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I played the following hand with my good friend Brian (Watchdog26). It was interesting because I was simply trying to single up against the ultra short-stack and steal the blinds (and change) with a likely coin-flip-or-better situation. Unfortunately for me - or rather: eventually fortunately for me, Brian had a pretty significant hand and decided to call my raise pre-flop. I found myself in another possible implied collusion situation. However my pre-flop raise created a large side pot that offered lucrative odds if I could grab it from Brian. So I decided to bet out with my sixes and hope that Brian had a big Ace and decided to fold it. It all worked out well for me, as I would have lost the hand outright to the short-stack, but instead I collected a bigger side pot.
Full Tilt Poker Game #11868700621: The Poker Pod Home Game (85237044), Table 3 - 25/50 - No Limit Hold'em - 16:27:28 ET - 2009/04/25
Seat 2: xycroma_zone (525)
Seat 3: watchdog26 (1,575)
Seat 4: CgCook38 (1,850)
Seat 5: Jens73 (6,190)
Seat 6: Mothura (3,885)
Seat 7: HouCowboy (85)
Seat 8: given68 (1,560)
Seat 9: garden42 (845)
Jens73 posts the small blind of 25
Mothura posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CgCook38 [6s 6c]
Mothura: nh
CgCook38: nh
xycroma_zone: nh
HouCowboy raises to 85, and is all in
Jens73: ty
given68 folds
garden42 folds
Mothura: and I hade 3's
xycroma_zone folds
watchdog26 calls 85
xycroma_zone: should not have shoved
CgCook38 raises to 450
Jens73 folds
Mothura folds
watchdog26 calls 365
*** FLOP *** [3s 4h 8d]
watchdog26 checks
CgCook38 has 15 seconds left to act
CgCook38 bets 400
watchdog26 has 15 seconds left to act
watchdog26 folds
CgCook38 shows [6s 6c]
HouCowboy shows [Ts Qh]
Uncalled bet of 400 returned to CgCook38
*** TURN *** [3s 4h 8d] [Td]
*** RIVER *** [3s 4h 8d Td] [4d]
CgCook38 wins the side pot (730)
CgCook38 shows two pair, Sixes and Fours
HouCowboy shows two pair, Tens and Fours
HouCowboy wins the main pot (330) with two pair, Tens and Fours
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,060 Main pot 330. Side pot 730. | Rake 0
Board: [3s 4h 8d Td 4d]
Seat 2: xycroma_zone didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: watchdog26 folded on the Flop
Seat 4: CgCook38 (button) showed [6s 6c] and won (730) with two pair, Sixes and Fours
Seat 5: Jens73 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Mothura (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: HouCowboy showed [Ts Qh] and won (330) with two pair, Tens and Fours
Seat 8: given68 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: garden42 didn't bet (folded)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Giving and Taking
A response to a fellow Railbird's post about hitting top pair after raising pre-flop and betting every street only to be drowned by a river flush card:
I know it's been pounded into my head since I started playing that you can't give free cards.
However I think this is a place where you want to do just that. You only have a pair and you KNOW you won't get rid of a flush draw with any reasonable bet. So check. Then if the turn is safe, fire off the 2/3 pot bet, giving the player his 9 outs only once, thereby reducing his odds of winning by nearly half.
This is a helpful tactic in smallish buy-in loose-passive tournaments. Of course, you're basically losing chips by not betting on every street when you are ahead. But in a tournament you can only rarely win the thing with a single hand; you can always lose it.
I know it's been pounded into my head since I started playing that you can't give free cards.
However I think this is a place where you want to do just that. You only have a pair and you KNOW you won't get rid of a flush draw with any reasonable bet. So check. Then if the turn is safe, fire off the 2/3 pot bet, giving the player his 9 outs only once, thereby reducing his odds of winning by nearly half.
This is a helpful tactic in smallish buy-in loose-passive tournaments. Of course, you're basically losing chips by not betting on every street when you are ahead. But in a tournament you can only rarely win the thing with a single hand; you can always lose it.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Lee Jones' Winning Low Limit Hold'em
I wanted to take some weeks to review the poker books in my library. I will start at the beginning for me. My first read was Lee Jones’ Winning Low Limit Hold’em, published by ConJelCo. I own the third edition (2005). I borrowed the book from my dad originally. I am not sure if the version I have right now is that book or if it is the one I bought. If I recall, the pages were so torn up after I got through with it that I just bought my dad a new one.
The forward is written by Wil Wheaton, which is pretty damn cool (is that the word?). The book itself is written for a wide range of players; it is specifically not for those who have never played any version of poker, or those who have mastered the lower limits. This was a great fit for me, as I had played poker before (mostly Texas Hold’em or 5-card Draw), and I was extremely familiar with the mechanics of the game thanks to television coverage.
The book is divided into four main sections. Each section is followed by a helpful quiz on the knowledge provided. The first section is an overview of the game itself. Along with the basic structure of a typical limit game, it covers pot odds, implied odds, and how to read the board. Lee also covers what types of stereotypical tables you’ll encounter, and why it’s important to know how passive or aggressive the table is. Most importantly, Mr. Jones covers the most important basic considerations a player must take into account prior to playing each hand. Namely these include starting cards, position, the action before you, and other players that may enter the hand.
The next section is the meat of the reading. It is really two separate sections: pre-flop play and post-flop play, each of them containing their own quiz. It covers the most important considerations for pre-flop play – how to play your two starting cards in a variety of situations. Lee covers which hands play better with fewer players and which you can play against multiple opponents hoping for a monster return on your investment. He also keeps you out of trouble with trap hands and dominated hands.
