I’ve been only been playing poker as of October 2014 so compared to most people quite new to the game but I consider myself to be a good player at least for my level of experience. I was playing at 40 seated tournament at the casino tonight, made the final table but was first to get knocked out 8th place after nearly 6 hours of play (cashing £40). Happy to cash but annoyed with myself for making some mistakes and getting confused in certain situations. Playing tonight sort of made me aware of quite a few holes in my game and I’m not really sure how to address them. I’m sure if it weren't for these difficulties I would have been in with a good chance of winning.
Consider myself to be tight with a passive aggressive style, I often slow play to under rep strong hands, here is a lose example of a hand I played tonight. eg limp UTG with KK player from mid position raises, the button calls then I call, K comes on the flop giving me a set (think there was an A on the board) I check, 2 players left to act both bet to which I call, check raise the turn then go all in on the river.
I think because I play so passive aggressively by trapping with strong hands especially on a scary board so as not to scare other players off, allowing me to get max value I get paranoid that other players may do the same. This is an issue against looser aggressive players who have a much broader range where I hit mid to low pair on scary boards. I also struggle where I completely miss but I feel check folding is not the right play as half the time Im just being weak and giving away chips. I’ve hypothesised some very vague hand examples of the top of my head purely as the sort of areas where I have trouble.
How would you describe your style of play and how would you play these hypothetical hands (they are far from perfect examples so think of them more of a rough guide to the sort of position you are in rather than specific situations).
Playing strong-mediocre hands form early position
• Hero picks up e.g KJo UTG raise 3x bb, villain 3 bet from mid to late position. Call, fold? If hero calls and flop comes in A 9 7, CB, CF, CC?
Putting pressure on opponents as chip leader?
• Hero picks up e.g Q8s Mid position as the chip leader? Villain limps UTG Hero calls, Villain calls on the button.
Flop comes in A K 8 missing the flush. Villain checks. Check back or bet out? Because I trap a lot I’m overly conscious about villain doing the same? If I were to hit a board like that UTG I may CC down to the river and then raise or shove and if I bet out I’m worried about villain doing the same thus putting my chip lead at risk. As chip leader I feel more comfortable defending my lead even though I know I should be exploiting it as an advantage.
Defending blinds with speculative hands
• Hero picks up e.g 87o/87s etc on the blind, action folds round to the button, villain raises 3xbb. Check/fold? Hero calls flop e.g AQ2 lead out or check/fold?
Playing heads up as small blind vs big blind with speculative hands
• Action folds round to hero on SB with A4s I don’t like raising here because if he has an A im probably behind, and if I miss he could have anything if he is blind, I feel calling is weak here and I don’t just want to fold and give away my blinds. Min raise, BB calls, flop 10 6 5. CB, CC, CF?
Overall I feel I can trap rather creatively to build up and then win massibe pot without my opponents realising what’s going on until its too late but then a combination of the above leaks causes me to bleed away chips slowly.
