Sunday, November 14, 2010

Up-and-down weekend

Yesterday I made $150 on the virtual poker tables. My best session was a $70 profit (in 146 hands) in a 25c/50c single draw game on Full Tilt. The other main highlight was a second-place finish in the $11 single draw tournament on Poker Stars. Unfortunately there were only eleven runners so my payout was just $33. When we got heads-up I was behind by about 2½ to one. Almost immediately I got a draw to the nuts and my opponent, who had an eight draw, put me all in. He made a queen while I hit a jack to give me a slight chip lead. Very soon after we were both dealt pat nines and we stacked off again. My 9-8 lost to his 9-6. A few hands later it was all over: he was lucky enough to be dealt the stone-cold nuts, leaving me drawing very dead. I've finished second in five of the last eight tournaments I've entered (since the SCOOP in May, I've only played seven tournaments). It seems if there are thousands of entrants I'll come second; if there are just a handful I'll still come second. Following that to its logical conclusion, I should avoid heads-up tournaments like the plague.

Today I had a horrendous badugi session. In just 75 hands of $1/$2 on Full Tilt I dropped $52. Eight of the nine hands I showed down were losers. Obviously I was running very cold there, but overall I'm struggling in that game, even though a lot of the play I see looks pretty poor. Perhaps it's just variance. What really adds to the swings is that a lot of the time the pot gets so bloated by the turn that you get the odds to draw a third time. In tighter games you can just fold and save the $2.

Here are some hands:

Hand 1
What does a shove to 100 big blinds mean? I had no reads. And what about NYRambler's call (and subsequent pat)?

Full Tilt Poker Game #25480093341: Table Meadowlands (6 max, ante) - $0.10/$0.20 Ante $0.05 - No Limit 2-7 Single Draw - 23:55:44 ET - 2010/11/11
Seat 1: Sual1 ($20.19)
Seat 2: plutoman20 ($20.39)
Seat 3: _the_panic_ ($17.08)
Seat 4: jjkrueger ($8.84)
Seat 5: NYRambler ($25.14)
Seat 6: bhredraider ($25.56)
_the_panic_ antes $0.05
bhredraider antes $0.05
jjkrueger antes $0.05
Sual1 antes $0.05
plutoman20 antes $0.05
NYRambler antes $0.05
plutoman20 posts the small blind of $0.10
_the_panic_ posts the big blind of $0.20
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to plutoman20 [9c 5s 2s 4d 8d]
jjkrueger folds
NYRambler raises to $0.60
bhredraider calls $0.60
Sual1 has 15 seconds left to act
Sual1 raises to $20.14, and is all in
plutoman20 has 15 seconds left to act
plutoman20 folds
_the_panic_ has 15 seconds left to act
_the_panic_ has requested TIME
_the_panic_ folds
NYRambler calls $19.54
bhredraider folds
*** DRAW *** (Pot: $41.48)
NYRambler stands pat
Sual1 has 15 seconds left to act
Sual1 stands pat
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Sual1 shows [Ts 8s 6c 4s 3s] T,8,6,4,3
NYRambler mucks
Sual1 wins the pot ($39.41) with T,8,6,4,3
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $41.48 Rake $2.07
Seat 1: Sual1 (button) showed [Ts 8s 6c 4s 3s] and won ($39.41) with T,8,6,4,3
Seat 2: plutoman20 (small blind) folded before the Draw
Seat 3: _the_panic_ (big blind) folded before the Draw
Seat 4: jjkrueger folded before the Draw
Seat 5: NYRambler mucked [Jc 7d 5c 3d 2h] - J,7,5,3,2
Seat 6: bhredraider folded before the Draw

Hand 2
This seemed like quite a big three-bet. Was it a big hand or a "please fold" kind of hand?

