What would you do? #129 - Holding an overpair facing 2 barrel from very good regular

Another one against SH.RO.MI.  I hate playing against "the nuts."  Although he's not scary good, he's a VERY solid, winning regular.  He's probably the most solid regular in the 50NL Full Tilt game.  It just pisses me off getting mixed up in a hand against him.

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP2: $90.75
Hero (CO): $63.00
BTN: $52.10
SB: $30.40
BB: $59.00
UTG: $60.90 - 15 / 12 / 36% steal  / 3.1% 3bet / 2.7 Aggression Factor @ 2.4K hands -
UTG+1: $47.00
MP1: $155.95

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is CO with Jh Jd
UTG raises to $1.75, 3 folds, Hero calls $1.75, 1 fold, SB calls $1.50, 1 fold
His positional raises are more heavily weighted towards late position, as would be common with most positionally aware players...  Anyone 3betting here?

Flop: ($5.75) 8s 4h 2c (3 players)
SB checks, UTG bets $3.50, Hero calls $3.50, SB folds

Turn: ($12.75) 3s (2 players)
UTG bets $8, Hero requests TIME, Hero ???


Click to see results

Hero folds
I feel like SH.RO.MI is not barreling for 2+ streets of value without something good to very good to the nuts.  His game is usually to fire a cbet with an AK hand (never raising AQ from EP), and check / fold later streets unless he hits.  Therefore, I have to give him credit for a hand here.  Either he's running a bluff (rare) or has me; What hands do I beat that he can be going for 2+ streets?  99-TT.  Otherwise, he's got me crushed with QQ-AA, so this is a 60/40 decision.  I'm giving him credit for the top end rather than the bottom.

Final Pot: $12.75
UTG wins $12.15
(Rake: $0.60)

Session summary - getting value on the turn and river

I'm not normally one to write about session summaries from prior nights, but I had a very frustrating night which I'd like to get out and onto [virtual] paper.  I will immediately point out that results-wise, it was not a disappointment, as I ended up +1 buy-in, which has been the pattern for most of this past few days.  However, I felt like this session should have been a +3 or +4 buy-in session, though at points, I was down 1-1.5 buy-ins.  It sucked.

Basically, I played perfect poker...  I *HARDLY EVER* play "perfect" poker.  Helping my perfect poker was the fact that I was hitting every flop that I needed to hit.  However, the perfect part of my play was the fact that I was getting value out of each hand.  The reality is that I'm starting to put a lot more importance on bet sizing on the turn and river.  I  realized that I miss a lot of value by showing down very few of my hands, which means that too many opponents are folding to my turn or river bets.

I am a consistently losing player at showdown - and I mean a HUGE losing player at showdown.  If you look at my graph, my non-showdown winnings and showdown winnings are polar opposites (fortunately, my non-showdown winnings is MUCH larger than showdown winnings losses).  Regardless, I think my opponents are folding to those turn / river bets far too often, because I'm not giving my opponents enough credit for being thinking players.  In other words, I'm betting too much on a lot of their top pair -type hands that I would like them to be able to showdown (and get value from) when I have them beat.

It's one thing to be a level 2 or 3 or whatever player.  It's a whole other thing to apply the concept.  At this point in my poker career, I'm a pretty decent hand reader - I can usually understand what my opponent's thought process is, understand what he's trying to represent, and can understand what my moves represent to him.  However, what I haven't been doing is giving my opponent enough credit for being able to do some semblance of the same to me.  Therefore, in the past, I've been just whacking him over the head with HUGE turn / river bets, where, while a donkey may call them, my "intelligent player" can't possibly call them (and I wouldn't call them if the situation was reversed).  As a result, I'm hardly getting to showdown with my monster hands (though when I do, I'm certainly stacking my opponent).

I spent last night focusing on getting value at the turn / river (instead of folds).  I was completely successful, and though there were a few spots where I could have gotten more value (I read my opponent's hand for weaker than it actually was), I got to showdown a lot more, and as a result, was able to extract profit which I would have otherwise missed.

Coming back around to the opening paragraph - this session was an overall disappointment, though.  Results-wise, it seemed as though whenever I would get my money all in (I don't think I ever sucked out and I certainly missed my [flush, straight, etc.] draws) my hands would not hold up.  It was a game of get my money in as 70/30, 80/20 / even 90/10 favorite and watch it get shipped to my opponent.

Without question, it was frustrating, though I didn't really tilt.  I actually really goofed up a hand where I got all in with AK vs. AA - a hand where my villain had clearly repped AA (it was a new player in the same spot as a prior donkey player who would make this same move with ATC and I didn't realize it was a new player).  On another table, I was able to get my stack up to 300 BBs, with position over 2 different 225+ BB stacks (one was immediately behind me and the other was 3 behind me).  It was frustrating that they would not bite on big bets to commit their stacks and let me double through; they were well aware of their stack sizes :-(.

Finally, on the last table I will talk about, there was a 73/2 player who was just KILLING me.  He was one of those play every hand no matter the price, and then proceed to hit each flop.  It was pretty easy to determine whether he had a hand - and the type of hand he had (he was a 0.4 aggression factor, meaning he would fold to cbets when he missed, and check / call down all pairs otherwise), but as soon as I would go for serious value (I'd have a good hand vs. his marginal range), he'd flop a monster hand or turn / river a better hand than I.  It was frustrating having to go back to the drawing board each time.  I had position on him (he was immediately to my right), and every time he'd limp, I'd iso raise with the intention of cbetting and taking it away on the flop.  It's frustrating whittling away a guy's stack at 5BB per hand, particularly when you have him down to 40BBs, holding a monster hand and he backs his Q5o hand into trip 5's, getting schooled by a donkey, to set him back to 80BBs.

All in all, I need to constantly tell myself to have patience - usually checking my TPTK on the flop with the mindset that no one is calling my bet without having a pair... since I hold TP, it reduces the likelihood that they too hold TP...  make them feel comfortable with their second pair, or pocket pair, or whatever.  Then value town them on the turn / river with small, whittling bets.  I'm moving away from a bet bet bet bet bet game (until they fold), into a check / bet / bet or bet / check / bet game.  I can see the theoretical profit due to the confusing play; I just need to realize it.

Nothing better than the smell of a good bluff in the morning...

