The road to profitability

[Penguinfan]

This is mostly geared toward cash LIMIT games, but can take any turn you like and I think this can be a valuable thread.

What would you say are the 2 or 3 most important things you have learned that have helped your game go from sticking a rack every time you sit down to actually making money at the game?

I was gonna do this as a poll, but that would leave out everyone elses thoughts, so have at it, if you could teach a new player one thing right off the bat, what would it be?

For me I think when I finally realized it was OK to muck a big hand when I thought it was beat instead of losing 2 or 3 more bets with it. Sure I throw away a winner from time to time, but I think I save more by losing less if that makes any sense at all. I see people uncapable of throwing away KK with a flop of A-Q-Q against even a capped pot. Sure KK is a fantastic starting hand, but it is just that, a starting hand and is probably beat against that board. Time and time again I see people put 8 or more bets into a pot with that exact circumstance and flash their KK just to show what they lost with.

The value of starting hands has to rank right up there as well.

Not playing Axs from anything but the button or blinds has saved me alot.

The value of positon as it relates to your hand.

And even more recently the stakes of the game as it relates to my bankroll is coming into the mix, much better to sit just below your bankroll's level than above it even if you are skilled enough simply because of the inevitable bad session will put more of a hurt in you than you think.

Surely everyone can add something to this list, feel free to talk tournaments as well if you like, but what is something that has you going in the right direction that you picked up along the way?

Penguinfan

[fonzerelli_79]

in limit ive learned to throw away low pairs - saved me a lot of cash

[SirFWALGMan]

I have learned that passive players never win. It's alright to take a shot at the pot on the flop. It is ok to aggressively fold. It is not ok to passively call. The biggest way to be a looser is to play your hands like a looser. If you think your ahead then you better be betting!

[lightfungus]

If you are having a bad session, and it continues to be bad, get up from the table and give yourself time to refresh your mind. Because there arent many better ways to lose money than to sit down at a table thinking you have to win and playing scared.

[PShabi]

1. Correctly choosing starting hands (position, people in, etc.)
2. Using the raise at the right time for the right reason. (If you're doing this correctly, along with #3, you should look like a maniac)
3. Folding when you're beat.

Now all 3 of these simple statements include a lot details but I like those as my limit top 3.

[Gutzz]

IMHO, you do gotta have good starting hands based on position and situation, and you do have to make sure you're aggro and not passivo... With good PFRing and good Aggro factor on flop turn and river...

Making sure you can fold a good hand isn't always good. I mean if you're consciously thinking you gotta start folding good hands, then you'll start losing money (or winning less).

Basically do what you can to make sure you aren't calling too much or too little. For me, in limit, I rarely fold good hands to 1 or 2 bets, unless it's 3bet to me or something like that, or the pot is smallish.

In NL my went to showdown stats were like 20 percent or something, maybe a little less. like 18. My WTS for limit is 33. Probably a little high, I'd like to trim it to 30, but as long as it's not ridiculously low or ridiculously high, I think I'll be ok. Same with you .

Cheers,

Gutzz

[bdawg31]

What has crushed me twice now is moving up in limits too soon. I thought i learned my lesson the first time i did it. i am HOPING i have learned my lesson this second recent time.

I liked the post about throwing away second best/strong hands. I have found that to be important as well. Also, to not get rattled when you do throw away a hand that would have been a winner - its okay to make that occasional 'mistake' - but you just have to keep in mind that the right decision will make/save you money over the long-haul - just like all the other correct decisions will not always win, but make you money over the long-haul.

[Aequitas58]

Little late getting to this thread, but it seems like the few people who responded kinda pinpointed the essentials: position, starting hands, blah blah blah.

What I have come to realize is that you have to recognize what game you're playing. For instance, beating the $25NL tables is, IMO, fucking cake. The players are so bad that THEY make mistakes, and all I have to do is sit back and capitalize on them. Sounds kind of devious? I guess it is, but they're lining my pockets.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - know why you're playing. (This isn't directed at you, penguin!) If you're trying to become a great player, then you have to sit in tough games and learn the tricks of the trade. Put moves on your opponents. Bluff more, etc. Read everything, post, criticize... the list goes on and on.

If you're just trying to make money, then find the softest games, and just play tight. Let your opponents beat themselves. This is what I do. Rarely - and I mean rarely - do I get fancy at low-limit-no-limit holdem.

Tidbits to Consider...

When you're sitting at these tables, play all pocket pairs. Even if it's raised preflop. (To something reasonable.) When you hit a set, slow play in early position, check/call in late position. One of those stupid idiots will make a big bet to bluff, and you can call or re-raise at that point. Cha-Ching!!

Let go of KJo in early position. It's a shit hand. It's only going to get you in trouble.

Open raise with the top 4 hands from any position.

If you're going to bluff, then you have to bet at least the size of the pot. Anything less is futile. Take my advice on this one.

Don't be stupid and decide to go all-in just to steal the pot. Even w/ top pair. Party players are river rats, and if you let them hang around too cheaply, there's a very good possibility that your TPTK is no good, or your two pair is counterfieted.

I could seriously write a book on PartyPoker's $25NL. I'll save you the trouble of going thru a long post.

[badblood44]

For me, it was most definitely playing within the limits of my bankroll.

I had no concept of risk of ruin, nor the variance that hold 'em has.