The past week has been bad, but no alarms and no surprises, as I knew the moment that I uttered something about finding a groove and feeling like I had things figured out, I would hit the skids hard.
My third hand after sitting at a 50NL table tonight...
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
UTG: $57.60
MP: $33.55
CO: $23.40
Hero (BTN): $50
SB: $7.75
BB: $77.15
Pre-Flop: J
J
dealt to Hero (BTN)UTG folds, MP raises to $2, CO folds, Hero raises to $6.75, SB folds, MP calls $4.75
Flop: ($14.25) 7
5
4 (2 Players)MP checks, Hero bets $10, MP calls $10
Turn: ($34.25) 9
(2 Players)MP checks, Hero bets $17, MP calls $16.80 and is All-In
River: ($67.85) 3
(2 Players - 1 is All-In)Results: $67.85 Pot ($3 Rake)
MP showed 7
7 (three of a kind, Sevens) and WON $64.85 (+$31.30 NET)Hero showed J
J (a pair of Jacks) and LOST (-$33.55 NET)We'll skip the lecture about calling a 3-bet OOP for 20% of your stack with a small PP. As for my play, I think against a short-stack, if I'm gonna C-bet, I pretty much have to shove for half-pot on that turn. Retrospectively, I think a lot of the hands that I beat are check-shoving that flop, including big club draws (Ac-Xc), and even 88 and TT. So when villain calls, he is often going to have me beat and be reeling me in, either with a set or a big overpair like AA/KK. Nonetheless, given the stack sizes, it's almost impossible to give up on this hand.
One full orbit later...
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
BB: $66.45
UTG: $61.10
CO: $18.65
Hero (BTN): $50
SB: $76.40
Pre-Flop: Q
Q dealt to Hero (BTN)BB raises to $1.50, Hero raises to $5, BB calls $3.50
Flop: ($10.50) T
4 8 (2 Players)BB checks, Hero bets $7.50, BB raises to $15, Hero calls $7.50
Turn: ($40.50) 3
(2 Players)BB bets $15.50, Hero raises to $30 and is All-In, BB calls $14.50
River: ($100.50) J
(2 Players - 1 is All-In)Results: $100.50 Pot ($3 Rake)
BB showed T
T (three of a kind, Tens) and WON $97.50 (+$47.50 NET)Hero showed Q
Q (a pair of Queens) and LOST (-$50 NET)The small check-raise is so menacing, but given that I know nothing about this opponent, I have to think I'm in some trouble here. The strongish hands that I beat, AT and JJ, are both very vulnerable on this flop, so if my opponent is wont to check-raise here, then I expect a bigger raise and an attempt to get more FE.
So this is soul-crushing right? But so is continuing to read about hands like this, so I'll drop in one that went my way...
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
CO: $113.20
BTN: $60.35
Hero (SB): $50
BB: $50
UTG: $91.70
Pre-Flop: 9
A dealt to Hero (SB)UTG folds, CO raises to $1.75, BTN folds, Hero calls $1.50
Flop: ($4) T
Q 8 (2 Players)Hero checks, CO bets $2.75, Hero calls $2.75
Turn: ($9.50) J
(2 Players)Hero checks, CO bets $6.50, Hero calls $6.50
River: ($22.50) 6
(2 Players)Hero bets $11, CO calls $11
Results: $44.50 Pot ($2.20 Rake)
CO mucked T
T (three of a kind, Tens) and LOST (-$22 NET)Hero showed 9
A (a straight, Queen high) and WON $42.30 (+$20.30 NET)Questionable PF call, and tough spot to float from OOP, but with backdoor flush draw, gutshot straight, and the A a possible out, I decided to peel and was rewarded.
When villain bets the turn, his range is polarized, since most 1-pair hands will check back such a scary turn. On the river, I figured I had to lead out, since only a T is firing a 3rd barrel there. But I wonder if I shouldn't have gone for more value on the river. If villain has 2-pair or a set, he may call a bet up to $17-$18. Not sure I had really seen that one through.
And finally, a tough spot and a quandary...
Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
CO: $10
BTN: $25
SB: $25.10
BB: $21.89
Hero (UTG): $25.80
MP: $26.12
CO posts $0.25
Pre-Flop: A
K dealt to Hero (UTG)Hero raises to $1.10, 2 folds, BTN calls $1.10, 2 folds
Flop: ($2.80) 2
9 A (2 Players)Hero bets $1.75, BTN calls $1.75
Turn: ($6.30) J
(2 Players)Hero checks, BTN checks
River: ($6.30) 7
(2 Players)Hero bets $5.25, BTN raises to $22.15 and is All-In,
Hero?
6 comments:
Nice set of hands (pardon the pun), and I appreciate it that you show losers as well as ones where you win. Some bloggers don't do that.
Why didn't you bet the turn? Did you plan to check-raise if he had bet, or just smooth call? For me, it's a pretty easy call on the river, with the nut 1-pair hand, given that it's such a dry board. There is no flush, straight, or trips to be afraid of. If he hit a set or 2-pair then you were coolered and so be it. He could also be pushing on the river with AQ, AT, or a missed flush draw. Get your money in there.
Hef
I think you need to call. You hand is a bit disguised with the check on the turn.
It's hard to see what he is betting that with. A set of sevens would be sick; but I can also seeing it being any ace which you mostly have beat.
Hang in there. It gets better. I know that when I struggled, I switched to full ring to change things up and it really has made a difference for me. Add to it that I mostly play pot limit.
good luck
Sorry about your bad luck. That is why I love to hit a set especially if its a low one as no one has any idea of the strength of your hand. Lets say I have 2-2 and my opponent has AK and the flop is A-K-2. How on earth would he put me as having a stronger hand than him?
Sorry, just re-looked at the board and saw that there is a potential straight with 8-10, but the only potential 8-10 he could have would be the 8d-10d. I still say you have to call here. If you lose, you were coolered, end of story.
Hef
Thanks for all of the comments posted. Interesting to hear both Hef and WillWonka say that a call is in order on the river in the AK hand. To be honest, I found the fold pretty quickly. If I'm calling this shove, I have to be putting him on a bluff, since I highly doubt that AQ/AT, the only borderline value-raising hands, would play this way. I think it's more likely that I'm facing A9/AJ/A7/99/22/97. I think this likelihood is increased by the fact that I bomb the river for close to full pot, hoping to extract max value from A-x or a stubborn 9. Me, I'd expect a bluff on a smaller value-bet that looked weaker, and not on a big pot-sized river bet.
Hef, as for the turn, I think I'm checking vs. betting something like 40/60. J isn't the best card, since it improves both AJ and J9, and I will often take the bet/check/bet line with a strong A here, since you will so frequently get called on the river. Whether I go for the first 2 streets or the first and last street usually depends on how draw-heavy the board is. In this case, there's the diamonds, but otherwise it is really dry. On a more draw-heavy board, I'll go for 2 barrels and then slow down and give my opponent a chance to bluff the river.
Big D, I have some more thoughts on making an escape when up against a set...I plan to post those thoughts soon.
Will, I'd be interesting on hearing a little more of your thoughts regarding differences and transitioning between both 6-max and full ring, and NL and PL.
Thanks guys!
Post a Comment