How to find out if u have developed your game

[Ronaldadio]

Hello all!!!

Over the past few weeks I have been moaning about bad beats, odds, etc. I have found an excellent way of finding a way around this and seeing how far your game has improved.

A few of the guys were saying to me "play lots of freerolls and go mad!!!"
Now I have nothing against that, so I don`t want to sound like I do have.

But what I have done is gone down in the limits ($2 MTT or $20 turbos) - I normally play $20 - $100 buyin tournys, SNG`s. I have also started to play a more controlled game - back to basics I suppose.

What I have found is that if u play % at that level u will win, simple (not all the time, but most)

What I find it does do is show u how much your game has improved. Here are a few examples of why...

1. They all overbet!!! I was in a tourny and one guy went all in early with his 3000 chips in middle position when the blinds were 20/40 - If he had been called he would have been behind - probably
2. They don`t bother with the odds - If after the flop there is a flush draw get them to bet 3/4 pot - they will on a draw. Then on next street if they don`t catch do it again. U get muffed occassionally but when u do u know they have hit because u check, they push all in, u fold. To make it even more funny, they then SHOW the nut flush 2 u!!! They will also call when they are 2 cards short of a flush after the river!!!
3. They can`t lay AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT down regardless of the flop.
4. They will call in any position with Ax and then raise when an A hits the flop. They will not then lay it down. So if u have trips, AJ+ etc, u will probably have them beat!!!

and the list could go on!!!

I think some of the above applies to $20 buy in turbos - ppl seem to panic a lot and patience wins most of the time.

I`m not trying to sound clever, cause I am a million miles away from being a good player, but it is good to see inexperienced players making the mistake I have made in the past and it is a confidence booster to know your game has moved on.

Any comments would be good guys

 

[lansador]

Hello all!!!

Over the past few weeks I have been moaning about bad beats, odds, etc. I have found an excellent way of finding a way around this and seeing how far your game has improved.

A few of the guys were saying to me "play lots of freerolls and go mad!!!"
Now I have nothing against that, so I don`t want to sound like I do have.

But what I have done is gone down in the limits ($2 MTT or $20 turbos) - I normally play $20 - $100 buyin tournys, SNG`s. I have also started to play a more controlled game - back to basics I suppose.

What I have found is that if u play % at that level u will win, simple (not all the time, but most)

What I find it does do is show u how much your game has improved. Here are a few examples of why...

1. They all overbet!!! I was in a tourny and one guy went all in early with his 3000 chips in middle position when the blinds were 20/40 - If he had been called he would have been behind - probably
2. They don`t bother with the odds - If after the flop there is a flush draw get them to bet 3/4 pot - they will on a draw. Then on next street if they don`t catch do it again. U get muffed occassionally but when u do u know they have hit because u check, they push all in, u fold. To make it even more funny, they then SHOW the nut flush 2 u!!! They will also call when they are 2 cards short of a flush after the river!!!
3. They can`t lay AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT down regardless of the flop.
4. They will call in any position with Ax and then raise when an A hits the flop. They will not then lay it down. So if u have trips, AJ+ etc, u will probably have them beat!!!

and the list could go on!!!

I think some of the above applies to $20 buy in turbos - ppl seem to panic a lot and patience wins most of the time.

I`m not trying to sound clever, cause I am a million miles away from being a good player, but it is good to see inexperienced players making the mistake I have made in the past and it is a confidence booster to know your game has moved on.

Any comments would be good guys

Nice post Ronaldadio. While I've never posted this, I too have experienced the same thing. While I mainly play the micro limit tourneys on Stars I have noticed the same things you've described not just in the occasional freeroll I play but even in the $1 and $2 tourneys. I know I should move up but I don't not because of a financial constraint but because I'm trying to use good BR management and just trying to build my skill level.

BTW, the fact that you're able to see these things indicated that you're not a million miles from being a good player as you say.

 

[NineLions]

Good for you, and nice post about your findings. (Didn't I suggest going down in levels for a while? or maybe that was to someone else). Your level is way above mine, but when I start to get frustrated I go down a level until I start to rebuild some confidence.

 

[Ronaldadio]

Yep, thats right

Good for you, and nice post about your findings. (Didn't I suggest going down in levels for a while? or maybe that was to someone else). but when I start to get frustrated I go down a level until I start to rebuild some confidence.

That is it exactly!!!

 

[Egon Towst]

Tell us some more details about your strategy for the Turbo SNGs, Ron. I`m very interested in that.

On the very rare occasion when I`ve played one (by accident, thinking I`d joined a standard SNG), I`ve always been ITM. Obviously, if I were to play them instead of standards, my hourly rate would improve, assuming I finished equally well. I haven`t made the switch, though, because I`ve assumed that there would be more variance and success would be less assured.

And yes, you have definitely come on, m8. It`s not long since you were asking my advice. Now it`s the other way round.

 

[Ronaldadio]

LOL - I aint come on that much Egon!!!

Tell us some more details about your strategy for the Turbo SNGs, Ron. I`m very interested in that.

And yes, you have definitely come on, m8. It`s not long since you were asking my advice. Now it`s the other way round.

Thanks for the compliment m8!!!

I was saying Turbos AND SNG`s, but it is very, very basic.

Turbos - I play them very basic, so in late position, when the blinds are low, I will call with suited connectors, sml pairs, AT (but no lower than AT, unless Ax is suited) Slightest resistance I fold. I normally limp with AA, KK, and sometimes QQ. If I get a raise I go all in. Someone raises before me and I`m holding one of the three I will go all in regardless of their bet - I find a lot of them will call an all in even with Ax, smaller pair, etc.
When the blinds raise, even in turbos, they are easier to steal because I think ppl are waiting for near premium hands and they just push all in - possibly more than they would in normal games. An all in before me that will take away more then 1/2 my stack I will fold, unless I have AA, KK, QQ and possibly AK (depending on their chip stack)
Thats about it!!! I feel playing turbos you need to play tighter than you would, because of the likely hood of an all in if they think u r weak. I play the cards more than the ppl in turbos (online I mean)

Hope that helps a little Egon!!!

 

[Egon Towst]

Yes, thnx. I`d say that sounds like very much the same way one might play the later stages in a standard tourney, but you play that way from the start.

Would that be a reasonable summary ?

 

[Ronaldadio]

possibly, but possibly not

Yes, thnx. I`d say that sounds like very much the same way one might play the later stages in a standard tourney, but you play that way from the start.

Would that be a reasonable summary ?

It depend on how u play near the end of a tourny. I like to try to win the tournys rather than just place. So I play more aggressivley the nearer it gets to the final table. So I either place high or go bust before the money!!! If, however, I am almost bust near the bubble I will tighten up and try to scrape the money if I know I won`t win. As soon as I scrape the money I gamble. I`m then bust or looking at the next cash level.