So I've kind of been flipping a bit lately. I'm getting the concepts behind more advanced play, some of which I described in the prev post, but my play isnt really reflecting it. Running at like 20/15 or higher I lost a lot of money quickly. Running at more like 15/10 I'm cleaning up. My adjustment after losing 7 buyins was to just play good hands and get paid. The sessions I do that I'm pulling in between 15-20 bbpt/100. The sessions I dont have pretty much all been negative.

So the obvious solution is to just play good hands, value bet them, get paid, but am I improving my game if I do that, or just copping out? Maybe its not that I shouldnt open my game up, but that I've been opening it up in the wrong spots? Making moves at the wrong times? Its kind of hard to convince myself to play that higher risk game, when I'm pulling down good results without it, but the whole point of this is that I should be working on improving my game overall.

Heres some hands that have me thinking that just folding is better. I'm interested in whether you think they were valid plays that didnt work, or if they're just plain spew.

Hand 1
Some kind of semi-bluff pretending I have an 8 type of hand that I should have just let go at some point, or at worst called down:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG+1 ($10.10)
MP1 ($28.15)
MP2 ($11.20)
MP3 ($10.90)
Hero ($26.85)
Button ($9.55)
SB ($12.10)
BB ($25)
UTG ($24.75)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 7, 7.
2 folds, MP1 raises to $0.85, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.85, Button calls $0.85, 2 folds.

Flop: ($2.90) 6, 8, T (3 players)
MP1 bets $2, Hero calls $2, Button folds.

Turn: ($6.90) 8 (2 players)
MP1 bets $4, Hero raises to $12, MP1 calls $8.

River: ($30.90) 8 (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets $12 (All-In), MP1 calls $12.

Final Pot: $54.90

Results in white below:
MP1 has Qc Qd (full house, eights full of queens).
Hero has 7c 7s (full house, eights full of sevens).
Outcome: MP1 wins $54.90.


Hand 2

You know...some kind of strange, pretend I hit a set type of way to give a guy money.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

BB ($29.30)
UTG ($24.30)
UTG+1 ($15)
MP1 ($14.15)
MP2 ($22.30)
MP3 ($42.95)
CO ($23.10)
Hero ($21.95)
SB ($24.35)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
5 folds, Hero raises to $0.85, SB raises to $2.1, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.15.

Flop: ($4.35) , , (3 players)
SB bets $3, Hero raises to $10, SB calls $7.

Turn: ($24.35) (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($24.35) (3 players)
SB bets $4, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $24.35

Results in white below:
SB doesn't show.
Outcome: SB wins $24.35.


Hand 3

Heres an example of a semi-bluff spot that cost me a lot of money earlier on.


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Hero ($60.30)
MP2 ($33.75)
MP3 ($19.35)
CO ($4.90)
Button ($24.30)
SB ($34.30)
BB ($24.15)
UTG ($34.20)
UTG+1 ($4.65)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with , .
2 folds, Hero raises to $1, MP2 calls $1, 2 folds, Button calls $1, SB calls $0.90, 1 fold.

Flop: ($4.25) , , (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $3, MP2 raises to $8, Button folds, SB folds, Hero raises to $62.3 (All-In), MP2 calls $24.75 (All-In).

Turn: ($69.75) (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($69.75) (2 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $69.75

Results in white below:
Hero has Qs Ac (one pair, nines).
MP2 has Ah As (two pair, aces and nines).
Outcome: MP2 wins $69.75.


Hand 4

Picking off a "missed c-bet":

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (8 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

BB ($27.45)
UTG ($31)
UTG+1 ($24.65)
MP1 ($21.75)
MP2 ($25)
CO ($15.80)
Button ($10.15)
Hero ($24.40)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $0.85, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.75, 1 fold.

Flop: ($1.95) , , (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $1.25, Hero raises to $4.5, UTG+1 raises to $12.25, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $10.95





And so on. Heres a few where higher variance play paid off:


Hand 5

Std c-bet with overcards. Bet the 'scare card' king. That overbet push just doesnt look like value so I call.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Hero ($22.25)
MP3 ($23.90)
CO ($27.20)
Button ($27.20)
SB ($26.55)
BB ($17.95)
UTG ($9.70)
UTG+1 ($20.80)
MP1 ($30.30)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
3 folds, Hero raises to $0.85, MP3 calls $0.85, 1 fold, Button calls $0.85, 1 fold, BB calls $0.60.

Flop: ($3.50) , , (4 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2, MP3 folds, Button calls $2, BB folds.

Turn: ($7.50) (2 players)
Hero bets $4, Button raises to $24.35 (All-In), Hero calls $15.40 (All-In).

River: ($46.30) (2 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $46.30

Results in white below:
Hero has 9d 9c (two pair, nines and sevens).
Button has Ah Jd (one pair, sevens).
Outcome: Hero wins $46.30.


Errm, well thats about it actually. I guess theres some smaller ones there, but thats kind of my point. I'm either winning small pots, or losing big ones. Its not that I've taken making moves out of my game, but I now try to only do them in small pots. People just dont fold any part of the board in a big pot it seems.