making comebacks

made back 12 buyins during a 5k hand session I just played. little fried right now to blog about it, but this is one hand that kept it from being a huge victory. 4 buy-in swings in one hand really hurt imo.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $4.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from HandHistoryConverter.com

UTG+1 ($1231)
MP1 ($561.40)
MP2 ($665.90)
MP3 ($254.30)
CO ($432.20)
Button ($742.90)
SB ($616.20)
Hero (BB) ($1216.90)
UTG ($382)

Preflop: Hero is BB with As, 8s
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $14, 1 fold, MP2 calls $14, 2 folds, Button calls $14, 1 fold, Hero calls $10

Flop: ($58) 3s, 5s, Ks (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $33, 1 fold, Button calls $33, Hero raises to $152, 1 fold, Button raises to $728.90 (All-In), Hero calls $576.90

Turn: ($1548.80) Jd (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($1548.80) 5d (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $1548.80 | Rake: $3

fwiw even though villain is a pretty good reg I hate his play in this hand. My c/r'ing range on that flop is pretty much always a) a flush b) a higher set (ie 55) or a total bluff. I'm never going to c/r AsX (even AK) because I know if we get it in I'm always drawing to 9 outs (less if villain has a flush) and my opponent will usually have redraws. so when we get it in on that flop he's not in great shape and best case scenario he's drawing to a boat, and worse case scenario he's hoping to hit a 2 outer. But if he calls my flop raise he can always take it away from me if I'm bluffing on the turn (because I'm not stupid enough to barrel away my whole stack when that deep against a nitty reg on a monotone board) and can avoid losing a stack and a half if I shove the turn (and if I give him odds to draw he can draw). But whatever I've made worse plays so I can't hate on him too much.

dukies won tonight, but I don't really have any confidence in our play. I thought we looked very weak in a game when we should have dominated and won by 30. I find myself more and more wondering if we just aren't that talented (and we're obviously in a physical mismatch against most teams) but win a lot of games early in the year because our players are smart and very well prepared (coach K has the guys ready to go like it's midseason from game 1). That would make a lot of sense sense as other teams round into form and find their rhythm we begin to struggle more and more. And that would also mesh with the idea that once coaches get a few weeks of film on us we are much easier to prepare for.

I've got to go eat because I have a huge headache from grinding. May try to put in another 5k hand session later this morning, but I'm not sure. The games aren't as good this week as they were last.

laters

jim