one short session today on titan. played one 10NL table and five 4-5NL ones.
90min playing=350 hands, while on ft i almost play double. Ipoker is really slow.
also very few 10NL FR tables and waiting lists were so long, which was sad given the number of happy limpers i was seeing.
lost couple of big pots, but ran 27bb/100 anyway.


villain is 15/11/9 4,8% 3bet over 1,2K hands.
reasoning for flatting pre: i have a note on him that he likes to double barrell and i'm pretty confident i can get a lot of value postflop even oop. plus he's 3bet size makes the pot big enough to get the right SPR to get it in on the turn.
Q is not a really good card for me but i can't fold as his range is wide here. mostly TT+, AQ+.
i'm a little concerned about reraising the turn as i could let him bluff the river. but i didn't expect him to fold given he left almost the whole stack in the middle...








villain is 79/0/0,5 over 30 hands. 0% fold2cbet WtSD 57%, W$atSD 31%
i iso-raised him couple of times, and folded pre.
his range here is 22+, Ax+, Kx+,Qx+,Jx+, Tx+, connectors suited and unsuited and maybe some 1 gappers....lol

i cbet here because i'm expecting him to act more straightforwardly on a monotone board. tried to get his whole stack otr but failed.












here is what i mean by "stats don't tell you how i'm playing". i hate myself for being such an unbeliever sometimes! easy easy fold, i've done tons of them but still i fail...
again this turn card makes it such an easy fold. i need a bigger fold button at the table.














all in all i played well the whole session but this last hand which was awful.
seems like i'm doing better on Titan than FT, maybe because of the weaker and losier field of players, or maybe it's just variance.

mailed to rapidevolution today and we might start working out friday.
can't wait. i don't really know what to expect. it's also a weird period in which i feel like i'm playing pretty bad, even if transition to 10NL had been pretty lucky so far. i'll still play both 5NL - 10NL for a while until i gain more confidence

Is he still playing? He was having a tough time of it a while back and was thinking of quitting. I think he will do you a world of good. He has always been active in the forums and the advice he offers always seems straight up and his posts are good to read. Ive also heard good things about his coaching as well. Good luck.

thanks. I talked to him on skype yesterday and he's still playing. i don't know if he's seriously grinding as before though. i also saw couple of recent posts by him on SSNLHE. i remember his "goodbye" thread here on 2+2.
watched his videos on DC and i like the way he explains concepts (though the series was pretty basic) and read his posts both here and on DeucesCracked. i like his thinking. agreed on a longer first session to get a better idea of things to work on and plan something. i need a tailored plan more than anything else, as my mind now is full of advanced concepts i read by myself and that i really don't know how to use...at least not constantly.
then i'll ask you to teach me how to fold quads! lol

short session as i'm off from work today.
almost tilting after couple of bad hands, but managed to end 1,5 BI up.
i'm happy about being 16/13 in the last 1500 hands, but i'm not playing too well imo, too spewy (agg 4,5). i need to find the check button more often.


villain is 55/9/1 over 150 hands. never folds to cbets (13 otf/25 ott). I hated the A otr, knew it! i wonder if someone checks/folds here, but i'm committed already.






Villain is 10/5/1 foldtosteal 100%. i kept on stealing his blinds so i'm giving him credit here. ott my bet is small because i expect a raise a decent amount of time and i took a bet/fold line.
once called i vbet the river. villain played so badly that he actually got more from me.






same villain. my image is perfect but Full Tilt wins.





i took a weird line here, but i didn't want to c/call and feel the river. villain is unknown.









I was almost crushing my mouse here. luckly it was just a joke.

couple of other hands.

villain is 44/1/2. foldtocbet 67%. i'm raising for value pre and expecting to take the pot down pretty often pre or otf.
ott i get a gutshot+nfd+overs but i give up otr.





villain is 9/8/4,3. i decided not to raise the flop as the A can be a scary card for him. once he checks turn his hand is face up. i love when you get to see villain's cards. have to work on it a lot!





villain is an aggro fish and just lost a big hand by pushing a 2nd pair.
standard played as river is a good card for me as kicker doesn't count anymore.






villain is 16/9/1. on this board once he calls my cbet i think i should check/call turn. only part of his limping range that continues ott is sets (and should reraise me) and some Ax?. idk what's the best line here.

