A few 5NL hands

Hi guys, what do you think about these hands from todays session.


Hand 1 Fold river??

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($1.75)
Hero (BB) ($5.16)
UTG ($2.95)
UTG+1 ($2.61)
MP1 ($20.21)
MP2 ($4.98)
MP3 ($16.42)
CO ($4.85)
Button ($9.02)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 6, 5
UTG calls $0.05, UTG+1 calls $0.05, 1 fold, MP2 calls $0.05, 1 fold, CO calls $0.05, 1 fold, SB calls $0.03, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.30) J, 3, 8 (6 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 bets $0.10, CO calls $0.10, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.10, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.10

Turn: ($0.70) 3 (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 bets $0.35, CO calls $0.35, Hero calls $0.35, UTG+1 calls $0.35

River: ($2.10) K (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 bets $0.20, CO raises to $0.95, Hero calls $0.95, 1 fold, MP2 calls $0.75

Total pot: $4.95 | Rake: $0.20


Hand 2 Villians first hand, is this just pure spew?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG+1 ($4.36)
MP1 ($8.82)
MP2 ($8.64)
CO ($7.43)
Button ($10.63)
SB ($2.13)
BB ($10.03)
Hero (UTG) ($7.63)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 8, 8
Hero raises to $0.20, 4 folds, Button calls $0.20, 2 folds

Flop: ($0.47) 2, 4, 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.35, Button calls $0.35

Turn: ($1.17) J (2 players)
Hero bets $1.25, Button calls $1.25

River: ($3.67) A (2 players)
Hero bets $2.20, Button calls $2.20

Total pot: $8.07 | Rake: $0.35

Hand 3 Im pretty bad with SC/gappers but I think i played this ok??

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (7 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($6.38)
SB ($1.85)
Hero (BB) ($4.95)
UTG ($4.12)
MP1 ($5.57)
MP2 ($4.62)
CO ($7.01)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 10, 7
1 fold, MP1 raises to $0.10, 3 folds, SB calls $0.08, Hero calls $0.05

Flop: ($0.30) 9, J, K (3 players)
SB bets $0.10, Hero calls $0.10, MP1 raises to $0.20, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.10

Turn: ($0.80) 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $0.40, Hero raises to $1.10, MP1 raises to $5.27 (All-In), Hero calls $3.55 (All-In)

River: ($10.10) J (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $10.10 | Rake: $0.50

Hand 1 is close on the river but I think it's a fold as played. I would have raised turn though. Why didn't you?

Hand 2, the problem with betting the river this small is that you can't credibly represent anything good enough to make him fold many better hands, plus he's not calling with worse unless he's a huge donk, which is less likely given he bought in deep (you said it's his first hand?). Also the turn bet size is way too big. I c-bet this flop for value and to charge draws, c/c the turn for pot control/deception, and probably c/f the river but maybe c/c depending on sizing/timing/history. If we don't check the turn and bet like you did I think we have to check the river or bet out pot again. It just doesn't make sense for us to be betting this way on the river for value unless we have 22,44,JJ,AA,AJ (marginally in this range), and since he's shown a willingness to call an overbet on the turn why not overbet again on the river with these strong hands? You have to think about whether your betting pattern is consistent with the hand you're trying to represent.

Hand 3, I'm a nit so I fold this preflop but it should be a fold or 3b without reads. As played preflop I raise flop to .35 or so. As played on flop, I play turn exactly as you did and fist pump. Nice raise size on the turn btw.

agree with para

also, hand 1 river is really confusing. We basically beat a lot of the first guys range, and only bluffs in the second. I would likely fold.

Ok guys thanks for the replies, i agree hand two was really stupid and i wasnt thinking about what i was actually repping. My thought process was something like, 'hey theres an ace, bet and hell think ive got AK muhahaha'

I cant believe how badly im playing atm im really starting to feel like crap about my whole game. I tried playing another session tonight and am down another 2 buyins in like 10hands. I watched a couple of vids on grinderschool beforehand and gained some false confidence and was trying to play 'like spenda' Please tell me how bad this is....i just couldnt stop myself on both hands

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (CO) ($4.98)
Button ($3.65)
SB ($2.45)
BB ($3)
UTG ($5.67)
UTG+1 ($6.55)
MP1 ($6.31)
MP2 ($19.18)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, K
UTG calls $0.05, 2 folds, MP2 calls $0.05, Hero raises to $0.30, 3 folds, UTG calls $0.25, MP2 calls $0.25

Flop: ($0.97) 8, J, K (3 players)
UTG checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets $0.85, UTG calls $0.85, 1 fold

Turn: ($2.67) 7 (2 players)
UTG bets $0.50, Hero raises to $3.83 (All-In), UTG calls $3.33

River: ($10.33) 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $10.33 | Rake: $0.50

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (SB) ($4.95)
BB ($3.50)
UTG ($2.45)
UTG+1 ($2.93)
MP1 ($10.32)
MP2 ($6.70)
CO ($6.24)
Button ($19.27)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 2, A
4 folds, CO calls $0.05, Button calls $0.05, Hero calls $0.03, BB checks

Flop: ($0.20) A, 10, 2 (4 players)
Hero bets $0.20, 1 fold, CO calls $0.20, 1 fold

Turn: ($0.60) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.45, CO calls $0.45

River: ($1.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.75, CO raises to $2.55, Hero calls $1.80

Total pot: $6.60 | Rake: $0.30

Why are you check/calling the turn in hand 1?
Why are you checking at all on the turn in hand 1? With a weak flop bet, multiple players in bot, this is a good spot to lead.
As played, at 5nl the river is a call.

Hand 2 agree with the above.

Hand 3 should be a fold pre fairly often. Looks fine from there.

Hand 4 should be a fold pre fairly often as well. Also looks fine from there.

A 2 :

River is an easy fold imo. Put him on a range, and put the hand in pokerstove... try to figure out how wide his range needs to be for a call to be profitable.
Everything else is fine. I think you can make it closer to 3/4 on the river. If he's calling flop and turn, he either has a weaker made hand, or he made a better hand on the turn. If he called you on the flop and turn with Ax, he'll call more on the river.

Originally Posted by oskar

A 2 :

Why do you bet 3/4 on the turn but 1/2 on the river?
River is an easy fold imo. Put him on a range, and put the hand in pokerstove... try to figure out how wide his range needs to be for a call to be profitable.

I think everything but river is fine though.

oskar is becoming a force in the BC!