Hand 4:

Villain (UTG) ($200) is a really bad reg who is too passive to be considered a spewy. He just does really weird things, always plays small pots, rarely bets or raises at all. usually plays for 4-5 hours and loses a single buy-in. I've never seen him with a big stack.

Hero (CO) (covers) TAG image. This was still early in the session, hadn't gone spewy yet.


V1 limps, 1 other limp, hero raises to $16 with JJ V calls.

Flop ($32) AT6

V checks, Hero bets $16, V calls

Turn ($64): 4

V checks, Hero Checks

River: ($64) 5

V bets $20, hero calls


________________________________________
Hand 5:

Same V as above, 1 orbit later

V limps UTG, 1 other limper. Hero raises to $16 with AJ, V calls.

Flop$32) J62

V bets $15, Hero calls

Turn ($60) K

V bets $25, Hero calls

River ($110): 2
V checks, Hero checks.

Session 2 hands:

Hand 1:

V1 (UTG) ($80) TAG who is a bit loose preflop, straddles and double straddles every opportunity, but is otherwise pretty straightforward

V2 (UTG+1) ($90) is buddies with V1, plays a very similar style. I think he has decent fundamentals, but is playing short stacked and poor.

V3 (MP) ($100) also buddies with the other two. More loose/passive than the others, pretty bad. Occasionally goes super aggro, but mostly just limp/calls a lot. He does raise his value hands preflop

V4 (HJ) ($60) Just busted the tourney and bought in short, no reads


V1 straddles ($5), V2 double straddles ($10), V3 Calls, V4 calls, Hero is dealt AT in the SB and raises to $100.


Bunch of short stacks make this one a no-brainer, imo.





__________________________________________

Hand 2:

V is V1 from hand above ($200)


UTG straddles for $5, V limps UTG, 2 other players limp. Hero is dealt KQ in the SB and raises to $35. V calls, everyone else folds.

Flop ($90) 89T

Hero checks, V checks

Turn ($90)3

Hero checks, V checks

River($90):K

Hero checks, V checks



______________________________________________
Hand 3:

Table has dropped to 4-handed. 3 players just cashed out, and this is the first hand of 4-handed play.

V1 (SB)($180)is same V from the previous 2 hands.

V2 (BB)($400) is a solid TAG. mid 30s female. Hasn't gotten out of hand at all. Slowly built her stack. hasn't shown down many hands. I've been avoiding her for the most part.

Hero (covers) Should have a strong TAG image. Haven't shown down any bluffs.


Hero (Button) raises to $12 with QJ, V1 calls, V2 calls.


Flop J82

V1 bets $15, V2 calls $15, Hero raises to $45.


not sure how I feel about this bet. I think I might like a call here better. I'm never getting value from a worse J here, and the only real purpose of the raise is to "protect" what is likely the best hand on the flop. I don't think that is good enough reason to raise there. If I get called, I am almost always behind against these two villains.

March 8th, 2014: 7 hours, 5 minutes-$670
Session Grade: D
Notes: Played really well and ran really well for the first 3 hours or so. was up $400ish, then lost about $200 on a cooler. I actually lose the absolute minimum on the hand, and should have been happy with myself, but it kinda triggered some sort of tilt, where I still felt like I was playing well, but I started splashing around in way too many pots, and wasn't able to adjust when the table got really juicy. I was playing a LAG game in an environment that was absolutely ideal for a Tag/Nit style. I lost another $200ish in an trips>trips pot against a spewtard. Post flop was unavoidable, but I had no excuse for being in the hand preflop.I stopped hitting hands and my stack went into freefall mode. I should have left before I did. At least 2-300 of the loss was completely avoidable by recognizing that I was playing my D game and getting up and leaving, but I stuck it out.

So, I feel like I've been playing, and running pretty poorly more over a month now. I've started to play too many hands, and it is costing me money.

