From 20-40 to 2-4 pt 1 of 2 (reformatted)
 

Saturday was one heck of a day. But it all started so innocent like.


The girlfriends daughter is at the ex's for the day and I get the girlfriend for the whole day. All to myself.


Sweet.


Wait.


Puppy class at 2pm for her new Yorkie. Love the dog, hate the lessons. At least, I hate the time the lessons take. Point being. I don't get her for the whole day. By the time classes are done and she gets ready to go out, it'll be something like 5ish.


What to do, what to do.


OK. Honey, don't eat lunch, we'll do an early dinner. Meet me at the Mirage when you are done. Deal? Deal.


I get to the Mirage at like 2:15pm. 10-20 list is deep and the "Jeff & Jimmy" show is playing at one of the tables. 10-20 no goot. 6-12 table is beatable but tough. The best game in the house is 20-40. Never played it though. Don't have the bankroll for it actually. Heck, never played 15-30, even though I've played predominantly 10-20 for a month now.


D. Andrew suggests getting into the easy 20-40 game (there are two going). Note that this is the same game that Pokerbabe is in. Good game selection by her, or is there some cause and effect going on here? Haha, kidding. Of course the Babe is going to take the exercise good game selection.


Long story short, D. Andrew and myself go halves on the 20-40. He chickens out, but I keep his $500 buckeroos. Haha, sucker! Your money is going into the game.


But not the easy game.


Nope, Clarky gets seated in the hard game. The game with the regulars. The toughies. The professional brutes.


The game was fabulous.


So good that Clark declines his table change when it comes up.


Did I mention that it was my first time playing above 10-20? At least they'll raise my cutoff post and I can fold, relax and burn the nerves off before getting to play a hand, right? Ummm, OK, I check the option with my 9-7o. 5 to the flop, OK, I've done this before. Checked to me on a Q-9-5 rainbow flop? Ummmm, I guess I bet. My hand is shaking as I put the chips out. Literally shaking.


They all fold. Clark is up $80 and racks up a winner for the day with a career 20-40 win rate of an astounding $2400/hr.


Just kidding. I kept playing. I fold for the rest of the round. Fold my blinds to 3-bets, and fold for most of the next round. Most of it.


Clark's first hand in 20-40 while voluntarily entering a pot is:


American Airlines.


Oh boy. This has no chance of winning does it? Put yourself in my shoes and ask if this is the way you want your first real hand of 20-40 to go:


Clark: Raise, 3-bet, cold call, cold call, cold call, sb fold, BB call, Clark 4-bet, called aound.


Like I said. No chance. After going 4 bets on the flop on an uncoordinated board and wiping out the stragglers, I call down a set of queens headsup.


Welcome to the game Mr. Clarkmeister. Would you like some cheese to go with that whine?


Ummmm, honey, is the puppy done with class yet?


A few hands later in my blind, I value bet a one card 8 high flush and get called by a one card 7 high flush on the river. QJs misses the flop, AQ runs into AK, I fold pocket 99 to 3 cold, and AK wins headsup after I 3-bet a tight UTG raiser.


Grand total: $-221


As I walk up to D. Andrew's table he looks up hopefully. You know how puppies look up when they think they might get a treat? That kind of look.


I give him a concerned look and ask: "Did you hear that loud snapping sound a little bit ago?" He shakes his head, clearly a bit bemused. "Well, that was the sound of our pocket aces getting snappppppppppppppped off against 5 opponents for 4 bets preflop."


The first three words out of his mouth were "I hate you."


Hey, at least he got $390 change.


Observations: I was informed that this was a tough 20-40 table. If so, then I need to get my bankroll up fast. The action on my AA hand was typical. The one thing that really surprised me was just how much these players loved the 3-bet to isolate preflop with any pocket pair play. The more I move up, the primary difference between the fish at the lower limits and the fish in the higher limits is just the level of aggression.


Oh well, minor loss and a good experience. And here comes the girlfriend right on time. Time for a nice relaxing night away from poker.


Ummmm, sorta..


Part 2 coming soon

Re: From 20-40 to 2-4 pt 1 of 2 (reformatted)
 

"10-20 no goot. 6-12 table is beatable but tough."


oh you poor sad vegas locals. oh how i pity you.


i swear im going to only play 4-8 when im there. 3 days straight of 4-8. yep.


6-12: tough!? sheesh..

Re: From 20-40 to 2-4 pt 1 of 2 (reformatted)
 

"The one thing that really surprised me was just how much these players loved the 3-bet to isolate preflop with any pocket pair play. The more I move up, the primary difference between the fish at the lower limits and the fish in the higher limits is just the level of aggression"


nice observation, but bring a very big hook because these sorts of fish have very very sharp teeth. the kind of teeth that chew AK to little shreds. the difference you noticed in you 20 game is the difference ive noticed between the 40-80 vs all the games below it at commerce.


the 40-80 is just a series of flops seen by 2-3 people for 3-4 bets preflop. not the best sort of opps for good, but non-expert players. im learning the hard way to avoid games like this for now.

Re: From 20-40 to 2-4 pt 1 of 2 (reformatted)
 

If you really want to become a good player, you better learn how to play against tough competition.


If all you want to do is make money, then go to college, graduate, and get a job.


i swear im going to only play 4-8 when im there.


Scared?

Re: From 20-40 to 2-4 pt 1 of 2 (reformatted)
 

im learning the hard way to avoid games like this for now.


I was thinking this way about my stud games. However, I've been playing in the tigher-tougher games lately in order to improve my game. I've always found it easy to beat loose games (whether passive or aggressive). If I can routinely beat the tigher games as well, then I can beat anything. It's worked out well. Not only do I feel I've been playing my best stud lately, but I've also walked away with a good profit.


Eventually, you're going to have to learn how to beat games that don't have players in it who call raises with 74o.

Re: From 20-40 to 2-4 pt 1 of 2 (reformatted)
 

"If you really want to become a good player, you better learn how to play against tough competition."


im still learning how to play against easy competition. i encounter it much more frequently. i dont care as much about becoming a good player as i do about maintaining a $100+ an hour income.


"If all you want to do is make money, then go to college, graduate, and get a job."


tried that and messed it up somehow. remember all those posts where mason says pro poker lifestyle attracts degenerates and social dropouts?


"(i swear im going to only play 4-8 when im there.) Scared?"


yes. maybe ill try my hand in one of those tough 6-12 games though if im feeling brave.