We are all familiar with the now trite saying about the "definition of insanity" (doing the same thing and expecting different results). I think that this applies to my poker game. We all have some "leaks" in our game, actions that do not optimize results, or simply mistakes we frequently make. I am on a quest to identify my leaks and plug them up. So, here are a few of my usual suspects. The truth hurts.
1. Calling big bets (and sometimes even re-raising) when I have only a medium strength hand, and the board is super scary. Example: board is paired or possible flush/straight and I have something like top pair/top kicker or two pair.
2. Folding too often to continuation bets.
3. Not raising/betting often enough when in position when no strength has been demonstrated.
4. Not bluffing enough.
5. Overvaluing top pair when there is significant action.
6. Failing to take enough time when calling or going all-in.
7. Putting too much money in the pot with draws.
8. Not defending my blinds often enough (including small blind vs. big blind).
9. Either not slow playing enough or blowing people off the hand with the nuts.
Sadly, there are probably more, but this is what I need to deal with right now. For those of you who may play against me, I have just given you ammunition to take me down. However, since I am aware of these problems, and can think on several levels, be careful trying to exploit the information. I may be defending my big blind with aces, or seeming to be bluffing while holding the nuts, etc.
6 comments:
Here's one that applies to me - making a hard fast rule not to fall below a certain level of chips and going all-in with mediocre hands to avoid doing that.
This is a good blog and gives me much to think about as per usual. I would like your opinion on the following hand that came up when I was in Pendleton.
Blinds were 200-400. I had about 22,000 chips at this point. I was on the button with pocket 10s. A player who had just won $160,000 in a WSOP tournament raised to $1200 under the gun. The player next to him (don't really know anything about him - we will call him Sunglasses) called. It was folded around to me. I called. So there were only 3 of us in the hand.
The flop was A-Q-10 so I flopped bottom set. The original raiser checked. What the heck? Sunglasses checked. I bet $2,000 because there were 2 hearts and it wasn't the best flop in the world. The original raiser thought about it for about 20 seconds and folded. Sunglasses went into the tank for about one minute and raised me all-in. He and I were very close in chips, although as I recall I had him by a couple thousand.
What would you do? I will tell you what I did after I get your take on it.
Dewey,that is a tough one but here are my thoughts. It is unlikely that he had you beat. For him to call a tough utg player his range is pretty narrow, pairs but not AA or Kk as he would likely 3 bet to isolate. JJ or QQ is probable as he would be scared of over-cards. The fact that he tanked could be the thought that you played KJ you Wiley loose player you but ultimately put you on AQ which would be your calling range (or a bold bluff indeed when it was checked to you). Given the pot size compared to your stack you were not pot committed so I am thinking you make a tough fold here. If you called I would expect him to have QQ for set over set or at worst AQ.
Rich, that is a tough one. I have sworn to "take a stand" before getting short but sometimes it is unavoidable due to prior action. One thing for sure I like to pick my shove hands somewhat carefully. I no longer shove with weak unsuited aces. I prefer larger suited connectors with minimum 6/7. Any pair obviously but sometimes we can't be that picky so any gapped connector with a Jack or higher would be my choice.
You are pretty smart sir. I did make a tough fold and I've obviously been stewing about it ever since. I decided he didn't flop a straight unless he actually did and was afraid that I had something like a heart draw. I didn't put him on a big pair like AA or KK because he didn't re-raise the UTG guy. In the end I decided to fold because there were too many things that beat me like KJ or QQ, but the main reasons were (1) I didn't have that much in the pot and (2) if he was on a draw he would probably hit it because I'm unlucky that way. I wish I knew what he had. Blah.
Dewey - One other key factor for me would have been how late in the tournament were you and how did your chip stack rank? You had 55 BBs so I would assume you were near the lead and probably had him covered. I don't think he would shove if he was on a draw, so why risk it?
Post a Comment