Having a problem adjusting my game.

ThunderEagle · #1 04-09-2006, 03:28 AM

I've been trying to make some forays into .25/.50 limits from my normal .10/.20 (PokerStars). I've also recently started playing at PartyPoker and play .15/.30 there on their beginner tables. I still do great at those levels, in fact I'v ran 3.71 BB/100 over 16k hands at .10/.20.

Now, I don't have enough hands at .25/.50 to be significant, but I'm currently on a -108 BB down swing. Obviously I must not be quite ready to move up. The games really do seem different to me, and I can't seem to adjust.

In general the games seem to be a bit tighter, a lot of < 15% VP$IP and more than I thought I would see below 10%. Seems to be 3 or 4 of these types at every table I sit at. A lot of the hands I used to try and limp with, smaller suited connectors in late position I have to pass up on because the pot is raised in front of me. A lot of the time when I grab a monster hand, I'm just getting the blinds when I raise. I've been used to getting a few cold callers with my big PF hands, and thereby making decent money on them.

I'd like to keep pushing the envelope a bit, but I don't know how to cobat this differnt play style. Tighten up myself? Loosen up?

Thrakkar · #2 04-09-2006, 04:39 AM

Welcome to the club! [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

You are not the only one experiencing this. What I am currently trying is this:
- Raise more 1st in (there are a few good posts around this topic: "You kids need to start raising AJo" from Eeegah or "A9s and a busted flush draw" from nuts)
- Work on getting good reads on opponents: (From whom can I steal blinds? Whom can I value bet? Who is aggro but slows down easily? Who raises with great hands only? What do people raise with PF?)
- Play ONE table only to get good reads.
- Change tables if I feel uncomfortable!!!
- Play speculative hands less (i.e. small suited connectors; Kx suited)

But as I am struggling to adapt just as you are, please regards this as things to think about NOT as expert advice! I'm looking forward to replies from the cracks! Good post and don't lose hope!

Thomas

borges · #3 04-09-2006, 09:20 AM

I was playing from the SSHE chart when I was at .05/.1. When I went to .25/.5, I found that I needed virtually no adjustment at all. When I went to .5/1 is where I noticed that I had to tighten up quite a bit. I've never played at Party at these levels, but my impression is that Party is tighter at these limits than the sites I was playing on. Do you have PT and PAHUD? If a 10/8/.2 player
raises the pot in front of me.....I muck just about anything except for a few very premium hands.....so it's not that hard to stay away from those guys, they aren't really in that many pots with you anyway (assuming your VPIP is around 20 or so)

ThunderEagle · #4 04-09-2006, 01:13 PM

Well, one, I've been playing without the charts for a while. I don't play Kxs as it is. I'm playing small suited connectors less because often the pot is already raised in front of me.

Trust me, AJo gets raised by me in unraised pots. Maybe I need to start getting away from overs on the flop more, continuation bet less and get off of tables that are this tight, but it seems like these are the only ones I find.

Fantam · #5 04-09-2006, 01:24 PM

Tighten up from early position.

But loosen up your preflop raising requirements when you are first or second in from middle and late position.

Dont go too crazy, but if the table is tight, you will probably be able to win some more blinds without a fight.

Also if you do get called you still have a chance of winning the hand, if you are raising with reasonable hands.

Also by raising preflop with more hands (taking your position into account), you should get better action when you do raise with your premium hands.

I think that both WLLHE and SSHE give recommendations for preflop raising requirements.

NCAces · #6 04-09-2006, 01:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I don't play Kxs as it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not? There are clearly times when you should play Kxs and if you don't you are giving up some +EV.

NCAces

ThunderEagle · #7 04-09-2006, 01:51 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't play Kxs as it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not? There are clearly times when you should play Kxs and if you don't you are giving up some +EV.

NCAces

[/ QUOTE ]

Let me rephrase, I don't play below K9s typically, unless the table is really loose, and only in late position or the blinds.

In my opinion, it isn't worth the risk, unlike Axs.

Darth_Holdem · #8 04-09-2006, 02:14 PM

Aha!!! So I'm not the only one having 'fun' with Party .5/1.
Everyone thought it was just me - a few weeks back.
My only advice is Tighten UP!
When I play tight I do ok.
I started to attempt to play more aggressive and my chips were on the express train out of my bankroll.
I actually stopped playing right now cuz I'm on the same bb rate as you and I dunno how to stop it on Party anyways.

Blowup Doll · #9 04-09-2006, 02:51 PM

[ QUOTE ]
In my opinion, it isn't worth the risk

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're giving up +EV because "it isn't worth the risk", then you're playing scared. Go back down a level until you're not scared anymore and then move up. Lots of people have this problem when they move up. There's no shame in going back down to polish up your game.

Alexisonfyre · #10 04-09-2006, 03:30 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In my opinion, it isn't worth the risk

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're giving up +EV because "it isn't worth the risk", then you're playing scared. Go back down a level until you're not scared anymore and then move up. Lots of people have this problem when they move up. There's no shame in going back down to polish up your game.

[/ QUOTE ]Not playing Kx suited is not necessarily a leak in your game...