Full Tilt Poker Game #25481485690: Table Meadowlands (6 max, ante) - $0.10/$0.20 Ante $0.05 - No Limit 2-7 Single Draw - 01:24:48 ET - 2010/11/12
Seat 1: Sual1 ($37.64)
Seat 2: plutoman20 ($13.55)
Seat 3: motor2home ($12.44)
Seat 4: spike420211 ($25.76)
Seat 5: Theo Sagan ($9.68)
Seat 6: ACompleteMuppet ($22.26)
Theo Sagan antes $0.05
spike420211 antes $0.05
Sual1 antes $0.05
ACompleteMuppet is sitting out
motor2home antes $0.05
plutoman20 antes $0.05
Theo Sagan posts the small blind of $0.10
Sual1 posts the big blind of $0.20
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to plutoman20 [2s Qs 6d 4d 5s]
ACompleteMuppet stands up
plutoman20 raises to $0.80
motor2home calls $0.80
spike420211 folds
Theo Sagan raises to $3.65
Sual1 folds
plutoman20 calls $2.85
motor2home folds
*** DRAW *** (Pot: $8.55)
Theo Sagan stands pat
plutoman20 discards 1 card [Qs]
Dealt to plutoman20 [2s 6d 4d 5s] [9c]
Theo Sagan bets $5.98, and is all in
plutoman20 calls $5.98
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Theo Sagan shows [8h 7s 6s 5c 3c] 8,7,6,5,3
plutoman20 mucks
Theo Sagan wins the pot ($19.49) with 8,7,6,5,3
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $20.51 Rake $1.02
Seat 1: Sual1 (big blind) folded before the Draw
Seat 2: plutoman20 mucked [9c 6d 5s 4d 2s] - 9,6,5,4,2
Seat 3: motor2home folded before the Draw
Seat 4: spike420211 (button) folded before the Draw
Seat 5: Theo Sagan (small blind) showed [8h 7s 6s 5c 3c] and won ($19.49) with 8,7,6,5,3
Seat 6: ACompleteMuppet is sitting out

Hand 3
Normally a four-bet in position with a 10-6 is a good play I think, but the problem here is that due to my shortish stack, the only four-bet size that makes any sense is a shove. I would have been better to have just called his three-bet and drawn. When he calls my all-in and pats I don't fancy my chances. With my gutshot draw, I honestly don't know whether patting or breaking is best here.

Full Tilt Poker Game #25483684436: Table Meadowlands (6 max, ante) - $0.10/$0.20 Ante $0.05 - No Limit 2-7 Single Draw - 04:29:53 ET - 2010/11/12
Seat 1: yitsok ($21.32)
Seat 3: Saxonic ($18.76)
Seat 4: Jok13 ($9.45)
Seat 5: plutoman20 ($12.10)
Seat 6: chybaty ($29.15)
Saxonic antes $0.05
Jok13 antes $0.05
yitsok antes $0.05
chybaty antes $0.05
plutoman20 antes $0.05
yitsok posts the small blind of $0.10
Saxonic posts the big blind of $0.20
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to plutoman20 [2s 6d 3c Th 5s]
Jok13 folds
plutoman20 raises to $0.80
chybaty folds
yitsok raises to $2.85
Saxonic folds
plutoman20 has 15 seconds left to act
plutoman20 raises to $12.05, and is all in
yitsok calls $9.20
*** DRAW *** (Pot: $24.55)
yitsok stands pat
plutoman20 stands pat on [2s 6d 3c Th 5s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
plutoman20 shows [Th 6d 5s 3c 2s] T,6,5,3,2
yitsok shows [9s 7c 5c 3d 2d] 9,7,5,3,2
yitsok wins the pot ($23.33) with 9,7,5,3,2
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $24.55 Rake $1.22
Seat 1: yitsok (small blind) showed [9s 7c 5c 3d 2d] and won ($23.33) with 9,7,5,3,2
Seat 3: Saxonic (big blind) folded before the Draw
Seat 4: Jok13 folded before the Draw
Seat 5: plutoman20 showed [Th 6d 5s 3c 2s] and lost with T,6,5,3,2
Seat 6: chybaty (button) folded before the Draw

Hand 4
I thought this was an interesting one. I hit a nine on the second draw and Idaho raised. I break my nine only for Idaho to draw himself. If he could see that I had a very breakable hand, this was great play from him (he goes from being a definite underdog to almost 50:50). Given that he can't see my hand I'm not so sure. Also, should I be breaking here?

