What you did is probably not too bad but I think calling the flop raise might be better. When you jam you are probably getting it in mostly against flushes because of blocker effects (something like 88 would be better for jamming when it's 3 times more likely that villain has AQ with the ace of clubs or A4 suited).

Very interesting about the blocker affect. On balance I think we are still ahead of a fair few hand combos here on the flop that would stack off all in.

AhKc, AhQc, AhJc, KcQx, A8s, A4s, 88, 44 = 26 combos vs (KQs, KJs, QJs) = 6 combos.

I reckon nearly all these combos we are beating jam against brick on the turn so maybe that's where the gold is! If a club comes..... we check-fold? *barf*

Hit the £600 milestone this morning, NL25 is honing into view!

Had a mad session on Stars where a player was on monkey-tilt jamming all-in every single hand, it happens so rarely but when it happens, what a game The nit-reg at the table dropped 10 buyins in 10 mins to the guy who was just flopping 2 pairs and sets left + right. I got it in A5s, AA + 55 against his rags and held up 3/3 times *phew*.

The sickest hand was the 55 as we were 450bb deep, monkey-tilter had suddenly hit the breaks UTG and raised only 4x, I called to set-mine, and the 100bb stack to my left jammed. I fully intended to fold but then monkey-tilter just flatted 100bb. This looked beyond weak to me so I jammed and he flipped over 23o! I lost to AQ to my left but picked up the 700bb main-pot.

Hours: 198
Profit: £630.62

Hours: 199
Profit: £677.07

This sounds a bit optimistic. I think AKo usually isn't in the range post flop, and some villains would fold 44 and possibly other hands you listed preflop. I don't think KcQx necessarily calls the big flop jam.

I'm not sure how you got 26 combos from the ones you listed, I counted 15 combos (more realistically I think nonflushes that call the flop jam are about 10 combos or less).

For the flushes I would have KQs,KJs, KTs,QJs,JTs and possibly many more depending on how loise villain is (QTs, T9s, 76s, 65s...).

Your AA blocker theme reminds me of this hand https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfr2stOODx4 (hand analysis starts at 8:20).

Sounds fun XD! Well done on getting past 600.

I think I've been double-counting on my combinatorics, I've been counting KcQc as 2 combos :/ My hand analysis skills may be a bit rusty after a few years away.

So are you folding turn/river to a jam once the 4th flush card hits?

Generally, yes. Players tend not to find bluffs here (hard to raise nonclub airballs OTF, something like 98 without a club maybe? You gotta be pretty creative).

But if villain ever "semibluffs" (what would you call it?) sets/2 pair on turns when a 4th club comes then I think you have to call. Kind of a close spot maybe.

Very convincing sir, I'll certainly think twice in this spot next time.

I don't see many players at NL10 that can get this creative, although you do get a lot more nonsensical spewing, so could maybe apply the 5% rule that these players could just be spewing hard. That said, I think bet-call flop is always right here.

Thanks a lot for your insight CuteRaven!

£700 milestone hit!

Hours: 205
Profit: £704.06

I mentioned earlier in the thread that 'whining' can sometimes induce opponents to show their bluffs, but also I've found it obscures my air-ball bluffs when they go wrong and feigns tilt rather well too. I bet this works even better live, as long as you don't mind looking a bit foolish.

For example, say I've fired 3 barrels with 6-high and my opponent re-raises a dangerous river and I'm pretend-tanking. If I say something like "Ah man, you are too lucky. Just get there every time!" seems to have a few nice affects:
- they usually show the hand ( no-one likes their genius described as pure luck! )
- you look tilted, get more action in later hands
- opponents may put you on a decent hand in those spots and make poor adjustments

It's worked a few times this week, especially against a very agg reg I've been battling recently and that info was very valuable. A work in progress. I'll keep trying it and see if it works out.

Giraffe's looking healthy, can't wait till the bankrolls big enough to start hitting some live 1/2.

The heater continues and I'm thrilled today to have surpassed the 750 mark, meaning I can finally move up to the NL25 games! ...then my dumbass realised I'm counting in £'s not $'s so I could have moved up a while back

...so I'll be starting NL25 tomorrow with 36 buy-ins. Plan is to drop back down if I drop down passed 20 buyins so I've got 16 buyins to burn at these stakes. Wish me luck!

Hours: 211.5
Profit: £768.78

Great!
GLGL!

Nice start to NL25, won a couple of buy-ins and not feeling out of my depth just yet.

