Awesome time to turn 2 pair

Oooops....


All the money went in on the turn... UTG supposedly had QQ. Nice setup, FTP.

Holly statistical crap

I finally ordered Poker Tracker, and am looking over my stats for the last 30 days (that's as long as I saved HH's unfortunately).

Well hell... at first glance I was shocked at how much I lost from the big blind ($68.35, by far the biggest amount from any position). Then, however, I looked again, and see that the amount required to post was $96.95. That means I paid 96.95 in blinds, and won 28.60.

I'd like to get this number a little more even: less loose-calling from the BB, and more raising or folding.

I also installed PokerAce HUD (trial so far), and if for nothing else but the C-bet percentages it's a keeper! After an hour at the same table as 2 aggressive players, each of them had a C-bet of 100. Obviously they weren't c-betting with pairs or better each time, so I loosened my requirements against them, and started playing back on the flop. I picked off a number of hands here.

I also found out that (besides 22, which I lost two monster pots with in set-over-set situations), KT0 is my leakiest hand - I've lost more with that hand than any (again, besides 22). And as I say that, I'm wondering now why the hell I'm playing it that often.

Win rate for AA is almost 97%; for KK is 87%. Surprising they're that high; goes to show how the mind selectively remembers those bad beats when my aces got cracked!

I'm psyched to dig through this and find more leaky hands & positions, and see if I need adjusting. I'm not at all unhappy with my play lately (while I may just be on an extended heater, I'd like to think much of my success over the past 3 months has been good playing); however if I can see that I've lost over 120 BB's with KTo, then it'd be prudent to take a look at that (and other hands with similarly crappy numbers), and make necessary adjustments (like, oh, I dunno, NOT PLAYING KTo!)

Short live session

Had the itch to play, yet had some things to do until about 10 this evening. I played a nice session online this afternoon, and felt very good about the way I was playing.

When I finally got to the Tulalip, it was about 10:40. I was actually hoping to play $1/$2, but the list was like 12 deep, and the $3/$5 was only a five minute wait: no-brainer.

It's incredible how passive the table was. A LOT of limping; a lot of limp/calling of raises, a lot of checking around on the flop and the turn... thanks to Chad for reminding me to play opposite of the table - I loosened up my starting hand requirements, got selectively aggressive, and picked up a few small pots ($20-$25).

Here's a fun hand from about mid-way through the session:

UTG raised to $15 and got 3 callers before me. With $60 in the pot, I decided to speculate witgh 5s 7s for another $10 and see what the flop will bring (I hate, hate, hate playing this type of hand OOP, but I couldn't bring myself to fold for only ten bucks more).

FLOP: Kc 6d 8d

With an OESD, I bet $40. UTG min-raises to $80. Folds around to me; another $40 for a pot almost $200 with an OESD? He has no idea what I have; he's seen me play mostly tight, and I'd bet figures I'll fold to any pressure. I'm betting he's got a flush draw - maybe AdKd or AdQd. That means I'm whittled down to 6 outs.

I call, with the awesome plan of folding to any diamond.

Turn: [Kc 6d 8d] Qs

Well hell. If he's got AK or AQ diamonds, I'm very far behind. I'm done with this hand, so I check. Oddly, he checks right behind.

?? Now I'm wondering if he's got AA or maybe even KK (top set now), trying to get me to bluff at it.

River:[Kc 6d 8d Qs] 4s

Thanks for the free card, pal. If he has anything at all he'll call a not-too-outrageous bet. I'm tempted to shove here, but also want to get called. When I sat down he had about a $800 stack (max $300 buy in), so he's either gotten very lucky, or he's very good. Erring on the side of caution, I decided "good" and decided to not over bet.

With the pot at around $200, I dial in $100. He calls so fast that I kick myself for not betting more. I show my straight, and he mucks. I asked what he had, and he said flush draw. I asked if it was king high, and he said queen high.

Talking to him, it sure didn't sound like he was putting me on a hand at all. If he's willing to call that river bet with 2nd pair, he either thinks I'm a moron, or he's just not good.

I don't care which it is, I won a nice pot with one of my favorite types of hands (just not OOP), and hopefully loosened up my rock-tight image so maybe I'll get some more action here.

-----------------------------------

Later in the session, I find Ad 10d in the cut off. I raise to $15, and the big blind - most definitely the tightest player at the table (me being 2nd tightest), so I figure he's got to have something - a pair, AK, AQ, perhaps KQs.

FLOP: Jd 5s 9d

BB bets out $20. I contemplate a raise, but if he's drawing to the flush I want him to get there, so I smooth call. I'm slightly worried that this will give away my draw, but - well, too bad. I wonder, though, if I should have raised to get more money in while I still have a big draw.

