Finally, after playing only once since September, I got out to Tulalip for some $1/$3 action last night. It may be the last time I'll play in the next few months too, as I have school starting up tomorrow night.
My biggest issue was trying to remain patient. I forgot how boring poker can be: fold, fold, fold, fold, fold...
Most of the table, most of the night, was either tight-passive or loose-passive. I was mostly tight-aggressive, but made a number of loose preflop calls when in position against passive preflop raisers: 90% of the time they'll check if they don't hit, I'll bet and take it down.
I was blessed with good cards at the right moments. Presto worked out for me nicely here:
MP: Loose-passive, $200. Plays suited anythings.
Button: Tightish. Almost aggressive. $120.
Me (BB): should have a tight-aggressive image; I've had a few bluffs picked off, too, which should throw some measure of doubt into the works too.
MP limps, button raises to $12. Folds to me, I make the call with 5c 5d; MP calls.
Pot: $37
FLOP: 6c 6s 5s
Floppin' a boat is sweet! I don't check-raise here: that's too big of a give away. I want to play a big pot, so I've got to build a pot.
I bet $15, hoping a weak-lead will encourage both players to at least call.
MP calls. Button immediately goes all-in.
Dream situation! My only issue now is how to get MP to come along. I do have a theatre degree, and did win best actor award at college, so hopefully I'm putting that to good use here.
I ask for a count, count out the chips, separate them from my stack, sit back... I may have pushed it too far when I said "Man, this would be a lot easier if you weren't behind me," though in all honesty I've said that exact same thing in situations where I really meant that too.
I make the call, hoping MP has something he can com along with. Unfortunately, he does the smart thing and folds.
Button flips over Th Td. Turn and river blank out, I win a nice pot.
Hand 2:
I rarely check-raise, but there are times it's the perfect thing to do.
Bunch of limpers, I look down at AKo in the SB, and just complete. AK totally out of position in a cash game isn't that great, so I won't think twice about just limping here. In position I raise 90% of the time.
BB (tight player, $250) raises to $12; MP calls (same MP from last hand); I call.
Flop: Ad 6h 3c
I check. BB bets $30. MP looks pained, and makes the call. I raise to $130; if either of them flopped a set - so be it, but chances are I'm good here.
BB takes quite a while, then folds, MP folds. After MP folds, BB says to me "I guess you have one pair beat." I say, "Which pair?" We laugh, then I ask if he had AK, which he confirms. My check-raise won me the pot instead of a chop. Sweet.
This is one of the few places I will check-raise liberally: TPTK on a dry board, if I lead out it's likely no one without an A will call. My check can look weak, and because I so rarely check-raise, against thinking and observant oponents they'll likely fold, and I'll take down a decent pot on the flop.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Friday, December 5, 2008
nothin'. Just - nothin'
Wow. Poker has been SO far out of my radar of late.
I'm in school to become a chemical dependency counselor, and that plus working full-time puts a serious dent into poker time. I fell out of love with online poker, and getting up to the local casino has been tough. I've been doing homework and reading most evenings I'm not in class - yes, that includes weekends. The last time I did go and play, I was too preoccupied with a test I had on Monday that I played like crap.
Class is over until January 5 now. I've got plans for this Saturday, but I'm hoping the next week to get up there. I'd honestly like to earn some money: what I won over the spring and summer ended up paying for my first 3 quarters of school (among other things). I just paid tuition for my 4th quarter, so it seems only right to head up there and win that back too :)
I miss playing, too. And hope I'm not too rusty what with 3 months since I was playing at least weekly...
I'm in school to become a chemical dependency counselor, and that plus working full-time puts a serious dent into poker time. I fell out of love with online poker, and getting up to the local casino has been tough. I've been doing homework and reading most evenings I'm not in class - yes, that includes weekends. The last time I did go and play, I was too preoccupied with a test I had on Monday that I played like crap.
Class is over until January 5 now. I've got plans for this Saturday, but I'm hoping the next week to get up there. I'd honestly like to earn some money: what I won over the spring and summer ended up paying for my first 3 quarters of school (among other things). I just paid tuition for my 4th quarter, so it seems only right to head up there and win that back too :)
I miss playing, too. And hope I'm not too rusty what with 3 months since I was playing at least weekly...
