In the previous posts at the AcQc hands,
ballsy play from Villain with the spade card, but he won't be having nearly enough bluffs there and likely he knows that too. Your hand has very few or maybe zero live outs, which makes it one of the exploitative folds in your range, I think this is good example for a spot where you can only end up being slightly right or horribly wrong, so I think it was a good fools but that's just my opinion.

Yeah for sure. This dude def really good at bluffing in spots where people almost never bluff

Well my friends ... today I accomplished something I'm extremely proud of and something I've been pushing really hard to get.

For the first time in live poker, I officially profited $10,000 in a month:



I knew going into today, the last day of the month, that I needed a $400+ day to get there. I wasn't going to force it, but I knew that if I passed the mark, I'd probably rack up and book it.

I usually don't care about stuff like this, since poker is all just one long session and what happens in between arbitrary endpoints doesn't actually mean anything. But for whatever reason this felt special to me and there was definitely something inside me that really wanted to get there.

And I did. Early in the session, I won a couple hundred when I flopped top set and got 2 bets out of a loose fish before he folded to a river jam.

Soon after, I lost that money back when I called an UTG raise in MP with A8

2 others called as well, and the flop ($100) came K43

The PF raiser c-bet pot ($100), and only I called

The turn ($300) came the 8, giving me a pair to go with the NFD

Again, he bet $100 and I called

The river ($500) came the 6

Villain bet another $100 on the river and I folded.


So I was right around even when I went to take a break.

And just like yesterday, I came back just in time to get a hand UTG.
And just like yesterday, I looked down to find a big pair - this time KK

I opened to $25, and MP, LP, BUTTON, and the BB all called.

FLOP ($125): 1072
BB checked and I checked
The fishy LAG ($800) in the BB bet $75
Both LP ($400) and the BUTTON ($400) called the $75
BB folded
HERO check-raised to $300
FISHY LAG calls $300
The other two folded

I checked because if I bet out, I'm usually getting called and can put myself in some weird spots on the turn, not knowing if I'm getting called by 10x or a flush draw or a straight draw.

Plus, checking KK here helps protect my checking range.

The LAG makes a pretty strong bet, and two others call. This information is really helpful to me; the LAG's range is wide, and on a flop like this, if either of the other two had a monster (like a set) they would raise. So when they just call, I know I'm good against them.

So I put in a big check-raise. The fishy LAG says "what do you have, 10-7 of spades?" I don't say anything, so finally he makes the call.

TURN ($875): 9
HERO jams for $475
VILLAIN quickly folds

The 9d isn't a bad card at all; really only 10-9 or 86 or J8 got there - but I think those big flush combo hands usually just re-raise jam on the flop. So almost always he just has a naked flush draw or the 9-8 straight draw here, and I'm still good. And I was.


After stacking my chips, I counted my stack and realized I had crossed the $10k barrier for the month. And I just thought it was a good time to rack up and leave.

Session results:
2 hours, 5 minutes
+$547

Year-to-date results:
410 hours, 25 minutes
+$23,482

-------------------------

This month started off with a crazy full week of poker during July 4th when I was off of work, and I rode that momentum all the way through the month.

Yesterday could have been a major step back - I lost with AA and and with KK three times, I got flush over flushed, and flopped J-J-2 when I had AJ and the other guy had 2-2. But I felt like I really played well and minimized what would have been a disastrous session if I hadn't.

I put in a lot of hours and busted my ass to do this. I'm not one to pat myself on the back a lot but I'm really proud of what I accomplished this month.

dude, you are killin' it! Gives me another reason not to show up at CA Grand during the week haha

I can't imagine it being +EV for me to show up except late Friday/Saturday night and encouraging people to drink

Thanks buddy. Always down to take a shot if you show up haha

I played a 3-hour session tonight but it's not gonna be much of an update. There's no fun hands to post - it was just hours of me missing flops. I legit think I only won 1 hand all night. (Not counting 2 I won preflop).

I didn't play bad but also didn't play great, just whiffed a bunch and didn't really find any good bluffing spots.

Such is life on the grind.

Session results:
3 hours, 5 minutes
-$560

Year-to-date results:
413 hours, 30 minutes
+$22,922

Well friends, your boy ran good tonight. Especially in one big hand. I'll post 3 bluffs I pulled off and then the big hand to finish things off.

HAND 1: Getting a little range-merge bluff on

PREFLOP:
An old loose-passive OMC ($210) limps UTG+1
CUTOFF and BUTTON limp for $5
SB (unknown but doesn't seem great) raises to $35
HERO in the BB calls $35 with 44
OMC UTG+1 calls $35
CUTOFF and BUTTON fold

Even though I have poor relative position, I do have position on the SB raiser and we're pretty deep. I call to set-mine.

FLOP ($115): 1062
SB checks
HERO bets $50
OMC calls $50
SB folds

When the SB checks, he usually has whiffed broadways like AK/AQ/AJ. I put out a solid bet to deny equity, and I figure the OMC will fold a lot too - he's stuck in the middle and he'll have trouble continuing without 10x.

He does end up calling, but I'm not that worried about it honestly. If he had a made hand like A-10 or K-10, he'd likely go all-in, since he only has about $120 left after his call.

TURN ($215): 5
HERO jams for $120 effective
OMC folds fairly quickly

I like this bluff against this player type. I think he folds a lot of made hands that beat me like 77 and 88, and his 6x - Pretty much everything except 10x, which like I said, I think he'd have jammed himself on the flop anyway.

But he does often call when he's behind with his flush draws. Anyway, he folds and I earn the pot.

