Live Grind: How to Fall Asleep at the Table (Without Getting Caught)
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Sigh. Well things could have definitely gone worse. I didn't end up playing 2/5 last night. Here are the details, and some hands:
I got to the casino a little earlier than usual - at around 6pm. There was oddly open seating for a variety of games, 2/5 included. This wasn't really "part of the plan." I was expecting there to be a list for 2/5, so I was going to sit at 1/2 for a while, then put my name on the list once I was "warmed up." I figured diving immediately in would be more nerve-wracking.
So when I saw that there was open seating for 2/5, I decided I would still stick to the plan and play some 1/2 - then I would evaluate how I was feeling, how I was playing, and decide whether to go to 2/5 or not. I was seated immediately for 1/2, and bought in for $300, which is my new standard. In my first half hour, I managed to dump about $150 of that, primarily raising preflop, getting three callers, and completely bricking on wet boards. I also had a few spots where I bluff-caught in limped pots with pretty marginal hands. I was wrong a few times, which was a good reminder that people just aren't bluffing that much in multiway, limped pots, even in position on the river.
Being down almost a buyin (I'm still going to refer to 100bb as a buyin, despite the increase in how much I sit with), I decided I wasn't going to sit at 2/5. It was an immediate blow to my pride, with a kind of "you're not sitting at 2/5 cause you can't even beat 1/2!!!" But I shook that off fairly easily. I'd topped off my stack twice, but the table was good, and my pockets were deep since I'd brought enough for 150bb at 2/5.
About an hour into my session, Sand sat down across from me at the table. Nothing too eventful really happened, until this hand came up:
Preflop:
On the button. EP makes it $7, and it folds back to me. Reads on EP are that he's relatively tight opening preflop, but will limp into a fair number of pots. He has seemed fairly aggro post, and hasn't been showing down many hands. I elect to just call, and we go HU to the flop:
Flop: ($17) (2 players)
EP checks, and I bet $10, looking to get value in the form of sticky calls from A high, and get a bit of protection for my hand as well. EP quickly check raises to $25. Warning bells are immediately going off in my head, but I'd also seen this player check-raise a few times, never having to showdown. I call the $15 on top.
Turn: ($65) (2 players)
EP quickly makes it $25 again. At this point, my expectation is that EP might or might not bet an overpair again here if he bet it on the flop, but I really have no idea what he does with any air in his range, since this is such a bizarre line. I acknowledge to myself that I have no clue what's going on, and I call.
River: ($115) (2 players)
EP quickly bets $35. Warning bells go off again, since I don't think EP would take this line with TT or JJ. And aside from pure air, this is basically the only thing I beat. I now consider that villain could realistically take this line with KK+, and I briefly consider bluff-raising to about $80. My line is pretty consistent with with a 6x suited connector type hand, though I'm just not confident villain will fold an overpair here. I tank forever and eventually make a crying call.
As the night goes on, I find myself topping up about $100 every few orbits, and my frustration grows. I take a walk a few times to clear my head and get re-focused. Once after a beat, and then a few times just to get my head out of the game for a few minutes.
Later on in the night, a new player sat down on my immediate right. It became clear that he was not a strong player. He was obviously not very experienced, based on his chip- and card-handling, and how long it took him to make preflop decisions. He was also putting money in VERY loosely both pre- and post-flop.
Preflop:
On the button. A couple limps, and the CO, the fish described above, makes it $20. In almost every situation, this would be fold, but in position, against this player, $220ish deep, I think this is a fine call. I actually think I'm doing pretty well vs. his range, but even if I am behind, I have insane implied odds based on his play so far. One other player calls, and we go three-way to the flop:
Flop: ($60) (3 players)
First to act checks, and CO makes it $40. Obviously, this is a board where I'm never folding. The question is only whether I want to call or raise. While there's no flush draw out there, I don't see much value in flatting over raising. For one thing, the third player is unlikely to be able to call even the $40. On top of that, the CO is probably not folding much to a raise once he makes this type of bet. So now I have to decide what my sizing will be. I think that this type of player has pretty low chance of folding no matter what I do, but if he were going to fold, I think a $100 or greater bet might cause it. But shoving the turn is basically a given even with a min-raise, so I just opt to make it $80. The third player folds, and the CO thinks for about 5 seconds before saying "all in." I pause for only a second before calling.
Turn: ($450) (2 players)
I puke all over the table.
