need microstakes FR advice

#1 24th August 2010, 6:16 PM

I am currently playing .02/.05 NLHE on FT. I have a few questions;

how do I adjust to short stackers? If I raise PF and am heads up against a short stack it seems like I always am committing more to the hand than I want and usually lose.
Should I chip back up if I my stack goes down by more than 1/3?
calling 3-bets in position. I see a lot of aggression from the small blinds when I open raise on the button. Here is a prime example:

Full Tilt Poker Game #23331586230: Table Hyannis - $0.02/$0.05 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:02:53 ET - 2010/08/24
Seat 1: Obi-Wan 1972 ($4.94)
Seat 2: Goosc17 ($6.04)
Seat 3: Xoztovarov ($8.19)
Seat 4: kidobb ($6.02)
Seat 5: fx20736 ($2.62)
Seat 6: Skasek ($5)
Seat 7: one7174 ($5.17)
Seat 8: nyrugby ($5)
Seat 9: mccol001 ($6.99)
Skasek posts the small blind of $0.02
one7174 posts the big blind of $0.05
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to fx20736 [Jc 9c]
nyrugby folds
mccol001 folds
Obi-Wan 1972 folds
Goosc17 folds
Xoztovarov folds
kidobb folds
fx20736 raises to $0.17
Skasek has 15 seconds left to act
Skasek raises to $0.45
one7174 folds
fx20736 calls $0.28
*** FLOP *** [Tc 5s Ah]
Skasek has 15 seconds left to act
Skasek bets $0.40
fx20736 folds
Uncalled bet of $0.40 returned to Skasek
Skasek mucks
Skasek wins the pot ($0.89)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $0.95 | Rake $0.06
Board: [Tc 5s Ah]
Seat 1: Obi-Wan 1972 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Goosc17 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Xoztovarov didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: kidobb didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: fx20736 (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: Skasek (small blind) collected ($0.89), mucked
Seat 7: one7174 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 8: nyrugby didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: mccol001 didn't bet (folded)

my gut tells me he is trying to steal my raise but so I figure call with position but then the flop is awful and then I feel completely lost.

help

#2 24th August 2010, 7:27 PM

This is one where I often feel lost, too and don't know if the way I handle it is best but here's how I do, generally. If the villain's not done this a couple of times prior to now, with that flop, I'd fold and feel it's the smart thing to do. Otherwise, I'm still working to figure it out myself.

#3 24th August 2010, 7:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fx20736

I am currently playing .02/.05 NLHE on FT. I have a few questions;

how do I adjust to short stackers? If I raise PF and am heads up against a short stack it seems like I always am committing more to the hand than I want and usually lose.
Should I chip back up if I my stack goes down by more than 1/3?
calling 3-bets in position. I see a lot of aggression from the small blinds when I open raise on the button. Here is a prime example:

Full Tilt Poker Game #23331586230: Table Hyannis - $0.02/$0.05 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:02:53 ET - 2010/08/24
Seat 1: Obi-Wan 1972 ($4.94)
Seat 2: Goosc17 ($6.04)
Seat 3: Xoztovarov ($8.19)
Seat 4: kidobb ($6.02)
Seat 5: fx20736 ($2.62)
Seat 6: Skasek ($5)
Seat 7: one7174 ($5.17)
Seat 8: nyrugby ($5)
Seat 9: mccol001 ($6.99)
Skasek posts the small blind of $0.02
one7174 posts the big blind of $0.05
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to fx20736 [Jc 9c]
nyrugby folds
mccol001 folds
Obi-Wan 1972 folds
Goosc17 folds
Xoztovarov folds
kidobb folds
fx20736 raises to $0.17
Skasek has 15 seconds left to act
Skasek raises to $0.45
one7174 folds
fx20736 FOLDS!!!

my gut tells me he is trying to steal my raise but so I figure call with position but then the flop is awful and then I feel completely lost.

help

Kill all short-stacking POS! Just work out a range that's ahead of theirs and play really aggressively with them preflop (3bet/4bet jams). You don't have to cbet as often against them because generally they're only playing 1 street postflop anyway.

You should reload if your stack goes down 1 sb. Just turn on auto-top up and be done with it. Full stack every hand.

