Just found your post and like it alot. I play alot of 1/2 live at charity games in Michigan that are 200max and alot of players come in for less so my style may be adapted to that more than a 150bb game so take this for what it is.

I am folding the 97s there. Prob never really limping it. I just don't think I'm making a big enough hand enough of the time. You get good pot odds multiway but the problem with that is you are drawing for a draw and putting money in on the turn and river to hit it. Your implied odds are good though and people are so bad at 1/2 live they give you pot odds to catch and then implied odds when they can't release toptop so that is good too. So I definately see the logic in playing it it is just a meh spot for me and I don't think if it is profitable it is very high so easy to laydown.

I am playing with a ton of the same players day after day idk if you are too but I play pretty TAGy to the point that I don't get much action on my big hands but that's ok because people are really bad and I do get enough action on my big hands but I make an immediate profit on my river and turn cbets.

Anyway that's just my .02. I think the turn c/r I fold to as well tbh. I mean maybe maybe I'm a nit but you're chasing 9high flush 3 handed with some1 else flatting both the raise and re-rasie too? I put him on a flush alot and the opener on a set or 2 pair alot so I think its a fold. As played though you have to get iti in when you hit and say fml if he has the clubbies.

Woah I write alot I guess.

I really think its cool what you're doing and have a ton of questions that you may have answered in the pages of this thread that I haven't read or in your blog so I'll look there first but will def. be sweating you. GL GL.

Wanted to follow up on the 97s hand and also mention something else that I did on Monday that upon review was quite stupid in the context of being a daily "working pro".

Back to the 97s hand. I can't say that I would have folded pre-flop for the additional $13 after 2 callers in front of me and a 5th player behind me is calling before last week, after thinking I've been nitting it up - I was calling.

I think if there is a bad decision there it is calling the $55 raise on the flop. While the pure math may be (or at least look like) ok for a call. I think the real answer is revealed when you think through the whole hand.

Point #1- I have $40 invested in the pot. The ultimate choice here is whether I say that is enough to invest in this hand, or whether I'm willing to put my entire $300 stack in with a mediocre flush draw. Because WHATEVER comes on the turn (except a pair) my stack is in the pot because I either hit the flush, or I have more than 4-1 odds to chase the river.

Point #2 - If the flush card comes on the turn - I'm not likely to make any money on it if I'm good. My hand is face-up and I'm out of position. If I check it is likely to get checked through (unless another player has a bigger flush). If I push and they don't have a better flush, its a pretty easy laydown even for the average 1/2 player.

At best this is probably a difficult call. At this point in my experience I should have taken a pass here and waited for a future "easier" opportunity.

I also wanted to address a hand I played at the end of my day. With my 2BI loss limit I was nursing a short stack of $61 and have been waiting for an appropriate shortstack hand when I picked up JT in the HJ seat. 2 EP limpers, I limp, button limps and the BB makes it $10. Both EPs call, I call, and now the button makes it $50 to go. and all 3 of them call.

So with $210 in the pot $40 to call and only $51 in my stack... so I'll ask what you would do here and why?



Back to work tonight. I feel ready to play well.

I'm late arriving to this thread but am enjoying reading it. I moved here from Ohio back in 2004 at age of 42 and in similar circumstances as you. I played poker fulltime for about six months and then got a job offer I just couldn't turn down. It was pretty much fulltime pay and benefits and only required 4 hours in the office every day. I was a reg at the SP when they opened as well as GV, Caesars, Mandalay and Venetian. I have played a ton of 1/2 and 2/5 over the years. Haven't played much in the last two years because I managed to get married and have a couple of kids but am getting back on the horse after the holidays.

Anyway, this thread is a great read, and I am living vicariously through your posts hoping you do well. I'm also impressed that so many of the replies are constructive. A lot of people scoff at the notion of doing well at the lower limits but you can certainly grind out a living. Between my arriving here and playing for six months, playing part time for about three years and then playing full time again between jobs for six months, it was not that difficult to avg 2.5-4K a month.

Good luck.

