Nice comeback...hard with those overpairs, I don't mind a 3 bet with the JJ's to see where I'm at. at $20, small pairs have good odds to chase a set, esp if you are $500 deep.

btw, what's with these super small raises pre flop ?! betting 4, 6, 8? No one does that at the 1/2 here. $10-15 the norm. with some $20... a min bet is $5 pre I believe here.

Haha yeah that's quite unusual here too... This player kept making it 4 in EP, so Someone for a laugh made it 6, and I popped it to 8 for the novelty factor. Then BAM! Resteal City!

It was total spew man... I probably should have popped it to 60 PF as I already had an uber aggressive image and the opening raiser had said to me "I don't want to get in any pots with you anymore" last time I bet him out of a pot.

Still annoyed about last night, so so stupid. Consolation that I won still.

Good nights training for when I hit vegas. Still trying to decide whether to continue this thread or start a new trip report.

Another victory for 69ss last night.

I raise in MP to 20, button calls, rest fold. We're 500 effective, I've just sat down at the table. Villain is mid 40s Asian with sunglasses.

Flop T78dd. Cheeky straight.

Pot is 47 and I lead out for 30. Villain raises to 75. I'm not messing about here - ALL IN.

Villain... CAWL!

Turn 3d, river 3x. Sheeeeet, flushes and boats all got there.

I flip my hand like a boss still, and villain says it's good.

Ship it dealer, and a redbird for your fine self too.

Nice, good to loosen up. I need to do that sometimes too, not just ABC.

I hear you on the "nit regs", there's a bunch of them here too. basically they'll only re-raise you with AA, KK, maybe QQ. super tight... some don't even raise with the nuts on the river because "no one will call"... funny how often I hear that.

that last hand, villain probably had a big overpair, JJ, QQ, maybe A/10 with the A of diamond.

that's how you make the $, dudes calling down so light, half the time I'm shocked what I see and how they think. "I put you on AK, i had bottom pair and thought I was good"..

or times they flop top pair no kicker and just can't let it go...no point even bluffing these dudes.

Playing at the oaks club in emeryville, California today, playing 2/3/5 (with 2 being posted by the button).

was In the hole for 500, managed to run it back to 1,100 for a 100 profit. Then this hand:

V is UTG, aggressive player who will raise top pair. He has 2,000 behind so we're 1,100 effective. He limps, 3 others limp, I check with 68o on the big blind.

My image is aggressive, raising my draws etc.

Pot 25

I lead out for 20. V raises to 65. He has either a set, overpair, or 7x.

Flop 762r

I reraise to 115. He calls. So he has a draw, 7x or overpair.

Pot 255.

Turn is a 5. I know I'm definitely behind at this point. Straight draw gets there. But if he has a 7 or overpair he has to fold if I lead out strong. I bet 200.

He folds, and tables 7.

Happy days, another pot for the lag.

Another hand...

I'm on the button and straddle 10 with J7s. 5 limpers. I Pop it to 45 to steal. 2 callers. Damn.

Pot 165.

Flop AdQd7x

Checks to me and I make it 65. Villain with 1,000 behind (i cover) calls. He's very very cally Asian guy who will chase anything and everything. Other guys folds. Heads up.

Pot 295.

Turn 2x. Villain checks, I check.

River Ah. Villain leads out 150. He does this with boats, aces and missed flush draw. I'm discounting boats as 22 folds on flop, aa, QQ, raise pre flop. So An ace, maybe? Nah, I'd have heard about it by now.

I cawl, villain turns over KTdd. Ship it!

Good session today - 6 hours, $1,340 profit.

That's 8 in a row now, and the shots at 2/5 are so far so good.

Went out last night in SF to some dive bars. The shots are so much bigger here than in the UK. Met up with a friend from Seattle, played some pool with a couple chicks, had our asses handed to us multiple times.

Got a cab back to Berkeley to go to my cousins at 2am but she wasn't back yet so I thought the smart thing to do would be to wait at the card room (Oaks) which is about 10 minutes away. Played about an hour of 1/2, drunkenly and admittedly probably a little obnoxiously.

