Operation Don't Suck

Hi guys, gonna start up one of these... background:

Overall, I've been a winning player at 25NL and a break even (really break even, like lost $3 over 3k hands) at 50NL but I keep having to cash out because of real life expenses. Well no more!

I started out with $100 on Stars, gonna see where that leads me. Goals:

- Solid winrate for my first 10k hands at 10nl. (5k so far).
- Stop playing so schizophrenic. What I mean is certain days I'll be wildly overaggressive, others I'll be extremely tight/passive, check/folding everything. Be consistant.
- Stop looking up smallish river bets when the only thing I beat is a naked bluff.
- Stop calling river minraises without at least 2 pair.
- Re-raise more on suspected c-bets to rag flops.
- Stop dismissing the idea someone hit their gutshot.
- Stop current downswing by finding this infamous "luckbox". Wonder if they sell it at Wal-Mart.

Let ya know how it goes.

What I mean is certain days I'll be wildly overaggressive, others I'll be extremely tight/passive, check/folding everything. Be consistant.

assuming you are making good plays on both ends, this is a good thing, not a bad thing. If you're making bad plays, resolve to stop doing that, not to play exactly the same style all the time (more imporant, against all players). It probably doesn't make a whole ton of difference one way or the other at 10NL and mostly you're aiming for ABC TAG, but still.

Today is an overaggressive day. Picked off 3 c-bets (good!), overplayed combo draws (12 outer on the flop, another one was 15 outs on the turn) and by the time opp pushed I was getting close to correct odds and never got there. Not a good start.

Played an 800 hand session, WAS up 2 buyins... then I did this..

Opp was a good player, rather tight. I put him on AQ after he called the flop bet. I'd seen him lay down some hands on scary-ish boards, and I'd been known to c-bet with middle pair a couple times, so why not make a play?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($9.05)
BB ($5.95)
UTG ($10.85)
UTG+1 ($13.65)
MP1 ($13.70)
Hero ($24.65)
MP3 ($1.65)
CO ($5.50)
Button ($22.80)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Q, K.
UTG calls $0.10, 2 folds, Hero raises to $0.5, MP3 calls $0.50, 1 fold, Button calls $0.50, 2 folds, UTG calls $0.40.

Flop: ($2.15) T, Q, 6 (4 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $1.2, MP3 folds, Button calls $1.20, UTG folds.

Turn: ($4.55) T (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $2.5, Hero raises to $22.95, Button calls $18.60 (All-In).

River: ($48.60) 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $48.60

Well, because I lost. Hooray for being right on the hand read, boo for being wrong on future prediction. What's odd was call was instant, whereas he usually took a beat or two to decide.

Finished up half a buyin, so its a profit, but a really disappointing one.

Let me preface this first by saying that in this 500 hand session I'm up half a buyin. That said, I suck. A lot. The operation is not going well. I seem to be playing down to the level of my opponents, being very weak. It's not helped by things like re-raising AA and KK preflop and getting folds all around. It just seems like that I either take the blinds or the flop down with a cbet, or I get beaten nearly every time at showdown. Frustrating.

Or, you know, I play worse than my opps despite a neon sign saying "fold" on when I call down and stuff.

Interesting/wellplayed/poorly played (more of those) hands coming when the hand converter stops being broken.

Bankroll: $264

I just got out of rough streak that lasted about 2 weeks straight. Long time w/o sets, not getting paid, calling too many river bets in medium pots, getting all folds to AA/KK, etc. I'm +1 buyin after 2 weeks including a little over 3 buyins worth of bonus/rakeback. It will end eventually man. So just stop sucking, get Lee to deactivate your doomswitch, hang in there, and you're good to go.

Long session, down 2 buy ins. I seem to have forgotten how to play poker. Bad part is there weren't even any monster pots, just small/medium ones I'd continually fold out of on the river, convinced I was beat. Worse, I keep getting stupidly passive and weak and just dripping dimes all over the place. Not in a good spot. Maybe I'll cycle down to $5NL just to reinforce basic concepts? Blah.

Or like this, shorties taking their shot and hitting. A lot.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG ($9.95)
UTG+1 ($10.85)
MP1 ($16.70)
MP2 ($7.60)
CO ($8.05)
Button ($9.85)
Hero ($9.40)
BB ($2.05)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J, A.
6 folds, Hero raises to $0.3, BB calls $0.20.

Flop: ($0.60) 3, 7, J (2 players)
Hero bets $0.4, BB raises to $0.8, Hero raises to $3, BB calls $0.95 (All-In).

Turn: ($5.35) 9 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($5.35) K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $5.35

Results in white below:
BB has Js 7s (two pair, jacks and sevens).
Hero has Jd As (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: BB wins $4.10. Hero wins $1.25.

Or, this hand. Tried to rep the flush as opp was a thinking player (no, I'm serious. There's more than a few of them at this level).

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($10.80)
SB ($14.60)
Hero ($10)
UTG ($17.15)
UTG+1 ($10.70)
MP1 ($18.05)
MP2 ($8.30)
CO ($6.50)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q, Q.
2 folds, MP1 raises to $0.4, 4 folds, Hero calls $0.30.

Flop: ($0.85) 5, 7, 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $0.6, Hero raises to $1.7, MP1 calls $1.10.

