I still play a lot

Despite the infrequent blog posts, I still play online on a regularly basis and live occasionally. I’m still working on the Vegas report, so those that are on the edge of their seats will have to wait. Haha.

When I have a normal workload at work and at home, I post occasionally. When I have a heavy workload, I post infrequently. I’ve been really busy.

Three on-line hands for your learning, with my thinking as the hands played out.

1. First, the worst hand that I’ve played in at least the last 18 months, either on-line or live. The strange thing is, I had a reason for every action in the hand…

Well, I can’t find the hand history, but I can re-create it, close enough:

$2/4NL, I have just over $400, just started at this table.
MP raises to $12. I re-raise to $35 with AK. MP calls.
Flop is TKK. I check. MP bets $40, I call. I am simply slow-playing, acting like I have a middle-pair. That’s what I put him on. I am hoping he will bet again on the turn.
Turn is [TKK]8. I check. Please bet! He checks.
River is [TKK8]7. I decide its time to finally bet -- $120. He pushes.
My first thought is that he has a middle to high pair like TT or JJ, and I managed to dupe him into trying to push me off what amounts to a bluff. I call, he shows 77 for the rivered boat.

Just absolutely awful.

2. A hand that I really like. Not because I flopped a set and stacked a player, but because I made use of an on-line “tell” to maximize value …

Full Tilt Poker Game #2112988821: Table Padre Field - $2/$4 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: Hippy Hair ($540.80)
Seat 2: sunfish2 ($394)
Seat 3: treenom ($422.80)
Seat 4: Wordo ($386)
Seat 5: SpeakEasy ($400)
Seat 6: PoorNapoleon ($380)
Seat 7: UK_Pompey ($343.60)
Seat 8: LuckySOB ($383.40)
Seat 9: seebee25 ($57.20)
Wordo posts the small blind of $2
SpeakEasy posts the big blind of $4
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SpeakEasy [7s 7h]
PoorNapoleon folds
UK_Pompey folds
LuckySOB raises to $14
seebee25 folds
Hippy Hair folds
sunfish2 folds
treenom folds
Wordo folds
SpeakEasy calls $10
*** FLOP *** [7c Ac Td]
SpeakEasy checks
LuckySOB bets $30
SpeakEasy raises to $80 [A fairly standard play here. If he calls, he either has an ace or has a big pair like KK or QQ and just thinks I’m making a move. Here’s the important part – he thought for a reaaaaaly long time, then called. This confirms exactly what I hope, he has a big Ace, or a big pair like KK.]
LuckySOB has 15 seconds left to act
LuckySOB calls $50
*** TURN *** [7c Ac Td] [2h]
SpeakEasy bets $138 [I made the size of this bet only because he took a long time to call my C/R on the flop, and a big bet here looks like I’m trying to push him off his big ace or big pair. If he had called quickly on the flop C/R, I would have bet a smaller amount here, and therefore his whole stack might not have gone in the pot. My read in this hand was critical to the size of this bet.]
LuckySOB calls $138
*** RIVER *** [7c Ac Td 2h] [4h]
SpeakEasy bets $168, and is all in [Since he called on the turn, I have to assume he will call this bet with an Ace or big pair.]
LuckySOB calls $151.40, and is all in
Uncalled bet of $16.60 returned to SpeakEasy
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SpeakEasy shows [7s 7h] (three of a kind, Sevens)
LuckySOB mucks
SpeakEasy wins the pot ($765.80) with three of a kind, Sevens
LuckySOB is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $768.80 Rake $3
Board: [7c Ac Td 2h 4h]
Seat 1: Hippy Hair didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: sunfish2 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: treenom (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: Wordo (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: SpeakEasy (big blind) showed [7s 7h] and won ($765.80) with three of a kind, Sevens
Seat 6: PoorNapoleon didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: UK_Pompey didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: LuckySOB mucked [Ks Ad] - a pair of Aces [Broke the NL golden rule -- don't go broke with one pair.]
Seat 9: seebee25 didn't bet (folded)


3. Finally, a hand that relies on my read of the betting patterns…

Full Tilt Poker Game #2119694369: Table Padre Field - $2/$4 - No Limit Hold'em
Seat 1: samonilla ($142)
Seat 2: VERYLUCKYDOG ($154)
Seat 3: 52Addictions ($390)
Seat 4: deucheman2 ($233.90)
Seat 5: mattbet ($400)
Seat 6: DonTreEdthis ($225.90)
Seat 7: SpeakEasy ($390)
Seat 8: silverbird ($109.25)
Seat 9: boykee ($400)
deucheman2 posts the small blind of $2
mattbet posts the big blind of $4
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SpeakEasy [Qs Ks]
DonTreEdthis folds
SpeakEasy raises to $12
silverbird folds
boykee folds
samonilla folds
VERYLUCKYDOG folds
deucheman2 has 15 seconds left to act
deucheman2 is sitting out
deucheman2 has timed out
deucheman2 folds
mattbet calls $8
*** FLOP *** [8s 3d 5h]
mattbet checks
SpeakEasy bets $18
deucheman2 has returned
mattbet calls $18 [I’m thinking that he paired on the flop, or has a modest overpair.]
*** TURN *** [8s 3d 5h] [Qc]
mattbet checks
SpeakEasy bets $38
mattbet calls $38 [Now I’m thinking its more likely that he had an overpair to the flop. I don’t think he has a Q.]
*** RIVER *** [8s 3d 5h Qc] [As]
mattbet bets $60 [Really only two possibilities here with this bet (1) he has the mid-pair, and thinks that I whiffed, or (2) he has Ax. What Ax that fits this betting pattern? AQ – no, he would probably re-raise this from the BB, or at least lead on the turn. A8? Unlikely he would call the turn with this. Same conclusion with A5 or A3. I feel strongly that he has a mid-pair and just doesn’t believe my betting pattern, especially my turn bet. Turn bets that look like continuation of a continuation can be valuable.]
SpeakEasy has 15 seconds left to act
SpeakEasy calls $60
*** SHOW DOWN ***
mattbet shows [Tc Ts] (a pair of Tens)
SpeakEasy shows [Qs Ks] (a pair of Queens)
SpeakEasy wins the pot ($255) with a pair of Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $258 Rake $3
Board: [8s 3d 5h Qc As]
Seat 1: samonilla didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: VERYLUCKYDOG (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: 52Addictions is sitting out
Seat 4: deucheman2 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: mattbet (big blind) showed [Tc Ts] and lost with a pair of Tens
Seat 6: DonTreEdthis didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: SpeakEasy showed [Qs Ks] and won ($255) with a pair of Queens
Seat 8: silverbird didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: boykee didn't bet (folded)