Vote Anosmic '08

A new year, so a new thread.

Well, actually, I just used to find the old one irritated me every time I read it so it's nice to start afresh.

I'm currently playing $2/4 FR LHE and $100NL FR just earning bonus money and keeping my interest going.

That's mainly because I'm only single-tabling $50NL 6-max at the moment. Just trying to get my head back into that game.
Which means that so far I've only played 200 hands this month, mainly on iPoker, and am on -$5. This is going to take forever....

I did just have a decent session on Crypto. Up about $28 over the course of the session, not a single big pot, just chipping away at a table of weak-tights and one or too loose callers. It's nice to make half a buy-in without ever really risking much.

I'll try to keep updates coming, but at this rate-of-play it'll take forever. :)

Dude if you'd said you could have been up for VP on the Biondino '08 ticket. But now we're rivals... let's just say I play to win*


*anyone following my poker career will know this is a filthy lie

I thought VPs were announced after the primaries? I say whoever has the biggest bb/10 come Feb 5th gets the nomination and the other can be his wingman... we could share a thread :)

Okay, here is my problem.

I play a hand like this:

Cryptologic
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $52.55
UTG+1: $125.69
CO: $44.75
Button: $58.80
Hero: $53.85
BB: $112.95

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is SB with 9 :spade: K :spade:
3 folds, Button raises to $2, Hero raises to $6, BB folds, Button calls.

Flop: 3 :heart: J :diamond: T :diamond: ($12.5, 2 players)
Hero bets $7, Button raises all-in $52.8, Hero folds.
Uncalled bets: $45.8 returned to Button.

Results:
Final pot: $26.5


All things considered it's not the biggest problem in the world. But it's made a lot worse when next hand same villain plays back at me again.

Cryptologic
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $125.69
UTG+1: $44.75
CO: $71
Hero: $40.85
SB: $112.45
BB: $52.55

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is Button with J :club: A :diamond:
2 folds, CO raises to $2, Hero raises to $7, 2 folds, CO raises to $23, Hero raises all-in $40.85, CO calls.

Flop: 2 :club: 7 :diamond: 8 :heart: ($82.45, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $82.45)


Turn: J :diamond: ($82.45, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $82.45)


River: 4 :diamond: ($82.45, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $82.45)


Results:
Final pot: $82.45
Hero shows Jc Ad
CO shows Qs Qc

Thanks to this little spasm I'm now down a BI already.

I still don't read players well enough to decide how aggressive to play here... :(

On the plus side I continue to ride the swings of FR LHE for bonus and rakeback profit. I lost $170 the other day and made it all back in 100 hands today...

Hands like this are always nice to see...

Cryptologic
Limit Holdem Ring game
Limit: $2/$4
10 players
Converter

Pre-flop: (10 players) Hero is MP2 with K :heart: K :diamond:
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 raises, Hero 3-bets, 4 folds, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 caps, Hero calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: 4 :heart: 9 :diamond: K :spade: (16.5SB, 4 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets, Hero calls, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.

Turn: J :spade: (9.75BB, 3 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets, Hero raises, UTG+1 3-bets, MP1 folds, Hero caps, UTG+1 calls.

River: 3 :spade: (18.75BB, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls.

Results:
Final pot: 20.75BB
Hero shows Kh Kd
UTG+1 mucks 9c 9h

Another day, some more dollahs.

Lost a few playing $2/4 limit on the side. Won some back at $50NL.

Still losing overall at ring, so profit coming from SNGs and bonus money.

But $50NL felt okay, a couple of blunders, but okay otherwise.

Only interesting hand, I felt, was this one:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksBB: $19.25
UTG: $106.65
UTG+1: $48.40
Hero: $62.30
BTN: $50.15
SB: $68.50


Pre-Flop: Hero is CO with T:diamond: J:diamond:
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $2, Hero calls, BTN folds, SB folds, BB folds

Flop:($4.75) 3:diamond: T:club: K:club: (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $4, Hero calls

Turn:($12.75) 7:club: (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $8, UTG+1 calls

River:($28.75) 6:spade: (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $25

1.5k of ring poker played so far this month. If I play 4k or more it'll be the most active month since August...

Two hands from last night. Would be interested in thoughts.

