I had an up and down night in September - didn't post here - but I didn't lose everything.
And then last night sat through the blinds once, never got anything worth calling a raise (limped in once and tossed it)
9 players - $1/$2 blinds - $100 minimum, $300 maximum to sit - about 4 positions away from dealer - big stacks all around the table, I'm about the original $300 stake
I got Pocket K's and raised the limpers that came to me $12
4 people called and the flop came 6-7-2 with two clubs.
It checked around to me and I raised to $30 and everyone folded except the guy to my right, who called.
Turn comes with a 4, still only two clubs on the board - I raised up to $60.
Guy paused and dropped $160 on the table.
I looked at going all in, but knew I was pot committed, and so was he, so that wouldn't drive him off.
Final card come 7 diamonds, so I knew that didn't improve him - he shoved in on me, and I tossed the rest of my chips in.
He turned over pocket 6's for the full boat and I tossed my K's over.
The moment of truth was the stiff $100 raise, but really hard to get away from an overpair when the only thing I was afraid of was A/6 clubs or some sort of straight draw.
I figured he was overbetting some sort of draw.
The pocket 6's I never expected, honestly.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Friday, August 09, 2019
Big money crazy bets at the table - $628
Had a guy who was crashing in with big big bets pre-flop, making it impossible to see a flop with suited connectors, etc. etc.
Nearly every flop was heads up or maybe, just maybe 3 way action, where another monster bet would come out.
And then when he would bust out, he'd slap another couple hundreds on the table and buy right back in.
I never caught anything remotely worth a 50/50, until I finally got JJ - got all my chips in against him and he had AQ . . . and he caught two Q's , knocking me down to $26 in chips.
Quickly googled that:
"Re: JJ vs AQ
Nearly every flop was heads up or maybe, just maybe 3 way action, where another monster bet would come out.
And then when he would bust out, he'd slap another couple hundreds on the table and buy right back in.
I never caught anything remotely worth a 50/50, until I finally got JJ - got all my chips in against him and he had AQ . . . and he caught two Q's , knocking me down to $26 in chips.
Quickly googled that:
"Re: JJ vs AQ
Snap shove. Unless you have a read that Villain only raises QQ+ then it's ridiculous to even consider folding JJ here. Snap shove all day and fist pump when called.
Against QQ-AA we are about 22%
Against AQ+/KQ we are about 55%
And against an other hand we are 70-80%
Not wanting to gamble when you have an edge is just a huge mistake.
If you had JJ and a villain shoved all in and then showed you AQ would you ever consider the folding?
You played this hand perfectly and got unlucky. Good game, that's poker."
At $26, I waited around a bit, doubled up with A2, then lost it all with A7 suited (shoving all in pre-flop both times)
Against QQ-AA we are about 22%
Against AQ+/KQ we are about 55%
And against an other hand we are 70-80%
Not wanting to gamble when you have an edge is just a huge mistake.
If you had JJ and a villain shoved all in and then showed you AQ would you ever consider the folding?
You played this hand perfectly and got unlucky. Good game, that's poker."
At $26, I waited around a bit, doubled up with A2, then lost it all with A7 suited (shoving all in pre-flop both times)
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Even money night - down -$328 still
Came in with $300 - went out with $300
Folks still seem to play middle hands much harder than I am comfortable with.
Took down a small stack with an all in with pocket 5's pre-flop.
Took a bit pot with pocket 9's that became trips - scary to stay with 3 diamonds on the board.
Had K-7 offsuit out of position - limped in pre flop - flop came 7-7-6 and the betting was so ridiculous I backed out.
Turn came 8-8 . . . I would have had a winning full house on the river . . .
But the betters had a made full house on the flop with pocket 6's - and was betting like it - it was impossible to risk half my stack out of position on trips with a K kicker.
Folks still seem to play middle hands much harder than I am comfortable with.
Took down a small stack with an all in with pocket 5's pre-flop.
Took a bit pot with pocket 9's that became trips - scary to stay with 3 diamonds on the board.
Had K-7 offsuit out of position - limped in pre flop - flop came 7-7-6 and the betting was so ridiculous I backed out.
Turn came 8-8 . . . I would have had a winning full house on the river . . .
But the betters had a made full house on the flop with pocket 6's - and was betting like it - it was impossible to risk half my stack out of position on trips with a K kicker.
Friday, June 14, 2019
Big hands means big losses - Lost the roll - down -$328
3-4 hour night with good solid players - particularly two quiet young guys to my immediate right - one on a big stack of $4-500 and the 2nd on a smaller stack of $100 or so, but solid reader of other folks and solid bets.