Full Tilt Poker Game #25427593624: Table War Paint (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - Limit 2-7 Triple Draw - 03:51:55 ET - 2010/11/10
Seat 1: XJustVarianceX ($21.50)
Seat 2: plutoman20 ($8.20)
Seat 3: Lono_Kaz ($11.30)
Seat 4: lDAHO ($7.05)
Seat 5: Crazy Chewie ($38.20), is sitting out
Seat 6: XpLoSiVe14 ($14)
XpLoSiVe14 posts the small blind of $0.10
XJustVarianceX posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to plutoman20 [3c 5c 7h 2d Qc]
plutoman20 raises to $0.50
Crazy Chewie has returned
Lono_Kaz folds
lDAHO calls $0.50
XpLoSiVe14 folds
XJustVarianceX has 15 seconds left to act
XJustVarianceX calls $0.25
*** FIRST DRAW *** (Pot: $1.60)
XJustVarianceX discards 1 card
plutoman20 discards 1 card [Qc]
lDAHO discards 2 cards
XJustVarianceX is dealt 1 card
Dealt to plutoman20 [3c 5c 7h 2d] [Tc]
lDAHO is dealt 2 cards
XJustVarianceX checks
plutoman20 bets $0.25
lDAHO calls $0.25
XJustVarianceX calls $0.25
*** SECOND DRAW *** (Pot: $2.35)
XJustVarianceX discards 2 cards
plutoman20 discards 1 card [Tc]
lDAHO discards 1 card
XJustVarianceX is dealt 2 cards
Dealt to plutoman20 [3c 5c 7h 2d] [9d]
lDAHO is dealt 1 card
XJustVarianceX checks
plutoman20 bets $0.50
lDAHO raises to $1
XJustVarianceX has 15 seconds left to act
XJustVarianceX folds
plutoman20 calls $0.50
*** THIRD DRAW *** (Pot: $4.35)
plutoman20 discards 1 card [9d]
lDAHO discards 1 card
Dealt to plutoman20 [3c 5c 7h 2d] [4h]
lDAHO is dealt 1 card
plutoman20 bets $0.50
lDAHO has 15 seconds left to act
lDAHO calls $0.50
*** SHOW DOWN ***
plutoman20 shows [7h 5c 4h 3c 2d] 7,5,4,3,2
lDAHO mucks
plutoman20 wins the pot ($5.10) with 7,5,4,3,2
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $5.35 Rake $0.25
Seat 1: XJustVarianceX (big blind) folded after the 2nd Draw
Seat 2: plutoman20 showed [7h 5c 4h 3c 2d] and won ($5.10) with 7,5,4,3,2
Seat 3: Lono_Kaz folded before the Draw (didn't bet)
Seat 4: lDAHO mucked [Ac 6d 4c 3d 2c] - A,6,4,3,2
Seat 5: Crazy Chewie (button) is sitting out
Seat 6: XpLoSiVe14 (small blind) folded before the Draw

Hand 5
HanndyMannny seems to think he can pick almost my exact hand. Surely in a heads-up game I should have a much wider range, especially when my opponent is drawing three for a second time.

Full Tilt Poker Game #25479682259: Table Bridlewood (6 max) - $0.25/$0.50 - Limit 2-7 Triple Draw - 23:33:07 ET - 2010/11/11
Seat 3: plutoman20 ($13.20)
Seat 5: HanndyMannny ($24.35)
Seat 6: sleip-gamble ($15.40), is sitting out
plutoman20 posts the small blind of $0.10
HanndyMannny posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to plutoman20 [5d Th 6d Tc 3s]
sleip-gamble stands up
plutoman20 raises to $0.50
HanndyMannny calls $0.25
*** FIRST DRAW *** (Pot: $1)
HanndyMannny discards 3 cards
plutoman20 discards 2 cards [Th Tc]
HanndyMannny is dealt 3 cards
Dealt to plutoman20 [5d 6d 3s] [9d Td]
HanndyMannny checks
plutoman20 bets $0.25
HanndyMannny calls $0.25
*** SECOND DRAW *** (Pot: $1.50)
HanndyMannny discards 3 cards
plutoman20 stands pat on [5d 6d 3s 9d Td]
HanndyMannny is dealt 3 cards
HanndyMannny checks
plutoman20 bets $0.50
HanndyMannny has 15 seconds left to act
HanndyMannny: 34578 ot 34568? or a 9?
HanndyMannny calls $0.50
*** THIRD DRAW *** (Pot: $2.50)
HanndyMannny discards 1 card
plutoman20 stands pat on [5d 6d 3s 9d Td]
HanndyMannny is dealt 1 card
HanndyMannny checks
plutoman20 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
plutoman20 shows [Td 9d 6d 5d 3s] T,9,6,5,3
HanndyMannny mucks
plutoman20 wins the pot ($2.40) with T,9,6,5,3
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $2.50 Rake $0.10
Seat 3: plutoman20 (small blind) showed [Td 9d 6d 5d 3s] and won ($2.40) with T,9,6,5,3
Seat 5: HanndyMannny (big blind) mucked [Ad 5s 4s 3c 2h] - A,5,4,3,2
Seat 6: sleip-gamble is sitting out