Turn: ($4.25) J (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks.

River: ($4.25) K (2 players)
Hero bets $4, MP1 calls $4.

Final Pot: $12.25

Results in white below:
Hero has Qc Qh (one pair, queens).
MP1 has Ks Kc (three of a kind, kings).
Outcome: MP1 wins $12.25.

Or like this, failing to notice I was in the SB and NOT the button. Whoops.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($10.25)
Button ($16.80)
Hero ($9.40)
BB ($16.45)
UTG ($14.35)
UTG+1 ($23.55)
MP1 ($15.10)
MP2 ($11.20)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K, A.
3 folds, MP2 raises to $0.3, CO calls $0.30, Button calls $0.30, Hero raises to $2, 1 fold, MP2 calls $1.70, CO folds, Button calls $1.70.

Flop: ($6.40) 8, Q, 3 (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets $6.1, Button folds, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $12.50

Results in white below:
No showdown. MP2 wins $12.50.

Or this hand, not folding AA against a guy with 40BBs. Ever. His play looks like Ax looking to fill his straight to me. I did briefly consider he had AJ but if that was the case, so be it. Wrong thinking? (Hand Converter broken... again..)

POKERSTARS GAME #6991032742: HOLD'EM NO LIMIT ($0.05/$0.10) - 2006/11/12 - 02:02:58 (ET)
Table 'Schedios III' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: takesix ($9.30 in chips)
Seat 3: Midol ($19.50 in chips)
Seat 4: POVPAUL ($9.85 in chips)
Seat 5: MINI LLC ($5.90 in chips)
Seat 6: |2y4|\| ($4.10 in chips)
Seat 8: Excel777 ($10.45 in chips)
MINI LLC: posts small blind $0.05
|2y4|\|: posts big blind $0.10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to takesix [As Ac]
Excel777: folds
takesix: raises $0.30 to $0.40
Midol: folds
POVPAUL: folds
MINI LLC said, "JJ working out pretty well for you Midol .. lol"
MINI LLC: folds
|2y4|\|: calls $0.30
*** FLOP *** [Th Qc Ks]
|2y4|\|: checks
takesix: bets $0.50
|2y4|\|: calls $0.50
*** TURN *** [Th Qc Ks] [6d]
|2y4|\|: checks
takesix: bets $1
|2y4|\|: calls $1
*** RIVER *** [Th Qc Ks 6d] [6c]
|2y4|\|: bets $2.20 and is all-in
takesix: calls $2.20
*** SHOW DOWN ***
|2y4|\|: shows [Jh Ah] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
takesix: mucks hand
|2y4|\| collected $7.85 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $8.25 | Rake $0.40
Board [Th Qc Ks 6d 6c]
Seat 1: takesix mucked [As Ac]
Seat 3: Midol folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: POVPAUL (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: MINI LLC (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: |2y4|\| (big blind) showed [Jh Ah] and won ($7.85) with a straight, Ten to Ace
Seat 8: Excel777 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Or here, file this under why I should never, ever slowplay.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($5.35)
SB ($9.85)
BB ($6.15)
UTG ($11.30)
MP1 ($6.55)
Hero ($10.15)
CO ($4.50)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 3, 3.
2 folds, Hero calls $0.10, 3 folds, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.25) 9, 9, 3 (2 players)
BB bets $0.1, Hero calls $0.10.

Turn: ($0.45) Q (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.1, BB calls $0.10.

River: ($0.65) 4 (2 players)
BB bets $0.6, Hero raises to $2, BB raises to $5.85, Hero calls $3.85.

Final Pot: $12.35

Results in white below:
BB has 4d 4c (full house, fours full of nines).
Hero has 3h 3c (full house, threes full of nines).
Outcome: BB wins $12.35.

And yes, the standard...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP1 ($10.30)
MP2 ($10.05)
MP3 ($10.65)
CO ($4.70)
Hero ($9.40)
SB ($10.05)
BB ($10)
UTG ($29.15)
UTG+1 ($17.40)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K, K.
UTG raises to $0.4, 3 folds, MP3 calls $0.40, 1 fold, Hero raises to $1.5, 2 folds, UTG folds, MP3 raises to $10.65, Hero calls $7.90 (All-In).

Flop: ($20.60) 8, 6, 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($20.60) 3 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($20.60) 7 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $20.60

Results in white below:
MP3 has Ad Ah (one pair, aces).
Hero has Ks Kd (one pair, kings).
Outcome: MP3 wins $20.60.

Bankroll: $247

don't drop down to 5NL. you've got ~25 buyins right now. at least you were folding on the river and not calling too often on the river. calling too many river bets is a bigtime leak imo. on your qq hand you say you were trying to rep a flush...do you often pot the river with a hand like that? also, if villain sticks around after that big flop c/r then he probably doesn't believe you. btw, what is a "long" session for you? do you find your play suffering at all during long sessions? i know terrytoma plays no more than 1 hour sessions at a time - just a thought.

Two+ hours I consider long.