The table was full 10 to start but often had empty seats throughout the night - getting down to 5-6 players before cards came at times. There were at least 3 other good players on the table with smaller stacks, including an older russian woman being watched by a husband from the rail.
Even with that, the bets were pretty aggressive in my mind - 5 times the pot with 2nd pair, things like that. I went up and down and played fairly conservatively - mucking many marginal hands and dropping when I missed on the flop.
The Russian, with a similar style to me, for example, 3 times had my low pocket pair covered by a higher pocket pair. Her big bets won big money from other people who were chasing.
I went up and down, a low of about $220, and high of $360 or so.
I was a few spot after the big blind - limped in with 4 others for a pot of $10
Flop comes AKQ with two spades . . .
The first to act raises to $10 - a medium good players with a smaller stack.
And he gets re-raised by the button to $100 - the other two fold out.
And I've got AA - clubs and diamonds
I figured the $10 raise had hit little, and the $100 had hit big - I hoped for AK/KQ/AX
I knew that the only thing beating me was J/10 - but that I had an immense number of outs for the nuts - A/K/Q were the first thoughts - on later reflection, I realized that I could runner runner for a pair at the end as well, increasing my odds to around 40% for the nuts.
The $100 bet was weak for me, honestly. But I didn't want the $10 to get good odds to call, so I squeezed him by going all in.
I said All in - the $10 said 'All out'- the $100 called me and started to sweat
And the damn runner runner came spade spade, not pairing the board . . .
I flipped over my Aces to gasps and shock on the table - which I'll take, as at least no one got a read on me (the 2nd time I slow played aces- the first time was a win)
But, the straight held up - no flushes and my full boat didn't hit - down $300
The table was full 10 to start but often had empty seats throughout the night - getting down to 5-6 players before cards came at times. There were at least 3 other good players on the table with smaller stacks, including an older russian woman being watched by a husband from the rail.
Even with that, the bets were pretty aggressive in my mind - 5 times the pot with 2nd pair, things like that. I went up and down and played fairly conservatively - mucking many marginal hands and dropping when I missed on the flop.
The Russian, with a similar style to me, for example, 3 times had my low pocket pair covered by a higher pocket pair. Her big bets won big money from other people who were chasing.
I went up and down, a low of about $220, and high of $360 or so.
I was a few spot after the big blind - limped in with 4 others for a pot of $10
Flop comes AKQ with two spades . . .
The first to act raises to $10 - a medium good players with a smaller stack.
And he gets re-raised by the button to $100 - the other two fold out.
And I've got AA - clubs and diamonds
I figured the $10 raise had hit little, and the $100 had hit big - I hoped for AK/KQ/AX
I knew that the only thing beating me was J/10 - but that I had an immense number of outs for the nuts - A/K/Q were the first thoughts - on later reflection, I realized that I could runner runner for a pair at the end as well, increasing my odds to around 40% for the nuts.
The $100 bet was weak for me, honestly. But I didn't want the $10 to get good odds to call, so I squeezed him by going all in.
I said All in - the $10 said 'All out'- the $100 called me and started to sweat
And the damn runner runner came spade spade, not pairing the board . . .
I flipped over my Aces to gasps and shock on the table - which I'll take, as at least no one got a read on me (the 2nd time I slow played aces- the first time was a win)
But, the straight held up - no flushes and my full boat didn't hit - down $300
Friday, May 10, 2019
Quiet night - down $45 for the night - new balance - negative $28
A slow night with lots of big hands on the table and very few chances to avoid the good players and pick on the weak ones.
Saw quads twice, and a guy smooth playing trips twice and a couple of full houses.
Needless to say, my few times I hit a decent two pair or 2nd flush draw I wasn't making any money.
I did misread a solid player that I thought would be pushed around - sunk some money into pushing him when he wouldn't budge - young guy.
Went from $300 down to $111 over the course of 2 hours and made that back up to $200 to end the night.
Caught AK diamonds on the last hand I was playing - made $55 on that one to finish up - K3garbage on the flop and another K on the turn.
Was trying to calculate my bets to get myself up to $300 to finish the night, but the young player above didn't stay with me.
Saw quads twice, and a guy smooth playing trips twice and a couple of full houses.
Needless to say, my few times I hit a decent two pair or 2nd flush draw I wasn't making any money.
I did misread a solid player that I thought would be pushed around - sunk some money into pushing him when he wouldn't budge - young guy.
Went from $300 down to $111 over the course of 2 hours and made that back up to $200 to end the night.
Caught AK diamonds on the last hand I was playing - made $55 on that one to finish up - K3garbage on the flop and another K on the turn.
Was trying to calculate my bets to get myself up to $300 to finish the night, but the young player above didn't stay with me.
