Couple of questionable 200nl hands + RB question

I've had trouble the last 2 times before this when moving up to 200nl. I notice that I get all kinds of ridiculous calls still, so I know its very beatable if i would stop bluffing...

Also, i have accounts at every party skin, dont trust the prima network (they fucked up my account once) and have accounts at UB, pstars, absolute and about anywhere else. the one place i dont have an account is eurobet - so where can i get some rakeback??

anyways, on to the hands:

Hand History:
View Previous | Next hand for this table.

Texas Hold'em $2-$2 NL (real money), #1,382,249,327
Table illocratic's HE, 20 Oct 2005 4:21 PM ET

Seat 3: punkyc ($58.70 in chips)
Seat 6: SlappinYaUp ($197 in chips)
Seat 8: nielsml ($195.80 in chips)
Seat 9: songheje ($146.80 in chips)
Seat 10: Borik ($187.80 in chips)

ANTES/BLINDS
nielsml posts blind ($1), songheje posts blind ($2).

PRE-FLOP

SlappinYaUp gets [ JD,JS ]

Borik folds, punkyc bets $6, SlappinYaUp calls $6, nielsml folds, songheje calls $4.

FLOP [board cards 10S,8C,7S ]
songheje checks, punkyc bets $12, SlappinYaUp bets $24, songheje calls $24, punkyc bets $40.70 and is all-in, SlappinYaUp calls $28.70, songheje calls $28.70.

TURN [board cards 10S,8C,7S,4H ]
songheje checks, SlappinYaUp bets $90

I felt really fishy here with a guy behind me cold calling my raise - he either had a monster or I had his top pair or flush draw beaten. The shortstack didnt scare me at all. I went ahead and called the flop reraise and decided on folding if it got raised again. the guy cold called so I just hoped i wasnt getting slowplayed. when he checked on the turn, i put him allin to end the hand. on top of all that, i can still suck out a nine


and another hand...



Seat 2: echoes77 ($43 in chips)
Seat 6: SlappinYaUp ($406.70 in chips)
Seat 8: nielsml ($187.60 in chips)
Seat 9: songheje ($210 in chips)
Seat 10: Borik ($177.80 in chips)

ANTES/BLINDS
Borik posts blind ($1), echoes77 posts blind ($2).

PRE-FLOP

SlappinYaUp gets [ AS,4S ]

SlappinYaUp calls $2, nielsml folds, songheje bets $5, Borik folds, echoes77 folds, SlappinYaUp calls $3.

FLOP [board cards 6S,2S,4D ]
SlappinYaUp bets $6, songheje bets $12, SlappinYaUp bets $25, songheje bets $38, SlappinYaUp bets $300

In this hand, I have a nut flush plus a pair. i'm probably up against an overpair of some sort. i doubt its a set or straight, but who knows with the shit people sometimes raise preflop. i am assuming that i need an ace, 4, or spade to win the hand - preferably a spade. thing is, i look like i have no fold equity at all so i almost folded but then i thought fuck it and pushed...

In the second hand, I don't hate a call if you don't think he's laying down. See what happens on the turn and stick it all in if you improve. You don't HAVE to play that flop for all your chips.

smackin,
2nd hand looks good i almost always push that unless im sure im up against a set or straight

1st hand i cant really say without some reads, they become more important in 200 nl

you should do great in 200 nl. i changed and modeled my play after your plays after reading some of your HHs (kind of a lurker) months ago and I beat the 200nl on party for about 20bb for the last 15000. You have been down at 100 for long enough, you are def ready.

What’s important (more aptly what has worked for me)
1) when you first get to a table play tight and even a bit weak. You wont have to make as many tough decisions and it will do wonders for your image
2) Once you're set start attacking pf. you'll buy a bunch before people catch on. And no I don’t mean 68s in the CO
3) note who is consistently in the big pots esp out of position, or with bad starting hands, they are the ones that you'll win the buyins from
4) in order to be successful you MUST really start making reads/putting people on hands and pushing people out by representing cards and raising them. Push people off their JJ QQ AK a couple times and you are setting yourself up to win some big pots from tilted players. dont underestimate them tho you really need to pick your spots, like when you’ve been quite for a while
5) Bet/Raise your draws for fold equity sometimes if you think you can and more importantly the flip side… realize when your opponent is!
6) fold/ stop hammering away. When you’ve been unsuccessful at getting them out its ok don’t waste money! I even like getting exposed a couple times. If you’ve played tight in the beginning you’ll get a crazy image because the majority of the 200 players just aren’t that sophisticated
7) TABLE SELECTION. GET UP WHEN THE GOOD PLAYERS SIT DOWN ESP WHEN THEY ARE BEHIND YOU. I don’t like to play with more than 1 other decent player at the table (if I wanted good competition id play fulltilt)

