Poker Forum

I am playing by the strict BR management that we have posted on here a couple times. I have built up (this will be the third time) enough money to get to the .25/.50 level...however, I seem to lose it back and have to drop back down and then build back up.

Despite my ability to win at the .10/.25 level there is obviously some issue I am having when I move up. The first time around it was a little bit of the "afraid to bet". However, I think I have gotten past this the last two times. However, I still can't manage to win. I have noticed the big hands I lose are one of two types. KK v AA (happened three time yesterday) which is something I don't really think I can do something about.

The other type is when I will raise preflop (3x bb) in position with a premium hand and get called by the small or big blind. The flop will come either crap of two crap and hit one of my cards. I tend to lose a lot with this from two scenarios. 1. my O flops two pair or 2. I will have KQ flop will come Qxx and my O will have AQ. I think I tend to underbet preflop and the flop but not sure.

I know you can't really see my play but was wondering if anyone else had problems when moving up to this level. I have really tightened my play and tried to play premium hands. I don't really limp anymore. I think I need to learn a little better how to bet the flop harder. Not sure what else...any thoughts or ideas?

I think you're suffering from a little variance. I never noticed that much difference in play at the NL50 level from the NL25. Some but not huge differences anyway. Sounds like you're playing a good TAG game. Just remember that not everyone is. When you raise with that AK and it flops rags, it may have hit your opponent right between the eyes. All you have is Ace high. You will have to learn laying down some hands that you may have played out at the NL25 and lower levels.

BTW, good to have you back. Thought you must have died.

Thank you Dave. I have made a couple adjustments that I think have helped some. For example I now raise a greater amount preflop from early position than from late position. I have also dropped from 3 tables down to 2 which has helped me notice many more of the small details such as those people that like to play crap cards. I three bet a little more often which has also seemed to help. In NL25 I was able to trap a lot more. Now I am trying to be the agressor. For the most part I have stopped chasing and when I decide I want to chase I do so with a raise.

I think those things have helped a lot but in the end your mention of variance is pretty spot on. In looking back through the hand histories I lost 3 pfai with KK...all three times was versus AA. I had three pfai with AK, 2 versus QQ and one versus 99...lost all three of those. This was all in one night. So...when I start running right again that should go away.

I have had a busy summer and enjoying the great weather. I should have time to get back to this site. Been playing a lot on UB and focusing on my cash game. How have things been going for you?

good to see you back.

dont get it in preflop with AK with 100bbs.

run better.

glad to be back...miss you guys. I should be posting some good questions now that I am concentrating on my game much more. And you know me better than that...since when have I ever bought in for 100bb? LOL, yes, when I win I get to more than that. And no, I wouldn't push that much. I think they were more like 40-60bb all ins where a shorter stack pushed and I made the call.

As far as running, my knees are bad but I have been biking a lot more! Thanks for looking out for my health!

i hate bike seats.

hi guys new to the site just wondering wats ur opion on best sites to play

Any word on refunds from FTP? I can't even log in for 3 days. Anyone hear something?

I felt very heavy today!

Hi Im new here and its very interesting to seeing wrote you...

greendog7777
Pokerstars is the best site. I guess

I hope you are not US citizen.

Stronger opponents play at higher limits. I too noticed that my roi for cash game sessions is higher at lower limits. The problem is not with you. The competition is just tougher. It is important to play poker with confidence.

please help me someone, I play the micro stakes on pokerstars and always get off to a great start playing a tag game and quite often double or even triple my buy in before running into someone who is playing cards they really shouldnt i.e. rags or very small pair out of position after a sizeable raise from me, they then hit a set or 2 pair to beat my high pair, quite often clearing me out in the process. As an example I have included this hand history from earlier and would really appreciate any advice on it as these sorts of situations seem to keep happening to me every night. PokerStars Zoom Hand #86833166877: Hold'em No Limit ($0.05/$0.10) - 2012/09/28 4:07:03 WET [2012/09/27 23:07:03 ET]
Table 'Hartley' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: biglee1886 ($4.45 in chips)
Seat 2: lidfsf ($31.65 in chips)
Seat 3: faeborn ($11.11 in chips)
Seat 4: muck234 ($11.09 in chips)
Seat 5: majingaaZ ($19.62 in chips)
Seat 6: Klasnij340 ($22.55 in chips)
Seat 7: davidmac333 ($9.15 in chips)
Seat 8: DrUkrop ($5 in chips)
Seat 9: upscion ($4.95 in chips)
lidfsf: posts small blind $0.05
faeborn: posts big blind $0.10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to davidmac333
muck234: folds
majingaaZ: folds
Klasnij340: calls $0.10
davidmac333: raises $0.40 to $0.50
DrUkrop: folds
upscion: folds
biglee1886: folds
lidfsf: folds
faeborn: folds
Klasnij340: calls $0.40
*** FLOP ***
Klasnij340: checks
davidmac333: bets $0.50
Klasnij340: calls $0.50
*** TURN ***
Klasnij340: checks
davidmac333: bets $2
Klasnij340: raises $2 to $4
davidmac333: raises $4.15 to $8.15 and is all-in
Klasnij340: calls $4.15
*** RIVER ***
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Klasnij340: shows (a full house, Deuces full of Fours)
davidmac333: shows (two pair, Queens and Fours)
Klasnij340 collected $17.62 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $18.45 | Rake $0.83
Board
Seat 1: biglee1886 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: lidfsf (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: faeborn (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: muck234 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: majingaaZ folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Klasnij340 showed and won ($17.62) with a full house, Deuces full of Fours
Seat 7: davidmac333 showed and lost with two pair, Queens and Fours
Seat 8: DrUkrop folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: upscion folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I have the exact same problem trying to move up on cash games... What I find tends to work better is definitely increase your bets you normally place on the bigger blind tables. A bet on a .10-.25 table may have no meaning on a .25=.50 table. And if someone calls then I am definitely tedious to bet again. But of course the continuation bet must follow. And usually they back out for me. But definitely need to up your bets to price out the players. Sorry if I am no help but this works for me. Hopefully you do better in the future m8 :-)