Friday, March 15, 2019
+17 overall . . . . Keeping a big stack . . . I need enough money to drive out 'big stack Walt'
At the end of the night, I was sitting there with about $450 in hand, playing a few last hands ...
Playing a few draws . . .
Playing a few draws . . .
And I noticed something - it's obvious, but worth noting . . .
Even if I was drawing to the nuts (nut flush, for example), a big enough bet got me to lay down, even with my 'found money' . . .
But only if the guy's stack was big . . . my limit was, easily, the $150 in found money on the table . . . I was much more likely to call a guy with $80 left than the guy with $600 . . .
All of which goes back to this night - and this move . . . I was drained all night - my decent drawing hands kept getting beat by guys who hit (A/10 hearts with QJ hearts showing . . . missed on the river and I lost to a pair of 9's, for example)
And I was down to about $150 . . . feeling antsy, and I was looking for a space to shove in.
So, I did, with pocket 2's after a series of $20 bets on the table, and two 'I'll call you' guys on my right.
I figured I was betting my $150 to pick up $60 on the table (for free) or $360 if one person called.
Which someone did on my right. (but I had him covered) - and I bumped myself back up to a reasonable stack of $300 plus
Other notable hands - caught JJ on the turn holding AJ - got a solid player to stick with my series of $20 bets. He didn't show what he was holding.
Caught K on the flop and A on the turn holding AK - solid player stuck with my series of low bets then folded on the river. I didn't show my hand.
Even if I was drawing to the nuts (nut flush, for example), a big enough bet got me to lay down, even with my 'found money' . . .
But only if the guy's stack was big . . . my limit was, easily, the $150 in found money on the table . . . I was much more likely to call a guy with $80 left than the guy with $600 . . .
All of which goes back to this night - and this move . . . I was drained all night - my decent drawing hands kept getting beat by guys who hit (A/10 hearts with QJ hearts showing . . . missed on the river and I lost to a pair of 9's, for example)
And I was down to about $150 . . . feeling antsy, and I was looking for a space to shove in.
So, I did, with pocket 2's after a series of $20 bets on the table, and two 'I'll call you' guys on my right.
I figured I was betting my $150 to pick up $60 on the table (for free) or $360 if one person called.
Which someone did on my right. (but I had him covered) - and I bumped myself back up to a reasonable stack of $300 plus
Other notable hands - caught JJ on the turn holding AJ - got a solid player to stick with my series of $20 bets. He didn't show what he was holding.
Caught K on the flop and A on the turn holding AK - solid player stuck with my series of low bets then folded on the river. I didn't show my hand.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Up to -159, beating up a big stack bully
Long, slow night, good cards first two hands then lots and lots and lots of drawing hands that never hit.
Table was pretty standard - some good players with solid stacks.
A few weaklings coming and going.
My date was already waiting in the car and decompressing, and I told them I'd be out in 20-25 minutes.
I'd already decided that this hand would be my last hand before I saw my cards - I was probably down to around $200 and change (from my starting stack of $300)
Got A/10 clubs one or two seats before the dealer (good position) - and there was decent action, so I called.
The flop comes garbage/club/club - and a bet from bully big stack of $15/$20 got called over to me, and I called.
Turn come club, with no pairs, and everyone checks to the table bully, who checks it around to me - I toss $25 into the pot and he calls.
River comes garbage - and I've got the nuts. I throw in another $20/$25 and he comes over the top at either $75 or $100 . . .
With my minimum raise really not doing too much to the statistics to go all in - I don't try to calculate odds too much between and double check my cards, go all in - and he mucks.
Overall, glad to come out with a positive result - glad that no one seemed to get an obvious read on me - walked out with $387 for the night.
Table was pretty standard - some good players with solid stacks.
A few weaklings coming and going.
My date was already waiting in the car and decompressing, and I told them I'd be out in 20-25 minutes.
I'd already decided that this hand would be my last hand before I saw my cards - I was probably down to around $200 and change (from my starting stack of $300)
Got A/10 clubs one or two seats before the dealer (good position) - and there was decent action, so I called.
The flop comes garbage/club/club - and a bet from bully big stack of $15/$20 got called over to me, and I called.
Turn come club, with no pairs, and everyone checks to the table bully, who checks it around to me - I toss $25 into the pot and he calls.
River comes garbage - and I've got the nuts. I throw in another $20/$25 and he comes over the top at either $75 or $100 . . .
With my minimum raise really not doing too much to the statistics to go all in - I don't try to calculate odds too much between and double check my cards, go all in - and he mucks.
Overall, glad to come out with a positive result - glad that no one seemed to get an obvious read on me - walked out with $387 for the night.
