Blind Battle Tilt

To begin, a simple poker fact, restated: The more players you have at your table, the more likely that there is someone who has been dealt a strong hand. Therefore, the wiser it is to play a tight game. When you move from a 9- or 10-handed table down to 6-max, by extension, you can loosen up your playable hand range. There's a much better chance that your A4s or KJ is the best hand PF. When you get all the way down to heads-up, it becomes even harder to put your opponent on a great hand.

So this is my problem...I get into battles that soar out of control when I am heads up PF. Some people defend their blinds with irrational fervor, but I tend to demonstrate similar irrationality by refusing to put my opponent on a decent hand. And the tilt factor is compounded by the fact that it seems to become personal...it becomes a one-on-one competition with egos on display.

Now, I'm not referring to play in a heads-up match, but to Blind Battles in 6-max play.

The following 2 hands occurred in quick succession last night, and caused me to examine my Blind Battle Tilt issue.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6214932751: Table Europa (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em - 19:49:57 ET - 2008/04/28
Seat 1: noldmax ($62.50) <-- SB
Seat 2: stolpskottet ($52) <-- BB
Seat 3: verBAL_ASSassin ($50.75)
Seat 4: AeroDynamical ($74)
Seat 5: sergeg89 ($23.65)
Seat 6: NateDiz ($65.25)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [6h Kh]
verBAL_ASSassin folds, AeroDynamical folds, sergeg89 folds, NateDiz folds
noldmax raises to $1.50 <-- Suited K more than enough to raise in Blind Battle
stolpskottet calls $1

*** FLOP *** [8c Ks 5c]
noldmax bets $2
stolpskottet raises to $9
noldmax folds
stolpskottet wins the pot ($6.65)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $7 Rake $0.35
Board: [8c Ks 5c]
Seat 1: noldmax (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: stolpskottet (big blind) collected ($6.65), mucked

I hate this spot. Even though I have top pair, I'm out of position, and the raise was big enough to ensure that a lot more money may be going into the pot by the end. It's too expensive to get involved there where I'm easily behind to a better King, not to mention a number of other potential holdings.

But of course, part of me is pegging this guy as an aggressor who was probing for weakness. As you'll see in the next hand, which occurred one orbit later, I used this line of thought to justify a big move.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6214997965: Table Europa (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em - 19:55:07 ET - 2008/04/28
Seat 1: noldmax ($56.75) <-- SB
Seat 2: stolpskottet ($61.40) <-- BB
Seat 3: verBAL_ASSassin ($50)
Seat 4: AeroDynamical ($72.75)
Seat 5: sergeg89 ($24.35)
Seat 6: NateDiz ($62.75)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [6d 6h]
verBAL_ASSassin folds, AeroDynamical folds, sergeg89 folds, NateDiz folds
noldmax raises to $1.50
stolpskottet calls $1

*** FLOP *** [9h 3d 4h]
noldmax bets $2
stolpskottet raises to $9
noldmax calls $7 <-- Twice in a row, so I suspect a play.

*** TURN *** [9h 3d 4h] [Ah] <-- Gives me a heart draw (albeit low)
noldmax checks
stolpskottet bets $15
noldmax raises to $46.25, and is all in <-- Represent hitting the A, or the flush
stolpskottet calls $31.25 <-- Uh oh, quick call
noldmax shows [6d 6h]
stolpskottet shows [Kh 9c] <-- Disgusting, I'm dead to a 6

*** RIVER *** [9h 3d 4h Ah] [6s] <-- A stream of pixelated light from the heavens!
noldmax shows three of a kind, Sixes
stolpskottet shows a pair of Nines
noldmax wins the pot ($110.50) with three of a kind, Sixes
stolpskottet adds $45.35

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $113.50 Rake $3
Board: [9h 3d 4h Ah 6s]
Seat 1: noldmax (small blind) showed [6d 6h] and won ($110.50) with three of a kind, Sixes
Seat 2: stolpskottet (big blind) showed [Kh 9c] and lost with a pair of Nines

I owe at least 2 weeks of not complaining about bad beats. Someone please hold me to it.

I also need to cool off in the blind battles. A better choice may have been to reraise the flop, rather than pushing the turn, since I could just have easily established my standing, and possibly cut my losses had my opponent pushed over the top.

It's important not to forget that in a blind battle, you are only playing for the measly blinds. Don't let that fact become clouded by your ego, as you turn it into a battle for pride against an opponent who may just be on a nice run.

A-Cee!

So I flew into Philadephia Thursday night for a weekend wedding, but more importantly (sorry Hastings), for a chance to get involved in some action at the Borgata in nearby Atlantic City. I tell you, it's a good thing I live in Austin, 4 hours from the closest live poker spot, and not in Philly, or anywhere closer to a casino. I'd be a broke alcoholic, about 50 pounds fatter, and, based on a quick glance at the faces around the average poker room, quite a bit uglier.

So my old UVA friend AA picked me up at the airport and it was don't pass go, go directly to the Borgata. After a delayed flight (I'm about done with American Airlines altogether) and the hour+ drive to AC, it was 2am, but no amount of valium can put me to sleep when I've just arrived at a casino. So we dropped off our bags and went straight to the tables.

We found the first 1-2NL table we could both sit down at, and it was almost no time before I was reminded why live low-limit poker is so wonderful. A drunk man in his 50s started showing off a beautifully bad loose-passive game, taking pots left and right from people trying to out-maneuver him. In one hand, he raised PF to $8, got re-raised to $25 by a LP player, and called, going to the flop 3-handed. Flop came 4-5-6 rainbow, Drunk Guy checked, the raiser C-bet $40, and Drunk Guy calls. A 5 and a Q fall, and they check the rest of the way, with the aggressor showing AK, and Drunk Guy showing 89o(!). Awesome. Another bad player to my left called a PF raise in a 5-way pot with AK, flopped a K, and proceeded to check all the way to the end. Oh I love it.

But I really only got one chance to prey on these easy targets, when I called PF with 7s-8s and it flopped 6-9h-10h. An EP caller led out for $20, Drunk guy called, and I raised to $60. EP folded, Drunk Guy made a predictable call. Turn brought a 7, souring me a little, but with Drunk Guy, who knew. I only had $90 behind and pushed it all in. Unfortunately, it was the one time this guy realized he didn't have a chance, so he folded. I ended a short first night at around 4:30am, up $70.

On Friday morning we were back at the tables about as soon as we could muster. We only had one day to get in enough card playing to hold me over until the next time I can make it to a casino. And with a baby girl due in 2 months, it may well be 2026 before that happens.

We started at 1-2NL again, and another UVA friend, Dave, joined AA and myself for the action. It doesn't matter the stakes when you get a chance to sit down with two friends. And although I was itching to step up to a 2-5NL game, I was close to frothing after seeing how disgustingly loose/passive an old man to our left was playing. I figured drool would be an easy tell to pick up, so I focused on keeping my mouth shut. We'll call him the Russian, although AA didn't think that was his accent. I thought I had picked up a wonderful chance to filet him when I looked down at my biggest starting hand since I had arrived in AC - QQ. I raised it up to $15 and saw the flop heads-up with the Russian. The flop brought 10-K-A, which was very unfortunate. But I figured one bullet might be worth it, but my boy called rather quickly. We checked down the two blanks that followed, and he showed me a righteous A-3o to take it down. And sadly, I didn't get another chance to fleece him. He confessed, before walking away, that he had dropped $1000 in his foray at that table. It takes hard work to drop that much at a 1-2 game.

I wish I had some interesting hands to relate, but everything was pretty straightforward. I moved over to a 2-5NL table, where I finally picked up AA, raised and won a 3-way pot with a C-bet. I won another decent pot when I played A-Q really passively (early jitters), limping and then calling a raise. The flop brought an A, my opponent C-bet $40 and I called. We checked a blank turn, and when the river brought a very nice Q, I bet $70. Unfortunately, he wasn't playing an A because he folded pretty quickly. Then I lost a big chunk back to the same opponent when I called his PFR with 5c-7c, it flopped Kc-6c-9h, I checked, he bet about $50, and I came over the top to put him all-in for an additional $130. He showed K8o and I missed my flush and straight outs. I ended on an upswing when I raise PF with AsJs, the flop came A-4-A, I C-bet $40, and one player pushed for an additional $75. He showed A6 and I ended up leaving that table up $140.

Sadly, that was it. +$250 at the tables, just enough of a winning session to make you want to play more. It takes a lot more patience for me to play my game in a live setting, but the laughable game that some of those players play make it well worth my while. Both Dave and AA came out winners as well, with AA being to biggest winner. Nothing lifts the spirits like playing with 2 friends and having everyone come out black. Very nice job guys.

