Help me improve my game

[Dan Abnormal]

Hey all, I gotta get my game right. DOnt think I can add 10 quality post since I need get my game right before I can say a word. In a nutshell I suck at ring game and play mainly MTT's and SNG's. I Understand some strong hands to play, not as sure about weaker starting cards. Play mainly free rolls and very low stakes tourny's max $5 buy in. Usually end up in the bubble but not very far. VERY BIG PROBLEM, I make it to the dance then have no money to get in, meaning if I get far in a tourny IM so short stacked its like a wing and prayer. Perfect examples I place like 8th, 9th, 11th, 19th but need top 7 etc because I run out of chips. Think Im solid but my results dont bare that out. Play a couple different sites but not the 2 biggest. just want to know if my thinking is solid or if my played sucked.

Bare with me I dont how to translate hands so I write them down.

Awful start today, first MTT didnt win a hand, next MTT got into a battle very early and both chips sizes were about the same (one of the reasons I hate even playing the first few orbits) (free roll qualifier MTT)

HERO (BB) 1420 - 7d As
Villian (late postion) 1620 - J 10s SPades Calls BB (Only one player)

FLOP = Qs Kc Jh HERO BETS 30 - VILLIAN CALLED
TURN = 10s HERO ALL IN STAIGHT TO ACE - VILLIAN ALL IN
RIVER = 10h VIllain wins FUll house

SHould I have pushed all in on flop and would that folded villian. My theory for cheap bet on flop is I wanted to keep villian in hand and also see a cheap Turn (and then count my chips). Turn completed my straight to ace so I pushed all in and got called. Bare with me Im still learning Villian had 7 outs for flush and 4 outs for full house either way =11 outs (does this sound right). I also dont understanding pot odds and value betting and that stuff, so if anyone of you can point out the major flaw because I gotta get my chip size up if Im going to be a winning player. Except for BB position I would of folded this hand. At the turn the all in I figured would tell him what I had and he would fold. SHould I checked Turn and wait for RIver and see what he bet and re-raise or if he went all in would you have folded my hand at the river. SO with 11 outs to beat me, the odds were in his favor and if this hand were opposite and I was sitting with a pair of jacks and 3 spades (and position on the flop and hero made low bet (What would be the correct play there) If it were me Id take the cheap bet on the flop but if Hero would of bet more flop the Q and K would of made me fold. So after typing this I guess I should of pushed more on flop but thats where I run into trouble, IM scared (I had nothing if a 10 didnt hit))

My thinking (correct it if its wrong) - WOuld of raised me if hit 2 pairs off flop, but I was thinking he had either trips or 2 pairs but his betting did not indicate either and I figured this was an easy all in fold situation. Flush never occured to me and Full House did not either I put him up on was a 2 pair K Q or at best straight to ace tie on turn call

DOnt flame me but flame my playing, Im tight weak and need major understanding of certain aspects like the odds and all that.

I will post more hands that got me and see what I should or should not do next time but they will only be in this thread so check back here if you got ideas for me

Any tips would be great cause Its getting old the same story of getting close but never enough chips to seal the deal

[Dan Abnormal]

IM still thinking of theory here. Since I flubbed the flop bet should I disquised my straight and cheap bet the turn or should I only pushed half my stack. He was gonna call either way. That way some alarms bells would of sounded off the 10 on the River but still I would have to bet first. No flush giving him only 4 outs on the river so I could think the worse and fold in fear of trip 10's or possible full house but no bets indicated this and since I had to bet first call and re-raise (or fold). The %'s confuse me because his odds of winning pre river were a lot higher than after river. Sorry if I get too wordy but I want you to understand my logic so we can correct the problems, so after I win the WSOP I can thank everyone at 4kingpoker (LOL)

Just got done with a 2 hours game and placed 52 out of 1935 and the problem is I needed top 50 the same trap I keep falling into over and over, no real hands to talk about, won the ones I should but I guess there were others I should of played

[madjek]

I often have same prob. Though I don't consider it a prob. I'd rather get to bubble most tourney's than get there big stacked rarely. As far as your hand example, my opinion: you played ok till the allin when you hit str. Nice sized value bet would of given you good idea he had flush draw, 2 pair, or set, if he called. Of course, in small buyins and fr, he could of easily reraised allin, but then you have no choice but to call. A bet of 3-400 and a call by him, then you could maybe get out of it with some chips. But I think you said it was a fr, so I would play looser and more aggressive anyway, prob would of done same thing.

