiting for the big hand that doesn't get paid off...

I really think that if I am tilting, it is maybe the kind of tilt where I get too tight, not too loose... I am trying to get back on track through tight play but it might be too weak-tight for the $400 game...

------

anyone want to share a good example of a switch to their game when they hit a higher level which really helped them??

[firstyearclay]

Stop being "That guy"

[firstyearclay]

I have happened to play with this poster about 3 millions hands (or what it seems like) so my comments may be more gay then most, but I will do it anyways.

You can play this game. I have learned more about poker from u then any other individual I have spent time with. You have seen me succeed and you have seen me fail. I have sent you some ridiculous "Think positive" articles and you have sent me numerous learning articles. We have reviewed hand histories; laughed and learned. Hell we both last longer then Poker Mountain!!

I have been through some tough moments in Poker this year that have made me want to quit, but something tells me to continue on. That one thing has always been, "Well I have gone this far and I am not going to give up now".

Keep working hard, keep studyin, keep teachin, keep playing, keep going and you will win; I know it.

GL, NH, TY, GG, GFY!

[That guy]

GL, NH, TY, GG, GFY!

what, no 'STFU'? who are you then?

[queenhigh]

not sure if you do this, but multi-tabling when you're trying to improve your game or move up a level is a bad idea. play one table shorthanded and think every decision through.