I am essentially BE with these pairs over my last 16k hands. Variance doesn't completely explain why i am doing so poorly with these hands... These are the hands where i have been dealt J-J/Q-Q that i feel i didn't play optimally. Feel free to comment on one/all of them, or offer general suggestions for how to play these hands. As you will see, the RR pots are where i am having the most trouble.

Here is a useful addition to future analysis(my apologizies to andy_akb for not including this earlier): I run around 21/18 and i would say i 3bet slightly more frequently than the average 100/200NL regulars. I rarely don't c-bet a RR pot after i 3bet PF.

I have 4bet less than a dozen times in the last 16k hands.



Hand 1). Villain had seen me 3betting a lot, and over 100 or so hands he was 31/18/3.5. What do you make of a c/r min raise in a RR pot? Is this a spot where you give up without a specific read?

Hero: ($205 in chips)
Villain: ($349.30 in chips)
3 other players

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero: [Js Jd]
Villain: raises $6 to $8
Hero: raises $18 to $26
3 folds
Villain: calls $18
*** FLOP *** [4d 8s 6c]
Villain: checks
Hero: bets $38
Villain: raises $38 to $76


Hand 2). This hand took place today. Villain was 21/20/4 over 400 hands, though this was the first hand we ever really squared off against each other. Do you fold to a 4bet, even though this is BvB? By pushing i was essentially bluffing since his calling range (loosely Q-Q+/A-K) has me as a 2:1 underdog. But with $40 of dead money in the pot, what do you think is the probability villian will fold? That villain is going to 4bet air?

Villain: ($103 in chips)
Hero: ($220.90 in chips)
3 other players

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero: [Js Jc]
3 folds
Villain: raises $3 to $4
Hero: raises $10 to $14
Villain: raises $25 to $39
Hero: raises $181.90 to $220.90 and is all-in


Hand 3). What do you make of this donk bet? This is just a really poor shove by me, so i think a fold is probably the best play since stronger hands always call and draws are still getting great odds...

Villain: ($185.70 in chips)
Hero: ($98.50 in chips)
4 other players

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero: [Js Jh]
Player 1: raises $3 to $4
1 fold
Player 2: calls $4
1 fold
Villain: calls $3.50
Hero: raises $12 to $16
Players 1 and 2 fold
Villain: calls $12
*** FLOP *** [Qd 5h 9d]
Villain: bets $24
Hero: raises $58.50 to $82.50 and is all-in


Hand 4). Looking at this again, river value bet is too large. I should probably bet $13-15 to keep 9-x in the hand, though checking behind may be the best play also. Villain was pretty passive; 30/8/0.5 over 60 hands. This is probably a very small mistake but i am posting it anyways, since i may be wrong.

Villain: ($153.45 in chips)
Hero: ($101.50 in chips)
1 other player

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero: [Js Jd]
Hero: raises $2 to $3
1 fold
Villain: calls $2
*** FLOP *** [4c 6c 9c]
Villain: checks
Hero: bets $4
Villain: calls $4
*** TURN *** [4c 6c 9c] [Ts]
Villain: checks
Hero: bets $10
Villain: calls $10
*** RIVER *** [4c 6c 9c Ts] [2h]
Villain: checks
Hero: bets $29


Hand 5). Do i even need to c-bet this flop? Villain was 50/30/3.5 over 50 hands.

Villain: is at seat 0 with $165.90.
Hero: is at seat 1 with $146.60.
4 other players

Dealt to Hero: [Js Jc]
3 folds
Villain: raises to $3.50.
Hero: reraises to $13.50
1 fold
Villain: calls.

Flop (board: 9h Kh 4h):
Hero: bets $21.
Villain: raises to $91.
Hero: folds.


Hand 6). This opponent had just stacked another player off the hand before, so i wasn't sure if he was tilting or had a very strong hand. Calling the 4bet to me seems to be the worst option. I feel pushing/folding are both okay, though since i was new to the table i think folding would probably be best. New to the table so no notes/stats.

Villain: ($127.70 in chips)
Hero: ($101.50 in chips)
4 other players

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero: [Qc Qs]
1 fold
Villain: raises $3 to $4
3 folds
Hero: raises $10 to $14
Villain: raises $25 to $39
Hero: calls $25
*** FLOP *** [9c 8s Ks]
Hero: checks
Villain: bets $62.50, and is all-in
Hero: calls $62.50


Hand 7). 4betting Q-Q seems like a bad play in 100/200NL games, unless the opponents are fish who will call a 4bet with 10-8s, or are 35/30 LAG's who 3bet a very wide range. Since i was fairly new to this table i think coldcalling would be best, and raising a non Ace/King high flop or any other crappy flop (i.e. 8s-9s-10s). No useful notes/stats.

Hero: ($101.50)
Villain: ($127.35)
4 other players

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero: [Qh Qd]
1 fold
Player 1: raises $4 to $5
Player 2: calls $5
1 fold
Villain: raises $10 to $15
Hero: raises $17 to $32
Players 1 and 2 fold
Villain: calls $17
*** FLOP *** [Jc 5d 9s]
Villain: bets $10
Hero: raises $57.50 to $67.50 and is all-in


Hand 8). How do you interpret villain's small flop bet? I figured a c/r would be best, though i would c/r to $30 if i played this hand again. I figured since he 3bet me UTG that 4betting would be -EV. No useful notes/stats.

Hero: ($100.70 in chips)
Villain: ($123 in chips)
3 other players

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero: [Qc Qd]
Hero: raises $2 to $3
Villain: raises $7 to $10
3 folds
Hero: calls $7
*** FLOP *** [Tc 3d 8c]
Hero: checks
Villain: bets $5
Hero: raises $20 to $25