River: ($450) (2 players)
I turn over my tens full of queens, knowing with 100% certainty that they are no good. Villain gasps, seeing that he was drawing to a 5-outer when he put the money in on the flop, and turns over A6o and scoops.
The key to hands like these isn't so much that I got sucked out on in a 225bb pot. The key to these hands is that these types of players don't tend to hang onto their money for very long. Sure enough, within an hour, the player on my immediate right had stacked off AQ into AK all in preflop for about $150, and then 77 into AQ for $300. He lost both hands, and was suddenly down to a $15 stack. Sand and I went and grabbed some food after that - I just needed to be away from the table for a while.
It was good to get off the table, away from the pressure both of making the right decisions and hoping my hands hold up. It felt great to just relax, eat, and make fun of how bad the 1/2 players around us were playing. Laughter makes great medicine, and after maybe 20 minutes, I felt ready to get back to the action.
Now, I think it's important to highlight the fact that at this point in the session, I was down around $550. Not even 3 buyins of course, but it still doesn't happen that often live. But I was determined to play solid.
When I got back to the table, I proceeded to go on a pretty sick run. Had a fun hand where I value bet A high on two streets vs. a loose reg, and had a few spots where I flopped big hands and got paid. (I feel like Sand is still mad at me for one of them: I opened T8s in MP, he 3b IP, and 2 players called. I opted to call, getting 5:1. I flopped bottom 2 on JT8 two tone, and led into the field when it checked to me. I put Sand on overpairs mostly, and as I expected, he tank-folded (I probably should have x/r). I got paid off by a lady who cold-called the 3b with KK.)
I was playing well postflop, but there's no doubt the cards were with me. I actually managed to get all the way to even - in for $780, with a stack of $820ish - when this hand happened:
Preflop:
In MP. There's a new player at the table - it's literally his first hand. He's come from another table, and while I know I've seen him before, I can't remember if I've played with him. He's first to act in a straddled pot, and he makes it $10. It folds to me, and I bump it to $30. It folds back to him, and he insta-calls.
Flop: ($60) (2 players)
Not a terrible flop but not great either. The truly bizarre part happens when the villain leads into me for $2, though. I raise to $45, and he insta-calls. Warning bells again.
Turn: ($150) (2 players)
Villain leads for $2, and this time I elect to call. I'm really not sure what he can be doing this with, but I'm obviously not folding getting 75:1, and I don't see much point to raising when I've got no idea where I'm at.
River: ($155) (2 players)
Villain thinks for about 2 seconds before effectively slamming down a full stack of reds. I'm so lost in the hand. I think on one side, he might feel very confident that AQ or KQ is best here. But on the other side, why would he bet $100 after taking the line he's taken, unless he has the nuts. I can think of literally no bluff combos that make sense aside from MAYBE AK. I'm just so unsure of what's going on, and I have the aces, so I begrudgingly call what ends up being a $95 bet.
I managed to get all the way back to even, but after a few medium-sized losses, I end my session down $138. Not ideal, but definitely nothing to be concerned with, given how the session started. I didn't get to play 2/5, but I felt like it was a productive 1/2 session, because I noticed a few mistakes (calling down too light in MW limped pots and not giving aggro lines enough credit), and I kept it together mentally for the most part, and managed to battle back to a "respectable" loss.
I'm probably going back tonight, and again, 2/5 will be a realistic possibility. I'll try to post some more online hands soon as well, but let me know what you guys think for the hands in this post.
GL
I got to the casino a little earlier than usual - at around 6pm. There was oddly open seating for a variety of games, 2/5 included. This wasn't really "part of the plan." I was expecting there to be a list for 2/5, so I was going to sit at 1/2 for a while, then put my name on the list once I was "warmed up." I figured diving immediately in would be more nerve-wracking.
So when I saw that there was open seating for 2/5, I decided I would still stick to the plan and play some 1/2 - then I would evaluate how I was feeling, how I was playing, and decide whether to go to 2/5 or not. I was seated immediately for 1/2, and bought in for $300, which is my new standard. In my first half hour, I managed to dump about $150 of that, primarily raising preflop, getting three callers, and completely bricking on wet boards. I also had a few spots where I bluff-caught in limped pots with pretty marginal hands. I was wrong a few times, which was a good reminder that people just aren't bluffing that much in multiway, limped pots, even in position on the river.