i had the first session with rapidevolution today. i have to say it's been great. a small sweat session (first time somebody see me playing...one day i won't have to pay to let people watch me...kidding!) and stats analysis.
he's been cool, we ran half an hour more than expected. more than 2 hours total. explains concepts well and i now can't wait to get to the real work on the next sessions.
i felt pleased that my overall game/stats looked solid to him and no big leaks to fix. we're going to work on improving my game in certain spots where i can be +EV and improve my CO/BTN/3BET play and thought process, but again, i'm happy that the effort i made through these months on my own, by reading and 2+2ing was worth it. can't imagine how pleasing can be to hear "i like your bet sizes"

also running really well. 21bb/100 over the last 4000 hands at 5NL and some 10NL. 8BIs up between friday and saturady. my game is changing a little, laggier (16/13/3,8 over the last 6000 hands), but i have to work a lot in hand reading to keep it profitable though.

i'm now def rolled to move up, though i'm little nervous about it (no stats, no reads...jeez).
is 10NL much different? we'll see

Nice work. 10NL isnt that much different, you just dont want to adjust too much if at all. Remember people are not playing back at you as a bluff as much as you want to believe. Re the stats thing you also have to remember that they have no stats on you either and even just going off Vpip and PFR you can quickly work out the fish from the regs and then as you build hands just work out which of the regs are fish as well.

I can relate to the coaching thing, it is fantastic to hear a player who is better than ourselves tell us how much he loves a play we make is a massive confidence booster. Did you also record the session to go over everything? I always find thats a good help.

It looks like you have got a good understanding of the game which is a great solid foundation and you just need to kick on now and you will be flying through the levels in no time.

thanks a lot mart. lots of motivating things lately, you included.
yeah i did record the session and watching it now. the sweating session was a losing one from the very first hand...nice way to start...lol.
i hope to be able to play more, as i only played 50000 hands in my life which is nothing. it's nice to share thoughts about the game with smart people, and getting coached could be addicting.
i also think that if i was younger it'd be easier and less stressfull. but we love this game, right?

Losing sessions are the best to learn from afterall anyone can play when flopping the nuts all the time.

I feel the same about the age thing, im not sure how old you are but im 33 and really wish i had chacne to learn the game when i was a lot younger.

yeah, i'm 30: less time to play, more money wised, more tired during the week, no more alcoholic parties...life sucks! kidding...(but everything's true)

started playing exclusively 10NL tables today. up 1,5 BI in 600 hands. played both on FT and Titan.
the game doesn't change that much, i saw more SS though. actually 5NL seems more nittier than 10NL, but it's just the beggining.

lost 1 BI with KK vs. AA stacking off on a baby flop. i damn knew he had it.
all in all it's been a good start. also applied couple advices from rapid.


have no reads on anybody!

i flatted pre IP. stack sizes are not as deep as i'd like for this hand, but i was looking for spots where i can steal pots postflop. flopping straight helps a lot.
otf my bet is small as i wanted it to look like a steal.





another similar spot. i call IP with a pretty hand i can play in many ways.
i would prefer to float with some equity. my plan is to bet any turn if checked to.
should do this vs. villains i have good reads on (high cbet/low turn cbet) and with some outs, but still it worked.

villain is a bed SS with a resteal of 50% over 80 hands. i should fold pre but i didn't pay attention to it at the moment.
my hand should play well against his range anyway-

Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold'em - 7 players
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $10.30
MP: $10.77
Hero (CO): $10.00
BTN: $3.50
SB: $6.39
BB: $11.30
UTG: $10.00

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is CO with 7 5
3 folds, Hero raises to $0.30, BTN raises to $0.90, 2 folds, Hero raises to $3.50, 1 fold





biggest pot of the day:

MP1: 83/33
UTG: 71/0

i want to keep everybody in the pot. i'm ready to fold otf if scare cards come.
i lead the flop as i don't want it to get check through.
lucky hand



Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

Hero (BB): $10.00
UTG: $5.75
UTG+1: $5.53
UTG+2: $1.19
MP1: $8.41
MP2: $4.06
CO: $9.35
BTN: $10.00
SB: $11.07

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with Q Q
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.10, UTG+2 raises to $1.19 all in, MP1 calls $1.19, 4 folds, Hero calls $1.09, UTG+1 calls $1.09

Flop: ($4.81) 7 T 4 (4 players - 1 is all in)
Hero bets $2, UTG+1 calls $2, MP1 calls $2

Turn: ($10.81) 2 (4 players - 1 is all in)
Hero bets $2.40, UTG+1 calls $2.34 all in, MP1 calls $2.40

River: ($17.95) K (4 players - 2 are all in)
Hero bets $4.41 all in, MP1 folds

Final Pot: $17.95
Hero shows Q Q (a pair of Queens)
UTG+1 mucks J A
UTG+2 mucks 7 A
Hero wins $12.16
Hero wins $4.49
(Rake: $1.19)


i feel meh about this last hand, but villain bets in a 3way pot. he's 10/6 over 30 hands. i beat TT and broadway combos. but i also think that calling oop just to fold turn would be burning money here.

Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

MP1: $10.10
MP2: $8.28
CO: $10.00
BTN: $10.00
Hero (SB): $11.58
BB: $3.81
UTG: $10.61
UTG+1: $11.42
UTG+2: $4.10

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is SB with J J
4 folds, MP2 raises to $0.35, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.30, BB calls $0.25

Flop: ($1.05) 9 4 6 (3 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, MP2 bets $1.05, Hero folds, BB folds

Final Pot: $1.05
MP2 wins $0.98
(Rake: $0.07)

Not over keen on the 69 hand calling a raise against someone who isnt full stacked especially when the BB is a shorty who could possibly shove. Like the way you played it post flop though although i may have been tempted to raise the turn. Fish tend to spaz out when they have raised you and then you raise them on the next street. Also theres cards that could come and stop our action as well.

TJ hand looks good.

I dont mind the raise with 75 afterall you will be the BTN here most of the time and have a chance to play against the blinds. When he raises i would be tempted to fold as i would rather have high card value here against someone like this. Nothing wrong with playing back occasionally though.

On that note do you use All IN Expert? Thats a really cool free program a bit like Pokerstove where you can work out SS shoving ranges and things. Really cool program.

Like the Queen hand against these players. NH.

Dont mind the JJ hand. I think HU i probably call the flop bet but multi way and with the BB still to act i dont mind the fold at all.

yeah i agree on 69s hand. only thing i had waited so long fo a right spot to cold call from the button, which seems i'm not doing enough, and try to play postflop. i didn't raise turn as his range looked weak to me. he seemed pretty pushy so i let him go ahead.
never heard of ALL IN expert, will look for it once i get home. thanks.
75s hand...i sometimes play back when i'm sure villain's range is weak, plus they are low card that play well vs. AQ+. i once 5betted from SB with 87 and got a fold... it seems i sometimes go too much far with that. i have to stop it, it's too fancy.

tilt breaker did kick in for the first time.
2 BI down in 500 hands, and 2 BI down in EV.
my game is def changed into a laggier style which puts me in more difficult spots that i want to review with rapidevolution, but i think i overall played ok (couple of spewy hands, but i was pissed off already). people don't adjust at all when you're playing laggier, and when they do they usually call raises/3bet and play pots out of position which is great.


both villain are massive whales (70+ VPIP), i decide to flat oop which isn't so great, but i was pretty sure to go 3handed and get paid when i hit. i call otf to try to get both villains in the hand as i feel my hand is in great shape. shoving here is ok imo, but looks bluffy.
FE is zero at micros. BB was running out of time before making his hero call.






villain was LAG. when he back raises i'm pretty sure we're flipping as he would've 3betted KK+ pre and surely not shoved this way. i want to learn how to win coinflips!






villain is 26/8 fish-reg. not the best flop to cbet on but i have an oesd+overs. i decided to 2barrell on the K and bluff the river. i thought he would fold almost any hand without a Q, but of course he has it. i'm not sure it was a good bluff.










this is the last hand of the session, but i damn knew it was going to happen


Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

SB: $10.00
BB: $4.40
UTG: $8.47
UTG+1: $3.50
MP1: $4.17
Hero (MP2): $11.89
CO: $10.00
BTN: $13.06

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is MP2 with A K
UTG calls $0.10, 2 folds, Hero raises to $0.50, 4 folds, UTG calls $0.40

Flop: ($1.15) 8 A 9 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $1, UTG raises to $2, Hero raises to $11.39 all in, UTG calls $5.97 all in

Turn: ($17.09) T (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($17.09) K (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $17.09
UTG shows J A (a flush, Ace high)
Hero shows A K (two pair, Aces and Kings)
UTG wins $15.96
(Rake: $1.13)

Hi, just stumbled across this thread today and will be watching your progress as I am in a similar situation to you as i'm 31 and also have limited time to play due to work/family commitments. I currently only 2 table 2nl and 5nl on pstars for about an hour a day. I've just recently moved to cash from MTT/STT which I only played recreationally. But I really enjoy playing, reading, talking and thinking poker. I'm looking to become a solid FR NLHE player and move through the stakes whenever I can. So please keep on posting in this thread and good luck with the challenge which I can see you are progressing quite well.

