Am I bad? some hands

I've broken even over the last 20K hands and I don't want to blame variance. It feels like I'm getting outplayed all over the place. Do I suck? Most of these hands are against pretty aggressive opponents who seem decent.

#1 PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

BB ($260.25)
UTG ($30)
MP ($215.40)
Hero ($201)
SB ($442.95)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 5, 5.
2 folds, Hero raises to $8, 1 fold, BB raises to $24, Hero calls $16.

Flop: ($49) 8, 2, 3 (2 players)
BB bets $38, Hero calls $38.

Turn: ($125) 4 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $139 (All-In)


#2 Same villain as #1

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP ($458.25)
Button ($228)
SB ($418.75)
Hero ($201.50)
UTG ($427.75)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8, 8.
1 fold, MP raises to $8, 1 fold, SB calls $7, Hero calls $6.

Flop: ($24) 3, 6, T (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP bets $15, SB folds, Hero calls $15.

Turn: ($54) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $25, Hero calls $25.


#3 PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (3 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($138.40)
SB ($259.70)
Hero ($268.05)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J, T.
1 fold, SB raises to $8, Hero calls $6.

Flop: ($16) T, 7, 5 (2 players)
SB bets $13, Hero calls $13.

Turn: ($42) A (2 players)
SB bets $33, Hero calls $33.

River: ($108) 2 (2 players)
SB bets $92, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $200


#4 PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($92.60)
Button ($86.40)
SB ($266.90)
BB ($100)
Hero ($209.05)
MP ($292.55)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with J, A.
Hero raises to $8, 4 folds, BB raises to $16, Hero calls $8.

Flop: ($33) A, 7, 6 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: ($33) Q (2 players)
BB bets $16, Hero calls $16.

River: ($65) 6 (2 players)
BB bets $68 (All-In), Hero folds.

Final Pot: $133


#5 PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP ($195)
Hero ($203.70)
SB ($429)
BB ($401.50)
UTG ($200)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 9, 9.
2 folds, Hero raises to $8, 1 fold, BB calls $6.

Flop: ($17) 2, 6, 4 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $12, BB raises to $36, Hero calls $24.

Turn: ($89) 6 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $60, BB raises to $357.5, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $506.50


#6 PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP ($300)
Hero ($307.80)
SB ($375.65)
BB ($43.60)
UTG ($356.90)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K, Q.
1 fold, MP raises to $10, Hero calls $10, 2 folds.

Flop: ($23) 9, 3, Q (2 players)
MP bets $10, Hero calls $10.

Turn: ($43) 8 (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $28, MP raises to $80, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $151

I wonder whether my opponents notice that I'm never willing to put my whole stack in the middle with a one pair hand and feel free to keep pushing me off my hands all day.

Another wonderfully played hand. Maybe this can be the thread where I put down all the hands I played like an idiot, then I'll have more motivation not to keep playing bad.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP ($104.05)
CO ($101.95)
Button ($127.15)
Hero ($151.15)
BB ($95.55)
UTG ($92.55)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q, T.
4 folds, Hero raises to $4, BB calls $3.

Flop: ($8) Q, 2, 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $6, BB raises to $12 (the instant min-raise, which a lot of times means that they don't have so great of a hand in my experience), Hero calls $6.

Turn: ($32) A (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $20, Hero calls $20.

River: ($72) 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $25, Hero calls $25.

Final Pot: $122

He had 23, I should have check-raised all-in on the turn like I was going to do before got scared by the ace. Then I made a retarded call on the river where I'm just about never good.

Hand #1: If he's not calling your bet on the turn it means you have the better hand. Therefore, you should just check behind. If he has an AK, AQ type of hand he's checking the river on a blank anyway.

Hand#2: play a pair of 8's for set value only when calling a raise, ok? Unless you have a read and are in position.

Hand #3: Is this the type of guy who raises your blind a lot? I'd just reraise preflop if that's the case. If not that then raise the flop.

Hand #4: i don't call that reraise with AJo without a read.

Hand#5: i think you didn't play this too badly, i'd consider checking behind the turn to keep the pot small, though.

hand #6: You played it fine.

Hand #7: I don't even play out of the blinds at all without something pretty good. You can limp this, but comon, a minraise!? what is that going to accomplish? just limp thi, and don't go to far with it. Don't call turn or river.

Make sure you keep playing with that guy too. 23! wow, he's terrible.

Originally Posted by mcatdog

Hero bets $6[/color], BB raises to $12 (the instant min-raise, which a lot of times means that they don't have so great of a hand in my experience), Hero 3-bets?

i dont bet the turn in hand 1 or 5 if i im not folding the flop (thats opponent specific)

Originally Posted by Massimo

Hand#2: play a pair of 8's for set value only when calling a raise, ok? Unless you have a read and are in position.

Aren't 8's too strong of a hand to only play for set value facing a raise, even OOP? villain could have many combinations of over cards here...

How about a strong re-raise PF from the blinds?

Massimo, whats the upper limit of pocket pairs that you play for set value facing a raise, OOP? 8's.. 9's..10's? I suppose its probably player dependent... but given no reads?

Originally Posted by griffey24

Massimo, whats the upper limit of pocket pairs that you play for set value facing a raise, OOP? 8's.. 9's..10's? I suppose its probably player dependent... but given no reads?

