So, I'm now in a position where I can play much more live poker. For the last few months, I've been playing a ton of online on ACR up to $1k NLHE and PLO. With pretty much break even success. Definitely challenge dealing with very good players, as well as obvious RTA and other such shenanigans. But online is mainly to get as much playing/learning/studying as I can get. Have jumped in pretty deep into daily study and such.

I'm keeping track of all sessions along with dealer tips and waitress drink/tips.

Mainly playing the following games as they are the options I have locally:

- $1/3 NLHE $1k cap with 100% match stack. BTN and UTG straddles allowed. With UTG getting preference and not limited and BTN being limited to $10.

I always buy in for the 1k max and try to keep the table covered at all times. This game plays quite a bit bigger than a normal 1/2 or 1/3. I treat it like a 2/5 when most of the table has less than 1k stacks and 5/10 when deeper than 1k mostly. There are times where the game will get even bigger and have $20k on the table. But mostly I treat it as a 2/5 or 5/10 as far as open sizes and such.


- $1/2/5 PLO $1k cap with 100% match stack. It's 1/2 blinds with a $5 bring in. BTN and UTG straddles allowed, but at $10 limit on straddle.

I play this when the NLHE game isn't good or the PLO game is very good. Game plays kinda nuts like most LLSPLO. Everyone wants to see a flop and are mostly semi-inelastic pre flop.

You won't be able to make any "fancy" moves like bluffing with Ace nut flush blockers as most no one is folding a flush. Players routinely stack off with bottom and middle sets on bad boards.

Generally speaking, as long as you don't get too bored and start splashing around with them, you can win very big pots playing tight. But it will get boring as you'll be folding hands mostly while every hand goes 3+ ways and takes more time than NLHE hands.




I will make daily or semi daily posts with thoughts and hands for the session. With an emphasis on any spots where I think are interesting......like spots playing closer to equilibrium or at least with those principles. As people tend to really get sensitive with LLSNL when you even mention GTO or equilibrium. Where I personally think you can use many of those principles in these games.



Anyway, here we go.

Currently I have been playing live and keeping records this year starting with February. Feb and Mar I didn't play as much as I'd like. But that should change and volume should be around 30hrs/week hopefully here on out.


Here are the current stats that may be of interest. I'll make posts like this once a week or so with updated stats.


-Games Played: 1/3 NLHE and 1/2/5 PLO

-Net Results: +$7,130

-Hours Played: 115.2

-Net Hourly: $61

- Sessions Played: 27

- Win Ratio: 74%

April 9th, 2023


Played 5.5hrs of 1/3 NLHE and 2.5hrs of 1/2/5 PLO

Net Result: NLHE: +$255
PLO: +$185

Total: +$440



Overall I feel I played pretty well. Though I feel like I could have folded AA in one of the hands below. Had a fairly large cooler in PLO that between that and if I could have folded AA.....would have made for a very good day.



Interesting NLHE hand #1:


1/3 NLHE
Eff stack: 1500

Hero is BTN with JdJh

Hero straddles on BTN for $10


4 limps including Villain in CO. This particular villain is a "good" player for this room. Which means he just plays tight and doesn't get too splashy. Will limp a lot and raises premium hands. 3bets will usually be very strong like most LLSNL players. He does pay attention enough to realize who raised pre flop and has some board reading experience it seems. Not like some players who just "pay a price" to see flop and then bet if they get part of it, regardless of the range and board textures.

Hero raises to $60
MP calls $60
V calls $60

Pot: $200 ish

Flop: Kc Qh 4d

MP checks

V bets $75


In these games I almost never see a balanced flop donk range. It's usually either the nuts with some players, or something like middle pair with others. Sometimes you'll see someone stabbing with a hand like TP decent kicker......almost like a block bet trying to set a price.


I have played with this V enough that while I'm not sure his flop donking range......I do know that he will raise premium hands as well as 3bet QQ+ and AK. Probably AQ. Though I'd never put him on limping AK or AQ from CO and then calling an open. Same with KQ. I wouldn't expect him to limp.

So, IMO......he's very capped. 44 is the strongest he can have, but that's almost all he can have for value. There is no KK, QQ, KQ, AK. He can have K4s and Q4s, but I think those will c/c or c/r this board. JT is possible, but not sure he donks with this.

Hero: Raises to $205

I can have AA, KK, QQ, AK, KQ here and he should know that. We also block JT, but don't care if he comes along with that.