In the hand you posted just fold preflop. Your equity sucks against the normal 5nl 3bet range (~4%). Trust me they're not playing back at you with air very often. Play around with Pokerstove and you'll see how different hands fair against tight ranges. Never calling a 3bet when you're only 100bb deep is not really that bad actually!

#4 24th August 2010, 7:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WVHillbilly

Kill all short-stacking POS! Just work out a range that's ahead of theirs and play really aggressively with them preflop (3bet/4bet jams). You don't have to cbet as often against them because generally they're only playing 1 street postflop anyway.

You should reload if your stack goes down 1 sb. Just turn on auto-top up and be done with it. Full stack every hand.

In the hand you posted just fold preflop. Your equity sucks against the normal 5nl 3bet range (~4%). Trust me they're not playing back at you with air very often. Play around with Pokerstove and you'll see how different hands fair against tight ranges. Never calling a 3bet when you're only 100bb deep is not really that bad actually!

this all sounds like excellent advice. Thanks much!

#5 24th August 2010, 8:27 PM

Why do you ask how to adjust to shortstackers when you are the only short stack at the table? That's the only question I have. WV covered everything I wanted to say...

#6 24th August 2010, 9:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by absoluthamm

Why do you ask how to adjust to shortstackers when you are the only short stack at the table? That's the only question I have. WV covered everything I wanted to say...

I was short stacked because I had lost half my chips earlier in the session in two hands (3-bet with AKo and TT and folded both to 4 bets) which is why I also asked about chipping up. I always buy-in for the full amount, sorry.

#7 24th August 2010, 9:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fx20736

3-bet with AKo and TT and folded both to 4 bets

Post both of those hands please along with relevant stats of villains.

#8 24th August 2010, 9:56 PM

You can also try to lower your button raise to min betting(especially if the blinds are short). The theory here is your range will be wider(weaker as a whole) so your risk less chips. Also you have position so you will in theory have more control over the pot size as the hand plays out. If the blinds decide to call more often than they should then you'll have the advantage of positon in a raised pot. But as said if they fight back they most likely got the goods.

#9 24th August 2010, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fx20736

(3-bet with AKo and TT and folded both to 4 bets)

you folded AK and TT to 4bets? you really do need to post these hands. 3betting to fold to a 4bet is a bad idea imo is often better to just call a raise when you ip and 3bet or fold OOP. I guess calling a raise OOP with TT(or any PP for that matter) can be ok if you know the villian will get chips in post flop. It really hard for me to find a reason to fold AK preflop especially after getting so many chips into the middle.

#10 24th August 2010, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardplayer52

you folded AK and TT to 4bets? you really do need to post these hands. 3betting to fold to a 4bet is a bad idea imo is often better to just call a raise when you ip and 3bet or fold OOP. I guess calling a raise OOP with TT(or any PP for that matter) can be ok if you know the villian will get chips in post flop. It really hard for me to find a reason to fold AK preflop especially after getting so many chips into the middle.

I'm at work now but I'll dig up the HH's later and post. The one lesson I've kind of learned playing microstakes is that 4 bets usually means AA or KK so I figured my AK was pretty much worthless or maybe a coin flip if the 4 bettor had QQ. I was in position with TT and have tried calling and seeing the flop but every time that happened the raiser fired a c-bet and without a set I could not go any further with the hand.

I am just getting back into poker after a very long hiatus (almost 2 years). My instinct is to play TAG but I seem to win lots of small pots or collect the blinds and lose my stack about every 3rd or 4th session. I have progressed past stacking off with TPTK or an overpair and have started employing the WA/WB concept and checking flops/ betting turns which has improved my winnings a little but I tend to feel like I must project a Nit image and therefore I feel every 3 bet against me is a steal attempt so I have bled alot of chips calling 3 bets only to check/ fold to a c-bet on the flop. I also find that i cannot effectively multi-table and if I lose with AA or KK I tend to go on tilt which usually results in me losing the rest of that buy-in of I have any or maybe the buy-in after that.

I do plan to download Poker Tracker and start analyzing my play; I do understand position pretty well, I just feel lost often and don't know if my concepts about opening hand ranges, and the raise or fold preflop concept until I have the button idea have alot of validity in the world of online microstakes NLHE.