Not sure how much time I'll have to play online this week but I'll update if there's anything to update.

First Hand, Just Sat Down

I'm squeezing in 50NL 6-max cash games wherever I can, but I didn't get very many hands in this week. No worries here, because come tomorrow morning (by which I mean 1:30am tonight), I will be saddling up to a seat at a poker table somewhere in Atlantic City, intent on getting in enough poker to make me sick of it. Which may be necessary, since I'm finding less and less time to sit down and play at home.

I want to discuss a hand that came up in my very first hand after sitting down at a table. Now right when I sit down at a table, I tend to prefer to play pretty tight while I feel out the table. I almost don't want to be dealt any playable hands, and if I do play them, I'm looking to hit it big. The reason being, if anyone plays at me, I don't have enough information to judge an opponent's move. I'm just playing my cards. And if someone makes a move against me, then that's just a really risky move, because they don't know nearly enough about me either. They don't know that I'm a chronic C-better or whether I like to lead when I hit.

With that said, here's the hand...

Full Tilt Poker Game #6141354870: Table Nobar (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: noldmax ($50) <-- BB
Seat 2: birdiemachine ($48.75)
Seat 3: slurp eee ($13.50)
Seat 4: yurec ($50)
Seat 5: stellar1212 ($56.35)
Seat 6: foldfag2 ($25.10) <-- SB

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Js Jd]
birdiemachine raises to $1.75
slurp eee folds, yurec folds, stellar1212 folds, foldfag2 folds
noldmax raises to $5.50 <-- This is my standard play in this spot
birdiemachine has 15 seconds left to act
birdiemachine calls $3.75

*** FLOP *** [6d 5c 9c] <-- All unders, some coordination. Good, not great.
noldmax bets $7
birdiemachine has 15 seconds left to act
birdiemachine raises to $18.50
Hero?

This is the type of situation where experience and history play a really big role in your decision-making. I your opponent is loose, you could put him on a weak holding like A-9 or 9-10, or even A-6. If your opponent is aggressive, he could be pushing a big draw, something like Ac-Qc. Or, he could be making a move with a hand that has outs, something like 7-7 or 8-8. But in this case, I don't have anything to go by, so I have to give strong consideration to 55, 66, 99, or even a better overpair like QQ. Really, the only hands I beat are 10-10, 7-7, and 8-8, and against drawing hands I'm close to 50/50.

Scroll down a bit for the results....
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noldmax has 15 seconds left to act
noldmax has requested TIME
noldmax adds $12.50
noldmax folds
Uncalled bet of $11.50 returned to birdiemachine
birdiemachine mucks
birdiemachine wins the pot ($24)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $25.25 Rake $1.25
Board: [6d 5c 9c]
Seat 1: noldmax (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: birdiemachine collected ($24), mucked

Does anyone play this differently, given the situation? I can't check the flop with an overpair, right? Or do I just smooth-call the PFR, then check-call or check-raise? Anybody pushing the flop?

I think in the future, I don't 3-bet PF from OOP. That would fit much better with my strategy of laying low when I first arrive at a table.

Omaha Hands, Part Deux, Results

Only got in 4 hours of play at Winstar on Saturday after getting a late start and having to wait an hour to get a seat. I sat down at a 1-2NL game as the Spurs-Suns game was starting, and I kid you not, the casino could not get reception for ABC. So we didn't watch the game. Which, I'm well aware, was amazing, a classic. It's too bad, because otherwise I thought the Winstar had a pretty nice poker room. Big, spacious, good spread of games. The only thing they were missing was a 1-2 PLO game. Only 2-5 PLO, and I wasn't going there.

The poker action was straightforward...won a huge pot when someone moved in to my left with 10-10 and I awoke with AA. One player with AK also got involved and I bounced up around $200. But I bled almost all of that away by the time I left. Lost a good chunk when I flopped the nut straight with 2 hearts, raised a flop bettor, got called by one player, then saw the third heart hit the turn. I bet, he pushed, I mucked. Awful awful turn card. I left up $10. It's almost like I was never there.

So I've posted the results to the Omaha hands from Friday. These aren't really the most interesting hands, but I posted them because they highlight a very common Omaha spot that I don't know how to play.

Hand 1
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039598342: Table Rams (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: noldmax ($28.05)
Seat 2: MissBanana ($29.15) <-- SB
Seat 3: RRWilson43 ($23.80) <-- BB
Seat 4: Producer_2 ($27.25)
Seat 5: EvilCon ($38.45)
Seat 6: Numberchaser23 ($35.25)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Jc 7s 9s Kh]
Producer_2 folds
EvilCon calls $0.25, Numberchaser23 calls $0.25, noldmax calls $0.25
MissBanana folds, RRWilson43 checks

*** FLOP *** [Js 6h 8c]
RRWilson43 checks, EvilCon checks
Numberchaser23 bets $1.10
noldmax calls $1.10 <-- OESD + TP
RRWilson43 folds
EvilCon folds

*** TURN *** [Js 6h 8c] [2d]
Numberchaser23 has 15 seconds left to act
Numberchaser23 bets $3.30
Hero?
noldmax folds
Numberchaser23 wins the pot ($3.15)

*** SUMMARY *** Total pot $3.30 Rake $0.15
Board: [Js 6h 8c 2d]
Seat 1: noldmax (button) folded on the Turn
6: Numberchaser23 collected ($3.15), mucked

The problem with this hand is that there are very few cards on the river that give me the confidence to make a raise if they hit. Only the 5 gives me the nuts. The 9 gives me 2nd nuts, and something like 9-10-Q is certainly in my opponent's range, so I could be looking at some reverse implied odds there. So yeah, it's a pretty easy fold on the river here.... which brings me back to the flop. If it was easy to fold the turn to a PSB, should it have been just as easy to fold the flop to a PSB? How has the decision-making changed?

Hand 2
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039691962: Table Rams (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: noldmax ($27.05)
Seat 2: MissBanana ($28.70)
Seat 3: RRWilson43 ($18.95)
Seat 4: Producer_2 ($28.75) <-- SB
Seat 5: EvilCon ($35.20) <-- BB
Seat 6: Numberchaser23 ($40.85)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [5h 7c 6s 4c]
Numberchaser23 folds
noldmax calls $0.25
MissBanana folds, RRWilson43 calls $0.25, Producer_2 folds
EvilCon raises to $1.10
noldmax calls $0.85
RRWilson43 calls $0.85

*** FLOP *** [7s Jc 3d]
EvilCon bets $3.40
noldmax calls $3.40 <-- 9 outs to the nut straight
RRWilson43 folds

*** TURN *** [7s Jc 3d] [2s]
EvilCon bets $10.20
Hero?
noldmax calls $10.20 <-- Now 13 outs to nut straight, although 4 put a spade flush out.

*** RIVER *** [7s Jc 3d 2s] [Qs]
EvilCon bets $20.50, and is all in
noldmax folds
Uncalled bet of $20.50 returned to EvilCon
EvilCon mucks
EvilCon wins the pot ($29.10)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $30.60 Rake $1.50
Board: [7s Jc 3d 2s Qs]
Seat 1: noldmax folded on the River
Seat 6: Numberchaser23 didn't bet (folded)

Here I'm calling a PSB with 9 outs to the nuts. The main difference, and the reason I think the call is okay here, is that there is enough money behind to give me decent implied odds, and the low-end straight may be hard for my opponent to put me on. Also, I'm in position. So I don't have to lead out big if my straight card hits.

Hand 3
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039211021: Table Lund (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: RRRRRRUUUUUU ($65.20) <-- SB
Seat 2: tovrov ($21.80) <-- BB
Seat 3: Ne2wild2 ($8.65)
Seat 4: noldmax ($25)
Seat 5: DONKYMON ($75.80)
Seat 6: Disconnected ($17.95)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Qs 6d Th Qh]
Ne2wild2 folds
noldmax raises to $0.85
DONKYMON folds, Disconnected folds, RRRRRRUUUUUU folds
tovrov calls $0.60

*** FLOP *** [Js Ah 6h]
tovrov checks
noldmax bets $1.80
tovrov raises to $7.20
noldmax calls $5.40 <-- Gutshot + 2nd nut FD

*** TURN *** [Js Ah 6h] [3s]
tovrov bets $13.75, and is all in
Hero?
noldmax has 15 seconds left to act
noldmax has requested TIME
noldmax calls $13.75
tovrov shows [9c Qc Ad Jd]
noldmax shows [Qs 6d Th Qh]

*** RIVER *** [Js Ah 6h 3s] [8d]
tovrov shows two pair, Aces and Jacks
noldmax shows a pair of Queens
tovrov wins the pot ($41.55) with two pair, Aces and Jacks

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $43.70 Rake $2.15
Board: [Js Ah 6h 3s 8d]
Seat 1: RRRRRRUUUUUU (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: tovrov (big blind) showed [9c Qc Ad Jd] and won ($41.55) with two pair, Aces and Jacks
Seat 3: Ne2wild2 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: noldmax showed [Qs 6d Th Qh] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 5: DONKYMON didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Disconnected (button) didn't bet (folded)

Now this call was a major mistake. No implied odds, drawing to the 2nd nut FD, and unlikely to be ahead when I call.

