Monday, March 09, 2009

Starting Things Off

I don't mean to sound like a broken record; but I continue to be in this brutal downswing. I have lost almost 10 buyins over the last 7 days. One thing that I want to talk about today is something that has been happening quite often these days.

Starting off the session bad. How does it affect our play, if at all? I would like to think that it doesn't make any difference as to how our play goes; but can that really be true? For example, this is how I started off yesterday:

Hand #1
Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/61545
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $195.80
UTG+1: $107.45
UTG+2: $102.25
MP1: $36.50
MP2: $48.25
Hero (CO): $100.00
BTN: $20.00
SB: $20.20
BB: $34.25

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is CO with Kd Jd
3 folds, MP1 calls $1, 1 fold, Hero raises to $4.50, 2 folds, BB calls $3.50, MP1 calls $3.50

Flop: ($14.00) 6s 2d 4d (3 players)
BB checks, MP1 bets $14, Hero raises to $32, BB folds, MP1 calls $18 all in

Turn: ($78.00) Qh (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($78.00) 4s (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $78.00
MP1 shows 6h 8h (two pair, Sixes and Fours)
Hero shows Kd Jd (a pair of Fours)
MP1 wins $75.00
(Rake: $3.00)

Hand #2
Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/61546
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

CO: $200.00
BTN: $46.75
Hero (SB): $100.65
BB: $201.50
UTG: $130.40
UTG+1: $47.00
MP1: $217.00
MP2: $101.50

CO posts a big blind ($1)

Pre Flop: ($2.50) Hero is SB with Kd Ad
2 folds, MP1 raises to $4.50, 3 folds, Hero calls $4, 1 fold

Flop: ($11.00) Kc Js 6d (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $8, Hero calls $8

Turn: ($27.00) 6s (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $17, Hero calls $17

River: ($61.00) 3s (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $26, Hero calls $26

Final Pot: $113.00
Hero mucks Kd Ad
MP1 shows Jd Kh (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
MP1 wins $110.00
(Rake: $3.00)

Hand #3
Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/61547
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $202.00
UTG+2: $52.80
Hero (MP1): $100.00
MP2: $201.50
CO: $194.00
BTN: $128.90
SB: $48.75
BB: $277.45
UTG: $100.00

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is MP1 with Ac Kh
3 folds, Hero raises to $3.50, 1 fold, CO calls $3.50, BTN calls $3.50, SB raises to $21, 1 fold, Hero raises to $71, 2 folds, SB calls $27.75 all in

Flop: ($105.50) Ks 5c 7h

Turn: ($105.50) Js

River: ($105.50) Jh

Final Pot: $105.50
Hero shows Ac Kh (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
SB shows Ad As (two pair, Aces and Jacks)
SB wins $102.50
(Rake: $3.00)

http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/61545-61547


1st hand. I got my money in as a favorite; albeit a slight favorite.

2nd hand. I thought something was up; but couldn't fold

3rd hand. That's just how I roll these days.

So, after about 15 minutes, I am down almost 1 1/2 buyins. The question remains do I or anybody change after this. I see a few possibilities.

1. Nothing changes and you continue to play your game.
2. You tighten up to try and avoid tough decisions. This can't be max EV over the long run
3. You try to slowplay to hit that big hand. I guess this is OK; but only for balancing reasons. You can't play the same everyhand or you will opponents will catch on... well some of them well
4. You can loosen up again trying to hit that big hand. Of course, this will lead to trouble although, it can work in the short term which is bad; but it may make you try it more.

As for me, I think I am guilty of all of the above. I'm not sure you can play the same after falling down early. Hopefully I'm wrong.

As for yesterday, the downward spiral at the beginning kept on going and was down over 2 1/2 buyins. I was able to make it back to even for the day; but it just wasn't a fun day. One thing that I am concentrating is making better laydowns on the turn. There were a couple of hands that I layed down that I might not normally such as flopping a straight; but folding to a scary board which including the board pairing and making a flush. Sounds like an easy fold; but I've not always been able to do it.

I'll keep pressing on for now and see how it goes.

Have a nice day!!

4 comments:

Alan aka RecessRampage said...

Those are tough losses but on the flip side, are you maxing out value on your winning hands. I recall that that was a slight issue (it wasn't a glaring problem but one that might add up over time) with you before so I was just curious... one thing to plug leaks in losing hands... another thing to make sure you are getting max value out of your winning hands.

WillWonka said...

One thing when running bad is the definate problem of NOT maximazing your good hands because you are so afraid that somebody has the near nuts.

So, I am working on not playing scared and we'll see how it goes.

Unknown said...

A raise on the flop might have saved you some money with that A-K hand. He probably re-raises you or calls, which would get your radar up. Also, always ask yourself what your opponent has that can beat you. That might have helped in the A-K hand. But I don't see any glaring problems.


I do know that I play MUCH better if I start winning right away than if I'm losing right away. I don't think losing affects my play until I do lose a buy-in or two, and that's when I just shut it down for the night. I'm always too anxious and make too many calls after that.

BoooomBaby said...

I think the start of a session can often be huge in how you play the rest of the session. I know I tend to loosed up when I am stuck because I want to get my money back. Where if I'm up a buyin or two, I am content to keep playing solid and not get myself into tough situations.

A few weeks ago I noticed this problem, and that I was constantly checking on holdem manager to see how much I was up/down on the session. This made my mind crazy because I was way more worried about the bottom line, than just playing good poker. Now I have forced myself to not look at holdem manager until my session is over. Even though I have some kind of ballpark idea of whether I'm up or down, it helps me to just focus on playing good poker.

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