[Dan Abnormal]

UNREAL playing 500GTD at UB place in the money but only netted a .16 profit. I went over an hour without one playable hand NO LIE. Same situation Desperate and I want respect and but I wouldnt of won many hands of the hands if I did decide to play. HELP DO you play 8 2 or 7 5 or j 7 and over and over. I feel like the premiume fish food, ya know the last of the fish to knock off and then goto finish. 67 unsuited 54 suited do yall pla those if it risked 90% of your stack

IM feeling Im only a few moves from being a winning player but I got this crap right, NO hand to theorized about I went all in with A Q suited and lost so what can you do. WIth some crap by a stack leader

Your late in a toruney not the bottom but bottom middle HOW DO YALL PLAY HELP, DONT^ get me wrong IM DISGUSTED BY MY PLAY

And I need to know what a value bet is becasue if I raise anyone it turns into a all in situation then it like do I wanna risk it all on this

AM I PLAYING TO LOW STEPS AND PLAYING THEM TOO WIMPY OR DO I MOVE UP, I aint crushing the competition at the level Im playing

[Dan Abnormal]

I often have same prob. Though I don't consider it a prob. I'd rather get to bubble most tourney's than get there big stacked rarely. As far as your hand example, my opinion: you played ok till the allin when you hit str. Nice sized value bet would of given you good idea he had flush draw, 2 pair, or set, if he called. Of course, in small buyins and fr, he could of easily reraised allin, but then you have no choice but to call. A bet of 3-400 and a call by him, then you could maybe get out of it with some chips. But I think you said it was a fr, so I would play looser and more aggressive anyway, prob would of done same thing.

I hit the straight though - Besides a risky flop bet once I had the straight I went all in and he called on the odds (I guess) and hit one but not the flush but a full house. Before the river would you smell a full house it another 10 hit and would you count on a 10 hitting if you did detect it, I had high end straight which isnt a weak hand. I think its muchado abut nothing a bigger flop bet I wouldnt won. I slow played and lost to crazy odds. I mean do yo fold 3 Aces if 3 spades are showing at the turn??? HEy Im at a lost cause my results ... SUCK

I am competitive and continuall almost placing in free rolls and placing low money on money MMT"s is F'n with me. IM not going all in with a stupid hand, but if I knew the one time when all the chip leaders place bets and the 7-2o I had and bet on would win 4x my stack I would be winner BUT WHEN ???????????????

I aint playing a few hours but IM not gonna risk it all on 72 84 9 4 etc but if nothing comes What type pockets does a winner use

I guess what IM asking at what point in a tourny do you start playing 1/2 you rpockets like A7o K 2o Q7O

and WHAT IS YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT POCKETS LIKE

A-J suited or not
AQo
AKo
AQs
QKo
QKs
QJs
QJo
KAs
KAo
A9o
A9s

and all the biggies in between

I can win at chess I can win at poker but After reading may books, ICM blows my mind and dont know if Im getting proper odds on my bet and WHAT DOES THAT MEAN and if you could explain with hands Im using would really help me understand. The books put you in the perfect scerniro but Im telling you my scenrios

And flame if you want, but I want to win on my skill and not having a list of a persons hands to see how they play. Im not paying for sit and go wizard though it may help, i have a brain and dont need a stat chart to throw my game off. If you need aPC calculator to figure odds, might as well have a bot, (which work btw but will keep you at the edge of you seat in MTT). I want to know in my head but my bets dont indicate any strategy except crazy offhand bets.

ALSO what kind of stock do ya'll put QK suited and offsuit - or JK s and o QJ s/o A9 s/o how would you bet if you had the option to check or raise

[Dan Abnormal]

Carbon day is over with no rewards. Im pretty sure I was right here but let me know

HERO KK all 6K
VILLAIN 55 call 6k

Flop 2d As 3c (OK so far)
Turn Qc (STILL GOOD)
RIVER (HMMM.. What do you think this card is)


TAKE A GUESS, IM POSTING AND NOT PLAYING,

I hate the all in mentality and sadly I have fallen into it but pocket K's, WOULD YALL GO ALL IN PREFLOP.

ANYBODY WHO KNOWS THE GAMES, explain the odds here - coin flip with Hero at big advantage but how much does that account for preflop is 60/40 70/30 or 80/20 or 50/50 (which I know is not the case)


IF I didnt go all in and checked to flop, River would of been all in by villian. ANything that might give me a tell of trips, I guess not since I pushed all preflop

The drive to get a bankroll on Carbon without depositing is over (6 MTT's and 4 SNGs and that is very sad) tomorrow I will be all day UB.