Being down almost a buyin (I'm still going to refer to 100bb as a buyin, despite the increase in how much I sit with), I decided I wasn't going to sit at 2/5. It was an immediate blow to my pride, with a kind of "you're not sitting at 2/5 cause you can't even beat 1/2!!!" But I shook that off fairly easily. I'd topped off my stack twice, but the table was good, and my pockets were deep since I'd brought enough for 150bb at 2/5.
About an hour into my session, Sand sat down across from me at the table. Nothing too eventful really happened, until this hand came up:
Preflop:
On the button. EP makes it $7, and it folds back to me. Reads on EP are that he's relatively tight opening preflop, but will limp into a fair number of pots. He has seemed fairly aggro post, and hasn't been showing down many hands. I elect to just call, and we go HU to the flop:
Flop: ($17)
(2 players)EP checks, and I bet $10, looking to get value in the form of sticky calls from A high, and get a bit of protection for my hand as well. EP quickly check raises to $25. Warning bells are immediately going off in my head, but I'd also seen this player check-raise a few times, never having to showdown. I call the $15 on top.
Turn: ($65)
(2 players)EP quickly makes it $25 again. At this point, my expectation is that EP might or might not bet an overpair again here if he bet it on the flop, but I really have no idea what he does with any air in his range, since this is such a bizarre line. I acknowledge to myself that I have no clue what's going on, and I call.
River: ($115)
(2 players)EP quickly bets $35. Warning bells go off again, since I don't think EP would take this line with TT or JJ. And aside from pure air, this is basically the only thing I beat. I now consider that villain could realistically take this line with KK+, and I briefly consider bluff-raising to about $80. My line is pretty consistent with with a 6x suited connector type hand, though I'm just not confident villain will fold an overpair here. I tank forever and eventually make a crying call.
Villain grimaces with that annoying look that I always think means "damn, I got caught, your hand is good..." But actually means "I've got the nuts, but am embarrassed to show my cards." Villain shows 53o for a flopped straight, and I muck.
As the night goes on, I find myself topping up about $100 every few orbits, and my frustration grows. I take a walk a few times to clear my head and get re-focused. Once after a beat, and then a few times just to get my head out of the game for a few minutes.
Later on in the night, a new player sat down on my immediate right. It became clear that he was not a strong player. He was obviously not very experienced, based on his chip- and card-handling, and how long it took him to make preflop decisions. He was also putting money in VERY loosely both pre- and post-flop.
Preflop:
On the button. A couple limps, and the CO, the fish described above, makes it $20. In almost every situation, this would be fold, but in position, against this player, $220ish deep, I think this is a fine call. I actually think I'm doing pretty well vs. his range, but even if I am behind, I have insane implied odds based on his play so far. One other player calls, and we go three-way to the flop:
Flop: ($60)
(3 players)First to act checks, and CO makes it $40. Obviously, this is a board where I'm never folding. The question is only whether I want to call or raise. While there's no flush draw out there, I don't see much value in flatting over raising. For one thing, the third player is unlikely to be able to call even the $40. On top of that, the CO is probably not folding much to a raise once he makes this type of bet. So now I have to decide what my sizing will be. I think that this type of player has pretty low chance of folding no matter what I do, but if he were going to fold, I think a $100 or greater bet might cause it. But shoving the turn is basically a given even with a min-raise, so I just opt to make it $80. The third player folds, and the CO thinks for about 5 seconds before saying "all in." I pause for only a second before calling.
Turn: ($450)
(2 players)I puke all over the table.
River: ($450)
(2 players)I turn over my tens full of queens, knowing with 100% certainty that they are no good. Villain gasps, seeing that he was drawing to a 5-outer when he put the money in on the flop, and turns over A6o and scoops.
The key to hands like these isn't so much that I got sucked out on in a 225bb pot. The key to these hands is that these types of players don't tend to hang onto their money for very long. Sure enough, within an hour, the player on my immediate right had stacked off AQ into AK all in preflop for about $150, and then 77 into AQ for $300. He lost both hands, and was suddenly down to a $15 stack. Sand and I went and grabbed some food after that - I just needed to be away from the table for a while.
It was good to get off the table, away from the pressure both of making the right decisions and hoping my hands hold up. It felt great to just relax, eat, and make fun of how bad the 1/2 players around us were playing. Laughter makes great medicine, and after maybe 20 minutes, I felt ready to get back to the action.
