I have been thinking about poker profits the last few days. A few things clicked while I was grinding a simple, short, standard, rainy saturday morning session.



Quote Originally Posted by IowaSkinsFan - Jan 2008
In a datamine of 100nl this month, guess what the stats were for the two biggest winners in the game? 12/10 and 12/6.
Quote Originally Posted by fnord - Feb 2005
You under-estimate how much of your profit comes from players that suck worse than you and fail to seek them out.
I post three hands below from this session, all are against bad players who like to bet and bluff and slowplay and junk - but don't understand. I am not posting these as examples of hands well-played - the set in particular was interesting as I was convinced that UTG was flop re-raising his whole range, sb calling and then i get to shove, my read was wrong...

ok, am I getting at anything? I think so. I've not been too worried about profits the last few months - instead focusing on 'improving as a player' or 'learning to auto-pilot 16-tables x 4hrs'. Profits have arrived, but not fast (thanks bonuses and rakeback!)

I've also been getting carried away with reg-wars and 3/4/5 bet spots.

What the quotes above and the hands below show is that taking money from bad players isn't too hard if you do some basics right. Not losing much money to good players also isn't too difficult in Full Ring. This leads to something I often forget - minimising losses to bad players is key, cos someone else will soon take the dead money.

Time to go apply some newfound tolerance and simplicity to my game. About time, given that I'm only two months from being on the road again!!!

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

UTG+1 ($269.95)
MP1 ($119.25)
MP2 ($96.05)
MP3 ($215.75)
CO ($112.90)
Button ($141.55)
SB ($107.65)
Hero (BB) ($134.05)
UTG ($20.70)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7, 6
5 folds, CO bets $2, 2 folds, Hero calls $1

Flop: ($4.50) A, 8, 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1, Hero calls $1

Turn: ($6.50) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1, Hero calls $1

River: ($8.50) 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $8.50, Hero raises to $130.05 (All-In), CO calls $100.40 (All-In)

Total pot: $226.30 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
Hero had 7, 6 (straight, eight high).
CO had 4, A (two pair, Aces and fours).
Outcome: Hero won $223.30



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

Hero (BB) ($128.20)
UTG ($86.35)
UTG+1 ($77.45)
MP1 ($83.50)
MP2 ($329.95)
MP3 ($100)
Button ($50.70)
SB ($54.15)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9, 9
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $1, 4 folds, SB bets $2, Hero calls $1, UTG+1 calls $1

Flop: ($6) J, 6, 9 (3 players)
SB bets $6, Hero calls $6, UTG+1 calls $6

Turn: ($24) Q (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $10, UTG+1 calls $10, 1 fold

River: ($44) A (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $44, Hero raises to $88, UTG+1 calls $15.45 (All-In)

Total pot: $162.90 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
Hero had 9, 9 (three of a kind, nines).
UTG+1 had Q, 2 (one pair, Queens).
Outcome: Hero won $159.90


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

UTG+1 ($115.30)
MP1 ($49)
MP2 ($45.50)
CO ($216.40)
Hero (Button) ($123.50)
SB ($54.55)
BB ($100.45)
UTG ($59.55)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A, K
3 folds, MP1 bets $3, MP2 calls $3, 1 fold, Hero raises to $13, 2 folds, MP2 raises to $45.50 (All-In), Hero calls $32.50

Flop: ($95) 3, 6, 4 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($95) 10 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($95) K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $95 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
Hero had A, K (one pair, Kings).
MP2 had Q, A (high card, Ace).
Outcome: Hero won $92