Variance & Tilt

Hair_of_the_Dog · #1 08-07-2007, 02:21 PM

I played the other night and was running, for the most part, very cold. I was getting sucked out on fairly often. I usually don't find this to be too frustrating, but I usually catch these card chasers for some large pots. This evening I did not. Somewhere in the middle of this session I found myself calling raises with JJ on a semi coordinated board with a K against a rockish player. I felt a little foolish and paid a good chunk of $ to come to this realization. I made some other loose raises that paid off, but it was an all in situation so reverse implied odd didn't come in to play.

This night seemed to be nothing but middle and bottom pairs for me. I might have tried to be more aggressive with these hands, but the table(s) was LP and I was almost sure that 1 or 2 people would call down. CRing wasn't much of a tool as when you checked it would often get checked around. I tried to bet out the turn when a brick hit and I had middle pair, but the calling stations would be there to... well call.

Nights like this make me feel like I'm missing a big part of my game and make me question my play (while I'm playing <- tilt I guess), which makes me start to become passive. I fight it which can them make me aggressive in a less than selective way. It's like over steering a car.

On my dive home I tried to analyze my play. I thought for the most part that I played well, with the exception of few tilty hands. I chalked it up to variance and a little stupidity.

I know it's a bit of a rant, but what do you think?
Move on? Learn how to play marginal hands better? What?

ProfessorBen · #2 08-07-2007, 03:58 PM

Post questionable hands.

Learn to become without tilt.

Frond · #3 08-07-2007, 05:43 PM

Yea, post some hands from the sessions if you can recall most of them, or bring a note pad like I do and jot a few down when you can. That's what I do and I find good and bad plays that I make. I like hearing more about the bad plays so I can work on them.

Hair_of_the_Dog · #4 08-07-2007, 05:50 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Post questionable hands.

[/ QUOTE ]
Always a good idea. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I don't remember all of the details, but there are a bunch of hands that go something like this.

I limp from EP with A7s 3 more limp (including BB).
Flop [4sb]: T72 rainbow (none of my suit)
I check
Someone from LP bets
I fold
(Maybe I'm rock'n here, but 95% of the hands I folded would have lost a showdown and 95% of them got to a showdown.)

The alternate version of this is where it gets check around and the turn brings a K or a Q.

A few of the suckouts where when the turn brought a brick and I bet out, but someone in MP was playing 42o or something and hit 2 pair. I did give them a free card, but most would pay 1 sb to see the turn. I guess the best/worst thing about it is that I was never in good position to play middle pair. I feel better already. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
Learn to become without tilt.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure this is possible for me. I think that I need to learn to recognize it and be able to walk away (or take a break).

Gipper · #5 08-07-2007, 08:18 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure this is possible for me. I think that I need to learn to recognize it and be able to walk away (or take a break).

[/ QUOTE ]

I find myself susceptible to tilting when playing live, so whenever I get sucked out on and feel myself getting angry or frustrated, I smile, say "nice hand," play until my BB, then get up and take a lap around the casino. You may play a few less hands, but if you are like me, it will help you to not play when you may be tilted.

OvrTheTop111 · #6 08-07-2007, 08:59 PM

When you find yourself in a situation like you were in with the JJ take a walk for a few minutes. Go get something to eat, go to the bathroom, smoke a cigarette, do whatever. Try to come back focused. If you come back and are still having trouble focusing you probably quit IMO.

Cactus Jack · #7 08-08-2007, 09:36 AM

Don't limp A7s in EP.

Bad starting hands + bad position + propensity to tilt? Recipe for disaster.

Holm Fries · #8 08-09-2007, 01:37 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Don't limp A7s in EP.

Bad starting hands + bad position + propensity to tilt? Recipe for disaster.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is fine in your typical SS game, assuming that you play well post-flop.

To OP, track your results long term. When you have a losing session or two, remind yourself that you are still winning in the long term. If you feel like it is affecting your game, pick up and leave.

Hair_of_the_Dog · #9 08-09-2007, 02:54 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Don't limp A7s in EP.

Bad starting hands + bad position + propensity to tilt? Recipe for disaster.

[/ QUOTE ]

A7s from EP (5+ callers and no raise) in a LP is a good starting hand. Not good position, but not terrible for this hand. I also wouldn't say that I have a propensity to tilt. I was just explaining that I had this type of hand with this type of flop for most of the session. This specific session basically was a slow grind into the ground. I never tilted so hard that I would take shots to get back. I lost small amounts (a few medium amounts when my KK got sucked out by 63o two pair or equivalent) repeatedly. This is the frustration that we all run into at times, I guess.

gobbledygeek · #10 08-09-2007, 03:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]

I don't remember all of the details, but there are a bunch of hands that go something like this.

I limp from EP with A7s 3 more limp (including BB).
Flop [4sb]: T72 rainbow (none of my suit)
I check
Someone from LP bets
I fold
(Maybe I'm rock'n here, but 95% of the hands I folded would have lost a showdown and 95% of them got to a showdown.)

The alternate version of this is where it gets check around and the turn brings a K or a Q.

[/ QUOTE ]

Preflop I'd limp A7s all the time at my 2/4 B&M loose table.

On flop you have 5 solid outs (3 Aces, 2 Sevens) so you need about 8:1 to continue. If BB calls then you'd be getting 6:1 which I think would be enough to continue (should be able to make up 1 BB, fairly confident remaining player won't checkraise?). If BB doesn't call then only getting 5:1 with still one more to act behind you, meh, I think this is probably borderline; even though the pot is small, I'd probably still call hoping to get one more caller behind me and hope I can make up the bets (although an A or 7 is a scary card and you might have trouble getting bets, pulling a checkraise, etc.).

If flop checks around and turn brings K/Q, hmmm. Pot is only laying 2 BB at that point. You'd have 2 solid Sevens, 4 solid gutshuts (although do we have to discount for chopped pot?) and 3 fairly solid Aces; I think I'd count about 7 outs (?) so you'd need about 6:1 to continue. Doubt you'd have enough to continue at this point so if someone bets I'm done fighting for this tiny pot.

GmytwocentsG