sevens

Even though I’m running really badly right now and may have to move back down to 10NL, I’ve never felt better about my game.  The second shot I took at 25NL was just a few short months ago, and I’ll admit, I ran pretty darned good and was very close to being rolled for a shot at 50NL.  I think this downswing needed to happen, or else something even worse could have happened, like I go on mad crazy tilt and lose EVERYTHING.  I’ve really learned quite a bit in the last couple days.  It’s amazing what can happen when you play more hands/tables, and because you won’t be able to make as good of borderline postflop decisions, your preflop game improves DRASTICALLY, and thus so does your postflop game because easy postflop decision making STARTS with making solid preflop decisions.  

 

I’ve learned how important position really is.  Sure, using Poker Tracker stats makes it easier to have a read on where your opponent is at.  Even if you make every correct decision (fold when you’re behind, raise when you’re ahead), being out of position will cost you MORE when you’re behind, and you’ll win LESS when ahead, because you’ll c-bet your AK, get raised or called by someone with an overpair or in-between pair (88 on a 9-4-2 rainbow board for example) and now you’re out a c-bet.  Or you “value bet” with AA and they fold because they have nothing.  IN POSITION with the same exact hands allows you to make more money when ahead and lose less when behind.  

 

I’ve learned the importance of table selection and finding the fish.  So important.  Find the people who are making costly mistakes, and then take advantage of it.  One that comes to mind tonight, I had identified this player as someone who felts with top pair.  He limped from MP, and I had a suited A9 on the CO. I raised, he called, and the flop was A high.  A-6-x I think.  I don’t remember if he bet or check called or not, but on the turn he bet the pot.  Ordinarily, top pair medium kicker is not a hand I go to the felt with, but I was pretty certain my hand was best.  We got it in on the turn, and as it turns out, he had 2nd pair and the turn gave him an OESD.  So I took all his $.  Oh….and don’t be afraid to change tables, as often as necessary.  It does you no good to play a TAG game when 8 other people are playing the same game.  

 

I’ve tightened up my late position range.  Something I remember reading by a former micro-grinder really stuck out tonight.  ”Late position is actually later than you think.”  You know how it sucks when you raise from one off the CO with JT because you will “likely have position”, but find yourself being called by the button or CO more times than you’d like?  It sucks!  Now you have a mediocre hand OOP.  I play pretty nit-tight from all positions, only raising good hands, and from CO AND BTN ONLY am I playing more of a LAG game.  Think about why I said position is important.  

 

And lastly what I’ve learned is that playing online poker is similar to playing a sport.  You don’t expect to jump onto a basketball court and immediately be playing as best as you can.  You do stretches, jog around to get your heart rate going, take 10 minutes or so of practice shots to WARM UP.  I’ve realized my game playing poker is no different.  I really don’t get into “the zone” until around like 700 hands +.  That’s where I feel I’m at my best, making the best decisions, and making solid reads.  It’s probably different for everyone, but I suspect that if you aren’t warmed up and playing at your highest level until 500 hands, and you frequently only play 300 hand sessions, think about how you’re shortchanging yourself.  Yes, you might be profiting because you’re making less mistakes than your opponents, but could you be making more if you were really playing your A game?  Until I’m warmed up and feel like I’m ready to go, I play pretty rock tight.  Think about it; do you want to open raise with your pocket 5s from MP if your reads aren’t sharp yet?  Robot poker != optimal poker.  

 

Ramblings ftw.  

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 25th, 2008 at 11:34 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.