Ugly day so far at 25nl

[kmind]

Alright, after talking to someone on here I have tried to be more aggressive because I wasn't as successful as I hoped to be. My HUD wasn't working so I didn't have good reads. Should I bluff less at 25nl and be more aggressive when I actually hit or do you think it just depends on the player? Here are a few hands that have made me in the negative for the day so far (still early). I am hoping/wanting to pounce on weakness and bluff more. Needless to say, I suck at it:


******* Hand 1 ********

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $30.05
CO: $6.40
kmind: $17.35
SB: $17.50
BB: $17

Pre-flop: (5 players) kmind is Button with Q J
2 folds, kmind raises to $1, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: A 6 9 ($2.1, 2 players)
BB bets $1, kmind raises to $3, BB calls.

Turn: 6 ($8.1, 2 players)
BB bets $0.75, kmind raises to $5, BB raises all-in $13, kmind folds.
Uncalled bets: $8 returned to BB.

Results:
Final pot: $18.1


******* Hand 2 ********

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $24.10
CO: $27.40
kmind: $8.70
SB: $47.80
BB: $21.75

Pre-flop: (5 players) kmind is Button with 5 5
UTG folds, CO raises to $1, kmind calls, 2 folds.

Flop: 6 6 7 ($2.35, 2 players)
CO bets $1.5, kmind raises to $4, CO raises all-in $26.4, kmind calls all-in $3.7.
Uncalled bets: $18.7 returned to CO.

Turn: 2 ($17.75, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $17.75)


River: 8 ($17.75, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $17.75)


Results:
Final pot: $17.75


******* Hand 3 ********

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
kmind: $24.90
CO: $15
Button: $20.40
SB: $39.90
BB: $23.40

Pre-flop: (5 players) kmind is UTG with J K
kmind raises to $1, 3 folds, BB calls.

Flop: Q T 4 ($2.1, 2 players)
BB checks, kmind checks.

Turn: 2 ($2.1, 2 players)
BB bets $1, kmind calls.

River: 7 ($4.1, 2 players)
BB checks, kmind bets $4, BB calls.

Results:
Final pot: $12.1


******* Hand 4 ********

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $32.75
kmind: $22.30
Button: $17.10
SB: $11.90
BB: $64.55

Pre-flop: (5 players) kmind is CO with A J
UTG folds, kmind raises to $1, Button folds, SB calls, BB folds.

Flop: 5 3 2 ($2.25, 2 players)
SB checks, kmind checks.

Turn: 7 ($2.25, 2 players)
SB bets $1.25, kmind raises to $4, SB calls.

River: T ($10.25, 2 players)
SB bets $1, kmind folds.
Uncalled bets: $1 returned to SB.

Results:
Final pot: $10.25


******* Hand 5 ********

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
kmind: $11.85
CO: $10.65
Button: $9.75
SB: $19.40
BB: $33.10

Pre-flop: (5 players) kmind is UTG with K J
kmind raises to $1, CO calls, 3 folds.

Flop: 7 5 6 ($2.35, 2 players)
kmind bets $2, CO calls.

Turn: A ($6.35, 2 players)
kmind checks, CO bets $1.25, kmind folds.
Uncalled bets: $1.25 returned to CO.

Results:
Final pot: $6.35



Any pointers?

[Muzzard]

You dont really need to bluff at the level, just bet your hands accordingly. If you hit a bighand more than likely you will get paid off anyway

[NLHE lahooozaher]

Playing more aggressive doesn't mean spewing chips. At the $25 there is no reason to bluff people who will call all kinds of value bets. Pick up pots where people don't have an interest, not when they have already called a raise of yours. If you want to bluff/raise do it as at least a semi bluff.

Hand 1: I tend to fold to the first flop bet. There are big draws up there and if he has one he isn't folding and is a favorite even if it is <Q high. Then he could actually have a good hand. If you raise that flop, check the turn. Anything that bet/calls the flop is not folding the turn, ever.

