Frustrated

After playing turbo SNG's exclusively for the past couple of months, I have started playing regular MTT SNG's. I don't know if the confidence of doing well in the turbo's has stunted my playing in the regular speed SNG's, but I am struggling with the MTT regular-speed games. My last six games I have gotten bumped out just after making the final table of 4 of the 6. (I know that 2 of the games, I overvalued middle pocket pairs which is a big weakness in my games)

I am happy with the progress that I have made in the last four months of playing since I have been involved with Cardschat and I know that I am making progress with making final tables, but I am just frustrated with not doing better. (i.e. cashing out)

I don't have any hand histories to post (yet) and I have studied the last two MTT's, and I don't think I am playing too many hands. (27 and 29% hands played, I really don't know if that is too much) So, I am going to take a couple of days off and re-read some of the articles here in Cardschat to see if I am missing anything. Again, and advice is appreciated.

Actually 29% is alot if you don't have strong post flop play.

Ok Tko in the early stages you dont want to get involved an afull lot only play top 5 hnds or top 15 hnds with position It doesnt matter if you get to the final table with top stack or medium stack because the ft is a whole different animal

Once on thew final table you need to get aggressive AND start to build your chips because if you win 1 and lose 2 you r still in profit if you wanna try a game pm me and ill watch you and see where you r making mistakes.


ps im not tht great a player but i know the right plays even if i dont always make them lol

I am usually tight in the begining of the game, only playing premium hands, calling suited connectors when I am in late position and no raises, just so I can get a feel of the table.

I just picked up a hole in my game where if I have Q9 off, and a Q come up that I am over betting the hand thinking I have the best hand. I got beat one hand Q9 vs. Q10, and that hand took out a quarter of my stack because of over-value.

Another problem I am seeing is that I am not calling 3 or 4x raises with AX suited and flushes end up on the board. Would anyone call that? (Let's say you are middle position, medium stack, and 2nd chip leader is calling the raise right before you)

Never unless it was a limp from th button you get into too much trouble your policy is correct

Okay, then I have been playing that right. Alright, I think I have a couple (more) holes to fill up on my game. I may take tonight off and do some more studying. More than likely, I'll be itching to play after......

there is no right answer 100% of the time about how many hands you should play. you should play opposite of the table. if the majority of the table is seeing 30-40% of hands, you should be around 10% of hands. if the majority of the table is 10-15%, you should be higher, around 25-35%

it just depends.

I decided to play tonight and this was the first hand I was dealt:

kerStars Game #8415291634: Tournament #42889571, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/02/12 - 23:49:04 (ET)
Table '42889571 1' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: BlackFRC (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: KaceAce (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: tkolejr (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: LPACPA (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: schidtya (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: RiDaHz (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: goodtime68 (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: Produde12 (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: caddysts1997 (1500 in chips)
KaceAce: posts small blind 10
tkolejr: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to tkolejr [4h 4s]
LPACPA: calls 20
schidtya: folds
RiDaHz: calls 20
goodtime68: folds
goodtime68 is sitting out
Produde12: raises 60 to 80
caddysts1997: folds
BlackFRC: folds
KaceAce: folds
tkolejr: folds
LPACPA: calls 60
RiDaHz: folds
*** FLOP *** [5c 3s 6d]
LPACPA: bets 100
Produde12: calls 100
*** TURN *** [5c 3s 6d] 3♦
LPACPA: bets 200
Produde12: calls 200
*** RIVER *** [5c 3s 6d 3d] K♣
LPACPA: bets 500
Produde12: calls 500
*** SHOW DOWN ***
LPACPA: shows [4c Ac] (a pair of Threes)
Produde12: shows [Th Td] (two pair, Tens and Threes)
Produde12 collected 1810 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1810 | Rake 0
Board [5c 3s 6d 3d Kc]
Seat 1: BlackFRC (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: KaceAce (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: tkolejr (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: LPACPA showed [4c Ac] and lost with a pair of Threes
Seat 5: schidtya folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: RiDaHz folded before Flop
Seat 7: goodtime68 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Produde12 showed [Th Td] and won (1810) with two pair, Tens and Threes
Seat 9: caddysts1997 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

It was tough to watch because I think before I would have called the pre-flop bet and would have had a hard time not calling the bets. I guess I did learn something today.

Well, finished 8th out of 27. Was up to fourth in chips at one point. Biggest hand that hurt was I flopped a straight put the only caller all-in and he rivered his flush. Frustrating again but played much better.

i woulda prolly called with the 4s there and either call/raised the flop and probably folded the turn.

I really wanted to call with it being so early in the tournament, but, those are the types of hands that have been getting me in big trouble so I wanted no part of it.

Ok so dont play it ya you flopped the str draw but the moment the 2nd 3 hits you raise or fold coz anything over[pr to you has just put your outs to 8 outs it is not where you want to be

After struggling for 10 games, I finally cashed out for a third place finish on a 18 SNG. But, the next two games really got to me. I made final tables only to watch river cards knock me out on the bubble. (KK vs. 88 w/an 8 on the river and AQsp vs. Ac8h to watch the flush hit on the river) So I decided to take a couple of days off to clear my head and do some reading and studying.
I just feel like my confidence is shot when I play and am gun-shy deciding to make calls. My bankroll has taken a little bit of a hit, but, I am not in any kind of danger because of good bankroll management. I know everyone goes through a down period no matter how well they play. I am going to take a break and see what holes I have and fix them.

Having a losing streak in PS SNGs can be discouraging, but really shouldn't be. In a short duration setting like these, 1 hand often makes or breaks your whole tourney.One bad beat can undo all the good play in the world, and donks and chasers are gonna hand out bad beats now and again. Just don't play down to their level, and you'll be ahead in the long run.

You're playing the 5+.50; why not step down a level for a while to ease the hit on your bankroll and maybe build some confidence back?

I would love to drop down to a lower stakes SNG except I don't have alot of time and most of the micro levels are $1.20 and I have tried that a couple of times and mostly it's all in every other hand. On the other hand, that really doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I may try that tonight.

I took Nine Lions' advice and dropped down my stakes. Went to a 1.20 18 SNG and watched as every other hand someone go all in. Make it to the final table and sitting 5th out of 6 people at the table about $500 below 4th. I get QJs I am the dealer. One person calls 2s Jh 5s comes on board. Caller goes all-in after debating. Have a good read on him, has been taking big risks called all in w/KJ, KQ, and A6. I call for all of my stack thinking I have top pair and outs. He flips Jc 4s. Wheee!! I double up right? NOPE! Thanks to a 4 on the river I get knocked out. He says "sorry" and I toss my monitor across the room. (Just kidding)
I know that wasn't the best hand to play, he could of had KJ, AJ, etc, etc, but it is the same old story that I have the best hand and get knocked out by the river. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

See, that's what I'm talkin' about. In the long run, though, things will turn if you play solidly. Suckout artists will have their moments, but hey, that's poker.

I know what you are saying Dave, I know that I played that hand the best that I could and I didn't find myself caught up in a lot of coin flips up until that hand, but it's just utterly frustrating that I keep losing those coin flips with the best starting hand. I know I am not going to win every time but it just seems that in this rut/bad streak I am losing that coin flip every time. There are peaks and valleys in poker, I feel like I have hit the bottom and working my way back up!

Yup, and it's easier on the bankroll at the lower level.

You may get more suckouts, but it costs less. It's a tradeoff, but you should be able to come out ahead overall and thereby rebuild your confidence.