MP: folds

V: folds pretty fast and shows a K



Interesting hand #2

1/3 NLHE
Eff stack: $550

Hero: UTG with AhAd raises to $15 (with this stack size, I treat it as a 2/5 game. My EP and MP open size is $15 and my LP/BTN size is $20)
V in MP: calls $15
3 more calls including BTN and blinds fold

Pot: $75

Flop: Td 7d 5h

Hero: in the worst position with AA and this board against 4 others, I like checking. I'm not crazy about playing a big pot. Checks

V: checks

Checks to BTN who bets $25

Hero: calls $25

V: raises to $125

Folds to hero:


Here I really don't like having the Ad as this blocks a ton of flush draws. I consider folding. V is fairly tight, but will get out of line with flush draws and such from time to time.

I end up calling. But I think in similar spots in the future against 4 callers and a fairly tight V check/raising here.....I'll probably fold AA combos with diamond and call without. I think I should have some calls and folds here.

C/R is also an option. But, IMO, with AA with Ad, we don't want to be the one who makes the pot bigger as that will push out any bluffs (if there ever are any) or hands like AT (which we block too) and KT. We might end up playing a big pot, but IMO, we shouldn't be the one pushing that.

Hero: calls $125

Turn: offsuit 2

Hero: checks

V: shoves for $400 ish


Same spot as above. Maybe we call all AA combos on flop.....but definitely need to have some folds here. Fold Ad combos. Maybe call with rest.


I should have thought this over better in the moment. My rational was, I'm treating this like a 2/5 game. It's basically 100bb with AA on this board with several draws......**** it.

Hero calls

River bricks and V shows TT for top set.


I feel like against his V, I could have possibly folded flop and absolutely folded turn, especially with Ad.





Interesting hand 3:


1/2/5 PLO


Hero: BB with Jh Th 8c 8s

EP opens for $15
2 callers
V calls on BTN (very little history, but already pegged him as semi-loose pre flop but an absolute NIT post flop. He tried to buy in shorter than the 200 limit earlier today and got called on it. Rarely tips waitress....etc)
Hero calls

Pot: $60

Flop: 8h 5h 3c

EP: bets $30

Folds to V

V: calls $30

Hero: raises to $90

EP: folds
V: calls $90

Pot: $270

Turn: 8h5h3c 5d

Hero: Bets $150

V: tanks for a bit and calls $150

Pot: $570

River: 8h5h3c5d Ad

Hero: Bets $200 (V appeared to have less than $400, and his tank was either genuine or acting. So I figure maybe I get a call from smaller boats like A5, 85, 53, etc. And if he has 55 or somehow AA, well he'll put the rest in and I can't fold anyway)

V: tanks and cuts out the $200 and seems like contemplating a fold. But then pulls the ol shrugging shoulders and puts the rest in.


Hero: (wishes V had 1k behind and shoved so he had excuse to fold) sighs and calls

I don't think you can ever shove here without 55 or AA......maybe some maniacs. But most boats and sometimes a 5 just calls I think


V shows 55 for quad 5's. I don't even remember what the other cards were.





That was all the interesting hands today. Everything else was routine stuff.


I feel pretty fortunate to have not lost a goodly sum overall after making the stupid AA call and then the PLO cooler.




Will be playing again tomorrow afternoon. Probably all NLHE.

You're gonna get killed in that PLO game.. the NL HHs aren't great either but keep working and GL

LOL. Thanks. The internet never disappoints with *******s. Especially when they take a single HH of top boat (before the Ace) vs quads to form an opinion.

20 years live winning player in PLO and NLH up to 5/5 PLO and 10/20 NLH. I think it'll work out fine. This is just a journal to keep me busy.

1 question

Are you a compulsive gambler?

Sorry brother just trying to help... been grinding live a while myself and didn't see much PLO spread 20 years ago. GL tho like I said

Bullshit.

"just trying to help"


You said absolutely nothing helpful. Just backhanded insults. Helpful would have been suggestions or other such ****. And then you try to back off when called out on it.

Be helpful, by all means. But don't say stupid **** and then try to pretend you were doing anything helpful when called out.

Anyway. No interesting hands last couple days. Just standard spots. Only able to put in about 3hrs a day most weekdays. Longer on weekends or off days.

Here's April so far. March was pretty meh, but that's how it goes.

Stats for 2023 thus far:

Nice hourly.

U should play that pizza guy hu4rollz.

On a heater so far in April. Will try to get some HH posted soon.

Most spots this week have been fairly standard. Not a ton of tricky or hard spots.

Just some chip porn. 2/5/10 game kicked off.


Was a mix of short and deep stacks as they had something like a 200 min. So there were a few here and there who would sit down and take a shot.


Compiling a couple HH from this game. There was a pretty interesting hand where we had a combo draw that completed for a big pot.