---------------------

HAND 2: Making a stand

PREFLOP:
An LAG ($1800) limps UTG+2
HERO raises to $25 in the CUTOFF with KQ
SB, BB, and LAG all call $25

FLOP ($100): J83
SB and BB check
LAG donks for $45
HERO raises to $175
SB and BB fold
LAG thinks, and folds

This guy had been stabbing at a ton of pots on the flop when checked to and had taken a bunch down of them down without resistance. I figured he had a decent hand here, either Jx like J-10 or QJ, or a flush draw (I was hoping it was the former since I felt I could get him to fold that, but if he has the nut flush draw or a combo draw he's got going anywhere).

I had been playing snug since I'd gotten to this table a couple hours ago, so I felt if I put in a big raise here, I could credibly rep KK or QQ (instead of the KQ that I had).

So I pulled the trigger, and he folded. It wasn't the best hand to use as a bluff (I had very little equity and no flush draw blockers, which would have been better), but I knew this guy had been stealing a lot of pots and I decided I wasn't going to let him steal this one.

-------------------------

HAND 3: Attacking a weak player

PREFLOP:
UTG+2 opens for $25
UTG +3 calls $25
HERO calls $25 in the hijack with KQ
BUTTON calls $25
Weak player in the BB calls $25

FLOP ($125): 854
Action checks around

TURN ($125): 4
BB ($1000) leads for $40
UTG+2 and UTG+3 fold
HERO raises to $125
BUTTON folds
BB calls $125

I pick up a flush draw on the turn and the BB makes a weak 1/3rd pot bet. I just think he's never that strong here, so I put in a raise to try to get him off his hand.

He calls, so I think he usually has a pair+gutter draw here, something like 66, 77, or 87. He could also have, less likely, made a flush draw as well.

If an uncoordinated card comes on the river, I think a solid barrel finishes the job.

RIVER ($375): 5
BB checks
HERO bets $200
BB folds

Voila!

---------------------------

HAND 4: The Big Kahuna

So it's Friday night, and that means the action comes out. There's a player here who is known for showing up and going all-in for $1k in the dark - he does it all the time and is well-known for it.

Another player who is stuck and likes to gamble says that he will go all-in in the dark this time if the other guy agrees to call him in the dark.

So the first guy goes all-in blind for about $1k UTG. It folds 3 spots around to the second guy who calls in the dark.

It folds around to me, and I look down at the A. Crap. I'm having a pretty good night, and if I look down at another good card I'm going to have to call and gamble.

So I peel the other card ... the A

So of course I shove for my $1400 ($400) more and the second guy (who covers) of course calls.

The second guy tables his hand immediately - 33

I tell them both what I have (but don't show it out of superstition).

The first guy still hasn't looked at his hand.

The board runs out J10628

The first guy flips his cards one by one. First, the Q. Great card ... as long as the other one isn't a 9.

He flips the other one, the 6.

I win the $3800 pot.

WOW. Suuuuuper lucky to draw AA in a double-blind all-in pot, and for it to hold up. The Poker Gods gifted me $2400, and I am eternally grateful.

------------------------------

Session results:
7 hours, 30 minutes
+3,344

Year-to-date results:
421 hours
+$26,266

Was up in Santa Rosa for work today, so stopped at Graton Casino to put in a little session. I haven't done too well overall at Graton (-$334 overall in 6 sessions), and in my experience the games aren't very good on the weekdays.

But the room is nice, comfortable chairs, tables and chips are good, so I don't mind playing there. But it's also a ways from home (~90 mins) so I usually only go when I have work in the area, which would be on weekdays.

Anyhow, I started out at a full feeder table full of yokels. I played at high speed early, raising a lot and winning several pots, which seemed to perturb them.

All 3 of the hands I'll post are against the same villain. He's a middle-aged guy who's not a great player but definitely more aggressive than the average hayseed in this joint. I'd seen him bet the river and take down several pot without resistance so far.

HAND 1: Bluff catching

PREFLOP:
OMC limps for $5 in MP
HERO limps for $5 on the BUTTON with K5
OLD LADY COFFEE completes from SB
VILLAIN checks his option in the BB

I almost never limp any hand, let alone on the button. But I'd had my foot on the gas petal up to this point and decided I would slow down a bit here, especially with a marginal hand.


FLOP ($20): Q32
Action checks around

TURN ($20): 5
SB checks
VILLAIN bets $15
MP calls $15
HERO calls $15
SB calls $15

It doesn't feel like anyone has a Queen, they likely would have bet the flop. I'm guessing someone has a 4, maybe one or two people have a decent heart, maybe a pair+straight draw, stuff like that.

Still, I decide to just call in position and see what happens on the river, instead of raising, which I think would also be plenty reasonable.

RIVER ($80): J
SB checks
BB bets $35
MP folds
HERO calls $35
SB folds

Complete blank on the river, which I like. I suppose the guy could have some random 2-pair, but often he's just trying to bet other people off their missed draws. I would have called a much bigger bet, but for this sizing it's a no-brainer.



------------------------

HAND 2: Villain's blood pressure rises

Most of the regs have left; I think they didn't like me mixing it up in their game. We're now down to 4-handed and have agreed not to chop while we wait to get moved to the main game.

PREFLOP:
Folds to HERO in the SB, who raises to $15 with A2
Villain calls $15 in the BB

FLOP ($30): 853
HERO bets $15
VILLAIN calls $15

TURN ($60): 9
HERO checks
VILLAIN bets $15
HERO calls $15

I decide not to barrel the turn, even though it's a decent card since it's an over to the board. I just don't think he's folding to me very often; I can tell he wants to get me back from the hand before.

RIVER ($90): 4
HERO bets $45
VILLAIN calls $45



----------------------------

*We then move to the main game, a full table. Villain is 2 spots to my right. Villain got stacked on like his 2nd hand at the table, and has lost several other sizable pots as well. He's tilting like the artwork at Stevie Wonder's house.