For my next session, as a sort of reset, I will be reverting to a TAGnit style preflop. Similar to how I was playing when my bankroll was really short. I also plan on leaving early if I am up, just to book a win. I know it's not ideal, but mentally, booking a win is good for my confidence.

Hand 1:

really interested in hearing thoughts on this hand. In my mind, there are 3 potential lines to take on the turn. I elected for the lowest variance option, but I'm not sure if it was correct.

Villain (MP): ($600) Villain is the best player in the game, and is sitting on my direct left. Seat change, I know, but the opportunity hadn't arisen yet. Villain used to play semi-professionally online, and used to play really LAG. He doesn't play professionally anymore, and he has tightened up his game considerably since I last played with him (a couple years ago, not counting about 6 hours a few weeks ago). He still thinks the game on a high level though. He is a good hand reader. He is playing very TAG, winning most of the pots he is entering, and generally has a lot of respect from the table, myself included.

Hero (covers) (UTG+2) V views me as a strong TAG. We are friendly, and have no history together as we have both stayed out of each other's way for the most part. There is no past bluffing dynamic in either direction.

Hero is dealt AQ. UTG straddles for $5. Hero raises to $20, V calls, Button calls, Straddler calls.

Flop: ($80)QT5

UTG checks, Hero bets $50, V calls, BTN folds, UTG folds.

Turn: ($180)Q


Now, here is where things get interesting. Both of our ranges are very strong in this spot, but his is actually stronger than mine.

My range to raise in EP, then c-bet into 3 players in this spot is AQ, AK (maybe), QQ, TT, 55, AA, KK, KJs QJs, KQs, maybe QTs.

His range is pretty much the same, except you can take out QQ, KK, AA and discount AK, as I suspect he 3-bets those preflop.

In my opinion, I have 3 options here. I can check/call. I can make a weak bet (less than half pot) with the intention of calling a raise/getting it in, or I can make a strong bet (2/3 pot) and fold to a raise.

the Q is a bad card for the AA< KK part of my range (which is a big part), and villain knows this. If I continue strongly on this turn, my range is nutted, and he is going to fold almost everything I beat. I probably get value from QJs and KQs only. KcJc is the only drawing hand that continues to a strong turn bet. A weak (1/4 pot) turn bet may induce a raise from KJ, but I can hardly count on that and it will also leave me in a spot where I cannot fold if he does have 55, TT, or QT. I elect to check/evaluate, as that is what I would do with KK, AA, and AK in this spot.


Hero checks, Villain bets $50, Hero calls.

Villain makes a weak bet, and I am pretty sure he is betting for value. He knows the Q is a bad card for my range, and wants me to call down with AA< KK.

River ($280) 8
Hero checks, Villain bets $100, Hero calls.

This is almost a crying call. KQs, and QJs are still a very real part of villain's range, and the pots odds I am getting are probably good enough to call down.

get in the habit of immediately after losing a big pot, you take a walk.

Typically, I have this whole routine I've built up where I blame the dealer and threaten him playfully with something like, "Well, you're sleeping on the couch tonight, no chocolate loving for you!!!" and then everyone laughs and so I'm able to deflect those bad vibes. Then, I play a couple of hands and then I take a walk and reset whether I think I need to our not.

trust me, next time you take a big hit, just take a walk. I don't care where the blinds are, don't care if the next hand is your button, just take a walk. If you can develop this habit, it will save you at least $5k per year in bad decisions and opportunity cost easy (i.e. money and image you don't spazz off...)

you played this hand like a pro. A competent player will know that your EP raising range is JJ+, AK, AQ, KQs like 95% of the time.

When you bet flop and he calls, his range is going to be Qx, KJ, TT, 55, and maybe some pockets.

But the clencher on the turn is that this kind of V is not going to spazz call you down with Qx if you blast the pot for value. Nor is he going to call down with KJ hoping to hit a straight. So, by blasting the pot on turn you ensure you ONLY get called by hands that crush you. And truth be told, if he is competent he will have a lot less Qx and KJ in his range and his range will be weighted more heavily towards set mining under pairs...