Now, once again, I'm interested in returning to the flop. Should I be folding here to the raise? What's interesting is how much your perception changes between the flop and the turn. On the flop, the amount of money you have to call for a PSB seems small, but by the turn that PSB has tripled in size (if there are only 2 players...it's even bigger if there are more). So I think it's worth asking if there isn't some amount of self-deception in thinking the flop call of a PSB is right, but the turn call is not (obv, if you miss). In actuality, I think it is dependent on a number of factors. These are standard factors in any poker game, but they become accentuated in Omaha, because I think they make the difference between whether you should be chasing a draw or not.

The factors:
1) Stack depth - If there aren't any implied odds, then it's a simple matter of drawing odds vs. pot odds. In Hand 3, the math was all wrong. I was drawing to 9 flush outs + 3 straight outs (one Kh), giving me, at best (assuming I don't lose to a K-high flush, and I don't split the pot if a K falls) 3.7-1 drawing odds, and 2-1 pot odds. Not even close. If we're stacked pretty deep, then the drawing odds have to be adjusted to factor in implied odds, and it might move closer to a calling situation.

2) Number of players - The more players involved, the better your odds. But, the more players involved, the more important it is that you are drawing to the absolute nuts. And also, the more likely that you might be splitting if you have a straight draw.

3) Position - If you are drawing to the river out of position, and you hit a flush or straight card, there is no guarantee that you are going to collect any more money. You probably have to lead out, and a river lead when an obvious draw card hits is unlikely to get paid off. From in position, you will sometimes be bet into, and if your opponent checks, he might interpret your subsequent river bet as a bluff attempt. Being in position greatly increases your implied odds.

This situation comes up frequently in PLO, so I'm looking for some guidelines on when you should be getting involved, and when you shouldn't.

Omaha Hands, Part Deux

I'm getting in some casino poker, maybe 5-6 hours, during the day tomorrow at the Winstar in OK...first time since I was in Vegas last September. That's waaay too long. I've gotta make up my mind about whether it's going to be NLHE or PLO. I'm probably too crappy to be considering higher stakes PLO...I can't even stay afloat at .10-.25 on FTP. But that Omaha's a tempting little lady. I'll probably try to split my time between PLO and NLHE, but we'll see.

I've got a few more Omaha hands, that mostly drive on a single point, and a single situation, that comes up very frequently in PLO. Feedback is appreciated.

Hand 1
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039598342: Table Rams (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: noldmax ($28.05)
Seat 2: MissBanana ($29.15) <-- SB
Seat 3: RRWilson43 ($23.80) <-- BB
Seat 4: Producer_2 ($27.25)
Seat 5: EvilCon ($38.45)
Seat 6: Numberchaser23 ($35.25)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Jc 7s 9s Kh]
Producer_2 folds
EvilCon calls $0.25, Numberchaser23 calls $0.25, noldmax calls $0.25
MissBanana folds, RRWilson43 checks

*** FLOP *** [Js 6h 8c]
RRWilson43 checks, EvilCon checks
Numberchaser23 bets $1.10
noldmax calls $1.10
RRWilson43 folds
EvilCon folds

*** TURN *** [Js 6h 8c] [2d]
Numberchaser23 has 15 seconds left to act
Numberchaser23 bets $3.30
Hero?


Hand 2
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039691962: Table Rams (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: noldmax ($27.05)
Seat 2: MissBanana ($28.70)
Seat 3: RRWilson43 ($18.95)
Seat 4: Producer_2 ($28.75) <-- SB
Seat 5: EvilCon ($35.20) <-- BB
Seat 6: Numberchaser23 ($40.85)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [5h 7c 6s 4c]
Numberchaser23 folds
noldmax calls $0.25
MissBanana folds, RRWilson43 calls $0.25, Producer_2 folds
EvilCon raises to $1.10
noldmax calls $0.85
RRWilson43 calls $0.85

*** FLOP *** [7s Jc 3d]
EvilCon bets $3.40
noldmax calls $3.40 <-- 9 outs to the nut straight
RRWilson43 folds

*** TURN *** [7s Jc 3d] [2s]
EvilCon bets $10.20
Hero?


Hand 3
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039211021: Table Lund (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: RRRRRRUUUUUU ($65.20) <-- SB
Seat 2: tovrov ($21.80) <-- BB
Seat 3: Ne2wild2 ($8.65)
Seat 4: noldmax ($25)
Seat 5: DONKYMON ($75.80)
Seat 6: Disconnected ($17.95)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Qs 6d Th Qh]
Ne2wild2 folds
noldmax raises to $0.85
DONKYMON folds, Disconnected folds, RRRRRRUUUUUU folds
tovrov calls $0.60

*** FLOP *** [Js Ah 6h]
tovrov checks
noldmax bets $1.80
tovrov raises to $7.20
noldmax calls $5.40 <-- Gutshot + 2nd nut FD

*** TURN *** [Js Ah 6h] [3s]
tovrov bets $13.75, and is all in
Hero?

Results of these hands on Monday, along with a report from my day at the Winstar.

Omaha Results

I have added a swoon at the Hold 'Em tables to go with my Omaha swoon. It started when I ended up all-in for a full buy-in with 2 other players, AA v. KK v. QQ. I was the KK. An A hit on the flop and toasted me for a buy-in. And I would have been fine with that, but about a minute later, still fuming and wanting to recoup that loss, I called a PF all-in for almost 2 buy-ins after 4-betting with AK. It was AA. Just a stupid move that probably doesn't happen if I'm not tilting from the first loss.

Anyways, on to the Omaha results...

Hand 1
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039617148: Table Lund (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: rst1 ($26.40)
Seat 2: tovrov ($48) <-- SB
Seat 3: Nelix Jones ($27.20) <-- BB
Seat 4: noldmax ($25)
Seat 5: DONKYMON ($72.90)
Seat 6: Disconnected ($14.65)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [4s 7h Ts Td]
noldmax calls $0.25
DONKYMON folds, Disconnected calls $0.25, rst1 raises to $1.35
tovrov folds, Nelix Jones calls $1.10, noldmax calls $1.10, Disconnected calls $1.10

*** FLOP *** [7c 4d 2c]
Nelix Jones checks
noldmax checks <-- Should I have led with top two?
Disconnected checks
rst1 checks

*** TURN *** [7c 4d 2c] [Th]
Nelix Jones checks
noldmax bets $4
Disconnected folds
rst1 calls $4
Nelix Jones calls $4

*** RIVER *** [7c 4d 2c Th] [Qh] <-- No draws connected
Nelix Jones checks
Hero?
noldmax bets $10
rst1 folds
Nelix Jones folds
noldmax mucks
noldmax wins the pot ($16.65)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $17.50 Rake $0.85
Board: [7c 4d 2c Th Qh]
Seat 1: rst1 (button) folded on the River
Seat 3: Nelix Jones (big blind) folded on the River
Seat 4: noldmax collected ($16.65), mucked

Hef and Rodney say bet pot, Ron says half-pot. I have absolutely no fear of losing this hand to QQ. In fact, I'm probably calling off my stack to a rivered set of Qs. What I really want to figure out is how to bet the river when all of the major draws (flushes, straights) miss, and you're left hoping to get action from a lesser set or 2-pair. $10 didn't get any callers, but there's always a chance that you're up against absolute junk hands once those draws miss. It seems to me that in Omaha, people play for the nuts, so when the river hits and there aren't any real monsters out there, you're missing out on profit by making a PSB. Still, I think $10 was probably the right range for a value bet here...I was just interested in seeing how others sized their bets on the end.


