Just moved up to 50NL. 4hands.

[TerryToma]

[edited/fixed HHs]

Four hands from my recent move up to 50NL at pokerroom. Have tried before in the distant past to play at this level, lost 200$ each time. This time I went up a buyin right away, then held steady. I think I might have gotten too weak/tight near the end. Plus the players were starting to get stats on me. Appreciate line checks, any comments on the hands, and also any advice for play in general at 50nl. My overall stats so far at 50NL are VPIP/PFR: 19/10.

Hand 1) CO was 51/0 in 83 hands. First ever PFR.

Poker Room skin
Pot Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.50/$0.50
7 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $21.00
UTG+1: $63.55
MP1: $22.00
CO: $40.30
TerryToma: $74.45
SB: $42.25
BB: $18.50

Pre-flop: (7 players) TerryToma is Button with T T
3 folds, CO raises to $2, TerryToma calls $2 (pot was $3), 2 folds.

Flop: 8 7 6 ($5, 2 players)
CO bets $5, TerryToma calls $5 (pot was $10).

Turn: 2 ($15, 2 players)
CO bets $15, TerryToma folds.
Uncalled bets: $15 returned to CO.

Results:
Final pot: $15

Hand 2) Villian is a solid tag, 14/10. FTR member.
PokerRoom No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP1 ($57.30)
MP2 ($27.75)
MP3 ($22.95)
CO ($124.65)
Button ($48.80)
SB ($56.95)
BB ($49.25)
UTG ($49.35)
Hero ($58.70)
UTG+2 ($71.75)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with T, T.
1 fold, Hero raises to $2, UTG+2 raises to $6, 7 folds, Hero calls $4.

Flop: ($12.75) 2, 5, 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 bets $10, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $22.75

Hand 3). Villian is an unknown, just sat down.
Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
10 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $44.25
UTG+1: $51.05
UTG+2: $45.50
MP1: $29.35
MP2: $103.55
TerryToma: $68.85
CO: $52.00
Button: $100.65
SB: $33.20
BB: $41.95

Pre-flop: (10 players) TerryToma is MP3 with J J
5 folds, TerryToma raises to $2, CO calls, 3 folds.

Flop: 9 T 5 ($4.75, 2 players)
TerryToma bets $3, CO calls.

Turn: 6 ($10.75, 2 players)
TerryToma bets $6, CO raises to $30, TerryToma folds.
Uncalled bets: $24 returned to CO.

Results:
Final pot: $22.75

Hand 4). Villain tight/rockish. Flopped str8 thought I was up against set so slowed wayy down when board paired. Played ok?

Poker Room skin
Pot Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.50/$0.50
10 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $43.00
UTG+1: $65.80
UTG+2: $75.65
MP1: $81.25
MP2: $47.10
MP3: $54.30
CO: $7.50
Hero: $77.25
SB: $89.50
BB: $27.00

Pre-flop: (10 players) Hero dealt 65o
UTG calls, 3 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 raises to $1, CO calls, Hero calls, 2 folds, UTG calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: 7 8 4 ($6, 5 players)
UTG bets $3, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO folds, Hero raises to $9, UTG calls, MP3 folds.

Turn: 7 ($27, 2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks.

River: A ($27, 2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks.

Results:
Final pot: $27

[martindcx1e]

hands 2 and 4 are messed up i think

[Blinky]

Hand 1:

Big key here is the opp's preflop raise... on the flop, I think it's best to decide whether the plan was set it or forget it or play the flop. Also on your read, can this guy lay a hand down or will he call down?

The flop is pretty good for you, but the opp potting the flop is worrisome... IMO calling here is worse than folding or raising though. If you raise, you hope you can check behind if you don't improve on the turn.

All things considered, especially that the opp has never raised preflop, a fold isn't bad. A bit cautious, but I don't hate it.

2) Since they're from FTR, fold preflop, obviously . Actually the hand is kind of screwed up: I can't see hte preflop action nor the turn card.

3) Fine as played. Looks like opp hit a set - call/raise flop and push turn is a standard set line.

4) HH is messed up. If you really believe you were against a set, ok as played.

[TerryToma]

hands 2 and 4 are messed up i think

OK-fixed.

[Blinky]

No. 2:

I'll give you a question: when you are repopped preflop when you're holding TT, what do you think is the opp's range of hands? How often do you think you're good on a flop, unimproved, against that range of hands?

No. 4.

Looks OK. limp/call UTG, especially against a nutpeddler, should give you an idea of where things stand.

[zook]

1. Fold flop.

2. Tough call, but against a good player I probably fold pre-flop. He's not paying you off every time you hit your set and you don't have position, so it's going to be tough to steal the pot without risking a lot of $.

3. Fine.

4. I raise flop to $15. Your raise is less than 1/2 pot. If he calls that I'm definitely slowing way down when the board pairs.

[freechus9]

On hand 4, bet this river. He checked twice, and esp after a check behind, I think he has nothing. Valuebet that river, and you can fold to a ginormous raise.

[Blinky]

On hand 4, bet this river. He checked twice, and esp after a check behind, I think he has nothing. Valuebet that river, and you can fold to a ginormous raise.

Also possible.

BUTbutbut...
- do you lay down vs a minraise on the river? (ie, you bet $10 for value and are minraised? or how about $5 value? Betting too weak also makes it possible for you to be bluffed off the pot...)

