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  #1  
Old 08-10-2004, 08:21 AM
Ray Of Light Ray Of Light is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 17
Default From Losing to Breakeven... How do I now turn profitable?

Hello everyone!

I have just moved up in limits once again after grinding out 500 BBs to start playing the $0.50/$1 games on Party, (I started out on $0.05/$0.10 on Victor Chandler and Pacific). The thing is, I am having trouble beating these games and I can't see why, because the tables I select are super soft.

I admit, that since I started on Party, I have only logged about 19 hours of play, and I have been on a mere 25 BB down swing, so it is not enough for me to start questioning my strategy, but I feel that if the games are good, then the problem must be in the way I am playing them, so I am looking for any glaring leaks in my game play, so that I can start pluggin them from now.

So I have three hands here, that have had me woundering how I should have played them better...


HAND ONE


Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Ray Of Light is Button with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO calls, <font color="CC3333">Ray Of Light raises</font>, SB calls, BB calls, CO calls.

Flop: (8 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">BB bets</font>, CO calls, Ray Of Light folds, SB calls.

Here is where I felt I was too weak in my play. Should I have raised to gain a sense of how strong their hand was? Or should I have just called all the way to the river?

I figured that if the board paired, it wouldn't be any use to me since I probably wouldn't have had top two pair, so that left me with two outs and not enough in the implied odds to chase for the trips.


Turn: (5.50 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">BB bets</font>, CO folds, SB folds.

Final Pot: 6.50 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 5.50 BB, won by BB.</font>
<font color="green">Pot 2: 1 BB, returned to BB.</font>


HAND TWO


How could I have made more from this hand?

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Ray Of Light is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. MP3 posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 (poster) checks, CO calls, Button calls, SB folds, <font color="CC3333">Ray Of Light raises</font>, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button calls.

Flop: (12.50 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
Ray Of Light checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP3 checks, CO checks, Button checks.

I was first to act, I had the nuts, and I was hoping to check raise. In hindsight, I should have just bet out, as I was the preflop aggressor and so couldn't gauruntee that someone behind me would bet.

Turn: (6.25 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
Ray Of Light checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP3 checks, CO checks, Button checks.

As soon as I saw the fourth diamond, I assumed that someone may have caught their flush and would be willing to bet it. I should have bet here. If the check raise doesn't work the first time, its unlikely to work second time round?...

River: (6.25 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Ray Of Light bets</font>, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls.

Damn... Now I am exposed to a possible straight flush, and I haven't even maximised the pot in the process!

Final Pot: 10.25 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 10.25 BB, between UTG, UTG+1, Button and Ray Of Light.</font>


HAND THREE


Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Ray Of Light is UTG with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="CC3333">Ray Of Light raises</font>, UTG+1 calls, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, CO folds, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds.

Flop: (7.50 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Ray Of Light bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG+1 raises</font>, MP2 folds, <font color="CC3333">Ray Of Light 3-bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG+1 caps</font>, Ray Of Light calls.

As soon as he raised me, I knew I was behind to a two pair or better... Should I have slowed down after he raised? Or was I right to cap the pot?

Turn: (7.75 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Ray Of Light checks, <font color="CC3333">UTG+1 bets</font>, Ray Of Light calls.

River: (9.75 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Ray Of Light checks, <font color="CC3333">UTG+1 bets</font>, Ray Of Light calls.

Final Pot: 11.75 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 11.75 BB, between UTG+1 and Ray Of Light.</font>
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  #2  
Old 08-10-2004, 08:38 AM
btspider btspider is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 39
Default Re: From Losing to Breakeven... How do I now turn profitable?

for future multi-hand posts, chop the action when you fold. this keeps them shorter and prevents more information than you had being revealed.

hand 1: flop is a raise or fold situation. if you stay in, you must get the face cards out and play for the odds that he doesn't have the Ace. with the rainbow board and no real straight potential, you are definitely looking at a pair. it may be a 9 or an Ace though. once the CO calls, I might fold.. he'll see the turn when you raise and there are a lot of face cards he may pair up even if BB doesn't have the Ace. EDIT: I'm starting to reconsider.. I'll see what others say.

hand 2: you raised PF, bet the flop. they may put you on TP and not the flush. after you whiff, you must bet the turn. they are passive and playing scared of the board.

hand 3: the flop raise doesn't mean you are behind, unless you had an outstanding read. however, it is heads-up, so you don't need to protect your hand. the 3-bet would be for pure value. I'd do it. hopefully he didn't have KT.
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  #3  
Old 08-10-2004, 09:40 AM
cjromero cjromero is offline
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 10
Default Re: From Losing to Breakeven... How do I now turn profitable?