Hand 2
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039163837: Table Lund (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi Seat 1: RRRRRRUUUUUU ($22.45)
Seat 2: tovrov ($20)
Seat 3: Ne2wild2 ($10)
Seat 4: noldmax ($26.30) <-- SB
Seat 5: DONKYMON ($99.35) <-- BB
Seat 6: Disconnected ($18.30)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [As Qs 7d Tc]
Disconnected folds
RRRRRRUUUUUU calls $0.25
tovrov checks
noldmax calls $0.15
DONKYMON raises to $1.25
RRRRRRUUUUUU calls $1, tovrov folds, noldmax calls $1

*** FLOP *** [Kh 2d Js]
noldmax checks
DONKYMON bets $4
RRRRRRUUUUUU calls $4
noldmax calls $4 <-- I count 13 outs to the nuts

*** TURN *** [Kh 2d Js] [3d]
noldmax checks
DONKYMON checks
RRRRRRUUUUUU bets $16
Hero?
noldmax raises to $21.05, and is all in
DONKYMON calls $21.05
RRRRRRUUUUUU calls $1.20, and is all in
noldmax shows [As Qs 7d Tc]
DONKYMON shows [Ts Ah Qh 6h] <-- disgusting...exact same draw, stealing 3 outs and meaning I am only playing for a split pot
RRRRRRUUUUUU shows [Kd Kc 4s 5c]

*** RIVER *** [Kh 2d Js 3d] [Jc]
noldmax shows a pair of Jacks
DONKYMON shows a pair of Jacks
noldmax ties for the side pot ($3.85) with a pair of Jacks
DONKYMON ties for the side pot ($3.85) with a pair of Jacks
RRRRRRUUUUUU shows a full house, Kings full of Jacks
RRRRRRUUUUUU wins the main pot ($64.60) with a full house, Kings full of Jacks

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $75.30 Main pot $67.60. Side pot $7.70. Rake $3
Board: [Kh 2d Js 3d Jc]
Seat 1: RRRRRRUUUUUU showed [Kd Kc 4s 5c] and won ($64.60) with a full house, Kings full of Jacks
Seat 4: noldmax (small blind) showed [As Qs 7d Tc] and won ($3.85) with a pair of Jacks
Seat 5: DONKYMON (big blind) showed [Ts Ah Qh 6h] and won ($3.85) with a pair of Jacks

This was a bad move...no fold equity and bad odds. Well played by opponent to incite me to a mistake. Everyone said they fold here, but do you really do so in the middle of a game?


Hand 3
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039246912: Table Rams (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: noldmax ($34.10)
Seat 2: MissBanana ($40.95)
Seat 3: BigQuake ($44.15) <-- SB
Seat 4: TeyeT ($27.30) <-- BB
Seat 5: EvilCon ($26.35)
Seat 6: Numberchaser23 ($18.05)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [3c 3s 4h Ac]
EvilCon calls $0.25, Numberchaser23 folds, noldmax calls $0.25
MissBanana calls $0.25, BigQuake calls $0.15
TeyeT raises to $1.50
EvilCon calls $1.25, noldmax calls $1.25, MissBanana folds, BigQuake calls $1.25

*** FLOP *** [4s As 6c]
BigQuake checks
TeyeT bets $6.25 <-- C-bet, repping AA?
EvilCon raises to $24.85, and is all in <-- No way this guy has AA right?
Hero?
noldmax folds
BigQuake folds
TeyeT folds
EvilCon wins the pot ($17.85)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $18.75 Rake $0.90
Board: [4s As 6c]
Seat 1: noldmax folded on the Flop
Seat 5: EvilCon collected ($17.85), mucked

I don't think anyone was holding AA here, and I actually think there's a good chance that I'm ahead. 66 is possible, but I'm more worried about A6, and I also have to be worried about someone holding a FD plus a naked A that could make a better 2-pair by the river. But I'm not sure that I don't make that call if I also have a few ways to improve to a better two-pair.

Omaha: Beats and Questions

Pillow is an addictive game, but it is killing me, and my bankroll. And as you will notice, I'm playing at the lowest possible stakes on FTP. So yeah, it takes quite a bit of bad play and bad running to pull off the Omaha hit I've taken recently. As for the bad running, we'll get that out of the way first. If you aren't in the mood for bad beats, go ahead and scroll down to get to the Omaha strategy quiz hands. I have so many Omaha hands to ask questions about that I'm going to break it up...part today, part tomorrow.

Here are the beats. A brother's gotta purge, and I'm sure some of you will get some sick pleasure out of this...


Beatdown #1
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039107957: Table Lund (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: RRRRRRUUUUUU ($23.55)
Seat 3: Petrolguy ($21.60)
Seat 4: noldmax ($25.70) <-- SB
Seat 5: DONKYMON ($98.65) <-- BB
Seat 6: Disconnected ($19.90)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [2h Tc Kc Ks]
Disconnected calls $0.25, RRRRRRUUUUUU folds, Petrolguy calls $0.25
noldmax raises to $1.25
DONKYMON folds, Disconnected calls $1, Petrolguy calls $1

*** FLOP *** [8s Jc 3h]
noldmax bets $3 <-- Dry flop C-bet
Disconnected folds
Petrolguy calls $3

*** TURN *** [8s Jc 3h] [4c]
noldmax checks <-- Turn is a blank...I should've fired again
Petrolguy bets $10
noldmax calls $10 <-- But my club draw makes this a call

*** RIVER *** [8s Jc 3h 4c] [7d]
noldmax checks
Petrolguy bets $7.35, and is all in
noldmax calls $7.35 <-- Pot odds call

*** SHOW DOWN ***
Petrolguy shows [Td 5c 9c 8d] a straight, Jack high
noldmax mucks
Petrolguy wins the pot ($42.50) with a straight, Jack high
noldmax adds $20.90

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $44.70 Rake $2.20
Board: [8s Jc 3h 4c 7d]
Seat 3: Petrolguy (button) showed [Td 5c 9c 8d] and won ($42.50) with a straight, Jack high
Seat 4: noldmax (small blind) mucked [2h Tc Kc Ks] - a pair of Kings

Yes, played stupidly, I admit. But still, dude makes a huge push on the turn and hits his straight to stack me. Is anyone folding the turn here?


Beatdown #2
Full Tilt Poker Game #6039691129: Table Lund (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: rst1 ($45.90) <-- BB
Seat 2: tovrov ($43.65)
Seat 3: Floppedanutz ($25)
Seat 4: noldmax ($38.70)
Seat 5: DONKYMON ($72.55)
Seat 6: Disconnected ($12.50) <-- SB

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [8c 6s 9s As]
tovrov calls $0.25
noldmax calls $0.25
DONKYMON folds, Disconnected calls $0.15, rst1 checks

*** FLOP *** [Th 7d 6h] <-- Nuts!
Disconnected checks
rst1 bets $1
tovrov folds
noldmax raises to $4
Disconnected calls $4
rst1 folds

*** TURN *** [Th 7d 6h] [Js]
Disconnected checks
noldmax bets $10
Disconnected calls $8.25, and is all in
noldmax shows [8c 6s 9s As]
Disconnected shows [Ad Ah 4h 7c] <-- Drawing odds = 4-1, Pot odds = 2.25-1. Brilliant.
Uncalled bet of $1.75 returned to noldmax

*** RIVER *** [Th 7d 6h Js] [Qh]
noldmax shows a straight, Queen high
Disconnected shows a flush, Ace high
Disconnected wins the pot ($25.20) with a flush, Ace high <-- Odds are meaningless in Omaha.

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $26.50 Rake $1.30
Board: [Th 7d 6h Js Qh]
Seat 4: noldmax showed [8c 6s 9s As] and lost with a straight, Queen high
Seat 6: Disconnected (small blind) showed [Ad Ah 4h 7c] and won ($25.20) with a flush, Ace high

Beatdown #3
Full Tilt Poker Game #6038624729: Table Trade (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: noldmax ($42)
Seat 2: GangstaCrown ($28.70)
Seat 3: jliz4 ($21.95)
Seat 4: Sgtc601 ($28.90) <-- SB
Seat 6: wdphoenix ($30.25) <-- BB

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [7c 5s 6d 5c]
noldmax calls $0.25
GangstaCrown folds, jliz4 folds
Sgtc601 raises to $1
wdphoenix folds, noldmax calls $0.75

*** FLOP *** [6c 3h Jd]
Sgtc601 bets $2.25
noldmax calls $2.25 <-- admittedly questionable...but I've got a gutshot draw!