Had to hit one more and got zapped with a super well disquised hand that I didnt see coming, How did I not smell trips on this hand.

HERO= JQ 12K Raised 200
VILLIAN = 99 26K CAll

FLOP J9Q Raised 400 Villlain called
Turn 6 HERO=ALL IN VILLIAN=ALL IN
FLOP 2

I had this guy up on either a high or 2 pairs but no better than what I was holding. He flipped over a pair of 9's I was like, DAMN

Where did I screw up, I would say too low of raise on the flop but his trips were made flop and I had 4 outs to make a full house either way and he had one out at the flop. So would this make my odds better , and would you have seen this. While I didnt like being knocked out, Id prefer to lose like this, Maybe if I let the villian control the betting I would have known something was up. Maybe I put too much value in 2 TP's, and should not have pushed all in, but I was starting to fall into the blind trap again though

[madjek]

Tough to put on set, specially when you have 2 pair, seems to happen a lot online though. First hand, KK vs 55 is 80 20. ONly suggestion is maybe raise 5 or 6X BB and if no A on flop then push allin. He may of folded then, but maybe not. Not much you can do when someone hits a 2 outer on you. BTW, those odds are for live poker, online I put the odds more like 60 40.

Oh, I see there was an A on flop, guess maybe if you put out a small value bet maybe he puts on A, but a tough hand, not much you could do IMO.

[Dan Abnormal]

Started slow today, $50 free roll Placed 353 out 2111 (I know sucks but the last hand I lost focus big time) These are some of the hands that I have questions about and what Id like to know, AM I pushing enough - not enough - do my raises make any sense - do my cards back up the value of my bet - is play solid or stupid, RIP IT TO SHREADS cause I gotta get the holes patched up

THIS HAND show a very bad flaw in my play, Very Timmy Tommy here. I should of stayed in the hand or should I never have gotten in this hand

(I CHANGED NAMES TO NUMBER TO MATCH SEAT NUMBER)

Stage #180619717 Tourney ID 5243625 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No

Limit 40 - 2010-05-08 09:47:37 (ET)
Table: 170 (Real Money) Seat #6 is the dealer
Seat 1 - (1,090 in chips)
Seat 2 - (6,135 in chips)
Seat 3 - (865 in chips)
Seat 4 - (4,215 in chips)
Seat 5 - (1,280 in chips)
Seat 6 - HERO (3,000 in chips)
Seat 7 - (3,055 in chips)
Seat 8 - (14,157 in chips)
Seat 9 - (5,116 in chips)
7- Posts small blind 20
8- Posts big blind 40
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [Ad 4d]
9- Calls 40
1- Folds

HERO- Calls 40

8- Raises 320 to 360
9- Calls 320
HERO- Calls 320
*** FLOP *** [8d 10s As]
8- Bets 200
9- All-In(Raise) 4,756 to 4,756
HERO - Folds
8- Folds (Fold & Show [Qs Qd])
9- returned (4,556) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
9- Does not show
9 -Collects 1,500 from main pot

IN CHAT ROOM SAID HE HAD THE 10 (not sure what else)


THIS WAS AN AWFUL FOLD ON MY PART unless seat 9 had A 10 but I had both Seat 8 and 9 beat with Aces ALso had Nuts on flush but would of needed 2 diamonds. I folded because I thought Seat 9 had TPBK as I felt my 4 was weak kicker. Is this bad playing chasing flushes with nuts. I am more comfy with suited connectors not the long shot twist and twine in and out upside down gut shot super double belly straights. Guess its all a guessing game now but this was awful play on my part

---------------------------------------------

Very next hand - I think I played this right, it helped that the turn delivered but let me know
Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No

Limit 60 - 2010-05-08 09:50:35 (ET)
Table: 170 (Real Money) Seat #9 is the dealer
Seat 1 - (1,030 in chips)
Seat 2 - (6,135 in chips)
Seat 3 - (865 in chips)
Seat 4 - (4,215 in chips)
Seat 5 - (1,280 in chips)
Seat 6 - HERO(2,640 in chips)
Seat 7 - (945 in chips)
Seat 8 - (13,567 in chips)
Seat 9 - (9,181 in chips)
1- Posts small blind 30
2- Posts big blind 60
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [2h Ah]
3- Calls 60


HERO - Raises 120 to 120


9- Calls 120

3- Calls 60
*** FLOP *** [Qh Ks 10s]
3- Checks
HERO - Checks
9- Bets 60
3- Folds
HERO- Calls 60
*** TURN *** [Qh Ks 10s] [Jd]
HERO- Bets 570
9- Calls 570
*** RIVER *** [Qh Ks 10s Jd] [3d]
HERO- Bets 1,710
9- Folds
HERO- returned (1,710) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
HERO- Does not show
HERO Collects 1,710 from main pot

I mainly curious do my bets back up my cards, My pockets did I value bet, agressive bet, what to change.