HAND 3: The hand of the night

PREFLOP:
LOJACK (A very loose guy with $2000) limps for $5
VILLAIN ($760) raises to $30 from the HIJACK
HERO ($1200) calls $30 on the button with 56
LOJACK limp-calls $30

FLOP ($90): 763
LOJACK donks $25
VILLAIN raises to $125
HERO raises to $500
LOJACK folds
VILLAIN tanks for 2 full minutes

I flop the mother of all draws, the old 17-outer.

I like cold 3-betting big here a lot better than calling. If I flat call the raise, my hand is pretty face-up; it looks like a draw. If I miss the turn he's gonna put in a big bet, and I'm in a crap spot. And if I hit the draw, it's gonna be pretty obvious (unless it's one of my two 6s, it's gonna either complete the flush or put a one-liner on board) and I might not get any value for it.

But if I raise, I put these guys in crap spots. I can have sets, I can have the straight, I can have top 2, and I can have monster flush draws like the nut flush draw and sick combo draws like A6hh, 98hh, and the hand I do have, 56hh.

Any reasonable person would see this and fold everything except their monsters.

But this guy was not reasonable. He was stuck, and tilted, and didn't like me.

Finally, he shoves he stack in - he's just too stuck to muck. I snap the extra $230



Feels good to smash it right there on the turn. And feels good to finally win a big pot at Graton Casino.


Session results:
2 hours, 20 minutes
+$1,263

Year-to-date results:
423 hours, 20 minutes
+$27,529

#HandHistoryPorn

Love how you talked though your decision to raise big for $500 in the 5❤️6❤️ hand. I’m probably guilty of playing that exact spot way too passively and just calling flatting and essentially playing my hand face up. How much did the LoJack opening for $25 on the flop affect your decision to bomb so hard? Or was he really not a consideration at all and you were just targeting the villain with AA?

Yeah having the lojack in the hand definitely played into the dynamic.

When he leads small he's often got a marginal hand he wants to see if is good, something like 7x.

And when the Hijack puts in a large raise, when put together with his large pf raise, usually means he's got a strong overpair.

So the fact that the lojack led and *then* hijack raised makes my big cold 3-bet raise look soooo strong - strong enough that a reasonable person with an overpair would fold it, whereas heads up they wouldn't. Plus it altered the pot geometry to a place where it allowed me to raise to a size that said, "I have a big hand and I'm committed to it" in no uncertain terms, while also now being large enough to be worth stealing.

So basically, big ups to the lojack for making this all possible haha

Had a couple of hours to kill after work tonight, so I hopped over to the cardroom to play a short session.

Early on I was involved in 2 interesting hands:


HAND 1: Aggression gets the job done

PREFLOP:
Looser villain UTG+3 opens to $20
HERO calls $20 in MP with 109
Meh reg calls $20 on the BUTTON

FLOP ($60): K73
UTG+3 checks
HERO bets $30
BUTTON folds
UTG+3 check-calls $30

I decide to stab at this pot, since the original raiser doesn't seem like he has a King, and the board is extremely dry so it'll miss both villain's hands a lot. Plus, I have the 7 on the board, which gives me some opportunities to pick up equity on the turn if I get called.

The button quickly folds but the original raiser check-calls. Most often, he has a marginal made hand like 6-6, 8-8 or even AQ.

TURN ($120): J
UTG+3 checks
HERO bets $90
UTG+3 folds

A good barreling card comes - it's another over to small/medium pairs, and it gives me a double-gutter. I'm prepared to fire another bullet on the river if he calls, since he could have picked up a Jack with AJ or could be getting stubborn with AQ that picked up a gutter. But he folds, and I win the pot.

-----------------------

HAND 2: Playing AK softly ... and going to the felt with it

PREFLOP:
A looser player UTG+2 opens for $20
HERO ($850) calls $20 in MP with AK
BUTTON calls $20
SB ($815) 3-bets to $110
Everyone folds except HERO, who calls $110

I often 3-bet AK pre, but against EP raisers I like to mix in calls at a good frequency.

The SB isn't the type to do this without a good hand, but he's also the type to spazz out post - I've seen him do it several times before against other players.

FLOP ($260): A105
SB bets $200
HERO calls $200

I'm never doing anything except calling this bet. I'm in position, my hand is very under-repped, and I want to give him the chance to spazz out instead of raising him off his hand.

I just pray that a spade doesn't fall on the turn, because that might slow him down.

TURN ($660): 2
SB jams all-in for $505
HERO snap-calls $505

RIVER ($1670): 2



I ran well here to hit a big hand against a player who's prone to spazz out. And when I did, he came through with flying colors.

---------------------------

Session results:
2 hours
+$783

Year-to-date results:
425 hours, 20 minutes
+$28,312

Great thread OP, gives me the itch to play again!

Hell yeah ^^^

Well, I had the itch to play again today, so I did! Today's makes 10 sessions played in the past 13 days, a pretty solid rate.

Today's session was very workman-like. The table was super actiony, so I just sat back and waited for good hands. And, I got a couple:

HAND 1: Earning a pot

PREFLOP: $10 STRADDLE IS ON
A loose player limps UTG for $10
HERO raises UTG+2 with 67 to $55
SB and the STRADDLE both call $55
The UTG limper folds

FLOP ($175): Q43
SB and STRADDLE check
HERO bets $110
Both players fold

-------------------------

HAND 2: Trapping the fish

PREFLOP:
UTG and MP limp for $5
HERO ($850) raises with KQ in the HIJACK to $25
WILD LAG ($400) in the CUTOFF calls $25
Both limpers call $25

FLOP ($100): K97
UTG and MP check
HERO checks
WILD LAG bets $70
UTG and MP fold
HERO check-calls $70

Usually this is a bet for value, but the LAG's big leak was that he over-bluffed when people checked to him. And with this hand, I have enough to trap.