Originally Posted by Fnord

In the second hand, I don't hate a call if you don't think he's laying down. See what happens on the turn and stick it all in if you improve. You don't HAVE to play that flop for all your chips.

Yea, but then it gives him a chance to get away if the board pairs the four, brings an ace (hopefully he doesnt have AA here), or brings the flush. Plus I know that I'm gonna need the whole two cards. On the other hand, calling here is a lot safer, especially with me being new to 200nl and having bad past experiences there.

Originally Posted by Funky

smackin,
2nd hand looks good i almost always push that unless im sure im up against a set or straight

1st hand i cant really say without some reads, they become more important in 200 nl

you should do great in 200 nl. i changed and modeled my play after your plays after reading some of your HHs (kind of a lurker) months ago and I beat the 200nl on party for about 20bb for the last 15000. You have been down at 100 for long enough, you are def ready.

What’s important (more aptly what has worked for me)
1) when you first get to a table play tight and even a bit weak. You wont have to make as many tough decisions and it will do wonders for your image
2) Once you're set start attacking pf. you'll buy a bunch before people catch on. And no I don’t mean 68s in the CO
3) note who is consistently in the big pots esp out of position, or with bad starting hands, they are the ones that you'll win the buyins from
4) in order to be successful you MUST really start making reads/putting people on hands and pushing people out by representing cards and raising them. Push people off their JJ QQ AK a couple times and you are setting yourself up to win some big pots from tilted players. dont underestimate them tho you really need to pick your spots, like when you’ve been quite for a while
5) Bet/Raise your draws for fold equity sometimes if you think you can and more importantly the flip side… realize when your opponent is!
6) fold/ stop hammering away. When you’ve been unsuccessful at getting them out its ok don’t waste money! I even like getting exposed a couple times. If you’ve played tight in the beginning you’ll get a crazy image because the majority of the 200 players just aren’t that sophisticated
7) TABLE SELECTION. GET UP WHEN THE GOOD PLAYERS SIT DOWN ESP WHEN THEY ARE BEHIND YOU. I don’t like to play with more than 1 other decent player at the table (if I wanted good competition id play fulltilt)

This is some very interesting stuff and I've got some learning to do beyond bluffing the flop and camping for monsters. It looks like you've learned from me, and now I can learn from you. Makes me feel better about moving up. Hollywood poker probably isn't the best place to play 200nl, but i've got a big bonus to finish up there.

Originally Posted by SmackinYaUp

Yea, but then it gives him a chance to get away if the board pairs the four, brings an ace (hopefully he doesnt have AA here), or brings the flush. Plus I know that I'm gonna need the whole two cards. On the other hand, calling here is a lot safer, especially with me being new to 200nl and having bad past experiences there.

Well, you say this as though you don't want him folding on the flop. Do you really want to gamble in these situations? Personally I'm only willing to make these plays when I think there is a high probability that my opponent is folding. And is it necessarily a bad thing if you win the pot on the turn? I don't understand the concern here.

I don't think the four is a scare card at all, in fact, it appears favorable for his hand if he has an overpair. If a four were to fall on the turn, your hand would be fairly well-concealed. It shouldn't create any worries for him that he didn't already have on the flop.

On the first hand, I would check behind on the turn and try to show the hand down cheaply. I'd be trying to hedge against his having a higher overpair after he cold called two raises on the flop. It looks as though he could very easily have Q-Q through A-A, and is somewhat unsure of his hand after the flop action.

On the second hand, I would check-raise the flop. You may have the best hand, and check-raising helps to maximize fold equity on the flop or a later street if you don't. Plus the obvious fact that you have loads of outs if he doesn't fold. If you get raised, I would probably just call and chase.