I know my post may seem results oriented but its not. Against typical rec fish absolutely blast the pot because they have a lot more Qx in their range and they are never folding. But against a competent player, if we blast the pot and he calls, we are screwed because he's only calling with hands that beat us since Qx hands are going to be heavily discounted (Gap principle + we have a blocker). Or put another way, what reason will a competent player have to call us down here with a weaker hand? If we had been bluffing him all night, sure. Otherwise, pot controlling and getting to showdown here vs him is not a bad line at all by any stretch.

If you can avoid it, next time don't show AQ

that is one of the very high level things we pros do, that is, we don't show our losing hands no matter how awesome our hands or laydowns are.

When I"m on my A-game or B-game I will muck everything I've lost, when I'm on my C-game or slight ego kicks I tend to show more and in the long run that costs me money in terms of information I've given away...

IN any event, good luck with your challenge and I will drop in from time to time to see how you are doing

Thanks Dgi, great post, as usual. I really appreciate your input


I really do need to get out of the habit of showing my hand. It's an ego thing. I know it is, and I need to stop it. Like, when I make a big fold that I know nobody else at the table would make, I just want to show it to publicly pat myself on the back. It's kind of embarrassing to admit, but it is 100% ego. I swear when I flipped my AQ in this hand I practically knew I was beat, but I was "proud" of not going broke, which is ridiculous of course.

About 2 years ago I was involved in a hand that forever changed my poker as far as showing goes.

I was in position with A J, couple of limpers, I raised, they called.

Flop: Q T 3
they check, I bet, one caller.

Turn: K
V bets, I call

River: 2
V bets, I raise, V folds

Now, I've got the royal flush and at this casino there is no bonus or anything for showing the royal. So I'm about to show my hand when I have this insane thought fly through my head... What would it feel like to muck a royal flush and not tell anyone I had the royal flush ????? what would that feel like.

I remember actually getting a little excited about the prospect and I mucked it. After I mucked it I was waiting for "something" to happen, like everyone to beg me, 'Hey what did you have...." but no, nothing happened. It was both climatic and anti-climatic at the same time if that makes any sense, but I felt something change within me, that I had now become the master of the cards and no longer their slave.

Not to say I haven't slipped on occasion and made an ego related show... I've noticed that I tend to do that when my emotional control is slipping, i.e. if I'm really nervous or tilting... So for me, if anything when I show its a great indicator that i'm not on my A-game or that I'm getting too emotionally involved....

in any event, thought that story might help you. "Not" showing is a habit like anything else. Once you start doing it, it gets easier and easier to do until eventually it becomes routine.

GL

dgi, your post reminds me a freakish amount of a story Tommy Angelo tells about folding AA preflop. Are you familiar with it?

@Dubey, I think you played the AQ hand perfectly.

Playing tonight after a 2 week break. Updates to follow.

Goal: no tilt.

March 21st, 2014: 5 hours, 55 minutes:+$395
Session Grade: B
Summary: Table had 2 maniacs with >$1k stacks throwing money around, which in turn loosened up a lot of the regs and made for a crazy game. I was pretty card dead and played a super ABC nit game. Preflop raises were generally accomplishing nothing, so I was limping in position with speculative hands on the rare occasion that the pot wasn't raised. I got fat value on my few value hands. I played 2 value hands really poorly, but they didn't end up costing me. One of the juiciest games I've ever played at my home casino. I could have won a lot more if I went on any kind of heater. Had PPs in really great spots against the 2 maniacs 7 or 8 times and couldn't flop a set.

I can understand the frustration of being card dead in a crazy game where it's primarily your hand value that prevails. My last few really juicy tables I've been on have been some of my most card-dead sessions ever.

not many interesting hands to post since I was forced to play so tight, but here's a couple examples of the spew that was happening.

