Cardsman's Grind for Education Part Deux

My last op was a miserable failure, but I think I am at a place in my career where I can attempt another one.

Seems that every time I publicly state a goal, I immediately spew/downswong/etc.....so knock on wood that the same thing doesn't happen again.

Some of you may know that I have a daughter, now 6, and her mother insists on sending her to private school instead of putting her in a large school district in her city. Therefore, I get to pay for half of her tuition each year. In addition, I hope to be able to earn enough money to put back for her college when the time arrives. I have been able to pay for the first two years' tuition through poker, and see no reason why I can't continue (UIGEA notwithstanding). So this is my "Grind For Education" part deux, but it will carry an additional meaning. In this operation I will attempt to be educated on how to really play poker. Several times in the past I thought I had figured it out, just to be smacked down by my own leaks and magnified by the variance bug at just the wrong times.

My poker story:

Started playing in free bar tourneys/watching on TV like a lot of us did. Discovered online poker, deposited, played some STT SNGs and got hooked. Won a bit of money in some tourneys, etc. Switched to cash games in early 2006 and have played mostly cash since. Started out at Party/Pokerroom at $25NL, moved to Absolute and Tilt for the RB, play at Stars occasionally as well. Play live when I can (although gas $ has cut that out a bit) and enjoy live even more than online. I have played as high as $200NL and as low as $10. Currently playing $50 and $100 even though I am overrolled. I am playing overrolled for several reasons: Confidence (play better when I have the cushion behind me), and because each time I have moved up to $200 I have gotten creamed. Much better in my eyes to win money at $50 than it is to lose money or breakeven at $100.

My history the last year includes several horrific downswings where I play bad and variance gets me, the most recent one being the first of this year while chasing the FT Ironman Bonus. I was obsessed with getting in hands to clear the bonus, and never slowed down. Went on a nice tilty cycle and ended up spewing enough to move down to $25 temporarily. At that point I totally revamped my game, tightening up preflop and postflop, paying much more attention to position than I had been, and plugging some longstanding leaks. This is not to say I have it figured out, because I don't, but I feel my game is in much better shape now than it was when I rode the last big wave upward. I have had decent success since mid Fed and hope I never go through the hell I did at the beginning of 2008 again. I played 125K hands at $50NL with a good but not great winrate, then re-incorporated the $100 tables into my game slowly again. I have another 26K hands at $100NL and am now showing a decent winrate and hope to continue that for a while.


My goals:

--20K hands per month (not a lot compared to the grinders but with my schedule and being a dad that's what I can realistically count on....between 600-800 hands on weeknights and 1500 hands on weekends when I am not busy). 8 tabling mostly.
--100K hands at $100 with a positive winrate
--Working BR of $10K by Jan 2009
--Taking successful shots at $200 by Jan 2009
--work my way to a happy medium of BR nitiness.
--contribute to this forum
--incorporate a bit more 6 max into my game again.

Thanks to all who pop in for a visit!!

CMAN

Okay, some examples from last night:

Preflop is leaky but the minbet is fishy....and villain has been kinda active preflop.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP2 ($124.50)
MP3 ($123.00)
Hero (CO) ($103.55)
Button ($115.65)
SB ($84.70)
BB ($25.95)
UTG ($80.00)
UTG+1 ($77.05)
MP1 ($108.60)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9 7
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $2.00, 3 folds, Hero calls $2.00, 3 folds

Flop: ($5.50) A 9 5 (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks

Bad check imo on both of our parts.

Turn: ($5.50) A (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $5.50, Hero calls $5.50

I think this is easy to call because it's obvious he has no ace. However, if he was any good it should be obvious to him that I have no ace either...

River: ($16.50) 8 (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $12.00, 1 fold

Total pot: $16.50 | Rake: $0.80

In the end the delayed float worked but was risky.

Hand 2: I think I did well with pot control against a tight passive here. River I wasn't willing to call much over half pot.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($75.55)
UTG+1 ($100.00)
Hero (MP1) ($100.00)
MP2 ($110.95)
MP3 ($75.30)
CO ($27.15)
Button ($96.05)
SB ($84.15)
BB ($79.45)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with A J
2 folds, Hero raises to $4.00, 1 fold, MP3 calls $4.00, 4 folds

Flop: ($9.50) 7 J 10 (2 players)
Hero bets $7.00, MP3 calls $7.00

Turn: ($23.50) 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 checks

River: ($23.50) A (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $11.00, Hero calls $11.00

Total pot: $45.50 | Rake: $2.25

Damn PF minbets again....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($77.50)
SB ($216.30)
Hero (BB) ($106.00)
UTG ($111.85)
UTG+1 ($115.60)
MP1 ($39.85)
MP2 ($108.25)
MP3 ($20.00)
CO ($73.25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5 7
2 folds, MP1 calls $1.00, 2 folds, CO raises to $2.00, 2 folds, Hero calls $1.00, MP1 calls $1.00

I could 3bet this PF easily too.

Flop: ($6.50) 8 5 Q (3 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks, CO bets $1.00, Hero calls $1.00, 1 fold

Weak bet. Could and probably should fold flop.

Turn: ($8.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $4.00, Hero raises to $12.00, CO calls $8.00

Standard IMO

River: ($32.50) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $22.00, 1 fold

Total pot: $32.50 | Rake: $1.60

I think I miss value here by leading maybe? Do worse hands call, and if I induce, can I really call here?

This hand I think I missed value on too. I was too afraid of a river check behind. My leak here is playing this draw OOP PF....


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($168.25)
Hero (SB) ($104.45)
BB ($61.10)
UTG ($24.10)
UTG+1 ($102.90)
MP1 ($118.60)
MP2 ($44.75)
MP3 ($39.50)
CO ($111.85)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 9 8
3 folds, MP2 raises to $2.00, 1 fold, CO calls $2.00, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.50, BB calls $1.00

Flop: ($8.00) 3 7 10 (4 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, MP2 bets $3.50, CO calls $3.50, Hero calls $3.50, 1 fold

Turn: ($18.50) 6 (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks, CO bets $11.00, Hero calls $11.00, 1 fold

Should raise here but got greedy and wanted more $$$ in the pot.

River: ($40.50) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $22.00, 1 fold

Total pot: $40.50 | Rake: $2.00

This hand is my spew of the day. This second barrel is horrid, and the first barrel is questionable...villain is nothing out of the ordinarily, average PF stds.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($74.05)
Button ($100.00)
Hero (SB) ($120.25)
BB ($110.95)
UTG ($96.30)
UTG+1 ($27.15)
MP1 ($96.05)
MP2 ($83.65)
MP3 ($79.45)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K K
7 folds, Hero raises to $4.00, BB calls $3.00

Flop: ($8.00) A A 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $6.00, BB calls $6.00

Turn: ($20.00) 10 (2 players)
Hero bets $12.00, BB raises to $24.00, Hero folds, 1 fold

Total pot: $44.00 | Rake: $2.20

More PF spew, but villain is looser this time. I should 3bet or fold. I had been active, though, and didn't want my 3bet spiked back in my face.

Postflop I think might be okay...KQ is in his range as are boats but he has to bet the boats more aggressively so I discount them a bit.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP2 ($50.00)
MP3 ($21.00)
CO ($73.40)
Hero (Button) ($99.25)
SB ($96.65)
BB ($25.25)
UTG ($111.65)
UTG+1 ($53.60)
MP1 ($100.25)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A J
2 folds, MP1 raises to $1.75, 3 folds, Hero calls $1.75, 2 folds

Flop: ($4.25) A J 10 (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets $3.00, MP1 calls $3.00

Turn: ($10.25) 10 (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets $8.00, MP1 calls $8.00

River: ($26.25) 7 (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets $12.00, MP1 calls $12.00

Total pot: $50.25 | Rake: $2.50

Last hand isn't overly interesting in and of itself, but I wanted to point out the value of the light 3 bet in FR. Villain is 16/13 and 3bets 6% of the time, which is kinda high.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP1 ($182.65)
Hero (MP2) ($118.45)
MP3 ($61.65)
CO ($21.10)
Button ($77.50)
SB ($120.60)
BB ($81.50)
UTG ($22.75)
UTG+1 ($75.95)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 7 7
2 folds, MP1 raises to $3.50, Hero raises to $14.00, 6 folds

Total pot: $8.50 | Rake: $0.00

Please rip to shreds at your convenience!!

which of those hands are against me?
what's your FT handle - I played 100k hands at FT 100nl in July, so we probably ran into each other...

Good luck cman! I understand your BR nittiness from your background, but I still think that any point you're feeling confident in your 100nl game you should start mixing in some good 200nl tables. If you lose a few buyins just move back down! Playing overrolled for a long time will cost you a lot more money than taking occasional shots and moving back down if they don't go well.

I really don't know how 100nl FR is playing these days, but I'll give these a quick shot...

1. Fine all around.

2. I guess turn check is fine for pot control vs. a tight passive. River is a clear valuebet imo.

3. This one you can fold pre because of your crappy position. You can c/r the turn a little bigger b/c of the draws, otherwise good.

4. Marginal call pre, get more money in on the turn.

5. I don't think this is bad at all. Lots of worse hands are calling on the flop, a fair number are calling on the turn. I don't even think the turn fold is that easy, but I think it's good.

6. Pre-flop is good! Suited aces are great calls in position. Post-flop is great, you might even bet a few more bucks on the river.

7. Why not call for set value? I prefer 3betting a polarized range in position... so monsters (JJ+,AK) plus stuff that's just out of my calling range (ATo-A7o, KJo, QTo, T9o, 98o, etc.) adjusted for opponent and his position ofc. Not everyone uses the same strategy, but it lets me call with a lot of good implied odds hands in position (pairs, suited aces, suited connectors and suited gappers) while still 3betting enough that my monsters get action.

Originally Posted by daven

which of those hands are against me?
what's your FT handle - I played 100k hands at FT 100nl in July, so we probably ran into each other...

SN the same. I know we've sat together but nothing overly out of hand between us. You are up on me a bit, mostly due to setting my AA. I only have one decent pot against you overall...and it was only 30BB. None of the above hands are against you.

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

Zook said....
I really don't know how 100nl FR is playing these days, but I'll give these a quick shot...

1. Fine all around.

2. I guess turn check is fine for pot control vs. a tight passive. River is a clear valuebet imo.

I see the point, but what will call it that we beat? AK/AQ and JT are all I could see... I think the value of betting is the ability to get away if he pushes?

3. This one you can fold pre because of your crappy position. You can c/r the turn a little bigger b/c of the draws, otherwise good.

That was almost pot, how high will you go here?

4. Marginal call pre, get more money in on the turn.

Agreed, got too greedy.