JAM THE J10S! Your hand is going to be +ev 4 ways vs. their likely hand distributions I think. Plus you need to bust and leave or get some chips and play right so good spot IMO

I think when you get short like that you should jet though. I mean you are sticking to the 2BI loss limit to the letter which I think is good (I have had trouble doing this b4) but you are making money because you are a better player and have the money to take the oponents money. I like to have a stop loss of 2.5 BIs or something like that. Not even buyins because if you bust one buyin then get short on the next you have to keep playing short or leave. So its risky to even maket he 2nd buyin knowing that if variance goes negative you are goan play shrot the rest of the session.

Keep up the grind though man! Crush them tonight!

Have you ever played at the hardrock? They have a poker room like right on the strip as you walk by and random drunks sit after partying all night. I'd check it ou if you are in the mood for a late night sesh.

Will the villain ever fold any hand better than 99 to a raise?

Will a hand worse than 99 ever call a raise? Let's say he calls your raise. Now what do you do? Do you call his river bet or just fold? It seems as if you are raising just because you are confused about the villain's hand and you want the hand to end right there.

What you have already invested in the pot is a sunk cost and should have no bearing in your future decisions in the hand. You should only be concerned about the current express odds and implied odds. As to point 2, if you think the average 1-2 player can fold to a flush then why are you even playing 97s in mid position in the first place?

Absolutely jam. even vs a high pocket pair, you have 20% equity. It is very unlikely that anyone has it though. I see that BTN had it, but seriously, why would someone limp KK from BTN with 3 limpers? Thats just dumb. I wouldve put him on AK/AQ or something stupid and fishy. BB couldnt have it, because he wouldve 4 bet obviously.

Flop, someone is going to bet, and most people are going to fold, meaning a lot of people wont even get to see all the cards.

another thing to consider is the number of players in the flop. Limping could mean a lot of things, but especially with limp/callers, they may well have a weak ace, or a low PP. Perfect for you. The more aces out there, the less likely one hits the board for the AQ/AK hands, and the more low pocket pairs out there the more likely you can just hit a J or T to scoop the pot.

First - If you are going to play this 2bi limit method, and not rebuy or leave if you get stuck w/ a short stack, you REALLY should read up on short stack strategy. I'm not an expert, but it's much more similar to late stages of a tournament than "normal" poker. In general you should be looking for opportunities to jam all in and double up w/ AK, pairs, and maybe AQ or AJ vs a loose player's raise (in position w/o a lot of action to come). Calling a raise of 1/6 of your stack w/ TJs with a short stack is just bad - you have to patiently wait for a better spot. You normally aren't getting the odds to chase with suited connectors b/c you are generally behind, and if you hit, your small remaining stack limits your potential profit.

That said, with so many people in this particular hand, it probably wasn't terrible to ship it. I use www.twodimes.net to put these hands in to see if I had decent odds.

As a side note on short stacks, you also should try to be aware if a short stack at your table is playing a credible short stack strategy or is just a clueless guy w/ a short stack, b/c that will help you decide how to handle it when/if he shoves.

Second - The Kock vs Caddy debate on how to handle the LAG in the AQ hand is funny. I actually think both ways they want you to play him are fine depending on how much risk you are willing to take. The fold was worse.

MDM

Wednesday 11/10: Planet Hollywood

Focusing on hands for feedback...

JJ in the BB with $190 behind.

EP limper, CO makes it $10, Button calls, In the BB here my standard play is to call. EP limper folds.

CO has been raising a bit light and looking back I feel like I need to start 3-betting here pre-flop when the conditions are right. Both CO and Button have me covered.

Flop 347

CO consistently c-bets so I check with the plan of check-raising. HJ bets $13. Now button makes it $35. What's your plan from here? Anyone lead out here?



Hand 2:
Same lineup and same cards with JJ in the BB with $260 behind.

HJ limps, CO raises to $10, I call. Now the HJ limp-reraises to $25 (unusual in this game). CO calls. I call.

Flop: 373 rainbow.

I check. CO bets $40. HJ calls. Your plan?