TURN ($240): 5
HERO checks
WILD LAG jams all-in for $305
HERO snap-calls $305

RIVER ($850): 7



-------------------------------

HAND 3: The easiest $300 I ever made

PREFLOP: $10 STRADDLE IS ON
MP opens to $25
HERO in the HIJACK calls $25 with KQ
WILD LAG calls $25 calls $25 in CUTOFF
STRADDLE calls $25

FLOP ($100): K62
STRADDLE checks
MP c-bets $125
HERO calls $125
LAG calls $125
STRADDLE folds

Well, this was an interesting c-bet, $125 into $100. Especially after such a small preflop open, I thought this was often air. The LAG calls behind but I'm not too worried about that, he has a lot of gutters and small pairs here.

TURN ($475): A
Action checks around

RIVER ($475): 2
Action checks around



-----------------------------------

HAND 4: Not sure if I made the best play

PREFLOP: $10 STRADDLE IS ON
A solid reg ($575) in MP opens to $40
Folds to HERO (covers) in the STRADDLE, who calls $40 with KQ

FLOP ($80): Q103
HERO checks
REG c-bets $75
HERO calls $75

TURN ($230): K
HERO checks
REG bets $155
HERO check-jams for $460 effective
REG tank-folds AK

I think check-jamming here is standard, but while he was tanking I started wondering if this was the best play. Why?

Only because I'm not sure how often he's calling with worse, since he's a solid player (who ended up finding a fold with AK). So what's he calling with that I beat? K-10/Q-10 that got cold-decked on the turn?

But he's always calling with better: KK, QQ, 10-10, AJ, J9s.

However, after talking about this hand with a friend, he agreed that it's a c/r because:

*I should be check-jamming my combo draws here too: A10, J10, 109, 108, A3, so check-jamming top 2 helps cover that

*If this guy had hands like that, those are additional hands that I'd be jamming for value against.

Anyway, those are a lot of words for a hand that appears pretty straightforward at first look. But I think the more you dig deep into hands, even those that seem obvious, the better you get.


Session results:
3 hours
+$1,112

Year-to-date results:
428 hours, 20 minutes
+$29,424

So I had a friend run this through the Pio solver, with some interesting results:


*Pio is 50/50 with betting out on the flop vs checking it (I check in this situation close to 100% of the time)

*Once I check and he bets the flop, Pio likes a check-raise 30% of the time (I generally x/r my top pairs far less frequently than that)

*On the turn, Pio likes calling his bet 99% of the time, instead of check-jamming like I did

So I find this REALLY interesting. Like I said in the write-up, when I check-jammed the turn and he tanked, I immediately started questioning if this was the best play. So it's really eye-opening to see that the solver believes check-calling is the unquestioned route to take.

There's a lot of considerations here and I need to wrap my head around them.

Curious what pio does on various rivers, both first to act and assuming a range check, when villain bets?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't think he checked out all the iterations, but on brick rivers Pio is check-calling with top 2pr

I'm pretty surprised at this, but possibly Pio is concerned like I was that by jamming, you're doing too much value-owning of yourself while not getting value from enough hands?

The more I think about it, the more this makes sense.

Again, the board is: Q103K
And I hold KQ.
I check-called the flop
Now I've checked the turn, and he's bet

So: We can disregard when he has KK, QQ, 10-10, 3-3, AJ, and J9, since stacks are getting in no matter what action we take and we lose

So the hands we should be focusing our play on is when villain has:

*Top 1-pairs: AA and AK
*Worse 2-pairs: K-10 and Q-10
*Pair+straight draws: KJ, QJ, J-10
*Air

So if I check-raise the turn:
*AA and AK fold and I get no value, whereas if I check-call turn and a brick comes, they'll likely value-own themselves on the river
*Worse 2 pairs call and we stack him. This is slightly better than x/calling turn and river, since around 1/3 of the time, bad cards can come on the river to foil the action (9s, Js, and As)
*Pair + straight draws likely call a turn jam but shut down on the river if they don't hit - however they don't bet the turn that often so they are unlikely holdings (besides KJ)
*Air folds out and doesn't get the chance to bluff river

So what I think Pio is thinking is that against AA/AK and air, I get a lot more value by check-calling the whole way.

Against worse 2-pairs, check-calling both streets gets the same value as check-jamming turn 2/3rds of the time and loses value 1/3rd of the time

Against Pair+straight draws check-calling turn and river loses value



TL;DR

I think what Pio is saying is that we lose out on too much value from top pair hands by check-raising AI on the turn, plus we don't give air the chance to bluff the river

This is more important than getting value from pair+straight draws, which he rarely has since he'll check back the turn with most of them (besides maybe KJ)

We also lose value from worse 2-pairs about 1/3rd of the time when the river comes a straightening card, but these are also unlikely because we block those combos.


Does that make sense to you guys?

Just got home from a Friday evening session, and I'm on cloud 9 after the play I pulled off to end the session. We'll get to that.

Here are some of the key hands from the session:


HAND 1: Getting lucky on the river

PREFLOP:
HERO ($800) opens to $20 from the CUTOFF with A6
BUTTON calls
A looser but pretty good reg (covers) calls from the BB

FLOP ($60): 432
BB donks for $30
HERO calls $30
BUTTON folds

I have overs and a gutter, plus I could potentially bluff clubs if they come. Definitely not folding for one bet on the flop.