5. I don't think this is bad at all. Lots of worse hands are calling on the flop, a fair number are calling on the turn. I don't even think the turn fold is that easy, but I think it's good.

6. Pre-flop is good! Suited aces are great calls in position. Post-flop is great, you might even bet a few more bucks on the river.

Was thinking about my chances of domination here...

7. Why not call for set value? I prefer 3betting a polarized range in position... so monsters (JJ+,AK) plus stuff that's just out of my calling range (ATo-A7o, KJo, QTo, T9o, 98o, etc.) adjusted for opponent and his position ofc. Not everyone uses the same strategy, but it lets me call with a lot of good implied odds hands in position (pairs, suited aces, suited connectors and suited gappers) while still 3betting enough that my monsters get action.

That's the default play for me as well. This guy was on 3 of my tables and I was flatting him left and right, floating him on the flop a bit. Decided to change it up a bit. Shows that a LOT of villains at this level instantly put you on QQ+ or even tighter when you 3bet though. What you mention, and what I need to get better at this, is to polarize my 3bet range to monsters and trashier hands. I haven't turned up the nerve enough to 3bet ATo on a regular basis....

Well it's time to grind a bit, hopefully good things to report....

Zook said....
2. I guess turn check is fine for pot control vs. a tight passive. River is a clear valuebet imo.

I see the point, but what will call it that we beat? AK/AQ and JT are all I could see... I think the value of betting is the ability to get away if he pushes?

Those hands plus any random J's that think you're bluffing a scare card. It's thin but worthwhile imo.

3. This one you can fold pre because of your crappy position. You can c/r the turn a little bigger b/c of the draws, otherwise good.

That was almost pot, how high will you go here?

Pot would be making it's $20.50... I'd make it $18ish.

6. Pre-flop is good! Suited aces are great calls in position. Post-flop is great, you might even bet a few more bucks on the river.

Was thinking about my chances of domination here...

It's ok to call with hands that could be dominated as long as you're aware of it. It's especially ok when you play at stakes where players don't double- and triple-barrel bluff very often. The nice thing about flat calling with some broadway hands is that Axx and Kxx are auto c-bets for most players, so you can pick those off.

7. Why not call for set value? I prefer 3betting a polarized range in position... so monsters (JJ+,AK) plus stuff that's just out of my calling range (ATo-A7o, KJo, QTo, T9o, 98o, etc.) adjusted for opponent and his position ofc. Not everyone uses the same strategy, but it lets me call with a lot of good implied odds hands in position (pairs, suited aces, suited connectors and suited gappers) while still 3betting enough that my monsters get action.

That's the default play for me as well. This guy was on 3 of my tables and I was flatting him left and right, floating him on the flop a bit. Decided to change it up a bit. Shows that a LOT of villains at this level instantly put you on QQ+ or even tighter when you 3bet though. What you mention, and what I need to get better at this, is to polarize my 3bet range to monsters and trashier hands. I haven't turned up the nerve enough to 3bet ATo on a regular basis....

I hear you. Play around with 3betting some absolute garbage next session just to get your nerve up. The nice thing about doing it with trash is if you get called or 4bet, it's easy to get away. btw, I don't polarize my 3bet range oop because players like to call more when they're ip.

gl with the operation c-man...sounds like you've got some momentum after your setbacks earlier this year.

BTW, the new cardroom at Horeshoe(formerly Caesers) is open. Been playing 2/5 NL there lately, probably going up there Sunday night since I'm off Monday.

Is hand #4 such a bad call for a minraise when it's going to be 3 or 4-way(assmuming BB doesn't raise)? Depending on the opponent that's often a PF hi PP that you can stack with your suited connectors on the right flop.

Thanks Aces, I think I have my footing again

I want to get down there to see it since they remodeled. Haven't been toward Louisville for a while. Let me know how it is!! I know the games were good, hopefully traffic is still high? I know weekends at Argosy are still good, although I have only been twice since Christmas....

Hey Z, I may have something fundamentally wrong then, and I may not even have known it. In the 57 hand where I c/r the turn, the pot is $12.50 when it gets to me ($8.5 to start the street, then he bets $4 into it). In my mind, raising a $4 bet to $12 more or less doubles the pot to $24.50. Do I have this wrong? My standard c/r or 3bet is generally 3-4x the original bet (unless it's a stupid minibet, in which case I raise to the value of the pot). I have the option to show current pot size showing on my tables and I glance at it, look at the bet I'm facing, and raise to an amount which falls in my standard range but makes the current pot size approx double. I figure that gives no more than 3:1 for a call but my thinking may be off...

Here are a few hands from last night.

1)Villain is very aggro postflop, stats are in the 16/14 range PF but postflop is crazy at 15 AF!!! I know he will bet if I check, and I know he has folded to my 3bets before. That being said, I was torn between leading and c/c because I thought there was more chance that he folds if I lead. When the turn comes, I try to get money in the pot because a card comes that puts a lot of draws out there for his range that can come in on the river. So basically I lost my satchel, because I was going to check call again and then bomb the river. Against this particular villain, what is your favorite line?

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

SB ($68.80)
Cardsman (BB) ($133.15)
UTG ($100.00)
UTG+1 ($203.50)
MP1 ($74.70)
MP2 ($113.45)
CO ($20.00)
Button ($122.15)

Preflop: Cardsman is BB with 8, 8
4 folds, CO checks, Button raises to $5.00, 1 fold, Cardsman calls $4.00, 1 fold

Flop: ($11.50) 3, 2, 8 (2 players)
Cardsman checks, Button bets $8.00, Cardsman calls $8.00

Turn: ($27.50) J (2 players)
Cardsman checks, Button bets $14.00, Cardsman raises to $42.00, 1 fold

Total pot: $56.00 | Rake: $2.80

2) Z, here's your answer to how the games are at $100 nowadays LOL.....Still have shorties that suck....although I should have just put him all in PF and would have had we not had a caller in between us.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

MP1 ($293.40)
MP2 ($50.00)
MP3 ($73.95)
CO ($112.95)
Button ($32.10)
SB ($89.30)
Cardsman (BB) ($94.50)
UTG ($136.55)
UTG+1 ($131.30)

Preflop: Cardsman is BB with Q, Q
UTG calls $1.00, 5 folds, Button raises to $4.50, 1 fold, Cardsman raises to $18.00, 1 fold, Button calls $13.50

Flop: ($37.50) 6, A, K (2 players)
Cardsman bets $15.00, Button calls $14.10 (All-In)

Turn: ($65.70) 9 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($65.70) 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $65.70 | Rake: $3.00


3) Here's a float that didn't work, villain is fairly standard TAG running about 16/9/1.5. Couldn't believe what he showed down--I could fire the river but I don't know that it would have worked. Board wasn't overly drawy so I figured he was c/c'ing a pair that beat mine.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

SB ($97.50)
Cardsman (BB) ($96.00)
UTG ($143.20)
UTG+1 ($27.15)
MP1 ($99.80)
MP2 ($52.15)
MP3 ($223.20)
CO ($100.00)
Button ($144.30)

Preflop: Cardsman is BB with 5, 3
7 folds, SB raises to $4.00, Cardsman calls $3.00

Flop: ($8.00) K, 10, 2 (2 players)
SB checks, Cardsman bets $6.00, SB calls $6.00

Turn: ($20.00) 5 (2 players)
SB checks, Cardsman bets $12.00, SB calls $12.00

River: ($44.00) 4 (2 players)
SB checks, Cardsman checks

Total pot: $44.00 | Rake: $2.20


4) And now for the badly played hand of the day....villain was fairly TAGgy and I think his PF 3bet range is wide but not horribly so.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

UTG+1 ($270.30)
MP1 ($50.00)
MP2 ($81.10)
MP3 ($100.00)
CO ($39.00)
Button ($108.30)
Cardsman (SB) ($101.45)
BB ($100.00)
UTG ($126.10)

Preflop: Cardsman is SB with 5, 5
7 folds, Cardsman raises to $4.00, BB raises to $9.00, Cardsman calls $5.00

Easy call of the RR due to implied

Flop: ($18.00) 4, 2, 9 (2 players)
Cardsman checks, BB bets $9.00, Cardsman calls $9.00

This flop missed him for sure, no way it hits him. I should actually lead here I think.

Turn: ($36.00) 6 (2 players)
Cardsman checks, BB checks

This is the worst street. I probably fold him out about 2/3 of the time with a lead here.

River: ($36.00) 8 (2 players)
Cardsman bets $23.00, BB calls $23.00

Total pot: $82.00 | Rake: $3.00

Can't believe he called me. What do you put him on here, and does my line look so fishy as to merit a call?

Originally Posted by Aces

Is hand #4 such a bad call for a minraise when it's going to be 3 or 4-way(assmuming BB doesn't raise)? Depending on the opponent that's often a PF hi PP that you can stack with your suited connectors on the right flop.

I don't think it's "such a bad call", I just said marginal. If you're looking to tighten up your pre-flop game suited connectors oop are a good place to start.

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

Hey Z, I may have something fundamentally wrong then, and I may not even have known it. In the 57 hand where I c/r the turn, the pot is $12.50 when it gets to me ($8.5 to start the street, then he bets $4 into it). In my mind, raising a $4 bet to $12 more or less doubles the pot to $24.50. Do I have this wrong?

Yeah... the way to calculate a pot-sized raise is:

Pot + opponent's bet + amount you have to call

The reason you have to include that last term is that you're only raising an amount ON TOP OF your call. In this case, you made it $12 and opponent only had to call $8 into a $24.50 pot, giving him better than 3:1 odds! If you made a pot-sized raise he would be getting 2:1. In this case pot size would be $8.50+$4+$4 = $16.50. So you would raise to $20.50. Then he'd have to call $16.50 into a $33 pot, exactly 2:1.

I usually make it a little bit less than pot, but I may go lower if the board isn't that drawy or I'm trying to induce a shove.

1. Stackadonk is fine, but on a board like this it turns your hand face up. I don't mind c/c'ing the turn and c/bombing the river vs. this guy or even c/r'ing the flop and leading from there. Nothing wrong with your line just mix it up once in awhile on dry boards.

3. Pretty crappy hand to defend your bb with.

4. I'm actually fine with this hand until the river. I c/c or c/f depending on what I think of villains bluffing and thin value betting frequencies. No value betting and I don't think he ever folds a pair here since your line looks pretty weak.

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

I want to get down there to see it since they remodeled. Haven't been toward Louisville for a while. Let me know how it is!! I know the games were good, hopefully traffic is still high? I know weekends at Argosy are still good, although I have only been twice since Christmas....

