[ballen]

I wanted to drop a note into this forum of thanks. There is not one suggestion that has helped my game in particular, but I found an underlying theme in my questions and the responses I received.

I tended to try to play my big hands from behind too much, trying to be tricky and to hide my strength, hoping to squeeze more money out of my opponents. Conversely, I tended to overbet my marginal hands, hoping to play players off or improve significantly. I wasn't a big loser because I am playing low limits and could get away from a hand if I didn't improve, but I wasn't making a mint either.

I have changed; in part due to some of the comments I received here, rolled up with personal observation of the players who are consistently winning big, and with the addition of some disipline. My new motto is this...

"If you bet it, they will call!"

I am playing my strong hands very strongly now and people just go along for the ride. No trickery is needed. Just bet your trips heavy and people will call with top pair and a good kicker. Flop a straight and overbet it and for some unknown reason people think that you are on a bluff. If you happen to catch a nut flush on the river, bet to your hearts content because that other guy with the Q of your suit will think you are trying to play him off. It is amazing to watch.

I was watching the consistent money winners at my tables and was shocked by how often people called them when it was obvious they had a nut hand and made a BIG bet. Now it is me that they are calling. Amazing! Why was I complicating this so much, trying to trick players into re-raising or trying to bet "just enough to get them to call". It turns out that "just enough to get them to call" is a lot more than I thought it was. Sure, there are players you need to play smarter with, but an amazing majority of players will just call a big bet, even an all-in, with almost no hand. They usually follow with the, "NH... I knew I was beat, but I was pot committed" line. What the hell is that? They should say, "I knew I was beat, but I have always felt that it is a good idea to throw good money after bad." I have even seen players calling a river bet when they miss their flush draw hoping that their Ace high stands up.

On the other side of things, I am now not overbetting my big paired hands. I was trying to deny pot odds to draws too often and finding myself betting into trips or two pair or worse yet, someone calling on the draw without odds. When I overbet my TPTK flops, I was just committing myself to the pot without learning anything more about the quality of the other players hand and, if the third flush card or straight card came on the turn, I didn't have any more confidence that the player wasn't drawing to the flush than I did before. Wasn't that the reason for my original large bet? If it isn't working, why do it? Keeping my bets smaller with TPTK type hands has made me lose a lot less money when I am beat, and win more when I do have the best hand. When I am betting less, calling stations tend to call my smallish bets down to the river, paying me off when they used to fold to my big flop bets. Now they think that A5 will hold up to my AK on an Ace high flop and they stick it out. If the third card to a flush or a straight does come, it is now a lot easier to get away from it then it used to be.

I am on fire lately at the tables and really appreciate the feedback I have received to my posts and questions. Keep up the critical opinions of me, please:)

[ThomasR]

I'm glad you've picked up some ideas from the forums. I doubt anybody but the newest of players will learn anything majorly significant, but with all the questions and answers flying around it's sure to give tips and hints to tweak and improve your game. I know I've learn things too.

You need to understand also, that you're not always playing with bluffers. Although these kinds of player are easy to read and steer clear of, they are seldom going to lose money and anybody that calls them after making a big bet is an idiot - as you witnessed yourself.

Glad you're improving, good luck