Thanks for the detailed post, that all makes a lot of sense. I especially like boiling the idea into the above two categories.

I guess I've just been getting in weird spots lately.

Guy with high VPIP opens mp $15. He has $300. His range is sc's/pp/low broadway's like QJ/KJ

We are otb with 89

How many callers before you are just over calling here? If it folds to us are you just calling? If one weak caller are you squeezing? Would you rather squeeze with K5?

Same question KJ 3 callers to us.

Same question AT

Also important to note is that people in my games WILL flat like AQ/KQ/KJ (after his $15 open) and then re-flat our squeeze.

So like last night I squeezed a wide open with KQo and one of the initial flatters cold called and I stacked off vs AQ. (She started with $300*)

*this is another issue/consideration, bc my games are 100bb capped a lot of people are sitting on $250-$400 bucks. I obviously game select but there are always at least 2 or 3.

I would be pretty inclined to flat 89s, especially if either of the blinds were bad players, and even cold call a raise there at a 2/5 game (but not a 1/3 game) because a 2/5 player is probably way more inclined to stack off for $300 than a 1/3 player is. I would not call there if I was doing it strictly for implied odds where I didn't think a pair I might hit would be good and I wasn't going to be able to bluff ever. Never multi street barreling but if the flop comes 75J and he cbets, I call, turn is the 4 and he checks, I will fire one bullet and I expect a lot of folds.

KJs and ATs are definitely hands I am calling with there and not 3betting.

Tbh, I just don't 3b bluff very often when I'm not deep. I think it is just too easy for people to say **** it and stack off with way more equity than what I have. I do like 3b for extended value, but again if they are all really shallow then I might as well just call because we can get it in by the river regardless. Much harder to get in 200xbb+ if you don't 3b.

Ok I completely agree. I have been getting in great passive high VPIP games lately and have just felt like a passive fish over calling mv hands so much in spots where a squeeze is def + EV but yes the short stack "eff it" factor is high.

Just really feel like I've been burning money lately but I'm sure I'm just a results oriented fish.

KJo and ATo in those examples?

And he binked an Ace in the QQ hand?

Re: board coverage. As long as you have AA in your 3-bet range you cover every board

Thoughts on medium value hands in hugely multiway passive station tables Aesah? Keeping in mind there are 3-4 short stacks? ($200-$350)

Like btn straddle 6 limps to me I have KJo in the CO and...(btn is passive)

Or no straddle weak open to $15 3 callers we have ATo otb and...?

I think alot of my recent variance is going balls to the wall in 20bb poker bc the straddle is the cool new thing but 3-4 people still buy in for $200-300.

I took down the 3k pot with QQ, but I was in the game for 3k already (was -1.5k at the time of the pot) so I finished -$5.

Update? How're things going?

Just got back from choctaw, feel like I'm playing at an exceptionally high level, but I haven't gotten anything going so far this year. Bank roll is at an acceptable level and all I can do is play as good as I can. I have kind of a big grind schedule going on in my head through July that I'll put later.

But I have a big update before I go play on Friday/Saturday

Choctaw'd!

It is an 8 hour drive down to Durant, OK from where I live and I was going to be there for 4 days. I did the math and I wanted to play > 40 hours for it to be worth my time for a low end expectation of $2,000 - sunk traveling costs ($200 for the hotel, $100 for gas, $200 for hotel food) for an average score of $1,500. Hopefully I'd run like god at my 5/T shot and bink $10,000. The buyin is 70% of the big stack, cash plays, and people from Oklahoma and Texas are both wealthy and also borderline mentally ******ed. The confluence of these events makes this a must attend for anybody who can make it. Next year I might take an entire week off for the whole series, these people are just terrible.

Bracelets and rings are everywhere, which means the money is flowing. If there is one thing I have come to expect is that somebody's skill in cash games is (generally) inversely proportional to how much money they've won on Hendon Mob. Run Good Gear Pros (about as stylish as short sleeve and a tie) are a dime a dozen and "but he's a great tournament player!" is the excuse du jour for everybody's buddy.

If there is a bright center of poker professionalism where people are congenial, hard working, and dress like an adult, the life of the live MTT pro is the distance furthest from. They are rude, brash, egotistical, overweight, drunk pricks.