Turn: [Jd 5s 9d] 4d

Well OK, I've got the nuts. Unless the board pairs I can't be beat. With $70 in the pot, he bets out $50. Again, I contemplate raising, but I want to give him a chance to bluff on the river. I'm praying no more diamonds come as it'll probably kill my action. I take some time; I go through the mental routine of counting outs if I was still on a flush draw (though to anyone else it probably just looked like I was thinking), count out 10 red chips and push them over the line.

River: [Jd 5s 9d 4d] 8c

No diamond, but now that I think about it it's doubtful he'd have put me on runner-runner flush draw, calling his bets the way I had (he most likely realized we were the two tightest players at the table).

BB checks. God damn it, why couldn't he have bet? If he's got a flush I'd have expected him to bet. If he's got the 2nd nuts, I'd have expected him to bet. Now I have to dial in the right number again. There's approx $170 in the pot. I consider shoving, but it's very doubtful he'll call a shove, even with 2nd nuts, so instead I opt for a relatively small number: $50. If he's got a flush, this has got to look like a weak bet, and maybe even something like a pair or a set.

... and he folds...

I wonder what he had; I wonder too if my bet was so small that it was too obvious that I wanted a call. I figured he wouldn't have been betting the turn that strongly without the 2nd nuts, so I think he's got KdQd or KdJd. I figure he's got to put me on a flush, but since he's not holding the Ad he's got to be worried that I might.

As I mucked, I said to him "I had it." I didn't show it, just said it. Someone else asked him what he had, and he said "second nuts." I can't imagine folding the 2nd nuts to that bet on the river.

Christmas Coolers and getting it the hard way

I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone with 22 flop a set and win a monster pot. Every single time I have flopped a set with 22, it has run into a bigger flopped set. This one felted me:

And here's a fun one I earned. I was open-ended from the flop; he checked, I bet, he called. Check / bet / call. River - pause..... check. I bet right out, instafold:

Just started reading The Poker Mindset, interesting book that comes at least mildly recommended by Chad and Riggstad. It's nice when your parents actually get you stuff that you're interested in, even when they don't necessarily think it's "good for you." They're cool like that.

If my parent's didn't have such a crappy internet connection I'd play some more tonight, but about every 5 minutes I was getting logged out, so time for bed. Back in Seattle tomorrow night, probably a nice long (2+ hour) session when I get home.

Micro-limit bankroll building

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't build a bankroll playing the $10 tables; I've been doing it. My goal was to get my roll from approx $150 up to $300, at which point I'd move to $0.10/$0.25, or $25, tables.

I knew that $150 was lighter than I'd have liked to start with; in reality my starting roll was $170, but still - 17 buy-ins isn't a lot of wiggle room. In a sense my roll was bigger, as could always dip into my "live game roll," but I was determined to not do any more deposits on fulltilt.

I haven't been on some sick, insane, luckbox run - I have played well, and most nights showed at least a small profit. Once my roll got up to around $220, I began adding a table. When I got up to $250, I tried adding a third. When I got up to $280, I added a fourth. That went horribly, so I went back to three. And then I just found I played more comfortably on 2.

Plan was at $300 to move up to $25 tables, but when I hit $300 I didn't feel that it was quite enough. So I decided I'd stick to the small tables until I got to $325, then take one shot at the next step. That didn't go so well, so back down to the small tables, and kept at it.

Pretty soon, I get up to $340 and try again. And this time I almost double through. And so I try again, and do OK. Adding a smattering of $10 tables, and a few $25, my roll is now over $400.

That's approx a $240 profit in a month and a half. And while that's not a helluva lot of money, if you look at the stakes I played in that's between ten and twenty buy ins.

Yes, the play here is atrocious. Yes, your flopped set will sometimes get runnered by A8o. But as long as you don't fall into the same trap as these clowns, just because "It's not that much money," then you have a chance of being a winner here.

Back in the spring I was playing these tables, and was taking a beating; I was overplaying hands BIG time, and too often tried to force people off hands. Now, though, I play more carefully (it doesn't take long to identify the players who will call you down holding 44 on a suited 10-K-7-5 board) - and more tricky. Yes, I play monster hands, but I also play the 64s, the occasional 710, etc... unpredictable.

In the last couple months I've played consistently, and consistently well. I've become a better player, and a more patient player. I've learned to fold AK preflop; I've learned if someone open raises all-in for $5 (50x's bb), that I don't call unless I have AA (it's not that I'm always behind here, it's just that it's too big of a risk with too little information - there will be more profitable scenarios to get involved in). I've learned to fold top pair. I've learned to call with middle pair in the right spots -- all the basic stuff that thousands of hands will give you practice with.

Funny thing now is that if I stick with the $25 tables, my roll is sort of back to where it was: I have 17 buy-ins. Again, I know this is light, but I can be effective here. And if I drop below $350, I move back down.

Runnin' Good again

The nickle/dime games are good practice for me to play loose. I know I play too loose too often in those games; however it's good practice as to how to bet at pots with air and win hands with aggression.

