It’s embarrassing how, after three years of playing poker very seriously, I’m still affected so dramatically by short-term results. For two weeks, I was getting brutalized, doubting my instincts, and not playing my best. Then I have one big day and I’m back to making good reads and following through on them.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (2 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
Hero (SB) ($1168.50)
Button ($1144)
Preflop: Hero is SB with A
, 8
Button raises to $30, Hero calls $20
Flop: ($60) 9
, J, 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $30, Hero raises to $88, Button calls $58
Turn: ($236) J (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks
River: ($236) 7
(2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $175, Hero calls $175
Total pot: $586 | Rake: $0.50
Results:
Button had 8, Q (one pair, Jacks).
Hero had A, 8 (one pair, Jacks).
Outcome: Hero won $585.50
This one isn’t anything special, but it’s a spot where I probably would have folded last week. When you’re running bad, you always think they have it. But really, I think his value betting range, at least for a bet of this size, is like K9+. And the best hands in that range probably bet the turn. Throw in the fact that some draws missed and that he’s probably floating pretty wide on the flop, and this is practically a standard river call.
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (9 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
BB ($1514)
UTG ($1449)
UTG+1 ($1273)
MP1 ($2032)
Hero (MP2) ($1317)
MP3 ($1000)
Button ($1607.50)
SB ($1092)
Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Q, K
3 folds, Hero raises to $35, MP3 raises to $75, 3 folds, Hero calls $40
Flop: ($165) A, Q, 9 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 checks
Turn: ($165) 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 checks
River: ($165) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $123, MP3 raises to $377, Hero raises to $1242 (All-In), 1 fold
Total pot: $919 | Rake: $3
Results:
Hero didn’t show Q, K (nothing).
Outcome: Hero won $916
This one is tough to explain. Villain is a very unconventionally tricky LAG. The jury’s still out on how good he is, but he can definitely do some confusing things.
The river raise is bizarre and feels bluffy, since I doubt he’s ever checking a monster on the turn. But I also think he knows how it looks, and I do think he’s very capable of raising for value with a bad two pair and maybe even a strangely played AK or something. So while I contemplated calling, I eventually decided that unless he got there on the river with 77 or 65 (and even 65 probably bluffs the flop or turn), he’s not calling a shove.