Cash Games
After another disappointing run in the Sit-N-Go’s, I finished the day off with a 2 1/2 hour NL cash game session. Things where going terrible at first, no good cards at all in the first hour and lost big with my set over set, and AJ running into AK.
After that table broke up, I spent another hour and a half grinding it out and regained most of my losses and started to have a little fun, it was a nice change of pace from the tournaments.
I’ve decided to take a short break from the Sit-N-Go’s now, I’m not sure how I’ll achieve this break, either take a day off and only play cash games, or only play one or two tournaments compared to my usual three or four, but its something I feel I need to do right now. Hopefully I’ll then be able to return with a clear head and start to rebuild some success in the Sit-N-Go’s again.
I’ve been advised to get hold of a copy of NL Hold’em Theory by David Sklansky, which I will order today. I’m not very experienced with NL cash games, so it will be interesting and very rewarding to try and build up via these instead of the Sit-N-Go’s, which I have predominantly been playing for some time now.
Lucky Straights 
depending on the buy ins. I think in the lower buyins the optimal play is really tight then open up when there’s about 5 players. The really loose players will knock each other out and the big stacks in the middle of the tourney are usually luckboxes who will call you down with marginal hands. When the blinds get high other players get tighter and that’s when you should steal more if given the right circumstances. Keep your flop seeen % in the 15%-23% range (this includes the SB and BB). Play only premium hands and you should finish ITM on average 1/3 times. NL Hold em Theory is a great book and a must read. Good concepts in there. Keep up the good work!
My aim with the single table Sit-N-Go’s would be to cash in 3/4 and win 1/3, I used to hold a record close to that when I first started, cashing in nearly everyone, but its been a downward slope for awhile now, looking forward to getting my sit-N-Go win rate up as I prefer tournaments to cash games, but I’m also starting to venture into other tournaments, and will probably gradually move away from the single table Sit-N-Go’s at the $1 level.
Good Skill xxx
3/4 cash rate is pretty darn good. 1/3 win rate is pretty good also considering all the gambling being done at these levels. I think the problem is that you’ve gotten better and the level of play at $1 SNGs have stayed the same. Besides I think it’s just variance that’s set you back. If you have the bankroll you should try the $5.00 SNGs. If you can keep your cash/win rate up at your level you should clean up. Hope this helps!
I was just commenting on a similar thing to a friend actually, my game has stepped up, but I’m still playing with the same people,in fact the play from my opponents seems to have gotten worse since I first started to play the Sit-N-Go’s, but this is my mistake not theres, I should play to my opponents not the max of my own ability’s.
I did actually move up prematurely to the $5 Sit-N-Go’s, by re-adding to get my bankroll up so I could handle some swings at the higher buy-ins, but having so much loose money in my bankroll just distracted me, so I removed it and aimed to keep playing until I reach my initial target of $170.
Its been a very rough ride for me though in the $1 Sit-N-Go’s and I’ve been consistently on the worse end of the bubble. I’m taking today of from tournament play, playing cash games only and may even avoid them tomorrow too, long enough to give myself a break so I can come back to them refreshed and with a positive attitude towards them.
Several people have suggested I need to take a break, so although I’m still playing, a break from the tournaments is probably the best thing I could do, I’ve played multiple games virtually every day since I started and I’m on track fro my bonus, so I’ve probably earned a short break.
Thanks for the advise, I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
Instead of Sklansky’s book on Hold’Em theory, if you want to be a winning tourney playing read Harrington on Hold ’em 1 + 2. Understanding M and inflection points and the like will help you a lot and Harrington’s nitty style is actually probably ideal for low-limit tourneys. Sklansky is a limit player and his NL book is really average.
I’m on break from poker right now, (just not playing optimally because I’m not sleeping enough) and breaks are good. Still think about poker and relax and you will come back refreshed.
T
As for tournaments, I own the HOH series and I’m in the middle of 1 at the moment.
The Sklansky text was bought specifically for cash games, though I’m sure it will have some baring on my tournament play as well, from what I have read I really enjoy the HOH series of books.
I’m having a good day today, and folding hand after hand for over an hour in a cash game waiting for a score is good for my discipline, even if it isn’t all that good for my bankroll lol
Good Skill xxx