Now, I think it's important to highlight the fact that at this point in the session, I was down around $550. Not even 3 buyins of course, but it still doesn't happen that often live. But I was determined to play solid.
When I got back to the table, I proceeded to go on a pretty sick run. Had a fun hand where I value bet A high on two streets vs. a loose reg, and had a few spots where I flopped big hands and got paid. (I feel like Sand is still mad at me for one of them: I opened T8s in MP, he 3b IP, and 2 players called. I opted to call, getting 5:1. I flopped bottom 2 on JT8 two tone, and led into the field when it checked to me. I put Sand on overpairs mostly, and as I expected, he tank-folded (I probably should have x/r). I got paid off by a lady who cold-called the 3b with KK.)
I was playing well postflop, but there's no doubt the cards were with me. I actually managed to get all the way to even - in for $780, with a stack of $820ish - when this hand happened:
Preflop:
In MP. There's a new player at the table - it's literally his first hand. He's come from another table, and while I know I've seen him before, I can't remember if I've played with him. He's first to act in a straddled pot, and he makes it $10. It folds to me, and I bump it to $30. It folds back to him, and he insta-calls.
Flop: ($60)
(2 players)Not a terrible flop but not great either. The truly bizarre part happens when the villain leads into me for $2, though. I raise to $45, and he insta-calls. Warning bells again.
Turn: ($150)
(2 players)Villain leads for $2, and this time I elect to call. I'm really not sure what he can be doing this with, but I'm obviously not folding getting 75:1, and I don't see much point to raising when I've got no idea where I'm at.
River: ($155)
(2 players)Villain thinks for about 2 seconds before effectively slamming down a full stack of reds. I'm so lost in the hand. I think on one side, he might feel very confident that AQ or KQ is best here. But on the other side, why would he bet $100 after taking the line he's taken, unless he has the nuts. I can think of literally no bluff combos that make sense aside from MAYBE AK. I'm just so unsure of what's going on, and I have the aces, so I begrudgingly call what ends up being a $95 bet.
Villain shows QQ for a flopped set.
I managed to get all the way back to even, but after a few medium-sized losses, I end my session down $138. Not ideal, but definitely nothing to be concerned with, given how the session started. I didn't get to play 2/5, but I felt like it was a productive 1/2 session, because I noticed a few mistakes (calling down too light in MW limped pots and not giving aggro lines enough credit), and I kept it together mentally for the most part, and managed to battle back to a "respectable" loss.
I'm probably going back tonight, and again, 2/5 will be a realistic possibility. I'll try to post some more online hands soon as well, but let me know what you guys think for the hands in this post.
GL
Mr Sandbag
Legend
Silver Level
I'm not mad, man. I didn't include 108s in your range there, but you almost certainly had two pair or better when leading into a huge 3bet multiway pot. I'm not even sure I bet if you check anyway. The pot was rather large heading to the flop and I didn't want to commit most or all of my stack with QQ in that spot.
Also, lawl at the lady cold calling my 3bet with KK instead of 4betting/shoving her 50bb stack.
QQ: You played it pretty well. Not sure you can fold there considering the dynamics and how villain seemed to be playing. As expected, villain left later with exactly $0.
Q10: Gross. I think every time I've played with you on a super juicy table or against an ultra-spewy opponent, you've gotten roughed up by variance.
AA: We've already discussed this, but I'll say it again for the purposes of the thread. Sucky spot with essentially no info, especially since the info we attained a few hands later would have made you fold. Didn't he bet like $100 into a $25 pot with the nuts?
Also...
I 3bet Scourrge and he folded 99. What a nit.
Also, lawl at the lady cold calling my 3bet with KK instead of 4betting/shoving her 50bb stack.
QQ: You played it pretty well. Not sure you can fold there considering the dynamics and how villain seemed to be playing. As expected, villain left later with exactly $0.
Q10: Gross. I think every time I've played with you on a super juicy table or against an ultra-spewy opponent, you've gotten roughed up by variance.
AA: We've already discussed this, but I'll say it again for the purposes of the thread. Sucky spot with essentially no info, especially since the info we attained a few hands later would have made you fold. Didn't he bet like $100 into a $25 pot with the nuts?
Also...
I 3bet Scourrge and he folded 99. What a nit.
