29th Session

Buyin: 200

Duration: 4 hrs

Cashout: 0

Result: -200

This session ended worse then any session I have played so far. My table was incredibly soft. Like better than squeeze ball. Only good player was to my direct left that I have played with abunch and we just ended up avoiding each other for the most part.

I really felt good about my table image and the cards were running well for me. I was able to bluff many flops and turns when checked to in position. And when I did get called I had good hands.

I was slow played, 2 outered, and 3 outered. To end my night.

Hand 1(2 outered)

Hero 300
V1 250 super tight
V2 230

2 limps to hero, Hero limps Btn Qh7h. Preflop action had been extremely passive so I have been calling wide in position. V1 raises to 7. Everyone calls.

Flop AsQsQc(pot 30)

Hero checks, V1 bets 15, V2 calls, Hero check raises to 50

V1 reluctantly calls, V2 debates and then mucks.h

Turn 8s( pot 145)

Hero bets 60, V1 calls.

River Ax

Hero checks, V1 bets 25 and Hero very reluctantly has to call knowing V1 called down with the Ace. He shows AhKs

I can only assume my 1 mistake my have been my bet sizing on the turn. Maybe he would have folded to an 80 or 90 bet but I really think he was sticking with this hand no matter what. If he is calling the flop then he probably isn't giving me credit for the Q.

Feed back here would be great. Please chime in. Did I play this wrong?

Hand 2(biggest cooler I have had since starting this thread)

Hero 275
V1 225

1 limper to hero on the btn, AhJh. Raises to 15. Bb calls. Limper folds.

Flop AcQc5h.

V1 checks, Hero bets 25. V1 calls

Turn Jd

V1 checks, Hero bets 45, V1 calls.

River J

V1 leads 85 with 60 behind. I jam he calls and shows AA. FU CK.

The only problem I have with my play is I didn't stop to consider what hands he would have raised the river here with. Now I'm not folding a boat here. But if I would have thought about it I might have just found a call, but I doubt it. He played the hand well but man that river Jack really costed me.

Hand 3(3 outered)

Hero 50
V1 300
V2 400

Hero mp AsKc raises to 12. V1 calls, V2 calls.

Flop Ac8s6s

V2 checks. Hero slams 40 into the pot in a very angry fashion. Still tilted from the AA vs AJ hand just played before. I wanted to induce a call from a weak Ace which I was sure someone had.

Sure enough V1 calls, V2 folds and V1 says I made a bad call, I roll over AK, he says I have a worse kicker.

Turn 10s

V1 calls for no spade. I already know he just 3 outered the turn.

River blank

He scoops my last chips with A10o.

****, ****, ****. That ended my night. Table immediately broke making me feel even more like a fish.

I really don't think I played poorly but maybe 1 of my fellow 2+2ers can help point out somethings I might have missed.

"We don't need no water let the mother fu cker burn, BURN MOTHER FU CKER, BURN!!!!- bloodhound gang

2017 hrs [98.5]

Doesn't look like much else than poor runouts to me.I didn't see much, if anything, in the way of mistakes in play.

In Hand 1, when you say that "maybe he would have folded to an $80 or $90 bet," that is results oriented thinking. You want villain to call ott, and as long as you are laying him ~10:1 or worse, than you are extracting big value. The worse the odds, for villain, that you can get him to call ott, the better. I think that you played this hand fine, it was just a crap runout.

Thanks for the feed back Zombie it's always appreciated. And a huge help. After reviewing it a bunch more times I think your right. Just not much that can be done. I wanted him in the pot drawing to 2 outs. Sometimes they hit those crazy outs and that keeps them pumping the game full of more money.

I know it won't be the last time I get some run bad but hopefully that will hold me over for a long time. Lol.

30th Session

Buyin: 200

Duration: 2 hrs

Cashout: 292

Result: +92

WSOP Circuit events were in town for the first time ever to make at stop at the Hard Rock Tulsa, which technically speaking is actually not in Tulsa at all. Anyway I was really excited to play as 1 of my dreams is to play in the real WSOP in Vegas at some point in my life. I thought this would be a great way to get into it and not leave the state. Unfortunately I didn't get to play as my allergies kicked in bad 1 day before the first tournament started.

After fighting it all weekend I finally managed to get 2 hrs in on Saturday night.

First they had more 1/2 tables then I had ever seen at the Hard Rock. At 1 point they had over 20. I was surprised that pretty much every table had someone I knew. Lucky for me I got sat next to a Asain Reg I had played with alot that is extremely passive. He straddles anytime he can and I have yet to see him 3 bet pre. If he straddles I can 3 bet and steal it alot or just limp and know he will not be 3 betting me.

The 2 hands of note were both played vs Villian mentioned above.