While waiting for the Ambien to kick in, I decided to play a few more hands. The bankroll kept steadily decreasing, due mainly to my general crappy weak play. HOWEVER, whoever said good things don't happen after 2 AM doesn't play poker.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you... the FAKE DONK.
Oh, and once in a while in later position I'll call big PFRs from known TAGs and NITs. They usually whiff and I immediately pitch them... not this time...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP2 ($8.35)
Hero ($13.10)
Button ($9.90)
SB ($5.50)
BB ($7.65)
UTG ($24.40)
MP1 ($6.50)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 6, T.
UTG raises to $0.5, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.50, 3 folds.

Flop: ($1.15) 6, 2, 6 (2 players)
UTG bets $0.3, Hero calls $0.30.

Turn: ($1.75) T (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $0.1, UTG raises to $0.3, Hero raises to $0.5, UTG raises to $2.8, Hero raises to $5.5, UTG raises to $26.1, Hero calls $7.20 (All-In).

River: ($40.55) K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $40.55

On a different table, simultaneously this happened:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($5.10)
Button ($11.60)
SB ($9.10)
Hero ($12.20)
UTG ($7.65)
UTG+1 ($8.35)
MP1 ($1.75)
MP2 ($3.15)
MP3 ($4)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, K.
UTG calls $0.10, UTG+1 calls $0.10, 3 folds, CO calls $0.10, Button calls $0.10, SB completes, Hero raises to $1, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, Button calls $0.90, SB calls $0.90.

Flop: ($3.30) 3, 9, 5 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

Turn: ($3.30) T (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $2, Button raises to $4, SB folds, Hero raises to $11.2, Button folds.

Final Pot: $18.50

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins $18.50.

Putting me back squarely to where I started before this downswing.

Bankroll: $269

Originally Posted by takesix

Played an 800 hand session, WAS up 2 buyins... then I did this..

Opp was a good player, rather tight. I put him on AQ after he called the flop bet. I'd seen him lay down some hands on scary-ish boards, and I'd been known to c-bet with middle pair a couple times, so why not make a play?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($9.05)
BB ($5.95)
UTG ($10.85)
UTG+1 ($13.65)
MP1 ($13.70)
Hero ($24.65)
MP3 ($1.65)
CO ($5.50)
Button ($22.80)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Q, K.
UTG calls $0.10, 2 folds, Hero raises to $0.5, MP3 calls $0.50, 1 fold, Button calls $0.50, 2 folds, UTG calls $0.40.

Flop: ($2.15) T, Q, 6 (4 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $1.2, MP3 folds, Button calls $1.20, UTG folds.

Turn: ($4.55) T (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $2.5, Hero raises to $22.95, Button calls $18.60 (All-In).

River: ($48.60) 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $48.60

Well, because I lost. Hooray for being right on the hand read, boo for being wrong on future prediction. What's odd was call was instant, whereas he usually took a beat or two to decide.

Finished up half a buyin, so its a profit, but a really disappointing one.

wtf. 10nl player who just calls flop with tptk? so he is passive as hell... but no then he calls a huge reraise for 2 buyins on turn when another 10 hits. even though it looked like a bluff still...
and i dont like your play on the turn. wtf is the point of raising allin like 5x the pot? if you think you can get him off then reraise it big not allin with deep stacks and not that big of a pot.

Originally Posted by bearcats05

wtf. 10nl player who just calls flop with tptk? so he is passive as hell... but no then he calls a huge reraise for 2 buyins on turn when another 10 hits. even though it looked like a bluff still...
and i dont like your play on the turn. wtf is the point of raising allin like 5x the pot? if you think you can get him off then reraise it big not allin with deep stacks and not that big of a pot.

I'd used the same line before with a set that hit on the turn, and he'd been raised AI off a couple pots... over the course of about two hours. So it's not like he'd be steaming and think I was pushing him around, I'd actually not tangled with him up to that point, and though I'd been somewhat liberal with my betting, the two times I put people in I had the goods.

I have almost 1000 hands on him, he's very solid, and had shown ZERO aptitude for going the distance with TPTK. I looked over all his shown down hands and he never had a pot over 90 BBs combined with TPTK (11 instances) so while all evidence points to a decent spot, I got caught.

You're picking bad spots for playing big pots and the threat of a big pot is basically meaningless at these stakes.

Buy an REI membership and pitch a tent.

Originally Posted by Fnord

You're picking bad spots for playing big pots and the threat of a big pot is basically meaningless at these stakes.

Buy an REI membership and pitch a tent.

Fnord: Bad spot, maybe. But there are plenty afraid of playing a big pot. Most, actually. Hence all the c/c that's so prevalent. Would I do it again? I wouldn't shove, I'd reraise him to $8 and fold to a push. A call, and I'd check behind as he'd likely check the river, and nothing that calls a river bet is weaker than my TPGK on a paired board anyway.

Also, excuse my ignorance, but REI?

So unlike usual, I'm making a REALLY hard effort to stick to BR management. It sucks.

I should be maybe 40-50% higher in my net totals but because of general stupid play, I'm not. I'm winning though, so at least I'm playing better than my opposition .

Anyway, this is my first one of these here, am I missing anything? Thoughts from people better at poker than I am?

nice lil 10k block you got there six. umm get dealt AA more times?

Miserable session. 800 hands, lost stacks to flush draws twice with top 2, and with an OESD on flop and OESD+FD on turn that never got there. Flopped 6 sets, lost with 4 of them to gutshots/FDs. Calling stations rivering top and bottom pair, etc. etc. whine whine bitch bitch. Down 2 buyins, nothing special or interesting, just a lot of cbetting into calling stations, putting in money while somewhat ahead (though never WAY ahead) and losing out. Bite me variance.