Then again this sample consists of Oklahoma and Texas but most people I know consider MTT players to be the nut low.

The one thing I am convinced of, however, is that I need to start playing some more MTT's since I cut my poker teeth grinding STT and MTT's online. I mean it is far more gambly but I have slowly become addicted to 2k+ sessions and it feels like if I'm not just lol waffle stomping the games then I'm basically breaking even. I have not noticed that this has affected my actual game playing but I think if I felt how I did not when I first started playing it would. That being said, I'd really like to take down a 10k+ score. I think chasing some smaller buyin (<$500) MTT's 1x or 2x a month will help feed that itch.

So in my last post I made the comment that I'm playing at an exceptionally high level. I'd like to amend that and say that specifically at 2/5 I played at the highest level I ever have, and still felt that I had ton of room for improvement. I also felt I played very well at 5T but I'm 100% shot taking in that game, especially when it is basically uncapped. Like all of this is amended by saying that compared to an optimal player making the 100% best possible decision at every iteration I play like ****.

I would say my biggest leak is probably playing PLO but the PLO line ups are just so much softer than the NLHE (assuming 2/5 PLO is ~ to 5/T NLHE) and I'm pretty confident I have a good edge/hourly in that game given the off table time I've put into it. That being said, my hourly is definitely higher in NLHE and the variance is much less so in many ways it is hard to justify playing it. Again though, the play is so bad, that I need to play it at some point to get better so theres no time like the present. I am also planning on playing some MTT's coming up here in the future.

It is getting to the point where I don't encounter interesting spots in NLHE and it feels like (as long as I'm paying attention and develop reads) everything just kind of falls into place. Running a bit bad though, and I made two wrong (in Sklanksy bucks) decisions that I'll post. First the PLO hands!

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Hand 44:

Game and Stake:

PLO - 2/5

Reads:

CO ($400) - has open raised every pot since Hero sat down 3 hands ago
BTN ($3,000) - seems like a spewy french guy since he has played every hand since I sat down

Image:

Hero ($1,000) - I sat down like 3 hands ago and haven't played a pot

Preflop ($7) - AAT3

2 limps, CO raises to $30, BTN calls, Hero 3-bets to $140, folds to CO who calls, BTN calls

My AA is terrible here but I'm hoping the CO re opens the action and ships and I can get it in.

Flop ($430) - T94

Hero bets $300, CO calls it off, BTN ships, Hero folds

I hate the T9 but I block top set and the NFD although I don't know if I should just check/fold here. Bet/folding seemed best at the time.

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Hand 45: - I actually misread my hand this hand but I'm posting what I thought I had

Game and Stake:

PLO - 2/5/T

Reads:

BTN ($400) - seems pretty nitty

Image:

Hero in the CO ($1,500) - Probably viewed as pretty TAG. I have 3bet several times and I'm assuming people know I can 3b a non AAxx hand.

Preflop ($17) - QQ67ss (actually had QQ87ss)

UTG opens to $35, 3 callers, Hero calls, BTN calls, straddle calls

Seems like a standard call

Flop ($185) - J85

checks to Hero who checks, BTN bets the pot with $170 left behind, folds to Hero who raises all in, BTN calls

Against a range of KKxx, AJT9, JT97, T967 I have 41.34% equity. Assuming he never folds I am basically calling $390 to win $580 which is 40% required equity. If I had QQT9 I'd have 48.86% but thats basically the nuts (mini wrap + pair). If I had QQ69 I'd have 41.95%, if I had QQ97 I'd have 42.58%. Obviously I actually had basically an air ball but thats a stupid mistake and not a theoretical mistake. I mean, this might be a fold but seemed absurd in game.

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Hand 46:

Game and Stake:

NLHE - 2/5/T

Reads:

CO ($1,235) - Has called a lot pf but hasn't made any moves. Apparently won event #24 and a bracelet last summer. He started slamming hennessy like half an hour before this.

Image:

Hero ($2,500) - I have basically been running the table over.

Preflop ($17) - AK

Folds to CO who opens $35 and says "just because you've been raising my straddle every time", folds to Hero who raises $135, CO calls

We have been joking around and this is one of his first raises in a bit but he has defended his straddle almost 100%.