*** TURN *** [6c 3h Jd] [7s] <-- getting better, and I love the rainbow
Sgtc601 checks
noldmax bets $6.75
Sgtc601 raises to $25.65, and is all in <-- either Jacks or an overpair
noldmax has 15 seconds left to act
noldmax calls $18.90

Sgtc601 shows [8c 8s Ac Ah] <-- Nice, just gotta dodge a few pair and trips cards
noldmax shows [7c 5s 6d 5c]

*** RIVER *** [6c 3h Jd 7s] [3d] <-- Stomach punch card
Sgtc601 shows two pair, Aces and Threes
noldmax shows two pair, Sevens and Sixes
Sgtc601 wins the pot ($55.15) with two pair, Aces and Threes
noldmax adds $11.90

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $58.05 Rake $2.90
Board: [6c 3h Jd 7s 3d]
Seat 1: noldmax showed [7c 5s 6d 5c] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Sixes
Seat 4: Sgtc601 (small blind) showed [8c 8s Ac Ah] and won ($55.15) with two pair, Aces and Threes

Ok, glad that's over. I'm purged, until the next bad beat run. And I will have you know, in the interest of fairness, that there do not exist 3 other hands that show me sucking out in equal fashion to balance out these beats. They didn't happen.

Now, three analysis hands:

Hand 1

Full Tilt Poker Game #6039617148: Table Lund (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: rst1 ($26.40)
Seat 2: tovrov ($48) <-- SB
Seat 3: Nelix Jones ($27.20) <-- BB
Seat 4: noldmax ($25)
Seat 5: DONKYMON ($72.90)
Seat 6: Disconnected ($14.65)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [4s 7h Ts Td]
noldmax calls $0.25
DONKYMON folds, Disconnected calls $0.25, rst1 raises to $1.35
tovrov folds, Nelix Jones calls $1.10, noldmax calls $1.10, Disconnected calls $1.10

*** FLOP *** [7c 4d 2c]
Nelix Jones checks
noldmax checks <-- Should I have led with top two?
Disconnected checks
rst1 checks

*** TURN *** [7c 4d 2c] [Th]
Nelix Jones checks
noldmax bets $4
Disconnected folds
rst1 calls $4
Nelix Jones calls $4

*** RIVER *** [7c 4d 2c Th] [Qh] <-- No draws connected
Nelix Jones checks
Hero?

Hand 2

Full Tilt Poker Game #6039163837: Table Lund (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi Seat 1: RRRRRRUUUUUU ($22.45)
Seat 2: tovrov ($20)
Seat 3: Ne2wild2 ($10)
Seat 4: noldmax ($26.30) <-- SB
Seat 5: DONKYMON ($99.35) <-- BB
Seat 6: Disconnected ($18.30)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [As Qs 7d Tc]
Disconnected folds
RRRRRRUUUUUU calls $0.25
tovrov checks
noldmax calls $0.15
DONKYMON raises to $1.25
RRRRRRUUUUUU calls $1, tovrov folds, noldmax calls $1

*** FLOP *** [Kh 2d Js]
noldmax checks
DONKYMON bets $4
RRRRRRUUUUUU calls $4
noldmax calls $4 <-- I count 13 outs to the nuts

*** TURN *** [Kh 2d Js] [3d]
noldmax checks
DONKYMON checks
RRRRRRUUUUUU bets $16
Hero?


Hand 3

Full Tilt Poker Game #6039246912: Table Rams (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi
Seat 1: noldmax ($34.10)
Seat 2: MissBanana ($40.95)
Seat 3: BigQuake ($44.15) <-- SB
Seat 4: TeyeT ($27.30) <-- BB
Seat 5: EvilCon ($26.35)
Seat 6: Numberchaser23 ($18.05)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [3c 3s 4h Ac]
EvilCon calls $0.25, Numberchaser23 folds, noldmax calls $0.25
MissBanana calls $0.25, BigQuake calls $0.15
TeyeT raises to $1.50
EvilCon calls $1.25, noldmax calls $1.25, MissBanana folds, BigQuake calls $1.25

*** FLOP *** [4s As 6c]
BigQuake checks
TeyeT bets $6.25 <-- C-bet, repping AA?
EvilCon raises to $24.85, and is all in <-- No way this guy has AA right?
Hero?

Facing a Pot-Sized Bet on the River

We've been here before, talking about what to make of a pot-size bet on the river. Frankly, I still don't know what it means. Does anyone have an opinion...is it generally strong, or is it weak? I almost never do it, so it's hard for me to say. Then I've got one more tricky spot from this past weekend.

Hand 1

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
BB: $50
Hero (UTG): $101.55
CO: $51.60
BTN: $9.30
SB: $18.05

Pre-Flop: J A dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $1.75,
CO raises to $6,
3 folds,
Hero calls $4.25 <-- Bad call?

Flop: ($12.75) 2 4 A (2 Players)
Hero checks,
CO bets $7.50,
Hero calls $7.50 <-- Considered a raise here...should I have?
Turn: ($27.75) 5 (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO checks

River: ($27.75) Q (2 Players)
Hero checks,
CO bets $27.75,
Hero?


Hand 2

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
MP: $16.75
CO: $59.40
BTN: $28.45
SB: $7.40
BB: $50
Hero (UTG): $50.75

Pre-Flop: 9 9 dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $1.75,
MP folds,
CO raises to $6,
3 folds,
Hero calls $4.25

Flop: ($12.75) 2 2 8 (2 Players)
Hero checks,
CO bets $0.50, <-- Very strange, no?
Hero?

Mistimed Aggression

I didn't play much over the weekend, but the theme from the couple of hundred hands I got in was mistimed aggression. Some of it may have just been bad, transparent plays. Or maybe I was just plain bluffing too frequently. Or, possibly, it was just bad timing. I've got some examples, and I'd appreciate some feedback.

Hand 1

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
Hero (UTG): $50
CO: $261.55
BTN: $50
SB: $92.45
BB: $97.80
Pre-Flop: K A dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $1.75, CO calls $1.75, BTN folds, SB calls $1.50, BB folds

Flop: ($5.75) 9 2 J (3 Players)

SB checks, Hero bets $4, CO folds, SB calls $4

Turn: ($13.75) 3 (2 Players)

SB checks, Hero checks

River: ($13.75) 5 (2 Players)
SB bets $4, Hero raises to $15, SB raises to $86.70 and is All-In, Hero folds

Results: $43.75 Pot ($2.15 Rake)
SB mucked and WON $41.60 (+$20.85 NET)

Here, I thought the small bet on the river looked like either a weak bluff (missed straight draw or spade draw), or a value bet with a naked 9 or J, so I figured a raise would signal a slow-played big hand - something like an overpair or a set of 9s or Js. Given the huge overpush, I really think the SB was the one holding the set. The mistake I made was putting a missed draw in the SB's range, since a bluff on a missed draw MUST be bigger than just the $4 bet on the end there.

Hand 2

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
UTG: $43
Hero (MP): $50.95
CO: $69.50
BTN: $50
SB: $65.95
BB: $66.80
Pre-Flop: Q J dealt to Hero (MP)

UTG folds, Hero raises to $1.75, 2 folds, SB calls $1.50, BB folds

Flop: ($4) T 9 T (2 Players)
SB bets $3, Hero calls $3

Turn: ($10) 4 (2 Players)
SB bets $7, Hero calls $7

River: ($24) 6 (2 Players)

SB checks, Hero bets $15, SB raises to $54.20 and is All-In, Hero folds

Results: $54 Pot ($2.70 Rake)
SB mucked and WON $51.30 (+$24.55 NET)

Villain played a funny line that threw me way off here. I figured him for a missed draw or a weak 9. I couldn't see how he could fire the flop and turn and then put on the brakes on the river if he was holding a 7-8, a 10, or a set of 9s. And I thought my line looked like a cautious overpair or even a slow-played monster like A-10 or J-10. Maybe I was sniffed out here for being the one with the missed draw, but it's tough to do that against a PFR. So I have to think the villain had a monster, and was just hoping I would make exactly the move I did.

There's a consistent theme in these first two hands - I'm bluffing on the river. I wonder if I don't save some money in both of these spots by raising the turn, which prevents my opponents from putting me on bluffing a missed draw.

In this next one, I didn't wait so long to make my move...

Hand 3

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
SB: $53
Hero (BB): $70.70
UTG: $50
MP: $36.70
CO: $50.60
BTN: $66.70
Pre-Flop: Q Q dealt to Hero (BB)
UTG raises to $1.75, 4 folds, Hero raises to $5.50, UTG calls $3.75

Flop: ($11.25) 5 A 6 (2 Players)
Hero bets $7.50,
UTG raises to $19.50,
Hero raises to $65.20 and is All-In,
UTG calls $25 and is All-In
Turn: ($100.25) 4 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
River: ($100.25) T (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
Results: $100.25 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero showed Q Q (a pair of Queens) and LOST (-$50 NET)
UTG showed 5 6 (two pair, Sixes and Fives) and WON $97.25 (+$47.25 NET)

I pushed on the flop here because I thought it would force A-10, A-J, and possibly A-Q to lay down. I certainly didn't think I'd see 5-6. I'm not sure how you make money calling PF re-raises with low suited connectors, but I guess I paid him enough here to make him want to keep trying it for a while to come. This was certainly a risky move, but I do think it will take a pot away from a loose player who plays AJ or A10 in that manner.