BR: $312

Originally Posted by takesix

Miserable session. 800 hands, lost stacks to flush draws twice with top 2, and with an OESD on flop and OESD+FD on turn that never got there. Flopped 6 sets, lost with 4 of them to gutshots/FDs. Calling stations rivering top and bottom pair, etc. etc. whine whine bitch bitch. Down 2 buyins, nothing special or interesting, just a lot of cbetting into calling stations, putting in money while somewhat ahead (though never WAY ahead) and losing out. Bite me variance.

BR: $312

why don't you try cutting back on your cbets?

Originally Posted by takesix

Also, excuse my ignorance, but REI?

Outdoor store. He's telling you buy a tent and go visit Yellowstone with Tonya Harding and Jeffrey Dalmer.

Originally Posted by martindcx1e

why don't you try cutting back on your cbets?

Because I'd watch the tables and they'd work with no real regularity. A guy who folded 2/3 of the time called down just as often with TPTK as J4 for 4th pair. Blame the drunks, time of night, people who didnt care, (or stakes!) whatever, but there was little rhyme or reason. So I chose to be more aggressive. Tonight was probably a bad night for that. Especially pushing around people when I was reasonably sure I had the best hand but they had 6-10 outs from what I put them on.

Oh, this is for me:

Back from a bit of a downswing, played a bit tighter, 3-bet more lightly, up 2.5 stacks over about an hour. Started 6 tabling instead of 4 tabling. Nothing terribly noteworthy, other than KO'ing a guy who started with a full stack and just got raised off stuff pretty much every hand he played when I had hands until he had 26 BBs left, pushes, I call with QTs and beat his 99, gg not reloading. I'd say I took 90 BBs of his 100 BB starting stack and I only showed down that QTs hand. Probably hates me now.

Craproll: $368

Class soon. Quick recap.

Been running horribly today and last night, today lost set over set (bye stack) and 99 vs AA when halfstack guy limp/calls preflop then proceeds to call me down on an all undercard board (bye half stack). Got reraised on the flop and pushed AI on the turn by another limpcaller with TPTK, this one I pitched and probably shoulda. AA 4 times but all folds preflop, but every time i had AQ or AJ I'd get 3 callers. Hacks.

Thought I'd be at 25nl by now and I probably should move up but I'm going to be ultra strict with this. Still doing well overall despite complete stupidity, weak play, and a couple bad runs. 11 PTBB/100 over 15k hands. My BB is getting a little too red though, avg. -0.15 bb won/hand. Is that really bad? I've never been more than -0.10.

Class time. Holla.

BR: $431

Originally Posted by takesix

11 PTBB/100 over 15k hands

wow this is awesome especially considering the tone of your posts so far.

A good chunk of my sets are turning into full houses and getting paid off. Almost half of my net profit comes from full houses. ($203/$421)

I play very well about 40% of the time when I make most of my profit. Other times? Not so much.

Finally hit the magic $500 mark! Welcome me back, 25nl! At least until I go on a downswing :P .

From $100, it took me 15,800 hands to make the next $400 to become properly rolled for 25nl. Finished out with 12.62 ptbb/100. Had my good days and bad days, but I'm happy to be moving up.

Wish me luck guys.

BR: $503

Originally Posted by takesix

Finally hit the magic $500 mark! Welcome me back, 25nl! At least until I go on a downswing :P .

From $100, it took me 15,800 hands to make the next $400 to become properly rolled for 25nl. Finished out with 12.62 ptbb/100. Had my good days and bad days, but I'm happy to be moving up.

Wish me luck guys.

BR: $503

GL man. don't give up, play every day, and you'll be at 100nl in no time at all.

First 1k hands of 25NL are more or less what I expected. 1100 hands has me 17/8, a whopping +$4.

I've hit few hands, but my huge ones tend to get paid.

I'm losing a lot calling down "reasonable" bets with tpgk and mptk.

I missed 3 or 4 huge combo draws.

There is an epidemic. 1/3 play weak tight, 1/3 play check/minraise EVERYTHING, another 1/3 call everything and minbet on the next street. I have yet to figure this out as any sort of discernable pattern.

I'll post hands tomorrow for critique.

Biggest hands thus far, winning and losing. Comments? Or all standard enough?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP2 ($28.75)
Hero ($25)
Button ($30.20)
SB ($33.30)
BB ($22.15)
UTG ($29.75)
UTG+1 ($26.25)
MP1 ($20.10)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q, A.
4 folds, Hero raises to $1, 2 folds, BB calls $0.75.

Flop: ($2.10) 5, Q, 4 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1.25, BB calls $1.25.

Turn: ($4.60) A (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $3.25, BB calls $3.25.

River: ($11.10) 3 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $7, BB raises to $14, Hero raises to $19.5, BB calls $2.65 (All-In).

Final Pot: $47.25

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($25)
UTG ($14.60)
UTG+1 ($11.85)
MP1 ($16.50)
MP2 ($14.75)
MP3 ($24.25)
CO ($8.15)
Button ($4.50)
SB ($36.60)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, K.
UTG calls $0.25, 1 fold, MP1 raises to $0.75, 2 folds, CO raises to $1.5, 2 folds, Hero raises to $3, UTG folds, MP1 calls $2.25, CO calls $1.50.

