I'm in to rail 500nl. Good luck man.

Is there anybody you consider a good reg? The bar seems pretty high if a single questionable play is disqualifying. It's not like he limped J6o UTG. This play is at least defensible and SB doesn't have to be too far off optimal before it becomes a +EV exploit with a hand that would have probably just folded otherwise.

Session #2 in the books. Went pretty well. Much more sporadic game selection tonight. I started off on one table, then the fish left and I bailed. I got a spot at the good table, then the fish left and I bailed. Then some more fish jumped in, and I got back in. I ran pretty good. No crazy all-in spots this time. There were plenty of 3 and 4-bet pots. I did OK in them. If Buggits reads this, I got all excited when I picked up AA in the BB and he opened in the SB, but he didn't call my 3-bet. I would've felt bad if I stacked him in back to back nights with AA & KK.

This was my biggest hand early on. Did I get greedy? It feels like maybe I got greedy.

PokerStars - $5 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BB): 100 BB
CO: 170.87 BB
BTN: 100 BB
SB: 112.02 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has T 9

fold, fold, SB raises to 3 BB, Hero calls 2 BB

Flop: (6 BB, 2 players) 8 Q J
SB bets 1.88 BB, Hero raises to 6.14 BB, SB calls 4.26 BB

Turn: (18.28 BB, 2 players) 8
SB checks, Hero bets 13.94 BB, SB calls 13.94 BB

River: (46.15 BB, 2 players) 4
SB checks, Hero bets 76.92 BB and is all-in, fold

Hero wins 45.75 BB

Back at 200NL I got slaughtered. One was just a bad beat when AK vs. 88 on an AK8 flop got there on the river. But I'm trying work more leading bluffs like this into my game. Maybe I should stop, or maybe I picked a bad villain. I don't think his flop call is defensible on this board with 2 to act behind him.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

UTG: 99.53 BB
MP: 224 BB
CO: 50.77 BB
BTN: 132.5 BB
SB: 72.8 BB
Hero (BB): 122.72 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 8 6

fold, MP raises to 2.5 BB, CO calls 2.5 BB, fold, SB calls 2 BB, Hero calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (10 BB, 4 players) 7 5 5
SB checks, Hero bets 5 BB, MP calls 5 BB, CO calls 5 BB, fold

Turn: (25 BB, 3 players) 2
Hero bets 15.68 BB, MP calls 15.68 BB, fold

River: (56.35 BB, 2 players) A
Hero bets 36.2 BB, MP calls 36.2 BB

Hero shows 8 6 (One Pair, Fives)
(Pre 38%, Flop 45%, Turn 23%)
MP shows A 9 (Two Pair, Aces and Fives)
(Pre 62%, Flop 55%, Turn 77%)
MP wins 127.25 BB

Depends on the play in question. In this case this shove is a big mistake theoretically speaking. Can only be justified if Koss was a massive whale getting all in pre with ATC. But Koss is not a whale. Therefore this is a pretty bad play. Can't really argue otherwise.

I don't think it's that bad of a shove if he thinks I'll overfold in that spot, which maybe I will if I'm a n00b and 500NL and can be pushed around. I'll even admit my knowledge of correct frequencies for 4! pots is pretty weak. I've done some off table work with equilab to try and craft 4! ranges both as the defender and the aggressor, and usually TT is the bottom of my GII range on either side. Given that I should be 3! the SB a lot there, that's where his 4! range should be the widest, and include a healthy amount of bluffs as well. KJo just doesn't work great as either a bluff or value. The only thing it really has going for it is blocking my easier calls (KK/JJ/AK). He got lucky that he had as much equity as he did.

I don't know if this is common at the stake, but last night there were probably 3 or 4 people who looked like they put their whole roll on the line. They bought in for strange amounts like $329.57 and then either hit & run or busted out. I see it sometimes at 200NL but not nearly this much. At least for now I'm trying to strike the appropriate balance of not just bumhunting fish, but also trying to avoid games where I think I'm going to be a long term loser. So sorry if I seem like I table select a bit too aggressively for the time being. Once I get a bit more comfortable at the stake, I'll try to do my part to keep games going even if they get a bit tougher.

