Struggling with my game

[Metromancer]

I've been playing poker for about 2 years, but have only recently started playing MicroLimit NL and am having problems becoming significantly +EV and a consistent winner. I'm not convinced that my approach to the game is correct, although I've read the appropriate texts. The following are a few questions I have at this point. Thanks for any feedback.

1) I usually seem to win about 40-50% of the pots I showdown in a given session. Is that not a high enough % or is the size of the pot far more important than one's winning %?

2) I seem to have problems playing the larger pots much of the time. Should I usually try to have at least 2 pair in these situations, because it seems like top pair/top kicker is usually a loser in these pots?

3)I seem to have trouble releasing decent hands and want to fight for every pot I become involved in. I usually seem to show more patience in tournaments. I'm not sure what a good exercise would be to cure myself of this habit.

4) If I become a player who is more willing to throw away decent/good hands, how do I avoid being labelled a rock who gets run over sometimes but doesn't get paid off?

5) Am I even asking the right questions?

[Raxor101]

1) I usually seem to win about 40-50% of the pots I showdown in a given session. Is that not a high enough % or is the size of the pot far more important than one's winning %?

I have no idea how many pots I win at showdown. I never look - it is irrelevant. You don't get any extra money for winning the most pots. What is important is overall winnings and that usually comes from making sure you win the big pots. But the main focus is making good-decisions and the pots will come big and small.

2) I seem to have problems playing the larger pots much of the time. Should I usually try to have at least 2 pair in these situations, because it seems like top pair/top kicker is usually a loser in these pots?

There are no hard and fast rules for this, it depends on the opponent and the situation, post some hand histories and someone will help you. Although I can tell you 2-pair is the average winning hand and a lot of new players do overplay top pair top kicker. But to say "you always need two pair or better in a big pot" is too rigid, it is the wrong way to approach things.

3)I seem to have trouble releasing decent hands and want to fight for every pot I become involved in. I usually seem to show more patience in tournaments. I'm not sure what a good exercise would be to cure myself of this habit.

Perhaps consider playing tournaments exclusively?

4) If I become a player who is more willing to throw away decent/good hands, how do I avoid being labelled a rock who gets run over sometimes but doesn't get paid off?

At the microlimits a rock is going to get paid off, don't worry. As you move up the limits and get more experience you will learn how to play a bit looser but for now, at the micro stakes, playing too tight will never be a problem.

5) Am I even asking the right questions?

You are thinking about the game, so that is important, keep reevaluating and analysis your play and you will get better.

[kekedarius]

At uNL, I think you should just play a meganit, nutfarming strategy for a near optimal winrate, especially if you're not highly experienced with the game (being able to accurately put people on hand ranges, knowing when to cbet, getting sharp reads on everyone etc etc). Be honest with yourself now; are you really playing uNL if you don't have room to improve in all these fields?

The fact is, people at uNL aren't going to notice you're playing 15/10/3 or whatever, and you're going to get paid off reguardless. Whenever you flop a set and everyone folds, guess what? They all had ace high or underpairs. In iStrong's last tutorial video on Party Poker he showed a guy at NL200 that played something like 12/8/3 and had ~3ptBB/100 winrate. As you move up in stakes loosen up a bit (A BIT!), and start adding moves and finesse to your game.