File under: definitely bad beat / cooler

My nuts were slow roasted!

I have the nut flush!!!!  How can I lose?  This hand kinda pisses me off - but I think it's just a vanilla cooler.  The topper is he's not even fully stacked.

We're heads up sitting on $43.20 effective at a $0.25/0.50 table.  Villain is in the SB and I'm in the BB.  I've been beating him handily; I'm up $7 and change on him.  He opens to $1.50 and I flat Ac9c.

$3.00 in the middle and I flop magic - JcQcKc.  I shit you not when I say this but I did consider the following during the hand: I love that I have a blocker to the straight flush, meaning that only precisely Tc9c can beat me here.  And I have a re-draw to the straight flush with the Tc if my opponent happens to suck out on me.  Unexcitedly, the hand checks through.

3s (blank) on the turn.  I need to get money in if we're going to stack our opponent.  I lead full pot, $3.  He calls.

6s (another blank) on the riv with $9 in the middle.  I have no hope of stacking him, but he did call a full pot on the turn.  I lead pot again, $9 on the river hoping for a call.  To my chagrin, he ships it, $38.70.  I snap it off and am shown the bad news: Tc9c.

Ugh!  $85.40 lit on fire :-(

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No sooner than I post the last hand and this occurs!

I'm not really a donkey, am I?

I find this hand exemplar of NOT stacking off when deep stacked.  We find ourselves at a $0.25/0.50 table sitting on $90.27.  This is one of those bomb pots where the whole table sees the flop by posting a BB each and the hand begins with the flop.

Flop is Qs8s8h, $3.00 in the middle (6 players) and I have Js8c.  Trips.  Good hand.  By far not the nuts, but not far off.  2 flush on board, I lead for $2.25 in the BB after the SB checks to me.  Gets called by the next two players ($105.84 and $92.52 respectively) as well as the BTN ($20.25).

Turn is a Kd.  $12 in the middle.  Given the flop action, there are plenty of targets out there for my continued bet: naked Queens, spade draws, T9 and JT gutters, worse 8's.  I don't think I should check down the hand at this point given the sheer quantity of draws available.  I continue on the turn with a $7.50 bet which gets called by the next player ($96.09 behind), and min raised to $15.00 by the following guy ($75.27 behind.  BTN folds.  It's a min raise; I can fold here because I can already be beat - and if I'm beat, there is no suckout for me.  This could also be a probing bet to determine the strength of my hand, vs. his [at best drawing hand] perceived JsTs which still has a ton of equity.  I think about pumping more money in or pumping the brakes - and I settle on brakes; it's a bomb pot and he can have any two cards including (no blockers to some of the combos) QQ, KK, Q8, K8, A8 - all of which have me beat.  The other guy seems to settle on the same though: call.

River is a helpful Ks.  $57 in the middle.  Ks completes flushes, but gives me bottom boat which beats all flushes.  With bottom boat, however, I'm only beating flushes and random bluffs.  I will not stack off here - I'd prefer to fold a winner than dump 150BB on a random hand that was undefined from the get-go.  Checks to the turn raiser who downsizes to $13(?!?!?!?!?!).  To me, that feels very much like a teaser bet to get me to check/raise.  My mantra for this hand is, "do not stack off," and I follow through with a flat weak-ass call, as does the player to my left.  $93 in the middle and we get the reveal:

AhAs for the plyer to my left and Kc8d for the better boat and win.  He did not win max value!  As for the AA, he's beating nothing by the river save for bluffs.  He should have saved money by folding the turn and/or river.

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Hand of the Night

Holding hands for the Hand of the Day

This hand is not all that interesting, other than the fact that my opponent stacks off 200+BB.  A little preface for the hand: the site that I'm on offers a forced ante hand randomly.  I'm not sure of the odds of a forced ante, but in the event it's a "bomb pot," every ponies up a BB and we automatically see a flop... i.e. no pre flop action.

This hand comes to you from a $0.25/$0.50 table - where I'm pleased to announce that I'm playing nearly 100% of my time.

$4.00 in the pot (8 players * $0.50 per).  Flop is 4hQsQd.  I'm in the SB with 55, and first to act.  I check & it checks to the HJ who bets half pot, $2.  He's now sitting on $53.02.  BTN calls with $114.77 behind, and I flat leaving me with $123.16.  I've seen these players bet the 4 often enough to know I should see a turn card without much thought.