Hand 3:
A8 on the button and a $660 stack.

CO opens for $10 with about $200 behind. CO is Tighty McTight and I've seen him showdown AA, AA, AK, KK, QQ. But 3 of those hands he got married to when he was beat so I feel I can take a shot at stacking him here. A few hands ago he hit quads with AA so his stack has recently been refreshed.

Flop A 8 3 rainbow

CO checks. I bet $12. He pauses for a couple seconds and calls.

Turn A

CO checks. I check. I did this because I actually thought he was folding on the flop but decided to make a loose call.

River K

CO stacks out $50 and bets. This could be the greatest card I could have asked for if he has KK. After all it is much more likely for him to have KK than for him to have AK here right?



Rack up after 7 hours +$70.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

bit unfortunate there in that last hand, keep the updates comin packer.
Good thread

the A8 hand I don't really like the call pre. I mean you aren't hitting enough here to justify the call to potentially stack him. He has underpairs to the ace alot so no action if you suckout and there are alot of tricky spots to get in.

I mean you're better off playing 72 vs. him and trying to bink 2 pair tha the a8 imo just because you're not floppin a flus often just the draw then u have to cal big barrels to chase.

The first JJ hand I like the limp pre. I really think folding is fine with the raise and re-raise. I mean hard to just call and if you raise its so big and if you get jamed on uhave to fold. just a ****** spot imo.

I fold the 2nd jacks to the c/r in my game because no1 ever really gets fancy as a bluff at my 1/2 games. They get fancy with the nuts. There buffs always look like stait forward value bets reppinglike top top and when they have a monster is the only time getting cute seems to cross their mind. Alot of scared money in my game though so could be differnt for u.

If tighty mctight gets married to hands you prob don't have fold equity. If he was tight and folded too much post flop your call with A8s makes a lot more sense.

Thanks for the hand feedbacks. I'll rethink situations like the A8s hand going forward.

Headed out for another night at P-Ho, but got a late start and decided to give the South Point one more shot for a short weeknight session.

Thursday 11/11: South Point

3 1/2NL games going with the standard locals-based forecast of straightforward play with occasional periods of nitty-ness. Game did actually turn good around Midnight when a group of 3 friends joined the table, but I had a 9AM class so I was gone by 1AM.

JJ in the HJ with $500+ behind. 3 limpers and I make it $13 to go. At this table this usually knocks out all or most of the limpers - apparently I'm special because I pick up one of the blinds and all 3 limpers call.

Flop ($65): 963

Checked to me, I bet $30. Folded to the 10 seat who shoves all-in for about $90 total. Folded to me.



Rack up at 1AM +$331.

Total to date: $1244 in 158.5 hours.

Planning for a lot of hours this weekend with no Packers game. Hopefully 3 strong days to finish out my first month (already?). Thanks for reading.

Friday 11/12: Planet Hollywood

Arrive at P-Ho at 4:30, place was already packed with some Dancing with the Has-beens thing. Looked good for me as I joined a great table lineup. Unfortunately by the time I got any cards, every weak player that got up was replaced by a stronger one and soon I was at the toughest table in the room. As I wait for a table change,

Here's a hand that demonstrates that I'm still not very good...

77 in the small blind with $340 behind.

Button straddles for $10 (New to the P-Ho as of 11/1) so action starts with me. I've been tight and decide to raise to $25 - looking back I question this decision as well - I get a call from a good players in the CO and the button, both of them cover me.

Flop ($75): 863 rainbow.

I bet $40. HJ asks how much I have behind, and finally folds. Button calls.

Turn ($155): K.

I bet $55 (Mistake #2 - If I'm going to continue to bet I need to bet at least $80 here) and the button goes into the tank. He asks me if I'll show if he folds. I know what this usually means and I know to STFU so thats what I did. He almost folds, almost calls, almost folds again, and finally calls.

River T



After doubling up with a rare limped UTG AA against Q4 (raised preflop) on a AQ4 flop I finally got moved to a softer game.