But it begs a greater question. Given that you are much less likely to see a floater in a hand that is 3-bet PF, do you have to give a lot more credence to a raise on the flop here? My villain has to know that it isn't very profitable to raise in a position like this, with an A on the board, unless he has something that can beat TPTK or TPSK (Second Kicker). Well, at least I had a bunch of outs.

This following hand came after all of these first 3 hands I've shown...

Hand 4

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
BB: $17.60
UTG: $61.55
MP: $21.85
CO: $50
Hero (BTN): $58
SB: $68.25
Pre-Flop: Q Q dealt to Hero (BTN)
UTG raises to $1.75, 2 folds, Hero raises to $6, 2 folds, UTG calls $4.25

Flop: ($12.75) 7 9 4 (2 Players)

UTG checks,
Hero bets $9,
UTG raises to $22,
Hero raises to $52 and is All-In, <-- Was bracing for the call, and for being way behind.
UTG folds <-- At last, success!

Results: $56.75 Pot ($2.80 Rake)
Hero mucked Q Q and WON $53.95 (+$25.95 NET)

I guess I just need to tighten up and curtail my bluffing, or else come up with a better way of reasoning to find better spots to bluff.

These are some leaky hands, I know. Any problems with the way they were played?

Why I Don't Hate On Bad Players

Because you can take them to the bank! It's a trivial sentiment, and yet how many times have you heard someone complain about donkey play? Or even people who will completely avoid super-loose house-style games, just because they're full of donkeys?

The truth is, when people don't like playing with donkeys, it's because

1. Donkeys end up winning a lot of pots (because they're donkeys, and they play a lot of pots) and people don't like losing pots to inferior players, and
2. It takes them out of their comfort zone of predictable, by-the-books poker.

The reason I have this on my mind is the following sequence of hands from last night:

The subject sits down, and only two hands later...

Full Tilt Poker Game #5972974939: Table Exley (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: spazzy1 ($19.50) <-- BB
Seat 2: JohnGa ($20)
Seat 3: Metsfanman ($38.40)
Seat 4: corbin801 ($17.70)
Seat 5: noldmax ($51.25)
Seat 6: BronxBulldog ($49.80) <-- SB

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [7c 9s]
JohnGa folds, Metsfanman folds, corbin801 folds
noldmax raises to $1.75 <-- From the BTN
BronxBulldog folds
spazzy1 calls $1.25

*** FLOP *** [4h 7d 8h]
spazzy1 checks
noldmax bets $3
spazzy1 calls $3 <-- 8? Straight draw? Float? Too early to know.

*** TURN *** [4h 7d 8h] [Th]
spazzy1 checks
noldmax checks

*** RIVER *** [4h 7d 8h Th] [Tc]
spazzy1 bets $5.50
noldmax folds
spazzy1 mucks
spazzy1 wins the pot ($9.30)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $9.75 Rake $0.45
Board: [4h 7d 8h Th Tc]
Seat 1: spazzy1 (big blind) collected ($9.30), mucked
Seat 5: noldmax (button) folded on the River

Round 1 to spazzy

Two hands later...

Full Tilt Poker Game #5972997074: Table Exley (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: spazzy1 ($23.80)
Seat 2: JohnGa ($19.50) <-- SB
Seat 3: Metsfanman ($38.40) <-- BB
Seat 4: corbin801 ($15.45)
Seat 5: noldmax ($50)
Seat 6: BronxBulldog ($52.30)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Kh Th]
corbin801 folds
noldmax raises to $1.75
BronxBulldog folds
spazzy1 calls $1.75
JohnGa folds, Metsfanman folds

*** FLOP *** [6c Ah Tc]
noldmax bets $3
spazzy1 calls $3 <-- Look familiar?

*** TURN *** [6c Ah Tc] [3d]
noldmax bets $5 <-- Okay, maybe a second barrel will work this time.
spazzy1 calls $5

*** RIVER *** [6c Ah Tc 3d] [7h]
noldmax bets $6 <-- Second pair, good kicker is strong enough to try a blocking bet.
spazzy1 raises to $12 <-- Ugh, what on earth do I beat here?
noldmax has 15 seconds left to act
noldmax folds
spazzy1 wins the pot ($30.65)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $32.25 Rake $1.60
Board: [6c Ah Tc 3d 7h]
Seat 1: spazzy1 (button) collected ($30.65), mucked
Seat 5: noldmax folded on the River

Round 2 to spazzy. Maybe he struck gold both times, but I'm highly skeptical. Mental note: Let's not try to bluff this guy again. But if we have a hand, extract value.

Another orbit later...

Full Tilt Poker Game #5973027925: Table Exley (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: spazzy1 ($70.75) <-- BB
Seat 2: JohnGa ($20)
Seat 5: noldmax ($50)
Seat 6: BronxBulldog ($53.50) <-- SB

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [Tc 8s]
JohnGa folds
noldmax raises to $1.75
BronxBulldog folds
spazzy1 calls $1.25 <-- Well we should have known this would happen, right?

*** FLOP *** [Js 2h 3c]
spazzy1 checks
noldmax checks <-- Heeding my mental note!

*** TURN *** [Js 2h 3c] [7c]
spazzy1 bets $3.75 <-- Overbet? Suspicious, but I'm not convinced I can make him fold here.
noldmax folds
spazzy1 wins the pot ($3.60)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $3.75 Rake $0.15
Board: [Js 2h 3c 7c]
Seat 1: spazzy1 (big blind) collected ($3.60), mucked
Seat 5: noldmax (button) folded on the Turn

Round 3 to spazzy. Now I resolve to tighten up my PFR range and just be patient. I've lost over half a buy-in to this guy already.

In the meanwhile, spazzy nearly triples up when his AK turns broadway against KK and QJ. Then the following hand goes down...

Full Tilt Poker Game #5973042570: Table Exley (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: spazzy1 ($75.80)
Seat 2: JohnGa ($19.50) <-- SB
Seat 4: spiceman007 ($9.50) <-- BB
Seat 5: noldmax ($50)
Seat 6: BronxBulldog ($50.75)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [7d Jd]
noldmax folds
BronxBulldog raises to $1.50
spazzy1 calls $1.50
JohnGa folds, spiceman007 folds

*** FLOP *** [9s 7s Td]
BronxBulldog bets $1.50
spazzy1 calls $1.50

*** TURN *** [9s 7s Td] [2c]
BronxBulldog bets $4.50
spazzy1 calls $4.50

*** RIVER *** [9s 7s Td 2c] [Qh]
BronxBulldog has 15 seconds left to act
BronxBulldog bets $15.75
spazzy1 calls $15.75

*** SHOW DOWN ***
BronxBulldog shows [Ks Kd] a pair of Kings
spazzy1 mucks
BronxBulldog wins the pot ($44.90) with a pair of Kings

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $47.25 Rake $2.35
Board: [9s 7s Td 2c Qh]
Seat 1: spazzy1 (button) mucked [Qd 8s] - a pair of Queens <-- Q8off, lovely. Then called a third barrel after hitting a pair of Qs?
Seat 5: noldmax didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: BronxBulldog showed [Ks Kd] and won ($44.90) with a pair of Kings

Well, now I know my opponent. And fortunately, he still has a sizeable stack remaining. Now I just need to hunker down, be patient, and hope that someone else doesn't clean him out first.

About two orbits later...

Full Tilt Poker Game #5973125863: Table Exley (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50
Seat 1: spazzy1 ($41.05) <-- SB
Seat 2: JohnGa ($5) <-- BB
Seat 3: cherumka ($38)
Seat 4: spiceman007 ($10.10)
Seat 5: noldmax ($50.70)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [5h Ah]
cherumka folds
spiceman007 raises to $1.50
noldmax calls $1.50
spazzy1 calls $1.25
JohnGa calls $1

*** FLOP *** [Kh 8h 6c]
spazzy1 checks, JohnGa checks
spiceman007 bets $1.50
noldmax raises to $6 <-- semi-bluff, hopefully take it down.
spazzy1 calls $6 <-- but of course
JohnGa folds, spiceman007 folds

*** TURN *** [Kh 8h 6c] [3h] <-- Gin card!
spazzy1 checks
noldmax bets $12
spazzy1 calls $12 <-- Oh now I love you so much spazzy, now please put a heart up on the river so I can stack you and your middling flush draw.