The dime/quarter game I actually take a touch more seriously. Due to a couple good nights at these tables, I tried 2-tabling them tonight, too. I play a LOT tighter at this level than at .05/.10. That tightness almost got me to fold a winning hand.

I picked up the mighty mighty JackAce in the CO-1. I pot-raised to $0.85, CO re-raises to $2.50. Sort of a big re-raise that smelled fishy. I called. Yes, shut up, I called $1.65 more with the JackAce.

Flop: 7d 3h 6s
I bet $3, he calls.

OK, I'm thinking may JJ or QQ?

Turn: Ad

Here's where the JackAce can bite ya in the ass: I wasn't sure this was a good card for me. If I was facing AQ AK I'm toast. His call on the flop led me to believe he had a pair already: no flush draw out there, I guess he could have a straight draw (or already there with 45). Still, I'm leaning towards JJ.

I bet $6, he shoves, and has me covered. All in for another $15 or so to call. I no longer love my hand. With 2 diamonds out there, though, he could be on a pure flush draw - maybe KQd? I just can't let go of this hand, so I call:


Well played by my opponent, as he probably put me on a hand just like I had. Though it seems most players at this level Ace-Anything here they'd have insta-called in my shoes. I wasn't quite as confident, but went with it. I wonder if my less-than-pot bet on the turn made him not think I had an ace?

I almost never pot-bet; I typically bet 1/2 to 3/4 of the pot, every now and again overbetting for value. But I wonder if this effects what hands people think I have.

My roll is over 4 buy-ins over where I wanted it to be when I started $0.10/$0.25. I like the competition there. I feel like I'm playing really well.

DQB

OH YEA!!

Fuel55 would be proud.

How do I get so lucky (part II)

AKA "Could I have played KK any worse?"

*** HOLE CARDS ***
fold, fold, fold
gsw61515 raises to $0.75 with Ks Kh
fold
CO calls $0.75
button folds
SB calls $0.65
BB folds

*** FLOP *** [Tc Jc Td] .......<--- ugly flop for KK
SB checks
gsw61515 bets $1.50 ..... ....... <--- test the waters?
CO has 15 seconds left to act
CO calls $1.50
SB raises to $3.75 ................ <--- blech
gsw61515 has 15 seconds left to act
gsw61515 calls $2.25 .....
CO has 15 seconds left to act
CO calls $2.25 .................... <--- OK, who's on the draw and who has the 10?

*** TURN *** [Tc Jc Td] [6c]
SB bets $5.40, and is all in.....<-- pot is $13: can I fold?
gsw61515 calls $5.40 .......... <-- crying call
CO has 15 seconds left to act
CO folds
SB shows [Ts Kc] ................<-- ugh
gsw61515 shows [Ks Kh]

*** RIVER *** [Tc Jc Td 6c] [Kd] .....<-- BRILLIANT CALL!
SB shows a full house, Tens full of Kings
gsw61515 shows a full house, Kings full of Tens
gsw61515 wins the pot ($23.35) with a full house, Kings full of Tens
SB is sitting out


I called the check-raise on the flop and the all-in on the turn knowing (well, 95%) that I was behind. Good poker? You decide.

Me? I wasn't worried. I knew I could hit my one-outer if need be.

How do I get so lucky

to get such action with KK? Nothing is worse than making a standard raise with AA or KK and collecting the blinds. After a few limpers in my BB, I popped it 5x's to $0.50 and got one caller. I pot bet the flop, he shoved and I INSTA-called!!


Well, yea sure, I lost the hand, but how AWESOME to get that kind of action with a monster hand? I had the guy drawing to 7 outs. Yes, he even mentioned this to me when I said "well played." Anytime, pal; as Dubya said, "Bring it on!"

If only I could have that much action every time I get a monster hand!

Here's the biggest hand of the night: 83o that the sb decided to complete though everyone else had mucked. I called on the flop and the turn, and then pot-raised the river:



Who knew I was behind that much? How often does he have the case 3 here? Thanks for the setup Full Tilt.

As a side note, kudos to blunt024ca for not shoving my raise: lotsa players at this level woulda shoved with his hand; while even the call I think is a little looser than I would make with the 3 diamonds out there, he gets a nod of respect for not donk-shoving.

As a second side note, the next time I was in the bb it was folded around to the dude who completed, and we checked-down the board. My flopped 4 hit, but guess what hand he decided to complete with again? Yep - K3.

movin' up

After bouncing around some over the weekend at .05/.10, and suffering an unfortunate beat where my Q10 was beat by K10, I decided to play with the big boys a bit -- dimes and quarters, baby, dimes and quarters! Once I hit .50/1.00 I think I can go pro...

Played VERY tight, was up a few bucks after a few orbits (up to $30 or so), when I find Ad5d UTG+1. I decide to see if I can get a cheap flop, so I limp in. And yes, in a cash game when I know my opponents will pay me off, I will limp with Ax soooted. +EV? Not sure yet, but if the table's limp-friendly I have no problem seeing lots of speculative flops.

