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