Probably people realizing their not gonna clear that reload deposit match before they go busto trying to expedite the process either up or down

Playing some 50NL since I'm on a clock. Apologies to fellow poster Starscream who was the villain in this hand and gave me an opportunity to work on the always important 3-bet turn bluff range. I'll just call it a blocker specific fancy play.

PokerStars - $0.50 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 108.62 BB
BTN: 106.74 BB
SB: 110.9 BB
BB: 192.12 BB
Hero (UTG): 100 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 6 6

Hero raises to 2.5 BB, fold, fold, fold, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (5.5 BB, 2 players) 5 4 9
BB checks, Hero bets 2.34 BB, BB calls 2.34 BB

Turn: (10.18 BB, 2 players) 8
BB checks, Hero bets 4.36 BB, BB raises to 15 BB, Hero raises to 40 BB, fold

Hero wins 38.18 BB

I'll find the hand in a little bit...but I think I was full of ****. Wasn't full of complete **** anyways. haha



We can discuss how I played it. Probably should have just called down instead of getting fancy with UTG.

Yeah that's a weird range merge. If anything that's just a bluff or a pure equity denial play against someone who might double barrel too often.

Back to 200NL where I'm playing a table with a VPIP > 90% and mashing pot every opportunity. And he does this to me. He's on my left which for how crazy he is doesn't even matter tbh. But he's steamrolling the table at the moment.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 129.99 BB
Hero (BTN): 121.8 BB
SB: 370.99 BB
BB: 204.59 BB
UTG: 100 BB
MP: 257.56 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q 9

fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 2.5 BB, SB calls 2 BB, fold

Flop: (6 BB, 2 players) T 3 J
SB bets 2.85 BB, Hero calls 2.85 BB

Turn: (11.7 BB, 2 players) 4
SB bets 11.12 BB, Hero calls 11.12 BB

River: (33.93 BB, 2 players) K
SB bets 32.43 BB, Hero calls 32.43 BB

SB shows Q 6 (Flush, King High)
(Pre 34%, Flop 24%, Turn 31%)
Hero mucks Q 9 (Straight, King High)
(Pre 66%, Flop 76%, Turn 69%)
SB wins 97.29 BB

Well that was a fun session. I had to dust off the "dealing with a complete maniac" playbook that I usually only use during my live days. It's pretty straightforward. Try to get to the flop with any playable hand, while isoing against the maniac anyway possible. Check to the maniac whenever possible. Call with anything that is ahead of his betting range.

After 100 hands he had a VPIP/PFR/3bet of 90/30/20, but his 3-bets were click backs so they were all just auto calls. He wasn't a complete nut on the river actually. Usually his pots were properly polarized. He was checking back with medium showdown value. There were a couple times I had a near nutted hand OTR vs. him after calling his pots on the flop and turn and he checked back hands that had some showdown value. Overall I ended up a bit at the table. Good luck the regs sticking it out to try and get his stack. He has been holding on to it surprisingly well given his play style.

Back when I played live, even though I was on a curfew, there were a few times where I told my wife I was staying late because I was at a rare table. I haven't invoked that online yet, as even good tables are never THAT good that I want to stay up too late for them. But this one at least got me to invoke 10 more minutes.

Couple of years ago we're about 9:00pm on a Saturday in the poker room. A reg at the other end of the table has just finished texting and is lol'ing out loud to himself so he shares the story with the table.

"I just texted my wife: 'I Don't think I can leave yet, action is real good'"

"She texts back: 'Lotta crazy drunks at the table?'"

"I text: 'No, a lotta hot chicks!'"

Glol@marriedlifeG

Hot girls at a poker table are definitely more rare than drunken maniacs VPIPing every hand and punting stacks. I'd stay too.

Ghotchickatpokertableis6inreallife?G

haha - When I was in the military, we'd call this "deployment goggles". The longer you were on deployment, the hotter the girls got.

I went to Kettering University. The ratio there was like 85/15. It was pretty slim pickings. And the girls used to say about us "The odds are good but the goods are odd."