*** RIVER *** [Kh 8h 6c 3h] [Ts] <-- Bummer, no heart
spazzy1 checks
noldmax bets $25 <-- The big mistake.
spazzy1 folds <-- I bet way too much...could possibly have gotten a call from a pair with a $10 bet.
noldmax wins the pot ($41.35)

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $43.50 Rake $2.15
Board: [Kh 8h 6c 3h Ts]
Seat 1: spazzy1 (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 5: noldmax collected ($41.35), mucked

Round 4, at last, goes to me!

And another 2 orbits later, we have Round 5...

Full Tilt Poker Game #5973224138: Table Exley (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: spazzy1 ($21.35) <-- SB
Seat 2: JohnGa ($3.25) <-- BB
Seat 3: cherumka ($35.60)
Seat 4: spiceman007 ($4.95)
Seat 5: noldmax ($79.90)
Seat 6: thee babe ($50)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [9c 9s]
cherumka folds, spiceman007 folds
noldmax raises to $1.75
thee babe folds
spazzy1 calls $1.50
JohnGa folds

*** FLOP *** [Kc 2s 3s]
spazzy1 checks
noldmax bets $3
spazzy1 calls $3 <-- Nope, I'm no longer buying it.

*** TURN *** [Kc 2s 3s] [3c]
spazzy1 checks
noldmax bets $4
spazzy1 calls $4 <-- I'm still not buying it.

*** RIVER *** [Kc 2s 3s 3c] [9h] <-- Saweeet river!
spazzy1 checks
noldmax bets $6 <-- Value extraction
spazzy1 raises to $12.60, and is all in <-- Thank you sir.
noldmax calls $6.60

*** SHOW DOWN ***
spazzy1 shows [Qs 3d] three of a kind, Threes <-- Q3off! And didn't raise his trips on the turn. How kind.
noldmax shows [9c 9s] a full house, Nines full of Threes
noldmax wins the pot ($41.05) with a full house, Nines full of Threes

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $43.20 Rake $2.15
Board: [Kc 2s 3s 3c 9h]
Seat 1: spazzy1 (small blind) showed [Qs 3d] and lost with three of a kind, Threes
Seat 5: noldmax showed [9c 9s] and won ($41.05) with a full house, Nines full of Threes

So I took Round 5, and then one orbit later had the honor of finishing him off with this hand...

Full Tilt Poker Game #5973345958: Table Exley (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50
Seat 1: spazzy1 ($19.50)
Seat 2: JohnGa ($41)
Seat 3: cherumka ($12.25) <-- SB
Seat 4: spiceman007 ($4.50) <-- BB
Seat 5: noldmax ($106.30)
Seat 6: thee babe ($64.90)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to noldmax [7c 7d]
noldmax raises to $1.75
thee babe folds
spazzy1 calls $1.75
JohnGa folds
cherumka calls $1.50
spiceman007 folds

*** FLOP *** [7h 4c 6h] <-- Lovely, almost nothing to be scared of
cherumka checks
noldmax bets $4
spazzy1 raises to $17.75, and is all in <-- OMG I love you spazzy
cherumka calls $10.50, and is all in <-- Gotta be a heart draw
noldmax calls $13.75
spazzy1 shows [Tc Ts]
cherumka shows [8s 5s] <-- spazzy's protege
noldmax shows [7c 7d]

*** TURN *** [7h 4c 6h] [2s]

*** RIVER *** [7h 4c 6h 2s] [6d] <-- The most beautiful card in the world
spazzy1 shows two pair, Tens and Sixes
noldmax shows a full house, Sevens full of Sixes
noldmax wins the side pot ($13.80) with a full house, Sevens full of Sixes
cherumka shows a straight, Eight high
noldmax wins the main pot ($35.40) with a full house, Sevens full of Sixes

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $51.75 Main pot $37.25. Side pot $14.50. Rake $2.55
Board: [7h 4c 6h 2s 6d]
Seat 1: spazzy1 showed [Tc Ts] and lost with two pair, Tens and Sixes
Seat 3: cherumka (small blind) showed [8s 5s] and lost with a straight, Eight high
Seat 5: noldmax showed [7c 7d] and won ($49.20) with a full house, Sevens full of Sixes

When you're playing with a loose passive mule like this, you've gotta tighten up and let him take down a lot of small pots while you wait to work him over on a big one. Only a made hand is going to beat a player like this, so adjust accordingly, and give the multi-street bluffing a rest. In the end, you'll often find that this type of player takes 2 or 3 pots to every 1 you take, but you're crushing him in the number of chips on the table.

Luck Begets Authority

He who most recently went on a rush is always most qualified to provide didactic commentary on how the game should be played. This is a golden rule of poker, and who am I to ignore such a long-standing fixture of the game?

So yeah, I had a good night playing 5-handed Pillow at a house game last night. And yeah, I damn sure do think that qualifies me to post authoritatively on the keys to the game.

Truth is, I pulled out a few miracles to win a couple of monster pots. In the first one, I was exposed as a liar, having said before the play started that I would lay down the second nuts if I was bet into on the river (you say these ridiculous things after having 2nd nuts not hold some 4-5 times in a given Pillow session). I held K-6-x-x, the flop came 4-K-K, it checked to me, I led out and got one OOP caller. The turn brought a 10, and my opponent led out this time. It smelled an awful lot like a boat, a lot like K-10 or 10-10. I called and the river brought a 6, and I had the second nuts. My opponent led into me, but I couldn't keep my promise, and I sucked out on the river to trump his K-4 flopped boat. Come on, you can't hold someone to an absurd promise like that!

In the biggest one, I picked up Ac-Ad-10d-5d the SB, got into a repotting war and ended up all-in against 3 other players. Now this being Omaha, I don't care what your hand is, if you have 3 opponents, you're never going to have much better than a 25-30% chance of taking it down. And frankly, I hated my 5-10 kickers. But the board laid out a lovely 5-5-10, and my non Ace cards took down a huge pot to put me up to ~$300.

In a second huge pot, holding As-Jh-10h-3d, I flopped Broadway on a board with 2 clubs. After raising the flop and carrying 2 players with me, I repotted on a blank, non-club turn for $110. One player folded, and the other tanked for a while and then called. The river put out the 8 of clubs, and thankfully it was checked to me. By a stroke of luck, the club draw had folded the turn bet while the set (of Kings) had called. How often does the straight hold up against the flush draw and the full house draw in these situations?

So yeah, it was largely luck, but there are some things I'm learning about this game...

1. Starting hand selection. This is especially key because so many inexperienced players get involved with weak hands that are likely to have them playing to 2-pair, non-nut straights, and non-nut flushes. These aren't bad hands, but they also aren't the hands that win really big pots in Omaha. I'm throwing away small and mid pairs if nothing else is suited or connected. Drawing to just a set, and a low one at that, is a losing venture. I'm throwing away suited cards if it's only two of them. 2h-6s-10c-Jc....garbage. Also, not getting overly excited about pocket aces. It may be good for a raise PF, but if you end up with 2 or more players and you miss the flop, you have to slow way down.
2. At low stakes, playing against relatively inexperienced players, bluffing is not a profitable venture unless it's on the river, because there are just too many draws out, no matter how the board reads. Conversely, value betting is key.
3. You have to bet your draws, because if you don't, it will be plain as day when you hit your hand, and you won't get paid off. With this said, I don't think you have to raise a bettor when you're on a draw, since it's a risky venture and you're unlikely to cause the bettor to fold.
4. There is so much drawing and redrawing, and so much of it based on luck, that you have to be extra tilt conscious. It's a swingy game. I had my upswing last night, but I fully expect it to go the other way next time.

Life Of A Miner

In a brief run yesterday (just over 100 hands), I had an absurd run of setting up with pocket pairs. Set mining can pay such nice dividends. Over the stretch, I picked up 11 PPs, and had made a set in 6 of them by the end of the hand. I lost two of those sets - one where I played right into the hands of someone who had flopped a boat, leading the flop then getting all excited when my deuces made a set on the turn; the other all-in PF, hitting a set of 8s after my opponent had already made a set of 10s. But generally I was playing badly, and getting rewarded with the deck in my face. Can't forget about runs like that when everything starts to turn the other way. So there, I wrote it, and you can point me back to this paragraph when I start whining about not catching anything some time in the future.

