What's up guys. I'm starting this log here as a way to get feedback on my plays and mostly importantly, to keep myself motivated. I know my goal is a bit of a long shot but i think with enough volume and good bankroll management it's definitely within the realm of possibility.

I plan to, either everyday or every other, post a bunch of hands where i won the most money or had the most trouble playing in the hopes to receive feedback on my thought process throughout the hands by whoever is interested/nice enough to offer it.

Also, since football season is underway and I'm a sports betting junkie, I'll be posting a couple of my plays and how I'm doing betting wise. I didn't see this being a violation of the forum rules in the sticky, but if it is, please let me know and I'll remove it immediately and will not post them again.

Anyway, wish me luck. I will be posting a couple of hands i played in the next post. Some feedback would be greatly appreciated.

what site ya play on?
current bankroll?
fullring / 6 max?


good luck getting to 400nl by february!. . u'll need the luck.

This is a hand i played either yesterday or the day before. The river was a tricky spot for me. I'll go over my thought process street by street and hopefully someone can tell me if my head was in the right place.



Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

CO: $19.93
BTN: $15.12
Hero (SB): $10.24
BB: $8.29
UTG: $10.00

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is SB with 3 5
2 folds, BTN raises to $0.30, Hero raises to $1.09, 1 fold, BTN calls $0.79

I had been 3 betting this guy a lot so far in the session. He was raising nearly 100% of his Buttons and folded to 3 bets quite a bit. I like 3 betting people at these stakes with these kinds of hands. Most of the time they fold Preflop or to a cbet on the flop. When he flatted me i constructed his range of being KQs/AQ/AK/10s/Js/Qs and almost never AA or KK. I was pretty sure he was the type of player to flat 10s-Qs a pretty decent amount of the time but would never flat AA or KK. I was fairly certain he would just fold his suited connector type hands and wasn't going to defend that lightly.

Flop: ($2.28) 6 T 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $1.50, BTN calls $1.50

I decided to bet OTF because i knew i was getting value out of all his ace high combos. Yet, i also knew he wouldn't raise the board when he had me crushed. I guess you could consider it a range merging spot. I knew i was getting value some portion of the time and value towning myself the other portion. However, i felt like it was a spot where betting made the hand easier to play, as opposed to checking and deciding whether or not to float with bottom pair. When he flats my c-bet, I'm fairly sure he's doing it with nearly 100% of his 3 bet defending range, so the flop doesn't change much in my mind. Also, I'm fairly sure he would think that i would be c-betting this board with 100% of my 3 betting range and that, for all the times he has AK/AQ/AJ type hands, i would getting some value.

Turn: ($5.28) 9 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN checks

When he checked back the turn it confused the hell out of me. I figured he would do this with two types of holdings: hands with showdown value and his monsters. After i check to him he probably figures A. I don't have much of a hand and/or B. he can't get anymore value out of his monsters by betting the turn. So once again, i can't really narrow his range down any further. Originally i had discounted hands like 77 through 99 out of his defending range preflop but i began to factor them back in because those type of hands would play this board, so far, in a similar manner. On a side note, had he bet the turn, i would probably have folded.

River: ($5.28) T (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $3.00, Hero calls $3

When i check the river and he fires, i never really think i can be good that often. However, i am able to fully discount 77-99 from his range, as he would almost never value bet the river that thinly. His range consists of a 10, JJ, QQ, and whatever hands he floated the flop with and is now turning into a bluff. The only hand i can see him having with a 10 in it, is pocket 10s. As i said earlier, he wouldn't be defending his BTN with 109s type of hands. I don't even think he would defend as light as QJs. His sizing was also a bit misleading. When he bets the river he is doing it with either JJ/QQ, 1010 (possibly a random hand with a 10 in it, but like i said, i thought it was very unlikely) or he is turning his KQ/AQ/AK hands into bluffs. I felt that if he had one of those types of hands he would bluff with them, thinking that his ace high had little SD value. I tanked for a bit and eventually called, more due to metagame reasons more than anything else. I felt like he felt that i couldn't possibly have a good hand as played and that he would probably get me to fold with a river bluff. I also think a decent portion of the time i would be paying him off with this call.