Hand 1

Hero 150
V1 52

Mp raise to 7, V1 calls Sb, Hero 4c4s calls BB.

Flop. 886r

V1 checks, Hero thinks he could have the best hand here, mp looks ready to fold, V1 has 45 behind. I raise to 15, mp folds, and V1 almost calls then goes back and grabs his stack and jams for 45. He looks reluctant. I know V1 is Fairley loose. I could be behind here but I have seen him make some crazy plays. I think for a bit then call.

V1 shows 66 for a flopped boat and I lose the pot.

Hand 2

Hero 175
V1 175

V1 straddles the btn for 5. Hero has 8c8d and calls, 2 mp callers, and V1 calls. Think a small raise would have been good preflop.

Flop 2c8hKh

Hero leads 17, folds to V1 who calls.

Turn 7h

Hero bets 25, V1 raises to 50. I don't think V1 has a flush here, I think he has a King with a good flush draw. Perhaps AhKx, or KQh, perhaps a low flush. I call

River K

Bingo. Hero has 108 behind, I want a call here, I consider betting small to insure a call, but I know V1 pretty well and he will call VERY wide alot of time. I have seen him go through at least 3 buyins since I set down. I think he is playing really loose today perhaps chasing losses? If he can call 60 I think he can call my jam. If he has a flush he is calling and if he has a King he is most likely calling. I jam and he quickly calls. I saw boat and he looks really angry the mucks.

Good session at a not so great table. Session was short as I had some plans to meet up with a pretty lady and have some fun. We got a free meal comp, ate food then went back to my place. It's was a good night.

2017 hrs [100.5]

31st Session

Buyin: 200 + 200

Duration: 3 hrs

Cashout: 549

Result: +149

Showed up later than I wanted to as I got stuck watching Fargo the TV show. Movie is great, and Season 1 was amazing, best Billy Bob Thornton roll I have seen. Just started season 2 as to why I was late.

Table selection was not so good. Table was never full the whole 3 hours. Most of the players were TAG. Felt pretty good about my play.

Hand 1
Hero 200
V1 200

V1 UTG limps. Hero btn 10h9h calls. Sb calls, bb checks.

Flop Kc6s8c

Checks to V1 who bets 7, Hero calls, blinds fold

Turn 7s

V1 bets 15, Hero raises to 60, V1 calls

River As

V1 bets 60 leaving 70 behind. The flush gets there on the river, V1 could be betting top pair, 2 pair, or a set as my straight is well disguised. I call. V1 shows K6o for 2 pair.

After the hand I wonder if I am going to call here should I not raise allin? Am I only getting called by a flush here if I do raise?

2017 hrs [103.5]

32nd Session

Buyin: 200 + 200

Duration: 3 hrs

Cashout: 308

Result: -92

Session went ok. Made at least 2 mistakes. Not big mistakes but mistakes non the less.

First mistake I made was calling a large flop bet with an open ended straight draw from a really tight TAG. Which I don't hate as he could be continuation betting light here sometimes. But on the turn when I blank comes and he checks I bet too small and without thinking it through. He puts me allin and I have to fold. Against some players I like my play but not against this guy.

Second mistake I made is when I hit a gut shot on the river and check to the aggressor instead of value betting. It was a big pot and I could have at least tried for some amount of money.

Hand 1
Hero 250
V1 250
V2 220

V2 UTG bets 10, Hero Sb calls KcQc. Bb calls

Flop 9c8c6c

Checks thru,

Turn 7s

Hero bets 21, V1 calls, V2 folds

River 5c

Hero checks, V1 bets 55. Hero tanks, shows and then mucks.

V1 shows 10c7c. He flopped the nuts. I got lucky to only lose 21 here due to runout.

2017 hrs [106.5]

Hey SamBJam,

I'm from Oklahoma and just beginning to learn the game. I was wondering what your thoughts would have been if the Bb had bet about 1/3 pot post-flop? It seems like it still gives around pot odds for a flush draw and wouldn't have driven away too many hands that the Bb could have extracted value from down the road anyway. I guess their thinking was to disguise their strength for when/if straight draws get there. What would you have done?

The call preflop is questionable. If you call a lot in spots like this that is a major leak. You should be leading this flop to build a pot. Turn is fine. River seems ok. When you fold in this spot, don't show.

First off, welcome fellow Okie. I like this question.

So let me discribe some more about the hand. UTG player is covered in Superman Logos, shirt, hat, phone, chip protecter. He is Aggressive and has been leading and continuation betting alot. BB is a WSOP Circuit grinder from what I could gather, apparently decent as he said he did well at the WSOP circuit that was just in Vegas at the RIO. While we are playing a local reg women comes by to say hi to her husband and looks at BB and announces how good this player was in the tournament.

