As I played poker late Friday night, my friend David played as well, across town at another house. We were texting updates back and forth, resulting in the following text message exchange:
David 12:34am - 23 off flopped nuts won 600 pot
Me 12:36am - Vnh... Bring that stack over here
David 12:38am - Let me double one more
Me 1:52am - I'm done here soon I think. Doubled up once. How about you?
David 1:55am - Up to 1k that puts me up 100 4 the night
Me 2:09am - Very nice. This one may break.
David 2:10am - What?
Me 2:24am - Only 4 playing now
David 2:26am - I just lost huge
David 2:51am - I bluff 400 and lost
Me 2:52am - Ouch-sorry. I got up 500 and split. Was catching like mad. Good luck winning some back.
(At this point I go home and to sleep, but texts keep rolling in.)
David 3:40am - Hate everyone
David 7:37am - I just got fucked
David 8:23am - Hit str8 flush for 1k
David 8:29am - Shit folded nuts 1k
David 9:36am - Just lost 1k on river to 2 outer in omaha
David 10:48am - Just got him for 1300
Me 10:50am - Shut up...You're still there? 1300 pot?! Awesome. I just woke up.
David 11:01am - Cashed 1500
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Friday Heater
Only got away for one night of live poker, hitting a local 1-2NL game Friday night. I pretty much exploded out of the gates, hitting a set of 7s against a PFR and check-raising a 6-7-K flop, but didn't get any further action. My next pocket pair was 6's, and in a 5-way unraised pot, saw a flop of 3-3-6. I checked from MP and it checked through. A 9 fell on the turn, and I fired out $15 to try to build a pot. The button, with only some $45 behind, was the sole caller. The river put out a super-bummer 2nd 9, and I fired $25 to pre-empt a move, but he pushed his last $18, and I made a crying-turned-smiling call when he showed 3-7.
About 30 minutes later, I was in the small blind, 3 players limped, and I called with Qh-2h. 5-handed, the flop came Q-6-2. I checked with the intent of check-raising, but it went all the way around. The turn was near-gin - another Q. I led out for $10 and got called in one spot, an LP girl who had just joined the game. The river brought a 4, and I bet $15 for value. LP girl raises it up to $45 and I start to feel stuck. The call is easy, but I start to think about all of the hands that might call be down on the end. A slow-played set of 6's, a set of 2's, a naked Q all would be raising here, and might call a raise. Only Q-4 or Q-6 have me beat. What move do you make here?
I was very close to just calling. But after tanking for about 2 minutes, I decided to move all-in, putting LP girl to a test for her final $140 or so. I was quietly excited when she didn't insta-call, which I'm sure she would have done with either Q-4 or Q-6. Eventually, she called, I showed my boat, and she mucked, saying that she had A-Q. Limp with A-Q and check on a Q-high flop. Strange line, but it worked out nice for me, because I'm never part of that hand if she raises PF.
So I bounced up big and never dropped back down. In less than 3 hours, I ended up $500.
Man, you just grind and grind and grind online, and sometimes your bankroll barely has a pulse, barely moves at all. Then you spend a few hours playing 1-2NL live, and you swing all over. Of course, it's higher stakes, and I reduce my variance online by playing multiple tables. But still, it's starting to seem like the smarter way to use the time I get to play poker.
Just to highlight the point, I got online yesterday to play poker, and my overall summary:
432 hands, 2 hours, +$13.90
I'm not going to complain about a winning session, especially one that would have been quite a bit winninger had the below hand gone differently, but I think the point is clear. Even in a slow live game, there's that much more opportunity for big upswings (and down too, I know).
Sour Hand:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
BTN: $20.10
SB: $69.65
Hero (BB): $84.85
UTG: $16.65
MP: $38.80
CO: $52.50
Pre-Flop: A
J
dealt to Hero (BB)
UTG folds, MP raises to $1.75, CO folds, BTN calls $1.75, SB folds, Hero calls $1.25
Flop: ($5.50) J
7 5 (3 Players)
Hero checks, MP checks,
BTN bets $3.50,
Hero raises to $9,
MP folds,
BTN raises to $18.35 and is All-In,
Hero calls $9.35 <-- Feeling sick about my chances here
Turn: ($42.20) T (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
River: ($42.20) 8 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
Results: $42.20 Pot ($2.10 Rake)
BTN showed 9 9 (a straight, Jack high) and WON $40.10 (+$20 NET)
Hero showed A J (a pair of Jacks) and LOST (-$20.10 NET)
I saw his 99 before the turn and river rolled out. Why would anyone play 99 like this? I don't know, but this is the one time I wish he'd played it sensibly so I wouldn't have to whine about the massive suckout he delivered on me.
