I'm done playing cash poker for now

[Giants Fan 85]

I need 3 more hours to get into a $15k tournament full of donkey limit players .... but that's the problem. I saw a guy tonight flop top 2 pair on a 1/2 NL table .... he had KQ flop was KQ5 .... he went all in, like $140 into a $20 pot. Old man called him .... with pocket nines and rivered a nine. It should be juicy ..... but the rake, plus tipping the dealers when you win a hand and the donkey suckouts ... I much prefer tournament play. I hafta face it ... I'm a tournament player .... my style does not translate well to cash .... because picking up a lot of small pots has very little value in that situation (again see: rake, tipping).

 

So ... I'm done trying to play cash, at least for awhile. I'm gonna make this 30 hours, to get in the tournament .... and then I am gonna stick strictly to tourneys.

[heavy-set 39]

hmmmmmmm...... did you run out of cash? May 1 will be here soon enough

[Giants Fan 85]

All day I was getting rivered too, More than one hand nobody wants to hear a story about .... but I'm stuck $350 on the day.

 

Pretty bad day. AK lost to AQ ... AJ lost to KJ ... QQ lost to J9 (rivered a 2 outer).

[Giants Fan 85]

I have some cash, but it's not money I feel comfortable gambling. If I don't do well in these tourneys I earned my way into ...

 

Ding dong ... Dominos.

[heavy-set 39]

iam pulling 4 ya

[drobeski 3,061]

River this .....all 5 cards count ...only a donkey would think otherwise.

[Giants Fan 85]

I look at my ledger .... and I haven't notated wins that were cash or tourney .... but I know ... it's minus cash ... all the big minuses are cash ... I can't beat the rake, the tip and the calling stations on a 1/2 table.

 

It's just not my game. I'm a good tournament player ... and I just need to accept that I can't translate my game to a no pressure ... blinds never go up .... buy back in whenever you want, situation.

 

It's not my game. I'm wasting my time. I don't have the patience or the BR for that.

[Giants Fan 85]

Ok just 1 hand.

 

I was down to like $50 from $120 .... and I had a pretty good idea that the guy to my left was raising to $10 preflop with garbage a lot of the time. So I called him with K5 suited. Flop came KQ5. I went all in, he called with A,9 off.

 

Turn was a 9 .... river was an ace.

[Giants Fan 85]

So ... I still gotta put in 3 hours of cash play. Gonna just play super tight.

 

If any of you have ideas about crushing donkeys at 1/2 NL live ... now would be the time to tell me.

[WhiteWonder 2,201]

didnt you want to be a poker pro?

 

 

cant do that playing only tournaments.

[Johnny Ringo 0]

Ok just 1 hand.

 

I was down to like $50 from $120 .... and I had a pretty good idea that the guy to my left was raising to $10 preflop with garbage a lot of the time. So I called him with K5 suited. Flop came KQ5. I went all in, he called with A,9 off.

 

Turn was a 9 .... river was an ace.

 

You called a 5X BB raise pre-flop out of position with K-5 suited. Nothing that you typed after that matters. You had no business being in the hand...period. If you were that convinced that he was raising with air and you wanted his $10 that badly, you should have come over the top with a big re-raise. Calling here is a donkey play.

[IronToe Nedney 0]

didnt you want to be a poker pro?

 

 

cant do that playing only tournaments.

 

 

So wrong.

[BLS 313]

Geez, I thought you were unemployed?

[Gepetto 997]

You called a 5X BB raise pre-flop out of position with K-5 suited. Nothing that you typed after that matters. You had no business being in the hand...period. If you were that convinced that he was raising with air and you wanted his $10 that badly, you should have come over the top with a big re-raise. Calling here is a donkey play.

 

This.

[The Moz 69]

Tournaments are a grind and to me just not that much fun.

 

Only tournament I did well in was last year the 500 dollar buy in tounrey for 16 seats at the WSOP main event - I made it to the 28th out -- took like 10 hours of 1 10 minute break every 2 hours.