TURN ($120): Q
BB bets $45
HERO calls $45

I'd be folding to a strong turn bet here, but this bet is just too small to get me to dump my hand.

RIVER ($210): 5
BB checks
HERO bets $190
BB tank-calls $190

I bink the river - boats and hoes. BB checks, and I decide a big bet is definitely the way to go, for a couple reasons. First off, I can rep missed clubs and possibly get hero-called. And secondly, it's possible that he has an ace in his hand (A2/A3/A4/A5/Ax) and I want to get max value if he does.




-----------------------

HAND 2: Getting a bluff through

*Villain is the same as in Hand 1

PREFLOP: $10 STRADDLE IS ON
HERO ($1100) opens to $35 from the CUTOFF with A4
BUTTON calls $35
VILLAIN ($1000) calls $35 in the BB
STRADDLE calls $35

FLOP ($140): 1052
BB and STRADDLE check
HERO bets $65
BUTTON folds
VILLAIN in BB check-calls $65
STRADDLE folds

When he check-calls the flop, he can have a lot of different hands. He can have marginal made hands like 10x, 5x, and pairs like 66 and 77.

He can also have flush draws or straight draws/gutters.

TURN ($270): 4
VILLAIN checks
HERO checks

I pick up a little showdown equity, but more importantly this is a better card for his range than mine. Flush draws get there, straight draws improve, and if he has a pair, this isn't a scare card. So I check.

RIVER ($270): K
VILLAIN checks
HERO bets $190
VILLAIN folds

When V checks again, I think he almost never checks flushes or straights, or even two pair - I think he bets all of those for value on the river; from his perspective it's just so likely I check back that he'd have to bet himself.

So then it's much more likely that he holds a marginal made hand. And marginal made hands don't love that turn or that river.

So I put in a bluff the same size as my value-bet the hand before, which I believe can be psychologically harder to call if you've already called it and been wrong.

I bluff because while I do have a touch of showdown value, it would be criminal to check back and lose to 5x or a pair of 6s in the hole. I take it down and earn the $270 in the middle.

--------------------------------

HAND 3: I play this hand like a fish

PREFLOP: $10 STRADDLE IS ON
3 players limp for $10
HERO calls $10 in the SB with QJ
BB calls $10 and STRADDLE checks

FLOP ($60): Q82
HERO checks, and action checks the 2nd limper in MP who bets $50
HERO check-calls $50
STRADDLE check-calls $50

I'm fine playing this as a check-call in a multi-way pot rather than leading out. When MP bets $50, I think he's often got Qx or a flush draw. When the straddle check-calls behind, I think he's got a draw most often, so MP has a Queen more often.

MP is a new player who just sat down who I've never played with before, he has about $500.

TURN ($210): 7
HERO and STRADDLE check
MP bets $100
HERO calls
STRADDLE folds

When MP continues vs both players in a multi-way pot, I definitely think he's got Qx a lot here. And often, it's not AQ because he would have likely raised that pre. He might not have KQ for the same reasons, but it's more likely.

He can also have a lot of worse Queens, like Q-10 or Q-9s. And hell, maybe he's the kind of guy who tries to see flops in limped pots with Q5s. I don't know him. So I call again.

RIVER ($410): 5
HERO checks
VILLAIN bets $100
HERO calls $100

Interesting card. I consider turning my hand into an all-in bluff; he has about $400 left. But I just don't know this guy at all, and I have pretty decent showdown value, so I decide on a check.

Then this dickweasel bets $100 into $410 on the river. Isn't he scared of the hearts? Is he going thin with a Queen? Or did he have hearts all along and now he's trying to get value from a Queen?

If he has a Queen, an all-in bluff would be strong as hell here. He'd probably be kicking himself for betting the river. But would he call? I don't know. I don't know him. I just can't pull the trigger.

So I do probably the worst thing and call the $100. I'm getting such a good price that I'm like, maybe he's v-betting a worse Queen or somehow has air. Which is pretty dumb honestly, since you'd have to be an idiot to bet Q-10 here and who bluffs quarter pot on the river?



--------------------------------

HAND 4: One of the best hands I've ever played

VILLAIN 1 in the hand is the villain from the previous hand. I've played a couple orbits with him now, and he seems like the type who overvalues hands and plays a wide range preflop, like once I saw him overlimp in MP with 65os. Also seen him betting and raising a lot postflop. He has about $700.

VILLAIN 2 in this hand is this really tight, solid grinder. He's a very good, either professional or semi-professional player. He covers, he's got about $2k in front of him.

HERO has racked up his $950. He's just peeking at one last free hand before leaving. Only he looks down at A HAND, and has to play it.

PREFLOP: $10 STRADDLE IS ON
HERO opens to $35 UTG with AK
VILLAIN 1 calls $35 in MP
VILLAIN 2 calls $35 from the STRADDLE. He says, "I'm only calling because you're in a rack and that's bad luck for you, haha"

FLOP ($105): K43
STRADDLE checks
HERO checks
V1 bets $100
V2 calls $100
HERO calls $100

Interesting. I checked to allow MP to bet, which I expected him to do. I think he's betting Kx, flush draws, and underpairs like 99 here. He could also bluff with air since both the other 2 players already checked.

I didn't expect the straddle to call, and he's not the type who makes many bad calls. Like he wouldn't call here with 4x or 3x with me still to act. So he's either got a King or a flush draw here almost certainly. He could also have sets but he would x/r those at some frequency.

I decide to call, which I think is smart because I have plans for the turn:
If VILLAIN 1 has a worse King and VILLAIN 2 has a flush draw, I can check the turn so V1 can bet, V2 can check-call with his draw (and if he x/r's, re-evalulate before I have to put in any money), and then I can put in a big raise and put them both in a nasty spot.