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $50.00 - 18 / 17 / 49% steal / 7.1% 3bet / 6.3 Aggression Factor @ 354 hands
Hero (BB): $50.75
UTG: $50.00
UTG+1: $52.55
UTG+2: $33.20
MP1: $54.20 - 35 / 22 / 50% steal / 12.5% 3bet @ 23 hands
MP2: $50.00
CO: $32.75
BTN: $27.70

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with 7s 7c
3 folds, MP1 calls $0.50, 2 folds, BTN calls $0.50, SB raises to $3, Hero calls $2.50, MP1 calls $2.50, 1 fold
With full stacks, and from MP1 has shown (assume that he'll come along, which he does), I'm getting a pretty decent price to set mine.

Flop: ($9.50) Jc Td 4s (3 players)
SB requests TIME, SB bets $6.50, Hero calls $6.50, MP1 folds
I would be *VERY* surprised to see SB raising, out of position, with AJ, AT.  At this point, I believe his range to be weighted towards AK, AQ, QQ-AA.  

Turn: ($22.50) Jh (2 players)
SB requests TIME, SB checks, Hero bets $11, SB calls $11
Great card.  I just turned my hand into a bluff, repping turned trips... in the event that my pocket pair is no good.

River: ($44.50) Ts (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $29.50, SB folds
What else can I do but shove here?  I want to exert maximum pressure on him to fold, and the less I bet than all in gives him more of a chance of calling.

I love successful bluffs.

Final Pot: $44.50
Hero wins $42.30
(Rake: $2.20)

Funny stuff - donkeys going nuts!

Sitting across from me was this Greek fellow who just went wild when the following hand occurred (keep in mind that he's a 38/24 with a reckless 3bet, steal, etc.):

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 7 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

CO: $50.00
BTN: $103.85
Hero (SB): $53.85
BB: $22.35
UTG: $55.70 <-- DONK
UTG+1: $43.95
MP: $50.75

CO posts a big blind ($0.50)

Pre Flop: ($1.25) Hero is SB with 9d 8c
UTG raises to $1.50, 4 folds, Hero raises to $5.50, 1 fold, UTG calls $4
I 3bet, he flats.  He's raising far and wide all day.  Don't know what he's thinking, but okay...

Flop: ($12.00) 6s 8s 8h (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $12.75, Hero raises to $30, UTG raises to $50.20 all in, Hero calls $18.35 all in
Nice!  Unless you have 6's full, I'm in pretty good shape here, and I'm going to town with this one...

Turn: ($108.70) 2c (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($108.70) 9h (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $108.70
Hero shows 9d 8c (a full house, Eights full of Nines)
UTG shows Qs Qc (two pair, Queens and Eights)
Hero wins $105.70
(Rake: $3.00)

So then he proceeds to go absolutely nuts in the chat box:
Donkey: FAKIN FISHJ
Donkey: !%#&&@$
Donkey: STUPID MOTHER FAKER
Donkey: FAK U AND UR WHOLE FAMILY
Donkey: STUPID DONKEY
ThePokerMeister: ME? (I can't resist the urge sometimes...)
Donkey: BI T CH
ThePokerMeister: LOL
ThePokerMeister: TNX
Donkey: GO FAK URSELF FAKIN IDIOT
ThePokerMeister: i will try
Donkey: A SS HOLE
ThePokerMeister: but too many ribs in the way (It's true, I've tried it...)
ThePokerMeister: buy back in tho
ThePokerMeister: i'll try to F u
ThePokerMeister: again
Donkey: U RE THE MOST STUPID MOTHER FAKER EVER
Donkey: A S SHOLE
ThePokerMeister: try to get ur money back
Donkey: I WILL FAK U
Donkey: =STUPID DONKEYS EVERYWHERE
ThePokerMeister: glad u came to ur senses (he buys back in)
Donkey: I WILL FAK U MOTHER FAKIN IDIOT
ThePokerMeister: my mother?
Donkey: NO U
Donkey: U STUPID CLOWN
ThePokerMeister: how u gonna do that?
Donkey: U RE PROPABLY JERKIN OFF ALL THE TIME
Donkey: A S S HOLE
ThePokerMeister: through the internet?
Donkey: YEAH I LL PUT MY D CK IN THE WIRE
ThePokerMeister: sometimes i do that (Never; this is a lie)
Donkey: FAKIN DONK
ThePokerMeister: fakin donk?
Donkey: YES FAKIN DONK
Donkey: FAKIN FISHHH
ThePokerMeister: faking donk?
Donkey: 89
ThePokerMeister: i'm not a real donk?
Donkey: U RE THE DEFINITION OF DONK
Donkey: A S S HOLE
ThePokerMeister: it's true
Donkey: CLASSIC STUPID AMERICAN FISH
ThePokerMeister: true
Donkey: U RE PROPABLY EATIN ONLY MC DONALDS (???)
Donkey: DONKEY
ThePokerMeister: stacked u tho
Donkey: THATS WHY U HAVE NO FAKIN BRAIN
ThePokerMeister: didnt i?
Donkey: LOLOLOLOLOL
Donkey: ARE THAT KIND OF STUPID???
Donkey: 89???
Donkey: ??
ThePokerMeister: overplay much?
Donkey: GO READ A FAKIN BOOK STUPID MOTHER FAKER
ThePokerMeister: -35 mean anything to u?
Donkey: WHAT IS THAT??
ThePokerMeister: ur lifetime losses (I probably shouldn't go there, but again, I can't resist)
Donkey: LOL
Donkey: U RE SO FAKIN STUPID
Donkey: I M 10 GRAND UP STUPID AS S (And I'm the president of the United States)
ThePokerMeister: best thing is that u just simply gave me ur stack
ThePokerMeister: it wasnt even a challenge betting it outta u
ThePokerMeister: drawing to 2 outs
ThePokerMeister: next time at least make it a bit of a challenge
Donkey: I LL GET IT BACK SOON STUPID FAK
ThePokerMeister: what is a "FAK" (Unfortunately, I can't egg him into explaining...)
Donkey: IN THE MEANTIME GO READ A BOOK OR STH FAKIN GAMBLER (HUH?)
ThePokerMeister: LOL
Donkey: U RE A DONK
ThePokerMeister: a donk and a scholar
ThePokerMeister: so what is a "FAK"?

Culminating in his final hand, where I can't resist:
Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $50.75
SB: $89.10
Hero (BB): $103.40 <-- FAKIN DONK(?)
UTG: $17.50
UTG+1: $17.10
UTG+2: $50.00
MP1: $53.50 <-- DONK
MP2: $75.55
CO: $52.55

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with 9d 9c
3 folds, MP1 raises to $3.50, 4 folds, Hero calls $3

Flop: ($7.25) Td 3s Th (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks

Turn: ($7.25) 7h (2 players)
Hero bets $4.50, MP1 calls $4.50

River: ($16.25) 5c (2 players)
Hero bets $8, MP1 calls $8

Final Pot: $32.25
Hero shows 9d 9c (two pair, Tens and Nines)
MP1 mucks Qs Ad
Hero wins $30.65
(Rake: $1.60)

ThePokerMeister: Oops!

