200 NL Pockets--Express Jeans only

Having some troubles with some Pocket pairs. Winning the least/Losing the most etc.

1) Villain is average table donk. 53/11ish.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG ($210.31)
Hero ($242.45)
Button ($104.72)
SB ($177.90)
BB ($162.50)

Preflop: Hero is MP with T, T. SB posts a blind of $1.
UTG calls $2, Hero raises to $10, 1 fold, SB (poster) calls $9, BB calls $8, UTG calls $8.

Flop: ($40) 6, 4, Q (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks.

Turn: ($40) Q (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets $20, Hero calls $20, SB folds, BB folds.

River: ($80) 8 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: $80

2) Same Villain:

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (4 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

BB ($112.68)
Hero ($321.70)
Button ($182.85)
SB ($186.13)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 9, 9. SB posts a blind of $1.
Hero raises to $8, Button calls $8, SB (poster) calls $7, BB calls $6.

Flop: ($32) 4, 6, 6 (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $22, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls $22.

Turn: ($76) 3 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($76) K (2 players)
BB bets $40, Hero calls $40.

Final Pot: $156

3) CO is same villain from above, I'm fairly sure he's calling the bet as well. I figured against the shorty I may actually have equity here and am not set camping.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($131.68)
Button ($47.25)
Hero ($267.95)
BB ($173.53)
UTG ($186.85)
MP ($172.93)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 8, 8. CO posts a blind of $2. Hero posts a blind of $1.
2 folds, CO (poster) checks, Button raises to $8, Hero (poster) calls $7, 1 fold, CO calls $6.

Flop: ($26) 3, 9, 9 (3 players)
Hero checks, CO checks, Button bets $10, Hero calls $10, CO folds.

Turn: ($46) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $18, Hero calls $18.

River: ($82) Deleted for unbiased results (2 players)
Hero bets $12, Button calls $11.25 (All-In).

Final Pot: $105.25

I don't see anything that that wrong. I definetly c-bet $25-30 on the flop in the first hand though.

Hand 1: Good
Hand 2: Bet the turn. As played fold the river. This is likely an overfloat bingo.
Hand 3: Fold the turn

Pairs are pairs sir. They can only stand so much action against respectful opponents. You can go further with them against open aggressive ranges. I hate that third hand with a passion. You're not calling $18 on the turn. You're calling a strong $30.

In hand 2, some villains float with AK AQ against a known range, knowing they also have equity on the other faces depending on your ability to fold marginal holdings. Perhaps he incorrectly assessed that kind of equity, and hit his card anyway. That's why they're called outs. Would you rather bet $20 on the turn and know a call means you're beat, or allow the deck to slam you for $40 instead?

I hope you're having fun with this NL thing. How are you fairing?

Hand 1: I bet this flop, you figure to be good here.
Hand 2: Standard. River is a sometimes call, sometimes fold depending on what you think.
Hand 3: I dig it. I might just stick it in on the turn in hopes he folds some outs.

edit: I like Rondavu's read on hand 3 too. I can dig that. Either way you're gambling. I can see him value betting 2 pair there too, so meh.

Originally Posted by Rondavu

Hand 1: Good
Hand 2: Bet the turn. As played fold the river. This is likely an overfloat bingo.
Hand 3: Fold the turn

Pairs are pairs sir. They can only stand so much action against respectful opponents. You can go further with them against open aggressive ranges. I hate that third hand with a passion. You're not calling $18 on the turn. You're calling a strong $30.

In hand 2, some villains float with AK AQ against a known range, knowing they also have equity on the other faces depending on your ability to fold marginal holdings. Perhaps he incorrectly assessed that kind of equity, and hit his card anyway. That's why they're called outs. Would you rather bet $20 on the turn and know a call means you're beat, or allow the deck to slam you for $40 instead?

So you're more likely to call an allin here than a normal bet in hand 2? I was expecting an allin here actually, maybe the lack of one surprised me enough to make the call.

I hope you're having fun with this NL thing. How are you fairing?

My skill definately needs improving, but again its has improved a lot as well. First 10k hands of 100 NL: Killed it. In fact, I'm pretty confident I could continue to kill it. First 10k hands of 200 NL: Killed it. Last 10k hands of 200 NL: Getting killed. I'm not playing very well and my ignorance of table selection caused me to make $7 with AA in 9k hands, and -2.5 buyins with KK in the same amount.

But, I'll get there, eventually. Plans of 400 NL by the end of the month may be far fetched now that I endured a 21 Buyin downswing. If I can make all 21 back by the end of the month, I may change my tune.

Hand 1 value-bet river.

Originally Posted by bdawg56kg

Hand 1 value-bet river.

Agree. They rarely check here with a hand you beat but betting 1/2 pot may get a call from a worse hand. A check isn't bad either but you mentioned winning the least and losing the most. I look for value on this river.

Hand two is definitely an AK float special. You may fold them out with a turn bet because they will put you on a pocket pair and their Ace high no good (if they are capable of laying down). I doubt they bet without a king on the river so let it go.

Hand 3 is either fold or push turn - I think fold. Shorties are more likely to push the turn without a hand and string you along with a real hand. That's actually my rule of thumb with short stacks - they are more likely to push when weak and value bet when strong. The shorter they are the more this holds true.

it'd be nice to see what he had the first two hands to be able to formulate a read.

Hand 1: Villain had 96o MHIG
Hand 2: Villain had Q6
Hand 3: Villain had A9, I rivered an 8.

I was so sure that I would be betting the river in the first hand I was suprirsed at the responses until a couple of posts ago. If you think his river check is weakness more than 50% of the time I think you have to bet here without a strong read.

Originally Posted by bdawg56kg

Hand 1 value-bet river.

...bets like that are a big reason why some of us are beating bigger games.

Originally Posted by Fnord

Originally Posted by bdawg56kg

Hand 1 value-bet river.

...bets like that are a big reason why some of us are beating bigger games.

That's pretty results oriented.

Originally Posted by elipsesjeff

Originally Posted by Fnord

Originally Posted by bdawg56kg

Hand 1 value-bet river.

...bets like that are a big reason why some of us are beating bigger games.

That's pretty results oriented.

Nope, it's a good read. I miss this bet a lot too.