BB is not very Aggressive. He calls alot pre and post and does he raising on the turn and river.

So when the flop comes and we both hit our flush we both were checking to induce UTG to continuation bet.

Either one us should have raised here. His Straight flush is well disguised and now only 1 player is left to act. He should have put in a small bet here, like 1/3 pot as you suggest.

If BB raises 1/3 pot on the flop after I check, assuming UTG folds and the action is back on me. I would check/raise here. If he jams or raises I can fold. If he just calls the check raise and we make it to the turn, I would be in a tough spot.

If he just calls my raise, (which he should holding the nuts) I can narrow his range alot. He is either slow playing an Ace high flush, or has Ac10x, Ac9x, some kinda nut flush draw with a straight draw, or a random bluff.

Out of position against a good opponent I like to keep the pots small.

Once we get to the turn I am pretty much shutting down, if he value bets small and gives me good pot odds I can call small bets. But after I check raise flop and he doesn't fold I have all info I need.

Hope that helps, let me know what you think.

I have been adjusting my Sb play alot and my hand ranges. To me this call seems okay, could be part of the problem I suppose. Could you please explain what your reasoning is so I can understand the concepts behind the reasoning?

I agree normally a lead here to isolate and build a pot is correct. Against UTG I really believed he would continuation bet based on history with Villian.

And I agree showing to get sympathy about a bad run out is not a good idea. But I was also trying to be friendly to BB as I wanted to try and get more info from him. He is on my direct left and one of the better players at my table.

He was showing the straight flush eitherway so my showing only hurt me.

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

A raise from UTG tends to be tighter than one from LP. KQ is a reverse implied odds hand vs most value hands being raised from UTG (AK, AQ, AA, KK, QQ). Since there are no callers, a lot of the time we will be playing this hand heads up out of position without initiative, and at least $2 rake will be taken out once this goes to the flop. Position position position. Position can't be emphasized enough. Position is more important than the hand ranges we play.

As for the flop, even if UTG cbets then what? You raise and generally take it down? You call and then the turn often goes check, check, check. This is the problem with not having initiative when you are OOP.

Thanks Dream Crusher. This is awesome information. I agree with your analysis and will be trying to utilize this concept going further. I have not been considering position enough in those spots.

Man again thanks alot this is extremely helpful.

33rd Session

Buyin: 200 + 200

Duration: 3 hrs

Cashout: 422

Result: +22

Table selection was good for a Tues in Oklahoma. WSOP circuit is still in town and I got right into a good game. Player to my immediate right had 1k and everyone else had less than 200.

I made more than a few mistakes. I made a stupid bluff fairly quickly and was down to 100. Lost the other 100 when I flopped bottom 2 pair and V called with top pair and hit runner runner to make a boat.

Rebuy. I get my stack in with a Q42 flop with Q4, V has a set of 4s. I hit runner runner diamonds and make a flush.

Then call a players shove with KdQd vs his KK all-in pre, he was short stacked and I tried to 3 bet the button. I hit runner, runner diamonds again and scoop another pot.

I went to the casino because I had to get in the hours to make 40 for the month. I probably would have stayed home if I didn't have to get the hours to hit my goal.

I was fairly negative the whole time. And that's never a good thing. I have been really busy and I am pretty run down. Luckily I will be going with my kid to cabin with my parents for the weekend to do some fishing and get away from my everyday life. Need this break to reflect, study and relax.

2017 hrs [109.5]

34th Session

Buyin: 200

Duration:2 hrs 36 min

Cashout: 93

Result: -107

Not a great session played fairly tight but made a few loose preflop calls that resulted in alot of check folding. Working in tightening up more as I think I have been getting out of line.

2017 hrs [112]

35th Session

Buyin: 200

Duration: 3 hrs 55 mins

Cashout: 301

Result: +101

Session went okay.

Hand 1
Hero 170
V1 95 older lady seems kinda unhappy. Complains about not playing Cash in a while because she never wins.

V1 raise to 10 in the Cutoff. Hero As10s on the btn thinks about raising to isolate but blinds look ready to fold. She has not gotten too out of line so far that I have seen. So I call. Blinds fold

Heads up to the flop.

Flop 10cQh5s(pot 23)

V1 leads 15, Hero calls

Turn 7s(pot 53)

V1 quickly jams for 70. I pick up a flush draw to go with my second pair. I think V1 has a AQ, KJ, QJ, QK, etc. Some kinda pair hand with a Queen in it. At the time I thought she could be doing this with drawing hands as well. But later realized it was unlikely this lady was capable of a big bluff jam.

I end up calling.

She rolls over Q10 for two pair. I say I'm behind.