Two sweet hands that looked exactly the same, and serve as a corollary to this recent post about big pots played between the blinds. Just as you need to squash the reluctance to give an opponent credit for a big hand in a heads up blind battle, you should push strongly when you make a big hand, because it's hard for an opponent, especially one with a moderately strong holding themself, to let it go.
Sweet Hand #1:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
BTN: $9.75
SB: $26.15
BB: $22.40
Hero (UTG): $31.75
MP: $50.10
CO: $24.55
Pre-Flop: 9 8 dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $0.85,
MP raises to $2.90, 4 folds,
Hero calls $2.05 <-- Marginal call from OOP, but big payoff potential
Flop: ($6.15) A 3 6
(2 Players) <-- Nice flop
Hero checks, MP bets $5, Hero calls $5
Turn: ($16.15) 7 (2 Players) <-- Very nice turn too Hero checks, MP checks
River: ($16.15) 2 (2 Players)
Hero bets $12, <-- Now just hope his A is strong enough to call on the end here
MP calls $12
Results: $40.15 Pot ($2 Rake)
Hero showed 9 8 (a flush, Ace high) and WON $38.15 (+$18.25 NET)
MP mucked A K (a pair of Aces) and LOST (-$19.90 NET)
Sweet Hand #2:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
CO: $55.70
BTN: $68.90
Hero (SB): $50
BB: $19
UTG: $59.35
MP: $53.10
Pre-Flop: T Q dealt to Hero (SB)
4 folds, Hero raises to $1.50,
BB raises to $2.50,
Hero calls $1
Opponent tiny raise is a big mistake here. It allows me to narrow his range considerably, while giving me great odds to call and see a flop.
Flop: ($5) 6 J 4 (2 Players)
Hero checks,
BB bets $2,
Hero calls $2
His mistakes continue, as he makes a tiny flop C-bet. Automatic call with the 2nd nut FD.
Turn: ($9) A (2 Players) <-- Now it's just a matter of figuring out how to get it all in Hero checks,
BB bets $2, Hero raises to $8, BB raises to $14.50 and is All-In, Hero calls $6.50
River: ($38) 2 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
Results: $38 Pot ($1.90 Rake)
Hero showed T Q (a flush, Ace high) and WON $36.10 (+$17.10 NET)
BB showed A A (three of a kind, Aces) and LOST (-$19 NET)
Some people are terrified of scaring everyone off with a big raise with AA. But by keeping everyone in the pot and making it affordable, you expose yourself to getting stacked.
About 30 minutes later, I was in the small blind, 3 players limped, and I called with Qh-2h. 5-handed, the flop came Q-6-2. I checked with the intent of check-raising, but it went all the way around. The turn was near-gin - another Q. I led out for $10 and got called in one spot, an LP girl who had just joined the game. The river brought a 4, and I bet $15 for value. LP girl raises it up to $45 and I start to feel stuck. The call is easy, but I start to think about all of the hands that might call be down on the end. A slow-played set of 6's, a set of 2's, a naked Q all would be raising here, and might call a raise. Only Q-4 or Q-6 have me beat. What move do you make here?
I was very close to just calling. But after tanking for about 2 minutes, I decided to move all-in, putting LP girl to a test for her final $140 or so. I was quietly excited when she didn't insta-call, which I'm sure she would have done with either Q-4 or Q-6. Eventually, she called, I showed my boat, and she mucked, saying that she had A-Q. Limp with A-Q and check on a Q-high flop. Strange line, but it worked out nice for me, because I'm never part of that hand if she raises PF.
So I bounced up big and never dropped back down. In less than 3 hours, I ended up $500.
Man, you just grind and grind and grind online, and sometimes your bankroll barely has a pulse, barely moves at all. Then you spend a few hours playing 1-2NL live, and you swing all over. Of course, it's higher stakes, and I reduce my variance online by playing multiple tables. But still, it's starting to seem like the smarter way to use the time I get to play poker.