Room is pretty decent, maybe a little nicer but it's not much different then when it was Caesers(before they moved to the temporary room). Last time I was there most of the autoshufflers still didn't work, but they are suppossed to be fixing them. Comps kinda suck, .75/hr. There are always a bunch of 1/2 games(pretty fishy), usually only 2 2/5games(pretty loose but still quite beatable) at most(at least on the weekends). I hear there is an occasional 5/10 game but not too often.

gl cman, i'll be watching this closely! moving to 6max improved my game a lot, so i'd recommend jumping into it soon.

Originally Posted by Vi-Zer0Skill

gl cman, i'll be watching this closely! moving to 6max improved my game a lot, so i'd recommend jumping into it soon.

lol brief stint at HU improved my game a ridiculous (sp?) amount.

gl cman, btw your last blog wasnt a failure. You took $50 prop bet off me.

Thx for the support guys!! The time I did spend at 6max definitely helped my aggression, that's for sure!! I may need to try some HU to hone hand reading skills?

DG--I forgot a bit about the prop bet, probably because I ended up spewing it on a bad bluff I'm sure LOL. Between June of last year and early Feb this year, I played the worst poker of my career.....If I had bad BR mgmt and no RB at all I would have been busto. Kept moving down, though, which took some mental strength IMO. Who wants to play $25 when they have won at $100?

Took a shot at $200 last night, 2 tables, 316 hands. Stats:

18.3/13.6/3.1--more or less in line with my norm, and right on track with what I was doing on my $100 tables.

45.45% W$SD--exactly what I was at $100 last night.

36.7% W$SF, a bit low for norm and a bit higher than $100 last night

Yet at $200, I was -$444 (2 1/4 BI), and at $100 I ran like the Good Lord Himself and was up almost 3 BI.

At $200, I have JJ on the button, raise, get 3 bet, call, flop a J high monotone board, get it in against QQ with one spade, bye bye buyin.

Same thing happens to me at $100 and my hand holds up.

Work my way back barely in the black for the night, then proceed to run KK into AA ( I have the button and 3bet, villain flats ), and get it in on a dry flop just before I was going to shut down for the night.

Also had one questionable river bet into weakness picked off.

Overall I feel I didn't play horribly at $200 and the first two hands are pretty standard.

If they happen to me at $100, though, and I run like God at $200, my results would have been flip flopped and I would be a couple hundred in the black GG Murphy!!!

Almost done with my playing for August, and pretty happy with the month overall. I am going to a baseball game tonight with my daughter, so if I get any hands in it will be very late and maybe none at all depending on when I get home. Saturday I have a live fantasy football draft party and I definitely won't play, so Sunday night would be my only "full session" left. I will post graph either here or in the graph thread after I close August out.

No hands last night, so today's entry is just a thought about the change in the game post UIGEA, on US friendly sites. 3 years ago when I started, TAG stats were along the lines of 16-20% VPIP and 8-10% PFR. People didn't start calling villains loose PF until they approached 30% VPIP. Now if you read forums, it seems that anyone playing above 12-14% VPIP is a LAG!! To me, 12/8 is awfully darn nitty and unless you play 16-18 tables I don't know how you don't die of boredom, or at the very least miss tons of value opportunities!! I can only play 8 right now and that seems to be plenty.....

How do these people who grind 70K hands a month do all that and keep their games straight? Am I missing out on not having some kind of scripts running that do some autopilot for me?

Lastly, any Fantasy Football advice for me? I have a keeper league where I get to keep 3, and I know I am keeping Brady and probably Gates. Our league counts return stats in the player stats too, and I don't think anyone really knows that, except for the commish, so I might be able to sneak in and grad Hester too!! Kinda torn on who else to keep too, I had Boldin but I don't think his year is going to be great....

Happy Labor Day weekend to my fellow Americans!!

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

How do these people who grind 70K hands a month do all that and keep their games straight? Am I missing out on not having some kind of scripts running that do some autopilot for me?

July was my first month at 100nl. I played 100k hands. That's full ring, so it's kinda slow going compared to 6max. No scripts etc, just my laptop hooked up to an extra monitor and I finally plugged in a mouse. Standard 12-15 tabling, playing simple 15-12 styles. For me, it's also key to play tiled, if i start having tables bouncing to the front I start losing track of what's been happening in a specific hand (e.g. what have the lines been up until this crazy river shove I'm facing from that horrible 70bb shortstack?!?)

The hard bit is finding quality time to get the hands in - i've recently decided to try and avoid playing when tired/drunk/tense/etc and to only play when I'm psyched to do so and it's not stopping me from doing other things that I want/need to do. Also not playing if i feel that work has left me vulnerable to subtle forms of tilt. It's also heading into spring here, so I'm going to be outside doing things a lot more than inside playing poker. September I'll probably be lucky to get 40k hands in... August I played 30k, but that was mostly in the first week and since then I've taken most of the month off playing.

Originally Posted by daven

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

How do these people who grind 70K hands a month do all that and keep their games straight? Am I missing out on not having some kind of scripts running that do some autopilot for me?

July was my first month at 100nl. I played 100k hands. That's full ring, so it's kinda slow going compared to 6max. No scripts etc, just my laptop hooked up to an extra monitor and I finally plugged in a mouse. Standard 12-15 tabling, playing simple 15-12 styles. For me, it's also key to play tiled, if i start having tables bouncing to the front I start losing track of what's been happening in a specific hand (e.g. what have the lines been up until this crazy river shove I'm facing from that horrible 70bb shortstack?!?)

The hard bit is finding quality time to get the hands in - i've recently decided to try and avoid playing when tired/drunk/tense/etc and to only play when I'm psyched to do so and it's not stopping me from doing other things that I want/need to do. Also not playing if i feel that work has left me vulnerable to subtle forms of tilt. It's also heading into spring here, so I'm going to be outside doing things a lot more than inside playing poker. September I'll probably be lucky to get 40k hands in... August I played 30k, but that was mostly in the first week and since then I've taken most of the month off playing.

What monitor size/resolution is optimal for tiling at 12+ tables? I like to keep HUD up but on my monitor the tiles are way too small for it to work so I have to cascade. Can anyone point me towards a post going into detail on this subject?

Thanks!

O

Originally Posted by Outlaw

What monitor size/resolution is optimal for tiling at 12+ tables? I like to keep HUD up but on my monitor the tiles are way too small for it to work so I have to cascade. Can anyone point me towards a post going into detail on this subject?

can't point you to a post, but can give my experience.
bigger the better!
I have 9 tables tiled on a 22" widescreen, and the other 4-7 tiled with varying overlap on a 15" laptop screen. HUD is still legible. I play mostly fulltilt but it's likely the same for stars etc. Some sites I can't reduce the table sizes enough to tile so many. I don't like the idea of tiling more than 9 on one 22" screen, also it's likely to be cheaper to buy 2x22" screens than one 26" screen.

Didn't get a ton of hands in this weekend, as I thought. We did break out a little shorthanded cash game after the Fantasy FB draft, bought in for $20 and played a .05/.10 blind game. Managed to take a BI or two, then ran my set of 6s into a set of As when the worst player at the table limp-called with them. Hilarity ensued....

Played a bit on Sunday evening trying to wrap up the month, and was really in the mood to play. However, I definitely didn't have my A game and though I was only down a bit, I just didn't feel right at the table and I quit early. Came back yesterday evening to play a bit and I played a lot better. No really interesting hands to report, but up a couple hondo for the night....so my BR now sits at $7050 and it at the highest it has been since my prop bet with DG where I got it up over $10K, before going on a massive bender. However, I am much more of a BR nit now, so I don't see blowing $2k in a short period again....

Speaking of earnings, I had posted my Aug graph in the August graph thread, and I had been pretty proud of myself--until I see all of the other graphs out there with months that are double mine, and the HS players with their 10K months. It was a bit discouraging, I know I play fewer hands per month than some of the grinders but there were still some impressive graphs with hand totals around mine. Just reminded me how far I have to go to be on par with a lot of the guys around here. September ought not be quite as busy as the last 3 or 4 months have been, though, so I may approach 30K hands again.

No more shots at $200.

500 hands, -4 buyins.

That is all.

Okay, so now I have calmed down and thinking a bit more rationally, so I will qualify my previous statement. I have taken two shots for a total of 500 hands, 2 tables each night while playing my normal 6 of $100. My $100 sessions have been going very well, but I am having trouble adjusting to the aggression at $200 I think. Definitely am not playing the same way I would at $100. I know 500 hands isn't much, but I guess I'm just not ready quite yet. I think I will wait until my roll is $8K before I take my next shot.

Below is an example of a hand I had trouble with. Villain was 35/15/2 and had most of his stack when I sat down. I had folded to several raises, but by this time I had gotten into a rhythm where I was taking down a few pots including a nice second barrel with KK on an A high board in position. That's how I had most of this stack....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

MP2 ($182)
MP3 ($354.80)
CO ($188)
Button ($45)
Cardsman (SB) ($394.95)
BB ($126.40)
UTG ($243.40)
UTG+1 ($203.55)
MP1 ($200)

Preflop: Cardsman is SB with J J
4 folds, MP3 raises to $6, 2 folds, Cardsman raises to $24, 1 fold, MP3 calls $18

I could go either way here, since I'm OOP, but I thought that reraising that small PF bet was better, plus we're deep, I have room to get away, or a great chance to stack him with a set of JJs IF I am behind (and I'm not convinced I am).

Flop: ($50) 2 9 2 (2 players)
Cardsman bets $38, MP3 calls $38

Standard lead in a 3 bet pot IMO. His call concerns me, does he have 99?or am I WA/WB?

Turn: ($126) Q (2 players)
Cardsman checks, MP3 checks

I had every intention of folding to a bet here because I only beat AK/TT/midpairs. Which does he have? Why did he check? He is aggro enough, did he check to induce?

River: ($126) 5 (2 players)
Cardsman bets $84, MP3 raises to $200, Cardsman folds

Just couldn't convince myself he had AQ/KQ. Also thought that surely he would bet/raise AA/KK along the way. Horrible lead I think, not sure what calls, but thought I could fold out JJ/AQ/AK and--no way I can call the river raise because he raises me with exactly nothing that I beat except the odd bluff that I don't have odds to call. So I end up taking myself to valuetown.

Total pot: $294 | Rake: $3

This hand amused me a bit, just when you think you have the fish caught, he wiggles off.....villain was 50/35/1.5 and just terribad...nothing really exciting but just a story for the file....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

SB ($79.50)
BB ($100)
UTG ($253.45)
UTG+1 ($27.30)
MP1 ($61.35)
MP2 ($60)
MP3 ($25.50)
Cardsman (CO) ($195.50)
Button ($182)

Preflop: Cardsman is CO with 2 2
1 fold, MP1 calls $1, 1 fold, Cardsman raises to $5, 1 fold, SB calls $4.50, 1 fold, MP1 calls $4

Flop: ($16) 4 7 2 (4 players)
SB checks, MP1 checks, Cardsman bets $12, 1 fold, MP1 raises to $52, Cardsman raises to $92, MP1 calls $4.35 (All-In)

Turn: ($128.70) K (4 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($128.70) 7 (4 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $128.70 | Rake: $3

Villain had 47ss
All in all I was down $250 for the night and BR is back to $6800.

