Copyright 2005 Full
Tilt Poker
November 14, 2005
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Poker Lesson: Strategies for Short-Handed
Limit Hold 'em
Author: Team Full Tilt
Losing is part of poker and all serious players,
including the world's best, can recount losing streaks that lasted
for months. Often, the downswing starts with a particularly unlucky
run of cards. A series of bad beats or impossibly tough hands
eat away at the bankroll. As the bad run continues, and money
continues to disappear, players are forced to confront one of
the toughest questions in poker: Am I a victim of lousy luck or
am I playing poorly?
John D'Agostino knows how difficult it is to find
the correct answer. "Any time I lose a few sessions in a
row, I start questioning myself," D'Agostino says. "But
I know that some days, even if I play perfectly, I'm going to
lose."
Erik Seidel notes that in tournament poker, months-long
dry spells are to be expected. In the midst of such a run it's
hard to know if you're a victim of expected fluctuations or if
there's something wrong with your game. "It's really hard
to determine," says Seidel, "but I think most of us
tend to fool ourselves and tend to think we're playing better
than we are."
Then there's the inevitable interplay between bad
cards and poor play. The pros report that in the midst of a bad
run, bad luck can lead to bad decisions. Jennifer Harman notes
that when things are going poorly, she has a tendency to push
hands. "Let's say I have Ace-King and I don't flop a pair,"
says Harman. "I'll be in there raising. But there's no point.
My table image is bad and nobody thinks I can flop a hand, so
I can't bluff. I might as well wait till I flop a pair. At that
point, my opponents are going to call me down and pay me off anyway."
For D'Agostino, a bad run can lead to more timid
play. 'I definitely made some bad days a lot worse than they needed
to be. Sometimes, I started playing more passively. In the middle
of a hand I'd be asking myself, ‘How is this going to go
wrong?' But if I played the hand the way I usually would, I'd
have won the pot earlier on." D'Agostino says that when he
has that sort of mindset, he's likely to miss bluffing opportunities.
Such a streak can destroy a promising player. Harman
says, "There are a lot of players who have gone on losing
streaks and can't recover. They start playing bad and thinking
that they're doomed forever. And all of a sudden, they're on the
rail."
How do the pros get a handle on their play and determine
what's causing the downswing? Harman recommends sharing hands.
"I'd ask people to watch me play or I'd jot down hands and
ask friends ‘Did I play this right?' If they said I was
playing it wrong, I'd have to reevaluate my play because I was
letting the losing streak affect my play."
"Just book a win," says D'Agostino. He
notes that confidence is critical at the poker table. So, in the
midst of losing streak, leaving a session with a win - even if
it's a small one - can help a player regain that mental edge.
"Once you can feel confident about yourself, things will
start to roll," he says.
Finally, a winning player needs to develop an honest,
self-critical nature. Seidel notes that he rarely talks poker,
but when he and John Junada chat about a play, the conversation
usually begins, "Listen to how badly I played this hand.…"
When playing
online, there's every opportunity to assess your play. Save
your hand histories. When a session is over and your head is clear,
review your actions and see if you can spot problems in your play.
You can also post a hand on the Full Tilt Poker Forum and get
some expert feedback from your poker playing peers.
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