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Yeah, I mean like I said, I wasn't really targeting your range (when I called preflop, or when I bet the flop). You're too solid of a hand-reader for me to get much implied odds from your range, and I can't take many bluff lines vs. you in a multiway pot with droolers. I think I have a good enough price and enough implied odds against the other two in the hand (plus a good understanding of your range) that I can call. Probs close though.
QQ: Yeah, after I saw 53o it became clear he was a little more spewy than I had initially thought.
QT: To be fair, I actually got all in with bottom two pair 3 times during the session. It was against top pair or an overpair every time, so I don't think I was really that far below EV, but I obviously lost the biggest pot by far, so meh. Again though, just so happy to have gotten to down less than a buyin.
AA: You might be right, that I just didn't have enough info to make that fold. But at live 1/2, it sometimes feels like I should just fold - that I don't have enough info to make the call against an unknown. And yeah, I really wish the hand had happened like 2 orbits later, and I can just make a slam-dunk, fist-pump fold OTR without even blinking.
Psh. Yeah, I'm a nit. But when I raise EP, some loose guy flats, and you squeeze, I'm not looking to shovel money into the pot
QQ: Yeah, after I saw 53o it became clear he was a little more spewy than I had initially thought.
QT: To be fair, I actually got all in with bottom two pair 3 times during the session. It was against top pair or an overpair every time, so I don't think I was really that far below EV, but I obviously lost the biggest pot by far, so meh. Again though, just so happy to have gotten to down less than a buyin.
AA: You might be right, that I just didn't have enough info to make that fold. But at live 1/2, it sometimes feels like I should just fold - that I don't have enough info to make the call against an unknown. And yeah, I really wish the hand had happened like 2 orbits later, and I can just make a slam-dunk, fist-pump fold OTR without even blinking.
Psh. Yeah, I'm a nit. But when I raise EP, some loose guy flats, and you squeeze, I'm not looking to shovel money into the pot
duggs
Killing me softly
Silver Level
QQ i just snap fold to the c/r on the flop. thats not a line bluffs take ever.
QT, pre seems super meh like i don't think this is going to be a very profitable call given the spr it leaves us with and how often we are folding on the flop. flop is std
AA, super weird line, no idea what to do here.
QT, pre seems super meh like i don't think this is going to be a very profitable call given the spr it leaves us with and how often we are folding on the flop. flop is std
AA, super weird line, no idea what to do here.
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Does he have a new zealand one though??
QQ probs right, duggs. Thought process at the time was "why would he ever x/r a value hand here??" But meh.
You may be right about QT in a vacuum, but you also didn't see him play. Like I know SPR is small relative to what you're used to (and honestly at the time I thought we were more like 150 bigs deep lol - stupid cup holder in the way), but it's not that big an SPR for live setting, and I actually thought there was a reasonable chance I was ahead of his range.
AA, I'm glad to hear it. Now I don't feel as stupid for putting it in.
QQ probs right, duggs. Thought process at the time was "why would he ever x/r a value hand here??" But meh.
You may be right about QT in a vacuum, but you also didn't see him play. Like I know SPR is small relative to what you're used to (and honestly at the time I thought we were more like 150 bigs deep lol - stupid cup holder in the way), but it's not that big an SPR for live setting, and I actually thought there was a reasonable chance I was ahead of his range.
AA, I'm glad to hear it. Now I don't feel as stupid for putting it in.
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
What sizing are you raising turn though? We started hand $300 eff, so it's like, 30 pre, 45 OTF, means we've got like $225 behind with a pot size of $150. Are you just raising to like $75 and folding to any 3bet, or what?
Mr Sandbag
Legend
Silver Level
About the Q10 hand. I know it seems meh given the raise size pre and such, but this player...
It's honestly probably worth it to play ATC against him because how lightly he stacks off. In one hand, he raised pre to $25, button 3bet shoved for $300, and he called with 77.
Seriously might be the biggest fish I've ever played with by a very large margin.
It's honestly probably worth it to play ATC against him because how lightly he stacks off. In one hand, he raised pre to $25, button 3bet shoved for $300, and he called with 77.
Seriously might be the biggest fish I've ever played with by a very large margin.
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Psh. L2read.
But yeah, I mean I understand what you're saying about the turn, and I agree in theory. In practice, and in the actual hand, I've just got no clue. Like if he checks turn are we betting? I guess so? Just feels gross all over.
