Since I was passing through downtown decided to stop off at Jax. I really like playing there; their trained dealers prevent the stupidity of slow-rolling, stuff like that and the players are better on average. You see a lot less plays like Randy with his chasing runner runner as a good play, less stuff like Boston John playing "drunken monkey poker"...though there are still a wide variety of plays including a guy famous for playing 3/4.
Starts with 10K in chips and blinds of 100/200.
27 players, 3 tables of 9. Nice. Nothing to play in the first 4 hands. 5th hand I was in the big blind. Several limpers, looked down at pocket 9s. Bumped it to 700 total, still got lots of callers. Dealer commented, "Wow, 6K in their" referring to the pot. Flop was nice...Q/7/4. I glanced at the pot and raised to 5K. If someone hit the Queen I was in trouble...but everyone folded. Nice pickup that added 60% to my stack just like that.
Went with the Doyle plan of playing the next hand. Called a small raise with q/9. Regretted it instantly...I just called a raise with a weak hand out of position. But then I got lucky...the flop was Q/9/5 rainbow. I flopped top pair and the only reasonable draw was someone holding 10/J. My first thought was to slow-play...but then I reevaluated. I wanted to create an image where people were nervous about being in a pot for me. I bet the pot. Everyone folded. Nice...
A few hands later I picked up pocket 9s again. Jacked it up 3x the blinds, a couple callers. Flop was all low, someone raised, I came over the top, everyone folded.
At this point I was very happy. I had more than doubled up without ever being at risk...AND WITHOUT SHOWING DOWN A HAND!
The guy 2 seats to my left had limped once and not played a hand past the flop when he did an under size raise. I was one off the button with j/10, not a great hand but with about 4 callers the odds were right. I went ahead and called. Flop came 10/9/6. The guy who raised it checked and it was checked to me. I raised. Initial raiser hesitated, then came over the top all in, everyone folded to me. Time to think.
My initial rating put him on A/10 or better and pockets down to about 6 or so. When he checked I narrowed his range a bit: high cards and afraid of someone having hit the flop or maybe a small pair. This reeked of a bluff but there was still an outside shot I was drawing real thin to Jacks or better. However, there were enough callers initially that I was getting a bit better than 3-1 so I called...and he flipped up Pocket 8s. I was way ahead but he had 6 outs (any 7 or the 2 8s) to win...so I was a prohibitive 39-6 favorite or better than 6-1. Furthermore, the first time I showed my cards I showed people A) I was willing to gamble a bit, calling a raise with J/10 off and B) I was either reading people well to call him or else was a poor player who overvalued top pair...depending on their perception of me.
I won that hand. Now I was in control of the table and people did not want to get involved with me if they could help it. This let me pick up a few small pots, including one that I thought was brilliant.
I had been watching a guy for a while. When he had bottom or middle pair he would lead out with a small bet, a feeler bet. Nobody had challenged him. At one point he limped from the small blind. I thought about raising but elected to check. Flop came, he made one of his small raises, I re-raised him and he folded. I flipped up my irrelevant hand to show the bluff. That, in retrospect, was a mistake. I had a tell on him and may have cost myself chips later by showing a bluff. But on the other hand...I also showed people I did not need cards to win a hand.
After the break we condensed to 2 tables. A guy sat down to my right who had me out chipped but otherwise I was leading the table.
I folded a few hands, then utg+1 picked up A/Q. The guy to my right had limped so I jacked it 4 times the blinds. We were both deep stacks and I could take it down on the flop just by betting. A couple other people called, guy to my right folded. Flop was ugly, all low and diamond, with a raise, re-raise and call in front of me I folded.
A few hands later I checked from the big blind with a weak Q/8 off. Flop came ugly...Q/J/9, 2 diamonds. Guy to my right checked, I raised, everyone folded to him and he went into the tank. Then he started trying to get a reaction to me. I decided to throw off a few false tells by acting super strong...if he knows the tells. I looked pretty uninterested, let my attention wander...and waited until the third time he asked, "You have K/10 already?"
He had made a HUGE mistake. If he had just come over the top I would have folded. I had top pair, weak kicker on a draw heavy board. But after his talk and trying to draw me out I knew he was weak. If he just called I was raising big on the turn, if he raised I was moving all in. I finally engaged him in conversation.
"I might. Hard to say."
He had no clue how to respond and folded. When he did he inadvertently exposed the deuce of diamonds and I heard him telling someone he had "a real high one to go with it"...I assume the King or Ace. Anyhow, the hand was still being talked about several minuted later.
And here is where I stopped playing well. I had built a great table image...but now I tightened up. That was the first of the 3 mistakes that would hurt me.
The second came shortly when I raised UTG with Big Slick. 3 callers. Flop came Q/Q/9. Guy to my right...who had thought a long time before calling...checked. Every instinct I had said to raise. I meekly checked, essentially giving up on the hand. An old guy I had watched for a while went all in. Folded to the guy to my right who hesitated for a long time. I figured he had an under pair at worst but the 2 queens were just too much. He folded.
I had to think about it. I knew the old guy didn't have a Queen. I actually thought he might have hit the nine. I had watched him play and he was weak tight. He would bet once with middle pair, then hope to check it down. Going all in represented either strength or a stone cold bluff. Even if he had the 9 I was drawing thin to 6 outs. Folding was correct.
And for whatever reason, I looked at the guy to my right and said, "This is a HORRIBLE call"...and called. Old guy ended up having Pocket Jacks and they held up. And I was right...I was not getting the right odds to call, particularly when it turned out the guy to my right had also had big slick and someone else folded a third Ace. I was actually drawing to just 4 outs...
Anyhow, now I was down a bit. The very next hand the woman three seats to my right...who was short stacked...came over the top of a raiser and a caller to go all in. In the big blind I looked down at the Cowboys. I re-raised enough to commit anyone who called as I wanted to isolate her. It worked and I regained a good portion of what I had lost.
Then came the hand I didn't play. UTG the next round I limped with 6/7 suited. A guy who is regarded as one of the better players but whom had been unwilling to play with me. He is a guy I have played before...he was the guy on my left. Anyhow, he had been up and down a bit. Now he was down. After another limper, he raised all in. Guy to my right, as is his wont, hemmed and hawed for a while...and then called.
I desperately wanted to call. I had the chips to play with, though it would definitely cut into me about 40%, I was highly unlikely to be dominated...and I had the first guy read for being on a move. Still, I would be calling with 7 high...I REALLY wanted to call...but for whatever reason...I folded. And the guy was on a move with 3/4 and was against K/10 suited...same suit as my 6/7. Well...the guy paired his 4, I would have hit the straight, and the K/10 never hit anything.
From then I pretty much just got blinded until we collapsed to the final table. Once there I was middle of the pack in chips.
The table was a fast table with a lot of raising and re-raising. One guy took down a huge pot when he jacked pre-flop with pocket queens and flopped a full house. The very next hand he raised, the guy 3 seats to my right re-raised, the original guy raised again, guy to my right went all-in, and after thinking for a while got called. Guy to my right had pocket Jacks. Guy who flopped the boat? Pocket Queens. The Queens held up and guy to my right was crippled.
The next hand everyone limped to the small blind...who was the guy I had bluffed earlier. He limped, I had pocket jacks so raised, he re-raised, I checked the pot...it would about double me up now, I shoved, he called...with Aces. Oops. I was left with 1000 chips and blinds of 1/2K.
Now, here is where tournament strategy comes into play. If I care about the points (I don't) then I don't even look at my cards, I make the guy 3 seats to my right go through the blinds...he has 3K. On the other hand, if I want to see if I can make a comeback, I look for my best hand.
Best part is I now hit a hot streak. If I went all in the first hand I would have quadrupled up. The next hand (2/6 off) I would have flopped 2 pair. Then the tragic happened...I picked up Big Slick. It was the best hand I would get before being in the blinds, I called.
And the guy who had gone all-in with 3/4 called, among others, and flopped 2 pair. 3s and 4s. I was done.
I played really well early...I was aggressive, I played good cards strongly and when I did not have cards I played the players and picked up a couple pots I had no business winning. However, late I became passive, made 2 bad calls...I need to close out stronger.
Thursday
Tuesday
The Retirement Game
Last week I filled in on Phil's team, a Men's League game. For some inexplicable reason they put me at third base. 3rd is known as "the Hot Corner" for the large number of screaming line drives that make their way down the path. Now, if the ball is in the air I am fine but on the ground my confidence is shot, plus I have been in a batting slump.
First play of the game, the old adage that "The ball finds the unprepared" came true as the first batter grounded it directly to me. I mean between my legs right to me. And I froze. I could not read the ball, thought it was to the short stop.
Well, now my confidence is even worse. But I am out there trying. And a couple batters later a shot down the line looked stoppable. I laid out for it. I had never played 3rd except for one inning in all my life. It was not a smart dive. The ball was outside my reach and I landed badly, driving all my weight onto my left shoulder.
A few years ago I weighed 220 and it would have been no big deal. Now I am about 265 and...how do I put this politely...the added figure is NOT from building up muscle...as can be seen from the profile pic. Anyhow, it instantly started to hurt a little bit. Well, as the game went on it got worse. Every (pathetic) swing of the bat tore it and the plays I did make were no help.
On the bright side, I had only 2 more legit chances in the entire game. One was a line drive I caught that drew a lot of oohs and ahs from both teams...ironically, I thought it was an easy play. The second was a ball I charged perfectly and threw on a hop to first...bad throw but it beat him. However, the ump called him safe. He later admitted he had blown the call...no big deal, really...it happens.
Anyhow, my arm killed me all week. Until Saturday I did not even shave, mostly because I could not lift my arm. It hurt all the time and made sleeping very difficult. At work I had to physically lift it up to the keyboard with my right arm. Pathetic. And all that is set-up for the How You Doin' game.
I wasn't going to go. My arm still hurt, though not nearly as bad, but I still can't lift it above about chest high. I left the video camera at home (I am working on a documentary project for the team) so there was no point to going...until JJ called and said I was the 5th guy. He did not know about my arm.
So one of my character flaws from the past rose up. Growing up I was hyper competitive. I did a lot of damage playing basketball on sprained ankles, stuff like that. And winning. Because I would push past the pain to do what needed to be done to win. And it wasn't just in athletics...long before I knew strategy guides existed I knew to start the game of Risk in Australia and/or South America. I could win Diplomacy starting with Turkey or Russia. I never lost a tournament game in chess, even at state. I was too competitive to let someone outwork me. And I loved to play.
I still love to play. So I sacked up and headed down to the game. Got there as the team was milling around waiting for 2 later players to make it. Asked JJ to "hide me" at the bottom of the batting order and in right center where very few balls are hit, planning not to even attempt to catch a ball, just to track down anything hit that way and heave the ball back in to make them hit it again. Yeah, I laughed when I read that line too. I know me too well. Yes, I can let myself lose a game now, unlike when I was growing up...but I still cannot not expend effort in an athletic competition.
While we were milling around waiting for the game to start one of my teammates made a friendly gesture of camaraderie...he tapped me on the shoulder. The pain was so intense it literally drove me to his knees. I know what you are thinking...he got smart and didn't play.
Hahahahahahahahhaa. Oh, you kid. Of course I played. I am that way.
Anyhow, we were the visitors. Batting 9th, I figured I would not hit for a couple of innings. Wrong. I came up with runners on 1st and 3rd, 1 out. I physically could not even swing the bat right handed so I was going to hit from the left side. My plan was to work the count...see if he could get 3 strikes over the plate or if I would walk.
The first pitch looked so awesome I could not help myself. I swung. At least I did not swing hard. It was a slow roller to the first baseman who got the force at second but I was safe at first. And the run scored. As did I. Big first inning.
No chances in the first couple innings in the field and I would lead off the third. Again, the plan was to NOT SWING. I should not have even taken a bat up there. First pitch was bad, ball one. 2nd pitch I could see was a strike and if feeling good I would have crushed it. Instead I followed the plan and DIDN'T SWING. Go me! Of course, on the very next pitch I undid all my good work by uncorking a mighty swing that Casey might have envied. I mean I really unwound and obliterated the ball. Well, okay, so obliterated might be a bit of hyperbole...I will say it was hit so hard that lots of things happened. First, I screamed in pain and bent over in the batters box. And still made it to first because I hit it so hard the first baseman could not handle it and even after connecting with him it skittered into the outfield. But it about crippled me.
And remember the adage that the ball finds the unprepared? Bottom half of the inning, the ball found me. Soft liner almost directly to me. Now, remember...I had promised myself I would not even attempt a catch, I would just recover and throw to the infield. Uh-huh. Any other lies, Mr. Weasel? I briefly considered bare handing it with my right hand but then gauged the arc...I could basket catch that sucker! So I did...I moved back and forth to where I caught it waist high and used both hands...fundamentally horrible, but very effective. Even after the game I was catching compliments on that one because they saw how I had to maneuver just to be physically capable of making the catch.
My next time up I swung 1 handed...and singled to right. I am 2 for 3 with no physical ability...and then came the long inning.
Two batters flew to right and our right fielder could not handle them. I was doing what I do, backing her up and held the runners to fewer bases. Then came a liner that, if I am feeling good, I probably catch. This time I wisely angle back to stop the ball and throw it back in. Then another one I would catch if I were right but I wait for the bounce and grab it with my bare hand...which wrenched my shoulder and caused beads of sweat to pop out on my forehead. Another ball my way...I was getting to the ball and getting it back in quickly but I was frustrated because those were easy catches if I could move and extend my arm. As it was, not one of them was catch able.
Anyhow, we finally got out of the inning. My next time up I saw where the third base girl was playing and knew she had just an average arm. The plan was a soft one handed swing...basically a legal bunt that would not even get to her it would be rolling so slow. I kept my left arm in tight, let my top hand roll off, nice, soft swing...and flew out to moderately deep left. Best ball I have hit in two weeks. Hilarious. Also probably the last ball I will ever hit unless something changes.
I am too easily injured nowadays, my skills have deteriorated, and I don't feel like I am helpful to my team when I play. Time to pack it in and what better time than after a 2-4 performance from the left side with every chance handled cleanly?
So I "retired" after the game.
A sad day for me. I love to play...I just am not in shape to anymore.
First play of the game, the old adage that "The ball finds the unprepared" came true as the first batter grounded it directly to me. I mean between my legs right to me. And I froze. I could not read the ball, thought it was to the short stop.
Well, now my confidence is even worse. But I am out there trying. And a couple batters later a shot down the line looked stoppable. I laid out for it. I had never played 3rd except for one inning in all my life. It was not a smart dive. The ball was outside my reach and I landed badly, driving all my weight onto my left shoulder.
A few years ago I weighed 220 and it would have been no big deal. Now I am about 265 and...how do I put this politely...the added figure is NOT from building up muscle...as can be seen from the profile pic. Anyhow, it instantly started to hurt a little bit. Well, as the game went on it got worse. Every (pathetic) swing of the bat tore it and the plays I did make were no help.
On the bright side, I had only 2 more legit chances in the entire game. One was a line drive I caught that drew a lot of oohs and ahs from both teams...ironically, I thought it was an easy play. The second was a ball I charged perfectly and threw on a hop to first...bad throw but it beat him. However, the ump called him safe. He later admitted he had blown the call...no big deal, really...it happens.
Anyhow, my arm killed me all week. Until Saturday I did not even shave, mostly because I could not lift my arm. It hurt all the time and made sleeping very difficult. At work I had to physically lift it up to the keyboard with my right arm. Pathetic. And all that is set-up for the How You Doin' game.
I wasn't going to go. My arm still hurt, though not nearly as bad, but I still can't lift it above about chest high. I left the video camera at home (I am working on a documentary project for the team) so there was no point to going...until JJ called and said I was the 5th guy. He did not know about my arm.
So one of my character flaws from the past rose up. Growing up I was hyper competitive. I did a lot of damage playing basketball on sprained ankles, stuff like that. And winning. Because I would push past the pain to do what needed to be done to win. And it wasn't just in athletics...long before I knew strategy guides existed I knew to start the game of Risk in Australia and/or South America. I could win Diplomacy starting with Turkey or Russia. I never lost a tournament game in chess, even at state. I was too competitive to let someone outwork me. And I loved to play.
I still love to play. So I sacked up and headed down to the game. Got there as the team was milling around waiting for 2 later players to make it. Asked JJ to "hide me" at the bottom of the batting order and in right center where very few balls are hit, planning not to even attempt to catch a ball, just to track down anything hit that way and heave the ball back in to make them hit it again. Yeah, I laughed when I read that line too. I know me too well. Yes, I can let myself lose a game now, unlike when I was growing up...but I still cannot not expend effort in an athletic competition.