Hand 2: I'd fold or push preflop with your stacksize(i lean towards fold). After the flop is ok I guess if he's particularly loose/aggressive.

Hand 3: bet the flop, turn is ok, river is meh. You're getting looked up by Q/T/88/99. I don't think you're getting a fold often enough to justify a pot bet on the river.

Bet the flop in hand 4. On the turn I usually fold or call here depending on how aggressive my opp. is.

Hand 5: This flop bet is bad IMO. Betting a coordnated board like this is bad. The check/fold is good on the turn. If the flop wasn't so bad betting the turn would be ok.

[Seasider]

Generally there is no need to bluff at 25; but there are enough weak players at Stars that you can pick up some $$ by pushing them off pots. But when they stick around or worse still play back you are normally beat. My take on the hands -

1 - OK to mix it up a bit and play back at him on the flop, when he calls the re-raise i'm check folding as at this level it is almost a cert that villan has the ace.

2 - Fair enough flop raise IMHO, easy fold to the push against unknown, prob overpair or house. Theres not many at these games doing this with AK from my memory of them.

3. His bet on the turn means he has something and this prob means he will call all non ridiculous bets on the river and youre not even beating an A high showdown; why bluffing into aggression at 25 is dangerous! I also dont like raising KJo UTG save your aggression for when you have position.

4. Sometimes i'll c bet the turn (esp. if scare card) to mix it up so no real problems with that if the guy isnt a calling station donk. He most probably has you beat but ill call such a small river bet for info and to stop bullying after investing so much.

5. Again I dont raise UTG I play as posted thereafter.

No poker God myself, but my 2c from looking over them.

[jackvance]

I think it'll work better if you don't just randomly decide to go bluff at someone, but also factor in what hands (hand ranges) will call your bet/raise, and what exactly you are repping to have.

[kmind]

I really appreciate all the help so far. So far I have stopped bluffing and have made my negative winnings into a positive. Thanks and please chime in if anyone has other advice.

[martindcx1e]

My HUD wasn't working so I didn't have good reads.

lol. ya, what others said man. don't think too much about it cuz most ppl aren't thinking either.

[euphoricism]

Play your position more.

When I'm LAGGing it up, my bluffs aren't done to steal pots I don't deserve. The bluffs are done to plant the "seed of doubt" into my opponents and generate action on my later bigger hands.

It really only takes one advertised bluff to plant that seed.

Its a double edged sword, though. If you show too many bluffs, theyll play back at you just as much and start pushing you off hands. Thats not what you want. Reading how the table reacts is pretty important.

[kmind]

Play your position more.

When I'm LAGGing it up, my bluffs aren't done to steal pots I don't deserve. The bluffs are done to plant the "seed of doubt" into my opponents and generate action on my later bigger hands.

It really only takes one advertised bluff to plant that seed.

Its a double edged sword, though. If you show too many bluffs, theyll play back at you just as much and start pushing you off hands. Thats not what you want. Reading how the table reacts is pretty important.

I have to be ballsy to play how you just did haha...but I see your point as well as everyone else's. Good stuff everyone, thank you!

[Lukie]

There's a difference between being more agressive and spewing, especially against poor players that take weak hands too far.

I don't really get the QJs hand. I'd usually just muck on the flop here, especially against more passive low stakes players, but if you're going to raise, make a real raise. I can't say I like your turn play, either (not being results oriented).

55 hand sucks. Fold preflop and reload.

Bet the flop on the KJ hand. Take that baby down. You have a ton of non-nut outs that are probably good if you are called.

AJs hand, think about what you're trying to represent (exactly what you have). I'll just leave it at that.

Nothing really wrong with the KJs hand. Sometimes do this, sometimes fire 2 barrels, sometimes just check/fold flop, throw in the rare turn c/r, etc etc etc.

[euphoricism]

55 hand sucks. Fold preflop and reload.

?

[martindcx1e]

55 hand sucks. Fold preflop and reload.

?

he's too short-stacked.

[NLHE lahooozaher]

55 hand sucks. Fold preflop and reload.