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Gross suckout
I'm playing a freeroll put on by seattlepokeropen.com. Super tight, in the top 5 or something. 30/60 blinds. I raise to 180 in EP with KT0 (tight enough that it should get some respect). Loosest player at the table (I barely cover him) calls.
FLOP:
Th 5d 7s
I bet 300, he min-raises to 600. If he hit a set, then so be it, but otherwise I'm likely ahead. I shove. Pause....call.
For your viewing pleasure:
Not so sure I put my tournament live on the line with 2 overs and a backdoor draw.
He proudly states "YES! 2nd suckout of the day" afterwards. I love players like this at the cash games! :)
FLOP:
Th 5d 7s
I bet 300, he min-raises to 600. If he hit a set, then so be it, but otherwise I'm likely ahead. I shove. Pause....call.
For your viewing pleasure:
Not so sure I put my tournament live on the line with 2 overs and a backdoor draw.
He proudly states "YES! 2nd suckout of the day" afterwards. I love players like this at the cash games! :)
Monday, October 13, 2008
no time...
I've had like no time for poker lately. I've in class 3 days a week, and doing homework most of the other 4. My Saturday class is over this week, though, so I'll have a little lighter of a load shortly. Still, I doubt I'll be playing until likely 11/1 (plans the next two weekends).
Feels odd to take such an extended break - I was playing literally every week for months now. Miss it, miss the extra cash. Looking forward to getting back into the action whenever I can.
Feels odd to take such an extended break - I was playing literally every week for months now. Miss it, miss the extra cash. Looking forward to getting back into the action whenever I can.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Raising for a free card
Some of this stuff may be 100% standard, 'everyone knows this sort of thing' strategy. I feel like my poker game has just taken some big strides forward, and a lot has to do with implementing specific techniques at the table. Some I found by trial / error, some I've picked up from watching Live at the Bike, some who knows...
Here's one I heard talked about on LATB, and subsequently put to good use in my game:
If I have an open ended straight draw or a duble-gut-shot on the flop, I have 8 outs. Using the rule of 4, I have about a 32% chance of hitting my hand by the river. However, that's only when I get to see both the turn and the river. Often, however, if an early position player bets the flop, and you raise in position, if EP calls, he'll often check the turn to you, fearing you will raise again if he bets.
Example: from this weekend's $1/$3 action:
MP raises to $10, I call OTB with J8o
FLOP: 69T rainbow.
MP bets $15.
Here, any 7 or any Q gives me a straight. I want to get to the river, but don't want to call a big turn bet. I raise to $45. MP pauses, then calls. He's likely got overs (AK/AQ) or a meduim-strength pair.
TURN: [69T] 4
MP checks. I'm more than happy to take a free card, so I check behind.
RIVER: [69T4] Q
MP bets $40, I raise to $100. MP calls.
MP shows QT for a rivered 2-pair; I show my straight.
Raising in position like this is a great way to often get your opponent to check the next street. Raise the flop, oponent checks the turn = free river; raise the turn, opponent checks the river = free showdown.
Here's one I heard talked about on LATB, and subsequently put to good use in my game:
If I have an open ended straight draw or a duble-gut-shot on the flop, I have 8 outs. Using the rule of 4, I have about a 32% chance of hitting my hand by the river. However, that's only when I get to see both the turn and the river. Often, however, if an early position player bets the flop, and you raise in position, if EP calls, he'll often check the turn to you, fearing you will raise again if he bets.
Example: from this weekend's $1/$3 action:
MP raises to $10, I call OTB with J8o
FLOP: 69T rainbow.
MP bets $15.
Here, any 7 or any Q gives me a straight. I want to get to the river, but don't want to call a big turn bet. I raise to $45. MP pauses, then calls. He's likely got overs (AK/AQ) or a meduim-strength pair.
TURN: [69T] 4
MP checks. I'm more than happy to take a free card, so I check behind.
RIVER: [69T4] Q
MP bets $40, I raise to $100. MP calls.
MP shows QT for a rivered 2-pair; I show my straight.
Raising in position like this is a great way to often get your opponent to check the next street. Raise the flop, oponent checks the turn = free river; raise the turn, opponent checks the river = free showdown.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Calling down light
Tulalip $1/$3
Villain: MP, $700. I played with him 2 weeks ago... he seems like a solid player, made some big calls; he caught perfect on one big hand to more than double up. He's bet me out of 3 pots in the last half hour, and I don't know whether he had anything or not (though his "nothing" was likely better than mine once). He has yet to get caught in 1 bluff in about 3 hours of play, though I can't imagine he's got a hand each time he fires.
Hero: BB, $550. Typical loose/aggressive post-flop image (more passive pre-flop: I'm willing to see a lot of flops against passive, predictable opponents). I do go out of my way to get into pots with a wide range of hands when against another deep stacked opponent.
1 limper, Villain raises to $15, folds to Hero who calls with As 3h (limper folds).
Pot: $37
FLOP: 835 rainbow
Hero checks; Villain bets $25, Hero calls.
I make a loose preflop call with far-out hopes of some sort of 2-pair/wheel hand. On the flop, I'm making a very light call: I'll often do this on a dry board whenever I get even a piece of the flop, just to see what happens on the turn. If a blank comes and he checks behind, there's a chance he's missed. Here, there's also the possibility of hitting an ace and getting into a big pot against AK/AQ.
Pot: $87
TURN: [835] 9
Hero checks, Villain checks.
I'm actually feeling OK about my hand here: I don't believe he raises with below TT, and he'd bet an over pair here. Obviously, bottom pair is weak, but I think I'm good here.
Pot: $87
RIVER: [8359] 4
Hero checks, Villain bets $45.
I replay the hand, and I can't put him on anything: if this is an over pair, he's playing it very strangely, especially by checking the turn: he's not shown himself to be a tricky player. Highly unlikely the 4 helped him; slight possibility he has 67, but he's not yet to have shown himself to mix it up enough to add that to his range.
I say to him, "Do you ever bluff?" He kind of shrugs his shoulders. And then I either see something flash in his facial expression, or I'm making things up in my head to justify a call. Which is it? Who knows. I'd like to think I did see something, but I can't be certain. I spend most of my time when watching big hands observing those in the pots, trying to discern whether they're confident, strong, weak, scared, etc, just by watching their faces and body language. Is it doing me any good? I'm not sure.
Hero calls. Villain says "Good call," and turns over AQo. I table A3o and take down a $170 pot with bottom pair. He's shocked, he says, "How did you call with that?" and got some "Wow's" from the rest of the table.
How did I do that? Combination of board texture, a possible read, and partially instinct. He either had what he had, or a hand like JJ. I was getting better than 3-to-1 on the $45 bet, and decided that there was at least a 25% chance he was bluffing: if he bluffs 25% of the time, a call here is exactly break-even; if he bluffs 26%, it's barely +EV.
This was the 2nd time I called him down light: on a mostly similar board just after he sat down, I was in position and called a flop bet and a river bet with pocket deuces; I was wrong that time (he'd made an odd raise with QT and hit a T on the turn - and checked it too).
I'm quite happy what this will do for my table image. Once they see this hand, I'm hoping they will be less likely to try to bluff me.
I've been playing a lot of poker lately. I play approx 8-14 hours/week (1 long session most Saturdays). 6 months ago if I had less than top pair on any board, I'd not have thought twice about folding. Not the case today: I use my loose/aggressive post-flop image and scare cards to make bets and raises, and I use my reads and poker instincts to make light calls. I'm not always right, and honestly I've not kept close enough tabs to know whether my light calls have been profitable or not. That would be hard to quantify anyway. It is fun when I'm right though :)
Villain: MP, $700. I played with him 2 weeks ago... he seems like a solid player, made some big calls; he caught perfect on one big hand to more than double up. He's bet me out of 3 pots in the last half hour, and I don't know whether he had anything or not (though his "nothing" was likely better than mine once). He has yet to get caught in 1 bluff in about 3 hours of play, though I can't imagine he's got a hand each time he fires.