I'm sure you know where this is going: 5d on the turn, completing my totally hidden 5's full of queens.  Board reads 4hQsQd5d  Now, I'm not sure if either them have anything whatsoever, and I'm okay with letting a free card go if they both have air.  However, I'm going to find out pretty quickly if one of them have a Q, because I expect a continued bet - particularly because there's a 2 flush board out there, and there's also a straight draw with the 4 5.  To my delight, the HJ bets $6.50 - for sure repping the Q, and the fat stack BTN comes along for $6.50.  Now I'm faced with a dilemma; I want to stack the 200BB guy.  If I have any shot of doing that, I need to juice the pot now, or hope to get it in on the river.  If I juice the pot now, though, I can set up an easier river shove, rather than a jagged over bet on the riv or a check/raise.  With $23 in the middle prior to my call, I go roughly pot, raising to $24.  They both come along.

$82 in the pot and $90.77 effective (I have more than the BTN, so we're playing for his $90.77 stack).  River is 7s, completing a weird backdoor straight, but otherwise not providing much fear to any naked Q.  I didn't feel comfortable at the time (retrospectively, I probably should have opened shoved, so I missed out on another $15 in profit) so I led the river for $75.  Both players snap call and I scoop probably my largest pot yet on this site: $257.52.

HJ shows KdQh and BTN shows QcJs for the case Queen....  NH fellas!

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Don't do that!

It wouldn't be fair for me to only go one way regarding chastising my opponents, now would it?  In today's hand, we're 640BB deep at a $0.05/$0.10 table.  This time, I have notes on my opponent which say, "He will open full 500BB all in if he believes he's nutted which is not nutted (bottom straight, 2 pair, etc.)."  This is Poker Meister speak for, he can ship the semi-nuts or nuts when he's strong.

My opponent limps (what all good fishees do) and I look down at QcQs from one off the cut off.  I open for my standard $.75 - I if there are limpers, I go 7.5x for one limp, 10.5x for two, 12.5x for three.  On this site, I get calls for days with raising sizes that large which, to me, is incredible!  Folds around to the fishee who does what fishees do and flats.

$1.65 in the middle.  We see a Ac9s8d flop.  I've only begun to fight, cause that Ace may create consternation for many people, but not me!  I'm not going all in by any means, and I can certainly set myself up to be bluffed later, but for now, there are many hands my opponent can limp / call with that don't contain an Ace.  I'm targeting 8x, 9x, JT, 67, T8.  Also, I want to get a feel for his Ax hands - I'm "concerned" if he makes the call here, but not totally concerned because I think there's value here by betting.  He checks to me and I click $1.05 - little more than 2/3 pot.  He flats.

$3.75 in the middle.  5s turn - Ac9s8d5s putting a 2 flush out there, completing 67.  He checks once again.  I lead for ~2/3 again - $2.25, focusing more on his draws because I'm pretty sure he'd lead with 67 if he hit it, and I'm pretty sure he would've bet out if he had an Ax hand.  He flats again.

$8.25 in the middle.  The both hated and loved Qh on the river.  Ac9s8d5sQh puts an obvious JT straight out there, while also completing the 67 straight on the turn.  No flushes complete.  My opponent opens for $69.36 (I have $60.23 behind).  600BB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WTF?????  I mean - the Qh riv makes me beat almost all pair hands (exception of a slow-played AA).  But this guy has no problem shipping it very deep with the semi-nuts and the nuts.  Given there's 2 nutty hands out there, I have to fold, right?  It sucks to lay down a set on the river, but I can't justify a 600BB blow-up.  I fold.

For whatever reason, he shows - I guess to let me know he bluffed me?  Maybe he thinks he's good?  He shows Jh8s for a pair and straight re-draw.  My head lowers :-( as I realize I've been bluffed.  Nice play, sir, nice play - or "VNH."

Is this really a "don't do that?"

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File under: Don't do that!

I remember this show from when I was a kid!

I think I'm going to start a series chastising my opponents for burning cash... yeah... that's what I'm going to do! It may be crass of me to do that, but I don't care - this is my blog & I do what I want to!

Obviously, I see players doing stupid stuff all the time - but I'm going to save the particularly egregious stuff for posting.  What you can expect to see is mostly deep stacked stuff, which brings us to today's post.