All in all, i felt as if i should have flipped a coin deciding whether to call or fold. I'm never shoving here as a bluff because, when i call, I'm bluffcatching all of the range i beat sometimes and other times I'm paying him off. In this specific spot, i felt like shoving as a bluff would be the worst possible play and would accomplish nothing.

Anyway, it was a really tricky spot for me. Hopefully someone can tell me if my head was in the right place.

Forgot to add in some key details lol. I play exclusively on FullTilt right now. Will be playing on Pokerstars as well sometime in the future. I'm going to be playing 6max until i hit 50nl, where i plan to play a lot of Heads up in addition to the 6max games. I don't play FR online but i do play it in live games every now and then.

I don't really want to get into specifics about my bankroll but i am starting out with a very comfortable amount of BIs for 10nl and i will update my bankroll status by how close i am to being significantly rolled for the next limit, not by exact numbers.

Just played a 500 hand session. It was pretty swingy. I was up about 5 buyins, lost 4, up a couple more, etc etc. Whole session went like that and i ended up minus one buyin. Hopefully better luck later.

what kinda roll you working with.

chino613- ill always have at least 20 buy ins for the limit I play. Ill move up when I hit 20 buy ins for the following limit. Sitting at just about 20 buy ins for 10 nl right now. As I said earlier I'm not going to use exact numbers but I will say where I am in relation to moving up to the next limit.

imo no specifics... no one will follow

Played another 300 or so hands tonight. Started off chip dumping about 3 buyins. Ended up rallying back a bit and I ended at -1/2 a BI total for the day. Here's, in my opinion, some of the more interesting hands of the day's sessions.

Biggest winning hand:

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

SB: $9.46
BB: $18.16
UTG: $10.45
Hero (MP): $19.61
CO: $9.40
BTN: $7.29

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is MP with 2 2
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.30, CO calls $0.30, 2 folds, BB raises to $1.10, Hero calls $0.80, 1 fold

Flop: ($2.55) T 2 8 (2 players)
BB bets $1.65, Hero calls $1.65

Turn: ($5.85) 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2.45, BB raises to $7.20, Hero raises to $16.86, BB calls $8.21 all in

River: ($36.67) 5 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $36.67
BB shows Q Q
Hero shows 2 2
Hero wins $33.22
(Rake: $2.00)

Biggest losing hand:

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

BB: $20.79
Hero (UTG): $10.00
MP: $13.39
CO: $13.41
BTN: $19.42
SB: $10.26

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is UTG with 9 7
Hero raises to $0.30, 1 fold, CO raises to $0.90, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.60

Flop: ($1.95) 5 K K (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.50, Hero raises to $4.30, CO raises to $12.51, Hero folds

Final Pot: $10.55
CO wins $9.85
(Rake: $0.70)



Interesting re-steal hand

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

SB: $25.38
Hero (BB): $18.68
UTG: $14.58
MP: $8.80
CO: $10.20
BTN: $12.84

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with 2 5
1 fold, MP raises to $0.35, 1 fold, BTN raises to $1.20, 1 fold, Hero raises to $3.20, 2 folds


Feedback on any of the hands i post is greatly appreciated. I had some better ones but my HEM doesn't seem to have tracked them, weird.

On a side note, took Miami on the money line for one betting unit and NYG/IND over 48.5 for one unit. Up 3 units for the day and season.

post more specifics bro... btw this goal is alittle ambitious dont you think?

Exothermic - what specifics did you have in mind? I figured HHs, hand discussions, and general bankroll updates were enough lol. And yes, the goal is very ambitious. Wouldn't have it any other way, I don't settle for marginal results.

what are your stats like? vpip/pfr/3bet?

please feel free to completely ignore what i am about to say if it is of no use, but, from playing 10nl on ftp for a while, it seems as though, just from the few hands you have posted, you're likely playing too many hands. hands like the 35s you posted above would likely only draw the comment "fold pre" when posted in the uNL forum. people at 10nl just cannot wait to give their money away with 2nd/3rd/any pair. you can profit comfortably enough at this level by playing tight, betting only for value, and never bluffing.

it seems to me your playing a style that is likely to be swingy, which is just unnecessary at 10nl imo.

Nutcracker - I appreciate the input. I actually don't play that loosely. I tend to 3 bet a bit more than most do and add those type of hands into my 3 bet range. It tends to work for me because it allows me to get value from players I have a bit of history with, who know I 3 bet wider than most at the limit, when I have a big hand. Stats are 23/17 with a 3 bet% of about 8-9%.

