Hello,

Recently I've been losing a lot more than I probably should be with KK. I think part of the problem stems from just not being able to let them go for any reason. So those of you who are willing, please, take a trip with me through my last 11 hands and let me know if you see any recurring themes that might be losing me value.

I know it's a pretty small sample size, it's from today only and while I seem to be getting the hand a little bit above the average amount, it sure hasn't done me very well. Some of it is probably just variance, but I get the feeling I'm missing something here.



Sorry for posting 11 hands in a row too, but I'm looking for a general theme of things rather than the specific plays of any one hand. Anyone that doesn't want to glance through feel free to ignore this post. Thanks!

So here we go, the hands:

(All results in spoiler tags. My own thoughts after each hand. I can't seem to get HUD results shown on my pokertracker hand reviewer though, so let me know if your play would rely heavily on any reads, and I'll try to go back and get the exact reads for that hand.)

Hand 1:
Hero (SB): $1.00
BB: $1.23

Hero posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to $0.04, BB calls $0.02

Flop: ($0.08, 2 players) 7 9 9
Hero bets $0.06, BB calls $0.06

Turn: ($0.20, 2 players) 5
Hero bets $0.14, BB raises to $1.13 and is all-in, Hero calls $0.76 and is all-in

River: ($2.00, 2 players) J


I'd have liked to bet more preflop here. I guess I was just scared he'd fold, which is silly, really. A fold is probably better than him limping in with any two and getting lucky.

I don't mind my bet on the flop or turn too much, but I should have probably instafolded to his reraise.


Hand 2:

Hero (SB): $1.00
BB: $0.64
CO: $1.33

Hero posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

fold, fold, CO raises to $0.06, fold, Hero raises to $0.18, BB calls $0.16, CO calls $0.12

Flop: ($0.54, 3 players) A A 9
Hero checks, BB bets $0.10, CO raises to $0.30, Hero raises to $0.82 and is all-in, BB calls $0.36 and is all-in, CO calls $0.52

Turn: ($2.64, 3 players) 7

River: ($2.64, 3 players) 6

Should have folded flop. Two people already showing interest. I didn't think it likely that both of them had an ace but I should have definitely considered that one of them did. Too attached to the hand maybe?


Hand 3:

BB: $1.97
Hero (UTG+1): $1.21

SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

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

Flop: ($0.13, 2 players) T K 9
BB checks, Hero bets $0.06, BB raises to $0.12, Hero raises to $0.30, BB raises to $1.91 and is all-in, Hero calls $0.85 and is all-in

Turn: ($2.43, 2 players) 7

River: ($2.43, 2 players) 4

Not much to say here. Flop top set on a rainbow board, get heavily reraised. I don't really mind any of my calls here, and would have chalked it up to variance if I ran into JQ.

If anyone would have played it differently though, do let me know.


Hand 4: Raise UTG+1, one caller. Cbet flop, instant fold. Nothing much to say here.

Hand 5:
CO: $6.34
Hero (SB): $1.00

Hero posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

fold, fold, fold, fold, CO raises to $0.08, fold, Hero raises to $0.26, fold, CO calls $0.18

Flop: ($0.54, 2 players) 2 6 4
Hero bets $0.28, CO calls $0.28

Turn: ($1.10, 2 players) Q
Hero bets $0.46 and is all-in, CO calls $0.46

River: ($2.02, 2 players) 2



This one was definitely curious on his part. I don't mind how I played it with a short stack. Might have been more cautious out of position with a larger stack.

That having been said, were my bet sizes okay? My intention there was to string him along a little and get it all in the pot with what I hoped was the better hand. Would it have been worth it for a flush draw to call me though, given how little I had behind on the flop?


Hand 6:
MP: $5.19
Hero (BTN): $2.06

SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

fold, fold, MP calls $0.02, fold, Hero raises to $0.08, fold, fold, MP calls $0.06

Flop: ($0.19, 2 players) 8 T J
MP checks, Hero bets $0.12, MP calls $0.12

Turn: ($0.43, 2 players) 7
MP checks, Hero checks

River: ($0.43, 2 players) 6
MP checks, Hero checks

Would have lost to any 9, would have probably been instafolded by anyone without a 9. Was there any value in betting the turn or river? Not sure if I was too passive or just playing it safe.


Hand 7: Raise preflop, all folds.