Flop: ($9.35) 7, 5, 4 (3 players)
Hero bets $4, MP1 calls $4, CO folds.

Turn: ($17.35) J (2 players)
Hero bets $18 (All-In), MP1 calls $9.50 (All-In).

River: ($44.85) 3 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $44.85

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG ($22.95)
UTG+1 ($12.20)
MP1 ($1.40)
MP2 ($4.40)
Hero ($30.05)
CO ($36.70)
Button ($27.90)
SB ($4.05)
BB ($24)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with K, A.
UTG calls $0.25, 3 folds, Hero raises to $1, 4 folds, UTG calls $0.75.

Flop: ($2.35) K, 9, K (2 players)
UTG bets $2, Hero calls $2.

Turn: ($6.35) 7 (2 players)
UTG bets $4, Hero raises to $10.5, UTG raises to $17, Hero raises to $23.5, UTG calls $2.95 (All-In).

River: ($49.80) T (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $49.80

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($8.40)
SB ($4)
BB ($9.25)
UTG ($11.55)
UTG+1 ($6.60)
Hero ($25.35)
MP2 ($14.25)
MP3 ($21.10)
CO ($37.85)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with Q, T.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.25, Hero calls $0.25, 2 folds, CO calls $0.25, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($1.25) 3, 4, 9 (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero checks, CO checks.

Turn: ($1.25) K (5 players)
SB bets $0.75, BB folds, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls $0.75, CO calls $0.75.

River: ($3.50) 8 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $2, CO raises to $4, SB folds, Hero raises to $7, CO raises to $36.85, Hero calls $17.35 (All-In).

Final Pot: $64.70

I am a fucking terrible, awful player. After getting stacked with TPTK, posting the hand, and realizing who badly it was played, I stack off with TPTK again. Granted, it wasn't the same situation, but I got stacked nonetheless. I got stacked and deserved it.

If I do not stop doing this, I will never progress as a player.

I wasted 2 hours of calm, patient, intelligent poker. I will not do this again unless there is very, very good reason to do so.

Well, with that said: Getting killed at 25NL. 2000 hands in, 17/7, profit of $9. Might drop down to 10NL to get some confidence back.

Originally Posted by takesix

I am a fucking terrible, awful player. After getting stacked with TPTK, posting the hand, and realizing who badly it was played, I stack off with TPTK again. Granted, it wasn't the same situation, but I got stacked nonetheless. I got stacked and deserved it.

If I do not stop doing this, I will never progress as a player.

I wasted 2 hours of calm, patient, intelligent poker. I will not do this again unless there is very, very good reason to do so.

Well, with that said: Getting killed at 25NL. 2000 hands in, 17/7, profit of $9. Might drop down to 10NL to get some confidence back.

at least you are up...
i'm currently sucking hard at 100nl. not down overall or anything like that but def. down for the last week and a half or so

Originally Posted by martindcx1e

at least you are up...

My sets have been getting paid well... very well.. by people like me?

Ehh I never usd to be this bad with TPTK. In perspective: 4 of my 5 highest single pair losses have been with AK. 2 90 BB, 1 75 BB, 1 55 BB. (the other came from KQ where I knew I was ahead until a river T where I got reraised 2.5x... and I knew there was nothing I beat there but made the oh so heroic call... to see flipped TT. 2 outers = rigged.)

I get so upset because they're boneheaded mistakes. If I get outflopped, it doens't bother me. If I have the wrong read and get wtfbitchsmacked, I'm fine with it, because I want to trust my reads. But that's not the case. The average 25NL players hard reraising range is AA+, but generally top 2 or sets. It's really, really transparant. But I ignore it anyway. And it's not like this is the first I've seen of 25NL -- I played it for quite a while previously. Rrr... its late, bed.

Last 1k hands. I swing goot.


PS I was having problems putting the image up, but my browser wasnt refreshing or something. So I typed 1222 and it still didn't show. So I went out for beer, and found that. Weird.

Originally Posted by takesix

1222

is that your current br? if so, then that's awesome to hear. if not...wtf?

Played a couple donk-n-gos, saw BeeJall there. Busted both, second one by BeeJall where he called my 9 BB AI from the BB with KJs with a similar stack at 100/200. BeeJall, if you're reading this, that's a bad play man. You're calling range should be way smaller than that for that level and stack sizes. No, not angry you busted me at all. Nope.

Then I played some 5cd for no real reason other than it'd be new. Destroyed it to start, it's not hard at all, and most players are really timid. Then got destroyed, just owned by a guy who kept finishing out with full houses or flushes when I'd have pretty good but second best hands...

Then I went on a 350 hand session where I went up 3 buyins. Hello, heater. Hands held, draws improved, people actually folded to cbets. Amazing! Now to keep this up....

BR: $547

I don't think I've said gl yet, so GL!

Played 1200 hands. I swing goot. Still. Even with about $15 worth of misclick calls, which made me far angrier than any idiot 4 outer.

Still making adjustments, made tons of mistakes (as can be seen), but my opponents made more. Getting stats on some regulars which helps. Lets hope I can keep up the streak.

