Really just doesn’t feel like SSS is profitable.

18.11.2009, 05:40 0

I'm playing on FTP SSS and over 20k hands now have lost just over $20. During this time I've made a few basic observations as to why I think this is the case:

1. There is a HEAP of people doing the SSS, this makes finding good tables quite challenging and if I'm not paying close attention to make up on each table I'm playing, it is quite common that I'll suddenly find I'm playing against 6 other players with $2 or less.

2. A LOT of people know how SSS works. If I get a playable hand and do the standard 4+1 BB raise, one of 2 things happens; it either gets folded and I pick up 15c of blinds (I'd say 75% of the time), or secondly I end up in a race with another SSS player with KK vs. AA or QQ vs. AK etc (probably 23% of the time)... honestly, only 2% of the time am I lucky enough to have a donk call me with cards that I'am well ahead of. Unfortunately this is not often enough to break even close to even due to blinds.

I do believe that maybe even only a year or two ago SSS would've been quite profitable, as your average poker player at micro stakes was rather lousy. These days a Very large percentage of players are well informed on concepts like starting hands, odds & equity, implied odds etc...

5 replies

_Anonymous_

18.11.2009, 06:00 0

I feel that SSS is profitable when done right. I'm playing at fulltilt and I think there are alot of players playing with a 20bb stack but not using any strategy whatsoever. There are also many playing basic SSS which are pretty easy to take advantage of. Then you have the guys like me who grinded there way to a decent bankroll playing basic/bronze level SSS and then pissed it all away playing more "advanced" because they thought they were a better player than they actually are. I do agree that table selection is important, but selecting you're opponants is more important. Player notes and stats are crucial. Patience is key to SSS. It is difficult to keep raising just to fold to 3-bets, But then when you have a big enough hand to 4-bet your opponant is commited and pays you off. Picking the right spots to steal blinds helps alot also. I think that the basic and bronze level stuff works really well in NL10 and NL25. When you start adding the silver/gold level stuff be careful. I've managed to lose almost 3/4 of my bankroll in 10k hands. If I've learned anything from this downswing it's that when you're running bad spend more time reviewing your play because luck is only part of it. Right now I'm running over $200 below EV but I'm down $300 because I've been playing poorly. Sorry for the long post.

Good luck

_Anonymous_

18.11.2009, 06:28 0

Thanks, I've now lost $40, so I'm almost bust, might have to move down to 1c,2c sigh.... I feel like the poker gods must hate me, I would say I've easily lost $60 to terribly bad beats, thank god for rakeback and bonuses or I'd have been out of money a week ago.

_Anonymous_

18.11.2009, 15:18 0

Just stick to the strategy, play solid poker and follow proper BRM. That's all you can do and things will turn around. At least that's what I keep telling myself. Most importantly, have fun. If it's not enjoyable take some time away from poker.

Good luck

_Anonymous_

19.11.2009, 07:40 0

I've dropped to 2,5 and it's going well; it's really sad actually, most 2,5 tables have more money at them and looser players than the 5,10 tables

_Anonymous_

19.11.2009, 08:18 0

It's cause all the SSS players start off at nl10, so you see a lot more of them at those stakes. The only time people play SSS at lower stakes is when they lose money and have to drop down a level. I find there's ALOT of bad beats at Fulltilt, I suck out and get sucked out fairly often.

[Closed] Really just doesn't feel like SSS is profitable.