While we were milling around waiting for the game to start one of my teammates made a friendly gesture of camaraderie...he tapped me on the shoulder. The pain was so intense it literally drove me to his knees. I know what you are thinking...he got smart and didn't play.
Hahahahahahahahhaa. Oh, you kid. Of course I played. I am that way.
Anyhow, we were the visitors. Batting 9th, I figured I would not hit for a couple of innings. Wrong. I came up with runners on 1st and 3rd, 1 out. I physically could not even swing the bat right handed so I was going to hit from the left side. My plan was to work the count...see if he could get 3 strikes over the plate or if I would walk.
The first pitch looked so awesome I could not help myself. I swung. At least I did not swing hard. It was a slow roller to the first baseman who got the force at second but I was safe at first. And the run scored. As did I. Big first inning.
No chances in the first couple innings in the field and I would lead off the third. Again, the plan was to NOT SWING. I should not have even taken a bat up there. First pitch was bad, ball one. 2nd pitch I could see was a strike and if feeling good I would have crushed it. Instead I followed the plan and DIDN'T SWING. Go me! Of course, on the very next pitch I undid all my good work by uncorking a mighty swing that Casey might have envied. I mean I really unwound and obliterated the ball. Well, okay, so obliterated might be a bit of hyperbole...I will say it was hit so hard that lots of things happened. First, I screamed in pain and bent over in the batters box. And still made it to first because I hit it so hard the first baseman could not handle it and even after connecting with him it skittered into the outfield. But it about crippled me.
And remember the adage that the ball finds the unprepared? Bottom half of the inning, the ball found me. Soft liner almost directly to me. Now, remember...I had promised myself I would not even attempt a catch, I would just recover and throw to the infield. Uh-huh. Any other lies, Mr. Weasel? I briefly considered bare handing it with my right hand but then gauged the arc...I could basket catch that sucker! So I did...I moved back and forth to where I caught it waist high and used both hands...fundamentally horrible, but very effective. Even after the game I was catching compliments on that one because they saw how I had to maneuver just to be physically capable of making the catch.
My next time up I swung 1 handed...and singled to right. I am 2 for 3 with no physical ability...and then came the long inning.
Two batters flew to right and our right fielder could not handle them. I was doing what I do, backing her up and held the runners to fewer bases. Then came a liner that, if I am feeling good, I probably catch. This time I wisely angle back to stop the ball and throw it back in. Then another one I would catch if I were right but I wait for the bounce and grab it with my bare hand...which wrenched my shoulder and caused beads of sweat to pop out on my forehead. Another ball my way...I was getting to the ball and getting it back in quickly but I was frustrated because those were easy catches if I could move and extend my arm. As it was, not one of them was catch able.
Anyhow, we finally got out of the inning. My next time up I saw where the third base girl was playing and knew she had just an average arm. The plan was a soft one handed swing...basically a legal bunt that would not even get to her it would be rolling so slow. I kept my left arm in tight, let my top hand roll off, nice, soft swing...and flew out to moderately deep left. Best ball I have hit in two weeks. Hilarious. Also probably the last ball I will ever hit unless something changes.
I am too easily injured nowadays, my skills have deteriorated, and I don't feel like I am helpful to my team when I play. Time to pack it in and what better time than after a 2-4 performance from the left side with every chance handled cleanly?
So I "retired" after the game.
A sad day for me. I love to play...I just am not in shape to anymore.
Monday
H.O.R.S.E.
With the Goose off in Arizona last week I spent a sad amount of time playing on Poker Stars. Some of the time I spent on the classic No Limit tournaments, mostly sit & gos but I played a lot of H.O.R.S.E. as well and learned some interesting things. Each game had something to offer. Prior to this I had played very little Limit Hold Em, a small amount of Omaha, and never played Stud or Razz.
Limit Hold 'Em would actually probably be my best game. I have the patience to wait for good hands, I generally get pretty good reads on my opponents, and I know the percentages. Still, it is such a slow game...it is good for learning patience. I came out of almost every Limit session up a little bit. I waited for good hands in good position and played them aggressively. At one point I had not played a hand in nearly 2 full circuits as I was pretty card dead when I picked up the Rockets under the gun. I raised them and it came back to me with a re-raise. I 3 bet...and everyone called. When I flopped a set I saw no point to slow-playing. The betting was capped on every round and I raked a huge pot. Now, anyone who was paying attention should not have been in that hand without a pretty good straight draw (no flush possible) and there wasn't one. Sure, by folding when 2 and 3 bets came to my blind I was getting ground down a bit...but it is limit. I did not get ground much and was able to maximize my winnings when I got a hand. So the key I learned was patience.
Omaha is a much faster game. Because so many combinations can hit, lots of people play any 4 cards. Using the patience from Limit, I waited for hands that were connected, preferably with a suited Ace. When I flopped, if it was a small draw I folded and if it was to the nuts I called or raised, depending on the game. Because of the nature of Omaha I won some huge pots and lost some huge ones. Then when it switched to Omaha High Low, I only played hands with the potential to win the low. As a result, when I won pots they were typically the whole pot and when I lost I was usually out of the hand early as if no low is possible I got out. Twice I folded straights when I believed an opponent had a flush or full house and once I folded a full house (deuces full of 2s) believing one of the 2 opponents had to have queens over deuces. I was right...and wrong. One guy had that, the other had Aces full. The lesson to be learned from Omaha is pretty simple; you have to be willing to fold when you are beat.
Razz is a different game where you want a bad hand. A/3/4/5/6 is pretty solid. An 8 high is questionable. And all too often you find yourself with a hand that looks good but is beating by subtlety. You and your opponent both roll 7 low hands but he is 7/5/4/3/2 and you are 7/6/3/2/a...and you lose. Subtle differences in hand strength make or break a hand so you start developing a feel for how good your hand needs to be to stay in.
Stud is a game that requires you to pay attention and use your memory. If you are dealt 3 to the flush but see 4 cards of your suit up on other boards there is not much point to playing the hand. Forgetting someone folded one jack and another opponent has a Jack showing renders your buried jacks meaningless. The player who does not pay attention to who has what door cards and other cards showing on their board...and who forgets what was folded...finds them self drawing thin too often. And by following the betting pattern you can often discern what people are representing. So Stud is great for developing memory.
Last but not least, the Hi-lo split versions of the game help with developing a sense for the meaning to percentages and getting a feel for pot odds. When you hit your flush and pull in just 50% of the pot...well, sometimes you barely break even!
So HORSE is great for seeing poker from other angles. It remains to be seen if I will put those lessons to good use.
Limit Hold 'Em would actually probably be my best game. I have the patience to wait for good hands, I generally get pretty good reads on my opponents, and I know the percentages. Still, it is such a slow game...it is good for learning patience. I came out of almost every Limit session up a little bit. I waited for good hands in good position and played them aggressively. At one point I had not played a hand in nearly 2 full circuits as I was pretty card dead when I picked up the Rockets under the gun. I raised them and it came back to me with a re-raise. I 3 bet...and everyone called. When I flopped a set I saw no point to slow-playing. The betting was capped on every round and I raked a huge pot. Now, anyone who was paying attention should not have been in that hand without a pretty good straight draw (no flush possible) and there wasn't one. Sure, by folding when 2 and 3 bets came to my blind I was getting ground down a bit...but it is limit. I did not get ground much and was able to maximize my winnings when I got a hand. So the key I learned was patience.
Omaha is a much faster game. Because so many combinations can hit, lots of people play any 4 cards. Using the patience from Limit, I waited for hands that were connected, preferably with a suited Ace. When I flopped, if it was a small draw I folded and if it was to the nuts I called or raised, depending on the game. Because of the nature of Omaha I won some huge pots and lost some huge ones. Then when it switched to Omaha High Low, I only played hands with the potential to win the low. As a result, when I won pots they were typically the whole pot and when I lost I was usually out of the hand early as if no low is possible I got out. Twice I folded straights when I believed an opponent had a flush or full house and once I folded a full house (deuces full of 2s) believing one of the 2 opponents had to have queens over deuces. I was right...and wrong. One guy had that, the other had Aces full. The lesson to be learned from Omaha is pretty simple; you have to be willing to fold when you are beat.
Razz is a different game where you want a bad hand. A/3/4/5/6 is pretty solid. An 8 high is questionable. And all too often you find yourself with a hand that looks good but is beating by subtlety. You and your opponent both roll 7 low hands but he is 7/5/4/3/2 and you are 7/6/3/2/a...and you lose. Subtle differences in hand strength make or break a hand so you start developing a feel for how good your hand needs to be to stay in.
Stud is a game that requires you to pay attention and use your memory. If you are dealt 3 to the flush but see 4 cards of your suit up on other boards there is not much point to playing the hand. Forgetting someone folded one jack and another opponent has a Jack showing renders your buried jacks meaningless. The player who does not pay attention to who has what door cards and other cards showing on their board...and who forgets what was folded...finds them self drawing thin too often. And by following the betting pattern you can often discern what people are representing. So Stud is great for developing memory.
Last but not least, the Hi-lo split versions of the game help with developing a sense for the meaning to percentages and getting a feel for pot odds. When you hit your flush and pull in just 50% of the pot...well, sometimes you barely break even!
So HORSE is great for seeing poker from other angles. It remains to be seen if I will put those lessons to good use.
Coffeehousing:Why it matters
I had a plan: I would play 2 blind levels to the best of my ability, then play virtually every hand and bust out before the end of the third blind level. I had places to be.
First hand I played I limped from the small blind with 4 callers behind with my A/8. Flop came ragged, A/9/5. No reasonable straight or flush draws, I decided to bet it and see what happened. Only one caller, an old guy I have played before and he is pretty wild. He actually reraised me. Effective stacks of 5K, about 400 in the pot and his raise of 100 over my 100...I called. I blind checked the turn. It was a blank, he raised 100. Call. River, another blank, I considered raising but decided to play smart; if I raised, he would reraise no matter what he had and I had him probably on an Ace with a marginal kicker...much like my own. I checked, he raised 100, I wanted to see it...he had pocket 5s. I did not feel bad about it, I actually think (other than playing the hand at all...) I played it pretty well.
I have played with this guy before and he tends to think blind aggression is good. I have seen him with 20BB get 80% of his stack in on a Jack high...several times. He will bet and reraise whenever he is in a hand even with third pair or just a paint card so against him if I have even a pair I pretty much check and call because I want to see a showdown. I got out of this one pretty cheap.
The very next hand, on the button, I picked up pocket 5s. I nearly folded them because you only hit a set 1 in 8 times. But after 4 limpers I came to my senses...cards have no memory. I had a 1 in 8 chance of hitting my set and if I did I would make a lot more than 8-1...so I limped. Sure enough, K/7/5. I did not like the potential straight draw but after it was checked around I raised the pot. 2 callers, one Todd's wife, whom I have not played with before. Turn was a blank, I raised, they folded, I showed because I thought it was funny.
My next hand I picked up K/10o, a hand I usually don't play, but this time I called from late position to see a flop. Here is why it is a bad idea. I hit top pair on the flop and there were 2 diamonds. Someone raised, 3 callers. I merely called. Turn gave me a flush draw...the NUT flush draw. So with the same raiser/3 callers I came along for the ride. I missed my flush and with the raiser again raising and 2 callers I knew my 10s were no good and no way would they all be bluffed out. I folded. The guy raising all the way along? 2/3 diamonds...he hit the flush. I had everyone until the river, pretty funny stuff.
Raised an A/J, couple callers, low flop, lots of action, folded.
Then I started blinding down a bit. After a while, blinds now 50/100, the table had loosened a lot with heavy action on virtually every hand. On the button, I had3750 left, a couple 1 limper, I raised to 500, Paul agonized for a while before calling from the big blind, the maniac old guy called pretty quick.
I briefly considered blind raising but elected not to. Flop was ugly, 4/5/8, 2 diamonds. I was going to bet the pot, 2K. I knew Paul would call and so would the old guy...but that would only leave me 1250. I decided to try to pick up the pot as it was. I went all in. Paul went into the tank for a long time. He hated to give it up but with someone after him...he was out of position and folded. The old guy went in the tank for a long time. When he did I wanted him to call...he probably had 2 court cards or some ridiculous draw. Finally he called...and he was in shape than I would have believed, 5/6 diamonds. He could hit a 5,6,7, or diamonds...but blanks rolled off the turn and river and I was way up. Oh, and Paul pulled back his cards and showed pocket Jacks.
I am not sure about my play on this hand. Had I raised just the 2K that was in the pot...or less...I would still have been committed to it but might have made more as he probably would have called. On the other hand, I really don't want 3 of us seeing a turn card and I don't want anyone reraising me there. I need to think about that a bit. Did I want them to call? I was kind of going with my, "Any hand where you win the pot and don't show your hand is a good one." I often tell people I teach how to play that the best hands you play are the ones where you win without a showdown because THERE IS NO WAY TO LOSE THE HAND IF YOUR OPPONENT FOLDS! So I would not have minded them folding...
Although I hit a cold run of cards, I did see one interesting hand that would matter later and it was one I was not involved in. Flop came Q/2/2. Forrest led out, pretty small bet. Paul called. Turn was another Queen, Forrest led small, maybe 300 or so, and Paul called. River was a King. Forrest now led for 1K. Paul went into the tank.
I have seen Forrest play a few times and this betting pattern means he has something. His bets at least alluded to the size of the pot. He could have a deuce, he might have the Queen, or he could have a pair higher than the deuces. He could also have the King. I knew he had something because if he had nothing he would have made a HUGE bet.
Meanwhile Paul has something too. He wasn't on a draw as there were no flush or straight draws. His reaction made me think maybe he had pockets higher than Deuces but he was afraid of the King. Then he started coffee housing. "I am going to bet you DON'T have the boat." And he re-raised.
As soon as he said that I knew he had the boat, possibly the Queen, maybe the deuces. I knew he had the queen or deuce in his hand. And when Forrest merely called I knew he was beat. Sure enough, Forrest rolled over the King and Paul flipped up Q/8.
In every big hand he was involved in Paul tried to engage the other person. When I had the Rockets he looked at me for a long time and I basically ignored him, leading to his fold. I should have looked over at him, he probably would have called. In this hand he tried to talk Forrest into a call with his challenge. I would use this later.
Anyway, did not play another hand before the break. Now my goal was to call off my chips in 20 minutes.
First hand picked up A/Qo. Blinds 1/200, raised to 800. 2 callers. Flop was j/9/j. Forrest checked, I raised a weak 1500. Paul called, Forrest called. Turn was an 8. Now I had a gut shot straight draw...though to anyone with 9/J I was drawing dead. I underbet again, both called. River was a blank. I thought about going all in for my last 4K but there was over 10K in there and all I could beat was a bluff. I checked, Paul went all in...I had him covered by 100. Forest folded.
I know Paul is capable of a bluff. After all, he raised every street with a 2/3. He is a pretty solid player, somewhat tricky. But what bluffs could he be on at this point? A/K has me beat, 10/Q has me beat, A/Q we split, any Jack has me beat...really, the only thing I can beat is a weak Ace or low suited connectors, neither of which I believe he held. I actually went into coffee house mode a bit. "No flush...you could have a missed flush. Would you stay with q/10? Maybe." thought about it a bit more and then did the smart thing. He had at least a pair. I folded.
The next dealer accidentally flashed his cards as he was scooping them up...9/10. If I was playing solid I would have said I misplayed. On a dangerous flop like that with 2 callers I should have been done there on the flop. However, it was a good hand for me...I got rid of almost half my chips with a hand I was not upset to have played.
Next hand, pocket 6s. Limped along with about 4 others. Flop was A/7/4. Raise and call in front of me, I folded. Turn was an 8. River was a 5. I started laughing as the showdown had the old guy maniac showing A/2, another guy showing 2 pair...and then everyone realizing the old guy had the nut flush.
6/8o, limped from button to see what would happen. Hit nothing on the flop, folded.
3/8off, checked from big blind. Flop was 8/5/3, 2 diamonds. Bet the pot. Todd's wife called, guy to my right went all in. Now, I was going all in regardless here, but first I decided to see how close I could come to his hand.
He was a weak-tight player. The first hand he played was j/7...because he had seen nothing better. Still no excuse to play that trash. So he will play bad hands. And he played it for a couple streets. But then he played a K/10 and on a 10/3/3 flop with Todd raising, his wife calling, and a raise past that, he laid it down. Rightfully so, as said raiser had trip 3s. So he had some skills. He looked a bit desperate so I finally put him on a draw. Sure enough, he had 2 diamonds. And he turned the flush so I was done in 4 hands, none of which did I feel bad about. Well, maybe the 6/8o....if I were playing serious I would not have played that. Oh, and the best part? That hand finished 1 minute before my goal...
