Playing down to the competition

[Dingodaddy23]

Hey all, I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced feelings like this about their poker game. A few months ago I had a decent bankroll and played 30 dollar SNG's, with a ITM% of 47% and was able to beat the 3/6 limit game for 2 BB/100. Then I had to withdrawl my entire bankroll for personal reasons, and was relegated to playing freerolls, and more recently $1 SNG's on Noble Poker. I honestly feel playing in these DONKFESTS has dumbed down my poker skill by alot. I mean its impossible to get a read on these guys because they'll raise up _very_ marginal hands and call raises with even worse hands, and alot of times i'll play back at them with something like K10 or A9 and run into the one time they had a legit hand. It's very frustrating. They'll constantly chase even the longshots and hit them with more frequency than you would expect, it's like we might as well go all-in and flip the cards and the best hand wins every time. You can't bet anyone out of a draw, all you can hope for is the cards to fall in your favor. This is not poker to me. I'm really frustrated with this, has anyone ever went through anything like this, if so how did you deal with it? Thanks for any replies.

 

[Stick66]

I'm with ya. That's why I don't play freerolls. I fear bad habits. I still have a hard enough time chasing away bad habits when I play low limit cash games. Everyone likes to limp in and play any 2 Suited or Ace-Rag or Paint-Rag, hoping to hit the flop. Seems like you have join them to beat them or get blinded off. I have to catch myself when I start thinking J7 Suited is a premium hand.

When I have to withdraw funds, I always try to keep $5-$10 so I can still play a low buy-in SnG or tourney if I want.

 

[ChuckTs]

in freerolls, i've adopted a slider style of play.
If i have a solid hand, i'll push if their's been a raise in front of me, or if im in EP i'll limp-push with AQ and AK type hands just to eliminate the Q9-playing donkeys
maybe not the best strategy but it weeds out the donks who play the weaker hands...generally...

 

[Kenzie 96]

Common experience Dingo. Any SNG's below $10 & many at that level and above are chock full of inexperienced players & donks. Freerolls & low buyins it's just gamblin, having fun & hoping to get lucky. If you want to use your poker skills you have to play the higher buyin games. I am speaking here of SNG's only, what I know about ring games, whatever the buyin, you can put in a small hat.

 

[colin_147]

I think you really answered your own question. Stepping down to these limits can be very frustrating as you feel your poker skills are not really benefiting you or your bankroll

My only suggestion would be to try and play NL cash game and as high as possibly in the MTT's. Micro limit cash games is the lowest quality of poker you will play. In the NL games, even micro limit, the quality of players is slightly better and relies a bit more on skill