Hours: 213.5
Profit: £809.11

It has only been a couple of days but it looks like most tables are going to be 5 regs and a fish at these stakes, and I haven't seen anything too creative from the regs yet so should be able to steal + bluff a small win rate in between whaling. (or are whales only high stakes? maybe tuna-fishing?).

Planning ahead, I'll be sticking to my guns and be moving up to NL50 once I've got 30 buyins ($1500).

Is this suicide without having had any solver experience or coaching in the last 8 years? Any advice on a good/cheap way to catch up with the times?

Thanks Slyless!

I've got a week off work coming up so might use some of that time to study up on some coaching videos. I'm eyeing up Upswing + RunItOnce for a few months subscription, any recommendations?

Hours: 217
Profit: £838.09



A few dirty hands tonight, how do you think I played these? Same Villain, only notes are very aggresive, seen him OB bluff a few times in this session.


***No-limit Hold'em NL25***
Seat1
Seat2
VILLAIN (CO): ($30)
Seat4
Seat5
HERO (BB): ($27)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [Ah Qs]
Seat1 folds
Seat2 folds
VILLAIN: raises 75c
Seat4 folds
Seat5 folds
HERO: raises $3
VILLAIN: calls

*** FLOP *** [5h 6h Qc] ($6.15)
HERO: Checks
VILLAIN: Checks

*** TURN *** [5h 6h Qc 4c] ($6.15)
HERO: bets $4
VILLAIN: calls

*** RIVER *** [5h 6h Qc 4c Jc] ($14.15)
HERO: Checks
VILLAIN: Bets all-in $20 effectively
HERO: Folds

********************************************

***No-limit Hold'em NL25***
Seat1
Seat2
Seat3
Seat4
HERO (SB): ($30)
VILLAIN (BB): ($30)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [Ah 9h]
Seat1 folds
Seat2 folds
Seat3 folds
Seat4 raises 75c
Seat5 folds
HERO: raises $3
VILLAIN: calls in BB

*** FLOP *** [3h 5h 8c] ($6.15)
HERO: bets $4
VILLAIN: Calls

*** TURN *** [3h 5h 8c Js] ($14.15)
HERO: bets $9
VILLAIN: calls

*** RIVER *** [3h 5h 8c Js 2d] ($32.15)
HERO: bets all-in $14

I probably should preface any cash game analysis, by saying that I almost exclusively play SNGs . Anyway:

Hand 1:

I don't mind a plan to checkraise flop against aggro players but my default would be to bet. As played I'm not folding the river against an overly bluffy opponent (villain is probably not meant to bluff with blockers to the missed flush draw, so Ah is maybe a good card for you to hold in theory, but that's not too relevant).

Hand 2:

I think giving up river is better with the bad blockers, and I'm not sure villain would overfold on the blank river against a small all in. Probably I would prefer bluffing river with mostly nonheart combos of QT or T9 or 76. Maybe add a few combos of air like KT if you want to avoid underbluffing (not sure if you want to in this case).

Hmm...well maybe it's a bit tough to construct a good bluffing range without some missed hearts (the lower ones maybe?)

Edit: I'm guessing villains range has hands like 99 or TT often that might call. Nice to block those when bluffing maybe.

Very nice analysis, thanks!

Hand 1 chk flop is something I pull out the bag rarely to balance out my Ax and pockets that are too weak to bet. I'd expect all heart flush draws to bet flop vs a chk flop. These checks have induced some 3 barrel bluffs all in when players start getting sick of my PF raises. Mb a bad fold but I expect the bluffing to start on flop or turn because I look so weak there, river is a brave spot overbet seeing as I could definitely rep QJ or club flush.

Hand 2 he called with A8. So 99, TT are snapping this off too.

Quick update, NL25 is goin pret-ty good

Hours: 221
Profit: £929.85

Hours: 223.5
Profit: £931.94

How would you play the flop in this situation 200+bb deep? Villain is pretty ABC reg. I feel checking back is super exploitable against nearly all opponents, but a small CB against a good reg can get floated and bluffed later so easily.

I opted for 1/2pot CB with the intention of giving up most T + R.