First hand I played I limped from the small blind with 4 callers behind with my A/8. Flop came ragged, A/9/5. No reasonable straight or flush draws, I decided to bet it and see what happened. Only one caller, an old guy I have played before and he is pretty wild. He actually reraised me. Effective stacks of 5K, about 400 in the pot and his raise of 100 over my 100...I called. I blind checked the turn. It was a blank, he raised 100. Call. River, another blank, I considered raising but decided to play smart; if I raised, he would reraise no matter what he had and I had him probably on an Ace with a marginal kicker...much like my own. I checked, he raised 100, I wanted to see it...he had pocket 5s. I did not feel bad about it, I actually think (other than playing the hand at all...) I played it pretty well.
I have played with this guy before and he tends to think blind aggression is good. I have seen him with 20BB get 80% of his stack in on a Jack high...several times. He will bet and reraise whenever he is in a hand even with third pair or just a paint card so against him if I have even a pair I pretty much check and call because I want to see a showdown. I got out of this one pretty cheap.
The very next hand, on the button, I picked up pocket 5s. I nearly folded them because you only hit a set 1 in 8 times. But after 4 limpers I came to my senses...cards have no memory. I had a 1 in 8 chance of hitting my set and if I did I would make a lot more than 8-1...so I limped. Sure enough, K/7/5. I did not like the potential straight draw but after it was checked around I raised the pot. 2 callers, one Todd's wife, whom I have not played with before. Turn was a blank, I raised, they folded, I showed because I thought it was funny.
My next hand I picked up K/10o, a hand I usually don't play, but this time I called from late position to see a flop. Here is why it is a bad idea. I hit top pair on the flop and there were 2 diamonds. Someone raised, 3 callers. I merely called. Turn gave me a flush draw...the NUT flush draw. So with the same raiser/3 callers I came along for the ride. I missed my flush and with the raiser again raising and 2 callers I knew my 10s were no good and no way would they all be bluffed out. I folded. The guy raising all the way along? 2/3 diamonds...he hit the flush. I had everyone until the river, pretty funny stuff.
Raised an A/J, couple callers, low flop, lots of action, folded.
Then I started blinding down a bit. After a while, blinds now 50/100, the table had loosened a lot with heavy action on virtually every hand. On the button, I had3750 left, a couple 1 limper, I raised to 500, Paul agonized for a while before calling from the big blind, the maniac old guy called pretty quick.
I briefly considered blind raising but elected not to. Flop was ugly, 4/5/8, 2 diamonds. I was going to bet the pot, 2K. I knew Paul would call and so would the old guy...but that would only leave me 1250. I decided to try to pick up the pot as it was. I went all in. Paul went into the tank for a long time. He hated to give it up but with someone after him...he was out of position and folded. The old guy went in the tank for a long time. When he did I wanted him to call...he probably had 2 court cards or some ridiculous draw. Finally he called...and he was in shape than I would have believed, 5/6 diamonds. He could hit a 5,6,7, or diamonds...but blanks rolled off the turn and river and I was way up. Oh, and Paul pulled back his cards and showed pocket Jacks.
I am not sure about my play on this hand. Had I raised just the 2K that was in the pot...or less...I would still have been committed to it but might have made more as he probably would have called. On the other hand, I really don't want 3 of us seeing a turn card and I don't want anyone reraising me there. I need to think about that a bit. Did I want them to call? I was kind of going with my, "Any hand where you win the pot and don't show your hand is a good one." I often tell people I teach how to play that the best hands you play are the ones where you win without a showdown because THERE IS NO WAY TO LOSE THE HAND IF YOUR OPPONENT FOLDS! So I would not have minded them folding...
Although I hit a cold run of cards, I did see one interesting hand that would matter later and it was one I was not involved in. Flop came Q/2/2. Forrest led out, pretty small bet. Paul called. Turn was another Queen, Forrest led small, maybe 300 or so, and Paul called. River was a King. Forrest now led for 1K. Paul went into the tank.
I have seen Forrest play a few times and this betting pattern means he has something. His bets at least alluded to the size of the pot. He could have a deuce, he might have the Queen, or he could have a pair higher than the deuces. He could also have the King. I knew he had something because if he had nothing he would have made a HUGE bet.
Meanwhile Paul has something too. He wasn't on a draw as there were no flush or straight draws. His reaction made me think maybe he had pockets higher than Deuces but he was afraid of the King. Then he started coffee housing. "I am going to bet you DON'T have the boat." And he re-raised.
As soon as he said that I knew he had the boat, possibly the Queen, maybe the deuces. I knew he had the queen or deuce in his hand. And when Forrest merely called I knew he was beat. Sure enough, Forrest rolled over the King and Paul flipped up Q/8.
In every big hand he was involved in Paul tried to engage the other person. When I had the Rockets he looked at me for a long time and I basically ignored him, leading to his fold. I should have looked over at him, he probably would have called. In this hand he tried to talk Forrest into a call with his challenge. I would use this later.
Anyway, did not play another hand before the break. Now my goal was to call off my chips in 20 minutes.
First hand picked up A/Qo. Blinds 1/200, raised to 800. 2 callers. Flop was j/9/j. Forrest checked, I raised a weak 1500. Paul called, Forrest called. Turn was an 8. Now I had a gut shot straight draw...though to anyone with 9/J I was drawing dead. I underbet again, both called. River was a blank. I thought about going all in for my last 4K but there was over 10K in there and all I could beat was a bluff. I checked, Paul went all in...I had him covered by 100. Forest folded.
I know Paul is capable of a bluff. After all, he raised every street with a 2/3. He is a pretty solid player, somewhat tricky. But what bluffs could he be on at this point? A/K has me beat, 10/Q has me beat, A/Q we split, any Jack has me beat...really, the only thing I can beat is a weak Ace or low suited connectors, neither of which I believe he held. I actually went into coffee house mode a bit. "No flush...you could have a missed flush. Would you stay with q/10? Maybe." thought about it a bit more and then did the smart thing. He had at least a pair. I folded.
The next dealer accidentally flashed his cards as he was scooping them up...9/10. If I was playing solid I would have said I misplayed. On a dangerous flop like that with 2 callers I should have been done there on the flop. However, it was a good hand for me...I got rid of almost half my chips with a hand I was not upset to have played.
Next hand, pocket 6s. Limped along with about 4 others. Flop was A/7/4. Raise and call in front of me, I folded. Turn was an 8. River was a 5. I started laughing as the showdown had the old guy maniac showing A/2, another guy showing 2 pair...and then everyone realizing the old guy had the nut flush.
6/8o, limped from button to see what would happen. Hit nothing on the flop, folded.
3/8off, checked from big blind. Flop was 8/5/3, 2 diamonds. Bet the pot. Todd's wife called, guy to my right went all in. Now, I was going all in regardless here, but first I decided to see how close I could come to his hand.
He was a weak-tight player. The first hand he played was j/7...because he had seen nothing better. Still no excuse to play that trash. So he will play bad hands. And he played it for a couple streets. But then he played a K/10 and on a 10/3/3 flop with Todd raising, his wife calling, and a raise past that, he laid it down. Rightfully so, as said raiser had trip 3s. So he had some skills. He looked a bit desperate so I finally put him on a draw. Sure enough, he had 2 diamonds. And he turned the flush so I was done in 4 hands, none of which did I feel bad about. Well, maybe the 6/8o....if I were playing serious I would not have played that. Oh, and the best part? That hand finished 1 minute before my goal...
Thursday
On Pot Control
One of the reasons I enjoy writing on here is it gives me a chance to go back over games and, sometimes, to spotlight errors I make which I can then tighten up. And this is one of those times. It goes back to a big hand I lost to Phil. On the one hand, I can't think of a way I could have played the hand where I would have won. He had a hand he was not going to be driven off so no raise would have won it for me and he had better cards. The problem was I paid him far too many chips...and it was my own misplays that made it that way.
With effective stacks of about 4K the situation was pretty clear. I had been on a rush, built a decent lead, and had been driving people out with raises. Phil was gun shy towards me, having lost 2 or 3 big pots. The blinds were 50/100.
With a couple limpers I picked up the fishhooks on the button. I raised to 300, Phil called UTG, everyone else folded, pot had about 800. Flop was gorgeous, all low, though there was a potential straight if he called with something goofy like a 6/8 or something weird like that. He came out and raised 200. Based on what I had seen I put him on something like top pair with top kicker or maybe 2 big cards. I reraised to 1000. He hesitated, then called. Turn was a King and he hit it. I knew he hit it as sure as if I saw his King. I did not know if he had A/K, K/7, or what...but I knew he had a King. But when he put in another 1000 I called anyway for reasons I will go into shortly and on the river his last 1200 was called as well.
From my standpoint the thinking went like this:
pre-flop with just limpers I believe my Jacks are good.
On the flop, which I loved, I believed I had the best hand. When I have the best hand I love to get all the chips in the pot and double up. I was planning to bet the pot and when he showed interest I adjusted my bet up a bit. The plan was to get all the chips in on the river.
On the turn when he hit the king I went into, "I might hit a miracle card" mode. Horrible play. I knew it was but I also knew I had the chips to play with. On the river, I know I am beat but, as I commented at the time, "there is so much in the pot I can't not call". Another HORRID play. I was 99.9999% convinced I was beat and getting only about 6-1 on my chips. A fold saves 1200 chips and I would still have been in fine shape, though no longer chip lead. Basically it was a frustration call.
From Phil's standpoint, the hand went something like this: limp with big hand, call a frequent raiser, see beautiful flop of all unders, send out feeler bet, get re-raised. Only pocket Aces or a bizarre medium suited connectors that hit 2 pair or straight are beating him. Turn gives a set. Now the object is to get all the chips in the center and the opponent is very aggressive. A nice raise of almost half the remaining chips. Innocuous river card, the rest of the chips go in.
And now, a look at the hand as I SHOULD have played it.
I like my pre-flop raise. There has been plenty of raising in the game so far and a fair amount of limping as well. I have no reason to believe the Cowboys are lurking.
I don't even like my PLANNED raise on the flop. Sure, the odds are my hand is best. But with a pot of 800 and just a pair of Jacks I really don't have a lot. I am vulnerable to any Queen, King, or Ace that falls on the turn or river, to any 2 pair. I want to play a small pot here.
So when Phil bets 200 I should either A)call or B) reraise the same amount or slightly more. No need to bump up to 1000 and make it a big pot.
He was willing to play a small pot with his Kings. If I just call there is only 1200 in the pot. I am not getting hurt, nor is he. This will be important on the turn.
When the King rolled off I saw his reaction. I KNEW he had the King and was beat. If there is only 1200 in the pot I am not tied to it. No big deal, I can let it go and not think about it. He is unlikely to switch gears and throw a huge bet out there and if he does I can happily lay it down.
This was a case of being overaggressive. I would not care hugely except for one basic fact: I do this too often. I get too aggressive, create unnecessarily large pots and then too often can't get away from them because I committed myself with too weak a hand.
I need to be more patient. Every pot does not need to be a big, make or break pot where huge amounts of chips are exchanged. Just as an open raise of 500 with blinds at 25/50 is ridiculous, so my habit of betting the pot borders on ridiculous.
I need to work on controlling the size of the pot. Sure, if I have the nuts I want as many chips as possible in the pot. Otherwise, do I REALLY want to play for all my chips with a weak pair or even 2 pair, something like that?
I need to work on betting less and less often. Sure, aggression is good...when properly channeled. Improperly channeled it leads to huge pots that need not have been played.
Imagine this: Phil calls my 300, I call his 200, I fold to the King. I am still chip leader. I lost only 500 chips on a hand where my Jacks ran into a SET of Kings. I lost less than 10% of my stack.
This has been an ongoing theme that for whatever reason has eluded me in my post-mortems.
So maybe I will have better success sizing my bets with half or 2/3rds of the pot. By slowing down I might do a better job of getting my chips in the center in better situations.
Of course, I understand one reason this occurs. I play pretty tight pre-flop so when I actually catch a hand I want to make some chips off it. But that detracts from the patience I need. Patient aggression, that is a good plan...but can be made better by changing it to patient intelligent aggression.
So we will see if I take the lesson to heart and begin sizing my bets more wisely.
With effective stacks of about 4K the situation was pretty clear. I had been on a rush, built a decent lead, and had been driving people out with raises. Phil was gun shy towards me, having lost 2 or 3 big pots. The blinds were 50/100.
With a couple limpers I picked up the fishhooks on the button. I raised to 300, Phil called UTG, everyone else folded, pot had about 800. Flop was gorgeous, all low, though there was a potential straight if he called with something goofy like a 6/8 or something weird like that. He came out and raised 200. Based on what I had seen I put him on something like top pair with top kicker or maybe 2 big cards. I reraised to 1000. He hesitated, then called. Turn was a King and he hit it. I knew he hit it as sure as if I saw his King. I did not know if he had A/K, K/7, or what...but I knew he had a King. But when he put in another 1000 I called anyway for reasons I will go into shortly and on the river his last 1200 was called as well.
From my standpoint the thinking went like this:
pre-flop with just limpers I believe my Jacks are good.
On the flop, which I loved, I believed I had the best hand. When I have the best hand I love to get all the chips in the pot and double up. I was planning to bet the pot and when he showed interest I adjusted my bet up a bit. The plan was to get all the chips in on the river.
On the turn when he hit the king I went into, "I might hit a miracle card" mode. Horrible play. I knew it was but I also knew I had the chips to play with. On the river, I know I am beat but, as I commented at the time, "there is so much in the pot I can't not call". Another HORRID play. I was 99.9999% convinced I was beat and getting only about 6-1 on my chips. A fold saves 1200 chips and I would still have been in fine shape, though no longer chip lead. Basically it was a frustration call.
From Phil's standpoint, the hand went something like this: limp with big hand, call a frequent raiser, see beautiful flop of all unders, send out feeler bet, get re-raised. Only pocket Aces or a bizarre medium suited connectors that hit 2 pair or straight are beating him. Turn gives a set. Now the object is to get all the chips in the center and the opponent is very aggressive. A nice raise of almost half the remaining chips. Innocuous river card, the rest of the chips go in.
And now, a look at the hand as I SHOULD have played it.
I like my pre-flop raise. There has been plenty of raising in the game so far and a fair amount of limping as well. I have no reason to believe the Cowboys are lurking.
I don't even like my PLANNED raise on the flop. Sure, the odds are my hand is best. But with a pot of 800 and just a pair of Jacks I really don't have a lot. I am vulnerable to any Queen, King, or Ace that falls on the turn or river, to any 2 pair. I want to play a small pot here.
So when Phil bets 200 I should either A)call or B) reraise the same amount or slightly more. No need to bump up to 1000 and make it a big pot.
He was willing to play a small pot with his Kings. If I just call there is only 1200 in the pot. I am not getting hurt, nor is he. This will be important on the turn.
When the King rolled off I saw his reaction. I KNEW he had the King and was beat. If there is only 1200 in the pot I am not tied to it. No big deal, I can let it go and not think about it. He is unlikely to switch gears and throw a huge bet out there and if he does I can happily lay it down.
This was a case of being overaggressive. I would not care hugely except for one basic fact: I do this too often. I get too aggressive, create unnecessarily large pots and then too often can't get away from them because I committed myself with too weak a hand.
I need to be more patient. Every pot does not need to be a big, make or break pot where huge amounts of chips are exchanged. Just as an open raise of 500 with blinds at 25/50 is ridiculous, so my habit of betting the pot borders on ridiculous.
I need to work on controlling the size of the pot. Sure, if I have the nuts I want as many chips as possible in the pot. Otherwise, do I REALLY want to play for all my chips with a weak pair or even 2 pair, something like that?
I need to work on betting less and less often. Sure, aggression is good...when properly channeled. Improperly channeled it leads to huge pots that need not have been played.
Imagine this: Phil calls my 300, I call his 200, I fold to the King. I am still chip leader. I lost only 500 chips on a hand where my Jacks ran into a SET of Kings. I lost less than 10% of my stack.
This has been an ongoing theme that for whatever reason has eluded me in my post-mortems.
So maybe I will have better success sizing my bets with half or 2/3rds of the pot. By slowing down I might do a better job of getting my chips in the center in better situations.
Of course, I understand one reason this occurs. I play pretty tight pre-flop so when I actually catch a hand I want to make some chips off it. But that detracts from the patience I need. Patient aggression, that is a good plan...but can be made better by changing it to patient intelligent aggression.
So we will see if I take the lesson to heart and begin sizing my bets more wisely.
Monday
Texas Hold 'Em
I was pretty pumped. Nate was bringing FOUR people with him, had 2 people from Craigslist, 5 people from the softball team, Roman was showing, a couple more from work said they would show up...I was worried 2 tables would not be enough. Then Nate called...he had a fight with his wife and wasn't showing, we called Becky...she bought an ATV, they were not coming, and so forth...we ended up with a sad showing of 6 people. On the bright side...a good group.