Hand 1:
V I (BB) s a maniac. His stack has fluctuated from $1500, down to $200, back up to $1200, back down to $500, and then back up to $1400. He isn't a complete drooler. He understand scare cards, and is completely fearless with bluffing, but seems completely unable to adjust to the fact that his image is terrible and he is starting to get called down really light. Calls WAY too much preflop, and raises unopened pots about 50% of the time. His preflop raise sizes are actually pretty small though.


Hero ($460) has weak/nit Image. Haven't played many hands. V probably views me as scared money. Hero is dealt AK in MP.

1 ep limper, Hero raises to $18, Villain calls, limper folds.

Flop ($38) KQ3

V checks, hero bets $30, V calls

Turn ($98) 5

V checks, Hero bets $60, V calls

River ($218) 8

V bets $125, Hero calls.





Hand 2:

V1 (Button) ($220) is same villain from above. his $1400 stack has now dwindled down to $220. His game hasn't changed.

V2 (CO) ($120) older Asian gentleman. Hasn't been at the table for long. Is a good PLO player allegedly, but terrible/spewy at NLH from my experiences. Just splashes around with no regard for anything.

Hero (BB) (Covers) still a bit of a nitty image.


Hero is dealt J2

1 EP limper, V2 limps, V1 limps, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop ($10) J56

Hero bets $10, V2 calls, V1 calls

Turn ($40) 2

Hero bets $40, V2 calls, V1 calls

River ($160) 4

Hero checks, V2 checks, V1 shoves for $170, Hero calls, V2 folds.

Hand 3:

V (Button) ($400) is a competent tight player, not particularly aggressive but able to bluff in favourable spots. but not a deep thinker. Haven't played a ton with him, but he handles his chips competently and bought in full. Limps in late position a lot.

Hero (BB)(covers) Image may have loosened up a bit after the J2 hand, but maybe not. Still playing very tight.

Hero is dealt T4

3 limpers, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop ($10) A85

Hero bets $10, 1 caller, V calls on BTN.

Vs range is wide. all Khx hands are in his button limp range. AXh, A9+, all 2-pair combos, possibly 55, and all flushes.

Turn ($40) 2

Hero bets $40, only V calls on button.

His range is mostly unchanged here. He continues on the turn with most of his flop range.

River ($120)A

Hero checks, V bets $85, Hero calls.


I check the river to let him bet all his Ax hands and so he may bluff his Kh hands that whiffed. I think there is some merit to b/f on the river, but I prefer x/c in this spot.

Updated 2014 to date:

Hours Played: 87
Total Profit: $2,710
$/Hour: $31.14
Cashed 12/17 (70%)
$/hr STD deviation: $75.22

Hand 1: Seems super standard given reads. If he's pouncing on weakness, I wouldn't hate checking back on a drier board, but when it's wet I just prefer bet/bet/bet or in this case bet/bet/call. NH.

Hand 2: Seems standard for the same reason as hand 1. Has the added bonus of TONS of draws missing. But when he's shoving this wide, we just can't fold hands that do so well vs. his spew-range.

Hand 3: I think if villain is semi-competent, we can remove sets and two pairs from his range entirely on this board. If other villains are snap-calling pot-sized bets here with any piece we should betting bigger though. JMHO. Turn play looks good, though again if you really think he's calling a pot-sized with KhXo then we should bet bigger.

Kind of nit-picking, but bet-sizing is part of what can turn a mediocre win-rate into a crushing one. If he's calling $40, is he really folding for $45? $50? Find that perfect number where he's going to tank about it, but still call. I'm certainly not perfect with this myself, but you seem so confident about his continuing range being wide, and I doubt it's particularly elastic here since he's calling PSB's right and left.

I love your river thought process, and I agree 100%. I think if his range is as wide as you say, the river is a very clear x/c, particularly if he turns ANY air into bluffs. NH.