Thanks for all the feedback I am really enjoying this forum.

#11 25th August 2010, 11:25 AM

A couple of things;

I tried to download PT3 but I kept getting errors about not being able to configure the PostgreSQL db. I read the quick start guide but got very frustrated after 3 attempts. Any help would be appreciated.

I am posting 2 HH's here (I won both) to illustrate how I have no idea what the hell is going on at 5NL, any advice on how to deal with this?

HAND #1

Full Tilt Poker Game #23350625894: Table Sabrina - $0.02/$0.05 - No Limit Hold'em - 05:45:23 ET - 2010/08/25
Seat 1: miguelangel90 ($9.09)
Seat 2: Super2013 ($6.11)
Seat 3: AdamLaRoche ($5.48)
Seat 4: sa7nt ($4.93)
Seat 5: fx20736 ($4.93)
Seat 6: ucko1 ($8.62)
Seat 7: Almazon ($4.63)
Seat 8: donotsweat ($3.50), is sitting out
Seat 9: oceanmanvvv ($1.75)
AdamLaRoche posts the small blind of $0.02
sa7nt posts the big blind of $0.05
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to fx20736 [Kh Ks]
fx20736 raises to $0.17
Almazon folds
miguelangel90 calls $0.17
Super2013 folds
AdamLaRoche has 15 seconds left to act
AdamLaRoche folds
sa7nt folds
*** FLOP *** [Td Ah 3c]
fx20736 checks
miguelangel90 bets $0.15
fx20736 calls $0.15
*** TURN *** [Td Ah 3c] 2♠
fx20736 checks
miguelangel90 bets $0.30
fx20736 calls $0.30
*** RIVER *** [Td Ah 3c 2s] Q♦
fx20736 checks
miguelangel90 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
miguelangel90 shows [9d 4d] ???? WTF???Ace Queen high
fx20736 shows [Kh Ks] a pair of Kings
fx20736 wins the pot ($1.23) with a pair of Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $1.31 | Rake $0.08
Board: [Td Ah 3c 2s Qd]
Seat 1: miguelangel90 showed [9d 4d] and lost with Ace Queen high
Seat 2: Super2013 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: AdamLaRoche (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: sa7nt (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: fx20736 showed [Kh Ks] and won ($1.23) with a pair of Kings
Seat 6: ucko1 is sitting out
Seat 7: Almazon didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: donotsweat is sitting out
Seat 9: oceanmanvvv is sitting out

HAND # 2

Full Tilt Poker Game #23350831176: Table Sabrina - $0.02/$0.05 - No Limit Hold'em - 06:05:08 ET - 2010/08/25
Seat 1: stollyfan ($5)
Seat 2: Super2013 ($7.38)
Seat 3: AdamLaRoche ($5.39)
Seat 4: limewax2000 ($3.98)
Seat 5: fx20736 ($5.23)
Seat 6: ucko1 ($7.62), is sitting out
Seat 7: Almazon ($5)
Seat 8: donotsweat ($4.04)
Seat 9: perecatipole ($5)
Super2013 posts the small blind of $0.02
AdamLaRoche posts the big blind of $0.05
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to fx20736 [8s 8d]
limewax2000 folds
fx20736 raises to $0.17
Almazon folds
donotsweat calls $0.17
stollyfan folds
Super2013 has 15 seconds left to act
Super2013 calls $0.15
AdamLaRoche folds
*** FLOP *** [4c 3c Kc]
Super2013 has 15 seconds left to act
Super2013 checks
fx20736 has 15 seconds left to act
fx20736 bets $0.28
donotsweat folds
Super2013 has 15 seconds left to act
Super2013 calls $0.28
*** TURN *** [4c 3c Kc] [Ts]
Super2013 checks
fx20736 checks
*** RIVER *** [4c 3c Kc Ts] K♠
Super2013 checks
fx20736 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
fx20736 shows [8s 8d] two pair, Kings and Eights
Super2013 mucks
fx20736 wins the pot ($1.05) with two pair, Kings and Eights
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $1.12 | Rake $0.07
Board: [4c 3c Kc Ts Ks]
Seat 1: stollyfan (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Super2013 (small blind) mucked [6d 2c] - a pair of Kings
Seat 3: AdamLaRoche (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: limewax2000 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: fx20736 showed [8s 8d] and won ($1.05) with two pair, Kings and Eights
Seat 6: ucko1 is sitting out
Seat 7: Almazon didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: donotsweat folded on the Flop
Seat 9: perecatipole is sitting out

I went back and checked the replay. He had 6d2c. He was calling with a 1 card 2 high club flush draw.