I know Waffles isn't from Greece, but is this his twin?

What would you do? #128 - Four flush, facing decent river "value" bet

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $51.20
UTG+2: $62.75
MP1: $74.25 - 27/16 / 0% steal / 5% 3bet / 1.3 AF / 105 hands
MP2: $47.00
CO: $31.00
BTN: $30.20
SB: $19.50
Hero (BB): $53.10
UTG: $42.20

CO posts a big blind ($0.50)

Pre Flop: ($1.25) Hero is BB with 2d Jd
3 folds, MP1 raises to $1.50, 2 folds, BTN calls $1.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $1
Probably should have not made this call, but go with it for the time being...

Flop: ($5.25) Tc 4c 2h (3 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks, BTN bets $1, Hero raises to $4.50, MP1 calls $4.50, BTN folds

Turn: ($15.25) Jc (2 players)
Hero bets $5.75, MP1 calls $5.75

River: ($26.75) 6c (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $9, Hero ???
Keep in mind he's laying me 3:1 on the river call here.


Click to see results

Is this ever a money-making play to call?  Clearly, given the results, I could have raised him off his hand possibly, but I imagine if I lead, I'm going to have to lead with what amounts to an all-in - and even then, is the typical player who turned a 3 flush laying down his counterfeited 4 flush?

I just couldn't resist calling $9 into $27... 

Hero calls $9

Final Pot: $44.75
MP1 shows 7c 8c (a flush, Jack high)
Hero mucks 2d Jd
MP1 wins $42.55
(Rake: $2.20)

Quote of the night

Stealing a segment from Poker Grump.  Spoken during PokerStar's The Big Game week 1, episode 3 by Tony G in reference to filling up with 54o against Phil Hellmuth's top pair where Phil flopped top vs. Tony's bottom:

"Everyone's a winner Phil, everyone.  All of us are here; all of us are winners out of life." ... "You're [Phil] a brilliant person, you've done great.  But not... cash games are not your forte [chuckles...] it's not your fault."

LOL.  Tony G is a very funny guy.  Phil Hellmuth is always at the butt of everyone's jokes.  Poor Phil.

Squeeze!

2nd hand in; this seems like a prime opportunity to 3bet squeeze.  (No real reads.)

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (SB): $50.00
BB: $50.00
UTG: $50.00
UTG+1: $147.50
UTG+2: $25.70
MP1: $35.80
MP2: $50.00
CO: $51.65
BTN: $111.95

MP1 posts a big blind ($0.50)

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is SB with Kh 8h
2 folds, UTG+2 raises to $2, MP1 calls $1.50, 3 folds, Hero raises to $7.50, 3 folds

Final Pot: $6.75
Hero wins $6.75

Crappy - quads over boat :-(

Was running better until this.  Is anyone ever not going broke here?

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (BB): $70.65
UTG: $50.00
UTG+1: $82.65
UTG+2: $57.35 - 67 / 0 @ 42 hands
MP1: $32.25
MP2: $42.55
CO: $55.10
BTN: $65.25
SB: $23.45

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with 7c 7d
2 folds, UTG+2 calls $0.50, 2 folds, CO calls $0.50, 2 folds, Hero raises to $3.50, UTG+2 calls $3, 1 fold

Flop: ($7.75) 6d 7h 8h (2 players)
Hero bets $5, UTG+2 calls $5

Turn: ($17.75) 8c (2 players)
Hero bets $12, UTG+2 calls $12
Lovely, right?

River: ($41.75) Ts (2 players)
Hero bets $37, UTG+2 calls $36.85 all in
Either he's got a straight or he doesn't.  Either way, I'm trying to get it all in.

Final Pot: $115.45
Hero shows 7c 7d (a full house, Sevens full of Eights)
UTG+2 shows 8s 8d (four of a kind, Eights) - DOH! 
UTG+2 wins $112.45
(Rake: $3.00)

What would you do? #127 - Missed value?

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $50.00
SB: $50.00
BB: $58.35 - 36 / 15 / 33% steal / 4.7 aggression factor @ 33 hands
UTG: $35.40
UTG+1: $50.00 - 13 / 12 / 27% steal / 8.6% 3bet / inf aggression factor @ 116 hands
MP1: $129.85
Hero (MP2): $59.90
CO: $50.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is MP2 with 2h 2c
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $1.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.50, 3 folds, BB calls $1
Clearly a set mining opportunity.  UTG+1 is a fairly nitty player though.  Highly aggressive in flop+ play though.

Flop: ($4.75) 2s Kc 4s (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets $3.50, Hero calls $3.50, BB folds

Turn: ($11.75) Jc (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $11, Hero calls $11

River: ($33.75) Ts (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $11, Hero calls $11

Final Pot: $55.75
UTG+1 shows Jh Kh (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
Hero shows 2h 2c (three of a kind, Twos)
Hero wins $53.00
(Rake: $2.75)
Clearly, I missed a *TON* of value.  However, am I becoming too conservative to check / call this down?  That Ts is just crappy - it completes a TON of straights and flushes, but I'm most concerned about a flopped / turned or rivered set.  What point should I be raising in this hand?  Given the results, I obviously could have gotten it all in on the turn, but the question is: with the lowest set possible, should I be pushing here?

What would you do?#126 - Lots of PF action facing flop half-stack shove

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $50.25
BB: $50.00
UTG: $67.35 - 32 / 14 / 0% 3bet / 4.3 aggression factor @ 28 hands
UTG+1: $29.00 - 33 / 4 / 0% 3bet / 2.3 aggression factor @ 28 hands
MP1: $50.00
MP2: $135.85 - *VERY* well known WINNING (SH.RO.MI) reg; 15 / 12 / 35% steal / 2.5 aggression factor / 2.8% 3bet @ 1.5k hands (recently... much more hands on him though in history)
Hero (CO): $53.55
BTN: $50.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is CO with Kh Ac
UTG raises to $1.50, UTG+1 calls $1.50, 1 fold, MP2 raises to $6, Hero calls $6, 3 folds, UTG calls $4.50, UTG+1 calls $4.50

Flop: ($24.75) Kd 9d 2s (4 players)
UTG bets $3, UTG+1 raises to $23 all in, MP2 folds, Hero ???