***No-limit Hold'em NL25***
VILLAIN (UTG): ($75)
Seat2
Seat3
Seat4
Seat5
HERO (BB): ($60)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [Qc Qs]
VILLAIN raises 75c
Seat2 folds
Seat3 folds
Seat4 folds
Seat5 folds
HERO: raises $3
VILLAIN calls $3

*** FLOP *** [Ah 6c 3d] ($6.15)
HERO bets $3

Hours: 224.5
Profit: £903.94

On mega-tilt after losing a buy-in this morning, I'm such a toddler I've had slew of AA, KK, QQ over the last couple of sessions and just lost every damn one of them, either all in or against flopped 2pair in 3B pots. I also ran a bluff (below) that got snap called off haha. Still steaming an hour later so plan is to rant here then listen to some Stevie-ray Vaughan to calm down.

My anti-tilt track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEuKbE4MXPE

Honestly I dont hate my bluff because I feel the flop just smashes my bet/call PF range and my opponent is nearly always a pair drawing dead or very thin. Guy is a reg usually playing higher stakes so thought he may fold out pairs here. Anyway here's the spew:

***No-limit Hold'em NL25***
Seat1
Seat2
HERO (CO): ($35)
Seat4
VILLAIN (SB): ($40)
Seat6

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [6s 7s]
Seat1 folds
Seat2 folds
HERO: raises 75c
Seat4 folds
Seat5 folds
VILLAIN: raises $3.50
HERO: calls

*** FLOP *** [9s Tc Kh] ($7.15)
VILLAIN: bets $2
HERO: raises $6.50
VILLAIN: calls

*** TURN *** [9s Tc Kh 5d] ($20.15)
VILLAIN: bets $5
HERO: bets all-in $25

Finished the day in the black!

Hours: 226.5
Profit: £958.38



Mon-Wed are a bit of a reg-fest, plus I have a week off work, so I'll be taking this opportunity to study up on RIO training site.

Just bought a NLHE course and a month's subscription so should have a decent amount of good content to keep me busy.

Not sure villain expects you to slowplay those hands OTR. In villains shoes I would probably way overbluff there XD (but I'm kind of an aggrodonk).

QQ hand looks ok. I'm probably betting everything small (1/4-1/3) OTF with the strong range advantage.

67 hand looks like spew to me. You're repping a relatively narrow range, and you have some other hands to bluff with better equity (AQ, AJ, maybe JT, J9). I'm not sure villain overfolds.

It is kind of akward to bluffraise with equity in case villain 3bet shoves the flop though, because you might have to fold your equity (and many hands are nice to just call). On the other hand you probably want to raise sometimes against the tiny bet. Kind of tough, I'm curious what a solver would think.

Maybe A9 is a decent bluff combo since you can fold to a flop 3bet? Or maybe 67 bluff is better than it looks? Or maybe solver calls it's whole range? I'm guessing at this point XD.

Nice sunrun recently! Almost halfway.

Yes 67 hand is an 'interesting' one. With any made hands with equity I'm always going to take advantage of his tiny CB by flatting so I'm 80% going to be showing up here with 2pairs and straights. That's why the 'snapcall' surprised me, I think regs at this stake still have trouble letting go of a top-pair hand in 3bet pots, even when the flop is smashing their opponents range and getting pushback vs the PF 3better (it was a great call, but the lack of thinking time makes me think it was a bit of click-and-hope).

Seems I'm raking quite a bit now compared to before so rakeback is a nice $20 boost every week. I'll still take the week off to study and hopefully breach the £1,000 mark next week.

Hours: 226.5
Profit: £971.8

sub ~

Forgot how much I love watching training videos, there's a good chance I'll be keeping my membership on ROI after this month. After a few vids though there's one glaring difference on how they play SBvBB.

These pros 3x quite a wide range of hands from the SB whereas I usually play a lot tighter range but 4x. I also limp a lot with tight players and throw some limp-3Bets in with looser regs.

I also tend to bully the hell out of anyone 3x'ing my BB, I call pretty much any 2 and steal it on low-med flops or against weakness, or occasionally outdraw them and beat them out of a big pot.

Is there a solid proven strategy for SBvBB play? Because I always thought 3xing from SB gave way too good odds to the BB who has position.

Just got savaged tonight by every cooler + badbeat in the book for 8 buy-ins. Unfortunate because games were pretty juicy. I'll be truly gutted if I have to drop down to NL10 but still pretty unlikely.

Oh well, reload and back in the action tomorrow!

Hours: 232
Profit: £830.23

Sad giraffe:

Bah another great line-up of spewy players and I just could not stop the bleeding. Might take a few days off and study instead.

Im still 16-17 buyins aways from dropping down to NL10 so still got time to pull this back up.

Hours: 233
Profit: £773.23