Hand 6
Wow. I guess I should have called, right? This is where reads come in handy, and I don't have any. It's interesting that Who_9_Dey must have thought something was up, but alas his bluff-catcher wasn't good enough to catch this particular bluff. I'm grateful for his call however - it gives me information I otherwise wouldn't have had. By the way, this hand didn't come from today's disaster session.

Full Tilt Poker Game #25523219663: Table Wells West - $1/$2 - Limit Badugi - 15:05:45 ET - 2010/11/13
Seat 1: WHO_9_DEY ($39)
Seat 2: Me100 ($45.75)
Seat 4: ajbutterfish ($60.75)
Seat 5: plutoman20 ($50)
Seat 6: Junedog79 ($8.50)
Seat 8: rufie101 ($42.75)
ajbutterfish posts the small blind of $0.50
plutoman20 posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to plutoman20 [Td 4h 3c Jh]
Junedog79 folds
rufie101 folds
WHO_9_DEY calls $1
Me100 folds
ajbutterfish raises to $2
plutoman20 calls $1
WHO_9_DEY calls $1
*** FIRST DRAW *** (Pot: $6)
ajbutterfish discards 1 card
plutoman20 discards 2 cards [Td Jh]
WHO_9_DEY discards 2 cards
ajbutterfish is dealt 1 card
Dealt to plutoman20 [4h 3c] [8c Ad]
WHO_9_DEY is dealt 2 cards
ajbutterfish bets $1
plutoman20 raises to $2
WHO_9_DEY calls $2
ajbutterfish calls $1
*** SECOND DRAW *** (Pot: $12)
ajbutterfish discards 1 card
plutoman20 discards 1 card [8c]
WHO_9_DEY discards 1 card
ajbutterfish is dealt 1 card
Dealt to plutoman20 [4h 3c Ad] [Jc]
WHO_9_DEY is dealt 1 card
ajbutterfish checks
plutoman20 bets $2
WHO_9_DEY calls $2
ajbutterfish raises to $4
plutoman20 calls $2
WHO_9_DEY calls $2
*** THIRD DRAW *** (Pot: $24)
ajbutterfish stands pat
plutoman20 discards 1 card [Jc]
WHO_9_DEY discards 1 card
Dealt to plutoman20 [4h 3c Ad] [2c]
WHO_9_DEY is dealt 1 card
ajbutterfish bets $2
plutoman20 folds
WHO_9_DEY calls $2
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ajbutterfish shows [5c 4d 3s Qs] a 3-Card: 5, 4, 3
WHO_9_DEY mucks
ajbutterfish wins the pot ($27) with a 3-Card: 5, 4, 3
*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $28 Rake $1
Seat 1: WHO_9_DEY mucked [6s 5d Ah 8d] - a 3-Card: 6, 5, A
Seat 2: Me100 (button) folded before the Draw (didn't bet)
Seat 4: ajbutterfish (small blind) showed [5c 4d 3s Qs] and won ($27) with a 3-Card: 5, 4, 3
Seat 5: plutoman20 (big blind) folded after the 3rd Draw
Seat 6: Junedog79 folded before the Draw (didn't bet)
Seat 8: rufie101 folded before the Draw (didn't bet)

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