Good luck, Jose. Hope you run good!

The Downs report - 9/27/11

Here's a few brief hands. The rest of my trip report can be found easily by anyone who looks at my profile, or who has a bit of intuition at my personal blog.

The bottom line is that I ended up ahead $30, after being stuck about $320 at my worst point. I totally mangled some hands, and played a few hands well. I'm going to share 3 hands, 1 good, 1 bad and 1 ugly.


The bad

This was the first hand that I think I really misplayed. UTG (66 total) raises to 14, UTG+3 (stack of about 900, very aggressive opening in the last orbit, but he has shown down AK twice and KK once, so he may just be running hot) 3-bets to 46. I have QcQs on the button, with 240 behind. I am not sure what to do, as I think stack sizes are awkward to both call, and to shove. I think folding is actually fine here, though I decide to just call. UTG shoves his 66, and UTG+3 calls (I'm not sure if he could have re-raised here, I forget the rule there, but him not asking made me feel a little more re-assured). I decided to just call, as I didn't want to ask and tip the strength of my hand any more than I already had.

Flop was K76, and UTG+3 checked to me, I elected to check behind, as I had seen him check the flop with strong hands up to this point and then bet the turn. The turn was a 9, and he led 60. I was really leaning towards a call, but the fact that there was no side pot led me into a fold. He had TT, while UTG had KQ, so had I 4 bet shoved pre-flop, I would have likely taken the whole pot, unless UTG was totally steaming and decided to go for it.

Basically my feelings are that I either have to 4 bet shove or fold pre-flop. In this case I probably should have leaned towards the 4 bet shove given the players involved.


The ugly

A few limpers to the CO who raises to 10. He has just lost a buyin, but doesn't seem to be steaming. He does seem like the kind that could overplay a hand and pay me off. I'm in the SB with 8s7s and elect to call, even though this is probably an elementary fold, given my position, as well as my relative position to the raiser. But, given the limpers I can see this being 4-5 ways to the flop, so that was my thinking going in. As expected, 3 players call and we see the flop 5 handed. While the calling was all going on, I decided if I flopped a draw, I would lead out with it, in an attempt to trap the 3 players between me and the PF raiser.

Flop was Ts5x4s. As planned, I make a weak lead of 25 into a pot of 50. Unfortunately all fold to the PF raiser who calls.

The turn is a 2x. I follow through and bet 55 on the turn, leaving myself about 125 for the river. My plan is to shove almost all rivers, and my only fear is that my turn bet gets raised. He calls, and I have his range heavily weighted towards 1 pair hands, as I am not expecting a draw, and I think a set would have raised me by now.

The river is the 5s, completing my flush, and pairing the board. I tank for a bit and then shove. He looks resigned, and then decides to call. I table my flush, expecting to be slid the pot, and he tables As6s for the nut flush.

Definitely a kick in the teeth there, as I see that I would have likely won the pot with my river bet had the spade or ace not gotten there.


The good

UTG (same player from the weak tight QQ hand) opens to 12, I 3bet to 36 (this is the 3rd or 4th time I have 3 bet him, and we haven't shown down yet, so I think he has to be getting suspicious). The BB (A6s nut flush guy) cold calls, and then UTG calls. So 3 to the flop with a pot of 105-ish.

Effective stacks are 280. Flop is 873r. They both check to me and I make an unorthodox check, partially for pot control, and partially for deception, knowing that UTG will bet the turn if given the chance.

The turn is a great card, another 3. THe BB checks, UTG bets 37, I smooth call, and the BB calls (very thrilled he didn't raise, as I am pretty sure I am good here because of it).

The river is a K. Both players check to me and now I know I am good. I elect to bet 90, the BB folds, and UTG goes into the tank before letting curiosity get the better of him and call. My hand is good and I don't see his cards.

The aftermath

Like I said, I turned a small profit, despite mangling a few hands pretty badly. Probably should have been a big winning day, but I made some mistakes, and nearly was a big losing day. I'm happy that I kept my composure and didn't quit when the table was good.

Feel free to comment on all hands in this post. I admit that all of the 3 could (and possibly should) have been played differently.

might be blind but what did you have on the good hand? aces?

Oops, yes, I had aces.

IMO, this is the best written trip report in this thread.... well done OP

High praise from someone who doesn't care much for trip reports.

