AJ vs 888 – how to donk off $440

Balance : $6023

After gritting away and being up a $200, I ran into AJ….limped as did everyone else.  Flop came 8/5/J.  I had to pair with ace kicker but checked it as there were so many players in the pot – 76 would see a straight possibility and that was my biggest fear.

Someone bet, I re-raised to see where I was and he called.  That to me suggested a weak jack or draw.

Turn : Q

At this point I should think about getting out, he bets 2/3.  If he has JQ I’m crushed.  I decide he’s bluffing/weak and move all in.

He shows trip 8s.

Aaaaaaaaargh!  It is sooooo hard to lay down top pair with Ace kicker. 

So I finished -$250.  But still in the $6K zone…..ugh….I felt tiredness creeping in but it’s so hard to lay down AJ with a J on the board.  I just didn’t put him on trash like J8.  KJ?  I don’t know.  It’s so hard to detect sets.  I should just check/call or bail.

In retrospect, I was betting with 99 all the way, board had JJ8 on it.  River came a 9 to make me a full boat and I got all the money in = $400.  So I suppose everything evens out in the poker world.

Changing gears…

Balance : $6287

I just thought I’d start every post off with my balance.  For information, I’d like to be at $7700 and off my high of $8600.

I just can’t seem to break out of the $6K zone, I tried loosening up some starting hands at the 1/2 but just went up then down etc. 

I switched to 2/4 and decided to get nitty – real nitty.  My software is telling me 10/9s and downwards are my losing hands so I’m not even calling them pf unless I’m late position.

I got real nitty last night, I ended up getting too nitty and checking trips…only for a possible str. to appear so I checked and folded.  I did get paid on trips – I had top set and just called the flop bet…the turn came a 2 and he made trips 2s himself…punished for raising with 2s and I guess I gambled a bit 3-way by calling with my 88.  Finished up $400.

This AM did drop off $200, I went a bit far with 2nd pair and had to get out.  I also had to call off my top pair (aces) against 2-pair…I would not normally do that but all the money was in the pot and he just chucked in his last $60.  I went far with the hand because I had the nut flush draw on 4th.

So far, playing nitty works better at the 2/4.  I definitely say looser works at 1/2.  I’m concentrating on runny 2 x 2/4 tables in the background while I work and aiming for 15-18% of flops seen opposed to 25-28%.  I’m also folding the button unless I actually have some sort of hand, not just 2 random cards.  My focus is on pairs and making trips…but not for any pf raise unless more players enter to give me a better return on my money.

Stagnent….

Last session yesterday was horrendous…..I went down -$500 playing 1/2, but refocused and ended the session +$180.

This AM ran into a cooler….and played pretty well.  Finished -$69 for the session which is mild variance.

The balances for the last few sessions look like :

$6152

$6567

$6344

$6337

$6517

$6527

$6458

I guess I’m settling into a nice style of play – no aggression first in the table.  Once my tight image has been established I go from there.

Monday nite poker was a bit of a bummer…tried to get it raisey daisey the first pot.  Had to bail when I realised my hand was no good.  Got the rest of my chips (700) in with K2, primarily trying to get a rebuy, instead I won and x4 up.  From there hit a straight and got paid, and 2 pair and got paid.  Ross and D were happy to send their chips my way, my loose image works good when I hit the nuts.  7400 going into 2nd half.  Played it tight, tried aggression where it would work but Arthur is not a folder so it’s really difficult to push him off the pot, your hand  needs to hold up to 4th or the river.  He screws the game up.

Hopeful the big game on Sunday will go ahead – $300 buy in.  If 10 play, the prize will be $2000 but it’s more likely 6-7 will play.

Downswing…

Moving back to 1/2 was good…as I hit cooler and cooler.

KK, I raiser pf.  I call

Flop comes 2/9/5.

I bet pot.  He calls.

Turn K.

I slow play and check like the K hurt me.  I hope he puts me on QQ or less.

River A.

Great, I hope the Ace hit him.  All the money goes in, he shows 34clubs for a straight!!!!

Meanwhile I had AK and top pair in another hand and was so dumbfounded I ended up folding it by time lapse!

More coolers….then made $400 back next session.

Then $200 down next session.  Another cooler.  Bluffed at a pot only to make trip 2s by the river.  I knew a 7 could make him a straight but put him top pair or flush draw.  Instead, he had a 7 but had a flush draw to go with it which kept him for a bet.

Checked a nut flush on the turn to disguise…only for the board to pair on the river.  I wanted to check it down but he went all in….I had to call $125 to win $250…..so I called hoping he had top pair or a smaller flush.  Wrong, he had quads.

Another hand I was HU, Q3.  He raises…I figure he’s stealing and call.  I hit a Q…but think it’s so sick if he had a Q too, so I just called.  All the money went in on the river…I thought about it but had a gutshot to go with the Q…He indeed had me outkicked.  $200.

Next session got too aggressive and lost a few more $.  Ended that session -$200.

Got another cooler today.

33.

Flop 3/8/A.

