Evaluation of two weeks of poker

[fishinabowl]

Hi guys

I started playing online poker at micro stakes about two weeks ago. Reading a lot, evaluating sessions and hands etc...
I noticed that I keep losing money because of bad play. Only a couple of times I suffered from a bad beat, which I don't really mind.
I think I'm making it much harder than it is. If I approach a hand in a logical way, and keep focused, 9/10 I (could) leave the table with a profit of +/- 30-50% of my buy-in. Which I think are good numbers.

If I stick to these rules, I am a winning player:
- always respect your opponent, and their hand ranges, unless you know ore about them
- keep playing small ball poker (which is a bit unrealistic because these pots are so marginally low. 40c means almost nothing), while taking notes of your opponents early in your session.
- have patience, always. Fold if you know you're beat
- strike at the right time like the killer you are
- Try to take (most) pots as quickly as possible
- Vary your play, adjust to your opponents.

However, as soon as I start playing tricky, call too often, bluff at wrong spots; loose focus all together, I loose money.
For instance, sometimes I get called a river bet with K high (opponent's hand). My opponent figured I was trying to steal the pot with a value bet. In situations like these, I get extremely frustrated, and start to play like an idiot.
Or loose a big chunk of my buy-in when c-betting (2, 3 times) the wrong guy with AK after it missed the flop.
Things like these... Just bad judgement driven by emotions, usually. I never go completely tilt, but get frustrated, or even bored, rather quickly.

Bottom line, if I am disciplined and patient (the latter is key), it's almost impossible to not win.

I'm not sure why I am sharing my experience/evaluation. I assume I am looking for more tips I could use to implement, or more things to avoid from people who are, or were, playing micro stakes as well.

Heads up!

 

[UncleConRon]

My opinion

Thank you for the input The article was a nice help. Here is a problem though people start to know its you and want their win. What do you do. Just wax them all the time or let the win forty percent of the time.

 

[fishinabowl]

I want to destroy my opponents! I am very stubborn. Also, I lose a lot of money by calling even though I know I am beat. It's something I can't control.


I want to beat the game, the money is not important. I approach it like a game of chess, or video game or whatever, I want to destroy my opponent. Especially if they are solid players. I get very bored by playing weak players. It's just too easy

 

[fishinabowl]

also, I'm talking about cash games here.
About 10 years ago, I played free roll tournaments and sit 'n go's on Full Tilt, and went from zero to 250 dollars in about a month. But then lost everything in just a couple of hours by playing cash games. Never looked back, I just assumed Poker was about being lucky. But picked it up again two weeks ago, with a different approach.
I do prefer sit 'n go's, but I don't like coin flips. I figure, if I practise cash games, my tournament game gets better. The other way around is not true, I believe.

I don't use HUD's or any other statistic programs. I just open an Excel sheet with percentages. easy stuff like; with two overlords and a flush draw on the flop, I have a 24%'ish chance of improving on any of the two coming streets. Simple stuff. With this information, combined with their hand range and pot odds, I can easily decide whether to call, fold or raise. But sometimes I ignore all logic, and simply call all the way through (its when I get bored, or am too stubborn, or just assume they are c-betting with Ace high)

 

[bellicoso]

I think it's normal to see more results from cash games than tournaments. You've got to budget a small part of your bankroll for tournaments, with the exception of freerolls.

The problem you mentioned is calling when you know you're beaten... that you can't help it. That's not good, man. It's worse than gambling because you know you're going to lose! Ask yourself why you're doing this and get rid of the issue, fast!

If your obsession (if you will) is more akin to chess, then you have to remember the way to beat your opponent is to take their money/chips. Anything that doesn't align with that objective is a loss (literally). It's you that's being defeated if you're doing anything but taking pots.

That being said, you're not going to win every hand. You must learn to cut your losses (again folding) and move on to the next hand. Play the long game.

Have you evaluated your hand range and determined when and where you will (and won't) play your hands? If not, you should. It's just as important as knowing your chances of catching a draw or calculating your pot odds. Once you've made some decisions in that regard, stick to it. Don't deviate unless you're adjusting for some kind of problem you've found.

Anyway, stick with it, man. Keep playing and doing your research.

 

[fishinabowl]

I have been playing much more controlled the last few days. My game is better. But then, like yesterday, I was playing decently. Same table for hours. And had a good read on this one opponent. He was constantly involved in pots (very wide hand range) and showed bluffs at least 50% of the time. Super LAG as you would say. I knew I would get him eventually. Last hand I had A7s. I flopped a straight draw. Bet the flop, he calls. I bet the turn a bit more, he calls. River comes an 8, and I have my straight. I bet pot size, he goes all-in. Only hand that could beat me was 97. Which was within his range, but he was playing like a maniac so he could have had pretty much anything, so I called and was 100% I had him. He showed 97...
I didn't really mind, I played a solid game I think. So situations like these, I actually don't mind that much. Or my AA vs KK, all-in, and I lose. Don't really care.

 

[fishinabowl]

Have you evaluated your hand range and determined when and where you will (and won't) play your hands? If not, you should. It's just as important as knowing your chances of catching a draw or calculating your pot odds. Once you've made some decisions in that regard, stick to it. Don't deviate unless you're adjusting for some kind of problem you've found.

Anyway, stick with it, man. Keep playing and doing your research.

No I haven't. I usually reraise a strong hand out of position, and call in position.
I'm not sure why I should evaluate my hand ranges.
Mid range suited connectors for instance I prefer playing in position after just calling a raise pre flop. These cards have, mathematically a better chance of connecting with the community cards. A three or a king for example only connects with Ace, queen etc... Chances are that the raiser in EP has high cards like KQ, AJ etc...

Can you elaborate a bit more, as I'm not sure what you mean exactly

 

[UncleConRon]

My opinion

There is something else to winning. Why do you win? You have everything you should have or can't get the things you need though poker. You need lotto luck instead. Everyone has their game and it isn't always poker. The game Jennifer gave to me because of my lifestyle was poker. They really don't want to trust me with money so I made my name on pokerstars.

 

[fishinabowl]

There is something else to winning. Why do you win? You have everything you should have or can't get the things you need though poker. You need lotto luck instead. Everyone has their game and it isn't always poker. The game Jennifer gave to me because of my lifestyle was poker. They really don't want to trust me with money so I made my name on pokerstars.

Hi, I'm not sure what you are trying to say
You mean you need luck to beat the game, and only that?