In any case, 2/5 plans were foiled again, as I was met with another pretty terrible start to a session. I felt I played better today than yesterday though, and were it not for multiple 2 through 5 outers, and a pretty big cooler, I would have been a pretty big winner tonight. I might post a few hands in detail, or just a number of them in highlight-format. Pretty much none of them require any actual analysis. Overall was a pretty boring session. Straight forward spots almost all the time.
Lmbeach
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Great reading the thread so far. In my casino 1/2 usually plays with a $10-$15 open and 5 callers. I usually buy in with $500 to $750 depending on stack sizes. Now that I'm caught up with you guys In the thread I'll try to add my 2 cents on new hands. Hell maybe I'll add some of my own donkey hands.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Mr Sandbag
Legend
Silver Level
That's how our 1/2 plays also. Except our max buy in is $300. Would be sick to buy in for $500+.
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Welcome to the thread, Lmbeach.
Is 1/2 uncapped where you play? It must be crazy being able to play that deep from the get-go when you sit down at a table. It sounds like absolute nut-peddling would be profitable in your game, haha. Feel free to post some hands. I post a mix of online and live hands, as you've probably seen, and definitely welcome both feedback and other people's hands.
For this last session I think I'll just do a highlight reel, so to speak. Like I mentioned before, nothing super-eventful. I misplayed a few spots, but I think my analysis is pretty correct for them. But don't let that stop anyone from telling me I'm wrong!
- KTcc in the SB in a 7-handed game. 2 limpers, and the button, a loose-ish reg, makes it $12. I call, as does the BB. Flop is 987ccx. It checks to the BTN, who bets $30. I call, and the BB goes all in for $45. BTN calls, I call. Turn is an offsuit J, I check, BTN bets $100 with < $80 behind, and I go all in. He calls. River is a 9. I turn over my hand, the BB shows 88 to win the main. After about 20 seconds, BTN turns over ATo to chop the side.
- Vs. old man calling station, I'm 3rd limper into pot in MP with 64hh. Flop J72hhx, old man leads small into the field. I call, as does one other. Turn 5o, old man bets smallish, I raise (bad because he's not bet/folding anything), other guy folds, old man calls. River pairs 7, old man checks, I bet, and old man calls with J5o (counterfeited two pair ftw!!!) (bad river bet as well)
- Few hands later, QQ in BB, 4 limpers to me, I make it $17, trying to target old man OTB who has limped. Folds to BTN. BTN old man calling station and SB old man nit call. Flop QJ4 rainbow. Checks to me, I bet $35. BTN thinks for a bit and calls. SB snap folds. Turn 7 brings possible backdoor flush draw. I bet $80, and BTN tank calls. River 8 brings backdoor flush. I tank a bit but decide I miss WAY too much value if I don't shove. Based on his tendencies. I shove for $136. BTN tanks FOREVER and eventually calls, showing Q6o. I scoop.
- In the BB with KK, 3 limpers to me, I make it $17, and it folds to the SB, who snap-raises to about $70 with about $80 behind. I never ever put him on AA when he over-limps in the SB (my image wasn't super crazy, so it's not like he counts on me putting a raise in there). So I think for maybe 10 seconds and go all in. SB goes on this rant about how he's got kings, and he really doesn't want to call. He calls, I turn over my hand, flop comes 7-high, turn Q, river 2, he shows QQ and scoops the $320 pot.
There were maybe 1 or 2 other interesting hands, but nothing too extraordinary. I was pretty aggro this session, semibluff-raising, and x/r dry boards against preflop aggressors. I think that's the main reason I had only a marginally losing session, despite being relatively card-dead (both preflop and with hitting flops), and also getting coolered or bad beat a few times.
Is 1/2 uncapped where you play? It must be crazy being able to play that deep from the get-go when you sit down at a table. It sounds like absolute nut-peddling would be profitable in your game, haha. Feel free to post some hands. I post a mix of online and live hands, as you've probably seen, and definitely welcome both feedback and other people's hands.
For this last session I think I'll just do a highlight reel, so to speak. Like I mentioned before, nothing super-eventful. I misplayed a few spots, but I think my analysis is pretty correct for them. But don't let that stop anyone from telling me I'm wrong!