Click to see results

I'm not so fearful of UTG+1's bet, though I'm pissed off that he simply shoved here rather than play it out a little (we missed a bunch of value, but I guess given the pot size...). I'm most concerned about MP2's 3bet, PF. Given that he folds, I can't see UTG's $3 lead as signaling tremendous strength... in fact I don't know what he's really doing by leading $3 into $25. I'm offered 2:1 on the call here, and I think I'm good more than 1 in 3 to be profitable to make this call. 28 hands on either villain is not nearly enough hands to make a judgment better than that.

Hero calls $23, UTG folds

Turn: ($73.75) 2h (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($73.75) 9h (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $73.75
UTG+1 shows As Kc (two pair, Kings and Nines)
Hero shows Kh Ac (two pair, Kings and Nines)
UTG+1 wins $35.40
Hero wins $35.35
(Rake: $3.00)

What would you do?#125 - facing turn check / raise with TPTK

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP2: $40.00
Hero (CO): $50.50
BTN: $52.75
SB: $108.55
BB: $17.50
UTG: $72.85
UTG+1: $49.25
UTG+2: $33.30
MP1: $58.25 - 29 / 7 / 1.5 aggression factor @ 14 hands

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is CO with Ac Qh
3 folds, MP1 raises to $1.75, 1 fold, Hero requests TIME, Hero calls $1.75, 1 fold, SB calls $1.50, 1 fold

Flop: ($5.75) 6c 2h 5s (3 players)
SB checks, MP1 bets $2.55, Hero calls $2.55, SB calls $2.55

Turn: ($13.40) Qs (3 players)
SB checks, MP1 checks, Hero bets $7, SB calls $7, MP1 raises to $30, Hero requests TIME, Hero ???

Great that I sucked out for TPTK, but now what?


Click to see results

Hero folds, SB requests TIME
I think I'm going to get responses polarized on both ends: You shouldn't have called that in the first place PF, or this is too nitty of a fold. I just don't want stacks in the middle with TPTK. For those saying "check behind," why are you saying that? Are you expecting a check / raise here, given the "weak" half pot flop bet? Do you not want additional money in now that you're supposedly "ahead?"

Final Pot: $34.40

What would you do? #124 - Facing river shove / raise

Sorry; this is somewhat of a weak WWYD, but it's at least a little interesting...

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $50.00 - 26 / 11 / 50% steal / 0% 3bet @ 19 hands
SB: $51.70
BB: $43.70
UTG: $52.25
UTG+1: $98.35
UTG+2: $77.75
Hero (MP1): $54.30
MP2: $53.15
CO: $50.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is MP1 with 6h 8h
3 folds, Hero raises to $1.75, 2 folds, BTN calls $1.75, 2 folds

Flop: ($4.25) 5c Qs 6c (2 players)
Hero bets $2.75, BTN calls $2.75
Semi-bluff; middle pair and backdoor straight draw.  Not too happy with the call.

Turn: ($9.75) 4d (2 players)
Hero bets $6.75, BTN calls $6.75
In retrospect, I'm really not comfortable with this bet.  I want to push him off of the hand, but I don't think I'm representing anything credible here.  Just an odd spot.

River: ($23.25) 7h (2 players)
Hero bets $18, BTN raises to $38.75 all in, Hero calls $20.75
But I'm bailed out by the river.  This is a clear call, right?  Anyone laying down a $20 raise here?

Final Pot: $100.75
BTN shows 3d 3h (a straight, Seven high) - He had the same nasty intentions as I; he held on til he rivered his backdoor straight.  He didn't expect me to show up with an 8 though, from an MP raise...
Hero shows 6h 8h (a straight, Eight high)
Hero wins $97.75
(Rake: $3.00)

What would you do? #123 - Facing a river "shove" from slow-played KK

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP2: $19.95
CO: $14.50
BTN: $18.25
SB: $35.85 - 18 / 9 / 15% steal / 0% 3bet / 2.8 aggression factor
BB: $82.85
Hero (UTG): $101.90
UTG+1: $57.65
MP1: $67.35

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is UTG with Kc Kd
Hero calls $0.50, 4 folds, BTN calls $0.50, SB calls $0.25, BB checks
Mixing it up a bit.

Flop: ($2.00) 2h 7d 2c (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $1.50, BTN folds, SB calls $1.50, BB folds

Turn: ($5.00) Tc (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $3.25, SB raises to $8, Hero calls $4.75
A bit of an alarm going off here...

River: ($21.00) 6h (2 players)
SB bets $21, Hero ???


Click to see results

Hero folds
I have to fold this, right?  I think this player is bound to show up with trips, given his pot sized river bet.  He's played it coyly the whole way through and wants [mostly] stacks in on the river.  Ahhh... the joys of slow playing!

Final Pot: $21.00
SB wins $19.95
(Rake: $1.05)

The Poker Meister#67 - Turning the flush and getting value

I know things are coming around for me when J9s starts working again.  I'm not able to get stacks in, but I'm pretty close...

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 7 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $54.55
SB: $51.60
Hero (BB): $83.10
UTG: $50.00
UTG+1: $54.95
MP: $52.35
CO: $50.10 - 20 / 4 / 19% steal / 1.5 aggression factor / 224 hands

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with Jd 9d
3 folds, CO raises to $1.50, 2 folds, Hero calls $1
Pretty passive player, with low steal, but I hate letting a J9s hand go to waste...

Flop: ($3.25) Td 9h Kd (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1, Hero raises to $4, CO calls $3
A pair + flush draw; let's go!

Turn: ($11.25) 7d (2 players)
Hero bets $6, CO calls $6
Nice!  I'm not happy with my bet sizing, though.  I think I could have bet $8 and had the same effect.

River: ($23.25) 5c (2 players)
Hero bets $18, CO calls $18
Nice value on the river though.

Final Pot: $59.25
Hero shows Jd 9d (a flush, King high)
CO mucks Th Ts - Very passive for a flopped set...  Is he afraid of QJ?  If he is, then why call the $18 on the end?
Hero wins $56.30
(Rake: $2.95)

What would you do? #122 - Facing turn stack-committing 3bet

Today's WWYD is for Matt Tag, over at Holdem Notebook.  We were discussing sniffing out sets and the like, and when to fold TPTK or better.

