More money than sense

In the past 2 days I've left about $40 on the cash tables at Noble and Full Tilt. I onlly played good hands and I was continually pounded by folks rivering with 7-4 offsuit. I have finally determined that skill is a factor in this game ONLY if you have a bottomless pocket. An example is I raised about 4xBB with AA, a player went all-in (about $10). I of course called. He turned 4-6 offsuit and caught a straight on the river. I stayed calm and continued to play a good tight game and I NEVER won a hand when I led pre-flop. If I had millions in the bank, I still wouldn't go all-in with nothing. About 5 minutes ago, I lost $12 on FullTilt. I went in with KQ suited (diamonds) the flop was Ks-Qd-4c. I have top 2 pair so I bet $3, other player raises $6, I call. You guessed it, turn and river were both clubs and he turned up 8-3 of clubs. You just cannot get past dumb luck I guess.

I think I'm going to retire, cash out what I have, and try to get a live game going. At least in a live game I can slap some sense into people that play like idiots but are BLESSED with a never ending supply of luck. This kind of play takes all the fun out of playing and we must all remember that it is a game...

Whatever you do KEEP these guys at the table! You will get their money they just got extraordinarilly lucky happens to me all the time if I don't get too mad I hang out and within an hour the same guys who beat me are broke. Playing a tight style means you will get drawn out on much more so than a loose player, but also you WILL make money in the long run whereas players like you describe might win a big pot they will will have busted out long before you have. Poker is about winning money not pots.

I hate these lucky players. Just keep to your game (easier said than done).

If you are losing at the money tables, enter a few small buy-in tourneys. It give you the chance to heavily raise strong hands. This tends to KO the players sitting with 5-7 off suit. This can help win you a few hands, you feel better and then go back to the money tables. Some people have more luck than sense but you WILL beat these guys eventually. If you are a strong, brave player, then when say 6-9 comes on the flop, you are still in the lead with your K Q. He will be waiting on the straight but hit them with a big raise, good players wont chase cards and you will take pot.

Its easy saying huge raise but maybe play a few $0.05/$0.10 games

I know what both of you are saying and I agree; however, we're talking about good luck (or bad luck) for long enough that I went broke. Actually I didn't go broke, I just refused to throw good money after bad. I was very patient, took the beats in stride and waited for a quality hand. I'd get one and get thumped again. Didn't matter if I limped in, went all-in, or something in-between. These folks called anything and caught on the river. I'm talking about 10-15 quality hands in a row. When you have to fold AA, KK, AK because you are being constantly rivered, it's just not worth the frustration to play anymore. I know that good play will eventually overcome dumb luck, but will you go broke waiting. I was on a .5/.10 NL table with a $5 max buy-in. Just from the blinds I was down to less than $2 before I played my first hand. I had A-J suited, flop was A-J-6 rainbow, bet strong, got raised, called. Turn was A - now I have a boat. River was K, yep, other player had A-K and busted me out. I've had quads against me over 6 times in this 2 day period as well. It's just getting to the point that I don't know how to play a hand anymore as nothing except folding seems to work. Anyway, wanted to vent a bit. I still think I'm done with online poker for at least a while...

What about elevating your game to higher table-stakes so that you are playing against players of a "higher calibur."

Maybe it will take a little more cash, but play may be much tighter. Also, you mentioned that this was over a 2 day period...I've caught a cold run of cards like that before. Keep playing your game and it will work out for the positive over time.

What about elevating your game to higher table-stakes so that you are playing against players of a "higher calibur."

Maybe it will take a little more cash, but play may be much tighter. Also, you mentioned that this was over a 2 day period...I've caught a cold run of cards like that before. Keep playing your game and it will work out for the positive over time.

If you change your game then you will be the loser. Sometimes you get bad runs like these and it can be very hard to take. Just have a break from it, dont play for a few days, clear your head of all the bad beats and negative thoughts and then go back.

Ask yourself how many times you have had a lucky river to earn you a nice pot? I am sure the person on the receiving end was gutted but thats poker.

I hate players calling all-in with low pairs etc but without these guys none of us would ever win anything!

Just stick to your game and you will get your money back. I lost $10 the other day playing $0.10/$0.20 and it was gone within 10 minutes. Had some bad beats but didnt put any money in my account, had a rest for a day or two then went back. I tripled my next $20 deposit within an hour.

I certainly don't play to really make any money, it's really just because I like the game. I always expect to leave behind everything I bring to the table; however, I always hope the victor has to EARN it. For 6 years the same bunch of guys had a game at my house every Friday night - and this is the poker I enjoy.

Is there a place where you can set up a recurring private game so we can assemble a group of solid players and have the weekly 6-10 player $10-$20 buy-in game?

