My first 1000 tracked hands

[mosch]

I've recently decided to transform myself from a money losing fellow who loves to play poker to a money winning fellow who loves to play poker. As part of the process, I've started keeping track of my stats while playing micro-limit online, and I was wondering what you guys might have to say about them.

PartyPoker 0.5/1, 1006 hands.
Voluntarily put $ in pot: 31%
Voluntarily put $ in from SB: 57%

Saw Flop All Hands: 38%
Saw Flop Not A Blind: 29%

Won $ When Saw Flop: 24%
Amount Won: $93

Went to showdown after seeing flop: 33%
Won $ At Showdown: 52%

Raised Pre-flop: 9%

Standard Deviation/Hour: $16.5

[Homer]

Keep in mind that 1000 hands is a small sample size, so it's hard to tell if you are playing too loose/tight, passively/aggressively, etc.

Voluntarily put $ in from SB: 57%

I suspect that this is too loose. What are your standards for completing your small blind?

Saw Flop All Hands: 38%
Saw Flop Not A Blind: 29%

This is way too loose. I see about 23% of all flops. What preflop starting hand guidelines do you use?

-- Homer

[mosch]

What are your standards for completing your small blind?
Now that I stop and really think about it, they're actually embarassing. I'll play suited connectors and one-gaps, and any ace or king if there wasn't a raise. Probably a few other hands that make me want to lie about my hand selection too.

What preflop starting hand guidelines do you use?
The first one or two hundred hands used a 'I'm feelin' lucky' guideline. Now I'm trying to use the Lee Jones WLLHE guidelines, though I still have to strong tendancy to find myself thinking '3 of the first 4 callers hit every flop, so I might as well go down a rank or two'.

[J.R.]

Check out Holdem Poker for Advanced Players (HPFAP), I think their pre-flop recommendations are much better than the advice in Jones, and a different perspective will help you understand why you would play a particular hand in a situation. Although perhaps a little advanced, www.posev.com has some excellent advice as well, but I would first focus on that advice on HPFAP. As an aside, I have read HPFAP book 5 times in the last year, and still gain insight from it, so don't be discouraged if it makes you feel a little dense.

[DarkKnight]

Voluntarily put $ in pot: 31%
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Too loose for my taste. I'm typically around 16%.

Voluntarily put $ in from SB: 57%
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For this blind structure I think this is too high but if you can get away from mediocre flops (eg top pair no kicker) then its not a huge problem.

Saw Flop All Hands: 38%
Saw Flop Not A Blind: 29%

Won $ When Saw Flop: 24%
Amount Won: $93

Went to showdown after seeing flop: 33%
Won $ At Showdown: 52%
---------------------------------------
I'm at 27% and 58% - might be indicative that you're chasing a bit. But then again at micro limits you might
be getting odds to chase.


Raised Pre-flop: 9%

Standard Deviation/Hour: $16.5

[Bob T.]

You are loose aggressive, and you've been running good.

You probably need to play about 25% fewer hands, and maybe raise preflop a little less. Online, I would try and get my SD down to about 12 Big bets per hour.

[Blue Sky]

J.R.

I have seen alot of your posts and think you offer some great advice and now I see that you prefer S&M over Jones starting hands. I tend to follow Lee's guidance with a few changes, as needed.

I'd be interested in hearing why you prefer S&M over Jones. Always looking for that extra advantage. Your advice is appreciated.

[mosch]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'm now playing pre-flop according to abdul's strategy and I'm going to try to do a comparison. Oddly enough I actually had posev.com bookmarked, but I hadn't taken the time to look at it, or think about it.

I'm realizing that the only reason I wasn't losing money for those 1000 hands was because I do have the good sense to fold my stupidity on the flop, and many of my fellow players have the kindness to play (literally) any two cards.

[J.R.]

Some pre-flop disagreements with Jones' WLLH (2nd edition)

p. 40 - Early Position- I tend to limp with AJs in EP, and don't like his idea of re-raising with KQs, AQs/o, AJs just because it "tends to limit the number of players in the pot."
I also think in a loose passive game you can limp with most (if not all) Axs and pairs lower than 77, although a beginner should err on the side of tightness here, so Jones' tightness is not unjustified.

p.44 Middle Position- Jones recommends raising after 3 or fewer limpers 99, 88, QJs, KJs, AJo, ATo- I do not like these after 3 limpers, possibly after one limper in MP(AJo or 99), but not from MP (especially when 3 or 4 off the button) with the other hands. With the pairs and suited big cards (KJs QJs), I prefer calling in an effort to induce limping behind me.

I do not like re-raising an EP/EMP raise with AQs/o and coldcalling with TT-99 (unless a few coldcallers are in between) or QJs, KJs, AJs, or ATs after a few callers. I also dislike discussing stealing the blinds in a LL game from MP unless you are 3 or less off the button.

p. 47 Late Position- Jones recommends raising 99, 88, ATo, A9o and QJs after any number of limpers. I fold ATo and A9o unless I am re-raising one weak limper and do not like raising with QJs (Q high) unless there are 3 or more limpers (a value/variation possible free card/ tie people into the pot raise). I also dislike calling after 5 or more callers with Qxs, only playing down to Q9s, and calling Kxs after 4 or less limpers, where I prefer to go as low as K7s after 4 limpers and raising my kicker requirements with fewer limpers.

I dislike re-raising with AQs/o unless there is only one limper from LMP/LP who I suspect is raising light. I do not coldcall a raise with TT, 99, KQs, QJs, KJs, AJs nor coldcall with ATs or A9s after limpers. I think TT, 99, 88, 77 can coldcall after a raise and 3 or 4 coldcallers, but avoid trouble hands like medium suited aces a nd suited kings (maybe I'll call with KQs).

These are just some ideas after briefly re-skimming my 2nd edition of WLLH ny Lee Jones, sorry for any typos/confusing ideas. I may think differently tommorow but until then I am tired so I am out. Hope this helps.

[rigoletto]

but if you can get away from mediocre flops (eg top pair no kicker) then its not a huge problem.

???? So you complete in sb with K5o and then fold on a K high flop???? Then why play it?