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (MP2): $53.65
CO: $49.75
BTN: $79.35
SB: $75.30
BB: $55.00
UTG: $20.45
UTG+1: $48.25 - 17/5/ 5% steal / 3.9% 3bet / 1.9 AF @ 635 hands
UTG+2: $50.00
MP1: $84.20

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is MP2 with Kc Tc
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.50, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.50, 3 folds, BB checks

Flop: ($1.75) 9s Kh 8h (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets $1.50, Hero calls $1.50, BB folds
TP, okay kicker.  I don't want to get a lot of money into the pot here; I'm hoping for a cheap showdown.

Turn: ($4.75) Kd (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $4, Hero raises to $12, UTG+1 raises to $26.75, Hero ???


Click to see results

Hero folds
I think I change my thinking from wanting to get to a cheap showdown to putting a lot of money in the pot, which is probably a mistake.  The third King cuts down the likelihood that he has the case King, but he still presses.  Either UTG+1 has a better King, OR UTG+1 hit a set of 8's or 9's.  Either way, I believe I'm beat...  he certainly thinks he has me beat.

I guess what I question here is what a 17 / 5 is limping with?  Certainly 8's and 9's are within his range, as are stronger Kings, such as KQ, KJ.  I think I'm done with the hand.

Final Pot: $28.75
UTG+1 wins $27.35
(Rake: $1.40)

Finally! A few big hands to get things rolling!!!

It's about time!  I had such a good run Friday night - 8 buy ins!  Here are two monster pots that I had the benefit of being on the right side (for once in a LONG time):

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+2: $50.75
MP1: $57.40
MP2: $17.50
CO: $17.00
BTN: $52.30
SB: $56.90
BB: $145.10 - 27 / 23 / 64% steal / 7.7% 3bet / 145 hands
Hero (UTG): $135.35
UTG+1: $48.25

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is UTG with 4s 4d
Hero raises to $1.75, 7 folds, BB raises to $5, Hero calls $3.25
This guy has been 3 betting wide and shoving just as wide.  However, I'm not prepared to get stacks on the line with nearly 300 BBs - I feel this way even with AA, though I would be more inclined to re-pop it to $20 in this spot with AA.  However, I'm getting HUGE implied odds to set mine.

Flop: ($10.25) 3s 6d 5c (2 players)
BB bets $7, Hero calls $7
If I'm not going to flop a set, this is as good of a flop as can possibly be.  Open-ended, and regardless, I may very well be ahead.

Turn: ($24.25) 2s (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $15, BB calls $15
Bingo, but is he check / calling down now?

River: ($54.25) 8c (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $108.35 all in, BB requests TIME, BB calls $108.35
Clearly, I'm not going to be able to get it all in with a pot sized bet.  Why not try for overbet for value?  This guy is either calling or not, despite my bet.  This bet is HUGE and I realize that, but I think I show up with a lot more JJ, QQ type hands than sets in this spot, to a non-thinking player such as this.  I realize that he is not a fully aware player, and is willing to go to the mat with overpairs, but he just can't bring himself to release his hand.

Final Pot: $270.95
BB mucks Kc Ks
Hero shows 4s 4d (a straight, Six high)



Hero wins $267.95
(Rake: $3.00)



Same player, later in the night, at a different table:

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 7 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (CO): $80.95
BTN: $38.20
SB: $16.45
BB: $67.00
UTG: $50.00
UTG+1: $111.45
MP: $50.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is CO with 8d 8h
2 folds, MP requests TIME, MP raises to $1.50, Hero raises to $5, 3 folds, MP calls $3.50
Again, same propensity for going broke with hands, but raising wide, so I 3 bet in position

Flop: ($10.75) 8s 6c 9s (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $8, MP calls $8
Not the world's best flop, but pretty decent since I hit my set.

Turn: ($26.75) Jc (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $20, MP calls $20
And it keeps getting scarier.  At this point, I again put him on an overpair which he just can't rid of...

River: ($66.75) 5s (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $17, MP calls $17 all in
I think this is a pretty thin value bet; perhaps a check through is the better option, but I just can't put him on a spade draw where he checks the river on his made flush.  Moreover, I can't put him on a 7x hand where he checked his made straight.  Therefore, I go for stackage and it turns out to be correct.

Final Pot: $100.75
Hero shows 8d 8h (three of a kind, Eights)
MP mucks Tc Ts
Hero wins $97.75
(Rake: $3.00)

And finally, here's another hand, where I'm just dumbfounded by his calling off of 200BBs...  Just, WOW!

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 7 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $52.25
BB: $99.10
UTG: $52.95
UTG+1: $95.30
MP: $50.75
Hero (CO): $140.70
BTN: $54.45

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is CO with 6s 6h
3 folds, Hero raises to $1.75, 2 folds, BB raises to $5.75, Hero calls $4
Again, decent odds to set mine.

Flop: ($11.75) Qc 4h 6c (2 players)
BB bets $6.75, Hero raises to $18, BB raises to $55, Hero raises to $134.95 all in, BB calls $38.35 all in
He's signaled to me that he's happy with his hand.  Such a dry board, if he has a set of Queens, so be it, but I'm willing to go broke here.

Turn: ($198.45) Js (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($198.45) Qd (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $198.45
BB shows Qh Ac (three of a kind, Queens) - TPTK stack off for 200 BBs...  Nice...
Hero shows 6s 6h (a full house, Sixes full of Queens)
Hero wins $195.45
(Rake: $3.00)

Live poker recap

I was invited to a last minute home game last night.  The stakes were a bit different from our normal home game, which suited me fine - I've been trying to up the stakes for a long time.  We wound up playing $.50 / $1.00 NLHE, with $60 buy ins.  The host, of whom I've written before, is a complete maniac.  He plays on sheer force, overbetting pot at times, simply pushing people around and out of pots - particularly when he has a large stack.  This maniac has no concept of level 2 thinking or above; he simply goes on how his opponents are reacting to his bets.  He is positionally aware, though, making for easy limps and easy folds, realizing that he is raising ATC on the button or CO, but calling behind when out of position.  He has demonstrated a knack for playing all cards from all positions - raised or limped, and relying on the bully aspect in order to force his opponents into submission.

The rest of the table was fairly passive - I saw quite a few limped AK's, and late position AJ's; strange behavior with a maniac at the table.  As is typical, it seemed as though if there was an EP raise and one caller, the rest would call like dominoes - a 5x open would be met with 4-5 callers in a nine-handed game.  However, in realizing the manner of the passive table, I wound up resolving to limp a lot of broadway hands, such as QT, KJ, etc.  Since the table was so passive, I could reasonably check / call down and get odds to do so, if I didn't know where my hand stood at any point.  People were typically betting $3 into $12 pots on the flop, etc.