Just to highlight the point, I got online yesterday to play poker, and my overall summary:
432 hands, 2 hours, +$13.90
I'm not going to complain about a winning session, especially one that would have been quite a bit winninger had the below hand gone differently, but I think the point is clear. Even in a slow live game, there's that much more opportunity for big upswings (and down too, I know).
Sour Hand:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
BTN: $20.10
SB: $69.65
Hero (BB): $84.85
UTG: $16.65
MP: $38.80
CO: $52.50
Pre-Flop: A
J dealt to Hero (BB)UTG folds, MP raises to $1.75, CO folds, BTN calls $1.75, SB folds, Hero calls $1.25
Flop: ($5.50) J
7 5 (3 Players)Hero checks, MP checks,
BTN bets $3.50,
Hero raises to $9,
MP folds,
BTN raises to $18.35 and is All-In,
Hero calls $9.35 <-- Feeling sick about my chances here
Turn: ($42.20) T
(2 Players - 1 is All-In)River: ($42.20) 8
(2 Players - 1 is All-In)Results: $42.20 Pot ($2.10 Rake)
BTN showed 9
9 (a straight, Jack high) and WON $40.10 (+$20 NET)Hero showed A
J (a pair of Jacks) and LOST (-$20.10 NET)I saw his 99 before the turn and river rolled out. Why would anyone play 99 like this? I don't know, but this is the one time I wish he'd played it sensibly so I wouldn't have to whine about the massive suckout he delivered on me.
Two sweet hands that looked exactly the same, and serve as a corollary to this recent post about big pots played between the blinds. Just as you need to squash the reluctance to give an opponent credit for a big hand in a heads up blind battle, you should push strongly when you make a big hand, because it's hard for an opponent, especially one with a moderately strong holding themself, to let it go.
Sweet Hand #1:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
BTN: $9.75
SB: $26.15
BB: $22.40
Hero (UTG): $31.75
MP: $50.10
CO: $24.55
Pre-Flop: 9
8 dealt to Hero (UTG)Hero raises to $0.85,
MP raises to $2.90, 4 folds,
Hero calls $2.05 <-- Marginal call from OOP, but big payoff potential
Flop: ($6.15) A
3 6 (2 Players) <-- Nice flopHero checks, MP bets $5, Hero calls $5
Turn: ($16.15) 7
(2 Players) <-- Very nice turn too Hero checks, MP checksRiver: ($16.15) 2
(2 Players)Hero bets $12, <-- Now just hope his A is strong enough to call on the end here
MP calls $12
Results: $40.15 Pot ($2 Rake)
Hero showed 9
8 (a flush, Ace high) and WON $38.15 (+$18.25 NET)MP mucked A
K (a pair of Aces) and LOST (-$19.90 NET)Sweet Hand #2:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
CO: $55.70
BTN: $68.90
Hero (SB): $50
BB: $19
UTG: $59.35
MP: $53.10
Pre-Flop: T
Q dealt to Hero (SB)4 folds, Hero raises to $1.50,
BB raises to $2.50,
Hero calls $1
Opponent tiny raise is a big mistake here. It allows me to narrow his range considerably, while giving me great odds to call and see a flop.
Flop: ($5) 6
J 4 (2 Players)Hero checks,
BB bets $2,
Hero calls $2
His mistakes continue, as he makes a tiny flop C-bet. Automatic call with the 2nd nut FD.
Turn: ($9) A
(2 Players) <-- Now it's just a matter of figuring out how to get it all in Hero checks,BB bets $2, Hero raises to $8, BB raises to $14.50 and is All-In, Hero calls $6.50
River: ($38) 2
(2 Players - 1 is All-In)Results: $38 Pot ($1.90 Rake)
Hero showed T
Q (a flush, Ace high) and WON $36.10 (+$17.10 NET)BB showed A
A (three of a kind, Aces) and LOST (-$19 NET)Some people are terrified of scaring everyone off with a big raise with AA. But by keeping everyone in the pot and making it affordable, you expose yourself to getting stacked.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Stagnation
Late update (busy week)...I managed almost 1000 hands online this past weekend. It was a mixed bag, mostly bad. In fact, bad enough that I decided to drop back down from 50NL to 25NL.