?

he's too short-stacked.

It's not like he played it for set value. If he was playing no set-no bet then I'd agree but as is I think it's ok and certainly not bad esp. against a c/o raise.

[kmind]

I don't really get the QJs hand. I'd usually just muck on the flop here, especially against more passive low stakes players, but if you're going to raise, make a real raise. I can't say I like your turn play, either (not being results oriented).

Can you explain more about a "real raise"?

Again thanks all for the input.

[euphoricism]

55 hand sucks. Fold preflop and reload.

?

he's too short-stacked.

It's not like he played it for set value. If he was playing no set-no bet then I'd agree but as is I think it's ok and certainly not bad esp. against a c/o raise.

Eh. I didnt see he only had an $8 stack. Rebuy man!

[Lukie]

I don't really get the QJs hand. I'd usually just muck on the flop here, especially against more passive low stakes players, but if you're going to raise, make a real raise. I can't say I like your turn play, either (not being results oriented).

Can you explain more about a "real raise"?

Again thanks all for the input.

sure thing.

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $30.05
CO: $6.40
kmind: $17.35
SB: $17.50
BB: $17

Pre-flop: (5 players) kmind is Button with Q J
2 folds, kmind raises to $1, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: A 6 9 ($2.1, 2 players)
BB bets $1, kmind raises to $3, BB calls.

Turn: 6 ($8.1, 2 players)
BB bets $0.75, kmind raises to $5, BB raises all-in $13, kmind folds.
Uncalled bets: $8 returned to BB.

Results:
Final pot: $18.1

What I mean by a real raise is that you have to put some real heat on the guy if that's what you decide to do. Given that it's just a little under a half pot raise ($2 raise into a $4.10 pot), villain is getting slightly better then 3:1 and (my guess is) he will probably call or reraise with anything he came out leading with. Given that your hand has pretty much no value, this is a a bad thing. Honestly, I prefer a fold here, but I guess if you had the read that he'd lead any 2 here (unlikely) and would fold to any resistance, it would be alright. The fact that the effective stacks are only $17 also gives you less ability to float on the guy or to put pressure on him with a 'real' raise.

A nice raise in this particular spot on this particular very board would be to $5 or so, setting up a ~pot-sized push on the turn.

[Robert]

kmind,

Hand 1: Both folding and raising the flop to $4 is fine here. I'm leaning towards folding, because ppl at NL 25 are usually calling stations.

Hand 2: I would call flop and reevaluate turn (probably fold to a turn bet, because most villians at these stakes wont 2nd barrel the turn with wiffed overcards).

Hand 3: continuation bet flop for around $2.

Hand 4: continuation bet flop for around $2, go into check/fold mode if called.

Hand 5: looks fine.

Note: These hand can change with any sort of read, I just pretended that villians were unknown

[Robert]

and yeah, other than continuation-betting the flop, stop bluffing unknown players at these stakes, thats just spewing

[Fnord]

Hero is falling while he's learning to run instead of walk. Keep at it and learn which of these where bad spots to get aggro and why. What did your opponents tell you about their hand?

[Rondavu]

LOL at bluffing randomly into unknown likely calling stations.

[Rondavu]

Can you explain more about a "real raise"?

Again thanks all for the input.

I changed the hand history to add more fold equity, better lines. A sensible bluff if you will.

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $30.05
CO: $6.40
kmind: $17.35
SB: $17.50
BB: $17

Pre-flop: (5 players) kmind is Button with Q J
2 folds, kmind raises to $1, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: A 6 9 ($2.1, 2 players)
BB bets $1, kmind calls $1.

Turn: 7 ($8.1, 2 players)
BB bets $0.75, kmind calls $0.75,

River: 8 ($9.6, 2 players)
BB bets $2, kmind raises all in, BB folds like a lawnchair

[Lukie]

Rondavu,

I don't like it. At all.

[Rondavu]

Rondavu,

I don't like it. At all.

I love it. I love it a lot?