Early on I was not getting much to play. But I hit a little run...pocket 10s, picked up a bit, pocket queens, lost a bit, A/k, lost a bit, k/j, lost a bit...hmm. Pocket Kings, picked up a nice pot. Next hand, pocket Kings, picked up a few hundred, showed them...back to back hands with the kings, nice. Used my image of having a hot run to raise with A/J, on a ragged Queen high flop, raised again, everyone folded, I was chip lead, nobody in real danger.
Picked up pocket jacks. Phil called. He had tilted toward me a bit and talked about it since he was in on both my Pocket King hands and I had seen him play a hand where he hit top pair on a 7 high flop and he played it rather strongly and only won when he paired his Jack on the river to beat pocket 9s. This flop was another just like it...4,5,6 rainbow. He came out with a pretty small bet...200 into a pot of about 800. I had him covered so we were playing for about 5K. I re-raised to 1000, he hesitantly called. I initially put him on maybe a suited Ace where he hit the top pair again, though I also tentatively put him on an overpair. Turn was ugly, a King. Something about the way he reacted made me believe he had hit it but when he bet 1000 I called anyway. Part of that was pure ego. I never think I can't come back from taking a hit and I had the chip lead by a shade over 2K when the hand started. That was a frustration call, a tilt call because I thought I had him up until then. River was a blank. I figured him for 2 pair at worst but by now when he went all-in for his last 1200 there were 6K in there...1200 to win 6K, I better be real sure I am beat to fold. I was sure...and called anyway because I am an idiot. And he had me the whole way...he had pocket Kings.
I was still okay, had about 2K, blinds of 1/200. About 3 hands later I picked up 5/6 clubs in the small blind and everyone folded to me. I thought about raising to drive Emily out but A) she is so competitive with me she would call anyway. Bluffing her off a pot I am in is all but impossible and B) she is fully capable of re-raising me and with just 2K left I am not calling that with a 6 high. I limped, she checked. Flop was great for me...4c, 5d, 7c. I picked up middle pair, straight, flush, and straight flush draws. I raised, she called. Turn was the King of Clubs...I hit my flush. I went all in. She called. And flipped up...3/9 of clubs. I was drawing to 1 out, the 8 of clubs. She had the 3 that would have helped me. River was a blank and in 2 played hands I went from chip lead to first out, mostly on 2 horrible calls when I (correctly) believed I was behind Phil but knew I could come back and played for the miracle card. That was stupid. The hand with Emily...in that situation I am not good enough to get away from that hand. No way did I put her on a made flush and I don't feel bad about that hand at all. If I did not put myself in low position with a couple misplays earlier I would not need to push here anyway. Overall I played well but getting outplayed by Phil basically put me out first.
Early on I was not getting much to play. But I hit a little run...pocket 10s, picked up a bit, pocket queens, lost a bit, A/k, lost a bit, k/j, lost a bit...hmm. Pocket Kings, picked up a nice pot. Next hand, pocket Kings, picked up a few hundred, showed them...back to back hands with the kings, nice. Used my image of having a hot run to raise with A/J, on a ragged Queen high flop, raised again, everyone folded, I was chip lead, nobody in real danger.
Picked up pocket jacks. Phil called. He had tilted toward me a bit and talked about it since he was in on both my Pocket King hands and I had seen him play a hand where he hit top pair on a 7 high flop and he played it rather strongly and only won when he paired his Jack on the river to beat pocket 9s. This flop was another just like it...4,5,6 rainbow. He came out with a pretty small bet...200 into a pot of about 800. I had him covered so we were playing for about 5K. I re-raised to 1000, he hesitantly called. I initially put him on maybe a suited Ace where he hit the top pair again, though I also tentatively put him on an overpair. Turn was ugly, a King. Something about the way he reacted made me believe he had hit it but when he bet 1000 I called anyway. Part of that was pure ego. I never think I can't come back from taking a hit and I had the chip lead by a shade over 2K when the hand started. That was a frustration call, a tilt call because I thought I had him up until then. River was a blank. I figured him for 2 pair at worst but by now when he went all-in for his last 1200 there were 6K in there...1200 to win 6K, I better be real sure I am beat to fold. I was sure...and called anyway because I am an idiot. And he had me the whole way...he had pocket Kings.
I was still okay, had about 2K, blinds of 1/200. About 3 hands later I picked up 5/6 clubs in the small blind and everyone folded to me. I thought about raising to drive Emily out but A) she is so competitive with me she would call anyway. Bluffing her off a pot I am in is all but impossible and B) she is fully capable of re-raising me and with just 2K left I am not calling that with a 6 high. I limped, she checked. Flop was great for me...4c, 5d, 7c. I picked up middle pair, straight, flush, and straight flush draws. I raised, she called. Turn was the King of Clubs...I hit my flush. I went all in. She called. And flipped up...3/9 of clubs. I was drawing to 1 out, the 8 of clubs. She had the 3 that would have helped me. River was a blank and in 2 played hands I went from chip lead to first out, mostly on 2 horrible calls when I (correctly) believed I was behind Phil but knew I could come back and played for the miracle card. That was stupid. The hand with Emily...in that situation I am not good enough to get away from that hand. No way did I put her on a made flush and I don't feel bad about that hand at all. If I did not put myself in low position with a couple misplays earlier I would not need to push here anyway. Overall I played well but getting outplayed by Phil basically put me out first.
Wednesday
Lydias
I was wondering if Saturday was a fluke or if I was just a poor player. The Goose wanted to go to Sex and the City (2008), an abomination even I won't go see, so I elected to take a run at getting off tilt. On nights where I am trying to get off tilt the idea is to play well, not win. 16 people, 2 full tables. To my left was the only guy at our table and he was chain-smoking. Perfect. This will be a test of my "get off tilt" skills. I have been up tight ever since my play in the Saturday morning softball debacle so this will be a good test.
Early on I am playing almost no hands, just watching. I am reading pretty well. I have something on the guy on my left. At one point I pick up pocket 7s. Usually in this league I can limp with them. Bob, just to my right, raises. Uh-oh. That is unusual. He is steaming a bit from losing the prior hand...and I see a couple people making it obvious they will call. I do something I almost never do in this situation...I fold. Good fold as the flop is Aces and Kings and lots of chips change hands.
Pick up A/Ko from late, raise, couple callers, 4/5/6 flop, raise and re-raise in front of me, I fold. Very next hand pick up A/K suited, call a raise all-in to 850. Like 4 other callers. Fold to a big flop bet that missed me completely. A pair of 9s wins the hand (and would have even if I stayed).
Check in with K/J in big blind, down to 6 handed. Flop comes Q/J/Q. I raise, the guy to my left calls. Hmm. I have a pretty good read on him. I have not seen him slow-play yet. When he has something he generally re-raises, when he has a vulnerable hand or nothing he goes all-in. I figure he is on a draw. Turn is a blank. I double my raise. He calls. Something not right here. He checks the river, I check behind...he was slow-playing the Queen/6. Nicely played, something I had not seen from him before. Now I am down to about 1100.
I almost went all-in with a trash hand just to call it a night. Then it occurred to me...that would be a continuation of my tilt. I am good enough to come back, the blinds are only 50/100 so I still have an M of 7+. Sure enough, I check in the big blind with a 7/8, flop 2 pairs, take down a decent pot, pick up a couple more hands and build back to a shade over 2K.
In the big blind we have a family pot, I check with pocket 3s. I thought about raising but at this table, all 5 other people (we had already lost 3 and brought one over from the other table) will call and I don't mind seeing a cheap flop trying to catch a set. And the flop is GORGEOUS, K/8/3 rainbow. If anybody at this table other than Barb had pocket Kings they would have raised for sure and probably would have raised 8s. Everyone had already shown that by raising with as little as threes. But someone is sure to have either a King or 8. Now I want to get action. How best to maximize?
All night I have raised any time I had a hand and gotten multiple callers. I briefly considered slow-playing since this was not a dangerous flop. Then I came to my senses. They might check around as they had often done...they love to check call. I want to get some chips in the center. I raised 500 into a pot of 600. One caller, 2...and the girl I have never played with before goes all in. Interesting.
I have yet to see her raise without SOMETHING. And usually something strong. I briefly consider pocket Kings but just as quickly dismiss it. She raised with K/J, pocket 5s...she would have raised the Kings and probably the 8s. But I could see her playing something like a K/8 and she would be drawing to 4 outs. I did not see myself getting away from the hand so I went all-in...though I only had her covered by like 50 chips. Everyone folded and she flipped up...8/4. She was drawing real thin to running 8s or an 8 and pairing the board. No help to her and I had about 6-7K.
Took down a couple more hands, was feeling frisky, just Barbara and I in a hand. I checked with 10/5...notice a pattern? Since the early A/Ks and 7s, I was getting horrific hands. I was pretty much only playing when I could check my blind and the rest of the time...I was not even completing the small blind. So I was playing well, I was back to being patient, I was playing smart. I decided I had accomplished my goal and could loosen up, have a bit of fun and go home. Well, anyway, flop came A/K/rag. I raised. She hesitantly called. We checked the turn. A King came on the river, I bet it, she thought about it, and finally called, saying, "You have the third King, don't you?" Nope. But good to know you will call when you think you are beat...and then I made a huge mistake. I should have advertised the bluff, because that is what it is...but I mucked face down to her A/8.
Picked up pocket 10s, again in the big blind. With blinds of 1/200 and everyone with stacks about 30-50BB planned a standard raise, 3x blind + 1BB/limper. But first Brad raised to 500, actually a shade less than I was going to raise. I briefly considered re-raising but something about his raise felt different. I had seen him raise with A/Q, K/J...but here I had him on pockets and suspected higher than my 10s. Still, for 300 chips and with 2 callers already, I was calling 300 to potentially hit almost 2K already in the pot. Another player called behind me. Flop was nice, all rags, but 2 clubs. I briefly considered checking. Then I decided to bet 400. I know it sounds weird, a horrendous underbet...but I had noticed a pattern. On big bets people called with anything...any draw, any pair, etc. But with smaller bets...they had been taking down the pot.
Unfortunately, I made a horrendous error. I meant to grab 4 red chips...and instead grabbed 4 green. Instead of 400 I bet 2K. And once the chips were in, the bet was made. Even before I completed I saw Brad grabbing all his chips which confirmed my pre-flop read. Folded to him, he went all-in, and it was only 600 more than my bet. Even if I knew he had Aces with over 6K in the pot I would be getting 10-1 so I was calling just in case I was wrong. I was pretty sure he did not have Aces. "Jacks or Queens?" I said as I flipped up my 10s. Queens. I got no help and was down to about 5K.
By now the blinds were 3/600. I did not get another playable hand for a while. It was so bad that I considered playing 7/9o from early position just because it looked comparatively good. I wisely folded and watched the flop come 7/k/7 and turn the 9. Would have raked a HUGE pot. Oh, well.
But then I started blinding into the danger zone. Caught Randy in a bluff when it was folded to him, he went all in for a couple thousand, I had a J/10. I called...only to find the guy calling behind me. Had I seen him I would have folded...and when my J/10 beat Randy's 8/6 but lost to the other guys' K/J I was hurting. Now I was looking for a hand to go all in on.
Got down to about 1100 with the blinds now 4/800. I had 2 hands before I would be in the big blind again. Under the gun Randy went all in, he had me covered, and I looked down at 7/8suited. Not a great hand but good equity against Randy's range...which was literally any 2 cards. I called. Got 2 more callers...uh-oh. Randy had an 8/6 so I was ahead of him but an A/7 won with Ace high and I was out in 7th.
Early on I am playing almost no hands, just watching. I am reading pretty well. I have something on the guy on my left. At one point I pick up pocket 7s. Usually in this league I can limp with them. Bob, just to my right, raises. Uh-oh. That is unusual. He is steaming a bit from losing the prior hand...and I see a couple people making it obvious they will call. I do something I almost never do in this situation...I fold. Good fold as the flop is Aces and Kings and lots of chips change hands.
Pick up A/Ko from late, raise, couple callers, 4/5/6 flop, raise and re-raise in front of me, I fold. Very next hand pick up A/K suited, call a raise all-in to 850. Like 4 other callers. Fold to a big flop bet that missed me completely. A pair of 9s wins the hand (and would have even if I stayed).
Check in with K/J in big blind, down to 6 handed. Flop comes Q/J/Q. I raise, the guy to my left calls. Hmm. I have a pretty good read on him. I have not seen him slow-play yet. When he has something he generally re-raises, when he has a vulnerable hand or nothing he goes all-in. I figure he is on a draw. Turn is a blank. I double my raise. He calls. Something not right here. He checks the river, I check behind...he was slow-playing the Queen/6. Nicely played, something I had not seen from him before. Now I am down to about 1100.
I almost went all-in with a trash hand just to call it a night. Then it occurred to me...that would be a continuation of my tilt. I am good enough to come back, the blinds are only 50/100 so I still have an M of 7+. Sure enough, I check in the big blind with a 7/8, flop 2 pairs, take down a decent pot, pick up a couple more hands and build back to a shade over 2K.
In the big blind we have a family pot, I check with pocket 3s. I thought about raising but at this table, all 5 other people (we had already lost 3 and brought one over from the other table) will call and I don't mind seeing a cheap flop trying to catch a set. And the flop is GORGEOUS, K/8/3 rainbow. If anybody at this table other than Barb had pocket Kings they would have raised for sure and probably would have raised 8s. Everyone had already shown that by raising with as little as threes. But someone is sure to have either a King or 8. Now I want to get action. How best to maximize?
All night I have raised any time I had a hand and gotten multiple callers. I briefly considered slow-playing since this was not a dangerous flop. Then I came to my senses. They might check around as they had often done...they love to check call. I want to get some chips in the center. I raised 500 into a pot of 600. One caller, 2...and the girl I have never played with before goes all in. Interesting.
I have yet to see her raise without SOMETHING. And usually something strong. I briefly consider pocket Kings but just as quickly dismiss it. She raised with K/J, pocket 5s...she would have raised the Kings and probably the 8s. But I could see her playing something like a K/8 and she would be drawing to 4 outs. I did not see myself getting away from the hand so I went all-in...though I only had her covered by like 50 chips. Everyone folded and she flipped up...8/4. She was drawing real thin to running 8s or an 8 and pairing the board. No help to her and I had about 6-7K.
Took down a couple more hands, was feeling frisky, just Barbara and I in a hand. I checked with 10/5...notice a pattern? Since the early A/Ks and 7s, I was getting horrific hands. I was pretty much only playing when I could check my blind and the rest of the time...I was not even completing the small blind. So I was playing well, I was back to being patient, I was playing smart. I decided I had accomplished my goal and could loosen up, have a bit of fun and go home. Well, anyway, flop came A/K/rag. I raised. She hesitantly called. We checked the turn. A King came on the river, I bet it, she thought about it, and finally called, saying, "You have the third King, don't you?" Nope. But good to know you will call when you think you are beat...and then I made a huge mistake. I should have advertised the bluff, because that is what it is...but I mucked face down to her A/8.
Picked up pocket 10s, again in the big blind. With blinds of 1/200 and everyone with stacks about 30-50BB planned a standard raise, 3x blind + 1BB/limper. But first Brad raised to 500, actually a shade less than I was going to raise. I briefly considered re-raising but something about his raise felt different. I had seen him raise with A/Q, K/J...but here I had him on pockets and suspected higher than my 10s. Still, for 300 chips and with 2 callers already, I was calling 300 to potentially hit almost 2K already in the pot. Another player called behind me. Flop was nice, all rags, but 2 clubs. I briefly considered checking. Then I decided to bet 400. I know it sounds weird, a horrendous underbet...but I had noticed a pattern. On big bets people called with anything...any draw, any pair, etc. But with smaller bets...they had been taking down the pot.
Unfortunately, I made a horrendous error. I meant to grab 4 red chips...and instead grabbed 4 green. Instead of 400 I bet 2K. And once the chips were in, the bet was made. Even before I completed I saw Brad grabbing all his chips which confirmed my pre-flop read. Folded to him, he went all-in, and it was only 600 more than my bet. Even if I knew he had Aces with over 6K in the pot I would be getting 10-1 so I was calling just in case I was wrong. I was pretty sure he did not have Aces. "Jacks or Queens?" I said as I flipped up my 10s. Queens. I got no help and was down to about 5K.
By now the blinds were 3/600. I did not get another playable hand for a while. It was so bad that I considered playing 7/9o from early position just because it looked comparatively good. I wisely folded and watched the flop come 7/k/7 and turn the 9. Would have raked a HUGE pot. Oh, well.
