Moving up: feel like I'm constantly outplayed

[prinsrob]

When I move up in stakes I always have the feeling that I am outplayed. Every raise is a semibluff to me and I lose stacks with top pair everytime there are straight or flush possibilities on the flop... Of course I am often showed a set, two pair or an overpair...

Does this sound familiar? I think it has something to do with knowing that the skill level is a bit higher but not knowing what to do with it.

[Fallen Hero]

That's almost completely psychological, of course the level of the players is better as you move up, but not nearly enough for you to be constantly outplayed at one level when you were a winner in the previous level.

[Hince]

It's hard to say if you are being outplayed without really seeing anything.

I do have some advice, however. Try buying in short and nut peddling for the first bit. It gives your opponents less room to outplay you, and it gives you a chance to get your feet wet.

[Kyriefurro]

I can say, from painful personal experience, if you're getting spanked every time you try to move up, you probably ARE getting outplayed. There's probably a significant hole in your game somewhere that you're not seeing, but your opponents are.

At least, that was the case for me. Then again, maybe you've just had some bad luck.

[jb9]

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I lose stacks with top pair

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With 100 BB stacks, I would usually want something better than top pair to lose a stack with.

If you are getting all in v. flush draws and they river you, that's one thing, but if a lot of the money is going in when you are behind, you should tighten up a bit and give your opponents a bit more credit.

Against an unknown opponent, I will usually give them the benefit of the doubt if they represent a big hand. Sometimes that means I give up on a pot or two against them until I get a read. If I have a read that someone bluffs or semibluffs regularly, then I'll call down or re-raise depending on circumstances.

I'd rather lose a few small pots to bluffs than get stacked by set miners. You'll get a read fairly quickly on an active/bluffing player anyway, and they will give you opportunities to get your money back (especially if they have decided you are weak tight).

[FishNChips]

Post some hands here. post some replies to hands that others post. If you're moving up and getting in with top pair no kicker or even TPTK a lot, then you probably do have a hole and are getting outplayed. The games do get tougher/more aggressive as you move up, but as previous poster stated, from 1 level to the next shouldn't be that different. 2 levels, or 3 levels, you can see it, but 1 level to the next is not a big enough jump to say that you go from winning to losing.

~FishNChips

[jii]

[ QUOTE ]
I do have some advice, however. Try buying in short and nut peddling for the first bit. It gives your opponents less room to outplay you, and it gives you a chance to get your feet wet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Horrible advice. Playing short stacked is not the way to go, it's for players who are not willing to learn the game.

If you multitable, open e.g. one table with the higher buy-in at the beginning.

[mattnxtc]

this isnt too much better. Having multiple levels open can cause just as much confusion

As somebody said earlier...its probably psychological. If you are properly bankrolled??? then dont sweat it..just play your game and youll be alright. If you drop a few buy ins then drop down and rebuild...eventually youll get over the hump

[los_toros]

get a decent sample from the next level and then compare your win rate ... if it is lower or red then you're doing something wrong

note: >10k hands

[prinsrob]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I lose stacks with top pair

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With 100 BB stacks, I would usually want something better than top pair to lose a stack with.

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course, me too :-). But when there are two to a flush on the flop I think my thinking is: 'he must have a flushdraw and is semibluffing, I am reraising ha!', and then he shoves. At a level I feel comfortable at I would not have raised without reads in the first place...

I think it is psychological too (thinking opponents are better combined with the money that means two times as much to you)...

The suggestion to buy in short is a good one I think. I'll try that for a while!