Greetings to all, (and I apologize if there is a sticky or FAQ or previously posted thread similar to this),

I have posted on this forum several years ago, appreciating all the advice I have received in terms of hands I've played. Since it's been quite a while, and I'm considering returning to online poker, I would like some input on which sites have the "least bs" and the best bonuses.

I do not wish to come across as a naive fish, complaining about my recent 100 big bet loss in 4 hours on micro limit on pokerstars....but I'm finding that I'm getting punished very severely for what I like to think is fairly TAG play - 27% seeing flops over 1500+ hands. Usually 70% showdown win rate. Anyway, any input provided would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

NOTE: Reason Im asking is because of said 100 BB loss. Since my raises are not being respected and even quality hands (aka TP TK, AQ on Q-7-4 rainbow) flop are being chased down to the river by 4+ players and Im losing to RIDICULOUS 1 or 2 outers.

This is called variance, don't worry about switching sites and what not, keep grinding.

I know about variance, but I mean, in 4 hours...a 100 BB loss? The other day I had won about 150 BB in 6 hours through quality hands holding up, today, Im getting people limping in MP1 with 10-8 suited, calling a reraise when I have a quality hand. THey hit bottom pair and continue to call and hit a boat or a flush (or even trips).

Meanwhile, I'm calling with odds Axs every chance I get it, and did not hit a SINGLE flush today. I know variance is....well...interesting...but I find it odd that Im losing so heavily after my TAG play rewarded me so well the day before. Its almost as if (HEY THIS GUY WON THIS MANY BB, lets **** him by letting EVERY fish hit a ridiculous hand).

Plus, I've seen more complaints about PS beats than any other site, but could that simply be attributed to the amount of new/bad players compared to other sites?

Variance is a cruel evil bitch.

I lost 7 bucks on monday in 2nl which for me is a big deal, really pissed me off. Woke up angry on Tuesday and just ripped the game up for 16 bucks in under 3 hours. I had to stop playing cause I was simply freaking out. When you start screaming BOOOM! every hand and cackling like a mad man its time to walk away.

Today however I've been treading water over a 1,000 hands... best advice I can give (even though Im a new player so take what I say with a grain of salt) is take a break for a few hours or a day, and come back at it fresh. Put the loss out of your mind and try again.

One bad day or even a bad week doesnt really mean your doomed... just for some reason the poker gods are deciding to screw with you today instead of me =)

Just reread what you said...

If you think pokerstars is "rigged" I'd have to disagree. They are the biggest site out there so of course you are going to hear tons of complaints. Why? Cause...they have 3x the player base of most other sites.

People bitch 10x more when they lose than when they win.

Are we talking no limit or limit here? Sounds like variance, though if you are severely down playing 2c/4c limit after a few thousand hands (though 1500 is nothing, in a limit game it won't start being a remotely useable sample until you hit 5000) you should definitely be careful to attribute too much to variance. You may also have leaks in your game you do not realise. Oh - and 100BB loss is nothing, I have had rare occassions where I have dropped 100BB in about 100 hands.

Thank you all for your replies.

Im not thinking that pokerstars is "rigged", but sometimes (like now) it feels a bit excessive when I'm getting cold called (re raise AKs for example) from an early position, by MP players with 10-8s (sometimes not) and chasing down with middle or bottom pair (AND OFTEN NOT EVEN!) and hitting ridiculous straights or flushes. Meanwhile, when Im calling or raising from position with Axs, Im lucky to even hit a draw (as in, getting 2 s on the flop), let alone the flush.

But I guess I'll have to grind it out. I figure at this point my most significant and amateur leak is donk betting flops I didn't hit with AKo or AQo when there are multiple players in the pot that I know will call down

Have you counted the times they called down with T8s and you beat them? Thought not If you are betting into a large field with an unimproved AK / AQ then I suggest you have some serious leaks in your game besides just being outdrawn...

Mostly I do such donk bets when I'm tilting from the above beats. I've read both Small Stakes Hold'em and Hold'em for Advanced players (Sklansky/Malmuth) and taken serious advice from my friend who has been profitable on 2/4 limit tables over the last year and a half.

Normally I would not bet into a field of 5 with an unimproved AKo Or AQo...especially if my preflop raise was cold called or reraised.

I like my fish....but sometimes it smells really bad.

Are you playing 6-max or full ring? If you are starting out in LHE again online you will find the game has changed a lot in the past few years. You will get good limit strat advice in the micro limit forum over thata way <---.

If the players in the limits you are in are all just calling and sucking out then do the same thing. Stop trying to raise them off hands and outplay them and other high stakes methods.

Please don't come around here with the typical "i never hit and they always do" complaint as it won't wash, you have the same chance as anyone else of hitting your hand, I highly doubt you are some special mathematical impossibility.

[QUOTE=Manipulator88;19685809]Greetings to all, (and I apologize if there is a sticky or FAQ or previously posted thread similar to this),

TAG play - 27% seeing flops over 1500+ hands. Usually 70% showdown win rate. Anyway, any input provided would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

My stats are right around 27% does that mean im tight???