the bruiser top 100

[crockpot]

apologies for the poor format...apparently the hand history converter won't work on these forwarded hands.

> Seat 3: ChoperMaddux ($286.25 in chips)
> Seat 4: thebruiser ($371.20 in chips)
> Seat 5: jeweinga ($148.55 in chips)
> Seat 6: d2raja ($108 in chips)
> Seat 9: santinahill ($186.65 in chips)
> santinahill: posts small blind $2
> ChoperMaddux: posts big blind $4
> *** HOLE CARDS ***
> Dealt to thebruiser [Jd Qd]
> thebruiser: calls $4
> jeweinga: folds
> d2raja: folds
> santinahill: calls $2
> ChoperMaddux: checks
> *** FLOP *** [5c Jh 8c]
> santinahill: checks
> ChoperMaddux: checks
> thebruiser: checks
> *** TURN *** [5c Jh 8c] [Qs]
> santinahill: bets $4
> ChoperMaddux: folds
> thebruiser: calls $4
> *** RIVER *** [5c Jh 8c Qs] [9d]
> santinahill: bets $4
> Lady23 joins the table at seat #1
> thebruiser: calls $4
> *** SHOW DOWN ***
> santinahill: shows [Ad 5h] (a pair of Fives)
> thebruiser: shows [Jd Qd] (two pair, Queens and Jacks)

fivehanded i like a raise with this hand. your combined chances of stealing it now or on the flop are too good.

what's with the flop check? i feel a lot better buying this pot now than i do about letting a dangerous free card drop off. and your opponents do not appear particularly aggressive based on the play of the rest of the hand, so checking to induce a bluff isn't the best idea.

raising the turn is definitely in order. a worse hand may fold, but why give him a free chance to improve?

> Seat 1: jayslongdong ($90.65 in chips)
> Seat 3: 123shank ($450.15 in chips)
> Seat 4: D.J.Nikki ($128.75 in chips)
> Seat 5: Twist Afleet ($196 in chips)
> Seat 6: Homeless ($302.80 in chips)
> Seat 7: Rhslurve6 ($316.65 in chips)
> Seat 8: thebruiser ($332.90 in chips)
> Seat 9: dbg546 ($219 in chips)
> jayslongdong: posts small blind $2
> Micr0machine: is sitting out
> 123shank: posts big blind $4
> *** HOLE CARDS ***
> Dealt to thebruiser [8d Ac]
> Micr0machine leaves the table
> D.J.Nikki: folds
> Twist Afleet: folds
> Homeless: folds
> Rhslurve6: folds
> thebruiser: raises $12 to $16
> tamagoso joins the table at seat #2
> dbg546: folds
> jayslongdong: calls $14
> 123shank: folds
> *** FLOP *** [8c 5s Ad]
> jayslongdong: checks
> thebruiser: checks
> *** TURN *** [8c 5s Ad] [2d]
> jayslongdong: bets $4
> thebruiser: calls $4
> *** RIVER *** [8c 5s Ad 2d] [Js]
> jayslongdong: bets $8
> thebruiser: raises $12 to $20
> jayslongdong: calls $12
> *** SHOW DOWN ***
> thebruiser: shows [8d Ac] (two pair, Aces and Eights)
> jayslongdong: mucks hand

much like your last hand, if i'm going to check this flop, i would save it for a hand where my primary opponent will bet more than $4 on the next round. here i would bet the flop and try to win the maximum from a big ace that won't know what hit him. if you really thought the guy would run a bigger bluff, you played it okay.

> Dealt to thebruiser [Ks Th]
> Lady23: calls $4
> johnintoit: folds
> ChoperMaddux: folds
> thebruiser: calls $4
> jeweinga: folds
> d2raja: calls $4
> tamagoso: calls $2
> sparkle: checks
> *** FLOP *** [3d Jd 4c]
> tamagoso: checks
> sparkle: checks
> Lady23: checks
> thebruiser: checks
> d2raja: checks
> *** TURN *** [3d Jd 4c] [9c]
> tamagoso: checks
> sparkle: checks
> Lady23: checks
> thebruiser: checks
> d2raja: checks
> *** RIVER *** [3d Jd 4c 9c] [Td]
> tamagoso: checks
> sparkle: checks
> Lady23: bets $4
> thebruiser: calls $4
> d2raja: folds
> tamagoso: folds
> sparkle: folds
> *** SHOW DOWN ***
> Lady23: shows [Qs 9s] (a pair of Nines)
> thebruiser: shows [Ks Th] (a pair of Tens)

even in good position this is really not the kind of hand i want to be playing in no-limit. your postflop play was okay although you might have tried making a play for it on the turn. still, four players is a lot to bet into as a steal.