I run into this over and over and over.

What I am asking is; I seem like I a folding a lot of hands needlessly (like AJo when UTG or pocket 5's in MP) but I also don't want to overdo do it and find myself with my stack in the middle when someone really does have cards.

#12 25th August 2010, 1:37 PM

I'm not saying it's right or wrong but I want to know why you're folding those hands from those positions?

#13 25th August 2010, 3:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WVHillbilly

I'm not saying it's right or wrong but I want to know why you're folding those hands from those positions?

The main reason I don't play these hands is that I don't like to play OOP. I am still not very good at poker so I figure why play AJo from EP and get called by a dominating hand like AK or AQ or JJ. As far as 55 from MP I am beginning to hate small/ medium pp's because I only see them as good for set mining and it never seems to pay off. I really focus alot on the hands I will play preflop. It has varied a little bit but right now this is how I play:

EP (UTG,UTG+1): AA-TT, AKs,AQs,AKo

MP: AA-88,AKs-ATs,AKo,AQo KQs,KJs,QJs

LP: AA-55,AKs-A8s,AKo-AJo,KQs-KTs,KQo, QJs-QTs,JTs. I may loosen this a little if the Dealer is weak-tight.

Dealer: depends on how aggro the blinds are. If the SB or BB likes to 3-bet alot I may just play:

AA-22, Axs, AKo-ATo, Any Broadway, any suited connectors T9s-65s.

If the blinds tend to fold I'll play a few more rag aces, some 2 gap SC's and maybe even 98o, 87o, etc.

In the blinds I don't defend the SB much, generally if there are limpers in front I will complete with sm pp's, suited Broadways and Suited Aces,- if there is a raise in front of me I play as if UTG. If it is folded to me I'll play the same hands as if I was the dealer.

Maybe this is nitty but the LAG style makes me queasy. I feel out of control when I play too loose and I hate raising when I am OOP with less than premium cards. Rather than do that isn't it better to be more aggressive with position and use 3-betting, floating and bluff raising rather than try to see alot of flops?

I do want to say I really appreciate all of your feedback WV. It is very helpful.

#14 25th August 2010, 4:01 PM

I think it's great to know your default ranges, BUT I think you should know why you're playing those ranges.

At the games you're playing currently if you open AJo UTG do you think it will be profitable? Are you sacrificing profit for comfort? Do you ever vary your starting ranges based on your opponents? Do you ever say 3bet ATo because the guy who opened is playing 100/80 over the last 10 hands? Do you ever open KQo UTG because the BB is the table fish who will play ATC once he has his BB invested?

Basically what it comes down to is that you need to think more about the table you're on and the players likely to be in the hand with you before you decide to play a hand or not. Like I said having a base range is great, knowing when, how, and why to deviate from it is what will make you better.

#15 25th August 2010, 4:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WVHillbilly

I think it's great to know your default ranges, BUT I think you should know why you're playing those ranges.

At the games you're playing currently if you open AJo UTG do you think it will be profitable? Are you sacrificing profit for comfort? Do you ever vary your starting ranges based on your opponents? Do you ever say 3bet ATo because the guy who opened is playing 100/80 over the last 10 hands? Do you ever open KQo UTG because the BB is the table fish who will play ATC once he has his BB invested?

Basically what it comes down to is that you need to think more about the table you're on and the players likely to be in the hand with you before you decide to play a hand or not. Like I said having a base range is great, knowing when, how, and why to deviate from it is what will make you better.

I will have some of the info to do this once I get PT3 up and running. I tried installing 3 times last night but kept getting an error message about posgresrq or something. I clicked on the support link and tried to follow the directions for that but kept going in circles.

but yes I do try to adjust my range once I get a feel for the table.

