I think I am a fish

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Therealcarl54

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I have been playing .02/.04 Texas holdem for about three months and I am really struggling. The first month I was able to turn my $20 deposit into $96 which I now credit to dumb luck. Currently I am down to $10. I love the game and constantly think about it as well as read articles and watch strategy videos when I am not playing. Do you think I just haven't played enough hands or is it possible that I just don't have what it takes to be successful in the game I love so much?
 
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mayoroftittycity

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I'm sure you are but that's ok, most of us are! It takes time to learn. Just realizing every day you can learn is best. Also, always knowing your a fish can help you avoid being the guy at the table who's ego is out of control. those guys are -EV for all players
 
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darpblog

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I wouldn't call a 20 buy in upswing dumb luck. Certainly there were some things you were doing right, I guess you were'nt limping 40% of your hands like fish do. Three months is shor time for playing this game, ands is expected that there are holes in your strategy. You don't say how much volume you are putting, long downswings can be disastrous for newish players who can go on tilt easily. You start losing because of bad luck, but frustration turns that into bad luck+bad play, which leads to dthe death of your bankroll.

Focus on learning instead of winning, it's my advice.
 
Jooseme

Jooseme

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Have you ever thought about pursuing one on one coaching? It helps tremendously
 
LCool888

LCool888

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I have the same experience, in the lower levels, there is always lucky donkeys and not all the time the well played poker wins but don't worry, keep studying and trying to improve!
 
n3rv

n3rv

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Hm

Poker is hard

In terms of winning long term even if you are ok
 
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kingarthurrov

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Don’t worry it if you still have fun with poker.

Try sit n go , Good for practice poker.
 
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MinorMisfit

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Don't be so hard on your self. Its a tough game. We are all still learning. Just remember to practice good habits and keep improving your game. Here are a couple of tips.

Play short sessions. This makes it easy to reflect on the hands you played. Learn from mistakes you have made.

Watch a video or a read a paragraph or two before you start your session. That helps you get in the right frame of mind.

Make sure you play at optimal times. When you are rested, well fed, no distractions.

Keep trying to improve! Good luck out there!
 
aqqr

aqqr

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Hey. Indeed, perhaps it was luck. Perhaps you are playing normally and lost because of failure. Probably not enough bankroll. Write to everyone at the forum, what you played, what limit and how long you played. Even if you do not know how to play, then never get upset and continue to train. I hope this forum will support you. Some professionals climbed from $100 to a million and then lost everything, it happens. The main thing will be reconciled with losses. When you win, someone loses, right.
 
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triplstacker

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I wouldn't discount your 20BI win due to luck. I'm sure you played well as well.
 
BlackMamba

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I have been playing .02/.04 Texas holdem for about three months and I am really struggling. The first month I was able to turn my $20 deposit into $96 which I now credit to dumb luck. Currently I am down to $10. I love the game and constantly think about it as well as read articles and watch strategy videos when I am not playing. Do you think I just haven't played enough hands or is it possible that I just don't have what it takes to be successful in the game I love so much?
Don't blame yourself for anything. Believe me, our swamp welcomes you with open paws. Don't sit still, run forward! Or else they'll eat us.
 
IamVALHALLA

IamVALHALLA

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I wouldn't put turning $20 into $96 down to "dumb luck", clearly you were playing well. It would be different if you joined a high stakes game and landed AA a few hands in a row that you shoved with and won, but getting that balance on 4NL is not pure luck.

Perhaps you got a little too confident and started playing more loosely than you were to begin with? At lower stakes you'll be playing against lots of beginners who play practically every hand; you need to tighten up your pre-flop game so that when you hit on the flop you can extract maximum value against these calling stations [people who find it impossible to fold even if they have bottom pair].

The part I underlined is most important. I was advised on here a while ago that on lower limits I should only really get involved if I am sure I have the best hand (or very close to it), since it is:

a. virtually impossible to bluff beginners who never even consider what hand I might be trying to represent.

b. easy to win a lot of money when I do have the best hand.

Keep going, keep studying the game.
 
elizeuof

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the same thing had happens with me, I started with one ticket of 1,10 USD and earn about 30 USD, after this I start to win and loose some times, but only low prizes, one day i tried to play in cash table, and my I was get more variance, win more and lose more, but I was still with money, I had made one withdraw of 100USD and left 50USD in the game, with more variance with big earns and big loses, I was tilted and make so many wrong moves, and lost everything.


Now I, focused in buil a solid bankrollm and started to participate more in this forum, and study more hard, to make best choices in my game.


If you have some doub about the way you was play, I advise you to post some played hands and the members of this forum can comment on the mistakes and say how they would play the same hand, It's good to fix failure in the game, and get another point of view.
 