Hero: BB, $550. Typical loose/aggressive post-flop image (more passive pre-flop: I'm willing to see a lot of flops against passive, predictable opponents). I do go out of my way to get into pots with a wide range of hands when against another deep stacked opponent.
1 limper, Villain raises to $15, folds to Hero who calls with As 3h (limper folds).
Pot: $37
FLOP: 835 rainbow
Hero checks; Villain bets $25, Hero calls.
I make a loose preflop call with far-out hopes of some sort of 2-pair/wheel hand. On the flop, I'm making a very light call: I'll often do this on a dry board whenever I get even a piece of the flop, just to see what happens on the turn. If a blank comes and he checks behind, there's a chance he's missed. Here, there's also the possibility of hitting an ace and getting into a big pot against AK/AQ.
Pot: $87
TURN: [835] 9
Hero checks, Villain checks.
I'm actually feeling OK about my hand here: I don't believe he raises with below TT, and he'd bet an over pair here. Obviously, bottom pair is weak, but I think I'm good here.
Pot: $87
RIVER: [8359] 4
Hero checks, Villain bets $45.
I replay the hand, and I can't put him on anything: if this is an over pair, he's playing it very strangely, especially by checking the turn: he's not shown himself to be a tricky player. Highly unlikely the 4 helped him; slight possibility he has 67, but he's not yet to have shown himself to mix it up enough to add that to his range.
I say to him, "Do you ever bluff?" He kind of shrugs his shoulders. And then I either see something flash in his facial expression, or I'm making things up in my head to justify a call. Which is it? Who knows. I'd like to think I did see something, but I can't be certain. I spend most of my time when watching big hands observing those in the pots, trying to discern whether they're confident, strong, weak, scared, etc, just by watching their faces and body language. Is it doing me any good? I'm not sure.
Hero calls. Villain says "Good call," and turns over AQo. I table A3o and take down a $170 pot with bottom pair. He's shocked, he says, "How did you call with that?" and got some "Wow's" from the rest of the table.
How did I do that? Combination of board texture, a possible read, and partially instinct. He either had what he had, or a hand like JJ. I was getting better than 3-to-1 on the $45 bet, and decided that there was at least a 25% chance he was bluffing: if he bluffs 25% of the time, a call here is exactly break-even; if he bluffs 26%, it's barely +EV.
This was the 2nd time I called him down light: on a mostly similar board just after he sat down, I was in position and called a flop bet and a river bet with pocket deuces; I was wrong that time (he'd made an odd raise with QT and hit a T on the turn - and checked it too).
I'm quite happy what this will do for my table image. Once they see this hand, I'm hoping they will be less likely to try to bluff me.
I've been playing a lot of poker lately. I play approx 8-14 hours/week (1 long session most Saturdays). 6 months ago if I had less than top pair on any board, I'd not have thought twice about folding. Not the case today: I use my loose/aggressive post-flop image and scare cards to make bets and raises, and I use my reads and poker instincts to make light calls. I'm not always right, and honestly I've not kept close enough tabs to know whether my light calls have been profitable or not. That would be hard to quantify anyway. It is fun when I'm right though :)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sometimes AK is enough, part 2
Tulalip $1/$3
Villain: $400; very very aggressive player, usually a $3/$5 player. I've played him a few times. I wonder sometimes if he's just aggressive for aggressiveness sake (which also makes me wonder if I sometimes have that tendency)
Hero: $500; LAG. Really mixing it up tonight, probably gambooling a bit more than I ought to. IM(not so)HO villain and I are the 2 best players at the table, and while I usually try to avoid playing really good players, I'll sometimes get involved because: a) it's fun and challenging, and b) sometimes you think you have the best hand.
Villain raises to $15 in LP; Hero looks down OTB at AhKh. I don't want to build a huge pot against him, so I decide to just take a flop. Blinds fold.
POT: $34
FLOP: J29 rainbow (one heart)
Villain bets $20; Hero calls.
I decide to take one off here for two reasons: 1) he c-bets almost every flop he raises, and 2) I'm in position, and can try to represent on the turn. I'm thinking if an 8 or K comes off I can represent a straight. Of course, if an A or K come off I'm probably good, plus I do have backdoor flush possibilities. My call, too, could shut him down if he's missed, and allow me perhaps a free river. And, too, sometimes AK is good enough for a showdown.