Played until 2AM when my game got shorthanded. Room was still hopping with 5 other tables going, but I decided to pack it in +$14.

Planning on M-Bay on Sunday, probably Bally's or Mirage today. Thanks for reading.

Total to date: $1258 in 168 hours.

no, he has to fold to the $90 raise. it's way too RIO a situation with 2 people in. one of them probably has a higher flush draw. and if they don't, his draw coming in is the most obvious thing in the world. we can't assume we have ANY implied odds there.

Saturday 11/13: Bally's

Decided on Bally's for my Saturday night action. Glad I did, the games last night were some of the softest I've been in since Vegas, including an absolutely insane late night game... more on that in a bit.

Some nights I can play for 9 hours and find that I have absolutely nothing interesting to write about. Saturday night there were so many things worth sharing I'm finding it difficult to narrow it down for my post here.

Played from 4PM to 8:30PM in a great game with many soft spots. Decided to take a break +$154 and walk over to Ellis Island for my first EI steak dinner in the month that I've been here. Pay free with points. Yum.

Back to Bally's at 10PM and I get seated in the exact same seat - ask for a table change because the weak lineup earlier has been replaced by a tighter, more experienced lineup. When I get moved, it is to 1/2NL paradise - huge stacks, bad players, & plenty of opportunity here.

The number of hands I'd like to post seems countless...

Like the hand where 3 of the players shoved all-in preflop for $260 each with 66 (4-bet shover), a hand that couldn't beat 66 (the call-caller), and KK (the 3-bettor - caller). KK held up.

Like the drunk, rude young guy who (before he got removed) was pushing all-in for $100 every hand blind.

3 guys at the table shipping with TPNK and worse. It was insane.

I'll post the 2 hands that will stick with me for a while...

JJ UTG with about $420 stack (in for $400).

I raise to $15. Decent player (admittedly not a lot of NL exp.) to my immediate left makes it $32 - he has me covered. One of the MP superdonks cold-calls. I call.

Flop ($95): 3 little, unconnected, unsuited cards. Say 962

I check. He bets $100. MP folds. And I tank.

Raiser has been pretty straight-forward but over the last few orbits his scotch seems to have gotten to him and he has been very aggressive PF and he moved me off a hand earlier when I whiffed with AQs. He could have AA-QQ, AK, AQ, another pair, or something goofy like 84s right now.

I believe I have him beat. That being said, as I've posted before, the question is if it really matters. My profit won't come from making tough decisions like this one, and with 3 huge donators at the table, I certainly could wait for an easier hand.

As I'm considering all this, two of the superdonks (Drunk young guy and his new hero drunk rude old guy) give me hassle about taking some time and end up calling the clock. I tell the DROG that I'm debating on whether I want to just fold and wait to take his money (this comes into play later).

I, wrongly, decide to call.

Turn ($295) is a blank. I check and EP insta-ships. It was fast. Really fast. Too fast for a hand that beats me after I tank. I call.

$850 pot. I flip my Jacks. EP says "Great call" and shows TT. I fist pump. This pot will make my month. I'm a good player.

And the dealer turns over a Ten for the river. Table spazzes out. I'm an idiot.

Somehow, my $300 rebuy is on the table before the next hand and I pick up 67o in the BB. 4 limpers and the DROG ($300+) makes it $10 to go. Everyone calls.

Flop ($70): 3 4 5 rainbow.

Checked to DROG who bets $20. I check-raise to $50 and feign tilt saying "I knew I should have just waited for your money" because I know this will make him shove all-in, which is exactly what he did, and I double up to $630 (down $70 for the session).

The table gets combative but I stick around until 5:45AM because I want one more pot with one of them. I get QQ in a pot with DROG but a King on the flop and an Ace on the Turn makes me let it go.

I'm tired, drained, and 1/3 of the table is about to get kicked out. I finally rack up at 5:45AM. Down $130 on the session. Up a disappointing $24 for the whole day.

I played the hands over in my fitful sleeping dreams until 3PM on Sunday. I've got hours of tax class homework due Monday AM. I guess I'm off today.

Thanks for reading.

