610 BB downswing and counting...

[MEbenhoe]

[ QUOTE ]
The only number that sticks out to me is that my VP$IP is low for 5/10 6 max, but that isn't for a lack of trying to open up my game.

[/ QUOTE ]

IMHO you're playing too tight at the full ring games too. 15 vpip just isnt that great of a strategy for these games. To be honest most good players I know have a higher vpip in full ring games than you have at the 5/10 6 max game.

Other glaring errors I see are:

You need to defend your blinds more in 6 max
You're folding on the river to a bet too much

[MaxPower]

You are playing too tight and folding too much. Learn how to defend your blinds and steal other people's blinds. I think you blind play is killing you.

You are folding WAY too much on the river.

You really need to do some work on your game.

I hope that helps.

[driller]

Echoing MEbenhoe's post, it looks like your W$WSF numbers are too low in relation to your VP$IP, possibly because your W$SD numbers are too high. Makes perfect sense if you speak PT. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[pfkaok]

[ QUOTE ]
You are folding WAY too much on the river.

[/ QUOTE ]

No way should it be 47% for 6max, or 56% for full ring... you're gettin bluffed a lot more than you think, and also running bad, horrible combination. don't let your agression factor trick you into believing that you're playing aggressive too much... the reason that your aggression factor is normal is b/c you're folding too much.

value bet river more too.

[MaxPower]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You are folding WAY too much on the river.

[/ QUOTE ]

No way should it be 47% for 6max, or 56% for full ring... you're gettin bluffed a lot more than you think, and also running bad, horrible combination. don't let your agression factor trick you into believing that you're playing aggressive too much... the reason that your aggression factor is normal is b/c you're folding too much.

value bet river more too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point about the aggression factor. I shoud have mentioned that. That is why I am not crazy about that stat.

[pfkaok]

[ QUOTE ]
Good point about the aggression factor. I shoud have mentioned that. That is why I am not crazy about that stat.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, i hate using that to make decisions vs. certain people. its almost useless unless you also have when folded on each street (or maybe Went SD with a ton of hands)

[Bill Smith]

I decided I needed to sleep on some of the initial comments and then readdress my issues today with a bit clearer of a head. Let's start with 3/6 full ring:

Preflop: I think I can open up "a little" preflop, but doing a search of past SS threads, 18% VP$IP seems to be the popular target. The 1/3 blind structure makes SB play more tight, and 26-27% feels right, but again could maybe be opened up a little.

Postflop: You're probably all correct on the river, though I haven't figured out if it's really the lack of calling down or the failure/inability to protect a hand on the turn. I'll have to compile some hands on the issue, but something is definitely wrong there.

5/10 SH

First of all, I have played 1/2 6 max and found that its use as preparation for 5/10 6 max is very overrated. 1/2 is a very loose, weak game, while 5/10 is very aggressive. I feel I can play against most opponents on 1/2 like I would players at 2/4 or 3/6.

Preflop: As was pointed out, I've been aware of my tightness problem for some time and have been trying to correct it to no avail. The biggest problem definitely appears to be the 24% att. to steal, which I do attribute to bad luck. (considering my steal % is higher at 3/6)

Postflop: The turn check-raise is where I'm running into problems - I probably don't do it enough, and I feel like no matter what I do against it, it's wrong. Again, I will have to compile hand histories on the subject. Also, I have problems when I attempt to steal with something like Q9s and miss completely, especially against a LAG opponent.

All in all, I am trying to grow a pair. I have heard and appreciated the advice of the forum. I was solidly beating 1/2 6 max, 2/4 and 3/6 prior to making the move to 5/10 6 max, and initially even that went well. Since December though, I've been on a consistent slide that has persisted even after dropping levels, and I have trouble believing I have so thoroughly tainted my game over the last few months. I do my almost nightly reading of SSHE now, and I've been through HEPFAP a few times as well.

At least I now have a game plan and know what to look for. Thanks all.

[MicroBob]

Keep working on it and hopefully it will turn around for you.

As others have said, VP17 is REALLY tight for 5/10 6-max. I thought I was tight at 20-21 or so (and I was) but have been able to move it up to 23 with the occaional steal or defend.

I think on the 3/6 full I would recommend bringing it up to VP20 (as opposed to VP18). 18 isn't horribly tight though.


Anyone who is VP15 on the full games and VP17 on the 6-max games really needs to read Nate's post 'you all play too tight.'


Very good points by pkfaok on the aggression stats.
Folding a lot (instead of just calling) will still keep those agg numbers pretty reasonable and I agree that they are the greatest way to measure one's post-flop skills.

[gmanko]

Keep your head up, Bill.

I am experiencing a downswing too, and although every poker player needs to improve I refuse to admit that I am as as bad as my results seem to imply. During the past three months I have learned to play overcards, weak draws, and have started thinking about how to play marginal hands such as top pair/weak kicker, second pair/good kicker, and second pair/poor kicker, but nothing seems to help.

When I get the right kind of table, though, everything seems to fall into place. My aces stand up most of the time, I can read cards well enough to know when my hand is good, I hit a straight or flush every now and then, and an occasional bad beat is just part of the game.

But then I fall back into the pirhana tank, and all of the fish who should be just giving their money away are taking all of mine with hands like any King and 63s.

One question, does it seem like your opponents hit longshot draws, but you never get proper odds preflop to be in the hand to hit those kinds of draws?

I just posted a thread called "Strategy Gap from 50-60% on Flop?" It deals more with full ring games but I believe there are situations where a good player will have trouble (even after adjusting his play for the looseness) because they don't get good enough odds to call very speculative hands preflop, but players who make poor starting hand decisions do get good enough odds to call postflop. I believe this happens from 50-60% flop percentage, until there are enough players to justify liming with small pairs and suited connectors in EP.

The result is that you will get beat often and badly, but will not be in the hand often enough when you would have put the hurt on everyone else.