My 1 1/2 cents.........

Hand 1: I absolutely hate playing an underpair when an A hits the flop, because Party micro players love to play Ace-rag. Given that there was a bet and a call on the flop in the face of your preflop raise, I think the odds are good that one of them has an A. My guess is that the big blind has a 9, and cutoff has an A. With no real flush or straight potential, you are probably drawing to two outs. I would fold. If the cutoff had folded to the flop bet, I would probably raise to try and drive out other overcards.

Hand 2: Personally, I don't like raising with ATs in the big blind with several limpers. Some people will say that is too weak, but you are out of position. If you only had 1 or 2 limpers, then it's a likely raise, but not with 4 limpers and 1 poster. When you hit the dream flop, you should bet. They will call, assuming you have a decent pair. They won't put you on the nuts, because most people would slowplay. You know to bet the turn. Bet the river. If someone has the 7 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], then so be it.

Hand 3: I don't like the raise UTG with KQ. I would have called. On the flop, I don't mind the 3-bet. I would call down the turn and river unimproved, and cross your fingers he doesn't have KT, but I bet he does.
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  #4  
Old 08-10-2004, 10:14 AM
Bill Smith Bill Smith is offline
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Camp Randall, Sec. O
Posts: 500
Default Re: From Losing to Breakeven... How do I now turn profitable?

Hand 1: Raise or fold the flop. I really think this is a 50/50 play, but calling gets you nowhere because you know BB will lead out on the turn. Don't play to catch a 10 in this situation - raise to find out if your hand is good, or get out of there.

Hand 2: If I were in the CO/Button/SB position with those limpers, I would raise this. Normally, I would just check from the BB, but I can hear the argument for raising. However, being that you raised preflop, you need to bet the flop and hope somebody with top pair or K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] gets frisky. Remember, you want their money in the pot. I think the check made them suspicious.

Hand 3: On a table with non-aggressive players, I'm okay with the UTG raise with KQo, but muck if the table is more aggressive. Other than that, I think you played well. If you have some evidence that UTG+1 is a rock, fold the turn.
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  #5  
Old 08-10-2004, 10:27 AM
DeathDonkey DeathDonkey is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 83
Default Re: From Losing to Breakeven... How do I now turn profitable?

I can go either way on the raise ATs from the BB (more inclined to raise, but I'm pretty LAGgy).

But, you must raise KQo UTG at Party 0.50/1. Limping is really bad. KQo does not want to play against 5-6 opponents, if you can narrow the field with your raise and play against 1-3 opponents, so much the better. I lead the turn and call down if he raises again. He could be counterfeited by the river as well.

-DeathDonkey
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  #6  
Old 08-10-2004, 10:34 AM
tardigrade tardigrade is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: 1/2 Party
Posts: 243
Default Re: From Losing to Breakeven... How do I now turn profitable?

Hand 1 ... I think your play here is good most of the time. Unless you have a read on the guy, if he's betting into the pre-flop raiser, I'm thinking he has a dominant hand. If you were going to stay, you are correct that you would have to raise.

Hand 2 ... bet every street. Don't worry ... you will get callers, and in some cases, raisers. Trying to slowplay in a fixed limit game at these levels with that board is just throwing away bets. A broad range of hands will call you that will not bet out.

Hand 3 ... Considering the heads-up situation, I think you played it ok. The 3-bet on the flop is standard play. With the cap, you are likely beat, but once the pot is set at that level, it would be a mistake to fold the turn or the river.

Like you said, these Party .5/1 are generally not tough games, so don't get intimidated by the increased stakes just because you have a couple of bad sessions. If you get demoralized, take a break and come back when your head is clear.
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