Hand 8:
CO: $1.97
Hero (BTN): $1.20

SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, CO calls $0.02, Hero raises to $0.08, fold, fold, CO calls $0.06

Flop: ($0.19, 2 players) 5 5 8
CO checks, Hero bets $0.18, CO calls $0.18

Turn: ($0.55, 2 players) 6
CO checks, Hero bets $0.40, CO calls $0.40

River: ($1.35, 2 players) 9
CO bets $1.31 and is all-in, Hero calls $0.54 and is all-in


Did I get too attached to what amounted to nothing but an overpair? Did I play it alright considering the short stack? I don't know. I'm tempted to just call it bad luck. If there are any adjustments you'd make here, let me know!

Hand 9: Raise preflop, all folded

Hand 10:
[/i]SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to $0.06, CO calls $0.06, fold, fold, BB raises to $0.24, Hero raises to $1.08 and is all-in, fold, BB calls $0.56 and is all-in


Nothing much to say here.


Hand 11:
Hero (UTG): $1.89
UTG+1: $1.82

SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02, CO posts DB $0.01

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.04) Hero has K K

Hero raises to $0.06, UTG+1 calls $0.06, fold, fold, CO calls $0.06, fold, fold, fold

Flop: ($0.22, 3 players) K 3 Q
Hero bets $0.14, UTG+1 calls $0.14, fold

Turn: ($0.50, 2 players) J
Hero bets $0.30, UTG+1 calls $0.30

River: ($1.10, 2 players) 2
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $0.80, Hero calls $0.80


My biggest concern with this hand was bet sizes. Was I giving any flush draw the right odds to call? Probably. I think I got into the 'I flopped trip kings, I can't possibly lose!' mindset and was betting low to encourage a call. Pot sized bet on either flop or turn would have probably taken it down. Or maybe just a little bit higher to give him the wrong odds but still entice a call.

Am I being results orientated here? Maybe I just don't like it because it didn't turn out well for me.

Any insight on these hands would be appreciated though, thanks!





Bonus 12th hand:
This one happened while I was putting together this post. I guess sometimes things -do- turn out exactly right for you.
PokerStars - $0.02 NL - Holdem - 8 players

Hero (UTG): $1.74
UTG+1: $0.77
MP+1: $2.19

SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

Hero raises to $0.06, UTG+1 raises to $0.77 and is all-in, fold, MP+1 raises to $2.19 and is all-in, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero calls $1.68 and is all-in

Flop: ($4.28, 3 players) J 7 J

Turn: ($4.28, 3 players) 2

River: ($4.28, 3 players) 8


I pretty much snap-called here. There was a chance one of them had pocket aces I guess, but I figured it more likely that they had either a lower pair or AJ-AK. Even better if they both had any A. Less outs for each of them. Hooray I guess.

hand1: im not folding hu ever n raise more pre
hand2: why did u check flop, again not folding 3 handed
hand3: standard
hand4: ...?
hand5: standard
hand6: b/f turn and river he still has QJ,KJ,AJ
hand7: ...?
hand8: fold river, theres 4 to a straight,flush n fh there.. Weird how you say you checked hand 6 cuz theres 4 to a straight yet u cant fold this river
hand9: ...?
hand10: standard
hand11: definitely need to bet more even pre open 4x.. c/call on river isnt bad but since again its 3 handed im shoving river
hand12: standard

Honestly, I'm not sure why I played it the way I did. I guess aces scared me, but that doesn't make sense since I was apparently okay to go all in with that flop.

Would the correct response be bet/fold, or just shove considering the low stacks?
Makes sense. Would I be losing any value here to bluff raises? (Or even raises where he thinks he has me beat?) or does the value from any calls make up for that?

That is really weird actually. Thanks for pointing that out.
I think I was basing my decisions on his actions on the flop rather than re-evaluating what he might have every street/action.

Something I'll definitely pay more attention to in the future.

Does opening 4x apply to most of these hands or just early position?

I guess it makes sense to charge them more to call since I'll be playing any calls out of position. Is that kind of the point here? My bets are usually 3x plus one for every limper, but I definitely need to change it up based on the situation I find myself in.



Thanks for the reply, will try to take the advice to the tables.

^^this

Most of this is standard stuff and your not going to learn much from posting standard hands, What you need to remember tho at these stakes is if your facing resistance with your overpair than your hand is most likely no good (board texture and other exceptions) but in general if a guy hits big on a flop they usually go into TWAP HIM! mode and you will face a random donk shove or c/r shove ott when you think your valuetowning your pair. be aware of this and being able to fold in these spots will increase your overpair bb/100 rate. Dont get attached its only a pair, but dont become a total nit. This takes time/practise GL OP.