Based on my time here in these forums, I think the largest problem with the average player here is:

-completely lost preflop.
- weak ass bet sizing (someone did a post about this btw)
-taking weird lines for no apparent reason.

I disagree that the largest problems are preflop, but I agree about bet sizing. That's why bet sizing would be a natural thing to write about, but it's already been done.

Honestly I believe the theory that players play each street progressively worse. They play preflop bad and get worse with each street.

It isnt that players play each street progressively worse, it's that each street is progressively harder.

Regularly making preflop mistakes is unacceptable for a solid player. Look thru just two pages of these forums. at least 30% of posts will start with something like "4 players limp to me on btn, I limp along with 64s, BB raises to 15, everyone folds, I call." or "UTG raises to 15, I call on MP with KQs, BTN and BB call"

Is this thread still the place to volunteer to write a new COTM? We haven't had one in a long time.

Ya I love these things. I'd volunteer but I'm uncertain of my knowledge base to write authoritatively. I'd have to get some OKs from the boys upstairs but someone should start em up again.

As someone who wrote one before (2 years ago, when I was not nearly as good as I am now), you are definitely knowledgeable enough to write one.

The biggest problem is picking a topic that would be useful and interesting. There were a few threads a few months back that made me think we should have one on relative position, but I know you yourself aren't a fan of that concept.

I just think it is misapplied. I'd write one on maniacs. That'll bring relative position into play. I don't dismiss it at all I just think that it's rate that it actually gives a usable advantage that isn't negated by later streets.

I know your biggest thing about relative position is using it preflop against maniacs, but in my experience, a) it applies in all streets and in all multiway situations, and b) relative position doesn't have to be a concept that's used instead of absolute position. It can amplify a positional advantage or mitigate a positional disadvantage, or the opposite.

I agree. I just see it used to justify bad calls oop too much here. A good cotm on it would be welcome.

Yeah, more of these would be great. Unfortunately I'm one of those useless people who know a little of everything but not much of anything.

Would appreciate some mod direction here. Resurrection of the COTM would be big for the forum.

How about a COTM about playing monsters? Should be fun to write...

Maybe a COTM about, "building your image" at a new table? Maybe not that obvious to newer players. I suppose this could be a restart of the thread about going from online to live after Black Friday.

I would like to see the COTM return...

I too would like to see a ressurection (sp??) of the COTM. I would be happy to do anything from writing one to helping someone do one, whatever.

The first one is kind of implied in a few other COTMs like the one I wrote and the one on slowplaying. The second one already has its own COTM (it was one of the first ones, by Percula).

Agree.

Aint no way I can write one, but Id love to read a lot more of these

Bump--hopefully a mod sees the last few posts and can help out?

I'll note that expertise is not necessary to write a COTM. A number of COTW in the micro full ring forum were written by people who professed up front they weren't the best, but did some research and summarized the results (I did this). The side benefit is that by the time you finish writing it up, you have a much better understanding of the subject than when you started.

The down side is it is some work to do a good one. The mods are likely to make some editing changes to make it more readable/advanced.

If someone wants to do one, send it to one of us and we'll work with you.

great articles! Write more please!

There was a collaboration in the works by me and spike, but I think it is on ice for now. Did I see that we are going to have a new one written by someone else? If not, I'd be willing to volunteer to write one but I don't know a good topic...

I've been playing 1/2 at about 3-4 times a week for the past 5 months. I recently started having bad swings. Before it was, I would win 6-7 times out of ten (even if some wins were only a hundo or like 60 bucks... Still profit) but the last 3 weeks I've profited like 2 times. I know I can't always win, but I've been really contemplating my style. A lot of them have been bad beats or where I just simply can't get someone off a hand (been bluffing too often in frustration I guess)... ANYWAY, my buddy suggested stepping up to 5/5 since there are less fish and you're less likely to get called down with bull**** or have that gutter hit the river after dumping 300 in the pot. Good or bad decision? (I've taken a week and half off recently to cool my ****)

Not good, not bad, but awful. The problem is not that other players won't fold, it's that you are making moves out of frustration. Moving up in stakes will only make those mistakes more expensive.

Also he's not saying 1/2 is literally the same as 2/5. He's saying people tend to overrate the skill difference and that it's very similar. But of course 2/5 is still harder. If you are having trouble at 1/2 moving up will not make it easier.

I also can't understate how alarming it is that you are casually comparing "bad beats" to "villain won't fold". The two are not even remotely similar, and brushing off a serious leak like it is something that can't be helped signals that you have a long way to go with your mental game as well.

Let's try to stay on topic for this thread. If you have a concept you want to write about, post it here. This thread is not about discussing your issues as a player.

Is there any chance of getting this thread stickied? Seems worthwhile as it's got so many links in OP.