How do you guys fix bad habits?

Originally posted by tommygecko
Right now I have a very bad and costly habit. I overplay overpairs too much, and I'm a non believer sometimes when I reach river with tptk or overpair.

I acknowledge the bad habit, I know how much it is costing me (1BI per session). I tell myself everyday I need to stop. However it all doesn't work, during the session itself I still can't seem to click the fold button (even when I know folding is right).

I think I need to follow a system to help me get rid of this bad habit. Anyone has any suggestions?

Edit: Maybe move this to general discussions so I can get more response?

Anticipation. You have to see the possibility of being crushed coming, and decide before it happens that you are going to fold, if he does shove you.

Try it out, I think it might help. - Been struggling with thesame problem, and it doesn't work everytime, but quite often. It's also an experience thing, after awhile you've made that mistake enough times to just realize it's alittle stupid and most of all -ev.

i can be the same sometimes. the reason we don't believe it is because we've seen people get crazy with worse many times and they stand out. we cling onto the hope that this guy is doing the same now just because we can't bare to fold our pretty hand.

the times that our hands hold up in these spots are much much less often than the times we are crushed. problem is we want to find a way to justify not folding and obviously when we remember people going crazy before we will find that justification.

also +1 to what guthans said. especially about planning and understanding your relative hand strength. i saw a couple of your hands and you need to just think about what you try to accomplish, what weaker hands will continue etc. an example from your AA hand, you can raise for value vs that guy but the second he ships on you you're done. he can call your raise with worse hands but if he ships you're screwed 99% of the time. once you pay attention to raising for value (for example) vs the right sort of guys, you'll start to be able to plan for it saying "i'll raise/fold and barrel one more on the turn then i'll take my free showdown IP"... or something ♦ .

another thing i've seen people using as justification for overplaying hands is the whole protection thing. "oh i have to stick it in with my AA here because the board is wet and they are probably on a FD/SD." but this is wrong vs fishy guys because passive players will be playing draws passively and check/calling, check/calling and donking if they hit. obv talking very vaguely here but i think you just gotta keep your eyes peeled for this stuff and you'll quickly see some patterns.

i'll keep this thread in this forum cos it seems to fit better in here. i'm sure you'll get some replies

Hi tommygecko

You've taken the most important first step: Recognize the problem.

Having done that, what next?

Overpairs can be played as a way ahead / way behind situation. Have a look and seen if that gives you some ideas...

All the best,
--VS

I agree with Vorpal that recognizing the problem is the most important step in getting rid of a bad habit, which you seem to have done!

In this specific situation, I think it's important to realize in which situations you can go for full value, and in which situations you should be going for pot control. If a passive guy raises your overpair, you can almost instantly muck your hand, because you're hardly ever going to be ahead. If an aggressive guy keeps donking into you and you have position, just call him down as long as the board allows it. The last thing you want to do is raise your opponent off of his bluffs (unless he's betting really small, in which case you should probably raise for value). The way you play an overpair is (like almost everything in poker) largely dependent on your opponent's tendencies (and the way the board runs out).

Of course this is hugely generalized, but it should give you a bit of an idea. I also definitely think you should take a look at the article on way ahead/way behind situations that Vorpal linked to. That should definitely help out

1. Recognize the problem
2. Find the cause of the problem
3. Figure out solutions for that cause
4. Implement them in forms of new habits

1. Keep calling raises with overpairs.
2. Go busto.
3. Reload.
4. go to "1".

or just STAHP DOING THIS ♦