P.S. I would kill for your win-rate (yeah, yeah, I know it's not sustainable)

Thanks for the reply Scurrge, I agree I probably could have bet a bit more on each street in the T4 hand.

Played a rare Wednesday session last night:

March 26th, 2014: 2 hours, 35 minutes: -$10
Session Grade: C
Notes: Played the Wednesday night local donkament with my Dad. Busted pretty early so I decided to hop into the cash game for a couple hours. It was a good game. Had a big donator on my direct right. I think I played well against him and poorly against everyone else. It was an action game and I was in a bad mindset for it. I knew I wouldn't be playing for long and I was splashing around more than I normally would.

Hand 1:

V (CO) ($400) Big donator. Rec player, nice guy, here to drink and have fun. I get the sense the money doesn't mean much to him. I noticed when he reloaded he had a large stack of $100s and various other bills in his wallet. raises to $12 about 40% of hands. Isn't a maniac postflop. Very sticky on the flop. If he bets, he will rarely fold to a raise on the flop, but will often let it go to pressure on turn and river. This is the first time I've played with him, but he is playing so many hands I have a decent amount of info on him. Does not fold to 3-bets preflop for a reasonable amount.

Hero (BTN) ($350) V probably isn't paying much attention, but I probably have a bit of a laggy image to the rest of the table. Been splashing around quite a bit.

Hero is dealt Q8

3 limpers, V raises to $12, Hero raises to $30, folds to V who calls.

Flop ($65):TT4

V checks, Hero bets $35, V folds.


Pretty thin, but I am ahead of his range and I had been waiting for a decent hand to iso villain with. I plan to play reasonably cautious postflop, and look to take the pot away from villain when the chance arises, or go to value town if I hit a piece. I get a great board to c-bet.



Hand 2:

V1 (HJ)($370) Same villain from hand 1. This is the very next hand.

V2 (MP) ($180) Loose passive. can be a bit of a spazz, but generally just calls a lot. Not completely fit or fold post flop, but generally has a hand when he is betting large amounts as the aggressor.

Hero (BTN) ($380) same as before, but this is the very next hand after the 3-bet last hand.


Hero is dealt AK

1 limper, V2 limps, V1 raises to $12, Hero raises to $30, V2 calls, V1 calls.

Flop ($90):689

V2 checks, V1 checks, Hero checks

Turn ($90): 2

V2 bets $40, V1 folds, Hero folds.




Hand 3:

V1 (CO) is same as above, V2 (MP) is same as above.

effective stacks $300.

Hero (Button) is dealt AJ

V2 limps, V1 raises to $7. Hero raises to $30, V2 calls, V1 calls.


Actually thought V1 had raised to $12 since he did every other time.


Flop ($90): A84

V2 checks, V1 checks, Hero bets $45, V2 raises to $200, V1 folds. hero folds.


V2 just grabbed a stack of greens and chucked them out there, leaving $50ish behind. I thought about it for abit. He is capable of spazzing, but he is also capable of having all 2 pair combos, and also of limp/calling AK/AQ. I only beat a stone bluff, or a badly played Ax. He is much more likely to just call down with his Ax hands. I'm glad I left shortly after this hand because this hand really annoyed me and I would have been tilting.

Hand 1: Not a terrible spot to flat or 3b imo. I think I tend to flat simply because I don't 3b much in my game and I rarely get folds, but I don't think I actually have a problem with it here. Flop is standard - nice sizing.

Hand 2: Seems pretty standard to me all around. NH.

Hand 3: I don't hate the 3b, but go smaller imo. We don't want to fold out all his air? But I could be wrong. Though you also say he can have all 2pair combos here, so perhaps bigger is better lol. Somewhat results-oriented, but can we ever check back this flop? Idk how strong V1's range is here, but it's hard to see a value bet being awesome just because there aren't tons of worse Ax. And beyond worse Ax, not much worse can really call at all.