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG: $75.50
UTG+1: $50.75
CO: $39.60
Hero: $57.30
SB: $91.80
BB: $45.50


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with A:spade: 9:club:
UTG+1 folds, CO folds, Hero raises to $2, SB folds, BB raises to $7, Hero calls

Flop:($14.75) 6:diamond: 5:diamond: 9:diamond: (3 players)
BB bets $10, Hero raises to $50.30 and is all-in



No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksCO: $44.95
Hero: $45.05
SB: $7.60
BB: $50
UTG: $40.40
UTG+1: $33.65


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with 8:club: 8:diamond:
UTG+1 folds, CO folds, Hero raises to $1, SB folds, UTG calls

Flop:($2.25) K:diamond: 8:heart: A:heart: (3 players)
UTG bets $2, Hero raises to $6, UTG calls

Turn:($14.25) 6:club: (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $11

1-i fold to 3bet. ill call if its suited as long as im playing to shove alot of flops and opp has 3bet me a few time b4. i dont like this flop to shove tho.

2-minraise preflop??? bet pot on flop, your raise is very poor.

Thanks for the input DaGoat.

I'm not sure I agree with the folding... especially in this sort of situation where I think the 3-bet range is fairly broad.
FWIW he called me with AJ no draw. Which perhaps means his 3-betting range is narrower, but his flop-calling range is obviously ridiculous.

Min-raise was a mistake, it was the wrong table, I thought it was one of my limit tables :) (Note to self, don't read FTR strat posts while multi-tabling).

Raise was a little weak. But is it very poor?

Anyway, as things stand now I'm about 2k hands into the month, up about $70 at all levels, but have taken in $130 in bonus and probably about $30 in RB.

Good start to the month. Even if I'm unlikely to make it to much over 10k hands this month....

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/8...enstartzp7.jpg

u didnt give us any reads on either of the hands.

preflop call is meh but you gotta make a move with it even if you whiff postflop as calling just to hit will cost u a ton. even vs a guy with a looser range we are probably calling with a hand thats at the very lowest end of his 3bet range which aint good.

PS: What was your plan postflop b4 calling with A9o

hand 2 - your raise on the flop is providing your opp with the best EV he can get, costing him more lowers his EV and yet he will probably call anyway given board texture.

Honestly i reckon both points i made could be leaks in your game. sry

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/9929/08jan19kl3.jpg

Well my 2/4 success is still highly swingy. The only thing that really worries me is that a bad table or terrible session could erode so much work so quickly.

But for the most part it's been fun playing FR LHE. Not too stressful even with the swings... and the bonus money flows in a little over $200 so far, another $60 in RB.

I'm certainly making some critical mistakes in my LHE, I think I'm missing a number of critical river bets and not folding big pots when I know I'm beat (although knowing your beat is not so often when people can play anything---- it's great).

$50NL has been better than it has in ages. A little on crypto, a little on iPoker. Making mistakes but starting to feel a little confident again.
We'll see if I can keep the momentum going. Trying to sort out some bet-size problems and getting myself out of stupid situations of my own creating...

I think I'll watch some more videos, they've been helpful... even if it's clear that I'm still an unthinking player!

I'm continuing to be pretty much break even at $2/4 limit, and to be honest that's pretty much okay for me given the bonus incentives. Although, of course, I'd love to just make the transition to being a winning player.

I think part of the problem is just not really having a firm grip on how my opponents think.

For instance:
Hand 1:

Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($2/$4)
Converted by FTRConv
10-handed

StacksMP2: $250.25
MP3: $74.50
CO: $49
BTN: $139.25
SB: $72.25
BB: $83.75
UTG: $165
UTG+1: $52.25
UTG+2: $105.50
Hero: $102.75

Pre-Flop: Hero is MP1 with J:diamond: J:heart:
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, Hero raises, MP3 folds, CO folds, BTN folds, SB folds, BB calls, UTG calls,

Flop:(6.5SB) 6:diamond: T:spade: 9:heart: (4 players)
BB checks, UTG bets, Hero raises, BB 3-bets, UTG calls, Hero calls,

Turn:(12.25BB) 5:heart: (4 players)
BB bets, UTG calls, Hero folds,

River:(14.25BB) 6:heart: (3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks,
Final Pot: 14.25 BB

I reasoned on the flop action (check/3-bet by BB) that I was probably behind, and then the bet and call on the turn I decided it wasn't worth staying in.
However I was up against TPGK and a draw. Throwing away the best hand and folding when I should be raising...