I like the way you are recognising your mistakes. You'll keep improving if you keep doing this.

Played some 5 card draw. Lost 1/4 buyin there. Did a $5+0.50 and a $9 + 0.90 MTT. In both I never got proper odds to call my pocket pairs early... which hit sets (FOUR OF THEM) and woulda had me in each tourney with a top 10 stack in the middle of the tourney. As it was I folded and folded and never really got to blind steal and got blinded out in the $5.50. In the $9.90, I made it ITM which was 36 places, in 19th (and the 18th place woulda bumped the payout +65% which is huge, and not insignificant considering my bankroll, $22 to $36) I pushed T8o out of the SB and was called by T7o... obv a flop T and a river 7 were in order, and I was out in 19th. Suck.

Finished +$15 in ring over 800 hands, swung like usual. Biggest hit was a guy chasing a flush draw against my overpair, so eh. Had another set under set, and I swear I get those more often than most. Also tired to finish the session, which I have to work on.

Most frustrating thing is if I just listen to my gut I'd be up probably another 4 buyins at this point, but I convince myself I'm ahead of their range and... it's not good. Listen to your stomach.

Still, over 5700 hands running at 7.5 ptbb/100, so not awful either.

Br: $722

Awesome. Booked my first losing session in a while, down a buyin. AA cracked for the first time out of 24 (97SOOTED). Made several boneheaded plays. Here's the big hands that went wrong.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($21.60)
Hero ($22.90)
SB ($15.25)
BB ($42.75)
UTG ($15.35)
UTG+1 ($17.25)
MP1 ($29.65)
MP2 ($6.80)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 7, 8.
3 folds, MP2 calls $0.25, CO raises to $1.25, Hero calls $1.25, 1 fold, BB calls $1, MP2 calls $1.

Flop: ($5.10) 6, Q, 9 (4 players)
BB bets $2, MP2 folds, CO folds, Hero calls $2.

Turn: ($9.10) Q (2 players)
BB bets $2, Hero calls $2.

River: ($13.10) 9 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $7 VALUE BET WITH A BOAT YOU CANT CALL THIS RIGHT, BB calls $7.

Final Pot: $27.10

Results in white below:
BB has Ts Td (two pair, queens and tens).
Hero has 7h 8h (two pair, queens and nines).
Outcome: BB wins $27.10.

Villain in this hand is horrible.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP1 ($7.70)
MP2 ($48.25)
CO ($11.25)
Button ($24.20)
SB ($13.15)
BB ($20)
Hero ($45)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A, A.
Hero raises to $1, 4 folds, SB calls $0.90, 1 fold.

Flop: ($2.25) 5, 6, 4 (2 players)
SB bets $0.25, Hero raises to $1.5, SB calls $1.25.

Turn: ($5.25) T (2 players)
SB bets $1, Hero raises to $11, SB calls $9.65 (All-In).

River: ($26.90) 3 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $26.90

Results in white below:
Hero has Ah As (one pair, aces).
SB has 7c 9c (flush, ten high).
Outcome: SB wins $26.55. Hero wins $0.34.

Ooh, this was dumb.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($24.60)
Button ($27.60)
SB ($30.20)
BB ($17.90)
UTG ($20.10)
UTG+1 ($30.75)
MP1 ($21.50)
MP2 ($7.25)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 2, 2.
4 folds, Hero raises to $1, Button calls $1, SB calls $0.90, 1 fold.

Flop: ($3.25) 3, K, 5 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, Button bets $1, SB folds, Hero raises to $3.5, Button calls $2.50.

Turn: ($10.25) A (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $1, Hero calls $1.

River: ($12.25) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $3, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $15.25

Results in white below:
Button doesn't show.
Outcome: Button wins $15.25.

Why am I raising this?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($23.80)
Button ($31.85)
SB ($30.10)
BB ($15)
UTG ($29.35)
MP1 ($20.30)
MP2 ($7.75)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 8, 5.
3 folds, Hero raises to $1, 1 fold, SB calls $0.90, BB calls $0.75.

Flop: ($3) J, 3, 9 (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $2, SB raises to $5.5, BB folds, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $10.50

Results in white below:
No showdown. SB wins $10.50.

Oy.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($24.40)
BB ($14.40)
UTG ($23.20)
UTG+1 ($4.85)
MP1 ($24.15)
MP2 ($39.40)
Hero ($25.50)
CO ($6.55)
Button ($27.50)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A, Q.
3 folds, MP2 calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1, 3 folds, BB calls $0.75, MP2 calls $0.75.

Flop: ($3.10) 3, 7, 3 (3 players)
BB checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets $2, BB calls $2, MP2 folds.

Turn: ($7.10) 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $4, BB calls $4.

River: ($15.10) 4 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: $15.10

Results in white below:
BB has Jh Jd (two pair, jacks and threes).
Hero has Ac Qc (one pair, threes).
Outcome: BB wins $15.10.

Br: $700

Took some Ambien to sleep, but while waiting for it to kick in, I got thirsty. So I drank some beer. Now the screen is all wobbly and im smiling a lot. I think I'm fucked up.

I'm gonna play 2 100NL tables for a couple orbits just to see what its like. Anyone who wishes to talk me out of a stupid plan to throw $200 in the fireplace can AIM me or something. Or maybe I'll strike it RIIIIIIIICH.

gl

In 150 hands I played well, fairly well.