#16 25th August 2010, 7:40 PM

How many tables are you playing at once? If you're only playing a couple then it will be easy for you to remember more about certain opponents, but without having PT3 or HEM installed, playing a bunch of tables is going to be difficult for you to keep track of to know who those fish are or how often they're doing something. I also like how you have your ranges down pat, but like WV said, you really can't stick to them 100% of the time depending on table conditions.

As far as your problem with PT3, do you have PostgreSQL installed or not? It sounds to me like that is your error right now. To install PT3 or HEM, you have to have a database(namely PostgreSQL) installed on your computer for the hands and all pertinent information to be stored in. If you are trying to install only PT3 and not PostgreSQL, then it will not work. (I can't remember if PT3 has postgresql in the installation or not...) Go to postgresql.org and install that first, then install PT3

#17 27th August 2010, 10:05 PM

After you have the PT3 working try playing some Rush instead of multi tables.

I never thought I'd be saying something like that but making the switch has been a big help for me.

You can focus on more details in each situation when following only one table.

#18 27th August 2010, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fx20736

Should I chip back up if I my stack goes down by more than 1/3?

Turn on the option to keep your stack topped off. You always want the max on the table.

#19 27th August 2010, 10:31 PM

No harm in trying, but I'd respect the raise from the BB and fold the hand preflop.

#20 27th August 2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fx20736

I will have some of the info to do this once I get PT3 up and running. I tried installing 3 times last night but kept getting an error message about posgresrq or something.

If I remember correctly what dark city used to be and you happen to have a laptop I'd trade setting it up for some MGD64's

#21 28th August 2010, 7:04 PM

I think telling a beginner to play Rush is terrible advice. For someone that already knows how to play the game well, they can transition into Rush without losing all of their fundamentals, but Rush will not teach you, in any way, shape or form, how to play good solid poker. It will teach you how to play bad poker. The only thing that Rush is good for is to put in volume, other than that, it doesn't teach you anything. Playing say 2-4 tables, you will learn so much more than you would at playing 1 or 2 tables Rush.

Also, zek, why do you post 3 or 4 times in a row??? Just edit your post if you have something else to say. Having 4 posts in a row isn't going to help your post count when mods notice it if that's why you're doing it...

#22 28th August 2010, 7:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fx20736

A couple of things;

I tried to download PT3 but I kept getting errors about not being able to configure the PostgreSQL db. I read the quick start guide but got very frustrated after 3 attempts. Any help would be appreciated.

I am posting 2 HH's here (I won both) to illustrate how I have no idea what the hell is going on at 5NL, any advice on how to deal with this?

HAND #1

Full Tilt Poker Game #23350625894: Table Sabrina - $0.02/$0.05 - No Limit Hold'em - 05:45:23 ET - 2010/08/25
Seat 1: miguelangel90 ($9.09)
Seat 2: Super2013 ($6.11)
Seat 3: AdamLaRoche ($5.48)
Seat 4: sa7nt ($4.93)
Seat 5: fx20736 ($4.93)
Seat 6: ucko1 ($8.62)
Seat 7: Almazon ($4.63)
Seat 8: donotsweat ($3.50), is sitting out
Seat 9: oceanmanvvv ($1.75)
AdamLaRoche posts the small blind of $0.02
sa7nt posts the big blind of $0.05
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to fx20736 [Kh Ks]
fx20736 raises to $0.17
Almazon folds
miguelangel90 calls $0.17
Super2013 folds
AdamLaRoche has 15 seconds left to act
AdamLaRoche folds
sa7nt folds
*** FLOP *** [Td Ah 3c]
fx20736 checks
miguelangel90 bets $0.15
fx20736 calls $0.15
*** TURN *** [Td Ah 3c] 2♠
fx20736 checks
miguelangel90 bets $0.30
fx20736 calls $0.30
*** RIVER *** [Td Ah 3c 2s] Q♦
fx20736 checks
miguelangel90 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
miguelangel90 shows [9d 4d] ???? WTF???Ace Queen high
fx20736 shows [Kh Ks] a pair of Kings
fx20736 wins the pot ($1.23) with a pair of Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $1.31 | Rake $0.08
Board: [Td Ah 3c 2s Qd]
Seat 1: miguelangel90 showed [9d 4d] and lost with Ace Queen high
Seat 2: Super2013 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: AdamLaRoche (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: sa7nt (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: fx20736 showed [Kh Ks] and won ($1.23) with a pair of Kings
Seat 6: ucko1 is sitting out
Seat 7: Almazon didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: donotsweat is sitting out
Seat 9: oceanmanvvv is sitting out