I suck. I know.
It looked like this:
50NL - 520 hands, -$99.60
25NL - 459 hands, +$40.45
Overall, I'm still a winning 50NL player, but I haven't budged much in a while. All of this mediocrity got me thinking, so I started digging through my PokerTracker stats (using the lovely new PokerTracker3), and found this:
March - +577.05
April - +33.70
May - -59.85
Ever since a really nice March, coinciding with the birth of this blog, wherein I started at 25NL, played really strongly, moved to 50NL, and continued to play well, I have been floundering. I made minimal progress in April, and I've been backpedaling since (although May rake was ~$92, which makes the difference between profit and loss here) . I'm not sure why, but I think some analysis is in order to get myself straight. For one thing, I think I play best when focused on a single game and style. So I need to stick to 6-max NLHE, and not be mixing in PLO or NLHE tourneys. Back at the start, I was playing more hands, but I also had a singular focus on 6-max NLHE, and it allowed me to really focus and play right.
Well, I have a week left in May, so I'm hoping to pull back into the black. I don't have too far to go.
Here are the Sweet and Sour Hands from last weekend...
Sour Hand:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
MP: $30.95
Hero (CO): $58.40
BTN: $48.25
SB: $76.20
BB: $56.75
UTG: $17.30
Pre-Flop: 7 7 dealt to Hero (CO)
UTG raises to $1.75, MP folds, Hero calls $1.75, 3 folds
Flop: ($4.25) 4 7 3 (2 Players)
UTG bets $3, Hero raises to $9, UTG raises to $15.55 and is All-In, Hero calls $6.55
Turn: ($35.35) J (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
River: ($35.35) 5 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
Results: $35.35 Pot ($1.75 Rake)
Hero showed 7 7 (three of a kind, Sevens) and LOST (-$17.30 NET)
UTG showed A 2 (a straight, Five high) and WON $33.60 (+$16.30 NET)
This is why I usually love the shorties...they have less to lose so they play badly trying to double up quickly. But this is a whole 'nother level...as if I would fold with anything to an extra $6 push.
I have 2 sweet hands, because it takes two sweet hands at 25NL to make up for one sour hand at 50NL. But that's how it goes for me.
Sweet Hand #1:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
BTN: $25.10
SB: $34.70
BB: $16
UTG: $26
Hero (MP): $36.95
CO: $26.75
Pre-Flop: A K dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG folds, Hero raises to $0.85, 3 folds, BB calls $0.60
Flop: ($1.80) 8 7 K (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1.50, BB calls $1.50
Turn: ($4.80) 4 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $3, BB calls $3
River: ($10.80) 3 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $11, BB calls $10.65 and is All-In
Results: $32.10 Pot ($1.60 Rake)
BB mucked K J (a pair of Kings) and LOST (-$16 NET)
Hero showed A K (a pair of Kings) and WON $30.50 (+$14.50 NET)
I just don't find too many players who will call off their entire stack to a 3-barrel with top-pair, weak kicker. This is why 25NL is so much more profitable than 50NL.
Sweet Hand #2:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
BTN: $12.95
SB: $32.30
BB: $3.05
Hero (UTG): $25
CO: $29
Pre-Flop: A A dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $0.85, 2 folds, SB calls $0.75, BB calls $0.60
Flop: ($2.55) J 6 6 (3 Players)
SB bets $1.25, BB folds, Hero raises to $3.50, SB calls $2.25
Turn: ($9.55) 2 (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $7, SB calls $7
River: ($23.55) T (2 Players)
SB bets $20.95 and is All-In, Hero calls $13.65 and is All-In
The T isn't a scare card at all. If villain holds JT, which I'm hoping, he just made a bad enough 2-pair to be willing to call off his stack. But it turns out it isn't even that strong...
Results: $50.85 Pot ($2.50 Rake)
SB showed A J (two pair, Jacks and Sixes) and LOST (-$25 NET)
Hero showed A A (two pair, Aces and Sixes) and WON $48.35 (+$23.35 NET)
Long Memorial Day weekend...I hope to get in a lot of cash hands, and maybe a few MTTs. And hell, maybe even some live poker too.
I suck. I know.