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gsw61515 [Ad 5d]
bruddah99502 folds
gsw61515 calls $0.25
Akilino folds
postalnutt calls $0.25
nagashi folds
bosnapride folds
ponceD folds
Captain_Crazo calls $0.15
violentfemmes85 checks
(pot: $1)

*** FLOP *** [Qd Ts Jd]
Captain_Crazo bets $1
violentfemmes85 calls $1
gsw61515 calls $1 <-- no reason to scare anyone away
postalnutt calls $1
(pot: $5)

*** TURN *** [Qd Ts Jd] [2d] <--the nutz!
Captain_Crazo bets $3
violentfemmes85 calls $3
gsw61515 calls $3 <-- I'm prayin' someone has Kdxd!
postalnutt folds
(pot: $14)

*** RIVER *** [Qd Ts Jd 2d] [8c]
Captain_Crazo checks
violentfemmes85 has 15 seconds left to act
violentfemmes85 bets $3
gsw61515 raises to $10 <--- not too much, as if Crazo has anything I want a call
Captain_Crazo folds
violentfemmes85 calls $5.15, and is all in
Uncalled bet of $1.85 returned to gsw61515

*** SHOW DOWN ***
gsw61515 shows [Ad 5d] a flush, Ace high
violentfemmes85 mucks [9c Ks ] <-- awwww, your flopped straight got burned
gsw61515 wins the pot ($28.80) with a flush, Ace high


Easy game :)

Coolers, Part II

I played a very, very LAG style this morning / afternoon - came out barely up ($1); still experimenting with this as I always thought of myself as rather TAG. This evening, though, I made a few too many loose calls, and got severely coolered. Not sure if I made the right call here; I would've bet anything I was good.

*** HOLE CARDS ***
UTG folds
UTG+1 calls $0.10
UTG+2 folds
cut off calls $0.10
gsw61515 raises to $0.45 with Qs Qd
SB folds
BB calls $0.35
UTG+1 calls $0.35
cut off folds

*** FLOP *** [4s 7d 6h]
BB bets $0.50
UTG+1 calls $0.50
gsw61515 has 15 seconds left to act
gsw61515 raises to $2.50 <-- probably ahead here, get more $$ in the pot
BB folds
UTG+1 has 15 seconds left to act
UTG+1 raises to $7.70, and is all in <-- overbetting the nuts? pushing out a draw?
gsw61515 has 15 seconds left to act

This is where I'm not sure if I made the right move. I was fairly certain I was ahead, and I'd seen so many people over the past few days shove all-in on a draw. Of course, I'd also seen a few people shove with the nuts (read a bunch of stuff on 2+2 about overbetting for value when you have the nuts), but I'd seen many more shove draws.

What beats me right now? AA, KK, 44, 66, 77, 46. 47. 67. 35. 58. What type of hand is he liable to have limp/called a raise with? Possibly 44, 66, 77 - I can't see any of the others; AA and KK 98% of the time are raising hands (or possibly limp/re-raise pre). So it's true I may be up against a set. More likely, IMHO, is a hand like A5s -- the soooted doesn't come into play now, but that's a hand that I could see limp/calling.

In the end, I go with my gut, that I'm ahead here, and hope I don't get drawn out on. If it is A5, then I need to dodge 11 outs - ugh. That would put me at about a 55-45 favorite. I need to call an additional $5.20 to win $10.55; someone help me out - if I'm a 55-45 favorite, is this a good price?

gsw61515 calls $5.20
UTG+1 shows [8c 9s] <--- sweet! only 8 outs!
gsw61515 shows [Qs Qd]

(Two dimes has me at a 65-35 favorite)

*** TURN *** [4s 7d 6h] [5d] <-- ugh, drawing dead

*** RIVER *** [4s 7d 6h 5d] [4d]

UTG+1 shows a straight, Nine high
gsw61515 shows two pair, Queens and Fours
UTG+1 wins the pot ($15.70) with a straight, Nine high


I made some bad calls before this, too, so I was pretty stuck. Nice thing, though, over the next hour I got myself almost entirely unstuck for the day (down two bucks, after being down almost $15), so I felt great about how I played.

poker + sedation = -EV

I had some major dental work done this morning, enough so that I was sedated for the whole thing. I have very vague memories of my time there (about 2 seconds worth), and NOW know that even after my girlfriend drove me back to my place and I snoozed for a bit, I was still under the influence of said sedative for some time.

But of course, when my girlfriend left for an appointment, I felt good, awake, and very relaxed -- perfect time for some poker, right?

Uh - no. While due to immense donkishness at one of my tables left me with triple my buy in, I still finished the 300+ hand session down a half a buy in. Normal variance, possibly, but I just called way too many bets with marginal holdings (calling an all-in with 3rd pair / top kicker, for example!). I did, however, win many more hands than normal by just raising - won tons of hands preflop with air and a 3-3.5x's BB raise, won a ton more c-betting after said raise.