I actually think hand 1 is played well all 4 streets. Turn I would bet against some players and c/c against some, but never c/f. River is a mandatory vb after you check the turn... your hand doesn't look like much and he could easily talk himself into a call with 77/88/TT. Could make your river bet a little smaller but this size is fine really. And ofc good fold to the raise. He's got to have 55/99/QQ (and rarely slowplayed AA/KK).

Originally Posted by zook

I actually think hand 1 is played well all 4 streets. Turn I would bet against some players and c/c against some, but never c/f. River is a mandatory vb after you check the turn... your hand doesn't look like much and he could easily talk himself into a call with 77/88/TT. Could make your river bet a little smaller but this size is fine really. And ofc good fold to the raise. He's got to have 55/99/QQ (and rarely slowplayed AA/KK).

I agree with this. I think you played the JJ hand fine. If villain thinks I bluff too much, then I'd probably bet the Q turn for value, since betting here really polarizes my range from his point of view. Once turn goes check/check I'm betting river always for value.

b/f this river is fine. Can't imagine what he has though. Probably 999 or QQQ.

Had a decent night last night, was up over 3BI again at $100, putting me at 10.69 ptbb/100 for my last 12K hands. Pretty nice heater at that level, just wondering when the other shoe will drop LOL. Popped open a table of $50 6max and lost 2 BI though, one of them a kind of silly one in a BVB battle....

Here are some poorly played hands from my recent foray into $200. Sent these and some others to zook for his input, but here are a few for the public pillory....so throw tomatoes if you will!

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($21)
UTG+1 ($152.90)
MP2 ($251.60)
MP3 ($43.95)
CO ($159.15)
Button ($116.55)
Hero (SB) ($289.90)
BB ($65.15)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 8, 8
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $2, 3 folds, Button calls $2, Hero raises to $12, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls $10, 1 fold

Flop: ($28) 2, 5, K (2 players)
Hero bets $20, UTG+1 calls $20

Standard Cbet

Turn: ($68) 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks

Checked because I feared the king. How many people double barrel here?

River: ($68) A (2 players)
Hero bets $40, UTG+1 calls $40

Tried to rep Ax here, but looking back if I had AK I would have bet the turn......so bad lead? I showed weakness though, so I think it might be similar to the JJ hand I posted earlier....

Total pot: $148 | Rake: $3

Here is a float that did not work.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($98)
UTG+1 ($274.40)
MP1 ($169)
MP2 ($73.55)
Hero (CO) ($200)
Button ($394.60)
SB ($321.95)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 3, 3
UTG+1 raises to $7, 2 folds, Hero calls $7, 3 folds

Flop: ($17) 2, 9, 6 (3 players)
UTG+1 bets $12, Hero calls $12

Looked like a good flop to float to me....

Turn: ($41) 7 (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $30, UTG+1 raises to $82, Hero folds

Mandatory bet after floating?

Total pot: $101 | Rake: $3

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP3 ($432.60)
CO ($289.20)
Button ($303.60)
SB ($227.10)
BB ($200)
UTG ($200.70)
MP1 ($272)
Hero (MP2) ($239.35)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 9, 9
2 folds, Hero raises to $8, 3 folds, SB raises to $28, 1 fold, Hero calls $20

Flop: ($58) 10, 2, J (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($58) 10 (2 players)
SB bets $42, Hero calls $42

Thought I could scare him into thinking I had a monster, Tx or JJ.....

River: ($142) 8 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $94, SB calls $94

Don't have a clue what convinced him to call this bet.....

Total pot: $330 | Rake: $3

Pretty standard against a shorty IMO....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($167.65)
BB ($306)
UTG ($204.30)
UTG+1 ($61.80)
MP1 ($110)
MP2 ($188.70)
MP3 ($43)
CO ($191)
Hero (Button) ($200)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K, 9
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $2, 2 folds, MP3 calls $2, CO calls $2, Hero raises to $14, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls $12, 2 folds

Flop: ($35) 4, 7, 10 (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $2, Hero raises to $46, UTG+1 raises to $47.80 (All-In), Hero calls $1.80

Turn: ($130.60) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($130.60) 7 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $130.60 | Rake: $3

hand 1 - c/f riv, you have sd value. a bet is bad

hand 2 - thats a bad board to float and id check back turn for showdown.

hand 3 - again i showdown riv. no value in betting and bluffing is bad.

hand 4 - i wudnt iso 3 limpers with this. flop is fine

Why is flop in hand two bad to float? So much I can rep on the turn? Not disagreeing, but trying to iron out thought process here. Flop had to miss him if he has overcards, and if a spade comes I can get him off a lot of overpairs?

imo,

-I think its better to float with at least some backup equity and not just 2 outs.
-when you float you rep a draw so betting turn desnt make much sense if you have a draw since you should check down.
-by betting turn you basically rep a one pair type hand bettiing for protection/small value. so u can get c/r'd alot vs good hand readers.
-on turn you do have some showdown value vs overs now so imo u shdunt be plannin on betting anywhere

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

Why is flop in hand two bad to float? So much I can rep on the turn? Not disagreeing, but trying to iron out thought process here. Flop had to miss him if he has overcards, and if a spade comes I can get him off a lot of overpairs?

For me the float depends on how UTG+1 plays EP (with what hands does he raise, C-BET %, 2barril%, ...). Without reads, the 7 does not change the FLOP board, so you're not going to see a lot hands folding (unless overcards). K/Q/J would be better to float as 88/77 (and maybe TT) would fold also to a float.

Originally Posted by Da GOAT

-I think its better to float with at least some backup equity and not just 2 outs.

I think this is crucial - you aren't going to be floating your entire range on this board so pick the hands with the most equity against his turn calling range (NOT his betting range if you're turning a hand like 33 into a bluff) and fold the stuff you can't play for value.

Hand 2: I don't hate the flop float b/c you have showdown value and 11 bluffing outs. But once you call instead of raise the flop (which is also a good play imo) you can't bet this turn against most players b/c they'll put you on a draw. You have showdown value, the turn card hasn't improved his hand, just check behind. Probably call a lot of river bets if villain is decent.

Had a pretty swingy night last night, up and down, up and down. Here are the biggest players, I think I played all of them less than optimally......

Villain in hand 1 is a bit LAGGY, I screwed this up all around....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

Cardsman (MP2) ($105.45)
MP3 ($100)
CO ($150.25)
Button ($89.20)
SB ($100.50)
BB ($100)
UTG ($204.30)
UTG+1 ($100.35)
MP1 ($101)

Preflop: Cardsman is MP2 with K, K
UTG raises to $2, 2 folds, Cardsman raises to $9, 5 folds, UTG calls $7

Standard obv...

Flop: ($19.50) 8, Q, Q (2 players)
UTG bets $12, Cardsman calls $12

Raising would have been better, but my thought at the time was that a Q is squarely in his range so let's try pot control.

Turn: ($43.50) J (2 players)
UTG checks, Cardsman checks

Thoughts here at the time were that I'm still WB if I was behind in the first place and LAGGY checks are scary.....Betting here would be better?

River: ($43.50) 7 (2 players)
UTG bets $36, Cardsman calls $36

After looking this weak, I think I have to call this.

Total pot: $115.50 | Rake: $3


Villain with position on me is 16/12/3, villain to my right is 26/10/1.5 and is on several of my tables. Preflop is where I screwed this up.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

Button ($166.95)
SB ($103.65)
BB ($128.15)
UTG ($36)
MP1 ($101)
MP2 ($231.85)
Cardsman (CO) ($112.45)

Preflop: Cardsman is CO with 8, 7
1 fold, MP1 raises to $3.50, 1 fold, Cardsman calls $3.50, Button raises to $15.50, 2 folds, MP1 calls $12, Cardsman calls $12

Preflop is horrible, I have no problem playing a hand like this HU in position against a single opp, should make sure I am on the button though. I planned to fold to the reraise due to implied, the caller in front of me changed my mind, plus I do have relative position working in my favor. Regardless the call of the reraise is marginal if best, I have to get most of both stacks for it to work out in my favor.

Flop: ($48) 5, 3, K (3 players)
MP1 checks, Cardsman checks, Button bets $31, MP1 calls $31, Cardsman raises to $96.95 (All-In), 1 fold, MP1 calls $54.50 (All-In)

I turned out to be 41/59 dog to his exact hand, didn't stove a range but I think that c/r all in maximizes my profit here by trapping more dead money. I think this play is standard, correct me if I am wrong. It's about the best flop I can hope for.

Turn: ($250) 7 (4 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($250) 4 (4 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $250 | Rake: $3

Really lost in the following hand, villain is same as MP1 above, so I have that history with him. He has also seen me river a two outer against a shorty for a medium pot, and seen me stack a villain with AA. Villain has also been stealing a bit so I don't think defending my blind with this hand is horrible, I can 3bet here too. This hand is more interesting because we are deep, but I am lost on turn/river.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

UTG ($101.50)
UTG+1 ($115.25)
MP1 ($18.50)
MP2 ($110.65)
CO ($87.90)
Button ($246.50)
SB ($41.05)
Cardsman (BB) ($211.75)

Preflop: Cardsman is BB with 6, 4
4 folds, CO calls $1, Button raises to $4.50, 1 fold, Cardsman calls $3.50, 1 fold

Some will like this, some won't and I know that. Being deep SHOULD let me get away easily and obv improves implied....

Flop: ($10.50) 5, 10, 9 (2 players)
Cardsman checks, Button checks

Planned on check-raising this flop, actually, because I think he cbets with most of his range.

Turn: ($10.50) Q (2 players)
Cardsman bets $8, Button raises to $23, Cardsman raises to $70, Button calls $47

I hit my card, villain knows I will play a draw fast due to above hand (if he is actually paying attention), and he's still not afraid. I think I could commit my stack here but do you do that 200bb deep? 3bet size is slightly small, but leaves me about a pot behind on a blank. I give him about 2.2:1 odds to hit 15 outs (?), so I didn't make him make a mistake either....

River: ($150.50) 2 (2 players)
Cardsman checks, Button bets $72, Cardsman folds

What a freaking river. Once he calls my 3bet, my thought is that I can't lead, because only better spades call. I can't even get value from KJ or a set here. Checking lets him bluff the river mercilessly, but I can't even snap a bluff off here.

Total pot: $150.50 | Rake: $3

All in all it amounts to being down about a buyin, luckily my affiliate started paying RB weekly, so I got a bit of it back without playing a hand LOL!!