I agree mostly on hand 3. In game, I thought he'd raised to $12, so I just stuck to the same sizing I'd been 3-betting him previously with. For pot control purposes, I think $20 or something would be more ideal vs. a $7 open.

On the other hand, this guy hated folding preflop, I'm way ahead of his range, and in position.

Note, it wasn't the preflop opener who ended up check/almost-shoving the flop.

Hoping to get a session in either tonight or tomorrow. I've played 23 hours in March for -$390 net loss. Need a big day to push my consecutive winning month streak to... 4! (lol)

Looks good, WP

Update

A disheartening weekend of poker. This is going to be a very long update, so I apologize in advance for my rambling.


I'm on a decent length breakeven stretch right now. I had a huge January, booked a small win in February, and now a small loss in March. I'm down a bit overall since January, and though it's only 60 hours or so of play, it feels like forever since I've been winning consistently. It's mostly run bad mixed with some play bad. I haven't had any real bad coolers, but I haven't flopped a set in over 80 hours of play. Nor have my draws been hitting. The frustrating part is if I had not made some major errors, I could have weather this storm and shown a profit.

There have been some players coming into the player pool recently that have really taken me out of my comfort zone. A few players in particular that have been at my table every time I've played recently that I can't seem to get a handle on. I've done a lot of thinking about my game over the last few days, and I've realized there are certain situations that I am not comfortable in yet at the table. I play my best when I am the most aggressive player at the table. When there is a hyper-LAG or worse, several hyper-LAGs at the table, I seem to have trouble adapting my game to fit the situation. I know my mental game needs work. There were a couple times this weekend where I entered a very dark mood at the table, and had this sense of impending doom, where I felt like I knew I was going to lose every pot I entered. I know it's the worst possible mindset to have at the poker table. I've always been a believer in positive thinking, and that believing something will happen has an affect on what actually does happen, but I just couldn't shake this feeling. I have a great deal of respect for anyone that can actually play poker for a living, because I personally take losses way too hard, and this is a situation where the money literally has zero affect on my life. If I was relying on this as my day to day income, there's no way I'd be able to handle it.


Friday. March 28th: 3 hours, 35 minutes: +$85

My first table was decent. Mostly nitty regs, and there was one guy who was playing a ton of hands. He had a big stack. He raised a otn preflop, played almost every hand, but didn't go crazy post flop. Mostly made small bets post flop and called a lot. I folded a lot at the start, then seat changed to get on his left. Played only 1 significant hand against him. I picked up AJ on the button and raised to $16 after 2 limpers (V included), only V called. effective stacks are about $300.

Flop came J93:

V checked, Hero bet $22, V called

Turn came Q

V checked, Hero bet $40, V raised to $120, Hero folded.

V showed me KT.


I moved to the secondary game a short while later. There was a maniac with a huge stack that was raising to ridiculous amounts almost every hand. I'd been at the table for 10 hands or so. Very first hand I opened to $16 with AJo from EP, He shoved $750 from the button with 2 players in the blinds that covered him. I folded and he showed K7o. Next hand he opened raised to $75 and took the blinds. Two other times in the same orbit he called preflop raises then made a huge overbet shove on the flop or turn. If my AJo hand had been the 5th hand at the table instead of the first, I would have snap called.

I have $270 in my stack and I pick up AT in MP. V has straddled for $5.

1 limper in EP, Hero limps, Button Limps, blinds call, V raises to $100. Folds back to hero who shoves for $270. Folds back to V who tanks and calls.

Board runs out KQ38T

mhig vs 64o

a J of spades on the turn or river would have netted me a $1200 high hand jackpot.


Unfortunately, I couldn't stay at the table much longer as I had plans with my wife. I bought in for $450 and Cashed out $535.


I also decided on a whim to register for the Spring classic poker tournament that was running on Sunday the 30th. I don't normally play tournaments, but this is kind of a once a year thing for my poker room, it has a decent structure, and I just felt like taking a shot. It's a $220 buyin with 30 minutes levels starting at 25/50, 10k starting stacks.