- KTcc in the SB in a 7-handed game. 2 limpers, and the button, a loose-ish reg, makes it $12. I call, as does the BB. Flop is 987ccx. It checks to the BTN, who bets $30. I call, and the BB goes all in for $45. BTN calls, I call. Turn is an offsuit J, I check, BTN bets $100 with < $80 behind, and I go all in. He calls. River is a 9. I turn over my hand, the BB shows 88 to win the main. After about 20 seconds, BTN turns over ATo to chop the side.
- Vs. old man calling station, I'm 3rd limper into pot in MP with 64hh. Flop J72hhx, old man leads small into the field. I call, as does one other. Turn 5o, old man bets smallish, I raise (bad because he's not bet/folding anything), other guy folds, old man calls. River pairs 7, old man checks, I bet, and old man calls with J5o (counterfeited two pair ftw!!!) (bad river bet as well)
- Few hands later, QQ in BB, 4 limpers to me, I make it $17, trying to target old man OTB who has limped. Folds to BTN. BTN old man calling station and SB old man nit call. Flop QJ4 rainbow. Checks to me, I bet $35. BTN thinks for a bit and calls. SB snap folds. Turn 7 brings possible backdoor flush draw. I bet $80, and BTN tank calls. River 8 brings backdoor flush. I tank a bit but decide I miss WAY too much value if I don't shove. Based on his tendencies. I shove for $136. BTN tanks FOREVER and eventually calls, showing Q6o. I scoop.
- In the BB with KK, 3 limpers to me, I make it $17, and it folds to the SB, who snap-raises to about $70 with about $80 behind. I never ever put him on AA when he over-limps in the SB (my image wasn't super crazy, so it's not like he counts on me putting a raise in there). So I think for maybe 10 seconds and go all in. SB goes on this rant about how he's got kings, and he really doesn't want to call. He calls, I turn over my hand, flop comes 7-high, turn Q, river 2, he shows QQ and scoops the $320 pot.
There were maybe 1 or 2 other interesting hands, but nothing too extraordinary. I was pretty aggro this session, semibluff-raising, and x/r dry boards against preflop aggressors. I think that's the main reason I had only a marginally losing session, despite being relatively card-dead (both preflop and with hitting flops), and also getting coolered or bad beat a few times.
Lmbeach
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Welcome to the thread, Lmbeach.
Is 1/2 uncapped where you play? It must be crazy being able to play that deep from the get-go when you sit down at a table. It sounds like absolute nut-peddling would be profitable in your game, haha. Feel free to post some hands. I post a mix of online and live hands, as you've probably seen, and definitely welcome both feedback and other people's hands.
For this last session I think I'll just do a highlight reel, so to speak. Like I mentioned before, nothing super-eventful. I misplayed a few spots, but I think my analysis is pretty correct for them. But don't let that stop anyone from telling me I'm wrong!
- KTcc in the SB in a 7-handed game. 2 limpers, and the button, a loose-ish reg, makes it $12. I call, as does the BB. Flop is 987ccx. It checks to the BTN, who bets $30. I call, and the BB goes all in for $45. BTN calls, I call. Turn is an offsuit J, I check, BTN bets $100 with < $80 behind, and I go all in. He calls. River is a 9. I turn over my hand, the BB shows 88 to win the main. After about 20 seconds, BTN turns over ATo to chop the side.
- Vs. old man calling station, I'm 3rd limper into pot in MP with 64hh. Flop J72hhx, old man leads small into the field. I call, as does one other. Turn 5o, old man bets smallish, I raise (bad because he's not bet/folding anything), other guy folds, old man calls. River pairs 7, old man checks, I bet, and old man calls with J5o (counterfeited two pair ftw!!!) (bad river bet as well)
- Few hands later, QQ in BB, 4 limpers to me, I make it $17, trying to target old man OTB who has limped. Folds to BTN. BTN old man calling station and SB old man nit call. Flop QJ4 rainbow. Checks to me, I bet $35. BTN thinks for a bit and calls. SB snap folds. Turn 7 brings possible backdoor flush draw. I bet $80, and BTN tank calls. River 8 brings backdoor flush. I tank a bit but decide I miss WAY too much value if I don't shove. Based on his tendencies. I shove for $136. BTN tanks FOREVER and eventually calls, showing Q6o. I scoop.
