First off I play about every weekend at my somewhat local casino. Lots of action on the weekends. I just play 1/2. I am a very tight and play it safe kind of player. I am about to receive a grand for the next 30 days. First session is 50/50 split with backer. After a loss its a 60/40 split in backers favor vice versa for a win. My last session on my own money was on a Wednesday night, I normally avoid the weekdays but ended up having a negative session. My biggest mistake was as follows:

In for 200 down to like 180. Guy UTG makes it 12, I three bet to 25 on button with kings and big blind shoves for 145ish. UTG folds. Before he shoved he thought for a couple seconds and then did it. I know I should wait to post results but I need some quick criticism. I asked for a count tried to get any reads possible and just wasn't sure. I am not the kind of player who takes big chances. I would rather consistently win small then once in a while win big. I ended up folding. He shows me 99s. I realize this is a terrible fold for such shallow stacks. Has anyone else made a fold like this? If I am beat by aces is this just a cooler? I am planning on getting in with 250 for each session and staying very tight. I generally just play top hands, any pocket pairs, plus suited and gaped connectors. Any suggestions on loosening up? Staying tight? Changing my range. I know theres no exact right answer for everything in this games just want some constructive and helpful criticism before I am playing on someone else's but my own money. And yes I have been criticized for folding my kings already haha.

Thanks in advance!

Well, it seems to me that you are playing scared money. What kind of deal do you guys have if you lose the thousand? Does your backer play poker? Does he understand variance? Either way, you need to take some time and clear your head. If you are going to make decisions like the one you posted because you are scared of losing someone else's money then you probably shouldn't be getting staked. I'm sure you know this already, but the fold you made in the OP is pretty bad, probably at least an 8/10 on the bad scale. And thats not being results oriented.

Relax. The chips aren't money, they are decision tokens. Make sure you aren't making decisions for the wrong reasons.

Also, your 3bet is too small, make it $30 minimum.

With your stack of $180, you should be thinking $30 pre, $50 OTF, $100 all-in OTT.

If I lose the grand then that is it. I don't have to pay a percentage back or anything. I completely agree about scared money does not make money. I do realize what a terrible fold it was. I just thought a four bet with two people to to act behind is a huge I have aces sign. I suppose I was wrong. Or I know I was wrong! I try to pay attention to as much as possible and not put my self in marginal situations before I understand the players at the table. You are right this was not a marginal situation. Backer does not play poker. He does understand variance. Also honestly just thought the guy had aces. Thanks for your feedback and looking forward to hearing more.

Pre-flop 3-bet is waaay too small. You're giving any pocket pair the correct odds to setmine. Now, granted that it's relatively rare for people to have a 4-bet bluffing range at 1/2, but it isn't unheard of, and part of it may have been your small 3-bet.

In any event - with less than 100BB, it's pretty much 100% incorrect to fold KK. 3-bet folding KK with only like 75BB behind is terribad. With only 100BB you are never 3-bet bluffing, you're 3-betting for value so you're ready to fist-pump/high-five dealer while moonwalking around the table getting it in against all but the nittiest nitty OMC nits.

Just out of curiousity, why the backing? Bankroll considerations? Are you hoping to play deeper or higher stakes?

Because if you're only playing 1/2 and only buying in for 100BB...being backed and giving away half your winnings seems like a bad idea to me. And I really hope you're not getting backed so you can play deeper, because if the hand above is any indication, you're not yet ready to play deep-stack poker.

If it's just pure bankroll considerations, that's understandable...but if you have a hard time calling off with your own money, are you ready to stack off with a small edge with someone else's money?


Tight/aggressive is a perfectly good style for the low stakes - you can be a small but steady winner; you don't need to 'play looser' just to play looser. Yes, a good LAG will probably make more than a good TAG, but a good LAG has more variance, and has to be a better hand-reader to avoid paying off villains' big hands. You also need to bluff a heck of a lot more, which might not be your strong suit at present.

Folding here is horrible. If he has aa then good for him but he could easily have qq or worse.

I'm pretty much never folding KK preflop at a 1/2 table.

I am not planning on moving up to 2/5 or anything. I plan on sticking with 1/2 for a long time. I still live at home and am being backed by a family member. Mainly he is backing me because we had an agreement. He said if I passed a test in a certain amount of time he would back me to get into bigger games. I told him i'll stick with 1/2 for many obvious reasons. He also gave me the offer mainly to motivate me to pass that test, which i would of done regardless. This deal enables me to make money without a risk. Although not as much. I am definitely capable of bluffing. I mainly just wait for a good spot. I don't try to make a consistent habit of it. This is my worst fold im sharing haha. This year I have been a consistent winner. I just want to continue to be successful, and get whatever advice I can.

Folding KK is pretty lol bad, staker would probably reconsider this deal if he knew you were playing that scared in a game. To play optimal poker you have to accept that there will be coolers and sometimes it is correct to get your money in behind.

With that said 3 bet more for sure, with a utg open his range should be pretty narrow to only value hands that can call a 3 bet. I would 3 bet 35-45 leaning a lot more to 45. Min clicking it back is first off an annoyance raise that doesn't get much accomplished and second leaving money on the table.

If he doesn't call 45 with 1/2 of his utg range but will call 25 with his whole range your still making money but 3 betting more.

grunch: I don't think you're ready to take on a backer but congrats on gettign the funding.

Folding KK preflop for less than 100 BB is horrific. Don't do that. Beyond that, you're not even playing with the right mindset. Being afraid to take a big shot if it has a positive expectation is going to cost you money.

The only thing I'm doing b4 insta snapping here is tipping the dealer.

You leveled yourself hard IMO. BB has any pair, people at the 1/2 spazz all the time like this with pairs.

Now if UTG was OMC, and he puffs his cigar and takes a sip of his jack d. on the rocks, and smooth calls Bb's ship, then you have a somewhat sticky spot.

As played, fist pump call so fast you knock over your drink scare the dealer knock your chair back call.

I appreciate the feedback guys!

Is it a snap call here with QQ?

its a snap call with QQ+ and AKs against the same LAG.

These types of threads get closed because they are fix me threads. There is no way we can fix you. We don't know you. We don't know the dynamics you play in. If you browse the forum you will see many different POVs because we play in many different types of games.

Your underlying question was can you help me improve my game, and what advice do you have for me to beat the game? Read the forums, there is plenty advice going around. There is no specific answer for you. It depends on what you want out of the game and what you are willing to put into it.