I play NL good....

so after having a big down..then nice up...then back down a little (+$250) LHE session, I decided to play a little 2/4NL on AP. I started out decently well just picking up small pots. And then I lost a big pot where I tried to put a move on a guy putting a move on me on the flop, and he called it off (rag flop I had AQ he had AK). So I look retarded, but honestly the play wasn't horrible. His raise was total "I'm testing you" air, and I thought if I shoved over top he'd fold a lot and I would have 3-5 outs a lot if he didn't. Instead he called, and even though I had 9 outs on the turn (6 chop and 3 clean) I bricked out.

Then I made a couple dumb plays. First I called a med stack all-in with top and bottom pair on the flop when he flopped the nut straight. And the second I called another med stack flop shove with TP and an OESD, but he had some of my outs counterfeited so I was in bad shape. I was feeling a little tilted. So of course I ramp up the aggression ;-) Here are some hands that got me back in the green:

First right after the second dumb hand I used my tilty image to my advantage and got a decent TAG to pay me off here (also the TAG and I had history where I called his 5-bet shove pf one time with Q9s lol):

Absolute Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
4 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $565.57
Button: $355.70
SB: $400.10
Hero: $223.10

Pre-flop: (4 players) Hero is BB with ks js
UTG calls, Button calls, SB calls, Hero raises to $26, UTG folds, Button calls, SB calls.

Flop: 9h kc 7s ($82, 3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $68, Button folds, SB raises all-in $374.1, Hero calls all-in $129.1.
Uncalled bets: $177 returned to SB.

Turn: 3c ($476.2, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $476.2)

River: 2d ($476.2, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $476.2)

Results:
Final pot: $476.2
SB Shows 8s 9d
Hero Shows Ks Js

Then came this hand where a bad LAG just wouldn’t go away. On the flop I bet my OESD hoping to take it down right there, but feeling good about my hand with position and a lot of outs. When this guy calls on the flop his range is a pair, a flush draw, a straight draw, or a pair and a gutshot type combos. I fire a second barrel on the turn hoping to lose the weak Ax hands, Tx hands, and maybe the gutshot over combos like KQ. On the river his weak lead put me in a tough spot. He didn’t have a ton behind, so in some since he looks somewhat committed. But if he had a big hand I would think he would bet much bigger or check to me if he thinks I’m tilting so he can pick off my bluff. His bet really seemed to me that it was a missed draw who was making a last ditch bluffing effort, or he has a weak A and doesn’t want to get blown off of the hand. So I thought for about 30 seconds, and shoved with 9 high. His bet looked like someone who didn’t want to get blown off the hand, so I blew him off the hand. He thought for about 5 seconds and mucked.

Absolute Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
4 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $497
Hero: $651.70
SB: $557.57
BB: $335.70

Pre-flop: (4 players) Hero is Button with 9d 7d
UTG raises to $12, Hero calls, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: as 8d :10s ($38, 3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets $25, BB calls, UTG folds.

Turn: 2h ($88, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $68, BB calls.

River: qc ($224, 2 players)
BB bets $80, Hero raises to $444, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: $364 returned to Hero.

Results:
Final pot: $384

Next was this hand which was just a beautiful poker moment. I saw this guy playing and guessed based on his icon and SN that he was a total fish. Plus he was only playing with 120BB (max buy-in is 200BB on AP but I always buy in for 100BB) meaning that he had either been winning or losing some but didn’t buy-in for the max. So I guessed he was a fish, and I was keeping my eye on the table to see if the seat to his left opened up. It did and I quickly sat down. The second hand I played I flop trips and got max value against him. Ship the second hand double up. FWIW against a really good player this is fairly thin value since I don’t expect to get called by worse in a limped pot but against most players I know they aren’t folding the other 7.

Absolute Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $876.60
UTG+1: $1180.58
CO: $363.20
Button: $453
Hero: $396
BB: $618.10

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is SB with 7d ad
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, CO folds, Button calls, Hero calls, BB checks.

Flop: 7c 6h 7h ($20, 5 players)
Hero bets $18, 3 folds, Button raises to $36, Hero raises to $132, Button calls.

Turn: qd ($284, 2 players)
Hero is all-in $260, Button calls.