Flop ($270) - A76

Hero bets $150, CO thinks for a bit and raises to $350 with 750 behind. Hero tanks and folds.

Villain shows two black 99. I am probably never folding like A72 but I thought he had enough big combo draws and sets/2pair in his range and we were just deep enough, when combined with him not playing back at me before, that I folded. If I check/call the flop I am lol never folding the turn and just didn't know wtf to do. The fact he had 99 showed his range was about what I thought it was.
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Hand 47:

Game and Stake:

NLHE - 2/5

Reads:

MP ($500) - It is day 2 of the Main Event and this guy sits down with one purple and a yellow ($1,500) and puts $500 in play. He is clearly tilted and obviously just busted out of the main event.

Image:

Hero (covers) - I think I've played with this guy before, but it is his first hand.

Preflop ($7) - AK

MP limps, MP2 limps, Hero raises to $30 in the HJ, MP calls, MP2 folds

Tilted player snap limp/calls his first hand.

Flop ($65) - AJ2

MP checks, Hero bets $40, MP calls

And he isn't folding

Turn ($145) - 6

MP checks, Hero bets $100, MP reaches for his 4 bills (I gave him change for the purple chip and he had 200 in red and 3 bills) then pauses and tosses in a single bill.

I'm lol snap calling a ship here.

River ($345) - T

Villain thinks for like 3 seconds and moves all in, Hero calls

Villain stands up and says "NUTS!" and throws down the KQ. I am expecting all of his busted draws to ship here too and he only has 6 combos of AT and 9 combos of JT and likely never has a set/two pair other than that. I discounted JT in game because, like it would just be so absurd. So he only has to be bluffing with 3 combos of flush draws for the call to be EV neutral. I did, however, not see KQ coming.

Do you have any more poker trips planned between now and your Las Vegas WSOP trip? Are you still considering making a poker trip out to LA at some point still?

Do you live near Omaha, Nebraska, 11t? The only time that I have ever been to Nebraska was when I was picking up and returning rented shuttle buses from Omaha and delivering them to Council Bluffs. I spent several months in Iowa during the winter-time, and it was SO COLD all the time.

Ha yes I live near Omaha and play in Council Bluffs. I don't have any plans to go to LA as is. In fact I likely won't be able to go to the WSOP this year due to family obligations. I've done a lot of traveling the past 2 years and I feel like I need to save up some money and vacation time. I'm definitely coming out to LA at some point I just need to be low key for a bit.

Hey Matt, I don't think you should ever fold hand 46. I think call/call is best here. You could also c/c flop/turn/river and see what he does if he's an aggro idiot (which it looks like he is).

Yeah like I just didn't think that he'd decide to play back here. I don't hate call/call but he was more than passive enough to bet the flop for value.

damn, sad that I've missed this thread for so long since I've enjoyed your posts in other places. solid mix of analysis, jokes, and insults. GL GL

Solid thread. In before the donkament bink.

Nothing like a swift kick to the groin! - 1/2

The year has not started off too kind to me, although I have played well I've obviously made some mistakes. That being said, I went on a sick heater at the end of 2013 and I'm feeling good about my game and play I just need to grind it out and play as well as I can and everything will fall into place. I'm going to break my weekend sessions into two posts. I did play one hand just so ****ing bad that I basically lit $400 on fire which probably tilts me more than anything. Don't ask me what the hell I was thinking, but that will be gone over in the 2nd part of the session.

I think the title of my thread attracts different people than those who stumble into other threads but it was always meant as a challenge and not as a blog. Basically, people can't really live vicariously through my juvenile exploits, but I hope the people who read it have found some good information in here. I think my skill level has increased by a considerable amount, and hopefully it will increase by the same amount by the time the blog has ended.

A good portion of the increase in my skill is contributed to videos and coaching. When I first started this thread I got a Blue Fire Poker membership and I really enjoyed it. I thought the NLHE and PLO information there was way better than what I got from Deuces Cracked. Specfically the Amateur to Pro series by Alan Jackson is the best LLSNL content I then added to this by getting coaching from ATsai, who I can't recommend enough. I no longer have a BFP or DC membership but decided to get a Card Runners membership and I will be reviewing some of the content that I watch. I'm also going to make a list of all the PLO and MTT articles on 2p2 I want to read and will probably put them on here as well.

