Playing Down to the Level of the Table

[bigjohnstud2o]

i could say different. I have learned this the hard way. 2 months after my marriage my wife asked where $1k had mysteriously gone. I had lost it online playing bad hands. I thought hell i always get rivered so I lost about 250 then was in "try to win it back" mode. That does not work either. Hard lesson and cost me a month of no poker. I decided that should be my punishment for myself that way i never try anything that stupid again.

[BlibbityBlabbity]

Early in my session last night I had this hand....

10 9 in BB

3 calls, LP raises, I call, all call.

A 10 3 (2 clubs) I check, all check to LP who raises.

I call (I had been watching and LP had been showing down garbage, so I figured I would see the turn,if I dont improve, I'm out), all call.

turn is the J clubs putting the straight and flush on the board. All check to the LP who bets, I fold, someone raises, LP re-raises, raiser calls, others fold.

capped on the river, which was a 9.

LP turns over 66 and other turns over A7os, PAIR OF ACES WINS???? I would have won with 2 PAIR?????

You just never know what these players have. They would bet with any pair (regardless of what is on board) and they will bet it down to the river, and turn over garbage.

I might have saved 1 BB by not calling the pre-flop raise or the bet on the flop, but similar to low limit omaha games where lots of players stay in drawing I like to see the turn with anything, then I am out if I don't improve. And I ONLY do this against the players at the table who would bet anything but top pair consistantly. Still not a good play, probably, but if you do improve, you get paid off enough to more than make up for a few SB's lost seeing a few turns IMO.

"buy low, sell high"

[Talking Poker]

You were chasing a 5 outer. Regardless of what the river brought, the correct decision was for you told fold. And if you did chase it, and did catch your river card, how would you like losing to A9, for example?

[BlibbityBlabbity]

When I said "I would have won with 2 pair" I didn't mean I should have played it through, just that in that situation you at least want to see someone win with the straight or the flush, or even Aces over something, BUT NOT A PAIR!!!

I agree you CAN NOT chase in these situations or you will find yourself on serios tilt when they get better results from their chasing (like you said losing to A9).

Edit: Do you mean chasing it as far as I did, or that I shouldn't have chased it any farther. You are probably right in either case. If you think I should have folded on the flop, what situations might I stay in the hand in your opinion? Only with a open ended straight draw, flush draw, or two low pair? Obviously, top pair (with good kicker) and better I would play back into him.

[Defendant]

If by "going down to their level" you mean "play loose, play any 2 cards", then DEFINITELY no. As said before, stick with tight play.

There is however one element you need to consider lowering to their level: You just simply cannot count on most of these people to fall for your bluffs and clever plays: Even if you read someone completely correct...90% of low-limit online fishes are unbluffable.

That to me was the hardest lesson to learn.

Defendant

[hackers238]

I also don't think its an issue of "lowering" your level, just adapting your playing style to the situation, which is the real nitty-gritty of poker.

If you think you need to lower yourself to the table because they're beating you when your playing your "top-game", then your top game isnt very good, is it?

[SoCalBoss]

Well, I suppose every site with a message board has it's share of smartasses (or is it smartassi?). It appears everyone else understood the basis of the question...