 

I am better at cash games but just like them better as I can get up every 3 rounds and have a smoke / get a drink. Also I like playing with real money.

 

 

In cash games the key is to play tight the first hour and show your cards every so often then take down a bluff and act pissed the other guy folded. As long as you don't play garbage or bluff a lot you can usually eek out about a 2-300 profit in about 6 hours. Unless you play too long. My motto is when I can fill a tray of reds at a 1-2 table I leave - on occasion I get a bad beat and felt.

 

I play mostly 2-5 now becasue its a better game and not as many chasers , easier to bluff , bigger pay days.

[WhiteWonder 2,201]

So wrong.

 

you think you can make a living strictly playing in poker tournaments, with no cash games?

 

maayyyybe, but that seems like alot of hours to put in with way more potential for no income.

 

I know more than a few people who play poker "professionally" and none of them strictly play tournaments.

[Strike 4,050]

you think you can make a living strictly playing in poker tournaments, with no cash games?

 

maayyyybe, but that seems like alot of hours to put in with way more potential for no income.

 

I know more than a few people who play poker "professionally" and none of them strictly play tournaments.

 

There are many pros who are known as tournament players only. Hellmuth is a horrible cash game player. Watch his performance on high stakes poker. Yeah, these guys are the elite of poker but the point is that yes one can do well only playing tournaments. It's how good you are that matters. Of course, GFIAFP sucks at both so it doesn't really matter for purposes of this thread.

[IronToe Nedney 0]

you think you can make a living strictly playing in poker tournaments, with no cash games?

 

maayyyybe, but that seems like alot of hours to put in with way more potential for no income.

 

I know more than a few people who play poker "professionally" and none of them strictly play tournaments.

 

 

There are thousand of tourney only pros out there, they are online pros though. These guys play 20-30 tourneys a day, 5-6 days a week. Sounds too much like a job to me.

[WhiteWonder 2,201]

There are many pros who are known as tournament players only. Hellmuth is a horrible cash game player. Watch his performance on high stakes poker. Yeah, these guys are the elite of poker but the point is that yes one can do well only playing tournaments. It's how good you are that matters. Of course, GFIAFP sucks at both so it doesn't really matter for purposes of this thread.

 

ok. i wasnt talking about the big names we see in commercials. Those guys have numerous endorsement deals and make up a very small % of people who clssify themselves as "pro's". they are the best of the best and can likely finish in the money in a large % of tournaments they play in.

 

i'm talking about people who try to make a living playing poker. For the most part they are average joes. Basically anyone can call themselves a poker pro. And even good players, as im sure we have some great ones on this board, are not good enough to consistantly cash in larger tournaments. At least not enough to make a good living.

[eaglesinmylifetime 0]

Every time I have a really bad night or weekend, I consider quitting cash games. But I think tournaments are basically donkaments and it's so much harder to make money in a tournament.

 

I dropped $800 this weekend in cash. Did I play well? Not really. But I could have had $700 back last night if a donkey hadn't called my all-in on the flop.

 

Eff stacks: $280. I limp with 55. Raised to $11 by a guy who had been raising a lot. Two callers, so I call. Flop gin. Qh 5d 4h. I lead out for $15. Raiser makes it $40 to go and two people call in between. I shove for $250ish. Two fold. Donkey chaser gets up from the table, can't decide what to do. All night he's calling everyone a chaser. He flips up 6h 8h and calls me and spikes the 2h on the river. I was pissed that he called, because I was running bad for the night and he always sucks out on me. I would have had $400 and only dropped $200 for the night had he just folded. But instead, I had a chance to actually be ahead for the night. I was pissed at first, but now I'm thankful he called.

 

Sit back and evaluate your play. Figure out if you are making the right play on every hand ... or at least most of them.

[drobeski 3,061]

What with this donkey nonsense ....people shouldn't have called crap ? ....its their money they can play the cards the way they want ...its funny the folks always whining about losing to donks ...are um losing .....Texas holdem has really created a bunch of self proffered know it all jerks....

All 5 cards play kids and whoever pays for their chips can play them as they like....

[MedStudent 56]

I need 3 more hours to get into a $15k tournament full of donkey limit players .... but that's the problem. I saw a guy tonight flop top 2 pair on a 1/2 NL table .... he had KQ flop was KQ5 .... he went all in, like $140 into a $20 pot. Old man called him .... with pocket nines and rivered a nine. It should be juicy ..... but the rake, plus tipping the dealers when you win a hand and the donkey suckouts ... I much prefer tournament play. I hafta face it ... I'm a tournament player .... my style does not translate well to cash .... because picking up a lot of small pots has very little value in that situation (again see: rake, tipping).

 

So ... I'm done trying to play cash, at least for awhile. I'm gonna make this 30 hours, to get in the tournament .... and then I am gonna stick strictly to tourneys.

 

Go for it man. You are obviously the best poker player from the geek club. Give it a shot.

[cbfalcon 824]

I don't have a lot of confidence that I'm good enough at poker to make a living at it. But reading all of you people's posts kind of gives me confidence that I could in fact do it.

 

It seems most of the complaints are about people wanting donkeys to stop chasing. We got guys saying they move to 2-5 to get away from chasers. Another guy saying he wanted a guy with only a 32% shot to hit a flush folding his $210 when he's getting less than 2 to 1. ETC.

 

My general thinking is the opposite. I want to play with donkeys that will chase draws despite not having the correct odds. Give me those type opponents every day and twice on Thursday. Yeah, you'll get drawn out on a lot, but the math don't lie. It's a long run game, and if you can't weather that week where 32% draws hit at a 50% rate in order to get to the next week when people are still overpaying but their 32% draws are only hitting at a 14% rate, then you probably should be playing at lower stakes.

 

Maybe that's it. You complainers are just playing at the wrong stakes and haven't properly worked your way into the stakes you are playing at and complaining about.

[eaglesinmylifetime 0]

I don't have a lot of confidence that I'm good enough at poker to make a living at it. But reading all of you people's posts kind of gives me confidence that I could in fact do it.

 

It seems most of the complaints are about people wanting donkeys to stop chasing. We got guys saying they move to 2-5 to get away from chasers. Another guy saying he wanted a guy with only a 32% shot to hit a flush folding his $210 when he's getting less than 2 to 1. ETC.

 

My general thinking is the opposite. I want to play with donkeys that will chase draws despite not having the correct odds. Give me those type opponents every day and twice on Thursday. Yeah, you'll get drawn out on a lot, but the math don't lie. It's a long run game, and if you can't weather that week where 32% draws hit at a 50% rate in order to get to the next week when people are still overpaying but their 32% draws are only hitting at a 14% rate, then you probably should be playing at lower stakes.

 

Maybe that's it. You complainers are just playing at the wrong stakes and haven't properly worked your way into the stakes you are playing at and complaining about.

 

 

You're absolutely right. I wanted my opponent to fold, because I was having a bad night and wanted to take down a pretty sizeable pot. He had borderline bad odds to call and made the call anyway. He hit. I suck.

 

It's all about variance. Yet I watch players who I am as good as constantly leave the table with a profit of 2-3 buyins while I'm grinding away and occasionally getting stacked like I did above. Why? Variance. It's tough to deal with it at $1/$2 NL, where we are mostly recreational players who aren't sitting on a $10K bankroll. I have a few buyins. Less than 10. It's not optimal, in fact, it's terrible. But it is what it is.

 

I have people where I play tell me I should move up and shortstack $2/$5 once in a while. Buy in for $300 or so rather than playing $1/$2 for $200. IDK. I think about it a lot with some of the suckouts but they'd be more devastating at $2/$5 and I think players are just as likely to want to stack you there as they are at $1/$2.

[cbfalcon 824]

You're absolutely right. I wanted my opponent to fold, because I was having a bad night and wanted to take down a pretty sizeable pot. He had borderline bad odds to call and made the call anyway. He hit. I suck.