Just played about 200 hands. Not that big of a session but i ended up +4 buyins. Ran incredibly well and felt pretty good about how i played each hand. Felt like i soul read 2 guys too, which is always nice. Here's the biggest hands of the session:

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

BB: $10.00
UTG: $10.43
MP: $14.24
CO: $12.22
BTN: $10.10
Hero (SB): $20.83

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is SB with A J
3 folds, BTN raises to $0.30, Hero calls $0.25, BB raises to $1.30, 1 fold, Hero raises to $3.80, BB raises to $10, Hero calls $6.20

Flop: ($20.30) Q 5 5

Turn: ($20.30) T

River: ($20.30) T

Final Pot: $20.30
BB shows 8 K
Hero shows A J
Hero wins $18.95
(Rake: $1.35)

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

UTG: $9.67
MP: $15.81
CO: $10.00
Hero (BTN): $20.59
SB: $4.15
BB: $9.57

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BTN with 5 A
UTG raises to $0.35, 1 fold, CO calls $0.35, Hero raises to $1.50, 2 folds, UTG raises to $4.75, 1 fold, Hero raises to $20.59, UTG calls $4.92 all in

Flop: ($19.84) T 6 A

Turn: ($19.84) 8

River: ($19.84) 8

Final Pot: $19.84
UTG shows K Q
Hero shows 5 A
Hero wins $18.52
(Rake: $1.32)

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

MP: $10.55
CO: $10.13
BTN: $15.14
SB: $8.05
BB: $10.00
Hero (UTG): $13.06

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is UTG with J J
Hero raises to $0.30, 3 folds, SB calls $0.25, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.70) Q A J (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.50, SB calls $0.50

Turn: ($1.70) 2 (2 players)
SB bets $0.50, Hero raises to $3.45, SB calls $2.95

River: ($8.60) J (2 players)
SB bets $3.80, Hero calls $3.80

Final Pot: $16.20
SB shows K T
Hero shows J J
Hero wins $15.12
(Rake: $1.08)


With regards to the last hand: It's always nice to cooler someone lol. Going to play a bit more later. Hopefully i'll continue to run as well as i did this session.

Played another 200 hands. Ended at -1/2 a buyin.

Short term goal : I want to be playing 25nl by the end of the month. Failing that, by the second week of October the latest. Wish me luck.

A bit tired tonight so i decided not to play another session. However, i did want to do a little play by play on two of the hands i posted before. Wanted to show my reasoning for the actions taken, to show there's a method to my madness, and I'm not some aggro ******ed fish.

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

BB: $10.00
UTG: $10.43
MP: $14.24
CO: $12.22
BTN: $10.10
Hero (SB): $20.83

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is SB with A J
3 folds, BTN raises to $0.30, Hero calls $0.25, BB raises to $1.30, 1 fold, Hero raises to $3.80, BB raises to $10, Hero calls $6.20

Flop: ($20.30) Q 5 5

Turn: ($20.30) T

River: ($20.30) T

Final Pot: $20.30
BB shows 8 K
Hero shows A J
Hero wins $18.95
(Rake: $1.35)

The bb in this hand liked to squeeze. I know he figures me to never have a great hand when i don't 3 bet out of the sb, because i tend to 3 bet quite a bit. After i 4 bet, i planned to snap call a shove, which i did. I knew he was going to see my line as a move of desperation to win the pot as my hand looks really weak as played. I wanted to induce a shove from some worse hand he's squeezing with. I got lucky it worked out exactly as i wanted it to. I knew he was the type of player to want to play back at me. We had a bit of history and i wouldn't be making this type of play against an unknown.


Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

UTG: $9.67
MP: $15.81
CO: $10.00
Hero (BTN): $20.59
SB: $4.15
BB: $9.57

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BTN with 5 A
UTG raises to $0.35, 1 fold, CO calls $0.35, Hero raises to $1.50, 2 folds, UTG raises to $4.75, 1 fold, Hero raises to $20.59, UTG calls $4.92 all in

Flop: ($19.84) T 6 A

Turn: ($19.84) 8

River: ($19.84) 8

Final Pot: $19.84
UTG shows K Q
Hero shows 5 A
Hero wins $18.52
(Rake: $1.32)

I was 3 betting the UTG player a lot this session and was squeezing quite a bit as well whenever i had the chance. I knew he was going to try and play back at me eventually. I got a bit lucky in this hand. I was expecting a fold enough of the time to make the play profitable, however, he happened to call not only with the bottom of his range, but also, with a hand i had crushed.