- In the BB with KK, 3 limpers to me, I make it $17, and it folds to the SB, who snap-raises to about $70 with about $80 behind. I never ever put him on AA when he over-limps in the SB (my image wasn't super crazy, so it's not like he counts on me putting a raise in there). So I think for maybe 10 seconds and go all in. SB goes on this rant about how he's got kings, and he really doesn't want to call. He calls, I turn over my hand, flop comes 7-high, turn Q, river 2, he shows QQ and scoops the $320 pot.
There were maybe 1 or 2 other interesting hands, but nothing too extraordinary. I was pretty aggro this session, semibluff-raising, and x/r dry boards against preflop aggressors. I think that's the main reason I had only a marginally losing session, despite being relatively card-dead (both preflop and with hitting flops), and also getting coolered or bad beat a few times.
It's capped at $300, or the biggest stack... and it's only very loosely enforced. Nut peddling doesn't really work if you want to make any real cash, you won't get paid off enough even by the tourists. Usually the regs (including the bad ones) are the only people that start with more than $300ish. tourists pick up cash here and there so you can win a big pot off of them.
KTcc hand is whatever. my gut instinct said the raiser had the small straight already made, or had a set/2pair type hand. He bet almost the pot. You might have been able to shove and knock him off his hand. He never has JT there, IMO.
64hh hand: You had a LOT of outs on the turn, people who bet small usually don't have a strong hand and I assume that's the logic you were using, but this is a calling station. I think if you are going to raise turn you should first ask yourself if you are going to bluff river into a calling station on a miss or check back 6 high. Personally with calling stations I'd MUCH rather call when priced in and bet whatever I think they are willing to call with a made hand. In this case, bet small with a small flush, fold to a raise, and bet pretty damn big with a rivered straight.
QQ river shove... well, the pot was almost $240, I think it's close but if your going to call any bet they make anyway I'd generally rather bet, other than backdoor clubs and all combos of T9 you win (and I think the station can/does have all combos of T9), you didn't list the exact cards that were rainbow for the flop, I think If I can account for the Qc it's easier to shove - blocks some combos that he could call-call with. I think this was really close, but for him to call with Q6o the river shove was obviously right.
KK hand: the only thing stopping me from slam dunking all of my money into the middle would have been my internal 'wait before acting' timer.
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Lol, solid replies. Obviously agree 100% on KT and 64. With KT, even if he has JT in his range, I have too many outs OTF, so I'm never folding, and I thought I might get him to fold something I was ahead of sometimes OTT, though I think that's a pretty small %. With 64 I just goofed OTT and OTR I honestly just got stubborn. The completely flawed mentality of - I have to keep repping something. I don't need to, because he's not folding. As much as it hurts to check back 6 high OTR.
QQ, I don't actually remember where the Qc was, whether it was on the board, or in my hand, or not. But probability says there's a 3/4 chance I could see it with my own two eyes - before the river
KK - exactly.
QQ, I don't actually remember where the Qc was, whether it was on the board, or in my hand, or not. But probability says there's a 3/4 chance I could see it with my own two eyes - before the river
KK - exactly.
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Just remembered another hand I meant to put down:
2 limpers to me, I'm in HJ with 67s and overlimp. Relatively tight, but not super-nit, guy on my left over-limps CO. I flop a flush on A53m, and it checks to me. I bet, CO is the only caller. Offsuit 8 OTR, I bet, he calls, leaving a 2/3 PSB behind or so. River bricks off with an offsuit T, and I jam. He calls with Q4dd. Sucks to flop a flush and be drawing dead to runner runner straight flush
I actually almost x/f river though, because he really wasn't getting out of line at all. And I'm unsure now, but I think when he calls two pretty big bets vs. me (the guy wasn't an idiot, he knew I had a good hand), his hand is pretty much extremely-discounted two pairs, and more flushes, and I think he checks back two pair on the river.
2 limpers to me, I'm in HJ with 67s and overlimp. Relatively tight, but not super-nit, guy on my left over-limps CO. I flop a flush on A53m, and it checks to me. I bet, CO is the only caller. Offsuit 8 OTR, I bet, he calls, leaving a 2/3 PSB behind or so. River bricks off with an offsuit T, and I jam. He calls with Q4dd. Sucks to flop a flush and be drawing dead to runner runner straight flush
I actually almost x/f river though, because he really wasn't getting out of line at all. And I'm unsure now, but I think when he calls two pretty big bets vs. me (the guy wasn't an idiot, he knew I had a good hand), his hand is pretty much extremely-discounted two pairs, and more flushes, and I think he checks back two pair on the river.