I have been playing poker on and off for the past 4 years of my life, however since my graduation from college last year, I have been playing professionally both live and online. My first few live sessions of poker were logged at a 1/2 NL game in Niagara Falls, NY. The typical appearance of the 1/2 NL game in this poker room is very similar to many non-Las Vegas 1/2 games. There are 3 typical reasons why a serious player might favor a smaller stakes game such as this: 1. Their bankroll cannot support a climb in stakes. 2. They have yet to develop their skills to allow a jump to a higher level of play. 3. They have a found a niche where they consider it +EV to play lower stakes, either because they feel more comfortable or they consider themselves at an advantage against the other players. <READMORE>

My stay at 1/2 NL was very short compared to the average player. I had already run my bankroll up quite substantially playing online limit games (3/6, 5/10, 10/20, 20/40 and 30/60), and was therefore felt as though I was 'playing down' at a small stakes No Limit Game. Thus within the first few weeks, I had jumped to 2/5 and 5/10 NL. This background is very important in that it lays the groundwork for how I am perceived at the table, and how my table image has both helped and hurt my long-term success.

After my climb to the 5/10 NL game (the second biggest in this poker room besides the 10/20 NL which plays with no cap on buy ins), I continued to employ the same style I had at smaller stakes games. For me I played LAG in position, often raising hands in late position that I would fold UTG, and playing TAG UTG and UTG+1. This being said I also enjoy seeing a large majority of flops whether it be through limping or calling a standard raise. I quickly developed a reputation as a loose player who was willing to gamble at any point with any player. Though this was not the case (I am a very calculating player), it became +EV for me to show bluffs regularly to setup big hands in the future. This worked extremely well for me over an 8-month period as I had logged well over 200 sessions with a winning percentage in the high 70th percentile. However as I became better known in the poker room I noticed I was receiving calls and reraises that I had never received before.

My table image stayed the same as it had 8 months prior though my game had evolved dramatically. I still saw many flops, however I had realized that hands such as KJo, AJ, Q10, Q9, J10, J9, etc... Were not hands in ANY positions with which I could call a raise into a shorted handed pot. My game tightened dramatically, the importance of position, reading tells, and understanding the role of tilt helped deepen my understanding of the game. My table image helped me in receiving several large calls on the river by players holding no better than bottom pair or Ace high assuming that I was on the bluff. Recently however, my table image has become a problem. As more and more players recognized my style, they would call my raises with hands, which against another player they would undoubtedly fold. One specific instance of this stands out in my mind.

Playing a full table 5/10 NL game I was sitting in the 6 seat with about 1100 in front of me, up from my initial 500 dollar buyin, when I new player entered the game directly to my left. We had played on several occasions, usually with me coming out on top in heads up showdowns, however he was known as a tight player. I was UTG+1 with K9dd and open raised to 45. He called, as did 4 other players including the button and BB. The flop came Ks 6d 4d. I opened for 175 hoping for someone to come over the top of me with a flush draw or weak king. Seat 8 smooth called, the rest of the table folded. Turn: Kh. I open pushed all in with an immediate call. River: Ah. I turned over K9dd for trips and seat 8 opened K10 for trips-high kicker. My immediate response to him was, "You called 45 preflop with K10o and 175 on the flop?" to which he replied, "I've played with you before, I know how you play".

This incident stands alone in my mind (though I could rattle off 50+ examples of similar distinction) as a reminder of how my table image hurt my success during this phase. Seat 8 would never have called 45 pre flop or the 175 on the flop with K10o against any other player at the table (especially with 5 players left to act on the flop behind him), however since I was the initial raiser he assumed K10 was solid. Because of my initial success at the 5/10 NL game I was branded a loose player, capable of making moves on any given pot with little or no hand at all.

Though I continued to play and my game evolved over 8 months playing 4-5 times a week for 6-8 hours a session, my table image had remained unaltered. Now when I play 5/10, 10/20, or the occasional 25/50 NL game I notice that I have to make most of my money by calling off bluffs made by other players, since the action I receive when I open raise has been very detrimental to me. Case and point: Last night ion the 10/20 NL game I open raise to 120 UTG with QQ. I am called by 6 players including the button, SB, and the BB. The flop comes 7d 3s 2c. SB bets out 300. I raise to 1300. Table folds back to SB. he pushes all in. I call immediately. Turn is 4d. The river comes 5d. I flip over QQ. SB shows AKo ... RUNNER RUNNER WHEEL????. His response, " I know how you play".

As my game continues to evolve and my bankroll continues to grow I can’t help but wonder had I played differently in my first 8 months in this poker room, would the last 8 months have been all together different? As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression, and apparently mine has scarred my future in the game. So I will leave you with a question to ask yourself as you play: Is your table image what you want it to be, or is it what you THINK you want it to be?.

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