He bets, I call.

Turn : A.

I hope he has an A.

All money goes in…he has A3…..Aaaaaargh!  $200
Also called too far with 2nd pair, I had a feeling it was a winner and it was a $125 looser.  That was a bad mistake.

I’ve decided to tighten my whole cards further.  Too many losing hands.

Also, I am bluffing less at the start of the session for small pots.  I need to fold a good 100 hands or so before my bluffing becomes respected.

I am still -$250 for this session I’m playing as I type this.  I guess I’m calling too many rivers with 2nd best hand, hoping the other player has bluffed or is weak.

I need to remain solid and not get tilty by calling pf raises.

Oh and I got toasted in the Irish Open again last night.  A terrible run of cards.  Every pot I hit and had to get out.

Meanwhile as I type this blog, I just called off my whole stack on a flush draw with gutshot straight draw.  I could also have hit a royal.  $200.  He had trip Kings….I called the flop bet then still needed to hit so raised, hoping he was a bit weak and his flop bet was continuation.  He went all in..$200 in, $100 more to call.  I had to call.

Cooler…cooler.cooler….

OK, first cooler.

PF raise.  I call.  HU

I have QQ

flop 65Q

He bets, re-raise etc. all in.  Turn a A.  I lose $400.

2nd cooler.

I have KQ…no pf raise.

Flop Q/10/6.

I bet the pot.

1 caller.

Turn : King

It gives two pair, Queens and Kings.  I bet, he moves all in.  I put him on a week Queen.  I call.  He has AJ for straight.  So he called a pot bet for a gutshot and hit.  $200.

Next I have trip 5s on the flop.  Flop has A so I check.

Turn brings a 2nd club.  I have to bet.  It also opens the door to a gutshot str.

1 caller.  OK, so I bet, he re-raises on the river.  No flush but possible gutshot.

I think…that’s too loose for a gutshot call and re-raise all in.

He has the straight…he had a flush draw too.  I put him on an Ace.

$400.  Should bet the trips from go.

Moving back to 1/2 now from 2/4.

The comeback…

Well, yesterday I sat in at 2 x 2/4 tables after my defeat session.

Stayed level headed and finished the session +$810 righting all my losses – and $60 profit.

Was bored for 5 minutes before dinner so sat in at a 6-man 10/20….waste of time, they raised every pot and I got out after spending $60.

I’m just not bank rolled for such tables.

So level for the day.  Whew!

This AM I sat in 3 x 2/4 and 1 x 1/2.  Grinded and grinded.  Made sure I was tight on the cards and did get good hole cards…and some good flops.  Had to call a big bet on 4th st when I had trips – and he prob.had the flush.  I knew I needed to get the board to pair, I did so and got paid by one of the better players.

High point of the session was +$1100, but I finished at +$700 exactly. 

Another good result.

Mon -$900 (5/10 capers…I’m not rolled for it)

Tue +$1016

Wed -$100

Thu – $0

Fri – +$700

Actually, I must have made some more money because my graph is telling me weekly total : $1178

I’ve played 3686 hands.  It takes roughly 6 hours per 1000…21 hours total.

I’m running at about $50 an hour.  Which is fine for some amateur dreaming of becoming semi-pro.

I hope things will improve more – now I’ve made the rule STAY AWAY FROM PAIRED BOARDS, I hope the huge monster losses won’t get me.

I still have big decisions to make – like today to call on a flush board with a pair of Jacks (overpair).  He had a lower pair.  But with the pf raising I was very worried about trips, flush and bigger pairs.

Got a split pot on AA vs AA also…bizarre.  Had KK vs KK the other day too.

Harder decision was pf raising with AK suited.  I bet the flop which came A/10/5 with two hearts.  I was dead to A10 or a flush draw or trip 10s obviously.

Next street made the flush possible.  I bet, he called.  By this point I had AAKK.

I had no option to check the river as an A or K did not come to give me a full boat, it was extremely dangerous.  I put him on trips at least, if not a flush.  I had to give it up.  Cost me $75 which was the upside of it all, a relatively small hit.

He promptly folded just about every other hand after that….I think I made a good laydown.

Today I did more checking on the river….no funny betting and more button folding….giving me ample option to steal without feeling like I was being viewed  as a stealer.

Let’s summarise the results from the past few weeks :

Week 1 +$5343 (5/10)
Week 2 -$1305 (5/10)
Week 3 +$2305 (2/4 and 1/2, some 5/10)
Week 4 +$201 (1/2 and 2/4)
Week 5 +$1178 (1/2, 2/4, 5/10)

I’m going to try to stick to 2/4 and some 1/2.  The results look good so far.  I will continue on my mission.

-$750 …. ugh

Well, this session was crap.  Last night I pulled back the losses to -$120 for Wednesday.

This AM I started with furor.  Maybe I bluffed a little too much at the start and soon got a cap on that.

My AA cracked on the river (all money went in) $120

My 88877 ran into kkk88…so sick full boat vs full boat. $200.

Soon I was down a chunk, -$700. 

