[Hard session hands] First Few..

[1800GAMBLER]

Hey.

I'll do this over a few posts so people can get bored after one thread and don't have to read the other hands. I'll be posting about 10 handed, since it's high stakes against tough players for once, so i feel like i'm new to poker against good players.

There are two bad players at this table and we are typically 6 handed. The other players are good, studying players, with one being over aggressive, one being a 2+2er zoo poster who will probably read this. Different players sat throughout the session, i'll note them in the hands.

At the table i was having trouble judging if i'm playing well or playing poor. The table is true tight aggressive with what seems lots of bluffing at the better players. Min. check-raises and then folding, lots of pushing around.

I'm probably the tightest player at the table postflop and preflop and i'm just waiting for the player to start pushing it.

In short, i've never played a table so tough and i wouldn't be here only for the two other players at the table. I've never had to play poker this way either.

Blinds are 5/10.

Hand 1:


I get AJo in the CO-1. I make it $40 to go. Over Aggressive player to my left calls. Rest fold.

He doesn't have much respect for my open raises and seems to call these a lot. He's a fun guy to player with. A lot of the times i've watched him at the $200 buy in throw all in to a raise with 25o and rebuy right away just laughing in the chat. He's a good/winning player though.

Flop:

T /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I bet $100. He min raises it. I go all in for the rest of my full buy in.

- He folded. I'd say he'd fold Ax there X being J or less and an underpair to the T. I think he would have called with the Ten but i wasn't convinced for a min raise right away that he had it.

Hand 2:

5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif 4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif in the BB, weaker player limps in MP and SB completes.

Flop:

6 /images/graemlins/heart.gif K /images/graemlins/heart.gif T /images/graemlins/club.gif

SB checks, I pot bet, only weak player calls. #1 mistake.

Turn:

K /images/graemlins/spade.gif

We check it through. #2 mistake.

River:

Q /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I overbet the pot for $160. Could be argued #3 mistake.
He folded, what i'd say could be JQ, queen pair, or the Tens.

Hand 3:

Possible missed river bet.

Table is 8 handed with a mixture of good and bad players right now.

I open limp in MLP with J /images/graemlins/club.gif Q /images/graemlins/club.gif, UTG posted to the play. The rest of the table and blinds limp/complete.

Flop:

7 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 4 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif J /images/graemlins/spade.gif

I pot bet, good player calls in the BB calls.

Turn:

A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

I pot bet, he calls again.

River:

6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

He checks, i check.

My comments: I had a hard time pot betting the turn incase it was a trap and it would cost me a lot. But i shouldn't fear the ace and i think he would have raised the flop with top pair.

The results are that he missed his draw which shows he played it awfully.

Also, if i had the confidence to bet the turn i should have had the confidence to bet the river. Thinking he was a good player i should have assumed he wont be on a draw and i am still leading. My reason in the hand for checking behind is i would fold JQ to a checkraise on the river, which i think that player is capable of doing with hands i am beating.

Hand 4:

5 handed. I openraise UTG with 77 for $30.

Weak player calls in MP. Player from Hand 3 who i said was good but that hand shows elsewise calls in the SB.

Flop:

4 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

I bet the pot. SB checkcalls. (remember hand 3)

Turn:

K /images/graemlins/club.gif

I mildly over bet the pot to try and show i liked the King. He checkcalls again.

River:

T /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

I check behind.

He shows QTo for the bad preflop call (well not in this case due to my hand) and the missed checkraise.

Thanks for reading those and any comments.

[tdomeski]

Is this online poker and if so which site?
Thank you.

[1800GAMBLER]

PrimaPoker. Don't be too eagier.

[1800GAMBLER]

I'm interested in who can put in that river bet on hand 3.

[tewall]

It's hard to comment without knowing the stack sizes.

Number 1 seems like an excellent result, since you didn't have anything. However, it depends on how likely his min raise is to represent a huge hand in relation to a hand he will fold and how sure you are of your read. In other words, his min raise is a good play if you will routinely re-raise it huge without a hand, provided a decent pct of the time he actually has a good hand when he does it.

Number 2 I didn't get mistake #1. I think your bet was fine. I think ordinarily betting the turn would be the normal play, but occasionally checking is fine. You got a free card, so that was good. The bet on the river should be the maximum amount he will call, so that will be player dependent.

Number 3 seems fine. I don't think you should bet the river. You have exactly the hand you're representing, so why should he call you? If you bet, what will you do if he raises you? You'd probably have to fold, so what's the bet going to gain you? The turn bet was good. The ace is just as likely to be scary to him as to you. You can't just stop everytime a scare card comes, but once he's shown strength by calling you twice, there's no need to bet again. He's actually representing a better hand than you have, or a draw that missed and won't call.

On number 4 I'm not sure why you're critizing his play. He seems to have gotten the maximum out of you. It makes me wonder if you may not be being too aggresive. Playing this way with 77 should only be done occasionally (unless your opponent folds way too much).

[1800GAMBLER]

I don't like mistake number #1 on hand 2 because it's part free card and part semi bluff and a weak player wont be folding, so it's merely for a free card of which i get no say in because i am first to act.

I don't like betting the turn, more so against a weak player, normally, BUT! with the top card pairing - making it less unlikely he has it - even against a semi-weak player i should have put the bet in. More often than not, had the top card not paired i shouldn't bet here, against a bad player.

Riverwise, in this game, i don't like selling my hard, which means reading his and betting what will call, due to this is higher stakes and he is weak, i expect his new to tha aggression and will soon make a stand. I wanted to make it easy for him to look like i was pushing him out.


Number 3 agreed.

Number 4.

'He shows QTo for the bad preflop call (well not in this case due to my hand)'

That's why i am critizing. QT isn't a raising calling hand. It looks pretty to an none raising pot, but it's weak against a raise, and he knowns i don't usually raise with less. The reason i played 77 like that is because of the hands before. I would have given up on the turn against a high stakes NL experience player.

Thanks for relpying, i was lost and need these reflections. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif