QJo in MP1 and "I hate giving freecards"

[emitch]

Hello all,

The first few paragraphs are a little history, self analysis, and a few questions. If you have time,read it over, otherwise skip to the hands and fire away.

I am back to poker after a little break. I almost had the bankroll to move up to 1/2, but my VPIP was in the upper twenties and my aggression was less than 1.3, so I decided to cash out back to $50 and start over and work on my game a little. I have learned to quit calling down so much in small and medium pots when I am 90%+ sure I am beat and save those bets for the meduim and large pots where I think I am ahead. Makes sense and I don't know why it took me so long to figure out, but I think it is probably a pretty common leak among the micros. I feel that I have been playing pretty well since I got back, but I have ran into some pretty crappy cards. The stats for the new me after about 2500 hands are VPIP=21.79; PFR=9.39; TOTAGG=1.52 (I had this around 2.0 until the last 500 hands or so and the bad cards have gotten the better of my confidence, which I am trying to work on). First question; do these stats look good for this level? Even with the bad cards, I am break even, which is a big improvement over where I would have been with the old me.

My WSD=31.67 and my W$SD=49.10. Second question; are these low? I know, sample size. But I am just trying to verify that the cards are part of my problem. I know that I have plenty to work on, but I really feel that this has been a big part of the problem.

And finally the content. I have several areas that I have real questions about my play. This next hand is not a "I flopped a monster, how do I extract...". I really didn't know after the flop, whether to build a bigger pot or or protect my hand? How would you play it?

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx (http://www.zerodivide.cx/converter)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif, J/images/graemlins/club.gif.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls, Hero calls.

Probably a loose call, but half of the players left are over 50%+VPIP, although the do get a little crazy with the raises. The villian who raised, is a 9/6/1.9, so I was a little upset with myself for the first call and knew that unimproved, I would fold the flop. I figure he has AA,KK,QQ,or AK, or maybe KQ at this point.

Flop: (8.50 SB) K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 bets</font>, Button calls, BB calls, Hero calls.

What a flop! I am pretty sure at this point if I lead, the villian will raise and protect for me, but I thought maybe I should build the pot. Wait for a safe turn card and checkraise??

Turn: (6.25 BB) 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 bets</font>, Button folds, BB calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP3 calls, BB calls.

Not the turn card I was hoping for. I am not worried to much about the villian having a flush unless he got luck enough to be holding AhKh or KhQh, but the other two very well could have been looking for the flush. When they check, I felt a little better and when BB called, I got worried again. This also makes my checkraise look like an obvious flush, which my villin will not rr.

River: (12.25 BB) 2/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 calls, BB folds.

Not a great river card either. Now hearts and KK (which the villian may very well have) have me beat, but I value bet anyway?
Final Pot: 14.25 BB


Hand 2: I hate giving free cards, but with the PFR what do you do?

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx (http://www.zerodivide.cx/converter)

Preflop: Hero is CO with J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif. MP3 posts a blind of $0.50.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP3 (poster) checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button 3-bets</font>, SB calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 folds, MP3 folds, Hero calls.

Standard

Flop: (12 SB) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, SB folds, Hero calls.

The button is a 20/10/3.3 so I really don't figure him for a 7, but I figured he very well could have AK or AQ which have me beat. Could also be an overaggressive KK or QQ. Was this weak or the correct play?
Turn: (8 BB) Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button checks.

This is the part that I really hate, I got an overcard to my pair from a PFRR, but it gave me more outs if I was behind, so I should have bet, correct? Damn, checked through. How do you keep this from happening. Bet here and fold to a raise? After the check I am sure MHIG

River: (8 BB) 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls.

Good card, so standard bet.

Final Pot: 10 BB

[istewart]

In the first hand I would fold preflop and check/raise the flop. Given how it played out I would definitely bet the turn. I don't want this checked through.

In the second hand I would check the flop and go from there. This is really the epitome of WA/WB even in a 3-handed pot (A77r flop). Let him do the betting at first.

[numeri]

Read the FAQ (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&amp;Number=1659321&amp;page=0&amp;view=c ollapsed&amp;sb=5&amp;o=14&amp;fpart=1) for some good information on what stats to look for.

As for the hands...

Hand 1: Fold pre-flop. QJo is a very marginal hand in early/mid position. Since you didn't fold, get as many best on that flop as you can.

Hand 2: On the flop, you're either way ahead or way behind.
AA, AK, and AQ have you crushed, while hands like KK-TT are behind. On the turn, you're no longer way behind if you're drawing, so you might consider betting here.

Enumerating the hands on the flop:

Way behind:
AA = 1 way
AK = 8 ways
AQ = 8 ways
total = 17 hands

Way ahead:
KK-TT = 4 ways each
total = 16 hands

After we know the turn card:
Behind:
AA = 1 way
QQ = 3 ways
AK = 8 ways
AQ = 6 ways
total = 18 hands

Way ahead:
TT, JJ, KK = 6 ways each
total = 12 hands

Since we're no longer equally balanced, though still drawing very much live, I think a check/call is fine here.

With the check behind on the turn, the river is an easy value bet.

[Fantam]

I thought that these were 2 interesting hands and a very good post from Istewart.

So I have bumped it and hope that no one minds. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[lufbradolly]

Sorry but i can't help with the stats questions as i don't have PT.

Hand 1: I'd lead the flop and hope preflop 3 bettor raises it up so i can 3 bet. I don't really want to be getting cute with a flush draw out there and also if a Q or J come then your splitting a lot and occasionally losing to AQ, AJ, holdings the villain could easily have.

Hand 2: STANDARD

[Duerig]

I'd check raise the flop in hand one. Make people put in bets on the flop when they want to see the turn. I would check the flop in hand 2. You are either way ahead (of KK, QQ) or way behind (AK, AQ).