But then I started blinding into the danger zone. Caught Randy in a bluff when it was folded to him, he went all in for a couple thousand, I had a J/10. I called...only to find the guy calling behind me. Had I seen him I would have folded...and when my J/10 beat Randy's 8/6 but lost to the other guys' K/J I was hurting. Now I was looking for a hand to go all in on.
Got down to about 1100 with the blinds now 4/800. I had 2 hands before I would be in the big blind again. Under the gun Randy went all in, he had me covered, and I looked down at 7/8suited. Not a great hand but good equity against Randy's range...which was literally any 2 cards. I called. Got 2 more callers...uh-oh. Randy had an 8/6 so I was ahead of him but an A/7 won with Ace high and I was out in 7th.
So a quick post-mortem;
The good: I played patiently, waited for good cards that seldom came, and when I had a hand that was essentially the nuts I extracted the maximum. I read the hands well and did not call with trash just because it was good compared to what I had been seeing. On three or four hands I had called exactly who had what before they rolled their hands. And I did not let their slow-rolling get me off center.
The bad: I made the mis-read on the trip queens, the mis-bet when I had him on a better over pair, and the call against Randy when I thought it was just the 2 of us.
The ugly: I did not set out to win, I set out to get off tilt. I was fine with going out early, did not care. Wrong mind set. I should have played my best game instead of just going with the flow. I made just one move all night...the idiotic bluff against the unbluffable see every river bet Barbara...when I know at least two of them lay down their hand to re-raises on the flop over 80% of the time. I never entered a pot simply to steal which I should have.
But overall I am pleased. Now I feel refreshed and ready to go Saturday. I may not win but I will play well.
Monday
Starving Crazed Weasels, May
Just 9 people showed up. I was a bit on tilt from the HYD debacle where I played probably the worst game of my life and topped that off by having a pathetic performance...so I was a bit down on myself.
On the bright side, I got in a half dozen or so games of Raw Deal and had fun with them, but the tournament I had a hard time getting set up as we went, while setting up, from 8 to 10 people, then settled in at 9. Meanwhile, I had set up one table, then 2, then condensed it back down to 1...by the time we got settled in I was not into it which was really sad since I had been looking forward to this for weeks.
I bled off a lot of chips playing too loose which is hilarious since usually I play too tight at these because of the nature of the game. And I KNEW I was playing poorly, too. I let myself get pushed off a couple hands where I was sure I was folding the best hand but there were 3 or 4 people behind me. I would have won at least 2 of those.
On the first blind level I got all the way down to 1050 chips. One person limped, I looked down at pocket 9s. If I made a standard raise to 200 I would have 800 left with probably 6-800 in the pot so I would be committed. I was tilting a bit so I shoved. Folded to Kevin who thought for quite a while. Finally he called and I said, "Best I can hope for is a race" though I was at least vaguely hopeful he had something like A/6 suited. Nope, A/10...straight race. I got lucky and my nines held up.
Lost about 500 when I checked from the big blind, flopped a straight flush draw and never hit anything. Raised J/10d planning to go all in, everyone folded. Pete pointed out it was the first uncontested pot of the evening. By that point he had been all-in a couple times, Robin had been all in, I think Kevin and Phillip also...and every all-in at risk had won, including me. I won again when I was pushed all-in in a three way pot, managed to triple up and hit 3300 chips...the highest total I would hit on the night.
Pete raised all in for about 1000. I knew he had a pretty wide range of hands at that point. I had a King and was going to call even with a 6 kicker...but Phillip looked ready to call behind me and Kevin often will call all-ins. I don't want to play for a third of my chips with K/6 so I folded. Would have flopped trips and won a huge pot. Still the right fold since Phillip did call...and had a better hand than me.
Lost a few when I limped from late with pocket 3s. Got blinded a bit.
Picked up A/Ks a few hands later, raised it, 3 callers. Flop of 7/8/9, 2 diamonds...I raised and then saw someone I have 2 tells on was going to push all in, though I was first to act. He was giving off both tells which was weird. He gave off the one he does when he bluffs. But he also gave the one that said he had a strong hand. There were 2 other people to act, one of whom folded, one called mine, and my nemesis raised a further 500. I had 1500 left so it was either all in or fold. And every instinct said call. I am still irritated with myself for folding but I did.
Now, blinds of 1/200 and 1500 left I have an M of 5...desperation time. From middle position it was folded to me, I looked down at pocket 7s. Send in the chips. Again Kevin called, this time with a dry Ace. But he hit the Ace and I was done.
I played poorly all night, getting pushed around and making a couple calls I probably shouldn't have. Oh, well, some days are good, some days suck beginning to end like this one did, starting with the first softball game.
On the bright side, I got in a half dozen or so games of Raw Deal and had fun with them, but the tournament I had a hard time getting set up as we went, while setting up, from 8 to 10 people, then settled in at 9. Meanwhile, I had set up one table, then 2, then condensed it back down to 1...by the time we got settled in I was not into it which was really sad since I had been looking forward to this for weeks.
I bled off a lot of chips playing too loose which is hilarious since usually I play too tight at these because of the nature of the game. And I KNEW I was playing poorly, too. I let myself get pushed off a couple hands where I was sure I was folding the best hand but there were 3 or 4 people behind me. I would have won at least 2 of those.
On the first blind level I got all the way down to 1050 chips. One person limped, I looked down at pocket 9s. If I made a standard raise to 200 I would have 800 left with probably 6-800 in the pot so I would be committed. I was tilting a bit so I shoved. Folded to Kevin who thought for quite a while. Finally he called and I said, "Best I can hope for is a race" though I was at least vaguely hopeful he had something like A/6 suited. Nope, A/10...straight race. I got lucky and my nines held up.
Lost about 500 when I checked from the big blind, flopped a straight flush draw and never hit anything. Raised J/10d planning to go all in, everyone folded. Pete pointed out it was the first uncontested pot of the evening. By that point he had been all-in a couple times, Robin had been all in, I think Kevin and Phillip also...and every all-in at risk had won, including me. I won again when I was pushed all-in in a three way pot, managed to triple up and hit 3300 chips...the highest total I would hit on the night.
Pete raised all in for about 1000. I knew he had a pretty wide range of hands at that point. I had a King and was going to call even with a 6 kicker...but Phillip looked ready to call behind me and Kevin often will call all-ins. I don't want to play for a third of my chips with K/6 so I folded. Would have flopped trips and won a huge pot. Still the right fold since Phillip did call...and had a better hand than me.
Lost a few when I limped from late with pocket 3s. Got blinded a bit.
Picked up A/Ks a few hands later, raised it, 3 callers. Flop of 7/8/9, 2 diamonds...I raised and then saw someone I have 2 tells on was going to push all in, though I was first to act. He was giving off both tells which was weird. He gave off the one he does when he bluffs. But he also gave the one that said he had a strong hand. There were 2 other people to act, one of whom folded, one called mine, and my nemesis raised a further 500. I had 1500 left so it was either all in or fold. And every instinct said call. I am still irritated with myself for folding but I did.
Now, blinds of 1/200 and 1500 left I have an M of 5...desperation time. From middle position it was folded to me, I looked down at pocket 7s. Send in the chips. Again Kevin called, this time with a dry Ace. But he hit the Ace and I was done.
I played poorly all night, getting pushed around and making a couple calls I probably shouldn't have. Oh, well, some days are good, some days suck beginning to end like this one did, starting with the first softball game.
HYD Tournament
We had a "D League or below" tournament. We were going to be tight on players...only 10 of us showing up. And then one of the 10 was not there for the first game...so we went with a 3 player outfield. No big deal.
Top of our first did not last long. 3 groundouts. Bottom of the first lasted a bit longer as we gave up a 3 spot. Top of the second went better...we had 4 batters. Bottom of the first was a little tougher...they had 1 in, 2 on, 1 out, and I played a grounder perfectly, moving to my left. All I had to do was scoop it up, step on the bag, and throw to first for the double play.I had done everything right. I watched their feet, swing, and the pitch location. I knew the situation. I had a plan for anywhere the ball was hit to me. And I got moving perfectly, the ball was right where I needed it...and I just whiffed. It rolled right under my glove. Fortunately we got the third out, but that was in my head.
We had just 3 batters that inning.
Next inning, almost the exact same situation except this time they had not scored. I played it perfectly, this time got my glove on the ball...and left it on the ground. Another easy double play I turned into base runners. They scored 1 because of that.
Our 1, 2, 3 hitters again. Ryan dribbled to short, outran the throw and was safe...except as the pitcher started their windup he was then called out because he touched the white bag while running there. Becky then hit a smash down the line to left and their left fielder made a spectacular leaping back hand catch to turn an easy triple into out number 2. I then flew out to deep right.
I managed to boot another ball in the bottom half of the inning though by that point it was over anyway. We got shut out and mercy ruled.
Game 2 was against a team that had gotten slaughtered 19-3. Again we were up first. Ryan made an out, Becky singled, I tried to go the other way and instead lined a base hit into left center. Our next hitter struck out...oops. We went to the bottom half tied at 0.
I made a play (finally) on a grounder and caught a pop in the infield. I started to get a bit of confidence back. We got shut down again. I made another play, our outfield was on fire, and JJ caught a liner. 2 innings, no runs. We now were scoreless for 5 innings for the day, maybe 6.
Becky led off and singled. Then I did go the other way and tripled over their right fielders head. Becky scored and the drought was over. Julie brought me in with a fly to left and we had a 2-0 lead.
Made a couple more plays as we built a 7-2 lead, though I still struggled at the plate, flying to left my next at-bat, but that was okay. We were scoring, playing good d, and doing well.
They did threaten finally, loading the bases with 1 or 2 runs in and 1 out. Guy hit a soft grounder to my left. For the third time all I had to do was pick it up, step on the bag, throw to first. Easy play. And for the third time I completely botched it. 6 runs later we were down by 1 and I for one was demoralized. So demoralized that a grounder hit straight to me i did not charge, let come to me, fielded cleanly but the throw was WAY late.
I made one more error of note. Sharp hit ground ball too far to my left. Somehow I made the play. Ironic. All day simple, easy, lightly hit ground balls were essentially unplayable for me. Hit a sharp grounder just about straight over 2nd and I get it...spun, saw the first basemen, and LASERED it...nowhere near anybody. Wasn't our first basemen I had seen, it was their coach, but even him the ball was nowhere near.
We got 10 runned again.
And I was completely crushed by the way I played. I am pathetic. I suck. I cannot believe how bad I am.
Top of our first did not last long. 3 groundouts. Bottom of the first lasted a bit longer as we gave up a 3 spot. Top of the second went better...we had 4 batters. Bottom of the first was a little tougher...they had 1 in, 2 on, 1 out, and I played a grounder perfectly, moving to my left. All I had to do was scoop it up, step on the bag, and throw to first for the double play.I had done everything right. I watched their feet, swing, and the pitch location. I knew the situation. I had a plan for anywhere the ball was hit to me. And I got moving perfectly, the ball was right where I needed it...and I just whiffed. It rolled right under my glove. Fortunately we got the third out, but that was in my head.
We had just 3 batters that inning.
Next inning, almost the exact same situation except this time they had not scored. I played it perfectly, this time got my glove on the ball...and left it on the ground. Another easy double play I turned into base runners. They scored 1 because of that.
Our 1, 2, 3 hitters again. Ryan dribbled to short, outran the throw and was safe...except as the pitcher started their windup he was then called out because he touched the white bag while running there. Becky then hit a smash down the line to left and their left fielder made a spectacular leaping back hand catch to turn an easy triple into out number 2. I then flew out to deep right.
I managed to boot another ball in the bottom half of the inning though by that point it was over anyway. We got shut out and mercy ruled.
Game 2 was against a team that had gotten slaughtered 19-3. Again we were up first. Ryan made an out, Becky singled, I tried to go the other way and instead lined a base hit into left center. Our next hitter struck out...oops. We went to the bottom half tied at 0.
I made a play (finally) on a grounder and caught a pop in the infield. I started to get a bit of confidence back. We got shut down again. I made another play, our outfield was on fire, and JJ caught a liner. 2 innings, no runs. We now were scoreless for 5 innings for the day, maybe 6.
Becky led off and singled. Then I did go the other way and tripled over their right fielders head. Becky scored and the drought was over. Julie brought me in with a fly to left and we had a 2-0 lead.
Made a couple more plays as we built a 7-2 lead, though I still struggled at the plate, flying to left my next at-bat, but that was okay. We were scoring, playing good d, and doing well.
They did threaten finally, loading the bases with 1 or 2 runs in and 1 out. Guy hit a soft grounder to my left. For the third time all I had to do was pick it up, step on the bag, throw to first. Easy play. And for the third time I completely botched it. 6 runs later we were down by 1 and I for one was demoralized. So demoralized that a grounder hit straight to me i did not charge, let come to me, fielded cleanly but the throw was WAY late.
I made one more error of note. Sharp hit ground ball too far to my left. Somehow I made the play. Ironic. All day simple, easy, lightly hit ground balls were essentially unplayable for me. Hit a sharp grounder just about straight over 2nd and I get it...spun, saw the first basemen, and LASERED it...nowhere near anybody. Wasn't our first basemen I had seen, it was their coach, but even him the ball was nowhere near.
We got 10 runned again.
And I was completely crushed by the way I played. I am pathetic. I suck. I cannot believe how bad I am.
Wednesday
Was I wrong?
In my last post I talked about a certain individual and called them a horrible player. Here is an interesting anomaly; in the last few months, no other player has won more than 2 tournaments but he has won 3. How is that possible if he is a horrible player?
A lot of it goes to the nature of these tournaments. They are typically 1 - 2 tables. They run about 3 hours. In that amount of time someone who plays heavily on the "luck factor" is going to do fairly well. It only takes hitting a couple of ridiculous draws to win enough chips to pay for a lot of missed draws. However, in a longer tournament that type of player is going to come back to the pack.
I would use the example of the 3 month tournament at West Linn. Mr. R was at the same table as me. On one of the first hands I flopped a set, bet it, was re-raised by Dee, and he called. Turn I bet, Dee raised, he called. River completed a straight that, on the flop, he had to hit runner runner to hit a double gut shot (he had to hit a 9 & 10 to hit the straight) straight at the ignorant end. I read him right, Dee read him wrong, and he added almost triple the chips to his stack.
He then hit another long-shot draw to almost double that up.
And I still outlasted him.
I outlasted him because he kept playing those long shot draws. And with 8 tables the luck factor was somewhat minimized. The math started to catch up to him as the 20-1 draws stopped hitting and his chips disappeared.
And that is the thing. He will virtually always play long-shot draws. And since he plays them they are going to hit that small percentage of the time. Combine those with the chips he gets from his legitimate hands and you have someone who can do very well in a sprint type tournament.
He is the type of player that keeps professional gamblers going. He plays poorly but hits those bad percentage plays often enough to keep him playing them.
Strangely, it is almost an ideal strategy for these small tournaments. Let's look at a typical hand. Start with 3000 chips (he starts with 3300 for showing up early). Blinds are 25/50. I fold, most people limp. He gets in for 50 with a 6/10 off.
Flop comes Ace/7/2 rainbow. Someone bets the Ace, say...200, a not unusual bet. Someone else raises another 200. Randy will call. Turn is a 9. The Ace bets 500. The other guy calls. So does Randy. Now he has laid out 1250 chips. If he hits the 8 on the river he will make almost 4K chips just based on what is already in the pot...and probably more if someone bets or pays him off on the end. Is it a good play? No, it was a HORRIBLE play. He is going to lose that 1250 chips more than a dozen times. Say he loses just 10 times on runner-runner draws for each one he hits. 1250x10= 12,500 chips. He would have to bust 4 guys and get 17% of a 5th guy's chips just to break even. But that one time he hits the payoff is HUGE. He looks down at 5 - 6K in chips and that is all he sees.
And to his credit...he is a decent big stack player. He raises often and early and does so with any 2 cards so you have no clue if he has Aces or 2/10. He puts pressure. If someone checks to him he generally commits some chips.
On the downside he takes huge risks. He called 4 times the blinds with a 10/4off the last time I played him. He will give chips back in a hurry. I never worry about being behind him in chips because I know as soon as I get a hand I am an odds on favorite to double up. If I can't have the chips I would rather have them in the hands of someone who chases statistically ridiculous draws. If John has the chips...I worry. He is a good player who gets his chips in good. If Chris has the chips...I worry. She is a tight player who is not going to give her chips away unless she has something. If Bill R has the chips...I worry because he is a tricky player. If Randy has the chips I know I have a pretty good chance of getting them.
And that is why I say he is a bad player. I would argue I am better than any of the others I mentioned except John. I have the ability to shift gears, I understand and use percentages, am careful about which draws I chase, I put people on hands, I am willing to lay down bad hands when necessary and bet with bad hands when the possibility is there. I know there are times to play a poor percentage play but I don't do it every time...there has to be a reason it makes sense. In his case...he thinks he is making the correct play.