TURN ($405): 4
V2 checks
HERO checks
V1 bets $100
V2 check-raises to $300
HERO calls $300
V1 calls $300

Holy **** whaaaat. V1 bet when we both checked to him - that was expected.

What was unexpected was a strong check-raise from V2, esp after the 4 fell. It's an exceptionally good card for me, since it really decreases the number of strong hand V2 can have.

K3s got counterfeited and a set of 4s is nearly impossible. And he doesn't have KK bc he would have 3-bet pre, plus they would be the case Kings. So really the only hands that I need to be afraid of are 33 and K4s. And K4s is iffy since I don't know that he plays that pre, plus there's only 2 combos of it ( and ) left.

But he could be check-raising with AK or a big flush draw. So I cold-call $300.

Then I'm really surprised when V1 calls the $300! What's going on? Do we all have Kings?? Someone's probably got a flush draw, it would make some sense for either of them.

RIVER ($1305): J
V2 checks
HERO ...

I love seeing this check by V2. It means he doesn't have the nuts - he's def betting with Quad 4s or 3s full. So what DOES he have?

One of two things: A good Kx or a missed flush draw that is now giving up.
So what do I do?

And it becomes really clear to me: I JAM.

If V2 has the missed flush, I'm gonna get called by V1 and his worse King, almost certainly KQ. (If someone is in this pot with KJ and binked the river ... well ****.)

And if V1 has the missed flush, he folds and then V1 is in a tough spot with his good King. He's a really good smart player, and my hand will look insanely strong to him - something like AA or KK. In fact, if he has AK, I might be able to get him off a chop.

So I slide my rack full of chips in the middle - $516.




This was honestly one of the most elegant plays I've ever pulled off. I was value-betting one player while bluffing another off a chop.

I wasn't positive exactly which one had what, but either way the play works. The important part is that I felt my hand was the best hand, and instead of checking the river and taking my showdown value, I went for thin value against slightly worse hand (from the looser V1) while trying to get the tight and solid V2 off a potential chop. And that's exactly what happened.

I don't always make the best play, but in this hand I was really dialed in to what was going on and was able to make a really sick play. Proud of this one.


----------------------------

Session results:
3 hours, 30 minutes
+$1,020

Year-to-date results:
431 hours, 50 minutes
+$30,444

No poker over the weekend (busy w the fam) but got in a session today. There weren't many big hands but many smaller ones - I'll just post a couple real quick.


HAND 1: Waiving the white flag

PREFLOP:
Decent rec ($600) in the CU opens to $25
HERO 3-bets on the button with K10 to $80
Cutoff calls $80

FLOP ($160): 433
Cutoff checks
Hero bets $100
Cutoff calls $100

I don't love my sizing here; I think I can go smaller, but I was trying to knock AK/AQ out with one bet.

TURN ($360): 7
Cutoff checks
Hero checks

The cutoff has about $420 left - an awkward stack size. It's too small for 2 streets of bluffs, and I'm afraid he calls me too often here if I jam it all on the turn, plus I have like no outs if called.

RIVER ($360): 6
Cutoff bets $120
HERO folds

---------------------------

HAND 2: Making a discerning fold

PREFLOP:
A rec player who seems ABC limps for $5 UTG
HERO in MP raises to $25 with A10
UTG limp-calls $25

FLOP ($50): 732
UTG checks
HERO checks

TURN ($50): A
UTG bets $30
HERO calls $30

RIVER ($110): 8
UTG bets $70
HERO folds

He just didn't seem like the kind of guy to be bluffing here, and my hand looks a whole lot like an ace. I suppose he could be value-owning himself with A-9 or A-6/A-5/A-4 (although the lower ones are less likely to bet river), but I lose to all other aces and sets.

Against a lot of players I'd call down here, but against this guy I just thought I was beat too often.

---------------------------

HAND 3: Hero pulls off a little squeeze

PREFLOP: $10 STRADDLE IS ON
EP limps for $10
HIJACK raises to $40
Good player in the SB calls $40
HERO has A2 in the BB and 3-bets to $155
Everyone folds

Obviously this is a very good spot for a 3-bet, with an LP raiser and a SB flatter, plus a suited ace in my hand. I think my sizing should have been bigger ($160-$180) but luckily it got through anyway.

----------------------------

HAND 4: I turn the world ... yet I'm no good

PREFLOP: We're playing 5-handed
A weak player limps in for $5 UTG+1
HERO in the cutoff raises to $20 with A3
A tight player ($600) in the BB calls $20
UTG+1 limps-calls $20

FLOP ($60): 732
BB and UTG+1 check
HERO bets $25
BB calls $25
UTG+1 folds

TURN ($110): A
BB checks
HERO bets $50
BB check-raises to $125
HERO calls $125

I actually considered checking the turn. If BB is drawing, it's not to the nuts (obv, since I have the A) and I think I fold out pretty much all his hands - except for the ones that beat me, like flopped flushes, sets, and mayyybe 4-5 that just made a straight. So I don't know how much a bet actually accomplishes.

But in the end, I bet small - my hand just felt too big not to bet. Of course, when I get check-raised, I kinda hate it since against this player, my 2-pair is pretty much never good.

Fortunately, the raise is small and I have out both to a boat and to the nut flush. And if I make either of them, I should get paid off really well.

RIVER ($360): 7
BB bets $100
HERO folds

Sadness washes over me as the river bricks.

I'm guessing the guy flopped a flush. Maybe he had A-7 or a set too tho, who knows. But I hold the A blocking natural bluffs, plus he doesn't strike me at all as a bluffer, so I think this is almost always for value. Oh well.