As is par for the course against maniac, though, I knew it was a matter of time before he and I would clash.  I patiently awaited my turn to get dealt a premium hand, and looked down to see QQ in UTG+1, facing a limped UTG.  I raised to $5 and got 5 callers, including maniac and UTG.  The flop came a fairly harmless 2 5h 9 rainbow, and I led $12 into $~21.  Maniac flatted (in the BB).  The turn card came 6h and maniac led for $50 into $~45.  At this point, I had approximately $80, which put me to the decision of pushing or folding.  I had seen maniac make this aggressive move so often that I believed him to be on a draw most of the time, or with weak holdings.  I decided to push... it wasn't really a huge decision because I could have anticipated this move from maniac.  He called and tables Qh9h, giving him the heart draw plus two 9's.  My hand held and I took a healthy chunk out of maniac's stack.  Given my description of the hand, is this even a question for any of you?  Some of the other players at the table were wowed by my snap shove, but I think he's far more often bluffing / drawing than showing up with a monster there.  Is he really pushing $50 ever, without trying to push me off the hand?  If he's going for value, he's betting $20-30, or he's check / raising me instead of leading so large. 

Anyway, I wound up winning $85 on the night - a pretty decent win for a home game.  I was happy with my play, though I would have been happier had some of my other hands not gotten cracked by shortish stacks (i.e. AA vs. 9h3h on a  XhYh9 board where my opponent would runner runner a full house on me, or QcJc vs KK on a KcTh2c board where the turn was a 2x).

Since it had been awhile since playing live, I sat down with butterflies in my stomach...  I need to get used to playing live, now that Charles Town Races and Slots are opening up 27 poker tables starting July 2nd!  I will have live, legal poker within an hour from my house...  and as the only game "in town," I'd imagine this place will be HOPPING! 

What would you do?#121 - Facing turn shove by short stack holding middle pair

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $55.00
UTG+2: $50.00
MP1: $136.90
Hero (MP2): $71.25
CO: $36.10 - 40 / 10 / 0.4 aggression factor / no other information @ 10 hands
BTN: $70.55 - 15 / 10 / 53% steal / 5.1% 3bet / 3.3 aggression factor @ 162 hands
SB: $49.50
BB: $55.80
UTG: $20.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is MP2 with 7s 7c
4 folds, Hero raises to $1.75, CO calls $1.75, BTN calls $1.75, SB calls $1.50, 1 fold

Flop: ($7.50) 4h 5c 8d (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $5, CO calls $5, BTN folds, SB calls $5

Turn: ($22.50) Ts (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, CO bets $29.35 all in, SB folds, Hero ???


Click to see results

Hero folds
I'm not drawing completely dead with my middle pair, but CO's shove?  No reads?  Should I be making this call?  Is this a very weak fold where I'm allowing myself to be pushed around by a short stack?  Poker messes with your mind!  I'm second guessing everything I do...

Final Pot: $22.50
CO wins $21.40
(Rake: $1.10)

Trip planning for July 2-3 to Atlantic City and Conversion of Iron Man Medals

I wanted to repost this item since I posted 4 things yesterday.

2 items:

My wife got me tickets to see Jim Norton at the Borgota in Atlantic City,  July 2nd - 3rd.  Does anyone know of any deals for hotels that [holiday] weekend?  It seems like the cost of the hotel is astronomical; $340+!!!  I definitely plan on playing poker (preferably Caesars / Taj / Bally's / Tropicana).  Anyone?

Is anyone interested in converting Iron Man medals?  I had a little write up in a prior post where it was proven that Iron Man medals can be converted into $75 tokens and into cash with no risk.  I have enough medals for 3 tokens.  If you're interested, send me an email: ThePokerMeisterTPM@gmail.com.

What would you do? #120 - Facing 3 flush river shove

Have you ever been scared of poker?  I'm somewhat frightened of the cards; the turn card, the river card, the flop, etc.  I think I'm broken as a poker player. For the last month and a half, the cards have totally gotten inside of my head. It seems as though whatever I do, it's the opposite of what I should have done. As a point of reference, without my luckbox cash in the BBT5, I would have had a HUGE loss of a month last month. Going from having never had a losing month to having a 20+ buy-in losing month is pretty tough to wrap my head around

I think I'm finally coming out of this terrible rut; I *KNOW* I'm playing far better than I was a month or so ago, though I'm still not making great reads. I'm seriously questioning myself constantly, because, yet again, my opponents always seem to be at the VERY TOP of their ranges.  EVERY TIME.  I had to quit playing Rush poker because of that very fact; if I have a "monster," then they have a bigger monster.  And when I have the nuts, they fold.  I wasn't getting paid when I had it, and I was certainly paying off when they had it.

Today's WWYD is an example of a misread (perhaps).  What is my problem here?  What do you think?

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $31.50
SB: $50.00
BB: $70.20 - 9 / 7 / 11% steal / 1.2% 3bet / 4.7 aggression factor @ 282 hands
Hero (UTG): $95.30
UTG+1: $65.90
UTG+2: $60.40
MP1: $23.45
MP2: $54.30
CO: $31.90

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is UTG with As Ad
Hero calls $0.50, 6 folds, SB calls $0.25, BB raises to $2, Hero raises to $7, 1 fold, BB calls $5
At this point, what range do you put a 9 / 7 who just called a limp / raise from UTG?

Flop: ($14.50) 3h Th 5c (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $7, BB calls $7
Probably too light here.  However, my thought is that I want to keep stringing BB along.  I don't put him on a draw at all and don't want to lose his business.  I'm kinda expecting a check / raise here and I'm happy to stack off with this flop.

Turn: ($28.50) Td (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $25, BB calls $25
He's being about as passive as a player can be.  The second Ten is a great card for me; only one combo of quads, unless he can't fold 55 or 33 pre-flop, which I doubt.  Obviously, he has QQ, KK.

River: ($78.50) 2h (2 players)
BB bets $31.20 all in, Hero ???
Is there even a question at this point?  I'm committed, right?

Hero calls $31.20


Final Pot: $140.90
BB shows Ah 8h (a flush, Ace high)
Hero mucks As Ad
BB wins $137.90
(Rake: $3.00)

So is this a top-of-the-range type hand for me, or am I terrible?  I really question myself after crap like this, because a month-and-a-half of this seems to be really getting to me.  I've been biting my tongue with posting hands like this, because I've been trying to be ignorant about it - saying to myself "standard cooler."  However, over 40K hands and 1.5 months - how many "standard coolers" can I have with it still being "standard?"  Am I doing something wrong?

