Moved from Zoom to standard 16nl tables on Thursday night...It went ok

The drop near the end is the hand below. Pretty standard. I definitely COULD have found a fold. Villain was 7/4 3b% was 1.2% / 480 hands. It's a coooler!

Normally I would agree, but there was some terrible bluffing at this table.
But I should have folded I agree. I'm not playing Negreanu, who cares if I've been bluffed off 12c?

Playing much better today but can't seem to win a significant pot, just blinds!
This one annoyed me. Villain had check raised a few times with one pair, so I wasn't about to fold. But I should have. Made a note on him
Ordinarily I wouldn't call an UTG raise with KJ, but villain was high VPIP.
Going to go back to ignoring stats for a bit and treat them all as competent...not calling an UTG raise with a marginal hand is one of my golden rules.
Unluckily, the river card that made my hand very good, made his even better :/

PartyGaming - $0.02 NL - Holdem - 9 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3

BB: $1.70
UTG: $2.00
UTG+1: $1.48
MP: $1.05
Hero (MP+1): $2.00
LP: $0.60
CO: $0.58
BTN: $2.00
SB: $2.16

SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: ($0.03) Hero has K J

UTG raises to $0.06, fold, fold, Hero calls $0.06, fold, fold, fold, fold, BB calls $0.04

Flop: ($0.19, 3 players) 9 J 2
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets $0.14, fold, UTG raises to $0.44, Hero calls $0.30

Turn: ($1.07, 2 players) 4
UTG checks, Hero checks

River: ($1.07, 2 players) J
UTG checks, Hero bets $0.76, UTG calls $0.76

Incidentally, when did people start check raising at 2NL?
I've hardly ever seen it until this month.
Usually when it happened it's aggro donks trying to push people out of the pot.
I've seen it at every table this month, and been caught out with TPTK type hands against check raised sets.

Started off my session with a bit of HU, that's always a swingy affair. After taking a small lead I made a failed hero call and lost the lead. Managed to run good in 2 pots and I went back up and then quit shortly after as HU swings can be sick and the rake can get costly. Ran well in a few other pots, but then I started running cold not getting anything especially playable and running into tough spots, having to make failed bluffs. Donked off a buy-in doing something really spewy, but got saved elsewhere to finish about even on the session.

The HU Battle:

I've played a little HU before with this villain. He was raising every BTN and 3betting out of the blinds so I had to take a more passive approach pre-flop to playing him. But when I picked up a DS hand I decided to 3bet out of the blinds. Flopping top 2 I decided to bet and be prepared to get it in. I didn't really love turn, but with 2 pair + OESD + flush draw I decided to get it in.



Literally the next hand later I got dealt KKxx and decided to limp in with it. Flopping top set it was a no brainer to get it in. Turn was a bit of a sweat as it gave him some outs which would have tilted me.



This table was pretty passive pre-flop and I was feeling adventurous so decided to open with 7786ds. I felt the board was kind of wet and villain didn't always have to have top set in this spot. Even against top set I had redraw to flush + gutshot straight.



I decided to call the 3bet with J798 suited. It kind of felt like a cooler on the flop. I was expecting to see AAxx, just hoping they didn't have my hearts covered. Sadly I wasn't in amazing shape.



Bit of a silly hand by me. Not sure if I really want to stack off on this flop with top set + OESD. I decided to peel for a turn. I didn't improve, but as I wasn't holding any blockers to full house I did call off and got lucky.

Just had a good session at zoom (first in a while) just because I actually controlled my emotions etc - ended up 2.5BI after 1K hands and really realised how bad I've been playing lately. NL5 zoom is so easy yet I just kept calling down - that's a huge flaw I cut out in this session, ran down a lot of my time banks persuading myself to fold because I just couldn't see what I was beating whereas before I just called because "I had an overpair to the board", "I have pair + FD" and not even going through villains ranges.

Really happy with the session as the biggest pot I won was only 60BB (NET profit) so was just a consistent winner over the session which is a positive sign.

Cut out double barreling too, I think I did it twice on that session just because I don't think it's +EV on most boards at NL5. I used to go double barrel mad on boards such as Jxx or Qxx and it barely ever worked - only had one big bluff which thankfully worked.