May not get many hands in this weekend either, Sunday is Colts/Bears and we have a party to go to. Saturday evening I hope to take the wife out and maybe even get lucky LOL.....

I love reading this thread man. I'm pullin' for ya. Keep chugging along.

1). I'd raise the flop to 3osomething and call a shove. I'd bet/call the turn if checked to, like just calling the river once you get there like this.

2). Calling preflop isn't a large mistake at all, here's a link to the thread where i got that advice. http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...no-t74113.html

Since i wouldn't expect either player to fold to a shove on the flop given their earlier flop actions i would just call - if MP1 is a station. Otherwise i'd expect our draw to be SA/WB the majority of the time so i'd fold.

3). Preflop isn't a mistake here either, though 3betting is a fundamentally better play as you reduce the power of BTN's position by shallowing the stacks and taking initiative.

I think the turn 3bet is really bad. There isn't another street of value in this hand against his 3bet calling range and by just calling his raise you allow him to continue bluffing.

In 2) pre-flop is fine, but in 3) it's horrible imo. You're going to have to bluff c/r a ton of flops to make up the equity lost by calling. 3-bet or fold in hand 3.

Originally Posted by Vi-Zer0Skill

I think the turn 3bet is really bad. There isn't another street of value in this hand against his 3bet calling range and by just calling his raise you allow him to continue bluffing.

Okay, what range are you putting villain on? Suppose I call, what's the plan on a river brick like 2 ? what about a 10 ?

PS I did definitely freeze up in hand 1....

Originally Posted by zook

in 3) it's horrible imo. You're going to have to bluff c/r a ton of flops to make up the equity lost by calling. 3-bet or fold in hand 3.

Don't the deep stacks alone give us enough implied to flat here, even OOP? I do think 3bet is better play FWIW.

Little non-poker related story for today....

I am a child of the 80s, some of you may know that. There is a pretty big festival about 10 min from where I live this weekend. I heard there was a show last night that was free and it was an artist whose music I grew up listening to. I won't bore you with who or what kind of music because no one would know this person, plus I would open my musical tastes up for ridicule and my wife does that enough . But the guy walks out on the stage, he's gained 50 pounds and looks pretty old now as he should. but he gets up there and just belts out song after song after song and sounds great. Most of the crowd is either 1) older folks or 2) people who were at the festival and just stopped by out of curiosity. This guy hasn't had a hit in 10 years and hasn't been big in at least 15 years, but darn it he is sure trying to entertain this crowd without getting a ton of reaction. I felt a little bad for the guy because he has to notice this, and I wonder what goes through these artists minds when they go back out on the road after being out of the spotlight, and play for a crowd of 500 when they used to play for thousands.......

Anyway, it was still a good night of music, and I closed my eyes a few times and listened and it was 1987 again and I was an awkward middle school nerd. Or it was 1991 and I was in high school trying to figure out the gap between adolesence and adulthood......

All you young 20-somethings that are laughing at this should come back in 15 years and we can talk. Things like hearing "your songs" being played on the "classic" stations LOL.....and yes, someday Radiohead will be old people and playing in some bar somewhere for pocket change...

Random thought of the day #2--Erin Andrews is freakin' SMOKIN'!!

So now to poker....last night was swingy again, but nothing out of the ordinary to report. Took a stack here, got stacked there, but mostly had the best of it. Flopped nut straight vs set, etc.... Here's how it looked on a graph just for laughs.


Here is also stat checkup for a decent sample of $100, some of this is earlier in the year but the last 20K hands are since July I think....don't remember posting in CO 4 times though...

Nice work c-man! And you have to share the band name. I'm a child of the 80's too...

LOL Z the guy's name is T Graham Brown and he sang country music.....so I'm sure exactly NO one knows who he is. He did have a little bit of a bluesy voice though and it comes out when he wants to belt it out.

Journey's coming to town soon as well, though, and I'm thinking seriously about getting a ticket!!

Yeah, haven't heard of him, but DON'T... STOP... BELIEVIN'!

your late position stats look a lot like mine since i rebuilt my game (i've got a 5k hand sample to illustrate in my last blog post). I've tightened up in ep and it makes for easier play and decisions - i used to play like you from ep and it caused a bunch of stress. I finally realised why people i respect recommend folding 22-66 from UTG... nobody is noticing anyway, and if they are noticing then they already have a decent sample on you and won't notice your game change for ages.

I don't like your play from the sb, that's the only real leak that jumps out. You're doin' good. Better than me anyway...

Did you notice me check down two streets with a full house today? might start switching my phone off when I'm playing...

what are your thoughts on playing 50nl 200bb deep vs 100nl? I ask because I see you floating between the two. I think the 200bb tables are a goldmine if you play 100bb deep, but only up to 100nl...

very nice graph too!!! what happened hands 4k-21k? any change in play during the last 10k hands? or just standard up-down into a nice heater?

Originally Posted by daven

your late position stats look a lot like mine since i rebuilt my game (i've got a 5k hand sample to illustrate in my last blog post). I've tightened up in ep and it makes for easier play and decisions - i used to play like you from ep and it caused a bunch of stress. I finally realised why people i respect recommend folding 22-66 from UTG... nobody is noticing anyway, and if they are noticing then they already have a decent sample on you and won't notice your game change for ages.

I did the very same thing in my game overhaul, before that my VPIP ramped from about 30 to about 16 UTG. I found, much like you, that decisions are far less marginal in position. I still dunno about not playing small pairs from UTG, but I may try it for a bit to see if it helps.

I don't like your play from the sb, that's the only real leak that jumps out. You're doin' good. Better than me anyway...

I think I might complete a bit more than I should, can save a few BB there maybe. The only thing I can say is that without blinds, I have a pretty decent winraite, and you can see I don't go to showdown from that position without a hand, as my W@SD is higher than my average.

I think the one thing that concerns me is that if it boils down to it, every penny I make is from the button, all money I win from any other position just covers my losses from EP.

Did you notice me check down two streets with a full house today? might start switching my phone off when I'm playing...

LOL I musta been on another table. You had to be kicking yourself....

what are your thoughts on playing 50nl 200bb deep vs 100nl? I ask because I see you floating between the two. I think the 200bb tables are a goldmine if you play 100bb deep, but only up to 100nl...

I float between the two mostly due to game selection. Sometimes the $100 tables are too damn tight so I look at $50 tables. I think they are a bit looser than the 100BB tables, but a lot of the regs are there too. I prefer to go down to $50 instead of up to $200 right now due to reasons listed above. I think I have an edge against most $50 players, though, so I try to dodge the regs and pick on the donks..... and FWIW, if I see a 100BB table with a couple of big stacks I prefer to sit at it as opposed to 200BB tables with 2/3 stacks.

very nice graph too!!! what happened hands 4k-21k? any change in play during the last 10k hands? or just standard up-down into a nice heater?

I think the biggest change was confidence. I played more with "scared money" because my roll was smaller and I was taking shots at $100 again. I won enough at $50 to make my BR grow, though, laid off the $100, and started working $100 in again when my psyche could take it. To be quite honest, though, I did run into a big heater the last 12K hands. Running 10ptbb/100 is far above my norm....

What a loss of a weekend LOL....Colts stink it up, Brady goes down, likely for the season, which should make me happy.....except he's my QB on all three fantasy teams I have. JEEZ.

Ended up playing Sunday after all, when I hadn't planned to. Actually got 2600 hands in and was up 3.5 buyins for a while, before I came back to earth and ended up a disappointing 1.5 buyins ahead....I made one stackoff with AA<AK, and spewed some more BBs off on hero calls that were marginal, and one hand below in particular that sux.

If there are any beginners that actually read my drivel, then hopefully you can learn something from the following hand. Villain is 12/10/2 with a 3bet% PF of 2. He is on a couple other tables with me, and his regular PFRs are these 2x miniraises, but his PF3bets are standard 3-4x raises. This is a prime example of how a PF mistake can snowball into worse....


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

SB ($45.45)
BB ($16.50)
UTG ($181.95)
UTG+1 ($100)
MP1 ($38.20)
MP2 ($22.45)
Cardsman (MP3) ($150)
CO ($50)
Button ($83)

Preflop: Cardsman is MP3 with 8, Q
3 folds, MP2 calls $1, Cardsman calls $1, CO raises to $2, 3 folds, MP2 calls $1, Cardsman calls $1

--HORRIBLE limp PF, this is an example of poor discipline. From the HJ, I should raise or fold unless everyone ahead of me limped too. After the initial call though, I do have to call the miniraise.

Flop: ($7.50) J, Q, Q (3 players)
MP2 bets $1, Cardsman raises to $9, CO calls $9, 1 fold

Easy raise for isolation IMO, but the call behind is a bit concerning. AA/KK/JJ/AQ/KQ and flush draws are in his range. However, I put more weight on AA/KK/JJ and think that I am ahead.

Turn: ($26.50) 5 (2 players)
Cardsman bets $20, CO raises to $39 (All-In), Cardsman calls $19

Notice how I crossed the commitment threshold after the flop? I could check/fold or check/call, but I think check/fold is bad with the money left behind. I have no room to bet fold, so with my initial read, I still believe myself to be ahead, and I have effectively pot-screwed myself.....

River: ($104.50) 6 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $104.50 | Rake: $3

50BB lost on a marginal PF play.

Villain in this hand is 19/13/2 with a 6% PF3bet. Comment on turn please.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

MP1 ($102.70)
MP2 ($42.35)
CO ($100)
Cardsman (Button) ($161.50)
SB ($103.15)
BB ($100)
UTG ($70.80)
UTG+1 ($25.10)

Preflop: Cardsman is Button with K, K
5 folds, Cardsman raises to $4, 1 fold, BB calls $3

Flop: ($8.50) 10, 10, J (2 players)
BB checks, Cardsman bets $6, BB calls $6

Turn: ($20.50) 8 (2 players)
BB bets $12.50, Cardsman calls $12.50

Poor play here, I should raise or fold. His range on the flop includes draws, air, and monsters. Turn lead is either a made hand or trying to get me off missed overs, does anyone disagree?

River: ($45.50) A (2 players)
BB bets $38, Cardsman folds

I beat nothing except QQ here IMO, so I think this is a standard fold.

Total pot: $45.50 | Rake: $2.25

Villain in final hand is 13/8/6 with a 2% PF3bet. I am lost in this hand. This preflop mistake is a leak of mine that I need to tidy up.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

Cardsman (UTG+1) ($165.95)
MP1 ($98.80)
MP2 ($126.60)
MP3 ($24.15)
CO ($20)
Button ($100)
BB ($20)
UTG ($189.70)

Preflop: Cardsman is UTG+1 with 4, 4
Cardsman raises to $4, 1 fold, MP2 raises to $13, 5 folds, Cardsman calls $9

Don't have the odds here to set mine unless I can get his stack every time. I have a hard time folding a PP in a 3bet pot against a full stack and I need to get over it.