It turns out, that for this session, despite this hand, I had my first "significant" win in a long time of 1.5 buy ins.  This is how poker messes with your head: I'm now considering a 1.5 buy in win as "significant."  It used to be that 1.5 buy ins was considered noise.

Watch hilarity ensue at Phil Hellmuth's expense!

Ripped from Pokerati.

Cross-blog pimpage; Play the McLovin' the kids tournament for charity

I'm not sure whether I'll have the time to play, but I certainly will attempt to do so.  I've been incredibly busy with family and work lately.

The details:

Date: June 16
Time: 9PM CDT (Same time as Mookie)
It will actually be running in place of the Mookie. BDR will be broadcasting it.
Charity: Ronald McDonald House
$5 + $5(Tournament, charity)
Password: vegas1
Tournament#: 164273435

What would you do? #119 - 5bet shove re-steal

BTW - I've been posting full ring, standard poker lately. I've moved away from Rush.

I love this hand... I am rarely doing this type of move, but it's quite effective. I'm 99% sure he's 4betting light. He's well aware that I know how to steal, and he's seen me 3bet, but not completely out of line.

If I recall, he stopped stealing after this one...

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

CO: $50.00 - 18/14 / 43% steal / 6% 3bet / 4.5 Aggression Factor @ 151 hands
BTN: $50.50
Hero (SB): $55.10
BB: $50.75
UTG: $51.00
UTG+1: $50.00
MP1: $63.70
MP2: $66.35

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is SB with Tc Ah
4 folds, CO requests TIME, CO raises to $1.75, 1 fold, Hero raises to $5.50, BB raises to $13, 1 fold, Hero raises to $55.10 all in, 1 fold

Final Pot: $27.75
Hero wins $27.75
(Rake: $-0.00)

What would you do? #118 - Facing river shove with the second nut straight

Funny... This comes on the heals of a previous post...

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $59.10 - 25 / 13 / 25% steal @ 16 hands
Hero (BB): $52.60
UTG: $29.65
UTG+1: $50.00
MP1: $51.35
MP2: $28.30
CO: $65.25
BTN: $48.65

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with 7s 9h
2 folds, MP1 raises to $1.50, MP2 calls $1.50, 2 folds, SB calls $1.25, Hero calls $1
I call given the players seeing the flop.

Flop: ($6.00) 4c 8s 6s (4 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks

Turn: ($6.00) 7d (4 players)
SB bets $4, Hero calls $4, MP1 folds, MP2 folds

River: ($14.00) 5h (2 players)
SB bets $53.60 all in, Hero ???
So this is a slightly different than the other post, in that I do have the second nut straight.  What would you do?


Click to see results

Hero calls $47.10 all in

Final Pot: $108.20
SB shows 9d Td (a straight, Ten high)
Hero mucks 7s 9h
SB wins $105.20
(Rake: $3.00)

What would you do? #117 - Overpair facing flop shove and flop call

Clear fold, right?  Just surprised at the results:

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (UTG): $66.05
UTG+1: $25.35 - 20/7 / 25% steal / 7.7% 3bet / 41 hands
MP1: $25.00
MP2: $35.25
CO: $20.00
BTN: $25.00 - 0/0 / 0% 3bet / 8 hands
SB: $24.50
BB: $25.35

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is UTG with Qd Qs
Hero raises to $0.85, UTG+1 calls $0.85, 3 folds, BTN calls $0.85, 2 folds
I hate being out of position with 2 flatters, but we go the flop 3-way...

Flop: ($2.90) 5d 6c 2s (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $1.75, BTN raises to $4, Hero calls $4, UTG+1 raises to $24.50 all in, BTN calls $20.15 all in, Hero ???


Click to see results

Hero folds
Weird action, but not enough to fold to BTN's raise.  When UTG+1 [overbets for value LOL] shoves, I don't think anyone can call it, can they?  What hands do you put him on?


I'm thinking set over set situation, not even factoring in the remote possibility of what the guy has!  This has to be a set of deuces vs. a set of fives or something like that!

Turn: ($55.20) Jc (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($55.20) Kd (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $55.20
UTG+1 shows 4h 3c (a straight, Deuce to Six) - WTF?  Over call [first in] with 43o?  LOL!!!
BTN shows Td Ts (a pair of Tens)
UTG+1 wins $52.45
(Rake: $2.75)

LOL

I'm not seeing too many players stack off like this anymore.  Apparently, there are a few floating around though...

Full Tilt Poker $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP1: $23.79
MP2: $25.26
CO: $27.13
BTN: $24.12
SB: $35.17
Hero (BB): $25.00
UTG: $34.25
UTG+1: $25.35
UTG+2: $17.62

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is BB with Qc Kc
7 folds, SB calls $0.15, Hero raises to $0.75, SB calls $0.50

Flop: ($1.50) 8c Tc Ah (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1.25, SB calls $1.25

Turn: ($4.00) 7c (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $2, SB raises to $11, Hero raises to $23 all in, SB calls $12

River: ($50.00) Th (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $50.00
SB shows 2h Js (a pair of Tens) - No club, just an inside straight draw on the turn...
Hero shows Qc Kc (a flush, King high)
Hero wins $47.50
(Rake: $2.50)

Those poor little 25NL players...

Note that we're 300BB+ deep...

Full Tilt Poker $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: $17.52
UTG: $112.87
UTG+1: $32.33
UTG+2: $11.90
MP1: $33.17
MP2: $29.80
Hero (CO): $79.49
BTN: $58.88
SB: $24.95

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is CO with Js Kc
UTG calls $0.25, 2 folds, MP1 calls $0.25, 1 fold, Hero raises to $1.50, 3 folds, UTG calls $1.25, MP1 calls $1.25

Flop: ($4.85) 9h Qd 7s (3 players)
UTG bets $0.25, MP1 calls $0.25, Hero raises to $3.75, UTG calls $3.50, MP1 folds
What a bullsh*t bet out on the flop.  I want to take down the pot if possible.  If nothing else, I want to pare down the field.

Turn: ($12.60) Td (2 players)
UTG bets $5, Hero raises to $74.24 all in, UTG calls $69.24
Overbet for value, anyone?  He actually thought about the action for a few seconds before calling. 