It looked like this:
50NL - 520 hands, -$99.60
25NL - 459 hands, +$40.45
Overall, I'm still a winning 50NL player, but I haven't budged much in a while. All of this mediocrity got me thinking, so I started digging through my PokerTracker stats (using the lovely new PokerTracker3), and found this:
March - +577.05
April - +33.70
May - -59.85
Ever since a really nice March, coinciding with the birth of this blog, wherein I started at 25NL, played really strongly, moved to 50NL, and continued to play well, I have been floundering. I made minimal progress in April, and I've been backpedaling since (although May rake was ~$92, which makes the difference between profit and loss here) . I'm not sure why, but I think some analysis is in order to get myself straight. For one thing, I think I play best when focused on a single game and style. So I need to stick to 6-max NLHE, and not be mixing in PLO or NLHE tourneys. Back at the start, I was playing more hands, but I also had a singular focus on 6-max NLHE, and it allowed me to really focus and play right.
Well, I have a week left in May, so I'm hoping to pull back into the black. I don't have too far to go.
Here are the Sweet and Sour Hands from last weekend...
Sour Hand:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
MP: $30.95
Hero (CO): $58.40
BTN: $48.25
SB: $76.20
BB: $56.75
UTG: $17.30
Pre-Flop: 7
7 dealt to Hero (CO)UTG raises to $1.75, MP folds, Hero calls $1.75, 3 folds
Flop: ($4.25) 4
7 3 (2 Players)UTG bets $3, Hero raises to $9, UTG raises to $15.55 and is All-In, Hero calls $6.55
Turn: ($35.35) J
(2 Players - 1 is All-In)River: ($35.35) 5
(2 Players - 1 is All-In)Results: $35.35 Pot ($1.75 Rake)
Hero showed 7
7 (three of a kind, Sevens) and LOST (-$17.30 NET)UTG showed A
2 (a straight, Five high) and WON $33.60 (+$16.30 NET)This is why I usually love the shorties...they have less to lose so they play badly trying to double up quickly. But this is a whole 'nother level...as if I would fold with anything to an extra $6 push.
I have 2 sweet hands, because it takes two sweet hands at 25NL to make up for one sour hand at 50NL. But that's how it goes for me.
Sweet Hand #1:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
BTN: $25.10
SB: $34.70
BB: $16
UTG: $26
Hero (MP): $36.95
CO: $26.75
Pre-Flop: A
K dealt to Hero (MP)UTG folds, Hero raises to $0.85, 3 folds, BB calls $0.60
Flop: ($1.80) 8
7 K (2 Players)BB checks, Hero bets $1.50, BB calls $1.50
Turn: ($4.80) 4
(2 Players)BB checks, Hero bets $3, BB calls $3
River: ($10.80) 3
(2 Players)BB checks, Hero bets $11, BB calls $10.65 and is All-In
Results: $32.10 Pot ($1.60 Rake)
BB mucked K
J (a pair of Kings) and LOST (-$16 NET)Hero showed A
K (a pair of Kings) and WON $30.50 (+$14.50 NET)I just don't find too many players who will call off their entire stack to a 3-barrel with top-pair, weak kicker. This is why 25NL is so much more profitable than 50NL.
Sweet Hand #2:
Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
BTN: $12.95
SB: $32.30
BB: $3.05
Hero (UTG): $25
CO: $29
Pre-Flop: A
A dealt to Hero (UTG)Hero raises to $0.85, 2 folds, SB calls $0.75, BB calls $0.60
Flop: ($2.55) J
6 6 (3 Players)SB bets $1.25, BB folds, Hero raises to $3.50, SB calls $2.25
Turn: ($9.55) 2
(2 Players)SB checks, Hero bets $7, SB calls $7
River: ($23.55) T
(2 Players)SB bets $20.95 and is All-In, Hero calls $13.65 and is All-In
The T isn't a scare card at all. If villain holds JT, which I'm hoping, he just made a bad enough 2-pair to be willing to call off his stack. But it turns out it isn't even that strong...
Results: $50.85 Pot ($2.50 Rake)
SB showed A
J (two pair, Jacks and Sixes) and LOST (-$25 NET)Hero showed A
A (two pair, Aces and Sixes) and WON $48.35 (+$23.35 NET)Long Memorial Day weekend...I hope to get in a lot of cash hands, and maybe a few MTTs. And hell, maybe even some live poker too.
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