Keep at it man. Great read man.

My favorite thread on 2+2 for multiple reasons. Seems to me like you are playing well (not that I'm qualified to judge) and you deserve a nice little heater as a reward.

There is a 3.3% chance the someone has two cards which are the same suit as yours. I'm not sure that just because someone calls a raise they automatically have a higher flush draw. It turned out to be a cooler hand but I think the hero was correct in making the call as his express odds alone were already close to 4.4 to 1. We can't assume that we are always drawing dead. This is a 1-2 game. Implied odds almost always exist, especially in a pot this big.

To Packer Fan, keep up the good work. Reading about live games is always much more entertaining than reading about online games. It looks like your win rate is good even though you haven't been running too well.

I play 25NL online which is somewhat comparable to super tight 1/2 live. In my original thoughts on this hand, I said I might not play 79o out of position, b/c I wasn't sure on my tendencies. Playing 6 tables, I have noticed in the last few days that I instafold that hand and other small gappers unless at least in the cutoff in a limped or unopened pot when I MIGHT play them depending on stats of limpers and players in blinds. Without some compelling reason to play it, it's definitely a hand to look to fold for a TAG. I know live is different, but I think it's still a fold before the raise, and definitely a fold after the raise.

Kock's analysis is good b/c there are ALWAYS implied odds in 1/2, no matter how obvious the flush may seem. There are just so many bad players and bad plays, that even good players can convince themselves to make a call b/c they think the other guy is bad or might be bad.

The only thing I will say on the other side is that the chances that THIS hand is the one with the other player holding 2 of the same suit, is MUCH higher than 3.3% b/c of the actions that we've seen him take. A flush was the nut draw (and if I recall correctly, the only non gutshot draw) and another player also calling big bets, has to raise suspicions. That said, while debatable, there was no single action by Pack after the flop that was horrible.

The biggest problem with this hand is calling a big preflop raise (even by live 1/2 standards) with it - especially out of position. Speculative hands need to be played cheaply and in position to avoid what happened to Pack - Getting stuck between bettors and getting 1/3 of a nice stack involved while drawing at a good but non nut hand. Suited gappers are an ok hand if you can limp or even call a small raise in position, but the more I've thought about it, playing it in a big pot is just asking for trouble.

Reading the days of Pack's life make me want to blow some freq flyer miles and hit Vegas for a week or two. I'm holding out until it's colder here in Michigan though.

MDM

Monday 11/15: Planet Hollywood

In at my favorite room around 4PM, 3 games going and I get into what looks to be the worst one with some familiar faces including the local Phil Hellmuth wannabe.

I get up quickly with 77 when 55 shoves on the river on a T8569 board.

Drop back $100 when I take AT to a T93 rainbow flop. Isolate a $100 shortstack with a flop raise, put him all in on a Q Turn, see a K river (T93 Q K) figure those are absolutely the worst 2 possible cards I could see and he shows JT for the runner-runner.

Back up to $550 and I find QQ on the button. Raise to limpers to $12 and now UTG limp-reraises to $40. This is a brand new player, under one orbit, young with a gangsta look and a $100 buy-in. If he buys in for $300 or is 60+ years old its an easier fold, but I've seen kids like this do this with 66 or AK. I call, flop comes J-high, he shoves I call, he's got KK ldo. I this just a pf fold here all the time with QQ-TT?

I change tables with about $440 as the pickings get slim on Table 1. Move to a great game with 3 big action players flinging chips and drinking. The biggest action came from Canadian Brian on my immediate left who's stack went from $1000+ - down to the felt - and back up over $1000 again. He would often raise $15 blind - one hand he played blind until the river, calling a $40 pf 3-bet, betting $50 on a 877 flop, Betting another $50 on the 5 turn, and finally looking at his cards after a 3 river... where he finds AK and folds to a river bet from the 2nd action (bad) player... who shows AKs.

I get few opportunities to join the action and it is around midnight so I'm ready to call it a night. Then I get into my hand of the night with Canadian Brian. Comments are welcome and encouraged.

