Poker Stars.

[dimitrix]

I recently opened up a pokerstars account. I kept hearing about how tough the players were, and how good the tourneys are so I thought id give it a try. After playing a couple of weeks on $1/$2 ., Im getting frustrated by the lack of action. I dont find these games tough but it seems like i cant play my game without everyone playing so scared. I cant raise pocket AA, KK, or AK anymore without the fear of everyone folding and just winning the blinds. Any big hand i raise, everyone behind me folds 99 percent of the time... and the 2 people who see the flop fold when i bet. IM winning but it sucks when your big hands only wins you the blinds. Should i lower my standards and limp in with everything... Slowplay when i shouldnt.? Has anyone else seen this type of action on pokerstars?

[Bluffoon]

I do very well at pokerstars. Learn how to take advantage of weak tight play.

Lower your raising standards, limp reraise a little, do more semi-bluffing and outright bluffing and fold more to bets and raises.

It's like taking candy from a baby.

[dimitrix]

I do well on pokerstars too... But am i winning the most possible playing this type of game. Wouldnt i win even more if i took my account to partypoker? Im getting tired playing these weak supertight players. I play poker cause i want to get better and move up the ranks... Am i getting better lowering my playing standards so much to play against these type of players?

[Bluffoon]

I dont think you are lowering your playing standards. You are learning to win under diferent game conditions than you are used to. This should make your game better not worse.

I dont win at quite the rate that I win at partypoker but its not far off. At partypoker I make most of my money from opponents playing too many hands and going too far with them. At pokerstars the players are mostly weak-tight. You can value bet less but but bluff and semi-bluff more. Check raise bluffs drop the whole table there like they were shot.

Also at pokerstars you see the same players more often than you do at partypoker so you can get better reads.

Some on this board dont agree with me, but I think playing there improves my game and makes me a better player.

[dimitrix]

Thanks for the advice... Ill try to give it more time., and hopefully not get bored to death.

[Stupendous_Man]

Sounds like I need to give Stars a try! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] It would definitely be a different experience than the calling stations at the other sites I play. I agree that it should help your game to learn how to play in different types of games vs. just the party style.

[TimM]

This sounds like how the Party 10/20 can be at less lively times of day (early weekday evenings). One thing I like is that I can play with a low SD (~12BB/100). I took a shot with only 200BB and never looked back.

This month I tried to start Party 15/30 with >300BB and took a 100BB haircut on the 2nd day. It's just a totally different no-fold'em type game, and running bad there is very expensive. I could not get many hands to hold up no matter how good mine were and how bad theirs were to start with. It probably didn't help that I tried to play on the same day I had two teeth pulled, but at least all the novacaine and tylenol numbed the pain, hehe.

So it's back to 10/20 for another month, and I'll take another shot at 15/30 with 200 more BB next time and a clearer head.