Lost a buy in against fellow table aggressor by shipping it on flop of AsTs8x with J9ss. He had A8, his hand was good.

Managed to get it back by trying to squeeze my straddle with KQo. One caller for $60. Flop QT2r. Check check. Turn 3. Check check. River 7. I go all in, V calls (another 90), and my hand is good.

Then this hand.

UTG, aggressive player, white and Middle Aged opens for 10. MP calls, I call with 87s.

Pot 30

Flop 2d3d8x.

UTG leads out for 25. MP folds, I call.

Pot 80.

Turn 5d

UTG leads out again for 45. I don't know if I'm good. At this point I'm too drunk to care. I ship it (250), villain snap calls. I can't be good here.

River is a brick, villain tables AxKd. I'm good.

Thanks friend. See you tomorrow I hope.

Today I'm just chilling and feeling generally bad. Might check out artichoke joes casino later. Need a relatively early one though as I'm doing a tour of Alcatraz tomorrow.

Oh man oh man oh man. This hand.

I'm 900 behind, 2 other villains. V1, MP, with 500 behind just sat down. v2, 1,000 behind, young Asian guy.

I'm straddle to 10 on the button with 22. 5 callers.

Pot 50.

Flop Q82sss. checks to V1 who leads out for 40. V2 calls. I call.

Pot 170.

Turn Q. V1 bets 100. V2 calls. I call. Should I raise?! I think j should here but don't want to scare off Qx or As.

Pot 470.

River 9x.

V1 goes all in. Good good. Then V2 goes all in. WTF???! Does he do this with a flush on a paired board? Surely not.... I tank, I fold my full house.

V1 shows T high flush, v2 shows K high flush.


WHATTHEFFFFFF?!?!??

Should I be calling that?!! It was 700 more!!!

V2 has also generally been pretty tight so far and hasn't shown any examples of spew.

FML

Tough one on the Full house hand with 22....they overplayed their flushes. Obviously each thinks they have the best hand, hard to flop a flush and think anyone else has a flush too...

That's happened to me very seldom, I can only recall once this year.

I would have put in a raise on the flop or turn, to take the betting lead.

Only realistic hand that beats you is Q8 or 88, no one has QQ or they would have raise preflop. and no one has 99 calling to the river.

They could also have AQ with A spades...

I had a similar hand once, I had JJ. Board is QQJ9x . On the river 1 guy bets, another calls...I go all in. Guy with 10/K folds the straight, but guy with AQ calls with trips.

I would have made a crying call. Can't be folding full houses too often.

So hard to call for 150 bb after an overshove... I bet if I post this hand on the forums people will say fold.

Such a crazy demonstration of strength from V2.

Ahhhh. Still tilting from that hand.

Ended up the session $950 up anyway.

The run continues.

Overshoves don't always mean they have THE monster. so often guys will do it with the nut flush on a paired board, or with a big overpair on a dry board.

I've made some tight laydowns before too, but remember this is 1/2 donks. guys get married to flushes and don't see the board pairing.

Basically I'm never laying down a full house like that. It's so rare that you'll get boat over boat, I can recall only a few times.

Still looks like you're running good. Is the action in the USA looser than UK?

The play is here significantly worse than in london. I can't speak for vegas, but in SF players are generally very weak, loose and passive. I've had 3 sessions at 3/5, winning 500,1300,950 and one session at 1/2 winning 140.

Going to play one more session tonight. Was supposed to play last night, but went for some drinks in the mission with a friend, then had a joint and it was game over for me. Immediately had to uber it back to where I'm staying, and passed out with my clothes, shoes, and the lights on. This was only at 9:30pm...

During the day we'd been to Alcatraz. Got there and they told us no tickets were available until next Tuesday. Seeing as today is my last full day I had to figure a way. Found someone waiting for the next boat and managed to convince them to sell their tickets to us for $80 each (usually $30).

Pretty cool spot, Alcatraz. Definitely recommend. Grim stuff.

