Venturing back into online NL-- TT w/lots of preflop action

[Ghazban]

I've been avoiding NL online for about a month and grinding it out at limit, instead (though still playing lots of live NL) but thought I'd try out Party with the new structure.

From a 6-max .25/.50 table, I'm in the CO with TT and ~$45.

Weaktight UTG ($40) makes it 3, UTG+1 ($35) calls, I call, button ($25) calls, SB folds, maniac in the BB ($50) reraises to $5.50 (a minreraise).

The BB has raised 4 of the 6 hands he's been dealt since I sat down so this min-reraise doesn't necessarily mean big pair/AK.

UTG calls, UTG+1 folds (don't ask me why), I call, button pushes /images/graemlins/shocked.gif, BB calls, UTG thinks a long time and then folds, and I push over the top (which BB calls).

How much do I suck?


I don't believe button has a bigger pair than my tens because, if he did, I would've expected a reraise the first time it was his turn to act (after a PF raise and 2 callers). I felt it was far more likely he had a smaller pair, AK, or AQs, than JJ-AA.

If BB were not a maniac, his min-reraise, then flat call of button's allin would've put my tens in the muck in a heartbeat but, as it was, I felt I still had a very good chance of being ahead here. Results later.

[jhall23]

I don't know that's tough. Based on what you are saying here you have only been at the table for about 6 hands right? Could be that the button knows very well that the BB is a maniac and is very likely to re-raise so he just called with a huge hand hoping to trap money in the middle.

If button is not aware of this I like your move cause you have so much dead money and could easily be the favorite facing two AK,AQ ish type hands. Your probably ahead of the BB most of the time here so with the Button's smaller stack I don't hate your play even without the reads.

If button has a bigger stack that would lean me to a fold until I have a better feel for the table.

[Ghazban]

I see what you're saying about button and I did consider that he was playing second hand low counting on the maniac to reraise. However, he's short enough that, even if he wins the main pot, I'll come pretty close to breaking even if I win the side pot against the maniac. So, if I beat the maniac, I'm freerolling for an extra $100 against the button so whether or not I'm ahead of him is almost irrelevant (almost, of course, because I need to beat the maniac first and that's certainly no guarantee-- at best, I'll only win 92% of the time and its extremely unlikely he's hodling the Tx I need for that to happen).

I also thought there was a good chance they were sharing outs (with both having an AK/AQ-esque hand) which puts me in great shape. Thanks for your commments.

[jhall23]

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I see what you're saying about button and I did consider that he was playing second hand low counting on the maniac to reraise. However, he's short enough that, even if he wins the main pot, I'll come pretty close to breaking even if I win the side pot against the maniac. So, if I beat the maniac, I'm freerolling for an extra $100 against the button so whether or not I'm ahead of him is almost irrelevant (almost, of course, because I need to beat the maniac first and that's certainly no guarantee-- at best, I'll only win 92% of the time and its extremely unlikely he's hodling the Tx I need for that to happen).

I also thought there was a good chance they were sharing outs (with both having an AK/AQ-esque hand) which puts me in great shape. Thanks for your commments.

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Definetly which is why I said.

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Your probably ahead of the BB most of the time here so with the Button's smaller stack I don't hate your play even without the reads.

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You were asking "How much Do I suck" and this hand (not to mention your other good posts) definetly doesn't not make me think that.

[Tilt]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't believe button has a bigger pair than my tens because, if he did, I would've expected a reraise the first time it was his turn to act (after a PF raise and 2 callers). I felt it was far more likely he had a smaller pair, AK, or AQs, than JJ-AA.


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This looks like the button has Aces. He called on the button knowing BB maniac would raise, that many would call that reraise, and then he can shove it in. Or he has something like AQ and he hopes to isolate with BB.

When button pushes you should fold IMO. Your equity if there is an OP is awful, and agains 3-4 overcards isnt great either.

[Ghazban]

Thanks for the kind words. Like most people, I post better than I actually play. I'm also in the middle of a huge live downswing that is forcing me to re-examine my game more closely than usual to separate the poor play from the bad luck.

[jhall23]

Is that at foxwoods or just in that tough game you play?

I really need to get to foxwoods to play in the 1-2 game there. I haven't been in a while and back when I used to go I would play limit cause I wasn't comfortable with NL and it was too big for my bankroll. I would assume that the foxwoods game could be pretty swingy because of all the terrible play I have heard about.

Some friends of mine are going on March 12 so hopefully I can make it then. I don't have a car and my GF wouldn't go with me so I can't get down there often.

[Ghazban]

Both the 'Woods and the game in the city. I was a little under break-even at Foxwoods in February but got sucked out on even more than usual. The EV of the tougher home game is lower than Foxwoods but I've been rather unlucky there lately, too. When I sat down on Tuesday, the guy next to me even said "wow, you've been taking a lot of bad beats lately-- I'm almost surprised to see you". I know I've made some questionable plays, too, though and since I can't do anything about the beats, I'm trying to work on the other stuff.

Where do you live? There are cheap busses to and from Foxwoods from all over the place. Then you wouldn't need to find a car to drive down.

[jhall23]

I live in Sommerville, so I know there must be buses that go down to foxwoods from South Station at least. Only time I am really avaialable to do this is on the weekend and I often have stuff to do or don't really feel like going down by myself.

I'll probably be making a post later asking you guys that go down to the woods about how the games play if I find I will be going on the 12th.

Anyway, hopefully you find some more small leaks so your swings can be made smaller. Don't forget to post the results of the hand later after some more reply's.

[Ghazban]

The board came down J9874 and my straight was good. Button had KJo and BB had J9o (he was peeved that his two pair on the flop lost to a turned straight despite the fact that he was a pretty big dog preflop). Button left the table but the maniac stuck around and eventually gave away 3 more buyins (though none to me).

Had this happened later in the session (after seeing the maniac play even more wacky hands in wacky ways), I wouldn't have even posted this hand as I would've been almost positive I was ahead of BB and could reasonably expect to break even on the sidepot despite the fact that I could be in trouble vs. the button for the main pot.

Given my reads at the time, I think this was a pretty loose allin but I'm undecided on whether or not it was -EV.