The PP 1/2 blood, sweat and tears thread

dfscott · #1 08-12-2004, 11:55 PM

Since there are several 2+2'ers slogging their way through PP 1/2 now, I thought I'd start a thread for us to compare notes, progress, and beats (bad and otherwise). Basically, just a place to commiserate and help each other out in general, without the rest of the forum having to put up with our whining. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

ChromePony · #2 08-13-2004, 12:07 AM

I just started with 1/2 tonight by mixing one in with 2 .5/1 tables. It could have started out better but also worse, haven't hit many hands and the few that I've played have missed the flop or come up short. All in all only down about 10-12BB so I'm not too worried. I think this thread is a great idea, I'm sure we could use some support as we are getting used to the 1/2 tighties. More updates to come....

josh1122 · #3 08-13-2004, 12:10 AM

Ive had about 5 or 6 flush over flush beats but other than that things are going well for me and I am recovering from a -100BB Thursday through Sunday. Currently at about 1000 and playing some juicy juicy bad beat tables. They remind me very much of .50/1 [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

dfscott · #4 08-13-2004, 12:24 AM

<Warning: this is a bit of a rant>

Tonight was another psychologically devasting session. Down early, then up around 20-30BB, but finally finishing down 11BB. Everytime I think I have this game figured out, I end up losing AQo to AJo, flush to royal flush, and KQ to AK when I flop trip Ks.

Since PP's hand histories are screwed up (I think it's because they're not putting the blinds in or something), I really have no idea how I'm doing on a per-hand basis. But here's my guess:

Stats
Total Sessions played: 12
Total Hands played: 1500
Net BB change: -34
BB/100: -2.3

Fortunately, I'm up 180BB at Pacific 1/2 over the same period, so I've actually added $300 to my BR, but I'm worried that I'm not learning how to play good poker. IOW, I'm not going to be happy until I beat this game.

I was considering playing the 1/2 Bad Beat Jackpot tables, but I feel like I'm defeating the purpose. The whole point of playing PP 1/2 is to learn how to beat it so that I can develop as a player and be ready for the higher limits, not just to be able to put a notch on my bedpost.

General Thoughts:
- The 1/2 players seem to be a lot trickier than .5/1. Players will call down with the best hand, not bet until you bet and then raise, and just a lot of slowplaying in general. I lose a lot of money just pushing a hand that turns out to be 2nd best.

- I see a lot of raises for free card plays. One of the other posters felt that it was the exact opposite, so maybe my experience is atypical.

- There's a lot of bluff re-raises, particularly on the flop. A lot of my winners were where I was sure I was beat on the river, but I wasn't.

Thanks for letting me rant...

josh1122 · #5 08-13-2004, 12:42 AM

I agree on all you said about the normal tables being tricky, liking to slowplay, being tightwads, etc. That's why I play the bad beat tables. Furthermore, from what I read and my minimal experience at them, the 2/4 tables are almost equally as weak as .50/1 and bad beat 1/2. (Can anyone back up this statement?) If you want to make easy money, go to the bad beat tables. But if you are intent on developing your game where you are, good luck and stick with it.

SnakeRat · #6 08-13-2004, 01:01 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Tonight was another psychologically devasting session. Down early, then up around 20-30BB, but finally finishing down 11BB. Everytime I think I have this game figured out, I end up losing AQo to AJo, flush to royal flush, and KQ to AK when I flop trip Ks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Scott you gotta accept that bad beats and bad luck are part of the game, you must not let it get to you.
For me a "pyschologically devastating" session is when I play badly, not when the cards are unfavorable.

Try and develop a hard shell which will allow you to stay confident and aggressive through thick and thin.
Be an emotionless mouse-clicking machine.

btspider · #7 08-13-2004, 01:04 AM

i have the BR, but I want to hit 10K hands at .50/1.00 before I join you guys. the jackpot tables take .25 from the winner right? if you average 8 wins / 100 hands, thats 1BB/100. are the tables that much juicier to make that up.. well, along with the longshot odds of actually hitting the jackpot?

dfscott · #8 08-13-2004, 01:25 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tonight was another psychologically devasting session. Down early, then up around 20-30BB, but finally finishing down 11BB. Everytime I think I have this game figured out, I end up losing AQo to AJo, flush to royal flush, and KQ to AK when I flop trip Ks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Scott you gotta accept that bad beats and bad luck are part of the game, you must not let it get to you.
For me a "pyschologically devastating" session is when I play badly, not when the cards are unfavorable.

Try and develop a hard shell which will allow you to stay confident and aggressive through thick and thin.
Be an emotionless mouse-clicking machine.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's funny, because you're saying all the things that I've said over and over again to other people. I'm not sure why I'm taking it so hard. I think there's a little voice in the back of my head that's telling me (you're not good enough to beat this level) and I'm psyching myself out.

I'd really feel better if I had some stats or hand histories to review. I know it's just a crutch, but when I struggled initially at other levels, I could go back and see that I played the hands correctly or that I wasn't really down as far as I thought. When the only yardstick I have is $$, it's tough to find the bright side.

I think it's become a self-fulfilling prophesy for me now. I'm considering switching over to PS and playing their .5/1 game, which I hear is similar to PP 1/2. I'll lose less money there, get a fresh start, and also have hand histories as well. If I can beat that game, I'll be able to switch back to PP with renewed confidence, hopefully.

josh1122 · #9 08-13-2004, 01:48 AM

Spider,

YES!!! The bad beat tables are extremely weak, loose, and passive. I am frequently called down with mid/bottom pair and gutshot straight draws. They routinely coldcall raises with premium hands(not much reraising) and junk alike and will call bets on the flop with as little as one overcard. All it is is .5/1 with doubled limits.

EDIT - I don't have a sample size big enough to give you mathematical figures on the return of all the quarters(I was at a table where the jp was hit for 210 to me so im not real concerned) in but play the two and you can see the differences for yourself, or you can take my word for it.

kenewbie · #10 08-13-2004, 05:23 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The jackpot tables take .25 from the winner right? if you average 8 wins / 100 hands, thats 1BB/100. are the tables that much juicier to make that up.. well, along with the longshot odds of actually hitting the jackpot?

[/ QUOTE ]

I havent seen much difference in the jackpot and non-jackpot tables. I play the jackpot ones because I want the games to be 10-handed. And you dont need to hit the jackpot to get payed, yesterday I got $210 or something because I was at the table when the jackpot hit. If you factor that in aswell as the chance of winning the jackpot, I'm sure the extra rake isnt all that bad. Its more rake ofcourse but something I am willing to pay to avoid playing six handed.

I had a bad session during that jackpot though, there was one uberfish at the table who would play any ace, any two suited, any two facecards and some random hands on top of that. 5 times of 5 when I played with her she had the goods, then kept pissing away my chips to the other players.

I ended up around 10BB but its annoying when people you cannot put on a hand has one over and over in "your" pots.

k