We are all familiar with that classic quote about the definition of insanity, "Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results", but I am finally realizing how much this applies to my poker game. I have a short list started of stuff we (I) keep doing that does not work.
1. Raising in early position and expecting garbage hands with position to fold.
2. Calling raises out of position with less than top 5 hands.
3. Limping in early position with small pairs.
4. Raising, check raising, or calling a "calling station"
5. Bluffing into more than 2 players.
6. Playing garbage because we were "priced in".
7. Raising pre-flop with AK, getting multiple callers, missing flop, and betting with the expectation that everyone will fold.
8. Calling a re-raise of your late position raise with less than QQ.
9. Drawing to gutshots.
10. Playing gapped suited connectors because of the Monte Carlo board.
5 comments:
Well I guess I'm insane. LOL. I'm sure you knew that all along.
You might keep doing these things and they don't work for you, but I have found some to be quite effective.
2. Calling raises out of position with less than top 5 hands: this is all relative to the number of callers and the size of the raise. I often find that this works out really well for me with semi-good hands when I hit the flop huge (like flopping a straight) and other players don't think I would call with those raggedy cards. Ha!
3. Limping in early position with small pairs. For me, this is the absolute best play with small pairs. I flop big or I get away from it.
8. Calling a re-raise of my late position raise with less than QQ. I will almost always call a re-raise in position if I have raised to begin with. It's all about the flop. I have position after all.
9. Drawing to gut shots: I only do this because I know myself so well. The odds are terrible. However, I hit gut shots. I don't hit open-enders. I win a LOT of pots this way. Enough said.
10. Playing gapped suited connectors because of the Monte Carlo board: I sort of agree with this one. I don't really play for the board, but I love those suited connectors, gapped or not. As I said, just call me crazy!
o.k., comments to the commenter. I limp all the time with small pairs in early position, but just realize that I am going to fold to a large raise from late position. I agree that limping and hitting your set (1 out of 7.5 times) usually results in winning a huge pot, but know that when you are raised big (due to the extra chips...your raiser must raise more than standard 2.5 times big blind), that you are nearly always drawing to 2 stinking outs. A better play, if you want to get into a pot with small pairs is to raise from early position as that just screams strength and can cut off bigger bets or get you the pot if called with a continuation bet.
Drawing to gutshots. Tsk tsk, shame on you Miss 4 outer.
I do agree with #2, it is all relative, but think about it...if you are calling a late position raise, then you have limped in from early position. What the heck were you doing that for? If you have gotten involved in a "limpede", usually early in a tournament, you will be playing for a huge pot if other limpers have called. You have neither position or probably the best hand. Because of the size of the pot, the bets will be gianormous (think 1/2 pot size). Wow. And to think it all started from your innocent limp.
Aha! Very good points. Please note that when I wrote my comments I was basing them entirely on LIMIT cash games and not tournaments. I play quite differently in tournaments - probably a lot more like you I hope. When shall you ever return? There's hardly any intelligent life in the poker room - LOL.
O.K. I failed to make the distinction between cash games and tournaments. Yes there are some differences, and the failure to "change gears" from tournament play to cash game can be disastrous. I think too often that the bad beats we suffer in tournaments are the result of "cash game thinking" from other players. Also, the same is true of bad sessions in the cash game because you have not gotten out of tournament mode.
Will be in the Tri-Cities on Sunday for a week, then on to Vegas.
:) I'm playing Sunday tournament. Hope to see you then!
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