River: :10c ($804, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $804)

Results:
Final pot: $804
Hero Shows 7d Ad
Button Shows 7s 8c

Finally I get three streets of value against this player on his first hand at the table. I had raised probably 4 out of the last 6 hands, and I guess he just figured I was a lunatic. My river value bet is pretty thin in a lot of cases, but in BvB when this guy wants to be a calling station I’m going to let him. This is how we put people on the bus to value town:

Absolute Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
5 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $126.40
CO: $733.70
Button: $701.95
Hero: $470.10
BB: $405

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is SB with jd qc
3 folds, Hero raises to $14, BB calls.

Flop: qh 5c :10d ($28, 2 players)
Hero bets $22, BB calls.

Turn: 4s ($72, 2 players)
Hero bets $56, BB calls.

River: 2s ($184, 2 players)
Hero bets $124, BB calls.

Results:
Final pot: $432
Hero Shows Jd Qc
BB Shows Ac Th

That’s all for now. Supposed to snow 6 inches or so tomorrow, and I always enjoy the snow. Also it’s the weekend so that means more fun and less boring. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Peace

themightyjim

poker good, duke basketball bad....

so poker is still going well. I had a few losing days after my sick rush to start the month, but I've since had a couple decent wins, and I'm still having a great month. The important thing is that I really need to play 4-6 hours a day for the last 9 days of the month. I've been spending so much time working out and dealing with baseball (as well as that weekend out of town) that I really just haven't played enough hours this month. I'm finally playing at levels where my hourly is really really good, and I need to take advantage of that by putting in the time and not just getting complacent. Sure it is great to make 80% more than I did at my old job, but if I could easily make 150% more than I don't think it is ridiculous to shoot for that.

I also really need to get my tax stuff going. I don't want to be panicking at the end if I screw something up. I honestly don't mind paying taxes, but I'm going to take advantage of any write off that I can. I think I've found a CPA that can help me out.

On to other news. Working out is going well. I really believe I'm getting in the best shape of my life. I've never really been able to get "cut" but I'm starting to see some muscles that I haven't seen before. I know that I have very little body fat, but I've been consuming +150g of protein everyday in an attempt to add more lean muscle. I've also taken up jumping rope. I used to be horrible at it, but I basically began teaching myself at the end of last week. I'm now able to pretty efficiently jump at a relatively high speed, and I can alternate between hopping on one or two legs (or back and forth between the L and R). I think it is just another layer I can add to my work out routine that is going to keep finding and working new muscles. I try to mix up my workout stuff everyday so that my body is never adapting, and the workout is losing its effectiveness. By adding or subtracting various sets I can keep my workout fresh. Also I think it helps my mental outlook as I never get bored with the idea of working out. It also helps that I'm getting +8 hours of sleep every night for the first time since I was probably 12 years old. I'm feel like I have more energy, better focus, and more stamina. And that applies to poker as well as baseball. I don't think there is any coincidence that my poker game has been improving recently at the same time that I've made really big strides in improving my fitness, diet, and sleep patterns.

Oh and Duke basketball is sucking big time right now. I think the guys must be struggling through midterms because we've looked focused for a grand total of 5 minutes in our last two games (both of which ended in losses). Oh well, if we win out we still have a great shot for a 1 seed. So we shall see.

how about some poker hands:

I resqueeze a possible squeezer, and then have to bluff the flop:

Absolute Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $1161.50
UTG+1: $819.90
Hero: $754.30
Button: $242.50
SB: $158.50
BB: $502.80

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is CO with ah jd
2 folds, Hero raises to $14, Button calls, SB folds, BB raises to $56, Hero raises to $143, Button folds, BB calls.

Flop: 7h 6c ks ($302, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $211, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: $211 returned to Hero.

Results:
Final pot: $302

Here I make a standard river value bet. Not sure if I would have called if he raised. The A is the optimal bluff card, and the action really led me to believe he had a pair like 55-77 or 99-JJ. I just don’t think there are a lot of Ax in his range when he 3-bets the flop but just calls my turn lead. So I likely would have called a river raise assuming this guy wasn’t a total nit (and he wasn’t).

Full Tilt Poker
Limit Holdem Ring game
Limit: $15/$30
4 players

Pre-flop: (4 players) Hero is BB with th ts
UTG folds, Button raises, SB folds, Hero calls.

Flop: 8d 4h 8c (4.67SB, 2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero raises, Button 3-bets, Hero caps, Button calls.

Turn: 2h (6.33BB, 2 players)
Hero bets, Button calls.