> Dealt to thebruiser [2h 7h]
> johnintoit said, "lol"
> Lady23 said, "4real"
> jeweinga: folds
> ChoperMaddux said, "fear 67"
> d2raja: folds
> tamagoso: folds
> sparkle: folds
> Lady23: calls $4
> johnintoit: folds
> ChoperMaddux: calls $2
> thebruiser: checks
> *** FLOP *** [6c 5c 4c]
> ChoperMaddux: checks
> thebruiser: bets $12
> Lady23: folds
> ChoperMaddux: calls $12
> *** TURN *** [6c 5c 4c] [5s]
> ChoperMaddux: checks
> thebruiser: bets $15
> ChoperMaddux: calls $15
> *** RIVER *** [6c 5c 4c 5s] [Tc]
> ChoperMaddux: checks
> thebruiser: bets $80
> ChoperMaddux said, "boat or str flush? /images/graemlins/smile.gif"
> ChoperMaddux said, "Im holding the ace"
> ChoperMaddux: calls $80
> *** SHOW DOWN ***
> thebruiser: shows [2h 7h] (a pair of Fives)
> ChoperMaddux: shows [Ac 2c] (a flush, Ace high)

why did you bet? he TOLD you he had the ace.

seriously, interesting river bet. it will certainly push a typical player off a hand less than a flush, but his most likely hand to be just calling you so far is a big club, or a slowplayed flush or full house. i'm interested to see who else here would make this bet. as an aside, i think you could have bet less, say $60, and gotten the same effect with better odds.

(more hands to come in a second post, if you made it this far)

[crockpot]

> Seat 1: fasteddy08 ($161.50 in chips)
> Seat 2: tamagoso ($135.25 in chips)
> Seat 3: 123shank ($506.15 in chips)
> Seat 4: D.J.Nikki ($91.75 in chips)
> Seat 5: Twist Afleet ($160 in chips)
> Seat 6: RonnC ($195.75 in chips)
> Seat 7: irishnyc ($88 in chips)
> Seat 8: thebruiser ($331.90 in chips)
> Seat 9: dbg546 ($291 in chips)
> tamagoso: posts small blind $2
> 123shank: posts big blind $4
> irishnyc: posts big blind $4
> *** HOLE CARDS ***
> Dealt to thebruiser [Ah Th]
> D.J.Nikki: folds
> Twist Afleet: calls $4
> RonnC: folds
> irishnyc: checks
> thebruiser: calls $4
> dbg546: folds
> fasteddy08: calls $4
> tamagoso: calls $2
> 123shank: checks
> *** FLOP *** [6h Ac 8h]
> tamagoso: checks
> 123shank: checks
> Twist Afleet: checks
> irishnyc: checks
> thebruiser: bets $15
> fasteddy08: raises $15 to $30
> tamagoso: folds
> 123shank: folds
> Twist Afleet: folds
> irishnyc: folds
> thebruiser: raises $120 to $150
> fasteddy08: folds

preflop: raising or calling is a close play that depends on the table composition. you were there and i wasn't.

this is an interesting flop decision once you are reraised. i agree that this is the type of hand where you would rather push in than get a bunch of your stack in and be out of position on the turn. however, $30 is not a lot given the depth of the money. complicating matters is the min-raise. what do you think that means, from this guy?

the only time you can really reraise for value here is when you catch him with a lower flush draw, which he may fold for this price anyway. any made hand you he beat is not going to call. however, he may well fold a better made hand, especially if he is a tight player.

so, your play here depends on your read. if you think the min-raise is weakness, or to find out where he's at, you made the right play, getting all the money in instead of having to guess later. but if you think he only min-raises with strong hands, which many players do, you should call
here and await developments.