Thanks to both of you guys. Doing these is very instructive just for myself, especially as I re-read them months later. Hopefully others can find them instructive for the hands I play well, but even more so for the ones that I butcher.

Agreed... I hate reading TR esp long ones, but this one was worded excellent, divided into seperate parts, and interesting to read. I wish everyone would write like that

Once when I was in Hawaii, on the island of Kauai, I met a mysterious old stranger. He said he was about to die and wanted to tell someone about the treasure. I said, "Okay, as long as it's not a long story. Some of us have a plane to catch, you know." He started telling his story, about the treasure and his life and all, and I thought: "This story isn't too long." But then, he kept going, and I started thinking, "Uh-oh, this story is getting long." But then the story was over, and I said to myself: "You know, that story wasn't too long after all." I forget what the story was about, but there was a good movie on the plane. It was a little long, though.

so basically you hate my trip reports. thanks. Yea i am a better listener then a writer sorry

Lol... 5 star story imo!

what?

I will be arriving Nov. 1 at DTW and will have a 21 hour layover before departing for Macau. I have bookmarked this thread to read later but where is the best place to play for someone coming from/to the airport? Is there a shuttle? I'm an older woman so I want to avoid any neighborhoods with lots of obvious gunfire but I assume any casino area is going to be reasonably well-patrolled so not too worried about that. The last time I played in Detroit I think was 99 or 2000, doubt poker was invented yet... :-)

Your best bet is Motor City Casino which is 20 minutes from the airport. I don't believe there is a shuttle.

I agree you should have 4bet preflop or folded with QQ. I usually just fold this because I give the average 1/2 player the benefit of doubt since JJ is a semi rare case of a 3 bet and AK people like to flat, particularly at downs...
My policy is fold QQ until proven otherwise, but thats just me. It's a low variance fold, but I think you will save more $ long term if you have no reads or limited reads (especially with raises from EP)

As you know I hate the 87 suited call given your position. I thijnk you played AA very tricky. This will backfire every now and then, but I think you played it really well. I have done this at times and against certain villains it is a profitable play. well played.

your reports are basically results of hands, no thought process and you don't seperate paragraphs well. (constructive criticism, of course)

I will be going to Sharks Club in Waterford within the next week. I hear that game is J-U-I-C-Y. I will be giving a trip report.

Be careful, Motor City's action SUCKS about 75% of the time. So if you are looking to pass time, you found the place. You will have a hard time making a TON of money at the 1/2 game, but I assume since you are an older female you can get away with alot with your outward appearance image.

Yeah, for this trip, I'm just looking to pass time and socialize. Don't need to make money at 1/2, this is for entertainment purposes. OK, and this question may seem truly idiotic but does the game go all night? There are poker rooms in the world where nope, it doesn't. I never played poker at Motor City, I played blackjack way back in the time machine when it was new. Good memories but I don't feel like getting tossed out on my ear in the first ten minutes when I have nearly an entire day's layover. Plus I don't want to cart around a blackjack bankroll when I'm about to leave the country. A 1/2 bankroll is right for this trip and excites less paperwork from customs.

If the game goes all night, I might do an all-nighter in hopes that it will make it easier for me to sleep on the plane. They have a nice club room with great showers at DTW that I have used before so why rent a hotel room, right? Ha!


Do you still have to pay for booze in Detroit or is that a long lost silly law from days gone by?

I might or might not be meeting up with other folks using the same layover. They might or might not play poker. They might or might not drink. I'm probably the bad example of my peer group.

There's a good chance if it's the weekend, games will be going when you get there and when you leave. As P4MS said, not always the most action-filled games, but they run there almost around the clock. Yes, you still have to pay for booze. Good luck and hope you enjoy your stop.

Thanks. I'm sure I'll enjoy my layover and I'll try not to get arrested. Has anyone gotten away with BYOB or just tactfully bringing a flask in view of these weird Midwestern booze laws? Seems almost immoral to pay for booze when gambling...

Any of you going to wsop Hammond?, I want to play the h.o.r.s.e on the 18th and the limit o8 on the 20th, if anybody is interested in sharing a car/room let me know.

Was also wondering if any of you are going to play the heads-up this saturday at snookers?

I might... do you have more detials like time and cost?

I heard 12pm and $125, but im not 100% sure

As long as I wake up in time I will play in this... hopefully it doesnt sell out real early in the morning.. I like to sleep in on the weekends

strongly considering! where's this snookers at again?