----------------------------

HAND 5: The perfect runout

PREFLOP:
Good player UTG opens to $20
HERO is UTG+1 and calls $20 with JJ
Nitty player ($600) in BB calls $20

FLOP ($60): 747
BB and UTG check
HERO bets $25
BB calls
UTG folds

TURN ($110): J
BB checks
HERO bets $55
BB calls $55

I hit gin, and am praying this guy has a 7 that he x/raises with. Then I'll call, he'll bet the river, and I'll raise AI and stack him.

But he just flats ... so it feels more likely that he has a flush draw. So I pray that the river is a heart.

RIVER ($220): 2
BB checks
HERO bets $245
BB calls $245



I'm surprised when he checks the river. He's nitty, but it feels like he should be betting a flush for value. That said if he has a non-nut flush on a paired board, I guess a nit would check-call that hand.

He has $500 left, so I like the $245 sizing. It's just a touch less than half his stack so it seems a bit less scary, but it's still an overbet to the pot and can get plenty of value. I considered jamming but I thought since he's a nit, he'd fold a lot there.

He called somewhat quickly, so maybe I did leave some value on the table, I don't know. He never showed his hand but I'm guessing he had a flush rather than 7x.

--------------------------


Session results:
4 hours, 15 minutes
+$489

Year-to-date results:
436 hours, 5 minutes
+$30,933

Wellllp got my teeth kicked in today, friends. Started off stuck, then got stacked, then couldn't fight back and lost moar. Let's get to the hands:

HAND 1: The ole light 3-bet, barrel, barrel doesn't work out

PREFLOP:
Good pro in MP opens to $20
HERO ($800) is next to act and 3-bets to $70 with 97
MP calls $70

FLOP ($140): 10104
MP checks
HERO bets $55
MP calls $55

TURN ($250): 5
MP checks
HERO bets $200
MP check-raises all-in for $675
HERO folds

-------------------------

HAND 2: I play aces well

PREFLOP:
HERO ($750) opens UTG+3 to $20 with AA
Unknown rec player in MP (covers) calls $20
Loose player on the BUTTON calls

FLOP ($60): 983
HERO bets $35
MP calls $35
BUTTON folds

TURN ($130): 5
HERO bets $85
MP calls $85

RIVER ($300): 10
HERO bets $100
MP calls $100



The 10 wasn't a great card for me; not so much because the backdoor flush came in, but because it makes 2-pairs for hands like 9-10 and 8-10, plus of course hand like A8ss, 87ss and A3ss backed into the flush. However it does potentially make J-10 top pair.

I like my sizing here, targeting one-pair hands like A-9 and J-10 that can rarely call a big bet.

------------------------

HAND 3: Playing AA well again ... I think?

PREFLOP:
HERO opens to $20 in MP with AA
SOLID REG next to act calls $20

FLOP ($40): KJ8
HERO bets $30
SOLID REG calls $30

TURN ($100): 9
HERO checks
SOLID REG bets $55
HERO folds

I probably could - and against most players would - call $55 on the turn. But it's pretty hard to think of a hand I beat after the turn card that a decent, solid player would bet, besides maybe KQ.

But there's a million hands that beat me, so I'm more than happy just dumping the hand and not worrying about it.

---------------------

HAND 4: Hero makes a hero call

PREFLOP:
Solid pro ($1200) on my right opens for $20 from the Hijack
HERO ($1000) calls in cutoff with 88 for $20
Unknown rec ($800) calls in SB for $20

FLOP ($60): Q64
SB checks
HIJACK c-bets $40
HERO calls $40
SB calls $40

This is a good flop texture for the solid pro to bet, esp after a check. It's an easy call for me, and when the SB calls too, he usually has Qx or a flush draw.

TURN ($180): A
SB checks
HIJACK checks
HERO checks

Interesting. I was expecting the HIJACK to continue betting here at a high frequency, since it's a good scare card vs both us other players. Also I would expect him to bet if he actually had an Ace, since from his perspective he's often up against a flush draw he should want to get value from, and also against Qx.

When he checks, I think he's weighted toward a hand like KQ or QJ that didn't like the ace, or air/a small pair that is now giving up against two other opponents.

RIVER ($180): 9
SB checks
HIJACK bets $150
HERO calls $150
SB folds

When the Hijack now makes a large polarizing bet on the river, I think it's usually a bluff attacking 2 other players that aren't acting like they have an Ace or better.

For sure he wouldn't be making this bet with Qx, and like I said he's a good player and I think a good player would definitely bet an Ace (or better) on the turn for value.

Like maybe he hit a set of 9s (3 combos) on the river, or maybe Q9s (3 combos). But other than that, I'm having trouble finding value hands he would have here. So I hero his ass.



Welp. Sometimes you think you have a hand figured out, and one of your assumptions turns out to be wrong and you make a bad call. Such is life.

--------------------------

HAND 5: Hero is bad and should feel bad

PREFLOP:
Good, tight reg ($1000) opens from UTG+1 to $25
HERO ($665) calls in MP with 99
VILLAIN ($1200 - a good reg who's been stealing a ton of pots postflop when the mostly passive table has shown weakness) calls $25 in the BB

FLOP ($75) Q98
BB checks
UTG+1 checks
HERO checks

Almost always I would bet here for value on a pretty wet board, where a lot of turn cards I don't like could come.

However, because I'd seen the BB taking down a ton of pots postflop when others showed weakness, I thought I'd take the higher-variance route and let this guy try to steal it on the turn.

TURN ($75): 4
BB bets $50
UTG+1 folds
HERO calls $50

I could certainly raise here, but I think I want to give him one more shot at stealing the pot on the river.