> Seat 1: fasteddy08 ($165.50 in chips)
> Seat 2: tamagoso ($94.25 in chips)
> Seat 3: 123shank ($510.15 in chips)
> Seat 4: D.J.Nikki ($95.75 in chips)
> Seat 5: Twist Afleet ($160 in chips)
> Seat 6: RonnC ($195.75 in chips)
> Seat 8: thebruiser ($359.90 in chips)
> Seat 9: dbg546 ($295 in chips)
> fasteddy08: posts small blind $2
> tamagoso: posts big blind $4
> *** HOLE CARDS ***
> Dealt to thebruiser [7d 6d]
> 123shank: calls $4
> D.J.Nikki: calls $4
> Twist Afleet: folds
> RonnC: folds
> thebruiser: calls $4
> dbg546: calls $4
> fasteddy08: calls $2
> irishnyc joins the table at seat #7
> tamagoso: checks
> *** FLOP *** [Ts 8c 6h]
> fasteddy08: checks
> tamagoso: checks
> 123shank: checks
> D.J.Nikki: checks
> thebruiser: bets $24
> dbg546: folds
> fasteddy08: folds
> tamagoso: calls $24
> 123shank: folds
> D.J.Nikki: folds
> *** TURN *** [Ts 8c 6h] [2d]
> tamagoso: bets $66.25 and is all-in
> thebruiser: folds

preflop: in good position for a limp in a multiway pot, this hand is worth a play, although i would rather see deeper money.

when it's checked to you on the flop, should you bet? depends on the opponents' "bluffability". this board is pretty coordinated. i wouldn't never bluff, but i can think of better spots to try one.

no choice on the turn. this looks like a big hand, and you can't really even beat a bluff. i would consider folding a hand like 86 here.

> Dealt to thebruiser [Td Qc]
> tamagoso: folds
> sparkle: folds
> Lady23: calls $4
> johnintoit: folds
> ChoperMaddux: calls $4
> thebruiser: calls $4
> jeweinga: folds
> d2raja: folds
> onlinechamp: checks
> *** FLOP *** [5c Ts Ah]
> onlinechamp: checks
> Lady23: checks
> ChoperMaddux: bets $12
> thebruiser: folds

i think this hand is just too weak to play in the first place. but the flop play is automatic.

> Seat 1: Lady23 ($90.80 in chips)
> Seat 2: johnintoit ($132 in chips)
> Seat 3: ChoperMaddux ($464.30 in chips)
> Seat 4: thebruiser ($275.50 in chips)
> Seat 5: jeweinga ($123.80 in chips)
> Seat 6: d2raja ($96.25 in chips)
> Seat 8: tamagoso ($153.70 in chips)
> Seat 9: sparkle ($144 in chips)
> jeweinga: posts small blind $2
> d2raja: posts big blind $4
> onlinechamp: sits out
> *** HOLE CARDS ***
> Dealt to thebruiser [Ac Jh]
> tamagoso: calls $4
> sparkle: calls $4
> Lady23: folds
> johnintoit: folds
> ChoperMaddux: folds
> thebruiser: calls $4
> jeweinga: calls $2
> d2raja: checks
> *** FLOP *** [Qd Ad 5h]
> jeweinga: checks
> d2raja: checks
> tamagoso: checks
> sparkle: bets $8
> thebruiser: calls $8
> jeweinga: folds
> d2raja: folds
> tamagoso: calls $8
> *** TURN *** [Qd Ad 5h] [2s]
> tamagoso: checks
> sparkle: bets $16
> thebruiser: raises $20 to $36
> tamagoso: folds
> sparkle: calls $20
> *** RIVER *** [Qd Ad 5h 2s] [9c]
> sparkle: checks
> thebruiser: checks
> *** SHOW DOWN ***
> sparkle: shows [Ah 3h] (a pair of Aces)
> thebruiser: shows [Ac Jh] (a pair of Aces - Jack kicker)

this hand isn't that much, but it's worth a play in good position.

i would raise the flop, mostly to get a better idea of the opponents' hands before the pot gets too big. waiting until the turn to raise is also okay, but don't let the third guy in cheaply. he is probably on a gutshot.

debatable river play, and i would definitely consider my opponent before making a decision. but a bet is fraught with danger while a check is safe.

---

and a personal message to t. B. 500 - on the hands you sent me where you were deciding whether to make a (semi-)bluff or not, that's up to you. i have no clue who you're playing against. just remember to consider the texture of the board, the size of the field, how much weakness they've shown, how well they give you credit for a hand when you bet, etc.

[1800GAMBLER]

After the first two hands this came to mind.

If you are betting that you win a race against a blind person and in this race you get to bet whenever you want, when would you bet?

[crockpot]

true, but if you're going to use that parable, throw in a couple of factors:

- the later you place your bet, the less you stand to win if you win the race.
- (in the first hand, at least) if you don't place the bet now, you may lose it when you would have won otherwise.