 

It's all about variance. Yet I watch players who I am as good as constantly leave the table with a profit of 2-3 buyins while I'm grinding away and occasionally getting stacked like I did above. Why? Variance. It's tough to deal with it at $1/$2 NL, where we are mostly recreational players who aren't sitting on a $10K bankroll. I have a few buyins. Less than 10. It's not optimal, in fact, it's terrible. But it is what it is.

 

I have people where I play tell me I should move up and shortstack $2/$5 once in a while. Buy in for $300 or so rather than playing $1/$2 for $200. IDK. I think about it a lot with some of the suckouts but they'd be more devastating at $2/$5 and I think players are just as likely to want to stack you there as they are at $1/$2.

 

What I'm about to say is obvious, but......When the money is a factor in your decision making, it's almost impossible to play your best poker.

 

I've played tons of 1/2 and a fair amount of 2/5. In my experience, nothing about a 2/5 game is easier in any way. Sure, you can bluff a little more and they will chase a little less. But they'll also bluff you successfully a lot more and not give you the right odds to ever go after a draw. And on top if it all, the money is a major major factor in deciding what to do.

 

But that's just me. I'm not even a pro like most the other posters here.

[eaglesinmylifetime 0]

What I'm about to say is obvious, but......When the money is a factor in your decision making, it's almost impossible to play your best poker.

 

I've played tons of 1/2 and a fair amount of 2/5. In my experience, nothing about a 2/5 game is easier in any way. Sure, you can bluff a little more and they will chase a little less. But they'll also bluff you successfully a lot more and not give you the right odds to ever go after a draw. And on top if it all, the money is a major major factor in deciding what to do.

 

But that's just me. I'm not even a pro like most the other posters here.

 

 

 

You are right and I always have been amazed at the total lack of respect pro players had for money.

[Mookz 1,288]

Tournaments are a grind and to me just not that much fun.

 

Only tournament I did well in was last year the 500 dollar buy in tounrey for 16 seats at the WSOP main event - I made it to the 28th out -- took like 10 hours of 1 10 minute break every 2 hours.

 

I am better at cash games but just like them better as I can get up every 3 rounds and have a smoke / get a drink. Also I like playing with real money.

 

 

In cash games the key is to play tight the first hour and show your cards every so often then take down a bluff and act pissed the other guy folded. As long as you don't play garbage or bluff a lot you can usually eek out about a 2-300 profit in about 6 hours. Unless you play too long. My motto is when I can fill a tray of reds at a 1-2 table I leave - on occasion I get a bad beat and felt.

 

I play mostly 2-5 now becasue its a better game and not as many chasers , easier to bluff , bigger pay days.

Sounds like a date with phillybear.

[kutulu 1,556]

I'm done playing cash poker for now Variety of reasons:

 

1. I suck at poker

2. I have no money

3. It gets in the way of saving lives

[Giants Fan 85]

The problem with these donkey calling stations, like the guy who called my all in (sorry to those of you who don't think K5s is good enough to play) is that they do get lucky sometimes. I mean, the guy had no draw, no pair ... he just saw an ace in his hand and thought he had a good hand. It's frustrating when a player that has no idea what he is doing gets lucky at your expense. You know you are a better player, you had a better hand, he played his hand badly ..... and you still lost. Better players, are much more predictable, and in some ways, easier to play once you reach a certain level.

 

Anyway, I went in there today to play my last 3 hours and I cleared $350. It started badly when on like the 2nd or 3rd hand I flopped trip 9s with J9 but I was up against A9. Was actually pretty proud of myself for only losing $50 there.

 

The best hand I won I had KJ off with a Rainbow Q 10 4 flop, I turned the nuts when an ace fell and this guy was betting into me. I smooth call $25 and a blank falls on the river. Guy bets $40. I raise it, $50 more. I could see that he was about to fold, that's when the following conversation took place.

 

Me: I've got you beat. Do yourself a favor and just fold.

 

Him: What do you have?