Saturday March 29th: 4 hours, 20 minutes -$325

Table was nuts. 4 really aggressive players with big stacks, 2 of them really awful terrible players. I couldn't get a seat change for a long time and they were all on my left in a row. I couldn't make a hand for 3 hours and I was playing pretty terribly in the pots that I did play. I had that sense of doom that I mentioned earlier. I was in for $635 with $290 in my stack and I was sitting there calculating what my bankroll would be at when I lost my $290. Such a terrible mindset.

The following is arguably the worst hand I've ever played and I'm embarrassed to post it but here goes.

V1 CO ($50) is an old French guy who is probably historically the biggest donator this poker room has ever seen. He used to routinely dump a couple grand a week into the player pool but he hasn't been around in about 3 years. Last I'd heard he'd made the correct choice and quit poker. Well, this weekend he was back and he was dumping chips again. He already took me for $100 earlier when I raised to $15 pre with QJs flop came Q63, he called a $25 bet with 67 and hit a 7 on the turn and I put him in for his last $60.

V2 ($800) (Button) is one of the weirdest villains I've ever played with . He plays 80% of hands. I've seen him limp with J4o and call a $20 raise. He splashes around post flop a ridiculous amount but doesn't seem to have any method to his madness. I've seen him incorrectly fold AQ on a Q high flop to a $300 shove from a fellow aggro donk. I've seen him bluff in bad spots where he is never getting a fold. He's called every single one of my preflop raises and continuation bets so far and I haven't been able to make a pair against him. I instinctively know he is terrible but he has been completely owning me all day.

Hero (BB) ($340) losing image. don't think I've won a pot in 3 hours.


Hero is dealt 88

V1 raises to $15, V2 calls, Hero calls.


This is a pretty simple value raise spot I think. I crush both villain's ranges, V1 is short, V2 doesn't fold. I wimp out in game and just call to try to flop a set. My sense of impending doom (SOID) was in full swing at this point.

Flop ($45) 969

Hero checks, V1 checks, V2 bets $55, Hero calls, V1 calls all-in for $35.

ugh. I told myself in game that I was almost certainly ahead but if I shove I'll only get called by worse. for one, I'm not sure this is true, and secondly, there are no turn cards I really want to see. I kind of committed mentally to just check-calling down but I think the correct play on the flop is shove or fold. Pot is pretty big and shoving protects my equity at least against this maniac

Turn ($155 main, $30 side) J

Hero checks, V2 checks.

River K

Hero checks, V2 bets $75, Hero folds.

V1 shows 77 which is good for the main pot, V2 doesn't show and collects the $30 side pot.

ugh, I convinced myself that this guy wouldn't bluff that board into such a small side pot. I played this hand like such a donkey.



After this hand, I finally got a seat change to the left of all the Crazies, and won a few pots before winning about $250 with AQ vs KJ on a KQQ board.

I actually ended up all the way back to even and even up a bit before I was ready to go home, and then I punted $365 on my last hand with QT vs. KJ on a 9TQxx board. I would have been able to get away from the hand if I was playing my A game, but I wasn't, and I didn't.



Sunday, March 30th, the tournament

$220 buyin, 66 entrants, 10k starting stacks, 30 minute levels.

I lasted just over 1 hour and won a single hand. SOID was in full effect from the get go in this one. V2 from the 88 hand was seated at my table for the tournament, which is really not at all what I needed. Also, the villain from last week that I won a bunch of money off of with AK and J2 was at the table.

I'll just post every hand I played.

Hand 1: Very first hand of the tourney I pick up KQ in MP and open to $150 (blinds are 25/50).

2 callers including aforementioned villain on the button, and the big blind called, 4 to the flop.

Flop came KQ5

hero bets $350, only V calls on the button.

Turn J

hero checks, V checks.

River 9

Hero checks, V bets $650, Hero calls. V shows TT and I lose.