Was hoping for some opinions on this hand:

PokerStars - $0.05 NL (6 max) ZOOM - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): $9.43
SB: $8.42
BB: $5.54
UTG: $5.34
MP: $5.85
CO: $6.00

SB posts SB $0.02, BB posts BB $0.05

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.07) Hero has J 3

fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to $0.15, fold, BB calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.32, 2 players) T J A
BB checks, Hero bets $0.20, BB raises to $0.60, Hero calls $0.40

Turn: ($1.52, 2 players) 9
BB bets $1.25, fold

BB wins $1.46

I took the tactic of raising ATC on the BTN if it was an unopened pot which definitely seems +EV. Villain is 16/5 over 37 hands and no other really helpful stats or reads to note.

On the flop I think it is an easy flat - are there arguments for playing this aggressively? I think if he is ever doing this on a bluff then I don't see him double or triple barreling so we'll win the pot regardless imo and I don't think we have any FE on his value range here unless he's a donk and is raising for 'information' with something like A rag; then again he might even call off a BI with TP if he's doing that.

On the turn I don't think I'm getting the right odds and he will only have ~1PSB bet left on the river, plus I think his range is all value by this point.

The biggest pot I won was infact the bluff I made, opinions on this:

PokerStars - $0.05 NL (6 max) ZOOM - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): $5.06
SB: $5.07
BB: $5.82
UTG: $6.09
MP: $13.05
CO: $4.81

SB posts SB $0.02, BB posts BB $0.05

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.07) Hero has A K

fold, MP raises to $0.20, CO calls $0.20, Hero raises to $0.65, fold, BB calls $0.60, fold, CO calls $0.45

Flop: ($2.17, 3 players) 3 J 5
BB checks, CO checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($2.17, 3 players) 3
BB checks, CO checks, Hero bets $1.50, fold, CO calls $1.50

River: ($5.17, 2 players) 4
CO checks, Hero bets $2.91 and is all-in, fold

Hero wins $4.96

MP was 9/9 over 47 hands so if he comes back over the top then I can fold imo as I'm crushed by his range.
CO was 45/18 over 11 hands.
BB was 12/0 over 17 hands.

Easy 3bet imo IP and fairly straight forward to play against these villains. In a 3 way pot I don't fancy betting at that flop and I'm basically giving up at this point, thoughts on this? Then when it gets checked through a second time then they rarely have a strong hand here, top of their range imo would be AJ so I take a stab at it. When CO calls I just know he isn't strong here but I only have a ~1/2 PSB behind so not sure how much FE I actually have - especially against this opponent who seems to be very loose. Maybe it is a flaw to try and bluff this pot because although his range is pretty weak I might be overestimating there ability to actually fold a weak holding?

How did UTG not shove that on the river?

lol, I know!
c/r flop but no shove on river?

Tried another hour. Not too many tough spots, but had one big hand. I had one of those hero call moments where if I called and was wrong i'd prob be close to even on session and if i'm right i'd be up. Managed to walk away with a small win.

One of the biggest hands of the session. I raised KKxx pre-flop and hit top set. I was thinking about the straight draws and going to be careful if the scare cards hit. Turn was kinda blank so I bet it again. I hated the river and didn't really have any info on the villain. He hadn't played his hand like a big draw and I was just generally confused and thinking they're only doing that with a flush. I decided to be brave, expecting to see diamonds and made a crying call. Couldn't believe it.... It felt good making the right decision

Hmm still running bad.
Got it in with AKs pre and was called with AKo for a split and ended up down bcause of rake.
The one time my PPs flopped a set it is monochrome, a suit I don't have.
Lots of TPTK hands come up against 3 or 4 suits which I don't hold.
Even had a villain with 89s calling my bets and rivering a straight.
Still being check raised! Was there a feature on this on TV or something?

currently playing in a $5.50 $7.5k guaranteed. 114 out of 2048 remain. blinds 800/1600 avg stack 54k me 42k. hoping for some cards and some run good when the break finishes!

Good luck Chad!

Well then...