I'm also probably going to play a few 1/3 sessions here and there just to play smaller and book some wins. I hate going to the bank/safety deposit box and getting money out. This might be a form of tilt or whatever, but I don't know. Also, I think I'll be in Kansas City Feb 7th through Feb 10th and will probably be playing 2/5.

I am going to post a few hands here and if people think they are worthy of discussion then tell me and I'll post them in their relevant 2p2 forums. This is probably going to be a 2 part

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Hand 48:

Game and Stake:

NLHE - $2/$5

Reads:

MP ($500) - Young asian player who is a little aggressive

Image:

Hero ($500) - Table just started and there are a lot of players I don't recognize which is very odd. I'm pretty tight, look like I'm in my mid 20's, and I have headphones on so I am assuming people think I'm pretty nitty.

Preflop ($7) - Hero has AT in the CO

2 limps, MP raises to $25, Hero calls, BTN calls, both blinds and all the limpers call

Beautiful, my hand plays great MW and 7 handed to the flop is pretty MW.

Flop ($135) - AJ9

Checks to PFR who checks, Hero checks, BTN bets $35, 4 people call, I call

I have a lot of back door equity here and I think I can bet the flop for value I can really only get two streets of value from weaker Ax but I thought if I checked there are a lot of bdfd's that might turn which I can get value from combined with weaker Ax. Obviously there are gut shots etc.. on the flop but in game I checked here. This might be bad, might be good. I thought it was a really interesting spot. Definitely not checking AQ+ or two pair but ATs is like the top of my checking range. I almost wanted to check/raise the flop because the BTN is really really bad and I have the best hand like 100% of the time when it is called back to me.

Turn ($345) - 6

Checks to Hero who bets $135, everybody folds

This is also a really interesting turn spot, I feel I have to bet because I don't think the BTN is going to fire again. I thought about betting more since I can't really bet/fold here but the only people who might have two pair were shorter and I'd be getting 3:1 and I'm calling it off anyway so I bet smaller to get value from worse pairs draws/worse flush draws.
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Hand 49:

Game and Stake:

NLHE MTT - $235

Reads:

EP ($20,000) - High VPIP aggrotard

Image:

Hero on the BTN ($20,000) - Villain has played with me and knows me as being aggressive. I have just absolutely crushed him every time we have played cash and I made a terrible fold to a MTT but he might be gunning for me.

Preflop ($1,100) - Hero has QJ

Blinds are $200/$400 a50

EP limps, folds to Hero who raises to $1,300, folds to EP who calls

I raised smaller here because he is never folding, I crush his limp/calling range, I have position, and I want to play a big pot. Basically I don't want him to fold pf.

Flop ($3,700) - 843

Villain checks, Hero bets $1,300, he calls

I bet smaller to try to induce a check/raise where I can ship over him.

Turn ($6,300) - K

Villain checks, Hero bets $1,800, he check raises to $4,200, Hero calls

I wanted to check the turn here but the K is such a good barrel card. I'm calling 2,400 to win $12,300 so I am getting direct odds to just call here and hit my flush. I also think I can just ship it in OTT when he check raises since he reps nothing.

River ($14,700) - A

Villain bets $7,00 and I fold

He can definitely be bluffing with worse so I fold like a little girl.

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Hand 50:

Game and Stake:

NLHE MTT - $235

Reads:

Same villian from hand 49. He is at ~($50,000) and is the big stack at the table. He has a very wide opening range. I actually missed an LOL easy squeeze from a few hands previous where he opened to $1,100 at $200/$400 and had 3 callers and I folded T9os in the SB at $12,000. That being said, one of the initial callers was pretty short and I thought he might call it off.

Image:

Hero in the SB with ($11,000) - Same image as before

Preflop ($1,650) - KJ

Villain opens in EP to $1,600, folds to Hero who ships

So I think calling here has a lot of merit but then I'm looking at being OOP with a pot of $4,500 and $10,000 behind. I can probably check/ship most flops but he is going to make a ton of pot committing bets and he just doesn't like to fold so I thought shipping PF was best. Might be lol standard.

