Buckle Up!

Sat down at a table that was playing pretty wild with PF raises - a lot of 3-bets, 4-bets and shoves. Now, I like to think I have a decent understanding of how to play these tables - selectively bluff-4-betting, 3- and 4- betting for value with a wider range, and tightening up if I start getting loose call-downs. The problem is, knowing the right way to play effectively doesn't change the fact that the play at a table like this is going to be high variance, guaranteed. So it takes a certain about of stomach to go along with the right strategic approach.

In the following hand, my villain was playing 38/34/5 with a 3-bet of 18% over 60 hands. He had 3-bet my button steal the past 2 orbits and I had folded both times.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
MP: $60.95
Hero (CO): $121.25
BTN: $25
SB: $54.50
BB: $23.25
UTG: $52.30
Pre-Flop: 7 7 dealt to Hero (CO)
2 folds, Hero raises to $1.75, BTN folds, SB raises to $5.75, BB folds, Hero calls $4

Flop: ($12) 6 4 5 (2 Players)
SB bets $8, Hero raises to $23, SB raises to $48.75 and is All-In, Hero calls $25.75

Turn: ($109.50) 6 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
River: ($109.50) 8 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $109.50 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero showed 7 7 (a straight, Eight high) and WON $106.50 (+$52 NET)
SB showed K J (a pair of Sixes) and LOST (-$54.50 NET)

Right strategy or not, playing against a villain like this requires getting your stack in light. If that type of high-variance game doesn't jive well with your emotional stability, then I can understand stepping away, however +EV it might be if you commit to playing it correctly.

So what's your general reaction to tables like this?
a) Strap me in, I love the rush - this is what we play this game for!
b) Sounds hectic but I can manage it. I can stand the swings and if I play sound, I should come out on top.
c) Why bother? I'm more comfortable with lower variance games, and there are plenty out there. Less experience in this type of game means I'm more likely to make a costly mistake.

I ended up doing pretty well at the crazy table, but ran into some tough spots at my other tables. How would you approach the following two spots?

H1)
Villain here had solid stats - 17/12/3.0 over 84 hands.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
UTG: $84.70
CO: $32.20
Hero (BTN): $56.75
SB: $50
BB: $60.85
Pre-Flop: 3 K dealt to Hero (BTN)
2 folds, Hero raises to $1.50, SB folds, BB calls $1

Standard button steal.

Flop: ($3.25) 8 3 J (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2.25, BB calls $2.25

Turn: ($7.75) 3 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5, BB calls $5

River: ($17.75) 6 (2 Players)
BB bets $10,
Hero?

H2)
I'm pretty sure I had some sort of stats on my villain in this next hand, but I don't have them now. So assume a random open-limping type.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
Hero (BB): $26.70
UTG: $12.94
MP: $13.51
CO: $25.15
BTN: $22.49
SB: $3.25
Pre-Flop: Q 3 dealt to Hero (BB)
UTG folds, MP calls $0.25, CO calls $0.25, BTN folds, SB calls $0.15, Hero checks

Flop: ($1) Q 5 Q (4 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.80, MP folds, CO calls $0.80, SB folds

Turn: ($2.60) 7 (2 Players)
Hero bets $1.75, CO raises to $5,
Hero?

Bluff Happy

I've been reading Small Stakes No-Limit Hold'em, and yes, I know it's ridiculous that I would pay $100 for a poker book when it takes me 2 months to make that much playing online. :)
But that's not the point. The point is that the Barrelling section of that book, which is great, has inspired me to aggressively steal pots post-flop. For the most part, it's working well. A few examples from a session two nights ago...

Villain is 35/26/4.5 over 68 and seems solid (these are often the best type to bluff big against).

Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
BTN: $15.27
SB: $28.92
BB: $70.57
Hero (UTG): $26.85
CO: $12.50
Pre-Flop: J K dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $0.85, CO folds, BTN calls $0.85, SB folds, BB calls $0.60

Flop: ($2.65) 6 2 T (3 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1.75, BTN calls $1.75, BB raises to $6, Hero calls $4.25, BTN folds

I thought about shipping it here, but with position, a strong draw, and possibly live overcards, I called instead.

Turn: ($16.40) 2 (2 Players)
BB bets $7, Hero calls $7

This call is a lot closer. There's no guarantee that my diamond is good, nor my K or J. And I probably shouldn't be relying on any chance of stealing the pot without making a hand. So yeah, this may be bad (maybe raising is better?).