POT: $74
TURN: [J29] 5 (no heart)
Villain bets $50. Hero calls.
I watch him watch the board, and count out his bet, and pick up something. At least I think I do. There was a look on his face as he pushed his chips that was different than the confident/cocky look he usually has. I don't think he has anything, so I call.
POT: $174
RIVER: [J295] 5
Villain stares at the board for a beat, cuts out $75, and pushes it into the pot with 2 hands. I grab a stack of $100 from my stack, and - I kid you not - he grimaced, ever so slightly. I was considering calling before the grimace, but now I'm leaning more that way. I'm not sure how capable he is of giving false tells, so I'm not ready yet, but I count out the $75, and move it away from my stack (but not forward, AND not over the commitment line). I'm looking at the pot and the board, going back through what he might have, but as I moved the chips away from my stack, he says "You're good," so I immediately push the chips out front, and he mucks.
I had seen him muck more than once that evening after an opponent called a river bet, so I was pretty sure that he would do just that again. I thought I'd be OK at showdown, too. I never have to turn my cards over since he mucked. His wife was seated right next to him and she said, "Why'd you muck?" to which he replied "Because if he can call me there he has to have me beat." I stack the chips, and as the next hand is being dealt I ask him if he had a pair, and he said of course.
Take-away: don't muck your hand until:
1) your oponent shows you the winner,
2) your oponent has mucked, OR
3) the dealer is pushing chips to you.
Villain: $400; very very aggressive player, usually a $3/$5 player. I've played him a few times. I wonder sometimes if he's just aggressive for aggressiveness sake (which also makes me wonder if I sometimes have that tendency)
Hero: $500; LAG. Really mixing it up tonight, probably gambooling a bit more than I ought to. IM(not so)HO villain and I are the 2 best players at the table, and while I usually try to avoid playing really good players, I'll sometimes get involved because: a) it's fun and challenging, and b) sometimes you think you have the best hand.
Villain raises to $15 in LP; Hero looks down OTB at AhKh. I don't want to build a huge pot against him, so I decide to just take a flop. Blinds fold.
POT: $34
FLOP: J29 rainbow (one heart)
Villain bets $20; Hero calls.
I decide to take one off here for two reasons: 1) he c-bets almost every flop he raises, and 2) I'm in position, and can try to represent on the turn. I'm thinking if an 8 or K comes off I can represent a straight. Of course, if an A or K come off I'm probably good, plus I do have backdoor flush possibilities. My call, too, could shut him down if he's missed, and allow me perhaps a free river. And, too, sometimes AK is good enough for a showdown.
POT: $74
TURN: [J29] 5 (no heart)
Villain bets $50. Hero calls.
I watch him watch the board, and count out his bet, and pick up something. At least I think I do. There was a look on his face as he pushed his chips that was different than the confident/cocky look he usually has. I don't think he has anything, so I call.
POT: $174
RIVER: [J295] 5
Villain stares at the board for a beat, cuts out $75, and pushes it into the pot with 2 hands. I grab a stack of $100 from my stack, and - I kid you not - he grimaced, ever so slightly. I was considering calling before the grimace, but now I'm leaning more that way. I'm not sure how capable he is of giving false tells, so I'm not ready yet, but I count out the $75, and move it away from my stack (but not forward, AND not over the commitment line). I'm looking at the pot and the board, going back through what he might have, but as I moved the chips away from my stack, he says "You're good," so I immediately push the chips out front, and he mucks.
I had seen him muck more than once that evening after an opponent called a river bet, so I was pretty sure that he would do just that again. I thought I'd be OK at showdown, too. I never have to turn my cards over since he mucked. His wife was seated right next to him and she said, "Why'd you muck?" to which he replied "Because if he can call me there he has to have me beat." I stack the chips, and as the next hand is being dealt I ask him if he had a pair, and he said of course.
Take-away: don't muck your hand until:
1) your oponent shows you the winner,
2) your oponent has mucked, OR
3) the dealer is pushing chips to you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