Terrible runout but I don't think I can fold the river against this guy. I'm not sure if I should be betting the turn there or not, Second worst card in the deck but I should probably still be firing for value against this guy. Soul ownage continued from the previous day, sigh.

Hand 2:

Hero opens Q8 to $125 from the button. Both blinds call. BB is a young girl who is scared money. SB is a semi competent player who hasn't been particularly aggressive but has called a few raises. He's also a "little person", though that doesn't really matter for this hand, lol.

Flop comes 568

Both blinds check, hero bets $225, SB calls, BB folds.

Turn K

SB Checks, hero bets $375, SB calls.

River 4

SB bets $625, hero folds.

Million draws out there so I fire flop and turn for value. River is standard but annoying.

Hand 3: blinds now 50/100

V1 is a good TAG. Has opened a few pots this level to $250 already.

V2 is the donkey from previous hand histories.

V1 opens from MP to $250, hero 3-bets to $750 from the CO with T7. V2 cold calls from the SB, V1 folds.


I'd been folding for 30 minutes straight. I figured I'd cash in a bit of nit equity with a light 3-bet against a guy with a fold button.

Flop comes Q84

V2 says `Same bet`, and fires $1250. A short conversation ensues on whether `same bet` is verbally binding. Doesn`t matter, bet stands, hero folds. Can this guy see my cards?

Hand 4: Very next hand

Bad TAG limps UTG, Hero raises to $400 with AQo, V from previous hands calls $400 on button, everyone else folds.

Flop comes A94dd.

Hero bets $500 and V folds. Super user?

Hand 5: Very next hand after that

V1 is the good TAG from hand 3. V2 is the super user.

V1 raises in EP to $250, hero calls with AK, V2 calls in CO, BB calls.


I 3-bet AK always, but this is the 3rd straight hand I've been active, SOID was in full swing, and I just knew if I 3-bet we'd go to war, and I just had a bad feeling about the hand.

Flop comes J43r. V2 bets out $750, V1 calls, Hero folds.

Turn Q, V2 bets $1250, V1 calls.

River 4 V2 bets $650, V1 calls.

V2 shows J2o. V1 shows AA.

lol at V2. SOID was right on the money in this one. results oriented but if I 3-bet I go broke.

Hand 6

UTG is the little person from hand 2. He raises to $250 and it folds to me in the BB. I look down at AA and say to myself. "Well, I guess this will be my last hand"

Hero raises to $750 with roughly $6000 left behind.

UTG calls.

Flop comes k94

Hero bets $1000, UTG raises to $6,000, hero goes all-in for about the same. UTG shows 99 and I don't bink.

I don't think I can ever fold with an SPR of 4, but it's a pretty terrible flop to get value on. I'm wondering if I should be checking the flop in this instance to get value on later streets from some of his PP hands that missed. His UTG range should be pretty tight, 99+ AQ+ KQs+ probably. there aren't many draws in his range to protect against, and betting probably only gets action from AK, KQ, 99 and KK. Meh. I pretty much auto piloted this one but I don't see how I ever get away from it.




So that was my weekend. Not crippling financially, but just kind of disheartening all around. I hated how I played a few hands and I hated my mindset for long stretches at the table. There were times where I didn't feel like a winning player, and I hate that feeling.


Anyway, sorry for the ridiculously long update. Just felt like typing and unloading some stuff.

If those super loose, super aggressive opponents keep coming back to your game, I think a good adjustment for you would be to buy in short. Just look for correct spots to rip in $100 preflop. Opponents like these force you to gamble and it's easy to make plays you know are 100% correct with the shallower stack.

Playing short will also force you to play somewhat fewer hands, which will free your attention up to observe and profile them more carefully.

Once you double or triple through them you can experiment with playing deep against them with their own money instead of yours.

Yeah that might not be a terrible idea but I'd probably rather just take the night off than nit it up on a short stack. I played like that back when I first started playing and it is boring as hell.