Flop: ($27.50) J, 3, 9 (2 players)
Cardsman checks, MP2 checks

Thoroughly confused. Board is as dry as it gets, so if his PF3b range is QQ+/AK, I don't know why he doesn't cbet, esp with his agg factor. This seems to be either AK that whiffed or JJ (outside of his range)?

Turn: ($27.50) 9 (2 players)
Cardsman checks, MP2 checks

I lean toward the higher end of his range again and will fold to a bet more than likely. Surely he would bet? Now his second check makes me think he has some trash maybe?

River: ($27.50) 5 (2 players)
Cardsman bets $15......

Do you like the blocking bet here? Just can't put him on a hand......can anyone take a guess?

On the bright side, after Saturday when my BR dipped back below $6900, I did manage to get back over $7K again. Now if I could stop spinning in neutral....

Hand 2: I actually think you played fine! Raising that turn is bad ...
Hand 3: You do have odds to call the 3bet here. Note that effective stack sizes are 126bb deep. Even if you had 100bb effective sizes it would be OK from a MP 3bet (with 2% 3bet stat). You would need to call $9 for a $18 pot Pre, that is 2-1, plus villain would have $87 remaining, which gives you a remaining 9.5-1 so that's 11.5-1 implied odds. As played, I c/c on river. Here you are either behind JJ or ahead of AK. Let villain bluff AK.

The 11.5-1 doesn't seem bad but a lot of people advocate 15X for implied before meriting a call. I think as a leak I overestimate the amount of times I call a PF3bet against a 100 BB stack and actually get to see a turn.....

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

The 11.5-1 doesn't seem bad but a lot of people advocate 15X for implied before meriting a call. I think as a leak I overestimate the amount of times I call a PF3bet against a 100 BB stack and actually get to see a turn.....

Yup the 15x is a good reference when villain raises PF. But here villain 3bets from MP (with 2% 3bet) so his range is KK+ and maybe AK. And you'll be able to stack villain everytime you hit your set and villain had KK+.

I was disappointed in myself last night. I didn't start out so well, and my cards weren't helping me. I made a stupid stackoff against a 30/5 with a straight against his flopped baby flush. Seemed like on every table, people were calling my PFRs and outflopping me, or floating me and leading me to give up pots that I figure I fell behind in. I also had some trouble with a couple of TAGs that would raise my cbets on boards like A7Tr when I raised PF with QQ. My second barrels weren't working, and I started spewing. I wasn't tilting but it was as close to tilt as I have been for a while. Managed to get down 3.5 buyins, then this beauty happened. Daven, I dedicate this one to you because it happened on the 200BB $50 tables...this got me back on track and playing better. Funny how momentum can change...


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

CO ($70.70)
Button ($99.75)
SB ($45.50)
BB ($100)
UTG ($52.10)
UTG+1 ($54.85)
Cardsman (MP1) ($124.30)
MP2 ($142.80)
MP3 ($100)

Preflop: Cardsman is MP1 with 8, 8
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $1.75, Cardsman calls $1.75, MP2 raises to $8, 6 folds, Cardsman calls $6.25

Flop: ($18.50) 8, 2, K (2 players)Cardsman checks, MP2 bets $9.50, Cardsman raises to $38, MP2 raises to $134.80 (All-In), Cardsman calls $78.30 (All-In)

Turn: ($251.10) J (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($251.10) 3 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $251.10 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
Cardsman had 8, 8 (three of a kind, eights).
MP2 had K, A (one pair, Kings).
Outcome: Cardsman won $248.10

Toward the end of my session, I had this hand against a 10/6/3 3%pf3bet villain. On this table I had been stealing a bit, he had come over me a couple of times and was on a couple of other tables with me. Based on this particular villain and situation on this particular night, I chose to make this play that is not standard, but in a vacuum makes sense. Calling off an additional 12BB with 100BB effective isn't a play that is normally good with a drawing hand. BUT, I was sure that he would stack off with an overpair on the right flop, for one. My plan otherwise was to float a standard cbet if I had more than 6 outs, and then take it away on the turn unless the turn card just sucked.. I flop 14 outs so I decide to ship it because I think I destroy his range and I want to get the money in while I have the most equity.....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

BB ($99)
UTG ($100)
UTG+1 ($72.55)
MP1 ($109.25)
MP2 ($100)
MP3 ($115.55)
CO ($21.40)
Cardsman (Button) ($111.55)
SB ($100.50)

Preflop: Cardsman is Button with 6, 7
4 folds, MP3 calls $1, 1 fold, Cardsman raises to $5, SB raises to $17, 2 folds, Cardsman calls $12

Flop: ($36) 4, 7, 10 (2 players)
SB bets $25, Cardsman raises to $94.55 (All-In), SB calls $58.50 (All-In)

Turn: ($203) 3 (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($203) 5 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $203 | Rake: $3

All in all, I worked my way back up and only finished half a buyin down on the evening.

Nothing huge to report today, one silly stackoff with a flush on a paired board, but still finished the night winning, up a buyin or so. LOL my BR keeps fluctuating over $7K, then I take a hit and go under $7K, next day it goes back up......Today I sit at $7060, which is more clearance than I have had recently, so hopefully I will stay over $7K for a while!!!

hey cardsman you didn't post what villain had in your 67s hand. I'm really intrigued! In my opinion 10/6 villains are basically hudbots almost always and are largely incapable of adjusting ever. I hope you had a really good read, otherwise I think it's pretty spewy :S

edit: preflop that is, flop is obv standard.

Meh, I don't post results most of the time because I look for feedback on my worst hands. He had AA though.

What range do you put him on where that flop crushes me instead of the other way around?

I think you missed my ninja-edit.

My biggest leak by a mile used to be giving nits too much respect and expecting them to adjust occasionally. There are exceptions, but unless I have a reeaallly solid read I'm giving a range of QQ+/AK there.

LOL I did miss the ninja edit!!

Your point is well taken. Regarding the PF call, I felt that my implied were high because I was convinced he would felt an overpair, so seeing a flop was low risk on later streets. Put it differently, if you really think about it, how often is this kind of non-adaptable villain going to put you to a TOUGH decision for all of your chips?

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

LOL I did miss the ninja edit!!

Your point is well taken. Regarding the PF call, I felt that my implied were high because I was convinced he would felt an overpair, so seeing a flop was low risk on later streets. Put it differently, if you really think about it, how often is this kind of non-adaptable villain going to put you to a TOUGH decision for all of your chips?

I see what you're saying but I really don't think 8:1 or whatever is enough implied odds to be messing about with SCs against a nit. Sure you have position but when he's going to be betting the turn with anything he's stacking off with on the river that doesn't count for much.

I still can get away on a brick turn if the float doesn't work. Even better if I get 2 cards for the price of one.

8:1 is a bit thin. When do you fight back against the villain when he has already 3bet your "steal" a couple of times?

Great session last night, up 5BI over ~1600 hands. Puts my roll at almost $7500 and a new high in career earnings, over $12,250. That's not a lot for a lot of the people on this forum, heck, that's a good month for quite a few of them. However, it's a nice mark for me so I thought I would take a minute and recognize it.

Hands from last night....

Villain is 13/10/9 with 18AF on flop, 5 on turn. decent sample of 500 hands or so. River bet sizing comments please?

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

UTG ($124.40)
UTG+1 ($6.50)
MP1 ($20.55)
MP2 ($93.20)
MP3 ($135.55)
CO ($218.90)
Button ($45.35)
cardsman (SB) ($171.45)
BB ($111.45)

Preflop: cardsman is SB with 6, A
4 folds, MP3 calls $1, 2 folds, cardsman calls $0.50, BB raises to $4, MP3 calls $3, cardsman calls $3

Flop: ($12) 4, 7, 5 (3 players)
cardsman checks, BB bets $8, 1 fold, cardsman raises to $28, BB calls $20

I like my raise here but I do chase out some potential money.

Turn: ($68) 2 (2 players)
cardsman checks, BB checks

I felt I would get a bet out of him by playing "scared" due to his high AFs. Planned to shove over him.

River: ($68) 8 (2 players)
cardsman bets $40, BB calls $40

Now I think I can get calls out of overpairs, str8s. How's the bet size?

Total pot: $148 | Rake: $3

This, kids, is a good reason why minraising usually sux....he gave me good implied odds at his stack. He was 32/8/1.5 over about 40 hands.


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

SB ($101.20)
BB ($93.30)
UTG ($166.35)
UTG+1 ($110)
MP1 ($42.80)
MP2 ($24.90)
CO ($100)
cardsman (Button) ($206.50)

Preflop: cardsman is Button with K, 9
2 folds, MP1 calls $1, 2 folds, cardsman raises to $5, 1 fold, BB raises to $10, 1 fold, cardsman calls $5

Flop: ($21.50) 9, 9, 3 (3 players)
BB bets $15, cardsman calls $15

Should have raised here but I wanted another bet out of him and the board wasn't drawy enough to be worried about scare cards coming in. If he has a high pair he bets again, if he had a JJ/AQ type hand I wasn't getting more out of him anyway.

Turn: ($51.50) J (3 players)
BB bets $27, cardsman raises to $129, BB calls $41.30 (All-In)

River: ($188.10) 9 (3 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $188.10 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
cardsman had K, 9 (four of a kind, nines).
BB had A, A (full house, nines over Aces).
Outcome: cardsman won $185.10

Villain was 56/13/2 and 3bet 8% over only 45 hands, I felt shoving would chase out most hands I beat, although if the villain in between had called I would have had no choice but to shove PF. Flop is standard.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

UTG+1 ($102.20)
MP1 ($93.30)
MP2 ($166.35)
MP3 ($110)
CO ($95.50)
Button ($34.95)
SB ($25)
BB ($100)
cardsman (UTG) ($175.05)

Preflop: cardsman is UTG with J, J
cardsman raises to $4, 5 folds, Button raises to $7, 2 folds, cardsman calls $3

Flop: ($15.50) A, 7, J (2 players)
cardsman checks, Button bets $15.50, cardsman raises to $31, Button calls $12.45 (All-In)

Turn: ($71.40) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($71.40) K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $71.40 | Rake: $3

At the time of this hand I had villain at 31/10/3. I made a bad mistake here, fooled by the fact that he was a shorty.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

UTG+1 ($155.85)
MP1 ($11.50)
MP2 ($27.75)
MP3 ($83.50)
CO ($47.30)
Button ($130.95)
SB ($114.55)
cardsman (BB) ($109.95)
UTG ($37.75)

Preflop: cardsman is BB with A, K
UTG calls $1, 2 folds, MP2 calls $1, 4 folds, cardsman raises to $6, UTG calls $5, 1 fold

Flop: ($13.50) 3, 8, 3 (2 players)
cardsman bets $10, UTG raises to $31.75 (All-In), cardsman calls $21.75

Turn: ($77) 10 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($77) K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $77 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
cardsman had A, K (two pair, Kings and threes).
UTG had 8, A (two pair, eights and threes).
Outcome: UTG won $74

Here is the range I put him on on the fly (which was actually a bit wide) and I needed to be good 38% of the time on the call...as you can see, I was in far worse shape than I figured. I did not have the odds to call his push even against the range I put him on.