Friday, January 11, 2019
Welp, that was quick - new balance - negative $246
So, sat down at a $1/$2 $300 max buy in 9 person table - two big stacks, lots of phone activity, one person with a partner standing behind him and talking in Chinese... (needless to say, my concerns about cheaters were heightened)
Big stack guy seems to be a table bully - some folks (stupidly) sit down and buy in at $60 or $100 with him sitting there with $700 or so.
Don't get a single hand better than A/4 offsuit for a little bit - so I toss most everything back in including few limps or what not - a couple players also straddle regularly, including the big blind - I'm down to around $290
I also switched chairs to get away from the big stack a bit, as he was aggressive and pushing people to early decisions.
The hand I played
So, I'm sitting with 7/8 offsuit in $2 big blind and a straddle to $4 behind me - big stack raises him to $15, one call, comes to me and I toss in another $13 - straddle folds.
Flop comes 7/9/10 with two clubs - I quickly bet roughly the pot - at $50
Big stack thinks, plays with chips, then re-raises to $100 (see note 1 below) - other player folds.
I quickly go all in with what turns out to be about another $179 into a $246 pot
He dances and plays around forever asks for several counts - plays with my chips, etc - and finally calls
Final two cards come garbage garbage and I turn over my pair of 7's, and he turns over a pair of Q's to take it and shut me down.
Flop play and my thoughts:
Both big stack and the other player are projecting strength with a raise and call on a 9 player table.
I'm limping in projecting garbage.
The flop hits me.
My bets indicate that the flop hit me big. Trip 7's is a possibility. The nut flush is a possibility with the two clubs.
My bets were overbets precisely to indicate this and precisely to attempt to drive him out of the pot and win $46, or, with the all in - $146
I was betting to drive him out if he was on a good flush draw and also with the strong possibility that the flop missed him.
So he did one of two things - he either read me without me playing any hands - or he made a bad decision to raise my $50 bet.
With Q's and 7/9/10 with two clubs, he only has two outs - the two Q's or runner runner flush or runner runner straight.
In short, he's got a roughly 10% chance to make the best hand vs me projecting a very strong hand.
To counter that - except for the A/8 of clubs or A/* of clubs, I've got 10 outs to get the best hand. two 7's, four 6's, four J's - a 40% chance to make the best hand.
If our positions were reversed the odds were in my favor, if he was betting and I was calling - the odds were in my favor to call his bets.
But his calls - particularly the $50 call - were either hubris, a read on me, or bad calls.
Big stack guy seems to be a table bully - some folks (stupidly) sit down and buy in at $60 or $100 with him sitting there with $700 or so.
Don't get a single hand better than A/4 offsuit for a little bit - so I toss most everything back in including few limps or what not - a couple players also straddle regularly, including the big blind - I'm down to around $290
I also switched chairs to get away from the big stack a bit, as he was aggressive and pushing people to early decisions.
The hand I played
So, I'm sitting with 7/8 offsuit in $2 big blind and a straddle to $4 behind me - big stack raises him to $15, one call, comes to me and I toss in another $13 - straddle folds.
Flop comes 7/9/10 with two clubs - I quickly bet roughly the pot - at $50
Big stack thinks, plays with chips, then re-raises to $100 (see note 1 below) - other player folds.
I quickly go all in with what turns out to be about another $179 into a $246 pot
He dances and plays around forever asks for several counts - plays with my chips, etc - and finally calls
Final two cards come garbage garbage and I turn over my pair of 7's, and he turns over a pair of Q's to take it and shut me down.
Flop play and my thoughts:
Both big stack and the other player are projecting strength with a raise and call on a 9 player table.
I'm limping in projecting garbage.
The flop hits me.
My bets indicate that the flop hit me big. Trip 7's is a possibility. The nut flush is a possibility with the two clubs.
My bets were overbets precisely to indicate this and precisely to attempt to drive him out of the pot and win $46, or, with the all in - $146
I was betting to drive him out if he was on a good flush draw and also with the strong possibility that the flop missed him.
So he did one of two things - he either read me without me playing any hands - or he made a bad decision to raise my $50 bet.
With Q's and 7/9/10 with two clubs, he only has two outs - the two Q's or runner runner flush or runner runner straight.
In short, he's got a roughly 10% chance to make the best hand vs me projecting a very strong hand.
To counter that - except for the A/8 of clubs or A/* of clubs, I've got 10 outs to get the best hand. two 7's, four 6's, four J's - a 40% chance to make the best hand.
If our positions were reversed the odds were in my favor, if he was betting and I was calling - the odds were in my favor to call his bets.
But his calls - particularly the $50 call - were either hubris, a read on me, or bad calls.
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