Hand 2
Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($2/$4)
Converted by FTRConv
9-handed

StacksUTG+1: $68
UTG+2: $29
MP1: $18.59
MP2: $117.25
CO: $50.25
BTN: $161
SB: $8.25
BB: $210
Hero: $143.50


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG with Q:spade: A:diamond:
Hero raises, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, CO calls, BTN 3-bets, SB folds, BB folds, Hero calls, UTG+1 calls, CO calls,

Flop:(13.5SB) 6:spade: Q:club: 2:spade: (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, CO calls, BTN raises, Hero calls, UTG+1 3-bets, CO folds, BTN calls, Hero calls,

Turn:(16.75BB) Q:heart: (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, BTN calls, Hero calls,

River:(19.75BB) 3:club: (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, BTN calls, Hero calls,
Final Pot: 22.75 BB

This one is more dodgy. You can't get away pre-flop given the $20-odd pot for a $2 call. Flopping TPTK meant I was probably going to hang around.

The more I look at it, I can't see a fold on the river, although I felt I was beat. And was (by 66).


Here's one where I decided to have a crack at it on the flop because villain was not believing me. But it worked against me because not only did he not fold, it also lost me a turn raise.

Hand 3
Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($2/$4)
Converted by FTRConv
10-handed

StacksCO: $244
BTN: $80
SB: $89
BB: $353.11
UTG: $86.25
UTG+1: $113.75
UTG+2: $121
MP1: $40.75
Hero: $98
MP3: $145.88

Pre-Flop: Hero is MP2 with 8:heart: 8:diamond:
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, Hero raises, MP3 folds, CO folds, SB calls, BB folds,

Flop:(5SB) T:diamond: 4:club: 5:club: (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB raises, Hero 3-bets, SB calls,

Turn:(8.5BB) 8:spade: (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB calls,

River:(10.5BB) A:heart: (3 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero 4-bets, SB calls,
Final Pot: 18.5 BB

This is one of my major problems I think: probably too loose from the blinds, although villains open with fairly wide ranges.

When he raises the turn I have to call with the pot as it stands, but this is a foldable river; but on the other hand given the play on these tables is it ever not a K enough to make the river call worth it? Probably not. And untill I learn to get my extra bet in, and not give it back, I'm going to continue to break even.

Hand 4
Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($2/$4)
Converted by FTRConv
10-handed

StacksMP2: $154.50
MP3: $108
CO: $129.25
BTN: $160.75
SB: $69.75
Hero: $111.50
UTG: $72
UTG+1: $102.50
UTG+2: $51.75
MP1: $155


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with Q:spade: T:heart:
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 raises, CO folds, BTN folds, SB folds, Hero calls,

Flop:(4.5SB) T:diamond: J:spade: 9:club: (2 players)
Hero bets, MP3 calls,

Turn:(4.25BB) Q:heart: (2 players)
Hero bets, MP3 raises, Hero calls,

River:(8.25BB) 4:diamond: (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, Hero calls,
Final Pot: 10.25 BB

I really could be doing with more days like this:


http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/1724/goodday1fe8.jpg
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/6067/goodday2fl1.jpg

It says a fair bit about how much I play these days that today has put the year back in the black....

I'm a pico-stakes fish again and that's okay...

Party Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.05/$0.10
8 players
Converter

Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is MP2 with Q :diamond: A :diamond:
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $0.6, MP1 folds, Hero calls, CO calls, 3 folds.

Flop: A :spade: Q :spade: 5 :diamond: ($1.95, 3 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $1, CO calls, UTG+1 folds.

Turn: A :heart: ($3.95, 2 players)
Hero bets $2, CO raises all-in $13.54, Hero calls all-in $9.9.
Uncalled bets: $1.64 returned to CO.

River: T :club: ($27.75, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $27.75)

Results:
Final pot: $27.75

Villain coolered with 55. Still, he can probably blame himself for not raising my weak flop bet.

Now, let's see if I remember how to play this game by the time I get back to $25NL... I'll have to start reading the Full-Ring forum.

Party Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.05/$0.10
9 players
Converter

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is MP3 with A :spade: J :club:
UTG calls, 2 folds, MP2 calls, Hero raises to $0.5, 4 folds, UTG calls, MP2 folds.

Flop: 7 :spade: J :heart: 3 :spade: ($1.25, 2 players)
UTG bets $1.2, Hero raises to $3.1, UTG calls all-in $1.53.
Uncalled bets: $0.37 returned to Hero.

Turn: 6 :heart: ($6.71, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $6.71)


River: 2 :diamond: ($6.71, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $6.71)


Results:
Final pot: $6.71

Villain stacks off with QJo. Ah, this takes me back.