Full Tilt Poker Report: Moving Up a Level

So I made it to the $3/$6 limit games at Full Tilt Poker last night. I took down first place in a multi table tournament which never happens but definitely beats the way I played last night. Overall I took down about $300 in a very aggressive month.

Today I have my first $300 win at a single table sit and go tournament. I didn’t have a ton of luck today but I think that is partially my responsibility. I made a couple big mistakes that cost me overall, however in the end great decisions cost us too.

My first big mistake was playing very tight and going to the showdown with only AA, AK and KK. While these cards are very good pre-flop, they are a hard hand to play involving yourself with opponents that often have better hands than you. Therefore, while luck may have played a part in my win, poker is all luck.

The next mistake was not being aggressive enough. While in deuce-to-seven limit games, being aggressive makes the most sense. However, in NL so-card games, being aggressive throws your money away. The truth is, a lot of hands that beat you today did not do so because of your aggressive plays.

After losing my first $300 in an NL game, I set a goal. I would play aggressively and no garbage hands, and my bankroll would grow. Check. Re-raise. Check. I rarely made all the money that I needed to make the money I needed. However, when I did make all the money… well, it was still luck.

I finally evolved my style to a more aggressive style

I finally evolved my style to a more aggressive style. You could say that I evolved into a more Gus Hansen – style of poker. While playing aggressively pre-flop, I opened up a variety of hands. While playing tightly at pre-flop, I opened up opportunities for me to scoop with.

I think that being aggressive is a great strategy to have. However, the problem I have with being aggressive is that it can hinder your long-term success the moment you get in a bind.

For instance, the moment you go from being twisty-tight to being aggressive, you lose your ability to make correct decisions because your decisions are being influenced by what you have in your hand. When you are aggressive, you should be selecting your spots wisely. You should be watching your opponents for tells and weaknesses.

However, you can always adjust. If I notice that my opponents are playing weak hands from the blinds, and they are doing nothing to take advantage of my being in the blind, then it is time to make a move.

Sometimes this means throwing away hands that you may have played with the intention of taking them down in one of the later stages. However, you will never accomplish anything unless you take your chances, so be patient.

These are the types of mistakes that losing players make time and time again. They refuse to adjust, and that is why they lose. Stick to your guns, and be patient, and you will be collecting chips in no time.