This player was very aggressive and, as far as I could tell, very good. He was raising at least 40% of his hands from late position. This situation with a medium pair against an aggresive opener is a situation where I like to re-raise some of the time, and just call some of the time planning to check-call or check-raise or lead a lot of flops. I had re-raised him a few times already and I like having pocket pairs in family pots so I decided to just call this time. That doesn't mean I'm only playing for set value though, if you try to set mine against an opponent like this you will get run over. I called the flop because I thought I was in good shape vs. his range. Probably should've folded the turn though.

hand 1 :

if his 3 betting range is very wide this is ok alhough if you're going to get to showdown with this hand and he likely has missed overs I'd rather let him take a free river cards w 11% to improve and hope he fires again

Hand 2 : leading the turn and folding to a raise can be fun (although if he's really good and super aggro this is risky). It all depends on how aggro he is, though. He fired into 2 other ppl on the flop...

Hand 3 : fine

Hand 4 : fine

Hand 5 : tough hand although usually I play my overpairs weak so I'm compelled to check behind on the turn since I want to get to showdown but I have to toss my hand (unless vs megadonk) to raise

Hand 6 : hmmm this one's very tough. When I take villain's line it's a bluff a LOT... Would he really not fire a second bullet with J10 there? Have you been floating?

lol@hand where villain had 23

u played it fine... let him keep giving you money when he has 5-8 outs and your raising will push him out.

1. At first I was going to say fold flop, but thats way to weak tight because he is cbetting literally any hand here which in a button steal situation is a pretty wide range. On the turn though, Im really not sure I like it as it turns our hand completely into a bluff. This is a shitty spot though, given stacks he isnt going for a c/r AI on the turn, but I guess he could still go for a c/c if you have floated before in rr-ed pots. This hand has actually made me think a lot, and Ive gone back and forth and I think you really have two options here, check behind and c/f the river or push here. If we push here we obviously arent getting value from overcards, but if we check behind and he pushes on the river we arent really going to be able to call. And there is also the added value we get if our opponent has like 77, 66 or maybe even 99. I like this.

2. This really depends on your opponent. Does he tighten up his cbetting in 3way pots? If he does then I would fold this flop, and if I called the flop I think we would have to fold the turn although his bet size is sketchy. If he doesnt tighten up, then I call the flop bet but the turn Im really not sure about and would like to see what others have to say.

3. I dont mind this either as a lot of players are going to fire another barrel on the Ace turn, but _most_ will give up on the turn. I guess this could be a 3 barrel because your line is pretty weak, but I still wouldnt call this river without a read, nor would I fold the turn.

4. I think I bet this flop not entirely for value but more to balance. If we raise UTG with 55, the BB raises and the flop comes A76 and the PFRRer checks, wouldnt we bet here? We are probably also checking KK and QQ here, so we need to bet some aces. As played what hands could we put our opponent on? JJ-KK? Would AK or AQ really check the flop? Would the BB 3bet an UTG raiser PF with a connecter type hand? The more I think about this, the more I think we are ahead.

5. I check behind the turn here. The only hands that are c/r-ing the flop here and then checking on the turn are going to be combo draws [which we have a better equity against now], bluffs, or the random monster going for another c/r. Your are definitely beat when he c/rs you again so the fold is standard, but I think I would rather check behind and see what happens on the river.

6. This is very standard Id imagine, at least that is how Id play it.

Originally Posted by Massimo

Hand #7: I don't even play out of the blinds at all without something pretty good. You can limp this, but comon, a minraise!? what is that going to accomplish? just limp thi, and don't go to far with it. Don't call turn or river.

You can't be serious to fold or limp with QTs from the small blind? I'd make it 4X automatically every single time.

Gabe, Genitruc, Andy, thanks for your comments.

i don t think massimo realized this was a hand from nl100

Massimo's advice is bad on hand #2 but i fold turn.

Originally Posted by mcatdog

Originally Posted by Massimo

Hand #7: I don't even play out of the blinds at all without something pretty good. You can limp this, but comon, a minraise!? what is that going to accomplish? just limp thi, and don't go to far with it. Don't call turn or river.

You can't be serious to fold or limp with QTs from the small blind? I'd make it 4X automatically every single time.

Gabe, Genitruc, Andy, thanks for your comments.

Yes, i thought it was 200NL because the rest were. Still, i just don't raise marginal hands out of the SB even if it's folded to me. I just think the big pots you lose from doing it and getting called, a great example was the hand #7, doesn't make it worth it.

Also, if this you are facing a lagtard like that, i definitely think you shouldn't raise. In fact, you might want to change tables unless he really bites it.

Originally Posted by mcatdog

Originally Posted by griffey24

Massimo, whats the upper limit of pocket pairs that you play for set value facing a raise, OOP? 8's.. 9's..10's? I suppose its probably player dependent... but given no reads?

I three bet TT's against an unknown if he raised in position. If not in position, i'll do JJ+, AK (although many people disagree with AK in that range).

With reads, i like reraising stuff in position much better. However, if he's a big blind stealer i'll three bet hands like 8's sometimes.

Originally Posted by Massimo

Still, i just don't raise marginal hands out of the SB even if it's folded to me.

You're missing a lot of value.

A lot of value? really? i never thought stealing the BB from the SB had that much value

Originally Posted by Massimo

A lot of value? really? i never thought stealing the BB from the SB had that much value

stealing once every 8 orbits is +1BB/100

Originally Posted by Massimo

A lot of value? really? i never thought stealing the BB from the SB had that much value

Do it 100 times and its worth plenty.

Limping into a blind war is like entering a boxing ring and letting your opponent take the first punch. Multi-way, a limp is fine here in an unraised pot, but HU you gotta raise.