I wish I had more time. If I played in 10 of those tournaments I would win more than 3. Oh, well. Life goes on.
A lot of it goes to the nature of these tournaments. They are typically 1 - 2 tables. They run about 3 hours. In that amount of time someone who plays heavily on the "luck factor" is going to do fairly well. It only takes hitting a couple of ridiculous draws to win enough chips to pay for a lot of missed draws. However, in a longer tournament that type of player is going to come back to the pack.
I would use the example of the 3 month tournament at West Linn. Mr. R was at the same table as me. On one of the first hands I flopped a set, bet it, was re-raised by Dee, and he called. Turn I bet, Dee raised, he called. River completed a straight that, on the flop, he had to hit runner runner to hit a double gut shot (he had to hit a 9 & 10 to hit the straight) straight at the ignorant end. I read him right, Dee read him wrong, and he added almost triple the chips to his stack.
He then hit another long-shot draw to almost double that up.
And I still outlasted him.
I outlasted him because he kept playing those long shot draws. And with 8 tables the luck factor was somewhat minimized. The math started to catch up to him as the 20-1 draws stopped hitting and his chips disappeared.
And that is the thing. He will virtually always play long-shot draws. And since he plays them they are going to hit that small percentage of the time. Combine those with the chips he gets from his legitimate hands and you have someone who can do very well in a sprint type tournament.
He is the type of player that keeps professional gamblers going. He plays poorly but hits those bad percentage plays often enough to keep him playing them.
Strangely, it is almost an ideal strategy for these small tournaments. Let's look at a typical hand. Start with 3000 chips (he starts with 3300 for showing up early). Blinds are 25/50. I fold, most people limp. He gets in for 50 with a 6/10 off.
Flop comes Ace/7/2 rainbow. Someone bets the Ace, say...200, a not unusual bet. Someone else raises another 200. Randy will call. Turn is a 9. The Ace bets 500. The other guy calls. So does Randy. Now he has laid out 1250 chips. If he hits the 8 on the river he will make almost 4K chips just based on what is already in the pot...and probably more if someone bets or pays him off on the end. Is it a good play? No, it was a HORRIBLE play. He is going to lose that 1250 chips more than a dozen times. Say he loses just 10 times on runner-runner draws for each one he hits. 1250x10= 12,500 chips. He would have to bust 4 guys and get 17% of a 5th guy's chips just to break even. But that one time he hits the payoff is HUGE. He looks down at 5 - 6K in chips and that is all he sees.
And to his credit...he is a decent big stack player. He raises often and early and does so with any 2 cards so you have no clue if he has Aces or 2/10. He puts pressure. If someone checks to him he generally commits some chips.
On the downside he takes huge risks. He called 4 times the blinds with a 10/4off the last time I played him. He will give chips back in a hurry. I never worry about being behind him in chips because I know as soon as I get a hand I am an odds on favorite to double up. If I can't have the chips I would rather have them in the hands of someone who chases statistically ridiculous draws. If John has the chips...I worry. He is a good player who gets his chips in good. If Chris has the chips...I worry. She is a tight player who is not going to give her chips away unless she has something. If Bill R has the chips...I worry because he is a tricky player. If Randy has the chips I know I have a pretty good chance of getting them.
And that is why I say he is a bad player. I would argue I am better than any of the others I mentioned except John. I have the ability to shift gears, I understand and use percentages, am careful about which draws I chase, I put people on hands, I am willing to lay down bad hands when necessary and bet with bad hands when the possibility is there. I know there are times to play a poor percentage play but I don't do it every time...there has to be a reason it makes sense. In his case...he thinks he is making the correct play.
I wish I had more time. If I played in 10 of those tournaments I would win more than 3. Oh, well. Life goes on.
Tuesday
Lydias
Traffic was fairly light, got a wild hair, stopped in to play for the first time in quite some time. Just had a sudden concupiscence like desire to play poker, even there. I am not a big fan of playing at Lydias...it is full of tilt-inducing type factors such as:
- the smoke. heavy smokers, a pall over the table
- rude players. they slow-roll like mothers, they don't know the rules, they don't pay attention
- horrific players who have scary-good luck; they regularly play AND HIT needing runner-runner...
And that is just off the top of my head.
Anyhow, I wanted to play so, even though I was a bit late, I stopped in. Wow, I made it 15 players! I was down about 400 chips for arriving late, but as I have said before...when I am playing well, at least against most of these people, a 10% chip discrepancy means nothing. I will take their chips anyway. When I am playing poorly it also does not matter, I will choke off my chips pretty fast. About the only time it matters is when I am being blinded out and lose fold equity...but coming in with 2600 chips or so and blinds at 25/50? I am fine with that.
First hand, j/3o. Fold.
Second hand j/2o. Fold.
Third hand 9/5o. Fold.
Fourth hand 3/7o. Fold.
Fifth hand 2/3. fold.
On the bright side, this gave me a chance to get a feel for the table. And I was salivating. Bob was to my right. He is the only player I really had a lot of respect for. Other than Bob...well, there was 2 all-ins where the guy going all-in had 8 high...and was ahead. On the first blind level. Seriously, if I could just catch a pair I would be a favorite.
Finally, in the big blind I checked my option with an Ace/7 off. The flop gave me trip Aces. I bet it, 4 callers. That says a lot about the table. Turn was a deuce. I bet, all but Bob folded. River was another blank. I figured Bob for the Ace as well and had kicker issues so when he checked I checked behind. Hmm. I had him out kicked all right...but he had a deuce kicker which meant he had turned the full house. My river check saved me a lot of chips.
Normally I would slow WAY down but from small blind position with 4 limpers I limped as well with pocket 4s. The flop was gorgeous...K/7/4. No flush draws, no straight draws. Old guy across from me bet it for me. I put him on anything from the King to a stone cold bluff with even just a 10 high. Yes, the hand range was that wide. And 3 people called. Well, I had a choice. I wanted to get all-in by the river. Should I re-raise and hope a couple people stuck with me? Or should I try to keep them in and just call? I figured he would bet again so even though his bet was smaller than I wanted, I just called. Turn was a Jack putting a 2 flush on the board. On this table, that was bad...someone would stay around on a runner-runner flush draw. Still, he bet it, everyone called, so I called. River was a blank. He bet, calls, I re-raised all-in to 1500 (he had bet 500). He called, everyone else folded. I showed, he showed...his pair of Jacks. With a 3 kicker. Awesome.
Now I have about 5K, maybe 6. I am thinking I will have a pretty good shot at winning. Pick up pocket Kings. Raise. 2 callers. Take them for a ride including the old guy. They actually fold at the turn. I want them to KNOW I have good cards when I bet. I showed.
Limped with K/J after 3 or 4 other people limp. Flop comes 8/j/8. I bet. 3 callers. Turn is a king. I bet, the old guy comes over the top all in. But I am priced in as his raise is like 300 into a 4 or 5K pot. And he has...the k/j as well. Split pot. Made maybe 500 chips off the pot.
But I have consistently been showing down good cards. Call a raise with a q/10 clubs. Not a great hand but at this table I will play weaker cards more often. Flop has 2 clubs, an Ace and a King. I raise with nothing but a draw...and everyone folds. I did not feel bad about the raise as I had 9 clubs and 3 10s to draw to, plus I would not bet against a Queen high being the best hand.
But before I could came up a hand with Bill. I raised with pocket 6s. He was big blind and was going to fold since I raised it 3 times the blind. While he was pondering I was talking to Bob because someone commented on the size of the raise. "Ah, it is habit...when I have a strong hand it is 3 times the blinds + 1 blind per person already in the hand."
That was a mistake because he might have folded but when he figured out it is my "standard" raise he reluctantly called. Had I kept my mouth shut he might have overvalued my hand. On the bright side, the flop was beautiful for me...2/7/10. About the only thing he could reasonably have hit would be the 10 and then only if he had an Ace. But I know his game and had him on a couple picture cards. He checked and I went all in. He thought about it, thought about it, thought about it...while he was doing that I got very happy. I knew I was right...he had nothing but a couple of over cards. If he folded, I had a nice pick-up. If he called I was a huge favorite; 45 cards unknown, 39 help me, 6 help him...a little better than 6-1 so I pretty much wanted him to call. He did and turned over about what I expected...King-Jack. Even more amazing, he made the call with a King high against someone who raised pre-flop, had consistently won every showdown, and who had raised after the flop. I was in great shape to add a healthy chunk to my stack and take out the best player not named me left at the table.
Until he turned the Jack.
Now I was back down to about 4K. Only now the blinds were 4/800. And he had a good size stack.
A few hands later for the second time I picked up pocket kings. Raise, raise the flop, raise the turn, they folded. I wanted to emphasize the quality of hands I was playing so I showed.
The reason I kept showing was simple. By now it was just Randy, Bill and I. I wanted them to fold when I had the goods. I did not want Randy in particular sticking around on horrible draws. I did not want them to think I was bluffing. Against that crowd I simply don't bluff. If I am betting...I have the goods. You have to outdraw me or have hidden strength to win the hand.
A couple hands later I had K/7 hearts. I needed chips as I was low so I went all-in. They both folded and I picked up 1200 chips.
- the smoke. heavy smokers, a pall over the table
- rude players. they slow-roll like mothers, they don't know the rules, they don't pay attention
- horrific players who have scary-good luck; they regularly play AND HIT needing runner-runner...
And that is just off the top of my head.
Anyhow, I wanted to play so, even though I was a bit late, I stopped in. Wow, I made it 15 players! I was down about 400 chips for arriving late, but as I have said before...when I am playing well, at least against most of these people, a 10% chip discrepancy means nothing. I will take their chips anyway. When I am playing poorly it also does not matter, I will choke off my chips pretty fast. About the only time it matters is when I am being blinded out and lose fold equity...but coming in with 2600 chips or so and blinds at 25/50? I am fine with that.
First hand, j/3o. Fold.
Second hand j/2o. Fold.
Third hand 9/5o. Fold.
Fourth hand 3/7o. Fold.
Fifth hand 2/3. fold.
On the bright side, this gave me a chance to get a feel for the table. And I was salivating. Bob was to my right. He is the only player I really had a lot of respect for. Other than Bob...well, there was 2 all-ins where the guy going all-in had 8 high...and was ahead. On the first blind level. Seriously, if I could just catch a pair I would be a favorite.
Finally, in the big blind I checked my option with an Ace/7 off. The flop gave me trip Aces. I bet it, 4 callers. That says a lot about the table. Turn was a deuce. I bet, all but Bob folded. River was another blank. I figured Bob for the Ace as well and had kicker issues so when he checked I checked behind. Hmm. I had him out kicked all right...but he had a deuce kicker which meant he had turned the full house. My river check saved me a lot of chips.
Normally I would slow WAY down but from small blind position with 4 limpers I limped as well with pocket 4s. The flop was gorgeous...K/7/4. No flush draws, no straight draws. Old guy across from me bet it for me. I put him on anything from the King to a stone cold bluff with even just a 10 high. Yes, the hand range was that wide. And 3 people called. Well, I had a choice. I wanted to get all-in by the river. Should I re-raise and hope a couple people stuck with me? Or should I try to keep them in and just call? I figured he would bet again so even though his bet was smaller than I wanted, I just called. Turn was a Jack putting a 2 flush on the board. On this table, that was bad...someone would stay around on a runner-runner flush draw. Still, he bet it, everyone called, so I called. River was a blank. He bet, calls, I re-raised all-in to 1500 (he had bet 500). He called, everyone else folded. I showed, he showed...his pair of Jacks. With a 3 kicker. Awesome.
Now I have about 5K, maybe 6. I am thinking I will have a pretty good shot at winning. Pick up pocket Kings. Raise. 2 callers. Take them for a ride including the old guy. They actually fold at the turn. I want them to KNOW I have good cards when I bet. I showed.
Limped with K/J after 3 or 4 other people limp. Flop comes 8/j/8. I bet. 3 callers. Turn is a king. I bet, the old guy comes over the top all in. But I am priced in as his raise is like 300 into a 4 or 5K pot. And he has...the k/j as well. Split pot. Made maybe 500 chips off the pot.
But I have consistently been showing down good cards. Call a raise with a q/10 clubs. Not a great hand but at this table I will play weaker cards more often. Flop has 2 clubs, an Ace and a King. I raise with nothing but a draw...and everyone folds. I did not feel bad about the raise as I had 9 clubs and 3 10s to draw to, plus I would not bet against a Queen high being the best hand.
Meanwhile, I had been watching the guy to my left. He had no concept of risk versus reward and bet sizing. In a pot of 500 he bet 2000. In a pot of 350 he went all in. Now, on the one hand this is a solid strategy as he built a nice chip stack since his bets were so large in relation to the pot that they weren't worth calling. On the other hand...as soon as I could catch a hand with him in it I was going to either double up or take him out because I was pretty sure that when he made those bets it was because he was weak and did not want a call.
Sure enough, when we collapsed to 1 table, he tried that move on a board of 2/10/K and Randy called him. Of course, Randy had nothing...something like a 6/9 or some such crap. But our villain was even worse, holding a 2/4. Randy hit the 6 to take him out. That was terrible because Randy is not the guy you want having chips and he was the monster chip lead.
Randy is a horrible, horrible player. He will chase ridiculous draws needing runner runner or more. He has no concept of pot odds, no clue what his opponent might hold...he is the epitome of someone who "just plays their cards"...except he not only plays his cards, he plays every long shot draw in existence. Sadly, when he hits them that lets him play more. If you play 10 10-1 shots you figure to hit one. So against him I "charge him for his draws" by betting VERY, VERY heavily...if I hit ANYTHING...even a pair...and have him read for a draw I go all in.
But before I could came up a hand with Bill. I raised with pocket 6s. He was big blind and was going to fold since I raised it 3 times the blind. While he was pondering I was talking to Bob because someone commented on the size of the raise. "Ah, it is habit...when I have a strong hand it is 3 times the blinds + 1 blind per person already in the hand."
That was a mistake because he might have folded but when he figured out it is my "standard" raise he reluctantly called. Had I kept my mouth shut he might have overvalued my hand. On the bright side, the flop was beautiful for me...2/7/10. About the only thing he could reasonably have hit would be the 10 and then only if he had an Ace. But I know his game and had him on a couple picture cards. He checked and I went all in. He thought about it, thought about it, thought about it...while he was doing that I got very happy. I knew I was right...he had nothing but a couple of over cards. If he folded, I had a nice pick-up. If he called I was a huge favorite; 45 cards unknown, 39 help me, 6 help him...a little better than 6-1 so I pretty much wanted him to call. He did and turned over about what I expected...King-Jack. Even more amazing, he made the call with a King high against someone who raised pre-flop, had consistently won every showdown, and who had raised after the flop. I was in great shape to add a healthy chunk to my stack and take out the best player not named me left at the table.
Until he turned the Jack.
Now I was back down to about 4K. Only now the blinds were 4/800. And he had a good size stack.
A few hands later for the second time I picked up pocket kings. Raise, raise the flop, raise the turn, they folded. I wanted to emphasize the quality of hands I was playing so I showed.
The reason I kept showing was simple. By now it was just Randy, Bill and I. I wanted them to fold when I had the goods. I did not want Randy in particular sticking around on horrible draws. I did not want them to think I was bluffing. Against that crowd I simply don't bluff. If I am betting...I have the goods. You have to outdraw me or have hidden strength to win the hand.
A couple hands later I had K/7 hearts. I needed chips as I was low so I went all-in. They both folded and I picked up 1200 chips.
Randy raised the next couple of hands. I was down to about 4000 and the blinds went to 500/1000. I had to make a move. Bill folded on the button, I had j/9 suited on the small blind. I went all in. Randy called with the 10/4 off. Would I have called? No. But I am not Randy. I am not sure what hand he thought I might have but he got his chips in pretty good for Randy...he had about a 33% shot to win.
So the 2 hands that really hurt I got my chips in as a 72.32-27.68 percent and 67.73%-30..96% favorite and got outdrawn both times. If I can get in as a 3-1 favorite with regularity I don't feel bad. I played really well in my own opinion and just ran into 2 bad calls that ended well for the caller. Bill's pre-flop call with King Jack was not bad, it was his post flop call that was horrid. People who regularly get their chips in as 3-1 dogs when they are calling, not raising, don't deserve to win very often. About 1 in 4 times. But that 1 time really hurts.