Post-flop play is highlighted by Jones’ stressing of why position is so very important in Limit Hold’em. He talks about each street in detail. He shares the important concept of earning a “free card” by showing aggression from position on the flop. He also gives in depth coverage of why deception is usually not the preferred method of earning money at small limits.
Arguably the most helpful section for me was the book’s coverage of Internet tournaments and sit-and-go play. At the very least Lee provides my favorite part of the book in this section. Under a subtitle Calling a big bet on the flop with AK (no pair) there is simply the word “Don’t”.
The final section of the book also proved to be useful. It gives the standard four stereotypes that most poker players fall under. Jones also writes about which stereotype you should fall under. He also gives tips on playing in public cards rooms and on other topics.
Winning Low Limit Hold’em is undoubtedly the most profitable book I’ve ever read regarding poker. The reason is very simple – it breaks down the game into the most profitable approach towards players who don’t have a clue what they’re doing. Since I mostly play on the Internet at some very small stakes, these are the players I most often play against. When my game breaks down and I start to lose, I run back to this book to get back on track. I highly recommend it as a first book to someone starting a poker library.
The forward is written by Wil Wheaton, which is pretty damn cool (is that the word?). The book itself is written for a wide range of players; it is specifically not for those who have never played any version of poker, or those who have mastered the lower limits. This was a great fit for me, as I had played poker before (mostly Texas Hold’em or 5-card Draw), and I was extremely familiar with the mechanics of the game thanks to television coverage.
The book is divided into four main sections. Each section is followed by a helpful quiz on the knowledge provided. The first section is an overview of the game itself. Along with the basic structure of a typical limit game, it covers pot odds, implied odds, and how to read the board. Lee also covers what types of stereotypical tables you’ll encounter, and why it’s important to know how passive or aggressive the table is. Most importantly, Mr. Jones covers the most important basic considerations a player must take into account prior to playing each hand. Namely these include starting cards, position, the action before you, and other players that may enter the hand.
The next section is the meat of the reading. It is really two separate sections: pre-flop play and post-flop play, each of them containing their own quiz. It covers the most important considerations for pre-flop play – how to play your two starting cards in a variety of situations. Lee covers which hands play better with fewer players and which you can play against multiple opponents hoping for a monster return on your investment. He also keeps you out of trouble with trap hands and dominated hands.
Post-flop play is highlighted by Jones’ stressing of why position is so very important in Limit Hold’em. He talks about each street in detail. He shares the important concept of earning a “free card” by showing aggression from position on the flop. He also gives in depth coverage of why deception is usually not the preferred method of earning money at small limits.
Arguably the most helpful section for me was the book’s coverage of Internet tournaments and sit-and-go play. At the very least Lee provides my favorite part of the book in this section. Under a subtitle Calling a big bet on the flop with AK (no pair) there is simply the word “Don’t”.
The final section of the book also proved to be useful. It gives the standard four stereotypes that most poker players fall under. Jones also writes about which stereotype you should fall under. He also gives tips on playing in public cards rooms and on other topics.
Winning Low Limit Hold’em is undoubtedly the most profitable book I’ve ever read regarding poker. The reason is very simple – it breaks down the game into the most profitable approach towards players who don’t have a clue what they’re doing. Since I mostly play on the Internet at some very small stakes, these are the players I most often play against. When my game breaks down and I start to lose, I run back to this book to get back on track. I highly recommend it as a first book to someone starting a poker library.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Poker Burnout and the Long Recovery
So how did I let myself get burnt out on a game I can’t stand to not think about? What happened to take me so far out of the loop for so long? Well, I’m always one to think that there’s nothing better to drive you away from the felts than a good losing streak, and that’s what I hit. During my trip out to Arizona for Billy’s service I treated my bankroll like I was on vacation. And my bankroll suffered like it was spending money.
Next, I may have played a bit too much in January. This was because of an excess of success and time. I was laid up from surgery and had a lot of unexpected time on the couch from it. I was playing so much during the days because I simply could not do anything else but TV, books, and/or poker.
Finally, I was an emotional wreck from the end of January through – alright, let’s be honest – I’m an emotional wreck most of the time. However, poker proved to be much more than I could handle for the last month or so. My approach to the game has improved though; as I play more games to get back into the swing I realize that I’m handling the ups-and-downs much better.
In the meantime Danny Saiz hooked me up with a great banner and background for the blog. So thanks Danny. And while I’ve lost perhaps my favorite regular reader in Billy, I know I’ve picked up a couple more along the way. And hopefully I’ve started back up quick enough not to lose them as well.
Next, I may have played a bit too much in January. This was because of an excess of success and time. I was laid up from surgery and had a lot of unexpected time on the couch from it. I was playing so much during the days because I simply could not do anything else but TV, books, and/or poker.
Finally, I was an emotional wreck from the end of January through – alright, let’s be honest – I’m an emotional wreck most of the time. However, poker proved to be much more than I could handle for the last month or so. My approach to the game has improved though; as I play more games to get back into the swing I realize that I’m handling the ups-and-downs much better.
In the meantime Danny Saiz hooked me up with a great banner and background for the blog. So thanks Danny. And while I’ve lost perhaps my favorite regular reader in Billy, I know I’ve picked up a couple more along the way. And hopefully I’ve started back up quick enough not to lose them as well.
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