problem solved?

I played three 6 handed 12+1s yesterday and won two and finished second in the other. There is no doubt I got lucky in spots, but I think that I figured out where my looseness was the problem. I was too involved too early. Example, I raise with AKo and get a caller. It is checked to me on the flop. I follow up with a continuation bet. I get a caller. And then I push again on the turn. At 10/20, I don't need to do the continuation bet. I have more play in there. The risk isn't worth the reward. These bastards will call you down with second pair. When the chips get short, that's when bluffing and looser play becomes more important. Here's a hand I played that I liked. I raised in LP, got two callers - and then when I got two checks, it was easy to represent an ace.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1981177

I know it's not a complex play, but it's a play I can make at 25/50 that is something that I shouldn't do at 10/20.

Let's see if the trend continues.

loose as a goose

I continue to run cold. All my posts have a recurring theme - play tighter. Why do I continue to play loosely? I expect the other players to think and react intelligently. But they don't. So I need to adjust. The irony is - my knowledge grows and grows, but my results are actually declining.

Playing so loosely is a leak. I have to fix it.

let your bluff go

Here's a hand from one of the 180 player tournaments . In the interest of playing within my bankroll, it was a $4+0.40. I didn't think the players were all that different from a $20+2 180 player. Anyway, I caught some cards and got a chip lead when we were down to two tables. Then I made an awful bluff.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1935124

I felt like QTo as strong enough to call with in the BB with the SB just trying to steal my blind. When the flop came 9 high and he bet into me, I'm not sure quite what I was thinking. I had been pushing the table around a lot and probably thought I'd continue by representing a hand on the turn. When a 9 came on the turn, I felt like I could represent a 9 with a raise. But then I get a call. An alarm bell should have been going off in my head for two reasons - 1) the SB was strong or at least he thought he was and 2) the SB was not going to lay his hand down. But he didn't come over the top of me on the turn, so I felt weakness. I didn't put him on a hand, just weakness. Feeling weakness and a check on the river, I bet into him. Well, he calls and turns over an overpair.

I already know that most of the players I play with can't lay down top pair - and probably never an overpair. I should have even been concerned about a 9. That call on the turn should be more of a signal to me. Oh well. I lost 3/4 of my chips and finished 14th after having the chip lead with 15 players left.

little play, but little turnaround

I haven't been playing much in the last month. I'm still having trouble beating inferior players. They are getting lucky. I've been listening to the Pocket 5s podcast. There are amazing numbers of people having consistent multi-table successes. It makes me want to rededicate myself AGAIN. I also heard about a concept where Annette_15 won a 180 player S&G without looking at her cards. Daniel Negraneau said that was good practice - presumably for reading and pouncing on weakness.

Here's a play I made today that I'm proud of:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1904725

This donkey made a bad raise leaving himself vulnerable, and I took advantage and came over the top of him. Moron calls me with 5 high. Obviously, I was not raising for value, but for taking advantage of the situation.

I'd really like to scrutinize my play more and evaluate the bad plays I am making and eliminate them. I think I have this style that has evolved some, but I'm not advancing much.