HAND # 2

Full Tilt Poker Game #23350831176: Table Sabrina - $0.02/$0.05 - No Limit Hold'em - 06:05:08 ET - 2010/08/25
Seat 1: stollyfan ($5)
Seat 2: Super2013 ($7.38)
Seat 3: AdamLaRoche ($5.39)
Seat 4: limewax2000 ($3.98)
Seat 5: fx20736 ($5.23)
Seat 6: ucko1 ($7.62), is sitting out
Seat 7: Almazon ($5)
Seat 8: donotsweat ($4.04)
Seat 9: perecatipole ($5)
Super2013 posts the small blind of $0.02
AdamLaRoche posts the big blind of $0.05
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to fx20736 [8s 8d]
limewax2000 folds
fx20736 raises to $0.17
Almazon folds
donotsweat calls $0.17
stollyfan folds
Super2013 has 15 seconds left to act
Super2013 calls $0.15
AdamLaRoche folds
*** FLOP *** [4c 3c Kc]
Super2013 has 15 seconds left to act
Super2013 checks
fx20736 has 15 seconds left to act
fx20736 bets $0.28
donotsweat folds
Super2013 has 15 seconds left to act
Super2013 calls $0.28
*** TURN *** [4c 3c Kc] [Ts]
Super2013 checks
fx20736 checks
*** RIVER *** [4c 3c Kc Ts] K♠
Super2013 checks
fx20736 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
fx20736 shows [8s 8d] two pair, Kings and Eights
Super2013 mucks
fx20736 wins the pot ($1.05) with two pair, Kings and Eights
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $1.12 | Rake $0.07
Board: [4c 3c Kc Ts Ks]
Seat 1: stollyfan (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Super2013 (small blind) mucked [6d 2c] - a pair of Kings
Seat 3: AdamLaRoche (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: limewax2000 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: fx20736 showed [8s 8d] and won ($1.05) with two pair, Kings and Eights
Seat 6: ucko1 is sitting out
Seat 7: Almazon didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: donotsweat folded on the Flop
Seat 9: perecatipole is sitting out

I went back and checked the replay. He had 6d2c. He was calling with a 1 card 2 high club flush draw.

I run into this over and over and over.

What I am asking is; I seem like I a folding a lot of hands needlessly (like AJo when UTG or pocket 5's in MP) but I also don't want to overdo do it and find myself with my stack in the middle when someone really does have cards.

I think both these hands are played okay, though it depends on the stats/reads on your opponents. What you've done in both cases, whether you were aware of it or not, is to play wa/wb, more so in the first case, and in the second more just going to showdown with a hand that has showdown value. By check/calling you can "open up your opponent's range", as Splitsuit would say, both for getting them to bet into you or to call your bets on later streets where they otherwise might have just folded on the flop. In the second you've lost value if you're playing a bad loose chasing player, which he was, but saved value against a tight/passive player with KQ who might also be afraid of the flush.

The danger in playing this passive though is when you have players that bet their draws and then when they hit, you might not expect it and pay them off. You've got to be able to read the board and your opponent's range to be able to do this and win overall.

Quote:

Originally Posted by absoluthamm

I think telling a beginner to play Rush is terrible advice. For someone that already knows how to play the game well, they can transition into Rush without losing all of their fundamentals, but Rush will not teach you, in any way, shape or form, how to play good solid poker. It will teach you how to play bad poker. The only thing that Rush is good for is to put in volume, other than that, it doesn't teach you anything. Playing say 2-4 tables, you will learn so much more than you would at playing 1 or 2 tables Rush.

I don't totally agree with this, though suggesting Rush is bad advice. Rush has some potential value for cementing starting hands/position play preflop, if, and only if, you can focus on maintaining consistency and then review to make sure that you did keep to your plan.

The danger with Rush is that it's waaay to easy to get carried away and tilt off monies if you don't maintain a consistent game, which is why I'd agree with the part about recommending it as generally bad advice.

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