I also got nailed set under set TWICE, which turned into full houses both times, and got stacked.

Both in 150 hands.

So while it was a good experience, and I played well, I went -$150 (-100 + -100 + 50 i actually won at the tables on non boat under boat hands).

Lost money redeposited in my account (my available funds is far larger than my "bankroll", so it's easily replaced in a fun, yet fruitless endeavor.

Playing out of your BR drunk is stupid. I said it on aim and I'll say it again.

Hey, the money got replaced. My bankroll is still the same.

Yes, it was dumb. In the morning I will be royally pissed I blew like 3 days work doing that. But my poker roll is as healthy as evah!

And boat under boat? twice? one of them flopped? in 15 minutes? that was just horseshit.

Got drunk/highish last night and played out of my bankroll. Stupid! YaY! Also did a set of 14 SnGs, cashed 8 of them. That was nice. These are not.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($99.05)
BB ($119)
UTG ($101.10)
MP1 ($100)
MP2 ($13.30)
CO ($49.80)
Button ($111.75)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 3, 3.
1 fold, MP1 raises to $4, 3 folds, Hero calls $3.50, 1 fold.

Flop: ($9) 3, 4, 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $6, Hero calls $6.

Turn: ($21) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $11, MP1 calls $11.

River: ($43) Q (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $79 (All-In), Hero calls $78.05 (All-In).

Final Pot: $200.05

Results in white below:
Hero has 3d 3h (full house, threes full of fours).
MP1 has 8d 8s (full house, eights full of fours).
Outcome: MP1 wins $200.05.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($93.50)
Button ($57.75)
SB ($102.05)
BB ($52.55)
UTG ($100.90)
UTG+1 ($192.30)
MP1 ($48.35)
MP2 ($125.15)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 6, 6.
4 folds, Hero calls $1, Button calls $1, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($4) 7, 6, 7 (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

Turn: ($4) 9 (4 players)
SB bets $2, BB folds, Hero raises to $4, Button folds, SB raises to $10, Hero raises to $50, SB raises to $109.05, Hero calls $42.50 (All-In).

River: ($205.55) K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $205.55

Results in white below:
SB has 7c 9c (full house, sevens full of nines).
Hero has 6c 6d (full house, sixes full of sevens).

BR: $802
Outcome: SB wins $205.55.

I would really like to go up the ladder as fast as you do . GL man... I have still much to learn though.

Pretty bad downswing, not hitting hands, AA and KK getting cracked, probably being too weak and not cbetting enough, not picking up orphan pots. Definitely limp/calling WAY too many hands.

Gotta tighten up and smarten up.

BR: $760

First 10k at 25NL


Um. So I'm losing. A lot. Still. 5-bet one guy with AA to get called by QJs and yeah, byebye. As well as I ran for that 2000 hand stretch, I've run equally bad the last 3500 hands. Yeech.

BR: $727

Keep on playin' playa! I know it feels like you're losing when you start going down, but you still are ahead! More hands = More $ and there is no way around that. Just keep playin'!

Thats pretty standard variance. I wouldn't worry about it.

yeah thats not very bad at all. believe me it can be A LOT worse. so just keep playing and making money. good luck

Um. So. Played 3k more hands of 25nl, up 5ish buyins in that span. Cool.

Played some donkaments. Didn't cash. Played SNGs. Didn't cash most of those. Played 5 Card Draw which I really enjoy but broke even. Suck.

Got talked into 6max. It's fun, but I'm still lost as I'm too passive most times. Down 1.5 buyins there. Gotta fix that.

Hit Silverstar, and actually am on pace to hit Goldstar at 25nl. Lawl?

After all this hand wringing and bitching and obsessing, my BR is: $804. Break even. Oy.

Preflop: Hero is CO with 6 , 6 .
4 folds, Hero calls $1, Button calls $1, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($4) 7 , 6 , 7 (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

Why are you slowplaying underboats on draw heavy boards? Milk'em before they miss and get stack in against trip sevens, don't let them pair their kicker for free.

Underboat is quite vulnerable hand, play it fast.

If you have JT on JJTr then you can mess with slowplay but in a case above - easy 3 barrels.

Originally Posted by Vrax

Preflop: Hero is CO with 6 , 6 .
4 folds, Hero calls $1, Button calls $1, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($4) 7 , 6 , 7 (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

Why are you slowplaying underboats on draw heavy boards? Milk'em before they miss and get stack in against trip sevens, don't let them pair their kicker for free.

Underboat is quite vulnerable hand, play it fast.

If you have JT on JJTr then you can mess with slowplay but in a case above - easy 3 barrels.

I don't disagree, but I wanted someone to catch up, spiking an A or K or something. Regardless of how fast I played it, 79 wasn'st folding trips on that board anyway, but yeah I get what you're saying. Thnx .

Ran pretty well in both FR and SH, got BR up to a high of $1020... and proceeded to donk it down to $922, basically playing FR like SH, some pretty bad beats, but more idiotic things like calling down obvious sets with TPTK and top 2. Lots a lot of medium pots thanks to stations/floaters. Lost a ton with stuff like JJ on Qxxxx and TT on Jxxxx boards to weak top pairs. Not good. Smarten up. 50NL will eat me alive if I move up doing this garbage.

