Posts Tagged ‘10/20’

Bluffing Weak Players

For more than 20 years now, I’ve been playing poker for more than 20 hours a week, mainly online. I play well in $2/4 6max NL holdem but then just recently I decided to try my luck in other level and so I moved up to $3/6NL.

I’ve tried to read some poker books and visit some forums and for several times I’ve encountered the idea about AT-AQ, and KT-KQ being a crap. And is true that tight-aggressive poker can be a winning poker and bluffing weak players is the dumbest thing one could do?

Before, I used to fire three bullets with over cards, typically would call raises with AJ out of position. I would also play unusually and would bluff a lot. I usually win with such kind of approach, normally win between $600-1000 a day. I was then considered as one of the most aggressive and best short handed players on my site. However, after I started the reading and all, some things have changed.

As of the moment, I’m having a trouble with regards to winning at $.10/.20 full ring games. I believe the golden rules below have something to do with my problem.

• Don’t play loose, tight poker is winning poker 2. Don’t bluff weak players, they simply won’t fold
• Don’t be weak/tight, be aggressive!
• Don’t call raises out of position with weak hands

I tried the Super System before and I would typically raise preflop with ATo then get called by the big blind. Flop would appear and would bring something like 9c7h2c. BB then would check and I would bet the pot. BB then would call and then turn would bring in something as 4s. BB would check and then I would place BB on a flush draw and then would bet the pot one more time. BB would call and river would be something like Jh. BB then would check and I would push all in, BB would fold. I would then win lots of money.

Right now, I played differently and winning is already an impossible thing. Many things are troubling me and my aggressive style before doesn’t work anymore. It doesn’t scare people like it used to. Please, I need your help.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks and more power to you!

Regards,
King
King,

Tight poker is winning poker and at lower limits, it’s nearly impossible to bluff. Your style will work better at more reasonable limits.

What if I Acted Differently?

Hello,

I’ve been into poker just this year. I guess I’ve been playing for just about 7 months now. Well, as of the moment, I’m more into no limit, mainly online. At times, I also play at the casinos.

Just recently, I was in an online no limit sit and go tourney. A certain hand came up and I think I have misplayed it.

I remember the tourney started with 10 players and with 1500 starting chip amount. Blinds were 10/20 at the beginning but then moved up later. After more than 20 minutes of play, tourney-blinds were 25/50 with 9 players.

At some point, I was in the small blind and was dealt K K, club and diamond. My stack was around $1900. There were three players who limped in, including the button who was the chip leader with around $3,500. He was actually playing aggressive on the post flop, normal preflop.

Later, I raised to four times the blind, thus masking it $200 to go. Flop then came and brought 9 which was a diamond, 7 another diamond, and 5 a heart. Afterwards, I placed $400 bet with a desire to take home the pot with a flush or straight draw on the board. After a while, button re-raised me to $800 and so I place him on one of these hands: nut flush draw (A-x diamonds), top pair strong kicker (A-9), a set (9s, 7,s or 5,s), and straight draw (JT).

I had so many things in mind then but later I chose to go all in. He then flipped over 8 which was a club and 6 which was a spades. Well, turn and river didn’t gave anything good so I was busted out.

Honestly, every time I remember such tourney I don’t feel really bad. However, what if I folded and picked my battles with the other more predictable tight players, could the results have been much better for me? What’s on your thoughts?

Thanks!

Regards,
Carron
Carron,

You pretty much got unlucky in my opinion.

Played With Weakness

Hello,

I was in a no limit event the other day with $4,000 buy-in and blinds 10/20. I had $3,500. At some point, everyone folded to me. When I was on the button, I got Ad 5s and then popped it up to 80. Eventually, small and big blind called. Then flop came and brought 5c 5d 7d. Later, SB and BB checked and so I placed 140$ bet, almost half the pot I believe.

Consequently, SB folded however BB raised to 380$. I then thought he had something weak therefore I tried to slow play. I then called. Turn came and brought 9d. Board then appeared as 5c 5d 7d 9d. Though there was a possibility for a straight and flush, I had Ad and trips therefore I had to fold then. Few seconds after and BB placed 700$ bet while I called.

River came and brought Qc. BB went all in for all my money. I remember I had around 2,200$ and in the pot, 4,800$. Finally, I folded.

In the end, he flipped over 44 and then laughed at me. I don’t know if I played just right. Well, I don’t think doing the slow play then was a bad move. But I believe I should have pushed all-in on turn with my flush draw and then had trips. Another thing, I don’t see how I should call on the river and the only stuff I beat was a bluff. What do you think?

Regards,
Collin
Collin,

At the river, there were lots of hands you could beat other than a bluff. I would have likely made the call with my set, especially since the player had been aggressive the whole way. Of course, I would have raised him at some point. Don’t slow play a set with a straight and flush draw possible.