Rest of the hand histories will be posted Tuesday!

Hand 48: I think betting small ($55-$70) on flop is best. By betting smaller, we can get thin value from ragged Ax (TPWK), stubborn Jx, and gutshots/OESDs. As played, I think that I would definitely CR flop small to $175-$190 versus the small BTN bet sizing and all the callers because we can get thin value from a stubborn Ax that doesn't believe that we would check Ax+ on the CO behind the PFR's check or from an OESD. As you said, we are almost 100% that we have the best hand here, so the question is just the proper CR sizing (I vote for relatively small) to get thin value from worse hands.

I would like a flop check more if there were more players between us and the BTN, AND those players were fairly aggressive to boot.

Thank you for the kind words complimenting the coaching that I have done with you. It really means a lot to me when I receive positive feedback like that.

Yeah I think checking the flop is much better up front or in my position with like 3 people in the pot.

Nothing like a swift kick to the groin! - 2/2

Saw this article and was pretty impressed. I think a lot of poker players get lost in this wannabe alpha as **** noise which focuses on fast cars, easy money, pretty lights and all the modern consumerism shoved down our throats by society. I don't know if anybody here has ever heard of Maslow's heirarchy of needs or the concept of self actualization but I tend to be much more impressed by people who are trying to claw their way up the pyramid by providing for their family and being well adjusted members of society than by some degenerate driving a car he rented from the bank. I'd definitely suggest looking at

The hands from the session below I got stuck like 2k. Session last night I did well and won 1.1k. I would have only been stuck like 1.5k but I misplayed hand 52 just so bad.

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Hand 51:

Game and Stake:

NLHE - $2/$5

Reads:

CO ($1,500) - Extremely nitty asian woman. We have a lot of history and she gives me a lot of respect.

Image:

Hero on the BTN ($1,000) - TAG

Preflop ($7) - Hero has KJ - game is 5 handed

Folds to CO who raises to $20, Hero calls, pot is HU

Really can't fold here 5 handed, don't hate 3b but my hand has more value HU in a single raised pot.

Flop ($45) - 874

CO bets $25, Hero raises to $85, CO calls

I can rep pretty wide on the flop here and I think it is a pretty clear bluff raise even if I didn't have the club draw.

Turn ($205) - A

CO checks, Hero bets $115, CO calls

Really don't think I can check here since she has a PP such a high % of the time and the A is a scare card. She SNAP called which made me think she might have a set.

River ($435) - Q

CO checks, Hero bets $200, CO ships it in, Hero folds

She is never bluffing and never value raising worse and has like exactly AT or A9 almost 100% of the time. I snap folded in my mind but hollywood'd in game.

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Hand 52:

Game and Stake:

NLHE - $2/$5

Reads:

CO ($1,000) - pretty nitty player who I have tons of history with

Image:

Hero on the BTN ($1,000) - viewed as TAG who can bluff

Preflop ($7) - AK

CO opens $25, Hero calls, pot is HU

I don't have a 3b happy image this session and he folds to 3b a lot so I'd prefer to just 3b AA/KK and bluffs.

Flop ($55) - KT6

CO bets $60, Hero raises to $150, CO calls

Pretty clear raise for value when I can be bluffing here with such a wide range.

Turn ($355) - J

CO bets $210, Hero calls

I'm stopping the HH here because this is where the mistake was made. I paid off a small bet OTR as well which was just awful but like I was planning on cbetting small OTT and OTR and milking him or betting bigger OTT and checking back the river but the Q/J and all diamonds are so bad that I should just shut down and fold. He showed down KJ which vindicates the flop raise but I just wasn't thinking clearly OTT since I was tired.
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Hand 53:

Game and Stake:

NLHE - $2/$5/$T on the BTN

Reads:

BTN ($4,000) - TAG Pro who I have gotten into some 3b wars with
SB ($75) - Bad rec player who has dwindled down from his $500

Image:

Hero in the CO ($1,000) - I just 3b the hand previous to this and lost which is pretty SOP. It is obvious I'm stuck a significant sum of cash by now.

