Why do I even bother with no limit?
As many of my readers know (readers? Hah!), I have not played no limit poker very successfully since Party Poker changed their structure a couple of months ago. For some reason, this bothers the hell out of me and I keep trying to play no limit. So, last night I decided to play a single table of $100 NL at Party Poker (blinds = $0.5/$1.0). I immediately lose $20, but then claw my way back to about even. I'm on the button with KTs; I raise to $4.0, and I get two callers. The flop gives me top pair plus a flush draw. It's checked to me and I make a pot-sized bet (I really just want everyone to fold), but the small blind check-raises me. I think I have the best hand, so I re-raise all-in and he flips over bottom set. I don't improve and I've lost $100 in less than 10 minutes. Borrowing from a non-english speaking golfer: "What a stupid I am!"
After castigating myself for playing no limit, especially at high stakes, I open up three $2/$4 limit tables and I start playing. I am playing very well and I am not catching very many bad beats. I even open up a $3/$6 table (four-tabling!) and I continue to play well. After about 45 minutes, I am back to even for the night. I close the $3/$6 table and one of the $2/$4 tables. I continue to play well, but catch a few more bad beats such that I "only" win $30 for the night. I ask again, why do I even bother with no limit?
This morning I played a little 6-max limit ($0.5/$1.0) at Poker Stars. My first hand, I'm dealt JJ and win. My second hand I'm dealt AA and win. After that, I continue to play virtually perfect limit poker but manage to end the session up only $1-$2. It was one suck-out after another. I'd be dealt AQo, catch an ace on the flop, but my opponent would catch two pair on the river. I'd hold 88 and flop a set, but... my opponent holding top pair catches runner-runner to backdoor a straight. I did receive a little justice on my last hand (dealt KK) when my opponent had top two pair on the river... but the board itself was paired, so I won the hand with kings up. It was just a really weird session of bad beats and suck outs that seems to happen very frequently in short-handed play.
I think the bad beats are more numerous in short handed play because everyone chases to the end. In theory, the bad play should make it more profitable, but it doesn't seem to work that way for me. Perhaps it is because the quality of my play gets worse when I play short-handed.
Oh well, I'm off to get a haircut. Right now I look like the 1964 version of Ringo Starr.
After castigating myself for playing no limit, especially at high stakes, I open up three $2/$4 limit tables and I start playing. I am playing very well and I am not catching very many bad beats. I even open up a $3/$6 table (four-tabling!) and I continue to play well. After about 45 minutes, I am back to even for the night. I close the $3/$6 table and one of the $2/$4 tables. I continue to play well, but catch a few more bad beats such that I "only" win $30 for the night. I ask again, why do I even bother with no limit?
This morning I played a little 6-max limit ($0.5/$1.0) at Poker Stars. My first hand, I'm dealt JJ and win. My second hand I'm dealt AA and win. After that, I continue to play virtually perfect limit poker but manage to end the session up only $1-$2. It was one suck-out after another. I'd be dealt AQo, catch an ace on the flop, but my opponent would catch two pair on the river. I'd hold 88 and flop a set, but... my opponent holding top pair catches runner-runner to backdoor a straight. I did receive a little justice on my last hand (dealt KK) when my opponent had top two pair on the river... but the board itself was paired, so I won the hand with kings up. It was just a really weird session of bad beats and suck outs that seems to happen very frequently in short-handed play.
I think the bad beats are more numerous in short handed play because everyone chases to the end. In theory, the bad play should make it more profitable, but it doesn't seem to work that way for me. Perhaps it is because the quality of my play gets worse when I play short-handed.
Oh well, I'm off to get a haircut. Right now I look like the 1964 version of Ringo Starr.
posted by frazwood at 10:42 AM
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