River: ac (8.33BB, 2 players)
Hero bets, Button calls.

Results:
Final pot: 10.33BB
Hero showed Th Ts
Button mucks 9c 9d

Here is the worst hand I played all day. My turn call of his c/r is horrible as he is repping extreme strength and I have no reason not to give him credit for it, and my river call is a WTF I’ve already stuck most of it in. totally retarded.

Absolute Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $1/$2
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $57.75
UTG+1: $34.85
Hero: $231
Button: $241.30
SB: $422.80
BB: $193

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is CO with ac kd
2 folds, Hero raises to $7, Button calls, SB calls, BB folds.

Flop: :10d 3s 8c ($23, 3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $16, Button calls, SB calls.

Turn: as ($71, 3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $60, Button folds, SB raises to $120, Hero calls.

River: ad ($311, 2 players)
SB bets $94, Hero calls all-in $88.
Uncalled bets: $6 returned to SB.

Results:
Final pot: $487
SB Shows 10h 10s
Hero mucks Ac Kd

Here is a hand that I played really well, and just got unlucky that he hit is J on the turn (I’m 90% to win the hand on the flop). If anything but an A hits on the turn I think he calls off his stack (obviously it isn’t “calling off” when he hits his two outer). This is perfect bet manipulating based on his stack size, and I would have gotten him all-in by the river drawing nearly dead. Oh well suckouts happen.

Absolute Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $802.70
UTG+1: $162.38
CO: $282.80
Button: $886.20
SB: $142.50
Hero: $553.80

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is BB with kh qs
4 folds, SB raises to $12, Hero calls.

Flop: :10s 4h kd ($24, 2 players)
SB bets $12, Hero raises to $28, SB calls.

Turn: js ($80, 2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $50, SB raises to $100, Hero raises to $200, SB calls all-in $2.5.
Uncalled bets: $97.5 returned to Hero.

River: kc ($285, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $285)

Results:
Final pot: $285
SB Shows Jh Jc
Hero Shows Kh Qs

Final hand was against a Full Tilt Pro (lolz) that liked to spew with any draw. So I just showed that I could spew right back. Plus it helps to hit your 10 outers.

Full Tilt Poker
Limit Holdem Ring game
Limit: $15/$30
6 players

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is Button with 7s 8s
2 folds, CO raises, Hero 3-bets, 2 folds, CO calls.

Flop: 6s 6c 9d (7.67SB, 2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets, CO raises, Hero 3-bets, CO calls.

Turn: 8c (6.83BB, 2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets, CO raises, Hero calls.

River: tc (10.83BB, 2 players)
CO bets, Hero raises, CO calls.

Results:
Final pot: 14.83BB
Hero showed 7s 8s
CO mucks As 6d

Thanks for reading, and good luck at the tables.

Peace

themightyjim

making the moniez and throwing the baseballs

February has been a good month all around. First and foremost I'm running really good at poker. I'm making money at both NL and limit, and thoroughly enjoying each game. I haven't been playing enough hours, but I plan on steadily increasing until the end of the month.

Things have really been going well in NL which is a nice change of pace after last month rough period of poor outcomes and poor plays. I'm frequently finding good 2/4 NL games on AP, so I've been playing NL there. I'm focusing on my limit play on the 8/16 - 15/30 games on FTP. The games have seen an influx of new players, so good and some not so good. I'm not sure where the fresh money is coming to in online poker, but the doomsday predictions some people made of online poker's demise seem pretty off base now.

Also last weekend I had a really nice time in Vermont with Katy. We stayed at a little hotel/BnB type place near Stowe. We had a nice large room with a small kitchen, living room type area, and a gas powered fire place. We also had access to a hot tub, and sitting in the hot tub on saturday night while the snow was coming down thick was pretty fun. We ate a couple nice dinners and drank some wine, and had a great weekend.

My workouts have been going well, and both my lower and upper body are definitely getting stronger. I also ran 3 miles in just under 20 minutes the other day, and I hadn't done that in a while. My last two bullpens have been much improved, and feel like I'm really getting a better feel for all of my pitches. I'm actually getting ready to go throw a pen in a few minutes. I'm just waiting till the morning rush hour traffic dissapates a little.

I think I have a good chance to have my first 5-figure month this month. Something I think has been long overdue.