It's good that you have this type of thought process and it will help you out further down the road but this is 10NL. You're using level 3 thinking for level 1 players. I like 3bing light but I'd choose a hand that has a little more equity than 35ss. All in all I like your thinking through the hand but you really don't need to do **** like this at these stakes. Keep it simple and you'll crush.

Also, from the few hands you posted I see you like to 3b light, defend 3bs light, and you like to get into 4bet meta game shoving wars. I'm not trying to knock your style but I've been playing 10nl for ~100k hands and imo this style of play is gonna put you in very high variance situations. You're gonna swing like crazy and it's gonna drive you nuts. Leave the fancy plays for when you actually get to 400NL where plays like that are standard. Again, just some constructive criticism, not trying to flame.

Didn't consider it a flame at all. I appreciate the response. My BR does tend to swing a bit and I've tightened up my game for the same reasons you mentioned. I try my hardest to play nitty at these stakes but A. It's boring and B. I don't want to develop bad nit habits lol. However, i think you're 100% right, most of the players at these stakes use the "oh he doesn't have it" mentality and some of my plays seem to fly over their heads.

I'm about to put in an hour or so of play. I will update after the session is over.

Put in a short session. Ran pretty well and now I'm up 3buyins.

Biggest winning :

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

Hero (SB): $23.32
BB: $8.41
UTG: $14.43
MP: $10.00
CO: $10.88
BTN: $9.09

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is SB with 2 2
2 folds, CO calls $0.10, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.40, BB calls $0.30, CO calls $0.30

Flop: ($1.20) 2 6 9 (3 players)
Hero bets $0.80, BB folds, CO calls $0.80

Turn: ($2.80) K (2 players)
Hero bets $1.90, CO raises to $3.80, Hero raises to $22.12, CO calls $5.88 all in

River: ($22.16) 3 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $22.16
Hero shows 2 2
CO shows A K
Hero wins $20.69
(Rake: $1.47)

Biggest Losing Hand:

Full Tilt Poker $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

UTG: $11.26
CO: $8.58
BTN: $10.57
SB: $10.00
Hero (BB): $10.00

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with K Q
UTG raises to $0.35, 1 fold, BTN calls $0.35, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.25

Flop: ($1.10) Q T 6 (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, BTN bets $0.80, Hero raises to $2, UTG folds, BTN calls $1.20

Turn: ($5.10) K (2 players)
Hero bets $3.40, BTN raises to $8.22, Hero calls $4.25 all in

River: ($20.40) A (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $20.40
BTN shows J 9
Hero shows K Q
BTN wins $18.47
Hero wins $20.69
(Rake: $-19.33)

Gl man. You 3bet pretty light though. Did you analyze to see if thats +ev or not?

I'm not 3 betting everyone so light. Usually it's players who i knew open/fold too much or will fold to a c bet a high portion of the time. Having a 3 betting range that is just a bit wider than most premium 3 betting hands also allows me to get extra value when i do have QQ-AA/AKs etc.

I'm not usually 3 betting as light as 35 suited. That hand was an isolated incident but i wanted pointers as to how i played it.

Btw, for anyone wondering about the 35 suited hand, i called and he showed AQo.

Played a very swingy 800 hand session. Was up 5 buy ins at one point and down 6 or so at the lowest. Ended up a little less than breakeven on the session. Planning on putting in some serious volume tomorrow.

On a side note, people at uNL make the dumbest moves.

Another short term goal: Tighten up, don't bluff that much, and focus on moving up, not making fancy plays, until 100NL.

Progress thus far: Not much. Up about one buy in from starting the challenge. Still looking to crush 25NL by the middle of October.

liking the thread prod

you seem to have a good thought process on each hand and your opponents.

been playing a while now but dont think about 1/2 off what you do.

were did you learn to use this thought process? was it books or trainig sites?

cheers

Why are you playing hands PF so horrible?

Care to elaborate?