Felt terrible today. Managed to sweat out some of the booze with a morning run though, although that seemed to make me feel even worse. I then drove over to the California academy of science which was very cool if you're into your nature and aquariums and whatnot. Then I hit up my pal dos some greasy tacos followed by a quick coffee before he went off to visit friends in NYC.

The combination of last nights booze, greasy tacos, and coffee was not a good one. As I was walking back to my rental car I had to run into a cafe and sadly demolish their toilet. I felt bad so I bought a bottle of water and tipped them $5. Sorry guys. But thanks.

Then around 6pm i headed to Oaks Card Club in Emeryville again.

Bought in for 500 at the 2/3/5 game.

Couple hands of note:

Hand 1:

Hero, aggressive image, on the big blind with with A6o, 600 behind

V1, drunk middle aged white guy, keeps rebuying, recently called a 3 bet to 125 with J2 and shipped it all on (200 more) on a A5J board. 95 behind, UTG+1

V2, nitty young Asian guy, has 3 bet twice, both times with KK, generally pretty passive, 550 behind, CO

V3&4 irrelevant

There's 4 limpers in the hand plus Me.

Pot 25

Flop T66r

I decide to check as v1 will bet 95% of flops. Like clockwork V1 makes it 20 to go. V2 calls, v3&4 fold. I make it 60. V1 goes all in, v2 calls, and I can only call here.

I don't care about v1. He probably has Tx or some other rubbish. V2 is slightly worrying though. For sure he either has a 6, TT, or just maybe, a gut shot on a straight draw. I discount TT as I think he would have raised pre flop.

Pot 310

Turn 7x

I check, v2 checks. Hmm, ok. Does he just have AT? Or has he hit his straight and is slow playing it? Or is he still slow playing a 6? That seems the most likely option as with my aggro image he probably doesn't believe I have a 6 as well.

Anyway, with the pot at 310, the river brings with it a very sexy looking ace to give me the boat. Lovely.

I lead out for 200. Then V min raises it to 400. Whaaat! TT? Really? Nah, surely not. I'm all in sir, he calls for like 50 more.

Pot 1210

He turns over Q6 like an absolute hero. Looks like (1) I didn't need that Ace and (2) villain ain't that nitty!

Ship it dealer!

I give the dealer $15 - what I like here is that the dealer keeps their own tips.

Hand 2:

Hero, aggressive image as ever, 800 behind (moved to a new table and allowed to sit down with just 500 which I span up). I have KK. Button

Villain, middle aged, boring looking white guy, 500 behind, MP

I straddle to 10 on the button. 5 limpers. I pop it to 50. Only villain calls.

Pot 140.

Flop QJ5r

Ok, not a bad flop, but definitely not the best. I make it 65. V snap calls. I range him to 55, QJ, Qx, and Jx

Pot 270.

Turn 7

He checks. Don't think he has QJ now, sure he'd bet out. He probably has a Q. Now let's make him pay.

I make it 200. V mulls it over and confidently calls.

Pot 670.

I want a brick here and I'll ship it.

River T.

Villain checks. I don't like it. He could easily have QT or JT. I think I've got max value for my kings anyway and any bet here would be skinny. I checks.

Villain shows JT for 2 pair. Seems like he was a non-believer. Well played sir.

This is the level of play I get to enjoy in the San Francisco area.

I finish the night $1,150. Another win. Off to vegas tomorrow and scared this crazy run is going to come to an end. Well, it has to at some point I guess. Hopefully not yet though...

Hand 1 to me seems like a no brainer? V2 isn't going to limp TT behind if he can isolate the drunk fish imo. If you're behind it sucks but the money is always going in.

Hand 1...that's what I mean...guys will overplay their hands so bad, him with his Q6 that you don't need to level yourself think he has the nuts. It's gonna be SO rare someone has 10/10....and if they do so be it.

He could have had any rag 6x...and think he was good.

You're right... In London though to see that would be so so rare, the caliber of player is much better at 1/2 compared to 3/5 here.

Oh well, lesson learned.

At the airport now waiting for my flight to LV.

Can't wait.

Try to pull off some weird moves and see what happens.

