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Surviving the bad run

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  1. Therivercost Therivercost is offline

    Posts: 42
    Joined: Feb 12

    Jul 24th, 2012 (7/24/2012 5:02pm)

    I have recently gone back to the table to try my hand at winning poker. As opposed to last time, I am doing this out of necessity, and sometimes the hands aren't quite cooperating. I have had some good runs, where I have won 3 times the buy in, but subsequently have gone on a 4 game losing streak. I can't really afford to lose, I play low limit poker, and I play pretty snug, recently it has been quite difficult to make a hand. I have even had to sit there and fold for 2 hours in one session. Playing with existing conditions such as that it is hard to overcome the hardships and lack of production as my stack dwindles to very little. I am wondering what are some of the coping skills that other poker players have for handling bad runs where the cards are not producing pots, losing with big pairs and big aces, missing flush draws, and having the action slow down while your stack diminishes.
  2. Aslama01 Aslama01 is offline

    Bloomington, IL
    United States

    Posts: 55
    Joined: Nov 10

    Jul 24th, 2012 (7/24/2012 7:16pm) in reply to Therivercost

    What you're going through right now is poker. Unfortunately, poker is always winning and cards come every ten minutes. There are gonna stretches where you don't get cards. In my opinion, that's what defines you as being a decent player. You know how to get passed them without letting your stack wither away. It mostly comes from experience in learning when to take your shots and to try and steal the blinds. Also, if you are too picky, good players will notice this and just bet into you. Why? Because they know you will fold and if you don't, then they will fold because you have something. Yes it is good to choose your cards very tightly, but don't be too tight, and don't be so happy when you get them. Maybe you got A10. A hand I would like to see at the button with no action, but a hand I would hate to see UTG. My best guess is that you are picking bad times when to play, and not being aggressive enough. When I get a draw, I only sometimes depend on hitting that flush to make me win. I'm not going to always hit it, so why would I play like that? I can wait til it comes and be oblique about it, or I could be more transparent and play into them making them think I have a high pair instead. Another point. If you are playing with the best hands and you get a hand like AK in early or mid position and you get a single caller and the flop comes something like 258 rainbow. Don't check because you completely missed. Bet because at that point you are pretty much telling him you have two unpaired face cards. You bet because you still have outs. But most importantly, you bet because instead of him putting you on the spot, you just put him on the spot.
  3. Therivercost Therivercost is offline

    Posts: 42
    Joined: Feb 12

    Jul 24th, 2012 (7/24/2012 8:18pm) in reply to Aslama01

    I play low limit poker, 3/6 at a local casino. They have a $11,000 jackpot aces full of kings or better beaten with a table share of 25% the loser gets %50 and the winner gets 25%. I realize its highly unlikely but that is not the main reason for playing. They also have Monday through Friday particular quads specific 2's through King's for $250. Not bad but it used to be $1,000 and before that it was $2,500. One of the main perks of the game is Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm they have a promotion called aces cracked. If you have pocket aces and lose, you get $100, not bad, makes the game a lot livelier. I am playing low limit poker because I need money, and I need it consistently. $45 wins don't seem like much but as opposed to losing $100 buy in it seems pretty good. That is what happened in my last session, within the first 5 hands I got pocket 10's and got a nine high flop, I won the pot putting my stack up to $145 and seeing as how I need the money, I should have cashed out right there. My stack dwindled down to $125 and kept going from there. I missed flush draws with A 9 of diamonds on a Kd 4h Jd flop. I hate missing nut flush draws. I also missed with KJ of spades on a 4c 8s 10s. It's tough to win when you miss your good draws. How about having AQ off suit on a As 4c Js flop, pretty good, 10d on turn Ac on the river. I am certain this hand is good with 3 way action and no raises. I lead out on the river thinking my hand is good someone calls and turns over A 10. I know that hands like that are going to happen, but when you need to win, it hurts a lot more. After all that it was just plain hard to make a hand AK is just about as good as 8 7 off suit when you are running bad. The deck was pretty dry. Also in 3/6 limit it is tough to steal the blinds, it is too cheap for most of the players to fold, and the casino takes 3 for the drop and the 1 from the small blind is for the jackpot. So I raise with AQ of spades with two callers and the flop comes 844 and I lead out and bet and take the pot for a nice small win. I know how to do that so when the deck is dry and it is hard to make a hand it is hard to over come that. Thanks for the advice and appreciate the feed back. Every day is different and results vary, but I have lost 4 times in a row and have to admit I played real bad during the first lost after having just won just under $400 2 days previous, by the way that is a pretty big win for 3/6 limit. Unfortunately it is hard to win more than that in one session, but still a pretty good game if you can catch. I'm getting to the point where I need to learn to get off the table with a $40 win instead of trying to make it a $140 win and wind up getting felted. Every time is different, sometimes I need to learn how to take a $25 dollar win, instead of staying too long and end up losing my buy in. It really hurts when you can't come back and play.
    Thread Starter
  4. Cookymonster198 Cookymonster198 is offline Huge Field microDonk Specialist

    Taunton
    United Kingdom

    Posts: 389
    Joined: Apr 11

    Jul 25th, 2012 (7/25/2012 12:03am) in reply to Therivercost

    You write a lot
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