RIVER ($175): A
BB bets $100
HERO raises to $265
BB jams for $590 effective
HERO tank-calls $590

Ok, I was not expecting that. I raise river to get value from hands like 2-pair or even a set of 8s or 4s.

When he re-jams, there's only one hand he could be doing this with for value - J-10, the flopped joint.

I only have $325 left after I raise, so this really shouldn't be a bluff, since he shouldn't expect me to fold often.

But I'm just like, did he really flop the nut straight against my middle set? Or is he possibly over-valuing a hand like a set of 8s? Or using a hand like QJ or K-10 with blockers to the straight as a bluff?

I mean if we're being honest I knew he probably had it. But I was stuck and getting a good price and was kinda just like, **** it.



Welp. Some people might just chalk it up to a cold-deck, but that's not really the case. I put in $590 on the river when the pot was $175, when the guy was saying he had the nuts, and there wasn't a lot of reason to disbelieve him.

There's a big difference between a guy stealing small pots on the flop and 3-bet jamming the river as a bluff when there wasn't even that much money behind for a bluff to work.

So if we're being real, I threw away $325 calling on the end when I shouldn't have. Bad job, me.

Now I'm stuck $1100 less than 90 minutes into the session.

---------------------

I rebuy, and fight back a few hundred bucks. Then, a fish sits down 2 to my left. The guy is legit awful and I'm very happy he's come to play.

He plays like 80% of hands and is pretty ABC after the flop, he rarely makes big bluffs and just bets when he has good hands (though of course he overvalues hands). Your classic weak-passive limp noodle.

The next 4 hands are against him.

------------------------

HAND 6: Oh, is that all you've got?

PREFLOP:
HERO opens to $15 from the button with 33
VILLAIN calls $15 in the BB

FLOP ($30): AAA
VILLAIN checks
HERO bets $20
VILLAIN check-calls $20

TURN ($70): 9
VILLAIN checks
HERO bets $45
VILLAIN check-calls $45

RIVER ($160): 3
VILLAIN leads for $45
HERO folds

This is just never a bluff.



------------------------

HAND 7: The fish cold-decks me but I don't go broke

PREFLOP:
A bad reg limps in MP for $5
HERO is on the BUTTON with AK and raises to $25
VILLAIN calls $25 in the BB
MP limp-calls $25

FLOP ($75): A92
BB checks
MP checks
HERO checks

Certainly against these two yahoos I could bet this hand for value. However I decide to check here, since usually they have nothing and if they do, I think I can make up for that value later in the hand, since my hand is severely under-repped.

It's your classic way ahead/way behind situation, so I like checking here periodically to balance my checking range.

TURN ($75):
BB leads for $35
MP folds
HERO calls $35

RIVER ($145): Q
BB bets $75
HERO calls $75

I decide to just call instead of raise, since the guy isn't the type to double-barrel without a hand. Of course I'm not folding though, since he could easily be betting a worse Ax since it doesn't look like I have AK.



Welp. The fish hit bottom set against my top-top ... at least I didn't go broke.

-------------------------------

HAND 8: I can't beat this guy

PREFLOP:
MP limps for $5
HERO picks up AQ in MP and raises to $25
VILLAIN (has been whittled down to $145) calls $25 in LP
MP limp-calls $25

FLOP ($75): AJ9
MP checks
HERO bets $45
VILLAIN calls $45
MP folds

TURN ($165): J
HERO puts villain all-in for $75
VILLAIN calls all-in for $75

RIVER ($315): K



Alrighty then.

-------------------------

HAND 9: Time to go home

PREFLOP:
MP limps for $5
HERO raises in MP with JJ to $25
VILLAIN ($245) calls $25 in CUTOFF
MP limp-calls $25

FLOP ($75): 864
MP checks
HERO bets $45
VILLAIN calls $45
MP folds

TURN ($165): Q
HERO puts villain all-in for $175 effective
VILLAIN calls all-in for $175

RIVER ($515): Q



So instead of stacking him in the previous hand, he doubled up and stays in the game, then doubles up through me again ... very frustrating.

And with that, it was time to go home ... today definitely wasn't my day.

----------------------

Session results:
4 hours, 50 minutes
-$1,340

Year-to-date results:
440 hours, 55 minutes
+$29,593

Wow, some tough beats. Do people not 3-bet in that game? Seems like everyone is under repping big hands.

There's 3-betting, but it definitely depends on the specific game. For the nittier/more solid daytime crowd, there's not as much. When certain players get in the game or on Fri/Sat nights, there's def more.

Besides the last hand where the guy flatted pre with KK, which hands were you surprised weren't 3-bet?

Sorry, I was reading some of your slightly older posts assuming you were playing the same game. In the one session, KK seems to be only time I'd expect a 3bet.

Ah gotcha - yeah for sure it depends on who's in the game but I think like most live games, there's plenty of regs who only 3-bet with premium hands

It's funny, they say that you can play a million hands(I don't have the real numbers, I'm exaggerating a bit) and never play the same hand. But 2 of your hands are so similar to 2 hands I played.
I made a decent raise after several limpers with QQ once, and got only one caller. All the limpers folded.
Ended up putting him all in by the river( this is 1/2) because of a favorable run out, no K, no A, and he tank called with the lol , "you have a set?." Of course he had AA!
Hand 2, got it all on the Turn after I floped a set of 99's.
I slowplayed the flop. I bet Turn and get raised all in.
My stomach felt like I was going to throw up. It was obvious he turned a straight with JT, everyone loves to play that hand. But I was hoping to fill up on the river, which didn't happen.

Next time there are so many good player's at your table, maybe you should table change. After all, you make your money from the fish.
So if you ever see me at your table, definitely stay!