Preflop ($17) - JJ

BTN straddles, SB limps, 2 more limps, Hero raises to $65, BTN 3b to $170, SB goes all in, folds back to Hero who 4b to $370, BTN tanks and calls

I can't fold to the 3b here. I also hate calling. If the SB had like the same amount of $ as the 3b and the BTN would be frozen out of the pot (as in bluffing might be dumb) I'm not opposed to flatting the 3b but I think he can be 3b wide, I hate check calling it off since it turns my hand face up, and its CO vs BTN so I am 4b and shipping all good flops.

Flop ($815) - 742

Hero ships

Grip it and rip it baby

Hand 51 if nitty Asian ever ships any non nut clubs a non zero percent with then I can't fold for an extra 600. Our hand is well disguised and you may be right though. I guess I'd gene to be there. Hand 53 looks good with jj, nice flop, I feel like the only hand that beats us is qq.

Yeah like I have tons of history and that's AcTc 100%

SUPAH BOWL

On the subject of is that river a bet/fold given the odds I have I think the big issue is that the PFR is far more likely to deviate from her standard play by open raising more combos of AX than by check raising the river here with a ten high flush or as a bluff which is just never happening.

I have two hands real quick then I need to get ready to head to my brothers place to watch the game. I am tentatively rooting for the Seahawks but I just want to see a good game.

I played a satellite for the WSOPc main event here and bricked out shipping my button with like 9xbb with 45.

I then moved to playing cash and got involved in this hand pretty quick when I sat down.

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Hand 54:

Game and Stake:

NLHE - $2/$5

Reads:

BB ($800) - Typically a 1/3 player but plays 2/5 when the game looks alright. I'd consider him to be somewhat competent but he is way too loose pf and just doesn't play that well post flop. That being said hes a winning player just not like a really good player.

Image:

Hero in the CO ($1,000) - Villain might think I'm kind a little wild since I play way looser and more aggressive when I'm playing 1/3 but he gives me a good amount of respect.

Preflop ($7) - KT

MP limps, I raise to $25, BTN calls, SB calls, BB calls, MP calls

SOP

Flop ($125) - AQ9

checks to Hero who bets $70, folds to BB who check raises to $150, folds to Hero who raises to $320, BB thinks for a bit and ships it in, I call

So I have played with villain enough to know he can't have AA/QQ/AQ so his range is capped at 99/A9/Q9 and with the 3 callers getting "lol pot odds" I think he is calling there with A9os and Q9os and I am pretty confident he is folding both of those a good chunk and even if not, i'm getting good odds to call it off. He likely has a good % of dominated draws as well (although obviously 98 has an over pair). Calling here might be better since its such a small raise but in game, with my uncapped range and my equity in the pot with him possibly folding everything but 99 and his combo draws I thought repopping it was best.

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Hand 55:

Game and Stake:

NLHE - $2/$5

Reads:

CO ($2,000) - Sat down and immediately opened PF in EP with 78s, bombed the flop MW, turned a gs and bombed it again, and rivered a straight and bet once again when he hit it. He has a military style hair cut and is talking about sports betting. Pretty action player.

Image:

Hero on the BTN ($1,000) - He sees me as playing real snug

Preflop ($7) - QJ

Folds to MP who raises to $20, CO calls, I call, SB calls, BB calls

Pretty standard, I think 3b here is pretty awful.

Flop ($100) - Q85

checks to the CO who bets $55, I call, SB calls, we are 3 way

I really hate raising here and think its pretty awful.

Turn ($265) - 2

SB checks, CO bets $205, I call, SB folds

Definitely was not expecting this bet and I tanked for a while.

River ($675) - 7

SB ships it in for $700ish, I call amhig

I am definitely folding to a smaller bet here since he could easily have KQ but when he ships it in his range is super polarized and its like wtf is he trying to get value from. Board runs out about perfect, all the draws missed, and he has to have like exactly 88/55 which is only 6 combos. He showed down T9

What is your reasoning behind the CR subscription? Is it mainly for PLO content?

I like the fold with KJs, I don't think villain can raise otr without the nf as Txs and worse flushs will just call.