What are you trying to do?

[Diplomat]

I will assume that most people post on this forum to improve their mid-high stakes limit hold'em game, and/or provide advice in this category to those who are looking for it.

One of the reasons I post here is that I have difficulty doing extensive self-diagnostics, in that my diagnostic of what I did wrong is often also wrong, or at least not quite right.

But nonetheless, I believe I have particular weak spots in my game, and am trying to use the forum to fix these weaknesses. But do I know what the weak parts of my game really are?

I want to use this post and responses (provided people respond) to examine what our percieved weaknesses are, and what weaknesses posters believe each of us has.

I believe I play a few too many hands in early position, namely Axs and small pairs. Also, I regularly play suited connectors like 89s in early position. Post-flop and beyond, I tend to go into check/call mode too often when I have a hand I'd like to show down, but am faced with decent aggression (especially heads' up).

What leaks do -you- think I have, based on what you read from my posts? Those of you who have played with me, online or ring, please comment on that.

I'd like to see some other interested posters posting what their goals are for their games, and for other people to give them feedback in the same vein. <shrug>

-Diplomat

[DcifrThs]

[ QUOTE ]
I will assume that most people post on this forum to improve their mid-high stakes limit hold'em game, and/or provide advice in this category to those who are looking for it.

One of the reasons I post here is that I have difficulty doing extensive self-diagnostics, in that my diagnostic of what I did wrong is often also wrong, or at least not quite right.

But nonetheless, I believe I have particular weak spots in my game, and am trying to use the forum to fix these weaknesses. But do I know what the weak parts of my game really are?

I want to use this post and responses (provided people respond) to examine what our percieved weaknesses are, and what weaknesses posters believe each of us has.

I believe I play a few too many hands in early position, namely Axs and small pairs. Also, I regularly play suited connectors like 89s in early position. Post-flop and beyond, I tend to go into check/call mode too often when I have a hand I'd like to show down, but am faced with decent aggression (especially heads' up).

What leaks do -you- think I have, based on what you read from my posts? Those of you who have played with me, online or ring, please comment on that.

I'd like to see some other interested posters posting what their goals are for their games, and for other people to give them feedback in the same vein. <shrug>

-Diplomat

[/ QUOTE ]

Diplomat,

I don't think I'm qualified to tell you exactly what your leaks are...but i can discuss the rest of your post and would happily open myself up criticism.

first, i use this forum as a way to kind of rise the tide to lift the boat. my leaks in limit i believe are being too tight in some spots, yet a little too aggressive in others...usually they are very close decisions but the wrong one either way is costly and i could wish upon my stars all night to get to where those plays are perfectly aligned but i see no better way than to post hands (which i haven't been doing much of, admitadly) or talk and argue about play of hands that others post.

i also feel sometimes after i limp preflop in certain instances, "oops, barron, THAT was a bit too loose...you cannot know such and such is going to play here...you should have waited to be in a better position before playing such and such hand hoping those loosies will come behind with what they normally do" usually those are hands that cannot stand much action and sometimes i gotta toss 'em to a raise and a reraise which was silly to throw away 1/2 a bet like that.

further leaks are that i think i continue on the turn a bit much sometimes in those party games which shoots my variance right up there big time but i think i'm a head a lot when i do and only find out later i should have released.

i'm sure others can see more leaks in my game and i welcome those comments. i also think this post is great and should allow everyone to think more about their goals. i just try now to learn from posters and learn how to better think about hands in the heat of battle from what you guys do in your tricky situations.

so thanks and keep it comin
-Barron

[elysium]

hi diplomat
you play like a good recreational player. if you keep your loses to under 20 or 30 an hour, it's not such a bad deal. an excellent recreational player can do much better than you, but won't have nearly so much gaming fun. that player is more interested in socializing for pennies per hour, and actually saves money. a lot of money.

you diplomat want to win money by playing and think that simply desiring to win means that you aren't playing for recreation. that's not correct. yes, you want to win, but you also do not want to spend the few hours you have to play per week or month out of your hectic schedule sitting around in a dirty card-room not doing anything. yes, when you are exhibiting self discipline in the card room, you begin to notice the trash people throw all over the place. and the air. and you want out. obviously, the easiest exit out of the card room environment is to become involved in a hand. and it's easy to rationalize to get involved in a hand because that's why you are there in the first place. now life is easier and more pleasant. you're having fun. but diplomat, having fun costs money.

you are not going to find a clean card room or one that makes it easy on you while you wait for your cards. there is also nothing fun or fanciful about winning play. it's hard work. it's worse than being in an office. you have to sit there and watch everyone having fun but you. when you go home at the end of the day, no matter what you've won, it won't seem like enough for the sacrifice of fun you've made. you will always be left with the erroneous assumption that you would have won more if you had just simply had more fun. eventually, you will begin to have fun all over again, unaware of what is happening until you're hit with the bill.

i know diplomat. this isn't what you wanted to hear. and if you think that the players who consistantly win are grouches, well, you're right. why do you think internet poker was so lucrative for the operators? they take advantage of player's desparation to play somewhere other than that torrid card room. well i'm looking at my little webster's and it says torrid means hot. eh, i just like the way torrid card room sounds. you know what i mean.

no diplomat, you can not have fun. i put you on a program that had you scouting for the best table and seat, and not playing unless you found one. then i had you playing tighter than you ever thought imaginable. if that's unacceptable, then go ahead and continue having fun if you can comfortably afford it. look at it like this diplomat. the card room spends between 10 and 15 dollars an hour on you so that you can have all the frills. if you only lose 10 or 15 an hour, you're breaking even. actually, the card room spends more than that if you go for the comps. you're getting value and having fun if you keep your loses down to that. what if you lose 20 an hour? you're probably still breaking even. and where else can you get that kind of entertainment for that price? if you say dinner and a movie, well that's about 30 an hour. and it's only worth that if the movie was good. and you could wind up with food poisoning. yes, you can also be poisoned with card room food, but at least they comp the food poisoning, you aren't actually paying for it.

[2005]

I think one of my biggest problems for a while was not value betting the river enough especially with position. I'm much more inclined to bet the river with a hand that figures to be best most of the time when I don't have position than when I do. For instance, I'll check behind on an A high board with a medium A when draws didn't get there or when it's likely I have the best hand, but I'll bet it when I'm out of postion in the same situation. Forgive me if I'm rambling on and not making sense, I just got back from a bar and I'm a little frunk right now(as in "frunk as duck") Anyways, I think not value betting the river enough is one of my biggest weaknesses.

Gavin

[WyattErb]

I actually have some of the leaks u have, playing too many hands! especially suited connectors and pocket pairs, i even sometimes call a raise with them!
but i think the thing that costs me the most money is the blinds! too many raises have been called by my side with crappy hands in the blinds, i dont even want to know how money this has cost me so far!