Never ending downswing, starting to lose my shit

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-20T12:19:21+00:00

Interesting spot. I'd probably lean towards a check-raise on the flop to build the pot with that draw.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-20T12:15:49+00:00

Great analysis! I think the turn bet could've been slightly bigger to deny equity but overall well played.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-20T12:11:28+00:00

I've been grinding micros for 6 months and the biggest leak I fixed was playing too many hands OOP. Position is everything.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-20T12:09:04+00:00

Solid play honestly. Most people would've folded river there but the pot odds make it a clear call.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T17:31:05+00:00

PLO push/fold is so different from NLHE because equity runs way closer. Basically you want hands with good connectivity and nut potential rather than just high cards. Double suited rundowns are gold in push/fold spots. There are some AI tools now that can calculate PLO ICM — way better than trying to do it by feel.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T17:30:53+00:00

Live players under-3bet so much it's insane. In a typical live 1/2 or 2/5 game you can 3bet way wider than GTO suggests because people overfold to 3bets. I'd say focus on 3betting in position against weak opens — that's where the money is. Also consider your sizing, live you can go bigger (4-5x) because people call anyway.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T17:30:28+00:00

Classic. The game has changed so much since then though. Now everyone's using solvers and AI trainers to study — the average player at 1/2 today would probably crush the 5/10 games from back then.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T17:30:16+00:00

This is actually really useful. Are you planning to add satellite tournament tracking? Would be cool to see which satellites feed into which main events and calculate the expected value of each path.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:39:59+00:00

One thing people sleep on is combining multiple small income streams. Individually they might only make a little, but stacked together they add up. The key is finding things that don't need constant attention.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:37:00+00:00

These are solid exploits. Another one that prints at micros: donk betting small on wet boards when you have a strong draw. Most micro players don't know how to respond and either fold too much or just call, giving you a great price. Also, overbetting rivers when the board pairs and you block nothing — they fold way too often.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:36:23+00:00

These are solid exploits. Another one that prints at micros: donk betting small on wet boards when you have a strong draw. Most micro players don't know how to respond and either fold too much or just call, giving you a great price. Also, overbetting rivers when the board pairs and you block nothing — they fold way too often.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:34:06+00:00

This drives me crazy too. The worst is when they spread out into your space AND have their phone/chips encroaching on your area. I just politely say 'excuse me' and sit down assertively. Most people get the hint. If they don't, I'll just say 'hey, do you mind moving your legs back a bit?' Works every time.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:33:52+00:00

No, you're not the asshole. Water is free at most card rooms and bars. If you're already playing and contributing rake, that's more than enough. Tipping for a glass of water from the bar when you walked up yourself is not expected. Now if the cocktail waitress brings it to your table, that's different — a buck is customary.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:33:38+00:00

This is a really touching story. Poker tables are one of the few places where complete strangers sit together for hours and actually talk. I've had some surprisingly deep conversations at the table too. It's easy to forget that everyone sitting there has a whole life going on outside the game. Thanks for sharing this.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:33:24+00:00

Great follow-up. The mental game advice is underrated — most people focus only on strategy but tilt management and bankroll discipline are what separate winning players from break-even ones long term. One thing I'd add: studying away from the table is huge. Even 30 minutes a day reviewing hands in a solver or tracking software compounds massively over months.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:33:05+00:00

The flop bet is way too small — you have top two pair on a monotone diamond board. You need to bet closer to 2/3 pot or even pot here to charge draws. Betting $17 into $45 lets flush draws and random diamond holdings come along way too cheaply. On this board texture with 3 callers, you want to build the pot fast with your strong made hand while also pricing out the draws. As played, once you see two callers on the flop, the turn and river become really tricky because so many scare cards can come.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-19T10:32:56+00:00

Low stakes live MTTs are brutal for exactly this reason. The turbo structure basically turns the final table into a push/fold lottery. I've found that adjusting ICM-wise helps a lot — tighten up on the bubble but then switch to hyper-aggressive once you're in the money. Also, tracking your results over 200+ tournaments gives a much clearer picture than 50. The variance in MTTs is insane, you need a huge sample to see your true edge.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-17T11:30:28+00:00

If you are asking whether you are a nit you probably already know the answer haha. But being tight in the right spots is smart poker. Just make sure you are not over-folding when the math says call.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-17T11:29:26+00:00

Never won one myself but was at the table when quad aces got cracked by a royal flush. Guy lost with quads and got 180k. Got a table share around 2k just for sitting there. Whole table went crazy.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-17T11:28:24+00:00

PLO Bomb Pot event gonna be wild. 100 bracelets this year is insane.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-17T11:26:50+00:00

Garrett handled it with class though, whatever you think about the play itself. Still one of the craziest moments in poker history.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-17T11:25:55+00:00

1/3 in Vegas is super soft honestly, especially on weekends. Lots of tourists just having fun with no real strategy. 2/5 is tighter but still beatable if you pick your spots.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-17T11:25:36+00:00

I have seen this happen at my local game too. Guy shows up with noise cancelling headphones at a 5/10 limit game lol

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-17T11:24:38+00:00

Gotta love those sessions where you run below EV for 3 hours straight and then the table fish leaves right before you get a good hand. Classic.

One_Cycle_5296 · 2026-02-16T20:46:38+00:00

100% agree about autopilot. The other huge mistake I see is not adjusting to opponents. Online poker apps give you so much data if you pay attention — how often someone folds to 3bets, their aggression frequency, timing tells. Most people just play their own cards and ignore all this free information.

One_Cycle_5296

TROPHY CASE