Here are a couple of interesting hands from the last week:

So I 3-bet this TAG pf expecting him to fold most of the time. When he calls I put him on a range of 66-TT and maybe AQs or KQs. My flop bet is fairly standard, but when he calls I think he either has a set or a pkt pair with a backdoor straight draw.

The turn is an obvious check behind for two reasons. First if he has a set he isn't folding, but I'm costing myself a chance to hit a gutshot and win a big pot. Also his range is fairly unaffected by the turn, and my range shouldn't have many Ts in it. So he isn't going to fold if I fire the second barrel. On the river his check really looks like 66, 88, or 99 that is hoping I'm giving up with AK or AQ. I think my bet will look like a bluff a lot of the time, and if he c/r's the river I doubt it is ever a bluff (although it would be a pretty good time for a bluff c/r). So I value bet and get paid off.

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
6 players
Stack sizes:
UTG: $587
UTG+1: $400
CO: $470
Hero: $400
SB: $407.40
BB: $513.70
Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is Button with 8c jc
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $14, CO folds, Hero raises to $48, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls.
Flop: 4s 7s 3h ($102, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $72, UTG+1 calls.
Turn: tc ($246, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks.
River: jh ($246, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $132, UTG+1 calls.
Results:
Final pot: $510
Hero showed 8c Jc
UTG+1 mucks 9h 9c

Here is another: This is one of those call downs that you just have to make against goofy players at midstakes. I thought his flop bet was crap since this guy has a lot of weak stuff in his range, and I think he would likely raise with most broadway hands pf.

On the turn I pick up a pair which puts me ahead of a lot of Ax. The river is a really bad card for me. All broadway hands that had a J just got a pair, and some gutshots came in. But this guy was tilting, and the way this type of player plays he is more likely to check back his weak pairs than bet them. So when he bets the river I think he has a Kx or a bluff. Since most of his Kx hands would have raise pf, I thought my hand was good enough for the call down. Its certainly marginal, but it worked out this time.

Full Tilt Poker
Limit Holdem Ring game
Limit: $10/$20
5 players
Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is BB with ad 6s
2 folds, Button calls, SB folds, Hero checks.
Flop: ts ks 5d (2.5SB, 2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.
Turn: 6c (2.25BB, 2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.
River: jc (4.25BB, 2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.
Results:
Final pot: 6.25BB
Button showed 9d 8d
Hero showed Ad 6s

Well I'm going to head out to throw in a few minutes. I'll probably play a few more hours this afternoon when I get back and finish working out. I had an interesting session going this morning where I was playing HU 5/10 LHE on FTP, and 3 tables of 6-max 2/4NL on AP. I had to quit the HU session on FTP after a while because I was having trouble keeping up with the flow of the match while playing the NL tables.

hope everyone had a nice valentine's day, and thanks for reading. Also I'm still looking for laptop advice, so let me know if you've seen any good deals available.

later,

themightyjim

Feb starting off hot...

So I had a great wrap to Jan and ended up having one of my best months ever. Late month pushes in limit really got me going.

Feb has started off super hot. I'm winning in limit, and finally running hot at NL400. I've won +6 buy-ins at NL400 in about 1k hands ($2600) and I'm only one suckout away from being up $3500 (all-in with AA against 99 that flopped an OESD and he hit a 9 on the turn in a 900 pot). That hand was especially frustrating because I had 5-bet pf to $150 with $400 effective stack size. So this guy was getting worse than 5-1 odds even if he hit a set. Obviously my play is very profitable and I got the money in as a significant favorite. Can't do worse than that.

Baseball is also going well. My workouts are good, and my last bullpen was excellent. I need to start contacting teams and setting up tryouts.

Also its time to start getting my taxes ready. This is a much more involved deal this year since I have the poker stuff to file. I may end up hiring a CPA who specializes in pro poker stuff just to make sure I get things right.

Also, how about them Dukies? We really looked pretty good the other night, although if we had played great we could have easily won by +20. Getting a win at UNC is always sweet, and listening to all of the heel fans make their 1001 excuses why they should have won is hilarious. Also I watched the game with my sophomore year college roommate that I haven't hung out with in a couple years. We saw the game with about 25 other duke alum in a bar which made for good times. My yelling didn't make me stick out quite as much that way.

I'm heading out of town for the weekend. If you need to get in touch with me shoot me an email and I'll get to it sunday night. Hope everyone has good luck at the tables and enjoys their weekend.

later

jim