Example "A" is the former, "B" the latter.

Example A:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
LP1 calls $0.10
gsw61515 calls $0.10 with [8c Ac] <-- I'll float a soooted ace at limp-friendly tables
fold,fold,fold
Villain calls $0.05
BB checks

*** FLOP *** [Ad Th 9c]
Villain bets $0.40
BB folds
LP1 folds
gsw61515 calls $0.40 <-- top pair, OK kicker, not going away yet

*** TURN *** [Ad Th 9c] [8d]
Villain has 15 seconds left to act
Villain bets $0.80
gsw61515 has 15 seconds left to act
gsw61515 raises to $2.30 <--- 2 pair probably good
Villain raises to $4.70, and is all in <-- aw, crap - straight?
gsw61515 calls $2.40
Villain shows [Jc Qh] <-- yep
gsw61515 shows [8c Ac]

*** RIVER *** [Ad Th 9c 8d] [7c]
Villain shows a straight, Queen high
gsw61515 shows two pair, Aces and Eights
Villain wins the pot ($9.55) with a straight, Queen high

I'm not totally convinced this was a bad play. I've seen so many folks push all-in on a straight or flush draw here that this call is right often enough for it to be +EV. Either that, or I'm just trying to convince myself I wasn't a total 'tard.



Example B:
This was one example of the plethora of hands I won with air (or near air) by combating weakness with aggressiveness:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
UTG folds
UTG+1 raises to $0.20
MP calls $0.20
fold, fold
gsw61515 calls $0.20 with [8s As] <-- another sooted ace float
SB folds
BB folds

*** FLOP *** [7c Qc 8h]
UTG+1 bets $0.10 <-- min-bet = WEAK blocking bet
MP calls $0.10
gsw61515 raises to $0.45 <-- no one really likes their hand yet, I'll just take this now thanks
UTG+1 has 15 seconds left to act
UTG+1 folds
MP has 15 seconds left to act
MP folds
Uncalled bet of $0.35 returned to gsw61515
gsw61515 mucks
gsw61515 wins the pot ($0.95)


The min-raise pre, the min-bet on the flop, the smooth call on the flop: while they could be getting tricky, it's not likely. If they are, they'll call my raise or re-raise, then I can either give-up, get away, or get lucky. As it stands, though, These could be hands like KJ, 33, AK, AnySootedAce. Raise here, and take the pot.

Next time I'm sedated after dental work, I'll try to skip the impulse to play the cash tables. That, perhaps, would've been an excellent time to get in on a $2.25 SNG.

RNG my ass

Just under 400 hands tonight, over 3-4 tables:









....and, for the grand finale: SUITED:




Coincidence? Synchronicity?? Simply randomness???

5 times; 400 hands, 3-4 tables (probably 300 3-tabling and 100 4-tabling).

Going to hit-up the math-wizards at work tomorrow to see if I can get some percentages of this happening.

Coolers

Remember the 22 boat over boat hand from my last post? Check this out:


What? Not enough coolers yet? OK then:


That's right - 3 times in 2 nights; 3 times in approx 700 hands, FLOPPED sets over sets. What are the odds? No, seriously, what are the odds? Does anyone know how to figure that out?

And just for kicks, here's some RNG-fun:

This is my 2nd hand at each of these tables, too...







fwiw I won the hand on the left...







This one I folded the one on the left as the one on the right was being dealt.







In a previous post I mentioned that there are 169 combinations of hands (ignoring suits). The odds of getting the same hand twice, then, is 1 in 169 while playing at one table; I don't know how to figure out what the odds are of seeing the exact same hand dealt at the exact same time over multiple tables.

Now, I'm FAR from saying FTP is "rigged" or fixed or anything - if I thought that I'd take my money and run. These instances in no way effect the play or the outcome, so it's not strategically important.

What I am suggesting, though, is that there is something funky with their RNG - either they're taking seed info based on something not randomized enough, or... something... I've seen it in the past, I've read in other blogs about it, and just the fact that I'm able to regularly capture multiple instances in the course of an hour or 2 of playing is quite compelling evidence.

One and done

Perhaps I'm being silly about it, but I'm taking my HUGE step moving from nickels and dimes to dimes and quarters seriously. I started at .05/.10 with the specific goal of building a roll to comfortably move to .10/.25 and then keep building on that. I don't want to dump any more money into my account, I want to do it the old fashioned way.

So after 3 weeks, and due to the horrid play at .05/.10 and an insanely sick run this evening while 3-tabling, I won more than what I set for myself to take a shot at .10/.25.