BR: $922.

I've come to the well-thought out and not at all tilty or whiny conclusion that Full Ring is fucking impossible to beat long term.

I've been on a 10 buyin downswing the last 3k hands. Absolutely nothing ever goes right. AA? Set. KK? AA. Straight? Flush draw. TT-QQ? A or K on flop and no I can't push them off. Raise what looks like obvious cbets? Pushed AI and forced to fold. Just one of those stretches where absolutely nothing goes right. Instead of throwing money on the fire, I'm just stopping Full Ring and I'm gonna move to 6max, where I'm sure I'll get far fewer beats. Right. Right?

18k hands at 25nl, 0.88 ptbb/100. Finally, just had a 250 hand session where I went down 3 buyins.

BR: $753

Keep at it man, variance is a bitch for sure.

Just read all the posts. Good luck fella!!! You started where i am now, and if i get going as quick as you did i'll be
Think i have a similar problem in that everytime i start buiding my BR i get pissed, try the higher levels and spunk the lot.

I want to get a breathalizer on my computer. If i'm over the limit it wouldn't let me play!

Originally Posted by takesix

I've come to the well-thought out and not at all tilty or whiny conclusion that Full Ring is fucking impossible to beat long term.

lol

I started taking big (3-5 day) breaks after blowups, hence why I haven't posted much. Finally broke out of the 12 buyin downswing at FR, up about 6 buyins on the new year. Also finally got 5400 FPPs, entered the sat to the Sunday Mil, won, and traded the T$ for $203.

I'm rolled for 50NL now but I think I'll hang around 25nl for another couple buyins.

Since I started this way back when:

16k hands @10NL FR: 18/9/2.1 for 12.6 ptbb/100
144 hands @ 25PL FR: 11/6/0.6 for 21.0 ptbb/100 gogo sample
22k hands @ 25NL FR: 16/7/2.1 for 1.8 ptbb/100 (gg 12 buyin downswing)
6k hands @ 25NL 6M: 21/14/2.8 for 6.6 ptbb/100

I like 6max more than FR by quite a bit but I feel like I give up too much, and alternatley swing the other way by spewing in bad spots for the next 10 hands. If I can get down when to 2 and 3 barrel and when to give up, I'm going to do goot.

Oh and I'm STILL trying to clear that damn Stars reload bonus. 1034/1500 FPPs so far.

BR: $1060

900 hands at 50NL, 700 FR and 200 SH. +148 @ FR and +32 @ SH. $180 in 900 hands, not bad.

Play thus far is either aggressive and solid, or 10nl levels of passivity and poor betting. But it's early.

Also finally cleared the $150 Stars holiday bonus.

BR: $1428

Keep it up man you're improving so much.

Played fairly well over most of the day. Placed 65th/2227 in the $3R for Triptanes, chopped the whopping $50 proceeds. AKs < AQo obv ftl.

Played a 5 Card Draw donkament, busted midway, nothing of note.

Went up a pretty quick 2 buyins in ring, took a break to deal with gf issues.

Came back, up a buyin, back to even, back up half a buyin, then inexplicably I got incredibly weak and passive the last 30 minutes, not raising overpairs, check/calling, limp/calling preflop, everything wrong. The more I did it the angrier I got but I kept doing it (??). Finally decided to go to bed, and on the last hand I misclicked 33 fold UTG, standard raise and call, flop 3KJ... yeah. I just looked skyward. I figure I left a buyin+ on the table due to that misclick and the preceeding weak play. Guess I'm too tired? Should work on that.

Still booked a decent win for the day, but shoulda been a fair amount better.

BR: $1517

Damn son, didn't know i was talking to a baller in chat today. Read the thread for the first time. Good going playa.

GF issues? Let me take care of her when you're playing poker and she won't ever bother you.

You going to take her shopping for some FABULOUS shoes, bigred?

Been a while. To sum it up:
Shortly after my last post (20th of January?) I was super frustrated with 50NL 6max. I was at the end of what was a 9 buyin downswing and all the usual questioning thoughts about my ability. I scrolled down to pick a new table and browsed a few 100NL tables accidently. I saw 3-4 20bb guys sitting at a table and thought to myself "hey, I'm used to 6max, they're probably not, lets see what happens"...

2 weeks later:






So it IS possible. Now I'm not nearly done yet, and still making a lot of mistakes (was hard to deal with a crazy table when I'm not getting dealt hands last night, for one), but a patient approach, folding out of marginal situations is working out so far. I've left maybe $500 on the table from doing that... but who knows how much I saved by not going too far? Granted this is not the optimal way to play but I still don't feel I play well enough to take those risks. Yet.

New Goal: Hit $3,000, then loosen up to 19/12.

Ran it all the way up to $2815, now down to far less. Aggression gets pushed over by invariably better hands, now I see ghosts and get pushed around. Check/calling lets people hit their 6 outers. Sets not getting paid. TPTK never good. The normal.

Minus 4 buyins is really harsh. I'm not used to the money and it hurts, a lot. I'm going to post tomorrow morning the biggest hands since my downswing, regardless of how they were paid, and by biggest I mean 80 bbs+. Could use some content for people to comment on.

BR: $2400