Dan.

very busy week.. no books, no videos, no nothing but a losing session on thursday.
played 500 hands on Titan and ended up 2 BIs. evenings on Ipoker are fun, plenty of donating villain. it's easier to get bad beats from awkard holdings though, but also to get value form good hands.
played another session on FT this morning and ended up 2,5 BI. couple of thin spots i'm posting later on, and some big mistakes.
going to have 1 hour coaching with rapidevolution later this afternoon.


here are my stats from the last 10,000 hands, since i feel my game improved a lot. it's only 5NL - 10NL though.
def need to work on 3betting more IP, as RE said, and in hand reading which is my biggest leak at the moment imo.
my wtsd% is a little low. also need to steal less from SB and more from CO
my red line's never been so good as this month. hope to keep it going! also..being lucky when i moved up helped a lot..

thank you dan.
do you use a poker tracker/HUD software? it helps a lot, and allows you to play more tables and maximize you hands/hour.

this must be a record...
tilt breaked kicks again in 3 sessions, once after 10 minutes playing.
so wrong...6 BI down in 1000 hands is total spew.
being stacked off twice with KK vs. AA. and lost any coinflip.
anytime i 3bet QQ, AK i get 4betted...that's so crappy.

villain is 15/11/6 foldtsteal 83%, 4,7% 3bet, over 250 hands.
preflop his range are pocket pairs and some broadway combos he's not 3betting
77-TT, JT+, QT+, KT+, AT,


flop is not bad, Q high. not so dry, being two tone, but i'm expecting villain to reraise with a fd.
my plan is to fire any scare card or diamond.
turn is a brick and that's the biggest mistake of all imo. i decide to fire again to rep tp, overpair and make him fold 77-TT. i'm polarizing my range too much
as played i have to shove this river, at this point villain's range is Qx, no????
i have to stop spewing like this. villain played it well.








i hate this hand. otr my bet is small to get called by trips, but once he reraises he's beating me almost always.










when i have AK, villains like love to limp/call AA and QQ.
villain with QQ is 100/0 over 3 hands...should check the river anyway.









should fold turn, but i was readless and frustrated...

this is sick another BI down in 900 hands, at this point i'm thinking of moving down.


it seems i'm not even able to win small pots with KK+.




i'm value betting small as the range i'm targetting is pretty weak







i flatted to induce a call or a shove and get more money in the pot.









not even vs. SS!






only nice hand today. playing IP vs. isolator with high flop cbet and low turn cbet%. limper had folded twice already when isoraised.

Hand 1 looks fine but pretty frustrating. Villain gives us no sign of super strength so no reason not to bet.

Hand 2 very nice fold. When things arnt going well the Ace always hits here. I think the villain makes a mistake betting here as your range here is very small. Your not putting anymore money in here unless you have AK or AA but if he checks he may get one street of value off you.

Hand 3 again when its going bad its going bad.

Hand 4 i dont mind so much but i would probably pick better cards to do it with but its good you are looking for spots to exploit villains.

All these hands look pretty good if you ask me.

thanks mart.

it sucks because i was running so well this month and now BR is starting to get to the point where if i lose another BI i have to move down.
i might play some days at 5NL and return to a tighter style and really apply in hand reading. also losing 2 BI by bluff shoving river is so tilting that i might avoid it even when the play in itself is +EV. being called is too frustrating.

back to work

ok,
had the 2nd session yesterday with rapidevolution. i'm sorry i didn't really have the time to set up for the HH review, so we went through the hands i usually mark during my sessions and comment them.
i love his thinking and his explanetions are enlightening. plus he's a funny guy too.
we discussed about my biggest losses and found out some spewy lines i've taken. he exploits people tendencies so well, and is able to find couple of solutions for every hand we discussed.
i need to put up some volume before the next session and work on my own much more, hoping to find some time during these couple of weeks. i hope these hands are going to be from 10NL, because that's where i want to play for the next months.
i hope things will turn out better.

next things to do:

-discipline. get from 18/14 (my stats at 10NL) to 15/12 and spew less, tilt less, bluff less (readless)
-analyze tricky spots from HH, improve hand reading
-get to work with rapidevolution again
-being on the right side when there's AA vs. KK (or, if not possible, to flop a K and suck out)
-flop much better

i have to post this hand somewhere...things are not going well lately, but still having some fun!


when he called i was like , wt** he has eights!
i wonder what villain saw that i didn't see. i'm clueless





backbackdoor sd?