It saddens me that I finished third. When John was still playing there I always thought he was the odds-on favorite to win any given tournament. Last night there was 1 other player there (Ryan) who I think is at least as good as me...he understands pot odds, drawing odds, he works to put people on hands, he understands when and why to raise/fold/call....and a few people who I respect as decent players that I, right or wrong, believe I am better than...including Bill among the final three...but overall, I thought Ryan or I should be the odds on favorite to win and when he got taken out mid way through I believed right down to the end I had a good shot at it. Had I not taken the beat on the end there I would have had the chips to wait for a good time to get in good again...hard to say if I could have come back from the deficit though as they each had about 20K and I would have had 8. I am good enough to pick the right time...but as we all know, Randy will call EVERY time so I need to hit that 2 more times probably to get a lead on him.
Next time, gadget, next time.
Hand reading
You raise pre-flop, get 2 callers. The flop comes Qs, 6h, 2s. They both check, you bet into it, the first guy calls, the second guy raises you. What do they have?
Obviously there is not enough information here. You would be hard pressed to say even what you have from the information presented here. Decisions like this can make the difference between winning the tournament and going out first. Should you pursue it? What if you had pocket Jacks...are you beat? Or still ahead? Same question if you had pocket Kings, A/Q or A/K. What if you raised with As, 10S...should you continue the hand?
It is times like this that reading the opponents is important. If you are just sitting down at the table you will not have the information you need. However, if you have been playing for a while there are ways to, if not know, at least make a good guess and the right decision as to whether you should fold, call, or even re-raise.
Too many players play their own cards. Let's suppose you raised with A/Q in the above scenario. You know you have top pair, top kicker. So you assume you have the best hand. However, there are a lot of hands you are losing to; Pocket Aces, Kings, 6s, and deuces, and also any q/6, q/2, or even 6/2. You are also vulnerable to anybody playing suited spades...and if they are playing something like 4s/5s, you are essentially even money. At this point you need to know how likely your opponents have to be playing any of those hands.
If you are against solid players you know you can discount most of these hands; very few players will have that. Good players know there is no point to playing a Q/6 or Q/2 and 2/6 is a horrific 3-gap hand...pocket deuces and 6s they were getting the wrong price for so really they only hand you reasonably fear is pocket qs, a hand that is highly unlikely in view of you having one and the other on the board. So the hands you fear from the better players at the table are something like A/xS where they are drawing to the nut straight, someone playing suited connectors who hit the 6 and are drawing thin, and the poor players who see a face card and play it so could be suspected of having that Q/6 or q/2. Of course, the preferred outcome is to have someone playing something like a K/Q or Q/10 where you have them crushed.
The problem comes with separating them into categories. There is an easy way to do that...pay attention to the hands that are played.
If you see someone playing every hand or nearly every hand you can assume they are pretty loose. They will have a very wide range of hands. They will play anything from pocket aces down to a 2/7. These players are very difficult to read...you cannot reasonably expect to put them on a hand. But you can still get a feel for if you should continue in our example hand.
First, you need to have concentrated on this player for a while. I don't mean concentrated on trying to spot an eye blink or weird way of holding their shoulder...I mean look at how they play their hands. If they have shown down 2nd pair 4 times, how did the betting go on each hand? Did they raise? Check and call? Check and raise? How many other people were in the hand? What was their kicker? Did they have any draws or did they just think they had a pair so would not lay it down? Having the answers to these questions will let you know how to proceed.
But take it further than that. Do they slow-play hands? For example, let's say they are a loose player who falls in love with pocket pairs and will never release them. They might have a set of 6s and you are drawing essentially dead to running Queens or Aces. Are they likely to check their set hoping someone will bet into them or are they going to raise? If they would raise, will it be a normal raise or an all-in?
You can even take it a step further. Assume you are that loose player...maybe you see a Queen, get excited, and play it. Say you have a Q/10 and the Q/6/2 flop hits. The pre-flop raiser now leads out and bets. What is he saying?
He is representing a hand that can beat the Queen. That does not mean he HAS a hand that can beat the Queen...but he is not afraid of it. You have no straight draws, no flush draws...what hands can he have?
If you have played against me much you can put me on a fairly narrow range of hands. Let's say you are in early position, I am in middle position. You limped from early, I raised, the big blind called and you called. I ended up with the button so after the flop when you both checked I raised. What hands could I have?
It depends. You need to know what hands I have played. There are times I am tight-aggressive. If I am playing very few hands, raising or folding, then you can put me on a narrow range" Pocket 6s, pocket Kings, Pocket Aces, A/Q or better. If you can't beat trip 6s or a pair of queens with an Ace then you should fold.
On the other hand, if I am playing my loose-aggressive game you will have seen me in a lot of pots. I could have any pocket pair, any suited Ace, maybe even a J/10 and be betting position.
If you have been watching my play you will have seen the hands I have shown down. If I have shown just top pair or better then you pretty much know I have the queen. If I have been showing a few middle or bottom pairs then you would be much more inclined to think I hit something other than the Queen...or am even betting with something like an A/K or A/10...in which case you would obviously want to stay and perhaps even re-raise me.
So let's look at it again as if you were me. We are playing well...we are folding our trash hands and playing aggressively with our strong hands. We have the Ah/Qd. We hit top pair. The only other people are the early position limper and the big blind. I have yet to see either limp with a big pair, they have raised every time so I am not afraid of the Kings or Aces. They both showed weakness on the flop so regardless of what I have I am betting into it.
Now, assume the first guy calls and the second raises. If I have been watching them I will probably know the first guy likes to check/call with his draws and he will play any suited Ace. He will also call with any dry ace so he might have something like A/6 or A/2. The raiser likes to bluff a lot and loves to check raise. Here I might be in trouble. He could have nothing or he could have trips. The point is, I should be able by now to put a loose percentage on each of his plays.
Let's say he has shown 3 bluffs, 3 made hands, and has won 4 pots without showing. Unless you have picked up a pattern...say, on the bluffs he bets larger than his made hands...or vice versa...then you would simply discount the 4 hands and figure he has a 50% chance of being bluffing. Then you compare the bet being made to your outs, figure your percentage, and you have an easy way to know if you should raise, call or fold.
It all comes down to watching what people play, where they play it from, and how they play it. If you pay attention you will have more information available when you need to choose what play to make.
Obviously there is not enough information here. You would be hard pressed to say even what you have from the information presented here. Decisions like this can make the difference between winning the tournament and going out first. Should you pursue it? What if you had pocket Jacks...are you beat? Or still ahead? Same question if you had pocket Kings, A/Q or A/K. What if you raised with As, 10S...should you continue the hand?
It is times like this that reading the opponents is important. If you are just sitting down at the table you will not have the information you need. However, if you have been playing for a while there are ways to, if not know, at least make a good guess and the right decision as to whether you should fold, call, or even re-raise.
Too many players play their own cards. Let's suppose you raised with A/Q in the above scenario. You know you have top pair, top kicker. So you assume you have the best hand. However, there are a lot of hands you are losing to; Pocket Aces, Kings, 6s, and deuces, and also any q/6, q/2, or even 6/2. You are also vulnerable to anybody playing suited spades...and if they are playing something like 4s/5s, you are essentially even money. At this point you need to know how likely your opponents have to be playing any of those hands.
If you are against solid players you know you can discount most of these hands; very few players will have that. Good players know there is no point to playing a Q/6 or Q/2 and 2/6 is a horrific 3-gap hand...pocket deuces and 6s they were getting the wrong price for so really they only hand you reasonably fear is pocket qs, a hand that is highly unlikely in view of you having one and the other on the board. So the hands you fear from the better players at the table are something like A/xS where they are drawing to the nut straight, someone playing suited connectors who hit the 6 and are drawing thin, and the poor players who see a face card and play it so could be suspected of having that Q/6 or q/2. Of course, the preferred outcome is to have someone playing something like a K/Q or Q/10 where you have them crushed.
The problem comes with separating them into categories. There is an easy way to do that...pay attention to the hands that are played.
If you see someone playing every hand or nearly every hand you can assume they are pretty loose. They will have a very wide range of hands. They will play anything from pocket aces down to a 2/7. These players are very difficult to read...you cannot reasonably expect to put them on a hand. But you can still get a feel for if you should continue in our example hand.
First, you need to have concentrated on this player for a while. I don't mean concentrated on trying to spot an eye blink or weird way of holding their shoulder...I mean look at how they play their hands. If they have shown down 2nd pair 4 times, how did the betting go on each hand? Did they raise? Check and call? Check and raise? How many other people were in the hand? What was their kicker? Did they have any draws or did they just think they had a pair so would not lay it down? Having the answers to these questions will let you know how to proceed.
But take it further than that. Do they slow-play hands? For example, let's say they are a loose player who falls in love with pocket pairs and will never release them. They might have a set of 6s and you are drawing essentially dead to running Queens or Aces. Are they likely to check their set hoping someone will bet into them or are they going to raise? If they would raise, will it be a normal raise or an all-in?
You can even take it a step further. Assume you are that loose player...maybe you see a Queen, get excited, and play it. Say you have a Q/10 and the Q/6/2 flop hits. The pre-flop raiser now leads out and bets. What is he saying?
He is representing a hand that can beat the Queen. That does not mean he HAS a hand that can beat the Queen...but he is not afraid of it. You have no straight draws, no flush draws...what hands can he have?
If you have played against me much you can put me on a fairly narrow range of hands. Let's say you are in early position, I am in middle position. You limped from early, I raised, the big blind called and you called. I ended up with the button so after the flop when you both checked I raised. What hands could I have?
It depends. You need to know what hands I have played. There are times I am tight-aggressive. If I am playing very few hands, raising or folding, then you can put me on a narrow range" Pocket 6s, pocket Kings, Pocket Aces, A/Q or better. If you can't beat trip 6s or a pair of queens with an Ace then you should fold.
On the other hand, if I am playing my loose-aggressive game you will have seen me in a lot of pots. I could have any pocket pair, any suited Ace, maybe even a J/10 and be betting position.
If you have been watching my play you will have seen the hands I have shown down. If I have shown just top pair or better then you pretty much know I have the queen. If I have been showing a few middle or bottom pairs then you would be much more inclined to think I hit something other than the Queen...or am even betting with something like an A/K or A/10...in which case you would obviously want to stay and perhaps even re-raise me.
So let's look at it again as if you were me. We are playing well...we are folding our trash hands and playing aggressively with our strong hands. We have the Ah/Qd. We hit top pair. The only other people are the early position limper and the big blind. I have yet to see either limp with a big pair, they have raised every time so I am not afraid of the Kings or Aces. They both showed weakness on the flop so regardless of what I have I am betting into it.
Now, assume the first guy calls and the second raises. If I have been watching them I will probably know the first guy likes to check/call with his draws and he will play any suited Ace. He will also call with any dry ace so he might have something like A/6 or A/2. The raiser likes to bluff a lot and loves to check raise. Here I might be in trouble. He could have nothing or he could have trips. The point is, I should be able by now to put a loose percentage on each of his plays.
Let's say he has shown 3 bluffs, 3 made hands, and has won 4 pots without showing. Unless you have picked up a pattern...say, on the bluffs he bets larger than his made hands...or vice versa...then you would simply discount the 4 hands and figure he has a 50% chance of being bluffing. Then you compare the bet being made to your outs, figure your percentage, and you have an easy way to know if you should raise, call or fold.
It all comes down to watching what people play, where they play it from, and how they play it. If you pay attention you will have more information available when you need to choose what play to make.
How You Doin'
Well, we were matched up with the Hawaiian shirt wearing team. They have a very large roster but sometimes get confused about who is supposed to show up. They were worried they might have to forfeit but scraped together a full 10...actually, 11. Apparently it was guys they were short.
We started slow. I was batting third. Top half I came up with Becky 2 on first and 1 out. I was a bit discombobulated and unprepared to bat. He gave me a great pitch to hit and I went up the middle with it. When I am hitting well I hit a lot of grounders because I can more or less place it where I want it and when I am "on" that means a double since I can place it between fielders.
In this case I whacked it off the poor pitcher's ankle, it ricocheted off the second ankle, and right to the shortstop who forced Becky at second. A foot to the left or right and it is a great piece of hitting since they had NOBODY in the center portion of the field. I might have tripled it was that wide open. Instead it was a horrible piece of hitting that put us in a quick 2 out hole. Fortunately, our big sticks came through and we punched a couple runs across.
Bottom half of the inning I had just one chance, a high hopper that I charged and, in a rarity, pegged a perfect throw. Oddly, when I am stationary and make the fundamentally correct throwing motions I seem to have accuracy issues. But when I am running pretty much full speed and throwing across my body while leaping in the air, the throw is extremely accurate. So backwards. I suck.
Anyhow, next at-bat I was leading off. I wanted to hit...but he gave me nothing. 4 straight balls and I walked. I am pretty much a free-swinger so I VERY seldom walk...I am also a junk ball hitter, so seeing 3 pitches in an at-bat is even unusual. I always believe I can take about any pitch and hit it wherever I want. I am wrong...but I believe that. So walking...not so fond of.
Still, I was on 2nd. Jules grounded to third...and he barely looked at me so I took third. Then Steve grounded to third...and having seen his arm, I thought I could score since I could get home before he could throw to first and she could relay it home. Yes, I took advantage of their weak arms. I will justify myself by saying my run only made the score 6-1 and in softball...well, a 5 run lead is not super safe. Good thing I did because otherwise we would not have scored that inning. It was good, aggressive, and most importantly, smart base running and scored a run that otherwise would not have.
Moved to the outfield, had no chances out there.
Next at-bat we had bases loaded, 1 out. I got under it a bit and drove a fly to deep left-center. It got over her head but for a few seconds it looked like she might catch it so our runners held. As a result, 2 scored but we had people just on first and second. I was said...I like the 2 base hits. I am greedy...
Moved over to first base for an inning. Jules is getting so much better...she caught a tough over her head pop early in the game, and now she cleanly handled a sharply hit grounder and got it to me in time to nip a fairly quick runner. Her throw was low but to my left so I was able to stretch and snag it. Under the circumstances, she made a very nice play. Proud of her on that one. Steve made a nice throw so I got 2 chances and handled them both.
My final at bat we were well ahead, something like 15-1. So I did not bother trying to get a hit...I just wanted to do something I seldom do and unleash my swing. 19 times out of 20 I hit it to right field. I can place it so well just by adjusting the length and speed of my swing. This time I decided to pull the ball for the first time in about 4 years. Pull is right...the first pitch landed in right field. Of the field behind us. I pulled that so far left it cleared 2 fences. The second pitch was a ball, but the third one was in my happy zone...letter high, just inside the center of the plate. I hammered it down the line. It landed on the warning track about 2 feet inside the line and I rolled into 3rd with a triple. Felt good to actually give a real swing for a change.
Anyhow, I was watching from the bench for the final inning. We gave up a 3 spot but were never really in danger and won 15-4.
Kind of nice to be on the right end of a game like that. Had been 0-3 coming in. Everybody was hitting well and playing solid defense. And it was pretty fun. Of course, not stretching or warming up by jogging before hand means I think I pulled something...my left leg is feeling it. But it was totally worth it!
We started slow. I was batting third. Top half I came up with Becky 2 on first and 1 out. I was a bit discombobulated and unprepared to bat. He gave me a great pitch to hit and I went up the middle with it. When I am hitting well I hit a lot of grounders because I can more or less place it where I want it and when I am "on" that means a double since I can place it between fielders.
In this case I whacked it off the poor pitcher's ankle, it ricocheted off the second ankle, and right to the shortstop who forced Becky at second. A foot to the left or right and it is a great piece of hitting since they had NOBODY in the center portion of the field. I might have tripled it was that wide open. Instead it was a horrible piece of hitting that put us in a quick 2 out hole. Fortunately, our big sticks came through and we punched a couple runs across.
Bottom half of the inning I had just one chance, a high hopper that I charged and, in a rarity, pegged a perfect throw. Oddly, when I am stationary and make the fundamentally correct throwing motions I seem to have accuracy issues. But when I am running pretty much full speed and throwing across my body while leaping in the air, the throw is extremely accurate. So backwards. I suck.
Anyhow, next at-bat I was leading off. I wanted to hit...but he gave me nothing. 4 straight balls and I walked. I am pretty much a free-swinger so I VERY seldom walk...I am also a junk ball hitter, so seeing 3 pitches in an at-bat is even unusual. I always believe I can take about any pitch and hit it wherever I want. I am wrong...but I believe that. So walking...not so fond of.
Still, I was on 2nd. Jules grounded to third...and he barely looked at me so I took third. Then Steve grounded to third...and having seen his arm, I thought I could score since I could get home before he could throw to first and she could relay it home. Yes, I took advantage of their weak arms. I will justify myself by saying my run only made the score 6-1 and in softball...well, a 5 run lead is not super safe. Good thing I did because otherwise we would not have scored that inning. It was good, aggressive, and most importantly, smart base running and scored a run that otherwise would not have.
Moved to the outfield, had no chances out there.