 

Me: A flush. (everyone laughs because there is no possible flush)

 

Him: Just tell me one of your cards.

 

Me: I have an ace.

 

He thinks, and finally calls.

 

Me: The nuts.

 

Him: You lied to me! You said you had an ace!

 

Me: It's against the rules for me to tell you the truth.

 

 

Dunno what he had. Someone else asked him, "Did you have 2 pair?" and he said, "What do you think I had when I call and he said he had an ace?"

 

Me: I knew I had it as soon as you starting thinking about the hand because you would have snap call ...

 

Him: (interupting) Yeah, real smart! You knew you had it with the best possible hand!

 

Me: I'm just saying ... I knew it wasn't a chop. I put you on 3 queens.

[Meglamaniac 380]

The problem with these donkey calling stations, like the guy who called my all in (sorry to those of you who don't think K5s is good enough to play) is that they do get lucky sometimes. I mean, the guy had no draw, no pair ... he just saw an ace in his hand and thought he had a good hand. It's frustrating when a player that has no idea what he is doing gets lucky at your expense. You know you are a better player, you had a better hand, he played his hand badly ..... and you still lost. Better players, are much more predictable, and in some ways, easier to play once you reach a certain level.

 

Anyway, I went in there today to play my last 3 hours and I cleared $350. It started badly when on like the 2nd or 3rd hand I flopped trip 9s with J9 but I was up against A9. Was actually pretty proud of myself for only losing $50 there.

 

The best hand I won I had KJ off with a Rainbow Q 10 4 flop, I turned the nuts when an ace fell and this guy was betting into me. I smooth call $25 and a blank falls on the river. Guy bets $40. I raise it, $50 more. I could see that he was about to fold, that's when the following conversation took place.

 

Me: I've got you beat. Do yourself a favor and just fold.

 

Him: What do you have?

 

Me: A flush. (everyone laughs because there is no possible flush)

 

Him: Just tell me one of your cards.

 

Me: I have an ace.

 

He thinks, and finally calls.

 

Me: The nuts.

 

Him: You lied to me! You said you had an ace!

 

Me: It's against the rules for me to tell you the truth.

 

 

Dunno what he had. Someone else asked him, "Did you have 2 pair?" and he said, "What do you think I had when I call and he said he had an ace?"

 

Me: I knew I had it as soon as you starting thinking about the hand because you would have snap call ...

 

Him: (interupting) Yeah, real smart! You knew you had it with the best possible hand!

 

Me: I'm just saying ... I knew it wasn't a chop. I put you on 3 queens.

Wait, What??

You put him on 3 queens, you turn the straight and then proceed to let him see the river for 25.00, terrible.

[Giants Fan 85]

I thought it was possible he had 3 queens, but apparently he didn't.

[eaglesinmylifetime 0]

Wait, What??

You put him on 3 queens, you turn the straight and then proceed to let him see the river for 25.00, terrible.

 

to be fair, we have no idea of stack sizes or preflop/flop action, so $25 might have been just fine depending on pot size. you can't just bet $100 into a $30 pot because you have the nuts.

[Giants Fan 85]

He had about $200 at the start of the hand and I had about $400. Before the turn, there is about $50 in the pot. So, when the ace hits and he bets $25 I can:

 

1) Re-raise him right there and let the cat out of the bag

 

or

 

2) Gamble that the river doesn't give him a boat or a flush, make it look like I'm bluffing my missed draw and re-raise him there.

 

I chose #2.

[nobody 2,080]

I take it by the conversation you hit the nuts with a 9 on the turn and not an ace?

[Giants Fan 85]

I take it by the conversation you hit the nuts with a 9 on the turn and not an ace?

 

No, an ace. 10, J, Q, K, A ... on an unpaired board without 3 of a suit.

 

But a 9 also would have done it.

[LOD01 192]

Just finished a 50/50 10 man sng. Didn't play a single hand. Really didn't pay much attention as I was watching a really bad movie. Collected my 5th place winning.

 

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! You can't beat not even playing and collecting $.