I just returned yesterday from a Vegas weekend trip that included many hours playing 1/3 and 1/2 NL Hole em. A brief history of my play: I have been playing recreational poker for about 15 years now, but in the last 1-2 years I have started studying more, tracking my winnings, and reading many forums. I am about an $20/hour player, and I have been looking to move up stakes to 2/5 recently. However, I need feedback on some hands in Vegas. Not sure if I can chalk these up to bad luck, poor play, or what. Any help, suggestions, critiques, and words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.
1st hand: On the button ($320) 1/2 NL, holding KK, UTG ($620) raised to $12, EMP calls, MP 3 bets to $36, H 4 bets to $95, UTG jams all in, EMP folds, MP tanks for a while but eventually folds. I tank for about a minute realizing that AA is in my future, but I make the call... AA v KK, and I get stacked. Unavoidable? MP actually had AK suited and laid it down.
2nd hand: On the button ($260) 1/3 NL, holding AT hearts, five limpers to me and I raise to $18, MP ($200, weak player, blown through about $500 in two hours) calls, as does hijack ($400). Flop AA7 rainbow, no hearts. MP checks, HJ checks, H bets $35, MP & HJ call. Turn is 4 of clubs, giving backdoor flush. MP checks, HJ checks, H bets $85, MP jams, HJ folds, I think for about 15 seconds but obviously make the call. MP has A7... turn is a brick. Is checking the flop or turn the right play? I assume the only hand possibly ahead of me at this point is a limped in AJ off suit, but I am thinking MP raises that every time based on previous play. I am thinking straight draws, flush draws, weaker aces, and possible even pairs of 7s are in their ranges.
3rd hand: On the button ($300) 1/3 NL, playing at the same table of people as hand two (above). Holding A8 clubs with four limpers ahead. I raise to $18, MP ($600 and same villain as 2nd hand) calls. Flop is 88Q with Q of clubs. MP checks, H bets $22, MP calls. Next card is 5 of clubs. MP checks, H bets $45, MP calls. At this point I am assuming villains range is one gap and two gap combos of 8s, QJ, QT, Q9, KQ, and I hold nut flush draw. River is total dud, off suit 2. Villain checks again, pot is about $170 at this point and I bet for value at $75. Villain shoves, and I snap call, and he rolls over Q8 off suit. Needless to say I am not too happy about my current run against this player. Nearly identical hands here. Suggestions on #2 or #3 would be helpful.
4th hand: TT Cuttoff ($220) 1/2, UTG + 1 opens to $7, MP & HJ make the call, and I 3 bet to $25. UTG & MP folds, HJ ($400) calls. Flop comes 7TQ all hearts. HJ bets $25, H calls. Turn is off suit 3. HJ bets $35, H raises to $95, HJ tanks for a while and eventually shoves all in. Villain has to have A of hearts for the nuts, but I obviously make the call. Villain shows AQ with A of hearts. River comes heart and he takes down the pot. Any suggestions would be helpful.
5th hand: KK on the button ($310) 1/3, table is really loose and people are betting closer to 2/5 with deep stacks. UTG ($650) opens to $18, UTG +`1 ($400), EMP ($350), MP ($800) call behind him. I 3 bet to $55, action folds to EMP, who recently sat down to the table and jammed earlier with 27 off suit, which he proudly showed after bluffing the table. EMP jams all in. MP folds to me. I look at him and pretty much tell him that if he has aces I am going to be very upset. I make the call and he rolls over aces, and takes my stack.
Any help, advice, words of wisdom/encouragement would be greatly appreciated. This was a tough trip, and I am pretty down on my poker game currently. I only had 1 winning poker session, and you can see how the rest of the buy ins went. I would be more than happy to give any additional details on these hands, players involved, etc. Thanks in advance!
