I've been playing these tables at Party almost exclusively the past 3 to 4 weeks. I started out doing very well, but now I seem to be in a little bit of a slump. I could use help analyzing some of my play.
I checked out my PT stats and found that after 10,000+ hands AJo and KJo are significant losers for me. From what I can tell, I seem to be playing them too aggressively post-flop when I don't hit at least a pair on the flop. I've been raising these pre-flop in all positions regardless if there are limpers or not, including in the blinds. Should I be less aggressive pre-flop and raise less often? If there is a raise in front of me, I almost always fold KJo and will sometimes play AJo depending on the player and situation at the table.
One of my biggest problems right now is figuring out what to do on the flop when I miss. Since I'm raising a lot of the time pre-flop, I always have this urge to bet on the flop no matter what hits. I rationalize that my opponents don't know what I have and that they should fear me and fold because I raised pre-flop. A few weeks ago, this seemed to be working well. Between sometimes winning the pot by everyone folding and sometimes winning by hitting something on the turn or river, it seemed to be working. This past week it has not been working at all. Here's a couple scenarios I'm finding myself in quite often:
1. KJo - raise pre-flop with 2 to 3 callers. Flop is something like Q74 or T53, A95. Check to me and I bet... get one or two callers. Turn is nothing. Check to me. If I check hear, I show weakness, so I must bet, right? (being somewhat sarcastic since of course I'm weak with KJo LOL) River is another blank. Now my only chance at winning the pot is by betting... must bet. Get called and lose to someone who paired one of their hole cards or who has small to medium pocket pair. I saw a guy call all the way to the river with pocket 3's when the board was all overcards with 4 to the flush. Neither of his 3's were the flush suit and he beat a guy holding AJ who did not have a pair and did not have the flush either.
2. Raise overcards pre-flop and miss on the flop. Bet turn when it misses and get (check-)raised... easy fold, but what a waste. Other times I will bet flop, turn, and then get (check-)raised on river... even worse.
3. Pocket pairs TT-88 have been painful as well. Raise them pre-flop. Flop usually has at least one overcard. Bet, bet, lose... or bet, (check-)raised, fold.
4. Raise pre-flop and miss on flop. I and opponent go something like this: bet/call, bet/call, check/check... I lose. Or: check/check, check/check, check/check... I win/lose, doesn't matter.
I'm just very unsure of myself right now in these situations. I hate checking and calling. I'm supposed to be aggressive, right? Am I supposed to just check and fold to any bet on the flop? Should I be calling a flop bet and then checking and folding when the turn misses?
I know these are very general questions and so much depends on the players and situation at the table. However, I could really use any help and suggestions right now. Do you ever have those nights at the table where you feel like an absolute moron... like whatever decision you make, it turns out to be the wrong one? Well, that's kind of how I've been feeling the past several nights. Please help me find the controlled aggression that I'm desperately searching for! Thanks!
BenStatistics: Posted by Ben — Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:47 pm
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