My leaks that need fixing

S

SwiftHax

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 14, 2013
Total posts
367
Chips
0
Ok, so I thought that I was going fine and my bankroll was going back up slowly, but steadily. Now it seems that my bankroll has hit a wall again and has been going downhill. I mean really bad. I lost 40% of it over the last few days.

During some sessions I just had a cold deck. Heck, I went KK vs QQ and my oponnent floped quads. Then again, my game had its leaks and they come out on your bad runs. Ok, so I made a list of my biggest leaks and was hoping you'd give me advice.

1. Not knowing when to fold: there's a third club on the board, my oponnent raised me, time to fold?
2. Not thinking what my opponent has: Ok, I have overcards and I sometimes ignore the paired table, my oponnent's raises and ect.
3. Not accepting the fact that I'm beat and call in ridiculous situations even though a part of me says fold: Again, I bet, get raised and I consider my oponnent has a set, yet I still call
4. Balancing my range of 3-bets, my value bet sizings and hands to enter the pot with: I know it depends on my oponnent, but in general - what hands should I 3-bet with? I have problems making value bets, often times my oponnents just fold, I would love to maximize my pay-off from the good hands. Also, I think my VP is a bit over the top and I make unreasonable calls with marginal hands pre-flop, just to fold them on the flop. What pocket pairs should I call, raise and fold pre-flop?


These are probably my biggest leaks. Thanks for your answers guys.
 
bkniefel

bkniefel

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Total posts
525
Awards
1
Chips
0
1. It really depends on the action before the third club and what street its on.
2. I always say play your hand as it is unless you have the image to act like you have something better. Playing over cards and getting stuck in that mentality can lead to tilt.
3. This is just tilt play, but saying that you bet he shoves.. depends on your previous play, board, your hand, etc.
4. I 3 bet a lot of hands when playing aggressive obviously but a range of 98 suited to pocket 10's and above. I never usually pop it without any pocket pair below.
 
akaRobbo

akaRobbo

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Total posts
656
Chips
0
What bkneifel said.

Ill 3-bet with AQ off and above. I play my pocket pairs aggressively, calling or opening 3/4xBB with any pocket pair pre.
 
S

SwiftHax

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 14, 2013
Total posts
367
Chips
0
What bkneifel said.

Ill 3-bet with AQ off and above. I play my pocket pairs aggressively, calling or opening 3/4xBB with any pocket pair pre.

Ok, you get called, and what then? I'm holding underpairs post. Puts me in a tough situation especialy against aggro players who play back at me.
 
akaRobbo

akaRobbo

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Total posts
656
Chips
0
Fold equity is needed as its unlikely we'll make a set. I forgot to add, I play low pocket pairs only in late position. If an aggro player bets into me on the flop, I'll raise pretty much any board, chances are he missed the flop and if you've got a tight enough image, a lot of players will fold as they are getting raised and are out of position. They may call but will probably check to us on the turn, and we can check behind. if they are still checking the river were in a good position to steal with a river bluff. If he's still betting into us on the turn its probably good to fold.
 
Arjonius

Arjonius

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Total posts
3,167
Chips
0
4. Balancing my range of 3-bets, my value bet sizings and hands to enter the pot with: I know it depends on my oponnent, but in general -
Before you look into how to balance your range, have you answered the questions of whether you should in the first place, and if so, how much?
 
S

SwiftHax

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 14, 2013
Total posts
367
Chips
0
Before you look into how to balance your range, have you answered the questions of whether you should in the first place, and if so, how much?

That too. I make my value 3-bets pre a bit smaller in hopes of getting a call and see the flop heads up. If I got weaker hands like JJ or AQ I sometimes might play it very aggressively and 3-bet 3x their raise. I might play prems like AK, KK and AA very aggressive too if I'm against aggro players or calling stations too get as much value from them as I can.
 
U

Ubercroz

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Total posts
653
Chips
0
That too. I make my value 3-bets pre a bit smaller in hopes of getting a call and see the flop heads up.