I'll be taking a hopefully brief hiatus from 500NL. I've been doomswitched a couple sessions at 200NL which is eating in to my shot taking budget. I had another swingy night tonight which ended in a small loss. While overall 200NL still has plenty of weak players, there are some really tough regs there that I've had some back and forth battles with.

This guy in particular seems to always be playing every table and he's really damn good. He got me on this one. I wanted to call so bad.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

UTG: 104.19 BB
CO: 131.41 BB
BTN: 100 BB
Hero (SB): 100 BB
BB: 176.35 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has T T

fold, fold, BTN raises to 2.5 BB, Hero raises to 10 BB, fold, BTN calls 7.5 BB

Flop: (21 BB, 2 players) 3 6 2
Hero bets 11 BB, BTN raises to 28 BB, Hero calls 17 BB

Turn: (77 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero checks, BTN checks

River: (77 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero checks, BTN bets 62 BB and is all-in, fold

BTN wins 75.5 BB

Then I got him back a bit on this hand. I either need to do a lot more of this or way less. Either way, it felt good. He was the BB here, and tanked for quite a while on the river.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 185.37 BB
SB: 126.54 BB
BB: 136.5 BB
Hero (UTG): 100 BB
MP: 71.66 BB
CO: 108.19 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 8 9

Hero raises to 2.5 BB, MP calls 2.5 BB, CO calls 2.5 BB, fold, fold, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (10.5 BB, 4 players) 3 6 7
BB checks, Hero bets 6 BB, MP calls 6 BB, fold, BB calls 6 BB

Turn: (28.5 BB, 3 players) 2
BB checks, Hero bets 17.87 BB, MP calls 17.87 BB, BB calls 17.87 BB

River: (82.11 BB, 3 players) Q
BB checks, Hero bets 73.63 BB and is all-in, fold, fold

Hero wins 80.61 BB

[ ] hope

Wait is that your graph on me? That looks like my recent 3 sessions. Just getting crushed at showdown and rarely any bluffs getting through.

Ya mostly 100 with some 200. Just memeing on ya. GL out there

I figured there were at least a few 100/200 regs posting around here these days. In reality I could give 2 craps about my actual redline. As long as my green one is in the positive. While it has been positive, it's been much flatter than I would have preferred lately. If that's the full sample you have on me, that's not too surprising. I'm still barely above breakeven at 100 and 200.

I am working on some turn/river bet sizing mistakes I might be making. I put in another session yesterday and booked a small win, that could have been much bigger outside of some run bad in some big spots, so that's good. I was getting more turn & river folds than I had been previously, which felt really good. I think I maybe had one river bluff snapped off the whole night, and the spots I chose to give up on they showed up with hands that would have definitely called or shoved, so that's good.

Every once in a while I do have a bit of a crisis of faith. Am I really good enough to hang at these stakes? I know there are some obvious fish, but can I still win despite that, or am I just getting taken to the cleaners by the good regs? Then a hand like this happens and I feel like I just have to stay the course and keep on working on my game, because this is just free money.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 151.14 BB
BB: 148.79 BB
UTG: 100 BB
MP: 141.24 BB
CO: 56.41 BB
Hero (BTN): 100 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q K

fold, fold, CO raises to 2 BB, Hero raises to 7.5 BB, fold, fold, CO calls 5.5 BB

Flop: (16.5 BB, 2 players) 4 2 Q
CO bets 15.68 BB, Hero calls 15.68 BB

Turn: (47.85 BB, 2 players) 8
CO bets 33.23 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 33.23 BB

River: (114.31 BB, 2 players) 7

CO shows 3 Q (One Pair, Queens)
(Pre 29%, Flop 21%, Turn 7%)
Hero shows Q K (One Pair, Queens)
(Pre 71%, Flop 79%, Turn 93%)
Hero wins 112.81 BB

Another win in the books. The training modules I've recently done on turn betting seem to be paying dividends. I'm not saying I cracked the DaVinci code or anything, and I know I still need to do some more study, but I'm having a lot more success getting the desired result with my bets. I have a ways to go before I'm officially out of this downswing, but I'm feeling pretty confident for the time being. And now for some fun hands.