Robmrjet

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I'm sure you are but that's ok, most of us are! It takes time to learn. Just realizing every day you can learn is best. Also, always knowing your a fish can help you avoid being the guy at the table who's ego is out of control. those guys are -EV for all players

:congrats:

Full agreement!

(i am a fish...unless i am the fish bait...or the fisherman)
 
Robmrjet

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Great advice for players with Doubt about their skills.

<div></div><div>
Don’t worry it if you still have fun with poker.

Try sit n go , Good for practice poker.

Agreed!
It HAS TO BE fun!
If you're just in it for the money, reconsider the entire thing, because if you're not having fun at it, you need to ask why you are even playing.


Don't be so hard on your self. Its a tough game. We are all still learning. Just remember to practice good habits and keep improving your game. Here are a couple of tips.

Play short sessions. This makes it easy to reflect on the hands you played. Learn from mistakes you have made.

Watch a video or a read a paragraph or two before you start your session. That helps you get in the right frame of mind.

Make sure you play at optimal times. When you are rested, well fed, no distractions.

Keep trying to improve! Good luck out there!

~~~~
I agree.
I just recently got back online playing poker and those were the things I focused on...
except for the reading and video part.
I don't watch a video or read.....but sometimes I will go to a play money table just to play for a short while just to get my brain focused on playing.

I've only been back online for just over a month, I'm still rebuilding my deep tournament mentality. Playing for 6 hours or more takes conditioning.

About 3 weeks ago I started focusing on...

.01/.02 penny ring games, where I can stand up and leave when I want to...to clear my head, or just take a break. UNLESS the cards are on fire for me.


$3 and under 9 player SNG's that payout 3 players, that are usually under an hour to play.
(not always) I believe if you can train your mind to last an hour and finish in the money, the longer tournaments will become tolerable. It's a brain conditioning thing for me.
A muscle memory thing.

and lastly...
Low and Micro cash , 18 player SNG's that usually guarantee a 9 player payout.
again, I'm using it for a mind conditioning thing.

I beleive for new players...you have to establish your game at a micro/low level first.
Prove to yourself that you have the ability to maintain the mind set to sit long periods of card hands...FOLDING HANDS.

MY TOP SUGGESTION for the OP is.....
keep asking questions, and then apply what the established winners are telling you.

I ..am not an established winner.
I'm just an application in process, that plays poker.


good luck on the tables...
Robert.</div>
 
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Ero2407

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try playing live poker, this will give you a truthful answer as you play, in an online poker room it's hard to understand
 
Robmrjet

Robmrjet

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Pensacola Greyhound Track Poker Room.

try playing live poker, this will give you a truthful answer as you play, in an online poker room it's hard to understand

Most of the players that play in the poker room here in Pensacola...
think they're playing online I believe.

Be careful at the cheap seats in live poker rooms when you first start out.
They can be just like micro poker online.

just...say'ing.
 
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Malette82

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Play less hands no off suit cards stick with suited connector or starting pairs 5 or higher . I'd watch learning how to bet videos their very helpful hope this helps you best of luck
 
zwbb

zwbb

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As they say, it's easy to learn how to play poker, but it's difficult to achieve mastery in it. Becoming a poker master is an interesting and serious task.

Decide why you are playing poker - to win or just for fun. Remember, to constantly win requires time and effort. In other words, you need to work for this. There's nothing wrong with playing poker for fun, but there's no reason for a conscious loss, even if you're playing for fun. By the way, having decided what you are playing poker for before you sit at the table, you will facilitate the process of playing and making decisions.
 
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dear7

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I am not thinking you are a fish.Fish can't make 96$ from 20$.You should keep playing and everything will be ok.
 
pescaofish

pescaofish

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say Carl you migth be one, or Not! It depends on the way you play, but If you are, let me know so that I can play with you and both learn our side of the game! :fight:
 
Edison A

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the karma of a FISH player is his BANKRROLL in $ 0
 
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Therealcarl54

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Thank you all so much for the support. I love this forum! It can be hard to find genuine people on the internet. I live in the US so the only site I can play on is global poker. One problem is that I have no way to track my hands on the site so I can't go back to reflect on those hands in full detail. But anyways thanks again!
 
poliaris747

poliaris747

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Hi! Well, if you recently started playing poker, this is a decent game! Everyone who plays poker has gone through this stage of poker life! It is impossible to instantly become a great poker player! You do everything right and it will take a couple of years of your life, and you will remember this moment and you will be funny about your experiences! Absolutely everyone takes the first step in poker just like you!
 
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