[Dan Abnormal]

SHOULD I HAVE SLOW PLAYED THIS ONE Many times slow playing gets me in trouble, Here I just wanted to take the chips and run - The ace on the flop scared but also added to flush opporunitis

Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No

Limit 150 - 2010-05-08 10:16:01 (ET)
Table: 170 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 1 - (6,402 in chips)
Seat 2 - (5,895 in chips)
Seat 3 - (1,475 in chips)
Seat 4 - (4,425 in chips)
Seat 5 - (2,760 in chips)
Seat 6 - HERO(4,350 in chips)
Seat 7 - (52,368 in chips)
Seat 8 - (11,062 in chips)
Seat 9 - (9,621 in chips)
5- Posts small blind 75
HERO- Posts big blind 150
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO[7d 9d]



1- Calls 150

3- Calls 150

5- Calls 75
HERO - Checks
*** FLOP *** [9s 7s Ad]
5- Checks
HERO- Bets 600
1- Folds
3- Folds
5- Folds
HERO- returned (600) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
HERO- Does not show
HEROCollects 600 from main pot

--------------------------------------------


I thought this hand was just bad play by me, what could i have done to correct my play.

HELP BAD PLAY THink he had ACE he wouldnt tell


oldem Multi Normal Tournament No

Limit 200 - 2010-05-08 10:21:51 (ET)
Table: 170 (Real Money) Seat #9 is the dealer
Seat 2 - (5,495 in chips)
Seat 3 - (7,375 in chips)
Seat 4 - (4,225 in chips)
Seat 5 - (6,770 in chips)
Seat 6 - HERO (4,575 in chips)
Seat 7 - (52,968 in chips)
Seat 8 - (7,952 in chips)
Seat 9 - (16,373 in chips)
No small blind is posted due to player leave
2- Posts big blind 200
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO[10h Kh]

HERO- Calls 200
7- Calls 200
8- Raises 1,000 to 1,000

HERO- Calls 800
7- Calls 800
*** FLOP *** [Ks 3d Ah]
HERO- Bets 200
7- Calls 200
8- Calls 200
*** TURN *** [Ks 3d Ah] [8c]
HERO- Bets 200
7- Calls 200
8- Raises 1,200 to 1,200
HERO- Folds
7- Calls 1,000
*** RIVER *** [Ks 3d Ah 8c] [7s]
7- Checks
8- All-In 5,552
7- Folds
8- returned (5,552) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
8- Does not show
8 Collects 6,400 from main pot

I guess Seat 8 had an Ace but if not, this was a bad move from - SHould I have never gotten in this hand - As you can see my chip stack was looking not too good compared to the table - I could of chased a K unless the guys pockets were 2 K's from his strong preflop bet - Maybe I should of folded on the flop

------------------------------------------------------

[Logan]

Too many posts, going to answer only the last one.

7-9 hand i think was ok versus 3 players, if let them keep in the hand you can get in trouble if board pair or a spade come or if another big card come, versus 1 player probably you can bet 1/2 or 2/3 pot and see turn and decide there if cut action, but versus 3 for me was ok to stop there.

K-10 hand was a fold for me since the start, first you limp from midle position and then call a 5 times raise, that means 1/4 of your stack versus a player that have 2 times your chips and also have the big stack later to move and both are in position of you, with your hand if both are there can´t look for much, if you hit the K (like you did) you still can´t know where are in the hand, Big stack pay because have the chips or have a hand?, same with the raiser, they can have a bigger kicker or the A or if you hit the 10 still is not a good position, so is no point to pay that raise preflop (not even call in first place), you are one of the shorstacks at this point, need to focus on get in first raising to try to steal, or to try to 2ble up, can´t waste chips that way only calling from middle position with 3 bigger stacks latter to play unless you have a big hand and want a raise later to reraise.

If you decide to play the hand since the begining at least raise, but still you do not going to know where are you versus the other 2 players, you going to play all hand out of position and if the big stack reraise you (he got 12 times your stack) what going to do?, push? or trow your chips free?.

Then you bet 200 in flop in a 3000 pot?, and same 200 in turn?, you ask he raise again with your bet, and end wasting 1400 chips in a hand that was a easy fold preflop.