I got berated by the V pretty bad for this one. I'm pretty sure my play is justified, specifically the call off given my draw and the potential liveliness of my cards. Sucks he had a set. Next time buy in full so you can bet me off the hand.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

UTG: 53.23 BB
MP: 124.38 BB
CO: 116.54 BB
BTN: 25.56 BB
SB: 100 BB
Hero (BB): 112.19 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K 3

fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to 3 BB, fold, Hero calls 2 BB

Flop: (6.5 BB, 2 players) 8 2 6
Hero checks, BTN bets 3.09 BB, Hero raises to 8.5 BB, BTN raises to 22.56 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 14.06 BB

Turn: (51.62 BB, 2 players) 3

River: (51.62 BB, 2 players) A

Hero shows K 3 (Flush, Ace High)
(Pre 33%, Flop 26%, Turn 18%)
BTN shows 6 6 (Three of a Kind, Sixes)
(Pre 67%, Flop 74%, Turn 82%)
Hero wins 50.12 BB

Here's a hand that happened that kept Wednesday's session from being much bigger than it could have been. I'm pretty sure this is just an example of some of the variance train I've been on and that my play was good. What's up with these people 4-betting me with KJ lately? I'm not even that aggressive of a 3-bettor compared to some of the thougher regs. Perhaps my downfall was not coming in with the big 5-bet.

PokerStars - $1 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 100 BB
BB: 100 BB
UTG: 185.18 BB
MP: 131.19 BB
CO: 109.53 BB
Hero (BTN): 111.05 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A K

fold, MP raises to 2.25 BB, fold, Hero raises to 10 BB, fold, fold, MP raises to 24 BB, Hero calls 14 BB

Flop: (49.5 BB, 2 players) 3 K 8
MP bets 11.76 BB, Hero calls 11.76 BB

Turn: (73.02 BB, 2 players) J
MP bets 17.51 BB, Hero calls 17.51 BB

River: (108.04 BB, 2 players) 5
MP bets 77.92 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 57.78 BB and is all-in

MP shows J K (Two Pair, Kings and Jacks)
(Pre 29%, Flop 17%, Turn 93%)
Hero shows A K (One Pair, Kings)
(Pre 71%, Flop 83%, Turn 7%)
MP wins 220.6 BB

One more good winning session and I can avoid the losing month of August. Despite last nights win I did have some rough hands.

Hand 1. I hate how this played out but is there any other way to play it? I flatted the button because the opener was a fish, but maybe 3-bet is better? I should have foreseen the blind squeeze coming from a tougher player, but don't think I can fold this hand IP with a fish in the pot. Is calling flop bad given my 2 backdoors? It might be. Turn was really thin as well but I'm priced in when implied odds are considered and/or any bluff opportunities or times I hit a pair and can win on a checkback.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 239.75 BB
CO: 145.35 BB
Hero (BTN): 109.22 BB
SB: 106.64 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 9 8

CO raises to 2 BB, Hero calls 2 BB, SB raises to 10.5 BB, fold, CO calls 8.5 BB, Hero calls 8.5 BB

Flop: (32.5 BB, 3 players) 2 T 4
SB bets 9.45 BB, CO calls 9.45 BB, Hero calls 9.45 BB

Turn: (60.85 BB, 3 players) 7
SB bets 29.93 BB, fold, Hero calls 29.93 BB

River: (120.7 BB, 2 players) 9
SB bets 56.76 BB and is all-in, fold

SB wins 119.7 BB

Hand 2 was luckbox city. Is JJ too thin for a 5-bet jam BTN vs. BB? I need to study this spot more.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BB): 100 BB
UTG: 264.27 BB
MP: 84.37 BB
CO: 112.94 BB
BTN: 102.07 BB
SB: 164.56 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has J J

fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to 3 BB, fold, Hero raises to 12 BB, BTN raises to 35 BB, Hero raises to 100 BB and is all-in, BTN calls 65 BB

Flop: (200.5 BB, 2 players) J K 8

Turn: (200.5 BB, 2 players) Q

River: (200.5 BB, 2 players) 2
Players agreed to run it twice.