I just got done taking that shot. Here's the highlight (yes, singular):


*** HOLE CARDS ***
gsw61515 calls $0.25 with [2h 2d] <--- time for some set-mining
MP1 calls $0.25
Cutoff folds
button folds
SB calls $0.15
BB checks

*** FLOP *** [4h 7s 2c] <--- MONEY!!!
SB checks
Villain bets $1
gsw61515 calls $1
MP1 folds
SB folds

*** TURN *** [4h 7s 2c] [4d] <--- BOAT!!!
Villain bets $1.50
gsw61515 calls $1.50 <-- no raise; he's doing my betting thankyouverymuch

*** RIVER *** [4h 7s 2c 4d] [8d]
Villain bets $3
gsw61515 raises to $8 <--- value-raise
Villain has 15 seconds left to act
Villain raises to $47.10, and is all in <--- sweeeeeeeeeet!!!
gsw61515 calls $14, and is all in

*** SHOW DOWN ***
Villain shows [7c 7h] a full house, Sevens full of Fours <--- NOOOO!!!!!
gsw61515 shows [2h 2d], twos full of fours
Villain wins the pot ($47.50) with a full house, Sevens full of Fours
gsw61515 is sitting out, and is steaming

I think FTP hates me.

I did what I said I'd do: build up a couple more .05/.10 buy-ins and take a stab at .10/.25. And yes, I saw some HORRENDOUS play - incredibly bad. I want to play there again, looked juicy. I don't think there's any way to not go broke on my hand, except to not play deuces; I'd do it again in a heartbeat, though - no one is going to expect a set of deuces.

But since I busted on that one, I'm going to head back down to .05/.10, and when I'm back up another $25 I'll try again.

Oh, and yes - that was the one and only hand I played.

Almost there:

I'm about 1 micro buy-in away from the big event: taking a stab at (gasp!) $0.10 / $0.25! It will take some adjustment, I know, as currently I'm multi-tabling 2 or 3 of the $10 tables. I won't be doing that a level up for a little while I know. I'm enjoying the multi-tabling, though, so again - no big rush to move up as I typically have about as much in play at once across 2-3 tables as I will at the next step up on one table (which helps minimize variance, yet also isn't able to make as big of a one-time score).

Two big hands: aces, and 56o :)

We got it all-in preflop here: I raised, he re-raised, I re-re-raised, he shoved I called:


2nd time in a half hour this table saw AA vs KK, and AA held up both times! Just unfortunate luck for him, really: there's no way you're getting away from KK preflop (hardly ever at any level, and especially at this level).

Next hand: 56o from the button. A couple limpers before me, I'm in position so I'll take a flop. I'd prefer suited connectors, but connectors are fun to play in position for a cheap flop (one of those hands that's easy to get away from on scary flops or lots of action):

*** HOLE CARDS ***
EP calls $0.10
MP calls $0.10
Victim calls $0.10
gsw61515 calls $0.10 with 5s 6d
SB folds
BB checks

*** FLOP *** [3s Ks 6c]
BB checks
EP checks
MP checks
Victim bets $0.20 <-- flush draw? taking a stab?
gsw61515 calls $0.20 <-- one pair, if he checks the turn I'm probably good
BB folds
EP folds
MP folds

*** TURN *** [3s Ks 6c] [5h] <-- MONEY!
Victim bets $0.50
gsw61515 has 15 seconds left to act
gsw61515 raises to $1.50
Victim has 15 seconds left to act
Victim raises to $7.05, and is all in <-- hope he's not overbetting the nuts
gsw61515 calls $4.30, and is all in
Victim shows [Kd Qh] <-- Top pair 2nd kicker all-in!
gsw61515 shows [5s 6d]
Uncalled bet of $1.25 returned to Victim

*** RIVER *** [3s Ks 6c 5h] [2c]
Victim shows a pair of Kings
gsw61515 shows two pair, Sixes and Fives
gsw61515 wins the pot ($11.25) with two pair, Sixes and Fives

Was a big raise to call on the turn, but I had to go with my gut (which, btw, was wrong: I thought nut-flush draw).

The benefits of tilting opponents

Just a few hands ago, Victim called an all-in when he hit top pair / 8-kicker on a Q97 board. Opponent had KK, and this really irked Victim. The player with KK was quite tricky, min-raising UTG, and smooth calling a pot-size flop bet by victim, and shoving the turn. Here is some chatter from Victim after that hand:

Victim: wtf are you talking about my call was good i justdidnt have the right cards
Victim: i had no way to know you had KK dumbass
Victim: because you just call preflop and call the flop
Victim: learn how to bet proper
Victim: and maybe people will take your cards seriously


Clearly, this guy is not quite as good as he imagines.

While the other players at the table were egging him on, I was consoling him a bit, telling him it was a tough beat and he couldn't have played it any differently. I like to make friends with the fish; makes them think I'm on their side and gives them further justification for their bad play (which hopefully will continue in future hands against me).

He's destined to tilt off some money, so if someone can get lucky and pick up a monster, he's probably getting felted. Thankfully, I got to be that someone:


*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gsw61515 [Kh Ks]
Victim raises to $0.30 from UTG
gsw61515 raises to $1.05 from UTG+1 <-- no need to slow play from EP: he won't respect the raise anyway


Victim: im sick of this table anyway
Victim: im all in
Victim: when its my turn
gsw61515: I call <-- only reason I said this was b/c the only 2 ppl who hadn't folded yet only had like $1.