River Ad

She gets mad. And can't let it go until she finally moves to another table for a tournament.

2017 hrs [116]

Semibluffing draws is relatively uncommon in live poker. Old people tend to not bluff. In fact, a large percentage of the live population mostly just plays their hands for value. When a flush draw appears and the villain is betting huge that normally means they are scared of the flush hitting, not that they have a flush draw.

In general don't 3bet ATss. I'd be more than happy for the blinds to call when I have this hand on the button.

I agree. I poker stoved the hand after I posted this and saw I had way less equity with the draw then I thought. Even against 1 pair I only picked up 7% equity and I am still way more behind then I thought I would have been. This is a call I won't be making in the future.

But I am playing more hands in position and playing way less hands in the small blind even when odds are great.

I believe this was a big leak that cost me alot of money this month. As well as not running too good with these poor hands. Then again I did catch a few cards in key spots to take down pots when I was way behind. So perhaps I just played poorly and ran okay.

What's your hand range like in the BB? Do you defend more? This is still really bad position post flop. Should the hand range be similar to SB. Tight?

Thanks for the input.

Since rake is so prohibitive and raise sizes are so large there isn't much merit in defending your big blind. Blind defense makes more sense online where people are 2x raising and even more sense in tournaments where there is a lot of dead money in the middle (antes).

I can't make a blanket statement about what you should be defending with because "it depends" on many factors. I personally play a much looser range of hands than most winning players but even so I'd say I play relatively snug from the blinds and much much wider from late position. If there is a spot that I defend, it's my button, not my blinds.

36th Session

Buyin: 200 + 200

Duration: 5 hrs 37 mins

Cashout: 504

Result: +104

Session went okay. Lost my first Buyin and had to wait about 30 mins to get a table transfer to the table I wanted. At one point was down to 60.

Doubled with QJ vs AK
Then AQ vs 88
Then hit 2 pair and got doubled again.

Hand 1
Hero 450. Just made a big lay down of top 2 vs a flush that the V showed.
V1 300 LAG. Slot player that is very loose. Definition of a gambler. Likes to make big bluffs.

V1 raises to 12 UTG, mp calls, Hero calls btn AsJc, blinds call.

Flop A65r

Checks around. I know I'm ahead but I think V1 will bet out alot here on the turn.

Turn Kr

Checks to V1 who bets 30, Hero tank then calls

River 3

V1 counts out 80 and quickly bets. I call with 1 chip. He says 6. I show and scoop.

2017 hrs [121.5]

March Results

Worst month so far since starting. Still managed to barely squeak out a profit.

My game was not so great but gave me a chance to find some leaks, learn some new things and come out with a positive attitude about the poor play.

This is a journey and I have along way to go. Realizing now that I focus too much on variance sometimes and that I need to think big.

Thanks to Zombie and Dream Crusher for the feedback and advice. It's always helpful.

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Made my 40 hours for the month so hoping to get some cash from the freeroll this coming Saturday. Ready to get my BR over the 3k mark but not in a rush. A cash Saturday would make the push.

Thanks for the shout out!

I was concerned after seeing your total hours for the month that you fell 2 minutes short. I am glad to see that wasn't the case.

Goodluck in the freeroll, buddy!

UGH...why are you tanking on that turn?? What difficult decision could you possibly be making? Please don't do that. Not only are you making it not fun for others (why they come to play), but you are costing yourself more hands in the long run. Call quickly like you have a K and move on.

> pot shove from older woman is an easy fold unless she has shown evidence of bluff shoving in the past.

[QUOTE=downunder66;52016757]UGH...why are you tanking on that turn?? What difficult decision could you possibly be making? Please don't do that. Not only are you making it not fun for others (why they come to play), but you are costing yourself more hands in the long run. Call quickly like you have a K and move on.

> pot shove from older woman is an easy fold unless she has shown evidence of bluff shoving in the past.[/QUOTE

Thanks for your input. I have to agree with the fold to the older women's shove. She had shown no evidence of bluffing. Bad call lucky result.

When I say I tanked it's never for more than a minute. And I do that for a few reasons. I wanted V1 to think I was considering a fold and making a crying call, I also like to change the amount of time I take to act. Most importantly I like to rethink the hand. Decide my plan of attack and what I will do in the event he does something unexpected.

I agree tanking for show or "Hollywooding" is a waste of time.

Definitely some merit to your advice. Will have to think about this more.

My poker ledger isn't 100% correct on the times I forget to start my session for a few minutes every now and then. But I always check my hours before I leave on the casino computer.

Thanks for the luck.

37th Session

Buyin: 200

Duration: 5 hrs 37 mins

Cashout: 304

Result: +104

Played tight and didn't get out of line.

2017 hrs [127]