River: ($161.08) 6h (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $161.08
UTG shows Tc Qh (two pair, Queens and Tens)
Hero shows Js Kc (a straight, King high)
Hero wins $158.08
(Rake: $3.00)

LOL hand

An amusing hand from a few days ago...  I left the chat text in bold:

Full Tilt Poker $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+2: $45.75
MP1: $25.53
MP2: $5.70
CO: $26.09
Hero (BTN): $54.42
SB: $7.78
BB: $29.80
UTG: $32.20
UTG+1: $33.65

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is BTN with 8c Ac
UTG raises to $0.75, 1 fold, UTG+2 calls $0.75, 2 folds, CO raises to $2.50, Hero calls $2.50, 2 folds, UTG calls $1.75, UTG+2 calls $1.75

Flop: ($10.35) 4d 7h 5s (4 players)
UTG checks,
UTG: here fishies
UTG+2 checks, CO checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($10.35) 5c (4 players)
UTG bets $0.75, UTG+2 folds, CO folds, Hero raises to $5.25, UTG calls $4.50

River: ($20.85) 7d (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero requests TIME, Hero bets $15.75, UTG requests TIME,
UTG: FU comes to mind
UTG: fn idiots on this site
UTG folds

Final Pot: $20.85
Hero wins $19.81
(Rake: $1.04)

What would you do?#116 - Overbet for value

 I came across an interesting spot the other day where I held the nuts, but was trying to figure out the maximum payoff for the river bet.

Full Tilt Poker $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (CO): $37.44
BTN: $25.10
SB: $59.91
BB: $8.50
UTG: $12.01
UTG+1: $25.00
UTG+2: $59.29
MP1: $27.28
MP2: $7.29

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is CO with 7d 6s
5 folds, Hero raises to $0.85, BTN calls $0.85, 2 folds

Flop: ($2.05) 5d 4s Ac (2 players)
Hero bets $1.25, BTN calls $1.25

Turn: ($4.55) 3d (2 players)
Hero bets $2.50, BTN calls $2.50
I get there, but I'm pretty sure BTN is not showing up with a deuce.  However, at this point, I'm putting him on a strong Ace, and I don't believe he's going away.  However, I don't think I'm going to be able to get stacks in.

River: ($9.55) 2h (2 players)
Hero bets $32.84 all in, BTN calls $20.50 all in
What is the best bet to make here?  From my opponent's mind, we're playing the board.  I've bet all the way through; in his eyes, I have a strong Ace as well.  I thought about what will pay the most here and came to the conclusion that a shove very much looks like a frustration bet where I realize the he just sucked out on me.  I can represent a ton of hands that have been relegated to a split.  Therefore, I go from a pot size of $10 to leading all-in ($33).

Final Pot: $50.55
Hero shows 7d 6s (a straight, Seven high)
BTN mucks 9s As
Hero wins $48.03
(Rake: $2.52)

WTF Hand - set vs. set vs. 2 pair and straight flush over straight flush

I played a bit over at PokerStars and ran into some interesting hands last night...

I can't believe this hand plays out this way, but a flopped top vs. bottom set vs. two pair are no good against the power of runner-runner.  All three players chop this one up due to a running straight.  How much does this suck?
Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

CO: $32.30
Hero (BTN): $28.25
SB: $38.50
BB: $25.00
UTG: $11.30
UTG+1: $25.00
UTG+2: $21.90
MP1: $25.00
MP2: $25.15

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is BTN with Td 5c
4 folds, MP2 calls $0.25, 2 folds, SB raises to $1, BB calls $0.75, MP2 calls $0.75

Flop: ($3.00) Jh Qs 9d (3 players)
SB bets $1.50, BB raises to $4.50, MP2 calls $4.50, SB raises to $8.50, BB raises to $24 all in, MP2 calls $19.50, SB raises to $37.50 all in, MP2 calls $0.15 all in

Turn: ($75.30) Kh (3 players - 3 are all in)

River: ($75.30) Ts (3 players - 3 are all in)

Final Pot: $75.30
SB shows Jc Js (a straight, Nine to King)
BB shows 9h 9c (a straight, Nine to King)
MP2 shows Qh Jd (a straight, Nine to King)
SB wins $0.15
MP2 wins $0.15
SB wins $24.00
BB wins $24.00
MP2 wins $24.00
(Rake: $3.00)

And then this doozy; a straight flush over straight flush.  I actually kinda knew it prior to showdown; the board was too coordinated:

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 Pot Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $30.55
Hero (UTG+1): $27.80
MP1: $7.65
MP2: $14.25
CO: $25.80
BTN: $8.90
SB: $19.00
BB: $6.55

MP2 posts a big blind ($0.25)

Pre Flop: ($0.60) Hero is UTG+1 with 3c 7h
3 folds, MP2 checks, 1 fold, BTN calls $0.25, SB calls $0.15, BB checks

Flop: ($1.00) 5s 4s 3s (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, MP2 bets $0.75, BTN calls $0.75, SB folds, BB folds

Turn: ($2.50) 6s (2 players)
MP2 bets $2, BTN calls $2

River: ($6.50) 9s (2 players)
MP2 bets $6.20, BTN calls $5.90 all in

Final Pot: $18.30
MP2 shows 2s 4d (a straight flush, Deuce to Six)
BTN shows 7c 7s (a straight flush, Three to Seven)
BTN wins $17.40
(Rake: $0.90)

What would you do?#114 - A lot of pre-flop action

I've given up on Rush for the time being.  Here's the question, though...  Despite the  actual hand result, are you making this call?  I'm wondering whether this is a bad long-term fold...

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $60.95
UTG+2: $50.00
MP1: $90.45 - 30/11 / 13% steal / 17.6% 3bet @ 55 hands
MP2: $17.40 - 7/7 / 12% steal / 3.2% 3bet @ 295 hands
CO: $135.60 - 30/9 / 13% steal / 6.7% 3bet @ 49 hands
BTN: $50.00 - 18/11 / 44% steal / 4.2% 3bet @ 249 hands
SB: $51.00
Hero (BB): $62.80
UTG: $16.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with Th Td
2 folds, UTG+2 calls $0.50, MP1 raises to $2.50, MP2 raises to $4.50, CO calls $4.50, 4 folds, MP1 calls $2

Flop: ($14.75) 6h 9c 6d (3 players)
MP1 checks, MP2 bets $12.90 all in, CO calls $12.90, MP1 folds

Turn: ($40.55) Jh (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($40.55) 6c (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $40.55
MP2 shows As Ac (a full house, Sixes full of Aces)
CO shows Ks Kc (a full house, Sixes full of Kings)
MP2 wins $38.55
(Rake: $2.00)