Text results appended to pokerstove.txt

134,640 games 0.005 secs 26,928,000 games/sec

Board: 3c 3s 8d

Dead:

equity win tie pots won pots tied

Hand 0: 29.798% 25.38% 04.41% 34177 5943.50 { AhKc }

Hand 1: 70.202% 65.79% 04.41% 88576 5943.50 { 22+, ATs+, A8s, A3s, K8s, Q8s, J8s, T8s, 98s, 53s, 43s, AQo+, 86o+, 43o }



---

990 games 0.005 secs 198,000 games/sec

Board: 3c 3s 8d

Dead:

equity win tie pots won pots tied

Hand 0: 11.768% 11.52% 00.25% 114 2.50 { AhKc }

Hand 1: 88.232% 87.98% 00.25% 871 2.50 { As8s }




Here's another hand I messed up pretty badly. No real reads on BB, Button I have about 1800 hands on and he plays similar to me if not a bit more aggro postflop. ATS is 33%. I feel this hand is somewhat similar to this discussion and may post it in this thread: http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...eg-t76003.html

At any rate, I decided not to turn JJ into a bluff (similar to TT) and I expected to pick off his cbet. Hilarity ensues....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

BB ($67.50)
UTG ($211.05)
MP1 ($15)
MP2 ($102.50)
CO ($105.35)
Button ($100)
cardsman (SB) ($160.05)

Preflop: cardsman is SB with J, J
4 folds, Button raises to $2.50, cardsman calls $2, BB calls $1.50

Flop: ($7.50) 4, 2, 6 (3 players)
cardsman checks, BB checks, Button checks

Highly unexpected.

Turn: ($7.50) 8 (4 players)
cardsman bets $7, BB calls $7, 1 fold

Perhaps I have the best hand, let's see.....and as you can see button must have been on a steal or whiffed overcards.

River: ($21.50) 6 (3 players)
cardsman bets $12, BB raises to $25.50, cardsman folds

Do you check call or do you bet fold? I was tempted to call this due to odds but what do I beat? 99/TT. I think I chickened out, but the action of the hand was troubling....

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

Puts my roll at almost $7500 and a new high in career earnings, over $12,250.

Awesome. Congrats!

Thanks Z!! I think I might be the only one on this forum that isn't running like @$$... I was another 3 BI up last night, so roll is $7700 plus and hopefully growing.

Pretty standard night last night, no hands to talk strategy on, but here is an interesting hand. I have only seen this a couple of other times. Once I was on the good end of it in 6max with QQ flopping a set for 2 stacks! When I e-mailed the HH to work I didn't copy all of it so the converter won't convert. I misclicked, intended to raise him PF....after that I think the fold is standard, but boy did I throw up a little bit in my mouth when I saw the flop!!!

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to cardsman1992 [Qs Qd]
swtlilgracey folds
WaterFall21 folds
Ruzapalooza raises to $3.50
magnum the gimp has 15 seconds left to act
magnum the gimp folds
STOLEURPANTIES folds
Commander Jack folds
cardsman1992 calls $3.50
squidjohnson calls $3
mickG99 raises to $17.50
Ruzapalooza has 15 seconds left to act
Ruzapalooza raises to $50
cardsman1992 folds
squidjohnson folds
mickG99 raises to $114.50, and is all in
Ruzapalooza calls $36.20, and is all in
mickG99 shows [Ac Ah]
Ruzapalooza shows [Kh Kc]
Uncalled bet of $28.30 returned to mickG99
*** FLOP *** [3d Qc 4s]
*** TURN *** [3d Qc 4s] [Jc]
*** RIVER *** [3d Qc 4s Jc] [8d]
mickG99 shows a pair of Aces
Ruzapalooza shows a pair of Kings
mickG99 wins the pot ($176.40) with a pair of Aces
Ruzapalooza is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $179.40 | Rake $3
Board: [3d Qc 4s Jc 8d]
Seat 1: squidjohnson (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: mickG99 (big blind) showed [Ac Ah] and won ($176.40) with a pair of Aces
Seat 3: swtlilgracey didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: WaterFall21 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Ruzapalooza showed [Kh Kc] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 6: magnum the gimp didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: STOLEURPANTIES didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Commander Jack didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: cardsman1992 (button) folded before the Flop

Nice session last night. I was cruising along about 1.5 BI ahead and getting ready to shut down for the night, when I decided to 3bet a steal (or an isolation) attempt with T9s from the BB. Villain was 32/26 and 3bet 11% over about 150 hands.

I flop top pair and FD make my cbet into the pot on a T high twotone flop, not noticing that the limper came along. Limper calls the cbet, as does the button. I turn my trips, put the limper on a one pair hand, or less likely a set, the CO on a one pair/draw range, and ship the money because my hand is disguised and I don't have much more than the pot left anyway. Get called by both, limper had JJ LOL and button has a NFD that missed (he had turned the FD). 2 stacks my way on a hand that I got extremely lucky on, because after the fact with the action given, I should have given the limper more credit for a set than I did......

So anyway, learn from your bad plays and move on. I got big pot-itis and had a brain fade.

Good news is, I ended up 3.5 BI ahead, and my BR sits at....drum roll.....$8035!!!!!!

Maybe time for that shot at $200, Z?

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

Maybe time for that shot at $200, Z?

It's BEEN time

nice to see someone running good!
enjoy 200nl

Well I managed to take a shot at $200 last night, and was up a buyin. Was mostly breakeven, did stack off in a button situation where SB had 3bet my steal attempt the previous two orbits, I decided to fight back and pushed over his flop bet. JJ<KK. I did make out well for 130BB when I hit a straight in a multiway 3bet pot and villain played his set cautiously. For the night I was up about $350 and got my roll almost to $8500.

Just for fun, here was my biggest BB pot of the night. PF limp is meh but with implied and relative position on the flop the call of raise I think is okay. No idea why he checked the turn....river is YAHTZEE!!!

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

MP3 ($72.85)
CO ($149.80)
Button ($205.10)
SB ($101.70)
BB ($101.50)
UTG ($106.15)
UTG+1 ($19.50)
MP1 ($32.10)
cardsman (MP2) ($290.60)

Preflop: cardsman is MP2 with 10, 9
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $1, MP1 calls $1, cardsman calls $1, 2 folds, Button raises to $6.50, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls $5.50, MP1 calls $5.50, cardsman calls $5.50

Flop: ($27.50) J, 2, 8 (4 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, cardsman checks, Button bets $18, UTG+1 calls $13 (All-In), 1 fold, cardsman calls $18

Turn: ($76.50) 5 (3 players, 1 all-in)
cardsman checks, Button checks

River: ($76.50) Q (3 players, 1 all-in)
cardsman bets $49, Button raises to $180.60 (All-In), cardsman calls $131.60

Total pot: $437.70 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
Button had Q, Q (three of a kind, Queens).
UTG+1 had 10, 9 (straight, Queen high).
cardsman had 10, 9 (straight, Queen high).
Outcome: cardsman won $402.95

I'm off to Oktoberfest in Zinzinatti, never been and always wanted to go. May not get home in time to put hands in, we'll see....

Oktoberfest was sehr gut, drinking good German beer in the twilight in downtown Cincinatti with 50,000 of my closest German friends is +EV....

No more hands Saturday, got home too late. Put in a session last night and was more or less BE. Played a couple of $200 tables again and was up 5 BB on the night LOL. Seemed like people with decent stats called me down lighter than I expected, don't know if that's a "$200 NL thing" or just how the game played on this particular night.

The one thing I am disappointed with regarding last night was my failure to adjust. I had a prime situation with a couple of 50ish/20ish tards to my right and I failed to play enough pots against them. I threw away speculative hands against them from the CO, didn't try to get value from Ax against them. Usually I am pretty good at picking on donks, but didn't do it this time.

BR still the same, just about $8450.....

No hands tonight, gotta bowl and will get home late. Drive to $9K has to wait one more day....

YAHTZEE!!

Had one of my best single days ever, up $700 in about 900 hands. My best one day total was $850. I had 2 tables of $200 and 6 tables of $100, and really only made a couple of big mistakes, and I managed to get paid for a couple of monsters at $200 tables, which had not happened yet. This came after a day where I was down $320 not really playing badly, but running into a couple of coolers and making one mistake where I pushed a draw with less equity than I should have. So my BR now sits at $8850.

Career earnings currently over $13,500!

I also made what I thought was a good fold, but you can let me know if not. I don't make a habit of folding QQ preflop but it made sense here.

I sit on the button 200 BB deep effective. MP1 raises to 4BB and gets a caller. I bump it to 18BB. My normal 3bet is 3-4x original bet, so with the caller I would go 4-5x normally. SB 4bets me to 50BB. MP1 had about 60 BB and MP2 had 80BB. SB had 3 bet me a couple of times but normally in a CO vs BU situation and not OOP. Seems aggro but not insane. In the position SB was in, with callers in between, and being OOP the rest of the hand, his range has to be weighted toward AA/KK IMO. He has to figure that someone will shove over him with a premium, and he has to be wanting that apparently. He also has to put more weight on my 3bet since we are multiway and we are deep. If I call I have an SPR where I have to stack off on virtually any flop and I won't like 1/3 of all flops or more. So I puke and fold.

Was my logic sound, or should I have given more weight to a hand like AK or JJ, where with AK he wants to see all 5 cards and with JJ he may just want the hand to be over with?

Congrats!

3bet is a little big, I'd just make it 15-16bb. And I think the fold is fine, assuming the SB is 200bb. btw, if this was at 200nl and you were 200bb deep with an aggro player 200bb deep player behind you, I'd find another table (unless ofc you had a deep fish to your right).

The last three days I got bit by the "FTR run bad syndrome". Of course I played pretty bad too. I have dropped $1100 the last three days which hurts in $$ value, still hard to consider it's really only 7 BI (4 @$200 and 3 #$100). Friday I did play some tilt-inspired spew, so I shut down about an hour ahead of time. Saturday I just ran into some coolers, set over set, AK into KK, flopped trips into turned full house, etc. These things weren't happening to me for the last month or so, so I guess it's my turn....

