I Play Poker... and I Lose!

That's right, I'm still relatively new to poker and I'm still learning. But get this... I actually do ... Lose! I know, unbelievable. I talk to a lot of folks online, at the tables, on the PokerRoom.com message boards and on the message boards of my favorite poker podcast, All-in, and the one thing I notice, is that EVERY is a great poker player and they win all the time! And when I lose, it's not just bad beats. It is me playing poorly and making wrong decisions.

Just an example of how bad I can sometimes play, allow me to show you a recent pattern. I deposited $55 into PR. After a few cash games (micro stakes) and a bunch of Sit N Gos, I managed to get my stack to $6.00. No that's not a typo, a loss of $49. But then I hit my stride. I used my last $6 to enter another SNG and BAM, I won, $25. Follow that up with 5 more wins and I'm now up to $140. I'm playing fantastic poker and getting good cards. Now a couple of weeks later, I'm trying to find ways to scrounge up another $50 since I'm out of cash.

Now it wasn't that I was card dead, though at times it felt like I was. I just lost patience. I played hands I shouldn't and I overvalued weaker hands. Figuring what's the chances they have top pair when I have middle pair, and I'm usually wrong. And the biggest mistake I made, often, was the bluff. Now it wasn't so much the bluff, but it was playing aggressive after I missed a flop. And then when people call, instead of raise, BET again, thinking their call was a sign of weakness. Stupid and I know it's stupid playing, but had a hard time backing off at times. Towards the end of my run, I started to play smarter, playing aggressive pre-flop and folding if I miss. But at that point it was too much too late.

So now I wait. Luckily I have a home game coming up next weekend. Maybe I can change my losing ways.

Play Smart.