77 on the button with about $450 behind.

4 limpers and the blinds call.

Flop ($12): 987

Theres a $5 bet, a call from an action Aussie, I raise to $20. Now Canadian Brian ($360ish) makes it $75. The Aussie calls. I call with future plans depending on the turn card. Anyone shove here?

Turn ($242): 4 Canadian Brian shoves for $280. Aussie thinks for a long time and folds. Brian could obviously have a straight or higher set, but hands like 2-pair, As9s, AsTs, Ts9s, etc... I do know for sure that he looked at his cards this hand though. Action is on you and rent is due



I stay until 3AM, trying to catch some of the chips that are flying around from the 3 action junkies... but I continue to get nothing all night. Finally rack up down $308. Very disappointing.

Day off today. Will write a 1st month summary tonight and post. Thanks for reading. Comments (and support) are appreciated.

standard 4bet shove on the turn

QQ seems like a shove pre sinec his stack is at 60 after his reraise and there is no reason why you shouldn't get value out of his AK pre, not to mention 66. So if you think 66 and or AK is possible you should shove pre with stacks so shallow.

Also, with 77 hand. If you aren't going to be able to fold (rightly or wrongly) you might as well get it in on the flop, where you have more equity against stronger hands. Plus crazy players do get scared with their over cards if there is 4 straight board/ 3 flush. Thus, you have to jam it on such a wet board.

Month One Summary:

Results: $1282 in 189.5 hours.

The good news is that I kept my hours up, playing 5+ days each week. I'm comfortable that I can play solid throughout 10+ hour sessions.

The bad news is obvious, I'm $2,300 behind the pace of my goal after 1 month.

I've had 6 losing days and 16 winning days.

Thoughts on my game:

Almost every day I made one or two incorrect (may or may not be different than "Bad") decisions that are the difference between my current results and making my goal.

I'd like to think I'm a better player than I was on day 1. I guess we'll see in Month #2. I need to be more aggressive pre- and post-flop and I need to continue to take some new lesson away from every night. I'm planning to post more hands and hope for more comments from you all.

Poker Room Comments

Planet Hollywood: My favorite rooms for several reasons.

• Consistently good games
• Central Location (can easily walk to Bally's, Bellagio)
• Great drink service... ok ok I like the outfits too.
• Friendly, competent dealing staff
• Great sandwiches close by at Earl of Sandwich (and Diet Dew!)

Played 97.5 hours and I'm amazed to see I'm down $467 here. Huh. Ok I need to think about that for a bit.

Bally's ($274 in 31 hours)

• Games have been excellent, but not much table selection if they are bad.
• Central location. Quick from valet to poker room.
• Cocktail service sucks. I mean really, really bad.
• Chairs suck, borrowed from meeting rooms.

South Point ($463 in 23 hours)

• Games commonly have tight (but still bad), bitchy locals.
• Staff & promotions are excellent.
• Location is ideal for me
• Cocktail service in the new location has gone from some of the best around to being slow with plenty of bad attitude. Sad.

I've played at Mirage, MGM, Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and Bellagio. I don't like that the MGM properties are not connected for their hourly comps. I don't like places where they won't bring you a soda bigger than 8 oz. But I'll play some more in these rooms next month and add additional thoughts.

Vegas Life
Heh, I need one. I'll be working on this as well in month #2. For now I'll open up this summary for questions from the audience.

Thanks for reading.

Congratulations on a winning month. As you settle in to your new life environment and get more and more hours in, you should experience some EV gains just from that.

Since you talk about wanting to make a few adjustments in your game like increasing aggression a bit, have you considered practicing by playing ultralow stakes online? You could experiment with different playstyles in the micros to get comfortable with elements you were adding to your game - and you might earn a few cheesebuirgers in the process.

Do you study much math/game theory? It's clear you have a good practical mastery of poker probabilities but there's always more to learn, our understanding of the game is still advancing. Also, keeping a lot of precise statistics memorized can sometimes give you the confidence to make bold plays, because you can prove they are EV+ long-term even though variance can make them painful short-term.