One time it was limped all around, I had J4 off. J 4 6 flop. Bet small like $10, 1 call. 7 on the turn. Again small $15 bet, call. 4 on the river. I have a full house 4's over J.

Stacks are $200+. $50 in pot. I feel I have the best hand, no one has JJ's and rare they would have pocket 66/77 and not raise the turn.

I shove all in. Guy ponders for 20 secs, then calls. I still don't know what he had, maybe 5/8 for the straight, or a weak 4.

You never know with these guys.

Yeah I'll try that ... Although probably at 1/2 rather than 2/5 I reckon.

I played 2/5 at the Venetian last night. It was pretty horrible to be honest, unbelievably reg infested. I started off well, ran up a $800 profit before it started going badly. I think I was pretty tired, so left after seeing my stack dwindle and profit reduce to $165.

The quality of play, so far, seems much more superior compared to San Francisco. There just seem to be an insane amount of pros here.

On the bright side I managed to keep up my winning run. I think that's 13 winning sessions back to back which I can't complain about. Would be a horrible time for this run good to end though, at the start of a 2 week vegas trip!

I'm gonna chill out today, get a good breakfast, workout and hit the pool. I think tonight I'll check out the aria, see what the actions like over there.

I'm going to dedicate this post to Bill "ain't no limit" Hubbard, a coach who ran ANL Poker.

Bill was my coach for the last 8 months or so, the man who I credit for plugging so many leaks in my game. He had a very different approach to poker and I was lucky enough to learn from him and improve my game monumentally since meeting him.

Unfortunately he passed away in the last week.

Not only was Bill a great poker player, and an even better coach, but he was a great man. He had an incredibly infectious, energetic and enthusiastic personality, and was so supportive during my downswings and never gave up on me, always telling me it's part of the curve.

When I was going for a downswing he even reduced his rates to help me get through it.

I'm lucky to have known Bill, and it's incredibly gutting that the week I came to vegas, when we were supposed to meet in person for the first time, he sadly passed away. He will be missed by a lot of people.

Bill, thank you for everything. I'll miss you, sir.

2 sessions today.

2 hours playing 1/2 at flamingo (pretty dank poker room), $140 profit

8 hours playing 3/5 at the bellagio, $500 profit.

Looking forward to playing the weekend donks. Reckon if I smash $1000 profit tomorrow night I'll probably hit Venetian deep stack on Saturday.

Exhausted. Don't think I could live out here.

Went to the bellagio buffet Today before poker. Decent - $30, not spectacular though. The desserts were quality though, smashed about 5 of them. Couldn't help it, I'm a fat **** at heart.

Played 6 hours at the golden nugget today. I was rivered a few times, then this hand happened when I was 400 in the hole, with a stack of 400 in front of me.

UTG raises to 12, folds to me on the button, I have QJs. Usually I'd raise but UTG is pretty tight so I put him on a strong hand to be raising OOP. He's some punk guy down for the punk bowling festival (which sounds awesome bt the way.) he had a Hundy behind.

SB calls, 350 behind. He's a dealer down to deal at the WSOP apparently. He only sat down 5 hands ago.

Pot 35.

Flop QhJx4h

SB checks. UTG makes it 30. For sure he has an overpair betting this strong. I think with a set he'd bet less and I have the blockers to QQ, JJ anyway.

I pop it to 100. then cut off goes all in for 340! Ahhh. What a spot. UTG tanks, says to me "I know you have a set, and I know he has a flush draw... eff it, I call".

I think SB either has 44, or a flush draw. I expect he'd 3! with QQ, and like i said, I have blockers anyway to QQ and JJ. So I'm only behind to 44, and even then I'm not drawing dead. I decide to call.

No hearts please, I think he has a draw.

Pot 800

Turn 9x, river 8x

UTG flips over AA. SB turns over QT for the runner runner straight. What. The. ****.

The run finally ends! 15 consecutive winning sessions in a row, had to come to an end somehow.

Staying in some crappy hostel downtown tonight. Just having a cheeky lie down then I think I'll check out the Wynn. Just need to get my head straight first.