So I finished my token challenge. 10 $8-$0.80 2-table tourneys, playing my way up the token tiers. And it ended up like this:
10 tier ones -> 4 tier twos ($26 tokens)
4 tier twos -> 2 tier threes ($75 tokens)
2 tier twos -> $124 cash & $216 in tourney dollars

The two $75 token events turned out nicely. In the second, I played a satellite to the $750K Guarantee, paying 3 spots out of 9 with an entry. I didn't make any noise in the early stages and drifted down to 700 chips, then started pushing left and right, and felt Fortune shine ever so brightly on me, with the following succession of all-in wins:

A6 > Q3 (up to 2000)
10J > 99 (up to 2400)
99 <>88 > AQ (up to 4000)
AK > 28 (up to 4200)

3 of those were chances to get sent home, and I pulled through them all. The key to this challenge was

1) how poor some of the play is early on the 1st and 2nd tier events

2) how many of the players have a poor understanding of how to play low-M (high blinds) tournament poker.

It can be a lucrative little experiment...I suggest trying it out.

Playing Pillow!

That's the word I just made up for PLO - Pot-Limit Omaha (Say PLO as if it were a word and not an acronym...see?) I don't think I have ever in my life made up a word like that and had it actually stick. So I wouldn't suggest that you drop "anybody up for some pillow?" at your next home poker game, lest you wish to end up bloody, pulpy, and possibly castrated. But nothing's going to deter me - the game is Pillow, like it or not.

Now to a few of you who might be reading - what am I saying...there are ONLY a few of you reading - it might come as a shock that I even wish to discuss this game. But it appears that my progression through a new game goes something like this:
1) New Game? Cool, I'll try anything.
2) Yikes, I suck at New Game.
3) Godammit, New Game is frustrating.
4) I hate New Game, everyone who plays New Game either is a donkey or is compelled to play like one. I'm never playing again.
5) Actually, I'm going to play again right now, since I hate being crappy at a game full of donkeys that I should be winning.

And so here we are. My interest, interestingly, peaked two nights ago while playing $0.50-$1.0 Pillow with some friends at a live house game. After grousing about the sheer foolishness of the endeavor for a full round of hands, and folding every marginal holding I looked down at, I perked up when I saw A-A-7-4 with one suited A. I potted PF to $15, and got 3 callers. The flop came 3-8-10, I pushed my last $22, and got called by 2-2-8-10. No A, no miracle runners, no pair on the board to save me. I patiently wait for a strong hand, play it strong, and get severely punished for it. There is no justice in Pillow.

But since that hand, I've resolved to actually figure out how to play this game. One thing I've figured out is that A-A-7-4 isn't really all that strong of a Pillow hand. I overplayed, and was appropriately punished. Justice was served. Well, that would imply that Stephen deserved to stack me with 2-2-8-10. So let me rephrase - a lesson was served to me. Gotta understand the game first, so that plays like that one roll off your back, and you know you'll come back and end up on top ultimately.

So Step 1 - find some Pillow literature. For all of the NLHE books I have read, I haven't read more than a page about Pillow in a respected text. I would appreciate any and all suggestions. I'm considering one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Championship-Omaha-Tom-McEvoy/dp/1580421547/ref=pd_sim_b_title_2

http://www.amazon.com/Omaha-Poker-Bob-Ciaffone/dp/0966100751/ref=pd_sim_b_title_1

http://www.amazon.com/Pot-Limit-Omaha-Poker-Jeff-Hwang/dp/0818407263/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207333078&sr=1-1

All I have are Amazon book reviews to go by right now. I'm leaning towards the Hwang book.

"Pillow"...doesn't it almost make it sound soft and cuddly and cute? Trust me, that's an itchy, spiky, poisonous Pillow embedded with razor blades that will set your hair on fire.

Perilous 2-pair Results

Hand 1

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 4 Players
BB: $52.30UTG: $38.10Hero (BTN): $60.70SB: $50.70
Pre-Flop: A J dealt to Hero (BTN)
UTG raises to $1.75, Hero calls $1.75, SB calls $1.50, BB folds
Flop: ($5.75) J A T (3 Players)
SB checks, UTG checks,
Hero bets $4,
SB calls $4,
UTG raises to $21.75,
Hero?

Hero calls $17.75,
SB folds
Turn: ($53.25) 6 (2 Players)
UTG bets $14.60 and is All-In,
Hero calls $14.60 <--- Can't fold here
River: ($82.45) T (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
Results: $82.45 Pot ($2 Rake)UTG showed A K (two pair, Aces and Tens) and LOST (-$38.10 NET)Hero showed A J (two pair, Aces and Jacks) and WON $80.45 (+$42.35 NET)

After the flop raise by the PFR, I took the one and only inexcusable action available - calling the raise. I know I'm calling off the rest of my stack regardless, and, even if by the slimmest chance, I had some fold equity, I should have sought it out with a push here. Also, I don't want the SB tagging along, so I need to raise again to ensure his fold. As for the PFR, I'm scared of AA, JJ, 1010, and KQ, which are all likely. He could also conceivably make this move with a hand like AK, AQ, KK, QQ, or even KJ. It's a wide enough range to make it a call. But I don't think this is an automatic call, and you know that in a hand like this, even if you're ahead, you will have to sweat some (possibly many) outs to take it down.

But that decision was easier than this one...

Hand 2

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold'em Tournament, 15/30 Blinds, 8 Players
MP1: 1,560
MP2: 1,455
CO: 3,165
BTN: 1,440
Hero (SB): 1,410
BB: 1,500
UTG: 1,470
UTG+1: 1,500

Pre-Flop: (45) A 9 dealt to Hero (SB)
4 folds, CO calls 30, BTN calls 30, Hero calls 15, BB checks

Flop: (120) 9 A J (4 Players)
Hero bets 90, BB folds, CO calls 90, BTN folds

Turn: (300) 3 (2 Players)
Hero bets 200, CO raises to 400, Hero calls 200

River: (1,100) Q (2 Players)
Hero checks,
CO bets 1,050,
Hero?

Hero calls 890 and is All-In

Results: 2,880 Pot
CO showed 3 2 (a pair of Threes) and LOST (-1,410 NET)
Hero showed A 9 (two pair, Aces and Nines) and WON 2,880 (+1,470 NET)

I bet you didn't think I would actually win won both of these hands. Frankly, I was a bit shocked too. Especially this one. In my experience, calling a flop bet and then raising the turn shows a lot of strength. It usually means you either had a monster on the flop and now you're trying to build up the pot, or you had a draw on the flop that connected on the turn. That turn card doesn't connect much (A-3 is about it), so I figured he had me beat on the flop, with either A-J, JJ, or even 99. In the best case, he was holding either J-9 or A-3, or a he picked up a diamond draw.

And that's why the river card was disastrous. It connected any diamond draw, the 10-8 draw, and made AQ a better two-pair. So I made a Crying-turned-Smiling Call (still haven't found a good phrase for that), really expecting to be beat. And of course I was completely stunned to see an outright bluff. This hand made me realize that I really don't ever put my opponents on complete bluffs.

And, I'm still not even convinced that it was a good call. Part of me thinks it was a donkey call, and it just so happened to be the 1 time out of 5 or so that I was good there. I try to avoid being results-oriented, so what does everyone think? Was it a good call, or did I just get extremely lucky? Should I fold in that spot next time?

What I missed, and which would probably have made my river call automatic, was this hand, which occurred about 3 hands earlier, and doubled up my opponent:

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold'em Tournament, 15/30 Blinds, 9 Players
CO: 1,560
BTN: 1,455
SB: 1,515
BB: 1,500
UTG: 1,500
Hero (UTG+1): 1,500
UTG+2: 1,500
MP1: 1,470
MP2: 1,500

Pre-Flop: (45) 7 5 dealt to Hero (UTG+1)
UTG raises to 90, 6 folds, SB calls 75, BB folds

Flop: (210) 7 4 J (2 Players)
SB bets 30, UTG raises to 210, SB calls 180

Turn: (630) T (2 Players)
SB checks, UTG bets 660, SB calls 660

River: (1,950) 9 (2 Players)
SB checks, UTG bets 540 and is All-In, SB calls 540

Results: 3,030 Pot
SB showed T 8 (a straight, Jack high) and WON 3,030 (+1,530 NET)
UTG showed K K (a pair of Kings) and LOST (-1,500 NET)

So the guy was basically a donkey. Donkey-led the flop and called a raise with just a gutshot. Then called a PSB with 2nd pair and a gutshot. Then hit the gutshot. Thank god I was able to deliver this guy a proper comeuppance for his idiocy.