Consider what you are doing then.

You are 3betting a larger amount with "bluff" hands (I guess) than you are with value hands.

The value of a bluff is in how often it works. If you make your 3bet bluffs bigger, then they need to work more often to be profitable (because you are losing a bigger bet when they fail).

Based off of the above stated strategy, you will be in SMALLER pots on the flop with your "value hands" and in BIGGER pots on the flop with your non-value hands. Is this what you want?

Ideally you would make your value 3bets bigger, to build a bigger pot, and your non-value 3bets smaller to have a smaller/more controllable pot.

Two things that a smaller non-value 3bet will do 1: it will give you a similar number of folds at a cheaper price - this is immediately better. 2: it will allow you to make a smaller cbet on the flop with similar results to 1 (meaning you will get more folds for a smaller dollar amount).

It looks like you have a leak you need to plug.
 
S

SwiftHax

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 14, 2013
Total posts
367
Chips
0
Consider what you are doing then.

You are 3betting a larger amount with "bluff" hands (I guess) than you are with value hands.

The value of a bluff is in how often it works. If you make your 3bet bluffs bigger, then they need to work more often to be profitable (because you are losing a bigger bet when they fail).

Based off of the above stated strategy, you will be in SMALLER pots on the flop with your "value hands" and in BIGGER pots on the flop with your non-value hands. Is this what you want?

Ideally you would make your value 3bets bigger, to build a bigger pot, and your non-value 3bets smaller to have a smaller/more controllable pot.

Two things that a smaller non-value 3bet will do 1: it will give you a similar number of folds at a cheaper price - this is immediately better. 2: it will allow you to make a smaller cbet on the flop with similar results to 1 (meaning you will get more folds for a smaller dollar amount).

It looks like you have a leak you need to plug.
Nicely said, I'll take this into account. Funny how obvious plays are the most efficient. I do tend to steal blinds often and I sometimes make a 3x or a 2x open if I know that my opponent might 3-bet with a wider range of hands. Is this reasonable play or is it a leak. I once had an Ace-rag 3-bet me from the blind.

Now another thing. I bet in late position with KQs, KQo, KJs and QJs, get raised. Now is this a fold or a call. Often times I end up playing against AQ or AJ which either has a slight higher equity or dominates me, so I started folding these facecards more often now. Is this advised?
 
U

Ubercroz

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Total posts
653
Chips
0
Nicely said, I'll take this into account. Funny how obvious plays are the most efficient. I do tend to steal blinds often and I sometimes make a 3x or a 2x open if I know that my opponent might 3-bet with a wider range of hands. Is this reasonable play or is it a leak. I once had an Ace-rag 3-bet me from the blind.

Now another thing. I bet in late position with KQs, KQo, KJs and QJs, get raised. Now is this a fold or a call. Often times I end up playing against AQ or AJ which either has a slight higher equity or dominates me, so I started folding these facecards more often now. Is this advised?

1: if you know your opponent is 3betting light out of the blinds then you should tighten up your steal range and 4bet him or call with position. Its not strictly a leak, its just some adjusting you need to do in that situation.

2: unless you know your opponent is 3betting light you should fold. Playing those hands oop is dangerous. Your making the right correction there, good job.
 
Arjonius

Arjonius

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Total posts
3,167
Chips
0
That too. I make my value 3-bets pre a bit smaller in hopes of getting a call and see the flop heads up. If I got weaker hands like JJ or AQ I sometimes might play it very aggressively and 3-bet 3x their raise. I might play prems like AK, KK and AA very aggressive too if I'm against aggro players or calling stations too get as much value from them as I can.
You're still looking at how to balance your range. The question you need to answer before that is how beneficial balancing it is - not theoretically, but rather in practice again your actual opponents. If it will have little or no effect on how they play, then why bother?
 
GGC2912

GGC2912

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 24, 2014
Total posts
71
Chips
0
Knowing your leaks is the first step to success.......good job mate
The journey only becomes easier :D
 
Top