Battled up, stole and played solid but aggressive when req.  Soon it leveled, dropped a little to -$200….then the omnious hand.  Decided to go with a flush draw….he bet the flop/turn and river.  Turns out he’d flopped a full boat – I had put him on trip 9s.  But he had 88899.  It was sooooo sick, most people check at least once with the boat.  From now on if the board pairs, I give up.  That cost me a chunk and I ended the session -$750.

Very disappointing, I’m even money for the last 3000 hands.

I will have losing days, but I played very well mostly.  The new rule is no flush chasing with paired boards.  He could have had quads too.

Surviving the variance…

Tue +$1016

Wed -$200

Overall for this week +$387

This AM sucked….I played for 2.5 hours and 530 hands only to make $1 profit.  Had a big hand (straight) that stood up to 2 all-in bets.  But then got a bit loose and tried to bluff when there were too many cards that would kill me…the player was one of these weirdos who try to trap constantly…therefore when they have top pair or set, they check the flush draw flop thinking they are clever.  This might be worth doing in a multi-way pot, but this strategy rests on the opponents not making their flush or bigger set or straight by the river.  Kinda like PL hold em which I think sucks.

Had some lunchtime poker at 1/2 – I don’t seem to do that good at lunchtime.  Anyway, was even for the session but ran into a cooler…had 10/10/7/7 …. other guy had trip 10s.  Ouch.  $200.  I had to pay it off.

Still, I rarely seem to go down too many buy ins….maybe 1 x $400 at worst (except).  I hope to keep a handle on this variance, although I saw a graph of someone who made $200K almost in 6 months online and he said he had a downswing of 10 buyins worst in his career, and around -5 buy ins visible on the graph.

My target hopefully for this week is $1000 profit.

Cash game winnings for the month are : $7379

Minus Irish Open ticket (still to play again) : $360

FTOPS – $330

FTOPS main event 1/2 ticket – $270

Various other tournaments – $100

Net profit for the month : $6479

Hours played : 40 (estimated)

Profit per hour : $161.79

I was doing fine until…

Well on Friday, I decided to get a bit loose(r) because I was going to the inlaws and would not be playing till Sunday or even Monday.

Mistake.

As a result I donked off $450….$200 I could have avoided by not going so deep on 2 hands.  Lesson learned.  Stick to the plan.  I was doing fine till then.

Came back on Sunday, and decided to play the Irish Open qualifier.  3 places got paid $8500 for the ticket etc to Irish Open in March 2008.  So I dropped my $360 in and played.  Very solid, caught KK and AA, getting paid too.  Then went card dead.  The final 4-15th got paid $360 so as my stack went down, I aimed more for this.  16th was the booby prize of $100.

Grinded and grinded….calculated….17 left.  Calculated that the short stacker on my table had 70 less chips than me and if we both folded, he’d be out and I’d still be ITM.  Then he tripled up…aaargh!  So, then I just folded like fury…..and whammo, two players went out and I made the money, $360.  Next hand I get AQ suited and have to move all in with on 3x blinds.  I get called by table chip leader, I spike both an A and Q but he hits trip 3s. Oh well, good result still, I get to play it next week.  Only 88 runners meant it finished in 4 hours which suits me.

Played some 5/10 outwith my bankroll – and got hammered for $900.  Ouch.  Called off a short stacker with pair of Kings and Jack kicker…what a mistake.  Only called because I had other options for runner-runner straight or flush.  Next hand I couldn’t get away from it and ended up calling off with top pair.  He hit his flush on 4th st and checked…I thought he’d missed and was hoping the board pairs…why else give a free card?  So I figured I was ahead and wasn’t.

Made back some money on Monday and this AM….then it swung down again…then back up.  I ended on a high and $7340 for the last 29 days profit at the cash tables.  Great result, I am happy. 

Meanwhile on Sunday night, Shugster finished midway in the FTOPS $2M gted.  I’d 1/2 the ticket for that with him.  He also donked off in the Monday night $1M gted too that I’d bought the tik for.

I’ve hit over 10,000 hands now, and $7340 profit is sweet, although if I was a moaner I’d say I wanted $10,000.  But that’s just numbers.  Also some of my profit has been at the 5/10, I’d say about $3000 in heater cards/flops. 

Only downside is it’s 15:35 and I haven’t done any work today….but I did make $1016 at the tables today.

Better get on with it (work).

Online roundup for this week…

Mon +$850

Tue AM +$150

Tue PM -$280 (played solid and tight but the cards didn’t go my way)

Wed AM +$530

This morning (Wed) I did run into a cooler.  Flop came fairly innocent, had AK.  1 caller, he bets the flop.  I figure it’s maybe a bluff so I check and decide to bet the turn.  Turn comes a K.  I bet the turn, he re-raises.  I figure he’s stealing, re-raise back, he re-raises.  I call.  River a blank.  He moves all in.  I call.  He shows trip 7s.

Still, I bulldozed and toasted a few, hit quite a lot of flops so I’m happy.