[freechus9]

Our hand has some serious showdown value. If our opp has a boat, he's really not showing it. And it's not for deception value, because he's not getting shit out of the hand. I think he'll most probably fold to a bet on the river, but a raise is definately callable. I just don't think he has a set here. I don't know any sets that play like bet/call raise, check, check on a monster board. Looking at stack sizes, a bet of 15 on the river should make any push callable. If he has a set, nh. He'll give you your draws on a platter later.

[TerryToma]

No. 2:

I'll give you a question: when you are repopped preflop when you're holding TT, what do you think is the opp's range of hands? How often do you think you're good on a flop, unimproved, against that range of hands?

Usually I put a solid tagg on QQ+,AK (80% of time). 10% TT/JJ, 10% SCs.

This particular player I had only seens RR once the entire night (100+ hands), got RRR AI, and folded QQ-he claimed.

[TerryToma]

Our hand has some serious showdown value. If our opp has a boat, he's really not showing it. And it's not for deception value, because he's not getting shit out of the hand. I think he'll most probably fold to a bet on the river, but a raise is definately callable. I just don't think he has a set here. I don't know any sets that play like bet/call raise, check, check on a monster board. Looking at stack sizes, a bet of 15 on the river should make any push callable. If he has a set, nh. He'll give you your draws on a platter later.

Villain had QQ in this case. You are right, I dont normally see sets play this way. Check/call/check/check is very weak.. looks like hes going for a cheap showdown. However, but by the turn he would have had a boat. I do see boats slowplay, and c/r the river.

[TerryToma]

1. Fold flop.

Really? I think I have implied odds in this case with gutshot+2 outs to set. Plus If he has AK, he might slow down on turn. I think he is def. paying off if we hit. AA is the nUtZ yo.

2. Tough call, but against a good player I probably fold pre-flop. He's not paying you off every time you hit your set and you don't have position, so it's going to be tough to steal the pot without risking a lot of $.

Good point. I need to think about this more. I just get a boner with implied odds, but good taggs wont pay off.

4. I raise flop to $15. Your raise is less than 1/2 pot. If he calls that I'm definitely slowing way down when the board pairs.

Good point, I was looking to triple their original raise on the flop, which I often do, regardless of the pot size. Pot is more important. The one thing about str8s though, they never improve. I hate to get pot committed if I know they are going to call with a draw, and Ill have a hard time getting away from it drawing dead.

[zook]

1. Fold flop.

Really? I think I have implied odds in this case with gutshot+2 outs to set. Plus If he has AK, he might slow down on turn. I think he is def. paying off if we hit. AA is the nUtZ yo.

Yeah, really. This guy's first raise in 83 hands almost definitely beats TT. You have six outs meaning you'll hit about 1 in 8 times on the turn. You have to call $5 and effective stack sizes are $40, so you have to stack him every time you hit to make this a breakeven play.

4. I raise flop to $15. Your raise is less than 1/2 pot. If he calls that I'm definitely slowing way down when the board pairs.

Good point, I was looking to triple their original raise on the flop, which I often do, regardless of the pot size. Pot is more important. The one thing about str8s though, they never improve. I hate to get pot committed if I know they are going to call with a draw, and Ill have a hard time getting away from it drawing dead.

Get your money in while you're ahead and you'll be in great shape.

[Renton]

1. Fine.

2. Play this like hand 1 if you think that at least 1/2 his preflop threebets from this position are unpaired holecards.

3. Fine.

4. Raise more on the flop. You priced him in to make +EV calls with draws to beat you. You have GOT to bet the turn AND the river. Its silly not to and you definitely missed bets. Remember you need to get paid at least 20:1 on your preflop call in order to have +EV, and you didn't even come close to that because of your terribly weak play.

Did you think a rock would raise small pairs after limpers from middle position?

[Blinky]

Remember you need to get paid at least 20:1 on your preflop call in order to have +EV.

Renton, how do you calculate this? That appears to be a very high number (I have no idea what a "proper" EV number would be, but do we really need 20:1?!?!) for a $1 preflop raise.

BTW, the only reason I said set is this: what kind of retard limps a premium hand like QQ utg (aside from LRRers)?! If he's such a passive tard, betting turn/river is easier. (To me, rock = multitable nutpeddler - MTNP in my book).

[Renton]

Remember you need to get paid at least 20:1 on your preflop call in order to have +EV.

Renton, how do you calculate this? That appears to be a very high number (I have no idea what a "proper" EV number would be, but do we really need 20:1?!?!) for a $1 preflop raise.

BTW, the only reason I said set is this: what kind of retard limps a premium hand like QQ utg (aside from LRRers)?! If he's such a passive tard, betting turn/river is easier. (To me, rock = multitable nutpeddler - MTNP in my book).

its a rule of thumb, derived partially from the 5/10 rule paraphrased as follows:

When looking to call a raise in position with a speculative hand, looking to be compensated by implied odds, you have a clear call if the raise is less than 5% of the effective stack (20:1), a clear fold if it is more than 10% of the effective stack (10:1), and between 5% and 10% is a judgement call (lean toward folding).

The 20:1 number I cited is an over-compensation. However, in order to have a high winrate with crappy hands like 65o, you need to do more than breakeven on your implied odds.