Poker Stars $4.00+$0.40 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t10/t20 Blinds - 9 players
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

CO: t2675 133.75 BBs
BTN: t2990 149.50 BBs
Hero (SB): t3010 150.50 BBs
BB: t3530 176.50 BBs
UTG: t2940 147 BBs
UTG+1: t3000 150 BBs
UTG+2: t2940 147 BBs
MP1: t3000 150 BBs
MP2: t3000 150 BBs

Pre Flop: (t30) Hero is SB with A T
1 fold, UTG+1 calls t20, 1 fold, MP1 calls t20, 1 fold, CO calls t20, 1 fold, Hero raises to t120, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls t100, 2 folds

Flop: (t300) A Q 9 (2 players)
Hero bets t150, UTG+1 raises to t300, Hero calls t150

Turn: (t900) T (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets t300, Hero raises to t1080, UTG+1 raises to t2580 all in, Hero calls t1500

River: (t6060) Q (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t6060
Hero shows A T (two pair, Aces and Queens)
UTG+1 shows 8 A (two pair, Aces and Queens)
Hero wins t3030
UTG+1 wins t3030

50th of 2000 here's the last hand.



What a beating :/

71,000 in the open, average stack is 205,000, blinds starting tomorrow are 2500/5000/500.

54 of us left including Phil hellmuth and kassem deeb.

Flat the 3bet man, serious. Fold on any Qhi boards ott and any Ahi boards otf. Fold on any boards with an overpair otr.
This guy is not going to exploit you, and if it wasn't bvb I would just fold to his 3bet.

This is excellent advice. I actually wanted to fold to the 5bet I'd invested a quarter of my stack so felt folding was fine. I know you're not suggesting that but hearing someone else say I don't need to get it in is a breathe of fresh air.

ARE YOU SERIOUS???? Doesn't that mean you won $7000????

GO GO NISMO!!!

€6900 at the minute, i think it hits €8000 when down to 45 players!

Holy moly!!!! This is epic dude!

BQ hero itt! Gogogogo!

Nismo, how many runners were there?

Feel like crap today. Played in the local casino tourney last night and was leading with 11 to go. Picked up JJ utg (6 handed) so I bet, btn raises. He's quite deep, been pretty active and cbets every flop so I expect to b ahead so I call to let him barrel flop and shove any low board.

Board comes 894 rainbow. He cbets, I shove, villain says "I'm really sorry" and turns over 94o.

Needless to say the board didn't pair and he took it down.

Couldn't get anything going after that and got to final table shortstacked, shoved AKo from the btn, SB called with KK and it's goodnight Vienna! No payday for me. Bluurgh!

Decided to play in the $250 freeroll to take a break from cash as I'm running so bad.
Actually quit after an hour as it was late but still finished 333 out of over 10,000 (although many of those never sat in).
Had to laugh at this villain. He was table chip leader (until LP moved into table) and throwing his weight around with marginal hands - he played every pot.
I knew sooner or later I would catch him out, but I tilted him in the chat afterwards.

PartyGaming - $0+$0|150/300 NL - Holdem - 9 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3

CO: 34,245.00
Hero (BTN): 15,510.00
BB: 760.00
BB: 660.00
UTG: 30.00
UTG+1: 30.00
MP: 170.00
MP+1: 360.00
LP: 47,592.00

BB posts BB 300.00

Pre Flop: (300.00) Hero has 3 3

fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, CO raises to 900.00, Hero calls 900.00, fold

Flop: (2100.00, 2 players) 9 7 3
CO bets 2,100.00, Hero calls 2,100.00

Turn: (6300.00, 2 players) 5
CO bets 31,245.00 and is all-in, Hero calls 12,510.00 and is all-in

River: (31320.00, 2 players) 8



Him: u lucky idiot
Me: Who me?
Him: Lucky pair = setzz
Me: lol set > pair of 7's
Him: idiot fish
Me: Good luck jamming 7s again

But... 4-bet the JJ against a hyperactive villain! You'll be miles ahead most of the time, and in tournaments, it's often better to take down a nice pot uncontested preflop than it is to risk a suckout on the flop. I wouldn't flatcall villain's 3bet there because it happens way too often that a Q, K or A flops (or the hazardous 9 4 !!!) and then you lose a fairly big pot that you really should never have lost. If you get 5-bet, you can go by your read whether you call or fold, but I'd call any bad/aggro player almost always and fold to many good/tight players if that happened.