River: ($30.40) 6 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $13 and is All-In, BB folds

When he checks here, I'm pretty sure he has either air or his own busted draw. Since I can't beat an A-high flush draw, shipping it in is my only play. A Ten is still possible, but I can't imagine he comes this far and folds with top pair. A middle pair may play it this way, looking for a cheap showdown but unwilling to call off his stack.

Results: $30.40 Pot ($1.52 Rake)
Hero mucked J K and WON $28.88 (+$15.03 NET)

About 20 minutes later, I get involved with the same LAG-y villain again.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
CO: $32.95
BTN: $22.85
SB: $53.34
Hero (BB): $35.68
UTG: $25
MP: $12.50
Pre-Flop: 6 7 dealt to Hero (BB)
4 folds, SB raises to $0.75, Hero calls $0.50

My plan here was to float almost any flop and try to steal it on the turn. Players are being taught to steal aggressively from the SB, and in my opinion, it's really exploitable, since their ranges are so wide, they're out of position, and they rarely have the will to take it past the flop.

Flop: ($1.50) T 7 Q (2 Players)
SB bets $1.50, Hero calls $1.50

Third pair is more than enough to float with. The full pot is a bigger bet than I usually see here, so I begin to wonder if he has a real hand.

Turn: ($4.50) 4 (2 Players)
SB bets $3.75, Hero raises to $9, SB calls $5.25

A big second barrel is unexpected, and I consider folding. But I decide to stick to it and represent a 2-pair+ hand with a raise. When he calls, I'm pretty much ready to give it up.

River: ($22.50) 3 (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $24.43 and is All-In, SB folds

But the river is such a complete blank, and I can't imagine that he could call another big barrel here. Of course, I may have been good here with 3rd pair, had he missed a straight or flush draw, but I think my shove still folds out a lot of his Q-x/T-x hands. And what's more, I prefer to not have to show down my hand after the way that I've played it.

Results: $22.50 Pot ($1.12 Rake)
Hero mucked 6 7 and WON $21.38 (+$10.13 NET)

In this one, I just decide to take the more aggressive line. When holding a draw and facing aggression, I have historically tended to go on the defensive. But if there is any chance that villain is check-raising light or bluff raising, the more aggressive line can be more profitable, and bolster your image.

Villain is 19/12/1.7 over 74

Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
UTG: $24.70
CO: $33.92
Hero (BTN): $34.47
SB: $42.05
BB: $25
Pre-Flop: 9 J dealt to Hero (BTN)
UTG folds, CO raises to $0.85, Hero raises to $2.90, 2 folds, CO calls $2.05

Flop: ($6.15) 7 K T (2 Players)
CO checks, Hero bets $3.50, CO raises to $8.50, Hero raises to $31.57 and is All-In, CO folds

Results: $23.15 Pot ($1.15 Rake)
Hero mucked 9 J and WON $22 (+$10.60 NET)

Of course, the problem with bluffing is that you stand to lose big when you fail. And I finally got my comeuppance in this hand.

I had no history on my opponent.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
CO: $50.75
BTN: $130.85
Hero (SB): $86.65
BB: $52.10
UTG: $50
MP: $50
Pre-Flop: 8 8 dealt to Hero (SB)
2 folds, CO raises to $1.50, BTN folds, Hero calls $1.25, BB folds

Flop: ($3.50) 3 2 7 (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO bets $2.50, Hero calls $2.50

I'm ahead of an average player's C-bet range here, so I think folding is way too nitty. Raising is an okay option, but I risk bloating the pot and having to either check later streets and become susceptible to a bluff, or basically turn my hand into a bluff by continuing to fire barrels. Of course, I could also win the pot outright or get re-raising and have an easy fold decision.

Turn: ($8.50) Q (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO bets $6.50, Hero raises to $15, CO calls $8.50

So I decide to check-raise the turn instead. The Q is a good bluff card, and my check-raise represents major strength. When he just calls, I'm planning to fire a big barrel on the river, hoping to fold out a weakish Q-x hand (QJ/QK/QT) or a middle pair (JJ-99).

River: ($38.50) 7 (2 Players)
Hero bets $22, CO calls $22

I wonder if shipping it wouldn't have gotten the fold I wanted, but I doubt it. No one likes folding AA, especially on a dry board. I opted for a bet that looked more like a value bet. Fail.

Results: $82.50 Pot ($3 Rake)
CO showed A A (two pair, Aces and Sevens) and WON $79.50 (+$38.50 NET)
Hero showed 8 8 (two pair, Eights and Sevens) and LOST (-$41 NET)