Do I need a new strategy?

[cincisimple]

I could be considered a tight player by some, but I feel that i'm just playing smart. I tend to play $10 - $20 3,4 & 5 table tournys. I will play pairs, connectors, and suited card (as long as they can make a straight) preflop. I will make decent enough raises, to get the weak hands to fold, but for some reason, the river always seems to kill me. I understand that I will get bad beats in this game. But I find it frustrating that I get them as often as I do. I don't always get beat by fish. Sometimes the person who wins actually has a hand. But even if I have that person beat at the turn, it happens more often, that the player wins with some odd ball hand at the river (Like a flush or a straight when he only has one of the cards in his hand). Am I doing something wrong, or am I just that unlucky?

[sugar_shaneh]

I think to get more input on what is actually happening to you, we would need more information. Do you have pokertracker? I use this and it really helps you track hands that give you the most trouble. It helps plug leaks in your game if you are serious about improving.

[cincisimple]

I am always interested in improving my game. Where can I go to get pokertracker, and how much is it?

[Dazzler69]

there are definately tools out there that can help improve your game by compling the stats and makes it a lot easier to identify holes in your game.

As to your original post, you could try posting some hand histories so people can look over how you've been playing and give their input. I did this and it seemed to help a lot, while you may not always agree with how other people would have played the had etc etc it definatley helps to see it from other perspectives.

[dmbfan7]

in my opinion, playing tight-agressive is the best possible style of poker. it allows you to steadily build your chip stack while being sure you're getting your money in the middle with the best hand.

[jeffsbabe]

My first thought is that you are not reading the board correctly. Are there cards that could possibly give another player that straight,full house, ect.? Also, don't get married to your hand. If someone keeps betting and calling with you they may just have someting. Don't be afraid to fold. Do you have little voice inside that says the other person is bluffing?(I only mention this because my husband has trouble with this one). At any rate, we're all still learning and sounds like you're on your way to being successful. Good Luck!

[fabianocos]

The poker is deed of periods, if you will have a strategy in focus, change not because of the bad phase, be persistent that soon soon to good phase turn, alone change your game itself really will have fortresses motives, otherwise, maintain the focus.

[Yzerman]

Good Luck

[scrawnybob]

hi

IMHO from the sound of it you have a solid game - but your letting too many hands get to the river

Holdem is primarily about preflop and flop decisions and really if you have the stronger hand on the flop and definately by the turn you should have won the hand or made it so expensive for the other player to continue in the hand they are paying alot to even try to hit their outs on the river

slow playing IMHO can be both dangerous and profitable - but more importantly it's not something to be done often - you certainly shouldnt slow up on a hand on the turn or the river - unless they have zero outs

I think reading between the lines maybe some of the time (not all) you might be giving them too much chance to catch up -

bad beats will happen but they shouldnt happen too often unless you both have marginal hands

try keeping the pressure on and make them pay to play - especially on the turn and the river (unless they deal you more problems and then dont throw good money after bad)

hope thats a help

cheers scrawnybob

[jacksRwild63]

I read once that as a good player you will suffer more bad beats. As Ive improved ,I have found this to be true, or maybe its just that we notice it more.