Part of my failure of my last operation was to shrink away from the forums when I started playing bad, I guess part of me was "ashamed" to run bad and that it would diminish any advice I would give if they knew I was playing bad too. Note to self--GET OVER IT. Pride costs you far more in the long run (and that can be applied to most areas of life).

So anyway, to that end, here's some basic hands. Seems basic, but this is an auto cbet no? Pretty well readless....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($56.05)
Hero (SB) ($99)
BB ($16.20)
UTG ($108.55)
UTG+1 ($64)
MP2 ($73.85)
CO ($201)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q, Q
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $2, 3 folds, Hero raises to $8, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls $6

Flop: ($17) A, 5, 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $12, UTG+1 raises to $56 (All-In), Hero folds

Total pot: $41 | Rake: $2.05

Comments on river call? I don't think my hand is face up here. Villain was a bit fishy and could have a lot here. Was something like 32/5 on 2 tables and 60 hands...

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP2 ($105.95)
MP3 ($105.20)
CO ($34.65)
Button ($95.80)
SB ($101.90)
Hero (BB) ($132.05)
UTG ($39.50)
UTG+1 ($191.85)
MP1 ($129.75)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9, A
UTG calls $1, 3 folds, MP3 calls $1, 3 folds, Hero checks

Flop: ($3.50) 9, 10, 2 (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, MP3 checks

Turn: ($3.50) 9 (3 players)
Hero bets $3, UTG calls $3, 1 fold

River: ($9.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $7, UTG raises to $35.50 (All-In), Hero calls $28.50

Total pot: $80.50 | Rake: $3

And just for kicks, here's an example of the way I ran this weekend. I had stacked the guy earlier with a 12 out draw against his overpair and he was looking for a way to get back at me. He told me so in the chat. He was running 21/14/2.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP3 ($99.55)
CO ($50)
Button ($59.45)
SB ($63.85)
Hero (BB) ($165.75)
UTG ($57.35)
MP1 ($50.45)
MP2 ($57.20)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A, A
UTG calls $0.50, 2 folds, MP3 raises to $2.75, 3 folds, Hero raises to $10, 1 fold, MP3 calls $7.25

Flop: ($21.25) 3, 9, 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $15, MP3 raises to $66.25, Hero raises to $117.50, MP3 calls $23.30 (All-In)

Turn: ($200.35) 7 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($200.35) 4 (2 players, 1 all-in)

cardsman1992 shows [Ah Ad]
Macadeezy shows [5c 6c]

Total pot: $200.35 | Rake: $3

So back to the grind now, gotta bring the month back now and I have two days to do it. I was up $1700 for the month, now it's a bit over $600. My roll has shrunk to $7750. Need to pan out on the graph and look at the big picture....

yo, I'm on a run in a tourney so i closed my cash tables and opened up FTR...
I'm such a bankroll nit! you at 200nl, and me..... 7 buyins is a bad swing, but they happen. Having it coincide with moving up is horror stuff. Best of luck turning it around

Hand 1) I play this the same most of the time.
Hand 2) pre-flop standard. Flop standard, but remember you are 3-way in a limped pot. Turn good. River check-call up to psb please, villain may be stupid, but he can probably see there are two 9s on the board. Bet-call I don't like.
Hand 3) wow, not much to say here!

agree with daven in everything except hand 2 I think bet/fold has to be better than c/c regardless of whether bet/call is better because he's checking behind a lo of marginal hands as he's quite passive and by the same token I don't expect him to bluff much.

I think bet/fold is best because I don't see what he's raising for value that's worse and I don't expect to see many bluffs.

I agree badgers, I think I should have bet folded instead of bet/called. I thought there were more bluffs and 9s than there were.

Hand 3 I know I played fine. Just goes to show that when it rains it pours!!

Got a nice chunk of change back last night though. I was swinging along, going down $50, then up $20, then down $100, then finally got on track and won some nice pots. Finished up $470 for the night.

Here are three AA hands. First one is multiway and I blew my raise amount. Villain to my immediate left is 14/8/2 with 2% 3bet over 300 hands or so. Villain #2 is 23/10/1.5 over 60 hands or so. I can't flat first villain's raise after #2 comes along, so what's your optimal amount?

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

MP2 ($90.50)
Cardsman (MP3) ($125.45)
CO ($141.50)
Button ($119.70)
SB ($39.50)
UTG ($192.50)
UTG+1 ($202)
MP1 ($100.10)

Preflop: Cardsman is MP3 with A, A
3 folds, Cardsman raises to $4, CO raises to $12, 2 folds, UTG calls $11, Cardsman raises to ?????

Total pot: $36.50 | Rake: $0

This hand is fairly standard, I think. Another 15/8/2 TAG, I think enough draws are out here to make this push correct....and I actually think I could probably cbet bigger.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

UTG+1 ($40.80)
MP2 ($99)
MP3 ($59.80)
CO ($98.90)
Button ($98)
Cardsman (SB) ($210.50)
BB ($30)
UTG ($175)

Preflop: Cardsman is SB with A, A
UTG calls $1, 1 fold, MP2 calls $1, 2 folds, Button raises to $5, Cardsman raises to $18, 3 folds, Button calls $13

Flop: ($39) 2, 9, 9 (2 players)
Cardsman bets $25, Button raises to $80 (All-In), Cardsman calls $55

Turn: ($199) 6 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($199) 8 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $199 | Rake: $3


Here's a fun hand. This is a 100BB table, not a deep one. Villain was 70/8/10 and this was the first time I had seen him. By the time this hand came around I had 40 hands on him, and he had gotten most of his stack by folding out people. He would pot/pot/pot with any piece and was prone to overbetting too. I had won one pot already from him when he limp/called me, then called flop and turn bets on a board that was something like J628. I checked the river blank behind with 99 and he had Q2. So I had been looking for another hand to take money from him with and here we go!!!

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

MP3 ($100)
CO ($100)
Button ($172.50)
SB ($42.90)
BB ($40)
UTG ($201.25)
UTG+1 ($100)
Cardsman (MP1) ($243.60)
MP2 ($42.10)

Preflop: Cardsman is MP1 with A, A
UTG calls $1, 1 fold, Cardsman raises to $5, 2 folds, CO calls $5, 1 fold, SB calls $4.50, 1 fold, UTG calls $4

Flop: ($21) 3, 9, J (4 players)
SB checks, UTG bets $21, Cardsman raises to $76, 2 folds, UTG calls $55

Turn: ($173) 4 (2 players)
UTG checks, Cardsman bets $162.60 (All-In), UTG calls $120.25 (All-In)

River: ($413.50) K (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $413.50 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
UTG had 7, J (one pair, Jacks).
Cardsman had A, A (one pair, Aces).
Outcome: Cardsman won $410.50

So now the BR is back over $8200 again, and things look a little better again!!

1 - Not really sure, I probs go for $36 but I could go larger or smaller depending on dynamic.

2 - cbet size is fine imo. You don't have to bet so big in 3bet pots because there's less money behind so implied odds / getting money into the pot is less of an issue. Definately definately shove.

3 - Very nice!

In hand 1, you like 3x when you have a caller sandwiched?

GAH! Should have never sat down last night....

23% win at SD last night, -5BI.

AK into AA twice, AQ into AK, no action on AA, KK, or my sets....spewed a couple of times but not 5 BI worth....

way to run dumbass!

Sept results...
23470 hands, net $581 profit

3.65 ptbb/100 in 20K hands $100NL

-8.94 ptbb/100 at $200

Was on track for a great Sept, last 4-5 days killed that. Here we come OCT!!!

Originally Posted by cardsman1992

In hand 1, you like 3x when you have a caller sandwiched?

Why not? It's not like you're giving them great odds to setmine or anything. 4bets don't have to be big because there's almost always very little behind compared to the size of the pot and you want to give the illusion of FE.

sorry to see you ran bad yesterday was that 5 bi at 200nl?

I think I have been going a little overboard with the 4bet size. My goal in that hand was to get HU and I just didn't think 3x would do it. I prefer 3-4X when I 3 or 4bet, but with one guy in the hand I would likely be closer to 3x. You raise an interesting point with the FE statement. My SPR was going to be fine with either size, too, so I could remove that from the equation I guess.

I raised to $50 and folded both out. Next time I may try $36-$40.

Luckily, the 5BI were mostly at $100, $450 there and $60 at $200.

Took the night off last night, plan on hitting it hard tonight!

And I was looking SO forward to playing last night, too...I should have known better.

Another 2.5 BI down, really only spewed big one time. Shoved a turn with 15 outs against the tool in the first hand below, he decided to show up with a hand for once. On a sidenote, I am also starting to believe that getting in 100BB deep PF with AK sux...out of the last 5 4bets I called with it, I ran into AA 4 times and KK once. Seems like people are 3betting a lot tighter as well.

So back to basics I guess. First hand is against a tool, 75/53/2. Likes to minraise PF, likes to pot each street and chase people off hands. I reraise PF to isolate, fire my flop barrel, then do I lose my nerve or is this an okay play. Is he really going to shove 77 on this river?

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

UTG+1 ($137.55)
MP1 ($32.80)
MP2 ($110.95)
CO ($215.55)
Cardsman (Button) ($100)
SB ($36.40)
BB ($68.80)
UTG ($87.95)

Preflop: Cardsman is Button with 9, 9
UTG raises to $2, 1 fold, MP1 calls $2, 2 folds, Cardsman raises to $10, 2 folds, UTG calls $8, 1 fold

Flop: ($23.50) 10, J, 10 (2 players)
UTG checks, Cardsman bets $16, UTG calls $16

Turn: ($55.50) 2 (2 players)
UTG checks, Cardsman checks

River: ($55.50) K (2 players)
UTG bets $61.95 (All-In), Cardsman ????

This next hand is a simple spot I seem to be finding myself in more and more, people floating my cbets after LP raises. This particular villain is 16/8/1.5 over about 400 hands and I don't really remember many big hands with him.

Flop and turn comments, please? My thought was to charge naked spades on the turn....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

SB ($98.50)
BB ($50)
UTG ($101)
UTG+1 ($177.50)
MP1 ($115.30)
Cardsman (MP2) ($136.55)
CO ($20)
Button ($100)

Preflop: Cardsman is MP2 with 9, 9
3 folds, Cardsman raises to $4, 2 folds, SB calls $3.50, 1 fold

Flop: ($9) 5, 2, K (2 players)
SB checks, Cardsman bets $7, SB calls $7

Turn: ($23) 8 (2 players)
SB checks, Cardsman bets $15, SB calls $15

River: ($53) 4 (2 players)
SB checks, Cardsman???

Total pot: $53 | Rake: $2.65

Check my sanity, FTR!!!