Ok, the last couple of months have been a bit dry poker wise. Pretty much breakeven after living costs/trips to prague etc. Also pretty disappointed with my overall play recently, so am battening down the hatches, grinding a lot and working on my game.
I have hired a coach to help me, and I've already made some changes to my game that should help a lot. I think i'm still 3 betting out the blinds more than on the button though, which is clearly fundamentally bad, and i'm hoping i'll be able to change in the next week or so.
I have just finished a session 4-tabling $100nl 6-max on pokerstars, and was -$50 after 1000 hands. I played a few hands really bad which was a shame.
Poker Stars $100.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official
DeucesCracked.com Hand History
ConverterHero (UTG): $190.60MP: $100.00
CO: $109.20
BTN: $198.25
SB: $100.00
BB: $158.00Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is UTG with A
J
Hero raises to $3,
4 folds,
BB raises to $10, Hero calls $7
Flop: ($20.50) 8
J
6
(2 players)BB bets $18.00,
Hero raises to $42,
BB raises to $148, Hero calls $106
Turn: ($316.50) 4
(2 players)River: ($316.50) T
(2 players)I decided to call preflop because we were deep and my hand plays quite well in deep pots in position. However, this guy was only playing 18/11, so his range for 3betting is probably something like {AK,QQ+} at the LOOSEST. So it was a REALLY bad idea for me to try and fuck around against such a strong range.
I hit a really good flop, and even against a really strong range I'm not planning on folding. I consider calling the flop and reevaluating the turn, but this seems bad because i'm 50/50 against QQ+, and that equity drops significantly on the turn if i miss. And I really don't want to miss the turn and face a big turn bet.
Furthermore, although I don't like my preflop call with AJ here, as deep as we are, i'd CERTAINLY be calling 66 and 88 against such a tight range, so I have sets in my range and he might find a big fold.
He obviously shoves KK and I lose a coinflip for $300
Poker Stars $100.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official
DeucesCracked.com Hand History
ConverterHero (SB): $132.85
BB: $108.00UTG: $100.00
MP: $157.15
CO: $244.10
BTN: $155.65
Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is SB with 8
8
4 folds,
Hero raises to $3,
BB raises to $12,
Hero raises to $28,
BB raises to $56,
Hero raises to $132.85, BB calls $52 all in
Flop: ($216.00) 6
3
A
(2 players - 1 is all in)Turn: ($216.00) 2
(2 players - 1 is all in)River: ($216.00) Q
(2 players - 1 is all in)This hand isn't that interesting. SB vs BB always has a madly aggressive dynamic, and this BB was a mentalist, playing 61/39 with a 3bet% of 21.7. However, it does illustrate something I've been doing differently recently. Not long ago I might've called his 3bet here. But that pretty much sucks because I can't play for set value, and i'll be guessing the entire time against an opponent who WILL put me to the test. I'm obviously ahead of his 3b range here, so I stick in a 4bet. His 5-bet size would usually raise alarm bells, but he was so mad I just went with it. Sadly I lose a $200 flip vs AK.
FWIW, I would also use his 5-bet sizing a lot in his spot with AK. A lot of people will think "he'd just shove AK", so they might put you on exactly AA. I don't REALLY expect people to be able to fold something like QQ, but even if someone does it 1 time out of 100, seems like a pretty sweet coup.
This next hand is the first one where i'm really unhappy about my play.
Poker Stars $100.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official
DeucesCracked.com Hand History
ConverterHero (MP): $100.00CO: $214.00
BTN: $100.00
SB: $157.65
BB: $244.10UTG: $155.65
Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is MP with Q
Q
1 fold,
Hero raises to $3, CO calls $3,
2 folds, BB calls $2
Flop: ($9.50) 7
6
7
(3 players)BB checks,
Hero bets $6.00, CO folds,
BB raises to $12, Hero calls $6
Turn: ($33.50) 4
(2 players)BB bets $12.00,
Hero raises to $28, BB calls $16
River: ($89.50) 8
(2 players)BB bets $22.00, Hero calls $22
On the flop a 22/18 min check raises me. This makes me sad, but I'm not even going to think about folding QQ yet. I don't think a reraise by me would be a great idea, he's going to play fit or fold, and since I have to fold to a shove, I'd be raising as a bluff/for protection, and my hand is too strong to turn into a bluff but not strong enough to merit protecting!
The turn is actually a decent card for me. I don't really expect him to have 85 or 44, and the 4 is a decent card for him to keep betting, because a lot of his range has picked up a pair/gutshot/loads of stuff. His bet size is so small and weak on the turn that I decide I have the best hand and have to raise for value to charge his draws. I also told myself I'd be folding to a shove on the turn, because a shove from him means his turn bet was a bet to induce, and he certainly would not want to be inducing action from any hand that I beat!
The river 8 kinda sucks, cos any random 5x hand now has a straight. And even though I told myself on the turn that I was not putting any more money in the pot, the combination of the 5-1 pot odds and the monkey on my shoulder saying "flush draw flush draw flush draw" led to me making a really really bad call. He is NEVER bluffing here, and he should be as scared of that 8 as I am if he doesn't have a nutted hand!
Turned out he had 78. I'm such a calling station. I suppose I should be grateful he didn't size his bets better, because I might've ended up playing for my whole stack.
Oh well, I can only aim to learn and play better every time I sit down!
For balance, here's a quick hand from the session where being a calling station actually paid off
Poker Stars $100.00 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official
DeucesCracked.com Hand History
ConverterBB: $199.95
UTG: $243.60
CO: $131.35
Hero (BTN): $162.35SB: $100.00
Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BTN with K
J
2 folds,
Hero raises to $3,
1 fold, BB calls $2
Flop: ($6.50) J
3
9
(2 players)BB checks,
Hero bets $4.00,
BB raises to $11, Hero calls $7
Turn: ($28.50) 7
(2 players)BB bets $20.00, Hero calls $20
River: ($68.50) 2
(2 players)BB bets $49.00, Hero calls $49
Villain had QT.