We're deep stacked, with $28.11 effective at a $0.05/0.10 game.

Folds around to my left (I'm in the cut off, one off the button) and he opens a standard-ish $0.35 with $35.38 behind.  I look down at a speculative 6h4h and opt to take a flop.  I can get spicy and raise here, but this guy has been fairly quiet, my hand is relatively easy to throw away post flop, and if the planets align, I can put in a minimal amount of money up front with a TON behind, without it costing me if I miss.  Therefore, rather than go for a quick takedown (i.e. 3bet and have to choose to fold to a 4bet potentially), I speculate and call.  The BB with $12.53 takes the call as well.

$1.1 in the middle: Flop is Ts3d5c.  I hit an open-ender.  Checks to original raiser who opens for $.55 - half pot.  Again, my options are still viable - raise or flat.  I have such a hidden hand if I hit that if my opponent has a hand himself, I'll get paid.  Right now, though, as with the pre-flop action, I don't want to get raised off my hand (if I raise and he re-raises, I'm losing part of the value of my hidden draw).  Therefore, I flat once again, opting to see another card fairly cheaply.  Also, for those playing at home, recognize that we have immediate odds here that we're getting less than even money (8 outs - 4 7's and 4 2's * 4 = ~32% odds to hit) on the next 2 cards, but obviously the implied odds are tremendous.

$2.75 in the middle.  Turn is a big bold beautiful 7h.  I hit my straight and it's the nut straight for the board.  Checks again to the original raiser who confirms my suspicion that he has a hand by leading another half pot $1.38.  Now that I'm in the driver's seat, it's decision time.  I want to get more money in the middle given that we're so deep (I'm sitting on $27.21 effective at this time).  I go for a $5.25 raise in order to spike up the pot, leaving $21.96 behind and around $10 in the middle.  It would be nice to at least get a buy-in / buy-in and a half in the middle.  BB snap calls(?????) the raise, and original raiser clicks all the way to all in for $34.83.  Obviously I snap call with the nuts as does BB - two pots are presented: $37.94 for the main and $30.96.

Weirdly, I'm shown JhTh from the original raiser (WTF dude???  Pair of Tens and a weak-ish kicker?  Seriously?!?!?!?) and 6d9d for the double gutter draw who was just clicking buttons on the flop (WTF, but not as WTF as my 300BB deep stacked JT friend).

River is Ac, a blank, and I scoop $67.40!  Again, don't do that!

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File this under: image matters!

It's possible I'm a Diva and just don't know it!

If you know me in real life, you'd know that how I physically project myself (i.e. clothes, appearance, etc.) is really not a concern of mine.  I keep to a strict workout regiment, I eat [what I consider] well, and wear clothes that I consider comfortable and feel good.  I do it all for myself, not anyone else - because it all feels good to me.  As a happy side effect, I look good (as I imagine) for my wife - even though she and my kids make fun of my man "tiddies."  Whatevs... like I said, I do it for no one else but myself, and objectively, I think I look good for a close-to-50-year-old!

That said, image does matter at the poker table.  Everything said and every action completed leads your opponents to complete a story about you.  As evidenced, may I present to you today's hand analysis:

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The hand in question is linked here.

A bit of background- I've been ramming & jamming at the table.  As I see it, I have a very aggro image, and I've taken down more than my fair share of pots by opening and cbetting, while not really showing down (I think I may have shown a nutty / close to nuts hand in probably about 30-40 hands).

This hand comes from the $0.50 / $0.25 tables.

Effective stacks are $70.39 (prior to my posting the BB).

Folds around to BTN who limps and I check the option with 5c7h.  You can probably already anticipate where this is going...

$1.25 pot.  Flops come magic for me: Qc7d7c - trips for me... and personally, I'd prefer to lead here.  Combined with my image, I think I'd get action - or at minimum suspicion - but there's not a whole ton my opponent hits here in their limping range.  I think my best approach is to check the flop to put it on my opponent and feel them out.  Therefore, I check the flop - they surprisingly lead full pot $1.25.

To me, these guys at this stake are fairly passive - so a full pot bet says my opponent has something almost guaranteed.  I'm near certain they're going to commit a ton of money - and I want to get lots of money into the middle.  Perfect time for a "small" check / raise, no?  I raise to $5.00 and they immediately snap call.