Victim raises to $5.65, and is all in
gsw61515 calls $4.60

Victim shows [Jc Ac]
gsw61515 shows [Kh Ks]

*** FLOP *** [3s Qh Qs]
*** TURN *** [3s Qh Qs] [7s]
*** RIVER *** [3s Qh Qs 7s] [3h]

Victim shows two pair, Queens and Threes
gsw61515 shows two pair, Kings and Queens
gsw61515 wins the pot ($10.35) with two pair, Kings and Queens
Victim is sitting out

The only unfortunate thing was this guy left the table. I really wish he'd reloaded, but I'll be looking for him...

A while ago I said something about moving up a level after my roll got to a certain spot. Well, I hit that spot, but what I want to do is log another couple buy-ins at this level, and use that for one shot at the next level, and see how the play is there. If it's as horrid as at the lowest of the low, then I'll probably stay there.

I have no need to move quickly, I'm in no rush - so I want to ensure my comfort before moving up one.

Rivered

I didn't do anything special here; I figured I had the best hand all the way through:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gsw61515 [8s Kc]
PeregrineSol folds
JackarandaD folds
Brebro checks ..........<-- posted, first hand at the table
Micha262 folds
bad excuxe folds
CrazyDeer folds
tupelony calls $0.10
gsw61515 calls $0.05 <--- loose call? eh, maybe
tnrnmedic checks

*** FLOP *** [Kd 5c Kh]
gsw61515 checks
tnrnmedic checks
Brebro checks
tupelony bets $0.20
gsw61515 calls $0.20 <-- no need to reveal the strength of my hand
tnrnmedic folds
Brebro calls $0.20

*** TURN *** [Kd 5c Kh] [7d]
gsw61515 bets $0.60
Brebro raises to $1.40 <-- diamond draw?
tupelony folds
gsw61515 calls $0.80 <-- I have trips; I'm not goin' anywhere

*** RIVER *** [Kd 5c Kh 7d] [8h]
gsw61515 has 15 seconds left to act
gsw61515 bets $1.50
Brebro raises to $2.30, and is all in
gsw61515 calls $0.80

*** SHOW DOWN ***
Brebro shows [5d Ks] a full house, Kings full of Fives
gsw61515 shows [8s Kc] a full house, Kings full of Eights
gsw61515 wins the pot ($7.60) with a full house, Kings full of Eights
Brebro is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $8.40 | Rake $0.80
Board: [Kd 5c Kh 7d 8h]
Seat 1: Brebro showed [5d Ks] and lost with a full house, Kings full of Fives
Seat 6: gsw61515 (small blind) showed [8s Kc] and won ($7.60) with a full house, Kings full of Eights


There was no way it wasn't all getting in on this hand; I luckboxed out of this one. He slow-played his boat on the flop, but I wouldn't have gone away if he shoved anyway.

Friggin' nines

f'n mookie. Did the best I ever did in one, which unfortunately was out in 27th (9 away from a cash).

Early near double-up:


Raised from in position; flop was check / bet / check-raise / call; turn check/check; river check / bet / SHOVE / INSTAcall - gg Ikkak. Why insta with a 4-high flush? Because I decided on the turn I'd have to call a shove. I'm either good or I'm gone; also why else would I play suited connectors unless a flush was a possible winner?

This hand I got called a donk for calling an all-in on the flop:

emptyman said "I got rivered," someone said "nh," I said "I think you were beat before the river" and emptyman said something like "nh? I had tptk donk." Hopefully he was not serious, or he was just drunk...

I got outplayed in a hand that dropped me down a bit (I had been in the top 10 - 15 most of the tourny after the first posted hand), raised with 99, called a shove:


This got me shortish. Then there's a late position raise, I have 99 in the sb, I shove for only 1200 more; stack size / pot-size pretty much forced a call from the raiser with 78o. This got me up a bit. Few hands later, AQs in the sb, button shortstack shoves, I reshove, folds: AQ v Q10, I survive and back up to 16th.

I find 99 again in EP; standard raise; button big-stack re-raises. Hoping he's stealing I shove:


I almost folded, as the re-raise seemed smaller than I expected. Oh, well.

9's three times, and twice up against AA.

I'm goin' back to my little cash tables to win my buy-in back...

Play less hands

First up: more RNG weirdness. First hand after opening the second table:


The human mind is known for imposing patterns where there are none in order to "understand" or even "create meaning." I guess I'm doing just that, or just happen to be in the midst of a string of coincidental occurrences. I mean, there are 1,326 starting hand combinations (OK, 169 if you get rid of suits), so I guess it's bound to happen once ever... uh - 169 times or so.

