Well I'm starting to understand a little better how these journal posts are going to play out. If I'm going to learn anything, it's going to be from flailing mightily, and then spreading my dirty laundry out all over the table, for me to try to analyze, and for others to laugh at.
Today I have three hands to illustrate another big leak in my game - not being able to avoid traps. The trap, of course, is when your villain lands a monster, lies patiently in wait for you to fire at the pot, or better yet, pick up a semblance of a hand that you can't let go of. The trapper usually pounces on the river, although it can also be effectively done on the turn as well.
As I see it, there are two keys to avoid becoming the target of a trap:
1) Identifying the pounce, which is usually large river bet or raise.
2) Avoiding the temptation of the set-up card.
A few hands might help to illustrate:
Full Tilt Poker Game #5626522043: Table Josie (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 3: soonermagic2k ($23.40)
Seat 4: noldmax ($26.30)
Seat 5: Kool_Runnings ($14.10)
noldmax posts the small blind of $0.10
Kool_Runnings posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Ac 8c]
soonermagic2k raises to $0.85
noldmax calls $0.75 <----- I'll almost always see a flop with a suited Ace.
Kool_Runnings folds
*** FLOP *** [6s 4h 3h]
noldmax checks
soonermagic2k bets $1.95
noldmax has 15 seconds left to act noldmax raises to $6 <----- Low coordinated flop should be a little scary to raiser
soonermagic2k calls $4.05 <----- At this point, I'm giving up...
*** TURN *** [6s 4h 3h] [8s] <----- Unless I make TPTK!! The set-up card.
noldmax bets $8 <----- I've shown plenty of strength, so this should put an end to it
soonermagic2k raises to $16.55, and is all in <----- Uh oh...
noldmax calls $8.55 <----- I heart being pounced on!
soonermagic2k shows [Tc Td]
noldmax shows [Ac 8c]
*** RIVER *** [6s 4h 3h 8s] [Qc]
soonermagic2k shows a pair of Tens
noldmax shows a pair of Eights
soonermagic2k wins the pot ($46.05) with a pair of Tens
noldmax: nh
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $47.05 Rake $1
Board: [6s 4h 3h 8s Qc]
Seat 3: soonermagic2k (button) showed [Tc Td] and won ($46.05) with a pair of Tens
Seat 4: noldmax (small blind) showed [Ac 8c] and lost with a pair of Eights
Seat 5: Kool_Runnings (big blind) folded before the Flop
I think I made two big mistakes here. One, making the flop raise without more of a draw. I like to check raise the PF raiser when out-of-position on the flop, but I usually like to have more of a draw, like having 2nd or 3rd pair drawing to 2-pair or trips, or even a gut-shot. Second, I should have recognized the trap on the turn and not allowed myself to get attached to the trap card. Maybe if I had bet smaller, and left some more room to get away....but likely, I just hadn't learned my lesson yet.
Here's another one...
Full Tilt Poker Game #5626572186: Table Josie (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: dogsqueeze ($44.05)
Seat 2: iTr4pp3dU ($26.95)
Seat 3: soonermagic2k ($46.20)
Seat 4: noldmax ($25.50)
Seat 5: Kool_Runnings ($14.55)
Seat 6: dy8484 ($24.65)
Kool_Runnings posts the small blind of $0.10
dy8484 posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Ad 4d]
dogsqueeze folds
soonermagic2k folds
noldmax raises to $0.85 <----- Again, the suited ace...a troubling pattern??
Kool_Runnings folds
dy8484 calls $0.60
*** FLOP *** [3c 8d Td] <----- Jackpot! Nut flush draw!
dy8484 bets $1
noldmax raises to $3.50 <----- Gotta raise here if I'm ever gonna make money when it hits...plus, it never hurts to just take the pot down
dy8484 calls $2.50
*** TURN *** [3c 8d Td] [Qh]
dy8484 checks
noldmax has 15 seconds left to act
noldmax bets $5 <----- I've shown strength, now I just try to take it away.
dy8484 raises to $10 <----- Uh-oh.
noldmax calls $5
*** RIVER *** [3c 8d Td Qh] [Ah] <----- The blasted set-up card!
dy8484 bets $10.30, and is all in <----- His own busted flush draw? A scared queen? So many rationalizations.
noldmax has 15 seconds left to act <----- Don't do it!!!!
noldmax calls $10.30 <----- What a fool.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
dy8484 shows [8c 8s] three of a kind, Eights <----- This makes much more sense. I got worked!! noldmax mucks
dy8484 wins the pot ($46.95) with three of a kind, Eights
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $49.40 Rake $2.45
Board: [3c 8d Td Qh Ah]
Seat 1: dogsqueeze didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: iTr4pp3dU is sitting out
Seat 3: soonermagic2k didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: noldmax (button) mucked [Ad 4d] - a pair of Aces
Seat 5: Kool_Runnings (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: dy8484 (big blind) showed [8c 8s] and won ($46.95) with three of a kind, Eights
Again, the set-up card spelled my doom. No excuse for thinking my pair of Aces was good there. But I'm okay with everything leading up to the river call.
One more...
Full Tilt Poker Game #5626993122: Table Galatea (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: Lanzetta83 ($25)
Seat 2: TightJO ($25.80)
Seat 3: noldmax ($31.05)
Seat 4: 702000textbook ($42.35)
Seat 5: te7045 ($68.35)
Seat 6: Bibi55272 ($19.35)
noldmax posts the small blind of $0.10
702000textbook posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [4c 3c]
te7045 folds
Bibi55272 folds
Lanzetta83 folds
TightJO raises to $0.85
noldmax calls $0.75 <----- Please overlook Glaring Donky Error #1
702000textbook folds
*** FLOP *** [Ks Kc 9s]
noldmax checks
TightJO checks
*** TURN *** [Ks Kc 9s] [Jc] <----- Set-up card #1
noldmax bets $1.40 <----- Now I get to bet my draw!
TightJO has 15 seconds left to act
TightJO calls $1.40
*** RIVER *** [Ks Kc 9s Jc] [8c] <----- Flush card! AKA, set-up card #2
noldmax bets $3 <----- Value bet?
TightJO has 15 seconds left to act
TightJO raises to $10 <----- Uh-oh.
noldmax has 15 seconds left to act <----- I'd like to tell you I was thinking about folding, but you already know better
noldmax calls $7
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TightJO shows [9d Kh] a full house, Kings full of Nines
noldmax mucks
TightJO wins the pot ($23.55) with a full house, Kings full of Nines
*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $24.75 Rake $1.20
Board: [Ks Kc 9s Jc 8c]
Seat 1: Lanzetta83 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: TightJO (button) showed [9d Kh] and won ($23.55) with a full house, Kings full of Nines
Seat 3: noldmax (small blind) mucked [4c 3c] - a flush, King high
Seat 4: 702000textbook (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: te7045 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Bibi55272 didn't bet (folded)
Aside from the possibility of a bigger flush draw, there were lots of ways the villain had made a bigger boat. Had he connected with the K at all on the flop, he would have played it like that. Now, I suppose that one out of 5 times, someone might play it like that holding AK or KQ, but if it's only 1-out-of-5, that isn't a profitable call on the end.
So I think the real key evidenced from these 3 hands is this - don't let your excitement over the set-up card that just hit your hand cloud your judgement and prevent you from recognizing the trap that you're walking into.
Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.
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