This way you really get to know the folks and it brings the fun back to the game...

That's what we're trying with the Noble Paid Money tournaments, they start "properly" from next Saturday. I hope you lot will come and participate

Thank you Nick. I was there for the last and will be there for the next...

Me too. I will see you guys there. Can;t wait!!

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you can not beat lesser opponents consistentaly it makes NO SENSE to jump up a limit! NONE get that out of your dam head!

I take frequent breaks! I must admit to a horrible losing streak on Noble myself this week until 2night when I got back to even and with the bonus should be ahead..... The best way to look at it is, if you are confident that you played the hands you got sucked out on the best you could just accept it as being a brutal part of the game. Now if you review your hand history you might find a thing or 2 you could have done better. I make mistakes everytime I play the game, just learn, take a break, but don't let a bad streak ruin you on a GREAT game!

Spent about 2 hours Saturday on a 7 stud .25/.50 table at UltimateBet. Did OK, made about 50% and enjoyed being away from Hold-em very much. May stick to stud for a while as this is the game I grew up with and folks aren't near as crazy...

I'll be honest with you Dave, I ran into the exact same thing at Noble Poker. I just simply got to the point where I said enough and I no longer play there. Not saying its just that site or bad beats don't happen elsewhere, however I continue to play online, just not at Noble. The frequency at which the hands as you described happened far too regularly and chasers continued to be paid off. I just had enough and haven't played there since.

we do see agreater amount of hands online as compared to live games..but some sites have been notorious...check out credibility issues at www.pokerconduct.com it is an INFORMATIONAL site about onliners and very very good for us onliners ..check it out its free and for information about pokersites and reviews..

I applaud that guys efforts but we all know why online poker servers aren't located in the US or CANADA, which is his main point. The reason is because it is ILLEGAL to run games from here!

Read on ...there is alot more to the site than just reviews on server location.....take some time and read on.....thanks

OH believe me I am probably the most skeptical guy here when it comes to online poker legitimacy! Gonna be hard to get me to argue the sites legitimacy till a real governing body licenses them

I understand the knee-jerk reaction about my statement on moving up in limits, so let me clarify. I wasn't saying to go from .25/.50 to 10.00/20.00. I was just making the oberservation that at a bit higher limit playeres tend to chase cards less often and play a more orthodox game of poker. IMO, its easier to make money playing at a higher level with more experienced tighter players that tend to chase cards less frequently. While I understand your point about not moving up if you can't handle the game, I frequently fluctuate up and down in limit in order to maximize my take-away from the tables. I do however, avoid playing at tables that are above my skill level. My .02 cents.

[quote=IrishDave]In the past 2 days I've left about $40 on the cash tables at Noble and Full Tilt. I onlly played good hands and I was continually pounded by folks rivering with 7-4 offsuit. I have finally determined that skill is a factor in this game ONLY if you have a bottomless pocket.
I think we see mpre and more of this day after day the more popular online poker gets the more of these "gambeling fools" we will see. I used to play alot at pacific and (as someone pointed out the obvious) most of the players at that site were swayed over from casino on net "gamblers" . to me there is a vast diference between gamblers and poker players! But with the poker boom here they come. Anyway I seem to run into these pepole the least at Full Tilt. Also it seems they stick mostly to the low limit tables so even tho its not realy in my comfert zone I try to stay mostly at the mids and highs. ]


Oh yea Don't cash out. Bust'em out!!!

I have never seen such paranoid BS in all my life.(pokerconduct.com) This site atacks poker sites (every site it seems) and as far as what I read mostly with little or no merit!

If your spooked play bingo.

i agree with taking breaks, but colin's got a point with going a limit or two up; the players at a .05/.10 table are usually pretty garbage - lots of calling stations and chasers
maybe moving up a limit would help eliminate those kinds of players, and help dave's playing style out - I played with IrishDave in todays freeroll and think he is experienced enough that he would do better at a higher limit
just my 2c

I agree. Poker is about knowledge first but like any game, it is also about confidence. I would recommend a $25.00 NL game for Dave where he could take in $10-15 if that is his limit and be confident that he would be rid of most of the calling stations.

I wouldn't even consider playing the micro games, not because I am a good player. My reason is because a lot of the players (obviously not all) there are not just bad players, they are woeful. You end up playing a game not unfamilliar to my mother....bingo and this does nothing to help you develop your game.

$1-$2 tourneys can also be a good way of getting good poker for your $.

Whatever you do Dave, don't give up on your beliefs about how to play the game well....what you have run into in the last little while are not reflective of a good game of poker....and there are plenty of good games out there mate!