My % of flops seen was 22%, with only 4 hands won preflop. Less swingy, less chaotic; not as much action of course (preflop raises seemed to gain lotsa respect). I like the tighter approach, as well as the loose approach I've been using. I'll be trying to incorporate both of these into my sessions from here on out.

What I'm working on:
- hand selection
- hand reading
- adjusting to my opponents

Only two hands of note:
Raise from the cut-off with QJs after it folds to me; BB calls. BB check/calls the flop, check-calls the turn, and shoves the river. I momentarily hesitate, but even on a board like this (possible boat, bigger straight), this is a must-call, especially at this level:


He was playing the double-gutter, I just don't understand the river-shove. Check/calling while planning on shoving me off my hand no matter what hit the river? What did he put me on? I had him on a jack with a weaker kicker, and was (obviously) most worried about J8. That would probably have been a check/raise on the flop though. Again, this is, IMHO, an insta-call at this level (and probably also at the Tulalip $3 / 5 game, and only occasionally at the MSFT game)


Next hand was 8-way action, limped, so of course with all those limpers I'll jump aboard in late position with Q9s. The sb led out on the flop. He was aggressive on his draws. He bet about 2/3 pot on the flop ($0.50), I popped it to $1.50 (only one card beats me, and b/c he plays his draws aggressively I wanted to get more money in while I was fairly certain to have the best of it), and he just called. "Hmmm" I'm saying to myself. Turn check/ check. River check / check. Did I miss a bet?

His call of my raise made me think he had the Kd. Why didn't I bet the turn? I didn't want to get check/raised. Why didn't I bet the river? He'd probably call with a lesser flush, but would certainly raise with the Kd or a boat. I'll take a showdown and avoid the check/raise when I'm not super-confident.

What would you have done here if the 7d fell on the river and he shoved? The pot is just over 3 bucks, and your stack is around $12.

Too much elfin' time

Perhaps this is as funny as it is because I've been up for close to 20 hours and am running on about 4 hours of sleep:

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1158312601

But alas, no need to leave you feeling too cheery; it's just too damn early for that:

133,681 People

FINALLY... a losing session

So after about 2 straight weeks of winning sessions (earning a total of approx $80), I had a long, losing session tonight. I overplayed a couple hands, and probably got outplayed a couple hands.

Here's one I don't think I could help going broke on:

JackAce offsuit in the BB; I call a standard raise from the button. We get it all in on the flop.


Should I have put him on QJ? or QQ? Trips with an ace kicker was too good to consider laying down at this level.


Here's another that I just got outdrawn on:
Again, JackAce preflop, I make standard raise, called from MP. Ace on the flop, MP is a shorty, so I bet enough to put him all in. He even says, "ah, you got the ace," then calls:


They guy says, "Sorry." I then say thank you. "What for?" he asks. Well, I say, did you really think I had the ace? "Yes," is his reply. So I thank him again for putting all his money on the line for a 2-outer. I then try to encourage him that he's finally starting to get lucky, and that he should top-off since it'll be easier to get unstuck if he's got more cash on the table (he never did).


Here's one I just can't understand... I raise preflop with KQo (not a powerhouse, I know - I've been raising with connectors - big, mid, and small - all day), I get called by the big blind. I don't connect on the flop, but the BB checks, so I fire about 3/4 the pot. He calls. Turn pairs the board; it's checked to me and I fire again - about 3/4 pot, he calls. River puts 2 pair on the board, it's checked to me; I tank for a few seconds, then shove. Tell me: would you make this call?


Whether it was right to play my hand is irrelevant; if I'm checked to on each street, I've got to think he's either weak, or trapping. From earlier play he didn't seem sophisticated enough to trap; I honestly figured him for AK here (I'm amazed at how many people will call all the way down to the river with AK hoping to spike either). I'll make that play 100 times. I showed strength the entire way, and then at the end the guy check / calls all in with ace-high. Insane.


Here's a big pot: I'm in the BB with KKo. Cut-off raises to .35, button and small blind call; I pot-raise to somewhere around $2, button 9who'd been playing quite LAGGY, calls - what I was expecting). I bet the flop, button raised; I shoved, figuring he'd call with top pair or even a straight draw, which he did:



Next, 89o from the SB, flop was check/check; I bet the river, and was called by the button. I made a bit of a gutsy bet at the end, as there are a ton of cards that had me beat; however, if he had a Q, then he'd most likely have raised the turn to guard against the flush draw, so I put him on a draw (straight perhaps), or an under-pair. I pot bet the turn and the river:





NOW for the RNG weirdness: 4 times today, over 2 tables, I had the same hand on each table:

The first two were the same suits (but were reversed:):





I dunno what's up with that; if there's some weird RNG glitch going on, or just simple coincidence... I've been noticing it often lately (and have seen it written up on other blogs), so I don't think I'm making this all up.

SO - I ended up down about 2 buy-ins, after rallying back a little at the end of the session. I have to start seeing less flops (I'm hovering around 30%). That was supposed to be on my agenda for today, but I was having fun with all the action. :)