Really need some advice for poker in general and a specific hand

[Insanity]

Before I post my horribly played hand, I would like to get some advice on poker in general. I’ve played poker on and off for 3 years now. Most of my success has come from PP $30+3 3 table tourneys and $1/2 NL games. I stopped playing poker for a while because I was spending too much time doing it, and on PP I was becoming too tempted by the “21 BlackJack” button they have now. (Though I knew it was stupid to play BJ, when I got bored I would feel compelled.) After loosing about $400 to that button, I removed the program and deleted it from my computer.

Now, I’m playing multi-table tourneys on Pokerstars; and I seem to have a problem that I wasn’t encountering in a 30 person tourney. It seems that I do well building a stack through each level. I’m typically 10-20% above the average stack, but then it seems that I end up losing to a lesser hand on an all-in preflop. I typically try to make people play the flop against me (where I’m strongest), but once every tourney I will lose when I get someone pushing in preflop with a dominated hand (AK vs AQ or QQ vs AJ). This is where I run into problems. This usually happens later in the tournaments, and the hit to my stack puts me in an almost desperate situation (i.e. t2,500 with blinds at 300/600, t800 with blinds at 200/400). Typically, my all-ins are forced with 0 FE and I’m out shortly there after.

Now, I played my first $20+2 deepstack tourney last night; and as per usual, I took some hits (i.e. lost AK vs AQ) while I was cheap-leader at my table. The deepstack though allowed me to build back up twice. I started off building up to t15,000 and got knocked down to t2,000. Building back up to $18,000, I had took another hit down to t7,000. Again, I built up to the hand I’m about to post. While I realized that I donked on this hand, this is where I would like some serious input. How do I minimize these massive hits, so that instead of me having to constantly rebuild my stack, I can sit with a commanding lead? Or is this just something I need to deal with and improve my play elsewhere?I really like the deepstack tourney because I feel that less luck is involved and better play takes over. Anyways, I would appreciate some advice here; I seriously would like to improve my game and 2+2 has always helped with that.

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Now, for my horrible hand. I’ve only been at this table for a short while. I have no significant reads on the players in this hand. I do know the BB is tight and likely to fold behind me, thus I feel I am closing action with my call. If the flop comes low, or I hit my set; I think I’m good. Flop comes, looks great but here is where I feel I messed up. I don’t want to see another card. Pushing looks too much like a steal and will very likely be called with a wide range of hands. I figure a pot size bet will allow me to take the pot down. With one player left, I know he hit with the K; but I’m so intent on pushing him off that I push. I then kick myself in the *&$ for such a dumb play. Is this pot winnable on the flop?




PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t600 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

MP1 (t8625)
MP2 (t23651)
MP3 (t10885)
CO (t26455)
Button (t35261)
Hero (t17173)
BB (t53662)
UTG (t17023)
UTG+1 (t69958)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">5 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises to t1800</font>, Button calls t1800, Hero calls t1500, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>.

Flop: (t5500) 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t6000</font>, CO folds, Button calls t6000.

Turn: (t17500) K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t9323 (All-In)</font>, Button calls t9323.

River: (t36146) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t36146

[jcm4ccc]

I think you messed up by thinking that this was a good flop to try a bluff. Any pocket pairs from 44 and up like this flop; additionally, someone could have a huge draw.

[Insanity]

I noticed that I didn't have the villians cards. K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Do you see 44 calling a pot size bet. I agree that there are several hands that like this flop, but I figured I could push off the marginal hands. When the king came out I let my emotions get to me and rather than c/f like I should have, I thought I could push him off.

[AceLuby]

Regarding the AI fest where you are losing w/ big hands, you have to be winning some of these right? Every time you go in as a favorite you can't lose every time. Can you? I think you just have to chalk this one up to variance and keep playing the way you are. If I'm constantly in w/ the best of it, but am still losing I would chalk it up to variance

Variance 100000000000000
Me 0

[Insanity]

Oh, I'm definately winning the majority of these; but there always seems to be that one instance per tourney that just gives me a serious beating.

I just want to know if most successful player experience massive hits like these consistantly and come back, or do I need to change my game.

[deucedeuce00]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, I'm definately winning the majority of these; but there always seems to be that one instance per tourney that just gives me a serious beating.

I just want to know if most successful player experience massive hits like these consistantly and come back, or do I need to change my game.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps try to play more small pots, and see the flop atleast before you put your stack in. I think that getting it all in preflop early/middle of tournaments shouldn't be the norm with AK, or even QQ.

[AceLuby]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oh, I'm definately winning the majority of these; but there always seems to be that one instance per tourney that just gives me a serious beating.

I just want to know if most successful player experience massive hits like these consistantly and come back, or do I need to change my game.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps try to play more small pots, and see the flop atleast before you put your stack in. I think that getting it all in preflop early/middle of tournaments shouldn't be the norm with AK, or even QQ.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what he does, but lots of people push, and what is he going to do, lay down AK/QQ+? You almost have to race, expecially when you have them covered and could get a HUGE stack.

To the OP, let's say you are in w/ the best hand and are 4:1 to win the hand. Let's say you do this 5 times in a tourney (you usually do this more, especially late). Just by %'s you should lose one of those 5 times. I think this is just the nature of the beast (MTT). The small %'s are going to play against you eventually, and there isn't really anything anyone can do about it, unless you are EXTREMELY confident in your skills, in which case don't race and do what you do best, steal, resteal and play poker after the flop.

[weimoxer]

"I’ve only been at this table for a short while. I have no significant reads on the players in this hand. I do know the BB is tight and likely to fold behind me, thus I feel I am closing action with my call. If the flop comes low, or I hit my set; I think I’m good. Flop comes, looks great but here is where I feel I messed up. I don’t want to see another card."

One, your not sure a Low flop will be good (unless you hit ur set) and you are almost banking that it will be. Not being at the table long, not knowing how the 2 larger stacks have been playing, the call by the Button could also be a mid-small pair looking for set value or low board, could be a monster, or junk. You have no reads on these guys yet. If you really think your good, no need to toss out a 6k bet, bet less and c where u are, any overs with flush draw with these stacks are prob gonna stay, maybe bail from hand now if u get bet at. You have 2 to act behind you, so be carefull, either check or cut your bet in half so your not married to the hand. I would have checked and been happy to fold only commiting 1500 of the orig 1800 raise for set value. Having 1500 vested in a pot really worth what you ended up putting into it?? Yes it was a huge pot, but why not pick a better spot..

[Insanity]

So I'm just running into the same situations eveyone does, Just keep playing and grinding my way back up I guess.

[AceLuby]

Yep, get lucky...