$11.25 pot.  Turn is a lovely 5h, and despite the completed boat, I *DO NOT* want to slow down when I have a fish on the hook.  Mindful not to blow my opponent out of the water (I think pot or more than pot would really have them questioning, but 2/3 pot seems to be about appropriate), I lead for $7.50 and again, my opponent snaps.  My target ranges are Qx and 2 clubs - perhaps an over to the board + 2 clubs (i.e. AcXc or KcXc) but more likely Qx given the lead.  Again, passive play at these stakes - I think the population of players checks through a flush draw.  So, $7.50 - and I get a snap.

$26.25 pot.  Now here's where I have to think.  I want to get value from all the Qx that has called thus far.  I'm pretty certain that since the flush didn't get there, this is an opponent who will check through all missed draws, and likely get to a free showdown (i.e. not bet riv) with a Qx.  I want neither scenario to occur - therefore I want to bet rather than try for the check / raise river.  My risk analysis is as follows: I can get stacks in the middle ($57.39 behind at this point) at a 5-10% chance my opponent leads riv and calls the stack off (not a bluff), giving me $57 * 10% = $5.7 + 5% chance of lead / fold (bluff) $~20 * 5% = $0.40 --> $5.7 + $.4 = $6.1 cumulative factored earnings, vs. [call it] 70% chance of calling a % pot bet + 0% chance of calling a flush draw and shutting down the possibility of the bluff riv: the maths are $~20 bet * 70% = $14 but I need to subtract for the bluff ($20 * 5% above) $.4 --> $13.6 in earnings.  Therefore, to me, betting / leading is my most profitable solution.  Looking back, I think I should have clicked $20 instead of what I actually bet - but I have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight in the above calculations.

In real life, I lead for a near full pot - wow - and I guess that's the point of this title: "image matters."  I lead for $25 and get snapped immediately - which makes me think in retrospect that I could've gotten away with an open shove of $57!  Perhaps I need to revisit my calculations?

I'm shown AdQs - wowowowowowowow How the heck do you limp that on the BTN?!?!?!??!?  I take down a pot of $73.25.  Again... image matters!

When is a bluff not a bluff?

When it's the winner, of course!  Silly goose!

I'm going to cease the caveat / apology that I have no way of reconstructing the hand in a standardized way.  I'll share the hand history with you, of course, but you need to sign up for an account in order to view it.  Use my link at the side if you're able to give me a referral :-).

Now for the good times!

Some background: I have no idea what this player is doing.  He's relatively new to the table.

.05/.10 poker - moderately deep-stacked with $19.61 effective.

Folds around to me in the cutoff and I look down at 9d9h.  I open a standard 3x ($0.30).  SB 3bets to $1.20...  now, given that he's a new-ish player, I'm not going to give a 3bet automatic respect.  He's seen me play a bit, so he realizes I'm pretty aggro - so this could be a possible play at shutting me down.  He has $30.91 behind.  BB folds & I flat, opting to avoid getting it in for 200BB.  Take a flop; why not?

$2.50 in the pot - flop comes JhAsJd and he immediately leads for $0.60(????)  I call - and I'm probably in call down mode if he's giving me a cheap check/down.

$3.70 in the pot - turn is 5h putting out a 2 heart flush draw potential, but otherwise should be inconsequential.  He checks and I happily check through.

$3.70 in the pot - river is a 3d, again a blank.  He checks for the 2nd time.  By this point, he can have Ax (not real likely because he effectively shut down on the flop (6x into 25x is not a very solid bet) and checked down...  The concern is that he has an Ax that's afraid of trip Jacks, or an Ax that's afraid of a better Ax.  There's always the lingering Jx concern, but I'm giving that a very small possibility given how the hand is going down.  Finally, I think there's a lot of 88-KK in his PF 3bet range.

Perhaps I'm over-thinking it...  However, that's what I'm targeting - the 88-KK (obviously not JJ) hands.  I want a bet sizing that feels value-ish and by no means screams "fold fold fold," because I want him believing my Ax (more likely that I have an Ace from his perspective) is going for value.  I select around 1/2 - 2/3 at $2.45 and get snapped off - surely a goner!  But no, he shows Kc9c(?!?!?!?!?!)  Nice $8.17 scoop!

Again, when is a bluff not a bluff?

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