Flop #2: (200.5 BB, 2 players) 9 5 2

Turn #2: (200.5 BB, 2 players) K

River #2: (200.5 BB, 2 players) Q

Hero shows J J (Three of a Kind, Jacks)
Board #1 (Pre 19%, Flop 89%, Turn 86%)
(One Pair, Jacks)
Board #2 (Pre 12%, Flop 5%, Turn 3%)

BTN shows A A (One Pair, Aces)
Board #1 (Pre 81%, Flop 11%, Turn 14%)
(One Pair, Aces)
Board #2 (Pre 88%, Flop 95%, Turn 97%)

Hero wins 99.5 BB
BTN wins 99.5 BB

Hand 3 was a bit of entitlement tilt I think. Villain was a fish. It's probably a river fold but I think it's at least defensible?

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (UTG): 100 BB
MP: 215.06 BB
CO: 84.37 BB
BTN: 112.94 BB
SB: 104.57 BB
BB: 167.06 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K K

Hero raises to 2.5 BB, MP calls 2.5 BB, fold, fold, SB calls 2 BB, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (10 BB, 4 players) 2 J T
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets 6.27 BB, MP calls 6.27 BB, fold, fold

Turn: (22.54 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero checks, MP checks

River: (22.54 BB, 2 players) Q
Hero bets 6.43 BB, MP raises to 36.94 BB, Hero calls 30.51 BB

MP shows A 9 (Flush, Ace High)
(Pre 32%, Flop 47%, Turn 32%)
Hero mucks K K (Straight, King High)
(Pre 68%, Flop 53%, Turn 68%)
MP wins 94.91 BB

And now for some hands I'm proud of.

Hand 4 are these 1.5X turn bets ever that strong, especially on this board? I feel like they are designed to get folds. Not today satan.

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BB): 108.68 BB
CO: 95.84 BB
BTN: 204.49 BB
SB: 201.54 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 6 8

fold, BTN raises to 2.5 BB, fold, Hero calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (5.5 BB, 2 players) T 7 A
Hero checks, BTN bets 1.57 BB, Hero calls 1.57 BB

Turn: (8.64 BB, 2 players) 4
Hero checks, BTN bets 12.32 BB, Hero raises to 32.5 BB, fold

Hero wins 32.27 BB

I'm working on my river overbets. I tend to use them too much as a pure value exploit. I need to work in more bluffs and this seemed like a good spot.

PokerStars - $1 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (SB): 112.76 BB
BB: 159.71 BB
CO: 65.35 BB
BTN: 159.86 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has J K

fold, fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (6 BB, 2 players) Q Q T
Hero bets 2.57 BB, BB calls 2.57 BB

Turn: (11.14 BB, 2 players) 6
Hero bets 7.75 BB, BB calls 7.75 BB

River: (26.64 BB, 2 players) 3
Hero bets 35 BB, fold

Hero wins 25.31 BB

So I'm struggling to keep my WR positive at at 100 & 200NL, and have been pondering that maybe I'd make more if I just played 50NL. *Godfather Voice* Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in:

PokerStars - $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (UTG): 107.75 BB
MP: 100 BB
CO: 69.4 BB
BTN: 233.61 BB
SB: 110.58 BB
BB: 110.66 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q K

Hero raises to 2.5 BB, MP calls 2.5 BB, fold, BTN calls 2.5 BB, SB calls 2 BB, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (12.5 BB, 5 players) 3 9 T
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks, MP checks, BTN bets 3 BB, fold, BB calls 3 BB, Hero calls 3 BB, fold

Turn: (21.5 BB, 3 players) A
BB checks, Hero checks, BTN bets 1 BB, fold, Hero calls 1 BB

River: (23.5 BB, 2 players) 5
Hero checks, BTN bets 1 BB, Hero calls 1 BB

BTN shows Q J (High Card, Ace)
(Pre 26%, Flop 30%, Turn 16%)
Hero shows Q K (High Card, Ace)
(Pre 74%, Flop 70%, Turn 84%)
Hero wins 24.23 BB

Seriously how can I not play in games where stuff like this happens.

Lol, Villain thought he was playing Limit?

Gadmitit,you'refoldingthresholdwas4bbG