Next at-bat we had bases loaded, 1 out. I got under it a bit and drove a fly to deep left-center. It got over her head but for a few seconds it looked like she might catch it so our runners held. As a result, 2 scored but we had people just on first and second. I was said...I like the 2 base hits. I am greedy...
Moved over to first base for an inning. Jules is getting so much better...she caught a tough over her head pop early in the game, and now she cleanly handled a sharply hit grounder and got it to me in time to nip a fairly quick runner. Her throw was low but to my left so I was able to stretch and snag it. Under the circumstances, she made a very nice play. Proud of her on that one. Steve made a nice throw so I got 2 chances and handled them both.
My final at bat we were well ahead, something like 15-1. So I did not bother trying to get a hit...I just wanted to do something I seldom do and unleash my swing. 19 times out of 20 I hit it to right field. I can place it so well just by adjusting the length and speed of my swing. This time I decided to pull the ball for the first time in about 4 years. Pull is right...the first pitch landed in right field. Of the field behind us. I pulled that so far left it cleared 2 fences. The second pitch was a ball, but the third one was in my happy zone...letter high, just inside the center of the plate. I hammered it down the line. It landed on the warning track about 2 feet inside the line and I rolled into 3rd with a triple. Felt good to actually give a real swing for a change.
Anyhow, I was watching from the bench for the final inning. We gave up a 3 spot but were never really in danger and won 15-4.
Kind of nice to be on the right end of a game like that. Had been 0-3 coming in. Everybody was hitting well and playing solid defense. And it was pretty fun. Of course, not stretching or warming up by jogging before hand means I think I pulled something...my left leg is feeling it. But it was totally worth it!
Friday
If I were to teach a class part 1: Pre-flop
To begin with, I would go over how to determine hand values:
1) How strong are my cards?
A) strictly hand strength
I. Top ten hands
You can play these hands from any position. I.E., even with a raise, re-raise, and re-re raise in front of you you will play Pocket Rockets. The Cowboys...well, that depends on the players in front of you but they would be tough to lay down.
So pocket 10s through Aces, A/K suited, A/k off, K/Q, A/Q suited suited is a pretty good foundation. With these you do not need to be too advanced about thinking about what type of hands your opponents have/play.
II. Middle Position
Hands you can add from middle position. Here you add hands like middle pairs (down to say...7s), Ace/x suited where x=10 or higher, off suit hands with both cards paint
III. Late Position
Widen the range of hands you play from late position. Mix in your suited connectors, stuff like that. If facing a weak raise and you have a couple callers you can play literally any 2 cards. For example, Under the gun makes a minimum raise, 2 people call, small blind folds and you have the dreaded 2/7 off. Do you call? Let's say for ease of numbers the blinds are 100/200. The pot has 1500 in it. You need to call 200 to win that 1500 but of course you would get your 200 back so you are getting 1700/200 or 8.5-1 on your chips. That should be an easy call. If you hit the flop hard...2 pair or trips...you keep going. If not, get out. Small investment, big payoff. If you are the bluffing sort you can make a stab at the pot even if you miss, though generally against a large number of callers that is ill-advised. Sure, you will lose your 400 chips most of the time. But as long as you get out cheaply and then maximize the value when you DO hit the flop it is a winning proposition in the long run.
IV. Why position matters
If you are playing 8 handed and open with an Ace/rag, what are the odds someone behind you will pick up a stronger hand; say, A/10 or better, or else a big pocket pair? Let's say they merely call your raise with an A/Q, a not uncommon occurrence. The flop comes A/10/2 and you have an A/4. Barring running cards that pair the board make a straight or a 4 hitting you cannot run down the A/Q as their kicker will give them the pot. Thus you are likely to lose a large number of chips with your weak Ace. It is even possible to have the board provide your kicker. However, if you are in late position and nobody has shown strength your Ace is more likely to be the best hand at the moment.
You can also afford to play hands from late position you cannot play early. Say you pick up Pocket 3s. You are almost guaranteed to have 3 over cards to your pair on the board when the flop comes and the only way you will gain chips off this hand is to hit a set (have a third trey hit the board). As a result, since you will only hit a set 1 in about 9 tries you want to see the flop cheap. If you enter the pot from early position you will probably have to fold if someone raises. However, from late position you can often see a flop cheaply which is the only way you can realistically play this hand unless you plan to bluff with it.
Third, if you are in late position and people have folded or limped to you, showing weakness, you can often raise with any two cards and potentially take down the pot right there. Making the same raise from early position is vastly more dangerous as you are far more likely to have someone wake up behind you with a big hand when there are 6 or 7 hands that haven't shown their strength than if you have just 1 or 2 hands left to get through.
B) Comparative hand strengths
Under the gun raises to 3 times the blind, 2 people call, and you are in the big blind with A/6. Should you call?
The first thing we established was starting hands. So you put your opponent on a range of hands. Here is where knowing your opponents comes into play. For arguments sake we will say you know the UTG raiser is a fairly tight player who pretty much only plays the top 10 hands, the first caller is a somewhat loose player who will play any Ace, any paint, any pair, and any suited connectors, and the third player is also a bit loose.
4 of the hands the open raiser might hold contain an Ace: Pocket Aces, A/Ks, A/Qs, A/K. To be honest, I have never seen anyone that tight in real life, you can pretty much figure in local type games they will have A/10 or better.
The other two are even less likely to hold an Ace as their range of hands is much broader. Let's be mean to ourselves, though, and say the open raiser exposed his cards and has A/K. You KNOW you are a 3-1 underdog to him. Would you call, KNOWING you are behind?
Surprisingly...yes, you should. Let's keep our 1/200 blind structure. He raised to 600, 2 players called, so you need to call 600 to make 2400, not counting the blinds. You are getting 4-1 on your chips and are only a 3-1 underdog. Now, take the same situation where you are the raiser with your A/6. You limp in for 200, everyone folds to the big blind who shows A/K and raises to 600 ...now you need to call 600 to make 1400 (your 200, his 600, your 600) or 2.33-1 and you are a 3-1 underdog...you fold. Same cards, different positions, different potential return on investment. Which leads us to
C) Position
2) How do my cards compare to those of my opponents?
A) put opponents on a range
It is a great feeling to be able to tell your opponent what cards he held while those cards are face down. It is also very difficult. Usually you don't need to know the exact cards they have...just a range of hands they might play to see if you should continue in the hand or not. Example: You have pocket 10s and raise from late position. The big blind calls, everyone else folds. The flop comes Kd/Qd/2c. You raise and he re raises. Do you fold, call, re-raise, or move all in?
The answer is "it depends".
If you are playing someone "tight" they have a narrow range of hands at this point; they are representing a hand that can beat either the King or Queen or they have a draw. That means they have Pocket Aces, they have the King or Queen (or both), 2 diamonds, or something like J/10.
If you are playing someone a bit looser then you can add any pocket pair, hands like A/10, A/J where they are praying for that miracle straight, or even something like A/rag where the Ace is a diamond and they want the runner runner for a flush.
Against the tight player you fold. Against some loose players you call, against others you re-raise, maybe even all-in if you put them on a bluff or a weak hand. It just depends on what range of hands you believe they will A) call you pre-flop and then B) re-raise you with. How do you figure that out?
I. What types of hands have they played?
Even when not involved in a hand, watch every hand. Your goal is to see as many hands shown as possible. If you watch a guy play 20 hands, 10 he does not show and the other 10 are only shown at a showdown, he wins 9 of those...you can assume he is a tight player and seldom has anything but a monster when he plays. In the example above you would fold.
Conversely, if you see him show everything from pocket Aces to a pair of deuces you can assume he is much, much looser and now you either call or re-raise. Whenever possible, reconstruct the hand to see when he likes to call, when he likes to raise or re-raise, and what it takes to get him to fold.
II. How do they play them? I.E. top pair, set, draw...do they raise or call?
3) Raising, calling, or folding
Should you raise, call, or fold? A lot of people tend to just call. This can work if you know when to get out of hands but it really limits your options. If you just call your opponent controls the size of the bet, when there is a bet, and thus will win a lot of pots that he shouldn't. If you just raise you risk running into someone who is slow-playing the nuts. In short, you need to mix up your play.
A) Standard raise theory
C) Few folds are bad folds but sometimes you have to play back; defending your blind
Sometimes you need to defend your blind. Pay attention to the table. If someone raises every time you are in the blinds it does not mean he has a hand. He might sense weakness in you and be trying to steal your blinds. If you see someone doing this, "play back" at them. The next time they raise, come over the top and re-raise them. If you do not have the courage for that, at least pay to see the flop and if there is anything to work with, take a stab at that. If you do not, they will raise your flop every time no matter what cards they have.
4) Basic odds
Sometimes you think you are behind and need to decide whether to call or not. All you need are basic math skills and a general sense of how much is in the pot.
"The Rule of 2" allows you to quickly figure your percentage chance of hitting a needed card. Say you have an 8/10 and the flop comes A/J/9. At the moment you have nothing but a straight draw. Someone you put on an Ace raises. Should you call? The first thing you do is count your outs. In this case there are 8: if any 7 or Queen falls, you figure to hit your straight and that figures to be the best hand. 8x2 = 16 so you have roughly a 16% chance to hit your card. If this is a flop your actual percentage chance is 34.24% so you are close enough. You will win about 32% of the time, or roughly a third, so if you are getting 2-1 or better on your chips then you can call. If you are getting less then you should fold.
However, don't forget "counterfeited odds". Example:
I had K/10 diamonds, the villain had pocket Jacks. The flop came K/J/2, 2 diamonds. In theory I have 9 outs to make a flush; however, the Jack on the board is a diamond leaving me 8 outs. But not so fast; if another King or deuce falls, he makes a boat. I have the king but the 2 is his, so now I have 7 outs. Regardless of what falls on the turn, if it is not a diamond it takes away one more out since it will also give him a full house and thus a higher hand so you can say that 2 of my theoretical 8 outs are "counterfeited" and in truth I have just 6 outs. Now I need to get 8-1 on my chips to make the call.
That will get you started. More next time, mostly on flop, turn and river play, though some of that was covered here.
1) How strong are my cards?
A) strictly hand strength
I. Top ten hands
You can play these hands from any position. I.E., even with a raise, re-raise, and re-re raise in front of you you will play Pocket Rockets. The Cowboys...well, that depends on the players in front of you but they would be tough to lay down.
So pocket 10s through Aces, A/K suited, A/k off, K/Q, A/Q suited suited is a pretty good foundation. With these you do not need to be too advanced about thinking about what type of hands your opponents have/play.
II. Middle Position
Hands you can add from middle position. Here you add hands like middle pairs (down to say...7s), Ace/x suited where x=10 or higher, off suit hands with both cards paint
III. Late Position
Widen the range of hands you play from late position. Mix in your suited connectors, stuff like that. If facing a weak raise and you have a couple callers you can play literally any 2 cards. For example, Under the gun makes a minimum raise, 2 people call, small blind folds and you have the dreaded 2/7 off. Do you call? Let's say for ease of numbers the blinds are 100/200. The pot has 1500 in it. You need to call 200 to win that 1500 but of course you would get your 200 back so you are getting 1700/200 or 8.5-1 on your chips. That should be an easy call. If you hit the flop hard...2 pair or trips...you keep going. If not, get out. Small investment, big payoff. If you are the bluffing sort you can make a stab at the pot even if you miss, though generally against a large number of callers that is ill-advised. Sure, you will lose your 400 chips most of the time. But as long as you get out cheaply and then maximize the value when you DO hit the flop it is a winning proposition in the long run.
IV. Why position matters
If you are playing 8 handed and open with an Ace/rag, what are the odds someone behind you will pick up a stronger hand; say, A/10 or better, or else a big pocket pair? Let's say they merely call your raise with an A/Q, a not uncommon occurrence. The flop comes A/10/2 and you have an A/4. Barring running cards that pair the board make a straight or a 4 hitting you cannot run down the A/Q as their kicker will give them the pot. Thus you are likely to lose a large number of chips with your weak Ace. It is even possible to have the board provide your kicker. However, if you are in late position and nobody has shown strength your Ace is more likely to be the best hand at the moment.
You can also afford to play hands from late position you cannot play early. Say you pick up Pocket 3s. You are almost guaranteed to have 3 over cards to your pair on the board when the flop comes and the only way you will gain chips off this hand is to hit a set (have a third trey hit the board). As a result, since you will only hit a set 1 in about 9 tries you want to see the flop cheap. If you enter the pot from early position you will probably have to fold if someone raises. However, from late position you can often see a flop cheaply which is the only way you can realistically play this hand unless you plan to bluff with it.
Third, if you are in late position and people have folded or limped to you, showing weakness, you can often raise with any two cards and potentially take down the pot right there. Making the same raise from early position is vastly more dangerous as you are far more likely to have someone wake up behind you with a big hand when there are 6 or 7 hands that haven't shown their strength than if you have just 1 or 2 hands left to get through.
B) Comparative hand strengths
Under the gun raises to 3 times the blind, 2 people call, and you are in the big blind with A/6. Should you call?
The first thing we established was starting hands. So you put your opponent on a range of hands. Here is where knowing your opponents comes into play. For arguments sake we will say you know the UTG raiser is a fairly tight player who pretty much only plays the top 10 hands, the first caller is a somewhat loose player who will play any Ace, any paint, any pair, and any suited connectors, and the third player is also a bit loose.
4 of the hands the open raiser might hold contain an Ace: Pocket Aces, A/Ks, A/Qs, A/K. To be honest, I have never seen anyone that tight in real life, you can pretty much figure in local type games they will have A/10 or better.
The other two are even less likely to hold an Ace as their range of hands is much broader. Let's be mean to ourselves, though, and say the open raiser exposed his cards and has A/K. You KNOW you are a 3-1 underdog to him. Would you call, KNOWING you are behind?
Surprisingly...yes, you should. Let's keep our 1/200 blind structure. He raised to 600, 2 players called, so you need to call 600 to make 2400, not counting the blinds. You are getting 4-1 on your chips and are only a 3-1 underdog. Now, take the same situation where you are the raiser with your A/6. You limp in for 200, everyone folds to the big blind who shows A/K and raises to 600 ...now you need to call 600 to make 1400 (your 200, his 600, your 600) or 2.33-1 and you are a 3-1 underdog...you fold. Same cards, different positions, different potential return on investment. Which leads us to
C) Position
Assuming 8 handed game, early position will be the first 2-3 people, depending on their aggression; middle position, again 2 - 3 people and late position 2 - 3 people. Note that late position pre-flop is, except for the dealer button, early position after the flop. For example, if you are the big blind, you are late position pre-flop because you are last to act. After the flop, however, only the small blind will ever act BEFORE you. So you have become early position.
The primary reason this matters is for information. Let's assume you pick up a mediocre hand, say...pocket 9s. High enough to have under cards on the flop but still likely to see a flop where at least one over card hits the board. If you are in early position you face a risky proposition; if you limp someone is likely to raise it which will give you a tough decision; are they sensing weakness in you and making a move or do they have a monster? If it is just 2 high cards...say, A/J...you are "in a race" where it is so close to 50/50% to win or lose that you can play it. But if they have a higher pair...say, Jacks...you are now crushed, a 4-1 underdog, and likely to lose a large percentage of your stack. If you are in middle position you already have a sense of the strength of hands of the first 6 people and are more likely to know whether you should play the hand or not. If you are in late position it becomes an easy decision; if there is light action you can play them cheap and hope for a favorable flop, if there is heavy action you can fold. In late position, judging by who folded, limped, called, or raised you should be able to put people on a range of hands and thus can decide whether to play your mediocre hand or not.
2) How do my cards compare to those of my opponents?
A) put opponents on a range
It is a great feeling to be able to tell your opponent what cards he held while those cards are face down. It is also very difficult. Usually you don't need to know the exact cards they have...just a range of hands they might play to see if you should continue in the hand or not. Example: You have pocket 10s and raise from late position. The big blind calls, everyone else folds. The flop comes Kd/Qd/2c. You raise and he re raises. Do you fold, call, re-raise, or move all in?
The answer is "it depends".
If you are playing someone "tight" they have a narrow range of hands at this point; they are representing a hand that can beat either the King or Queen or they have a draw. That means they have Pocket Aces, they have the King or Queen (or both), 2 diamonds, or something like J/10.
If you are playing someone a bit looser then you can add any pocket pair, hands like A/10, A/J where they are praying for that miracle straight, or even something like A/rag where the Ace is a diamond and they want the runner runner for a flush.
Against the tight player you fold. Against some loose players you call, against others you re-raise, maybe even all-in if you put them on a bluff or a weak hand. It just depends on what range of hands you believe they will A) call you pre-flop and then B) re-raise you with. How do you figure that out?
I. What types of hands have they played?
Even when not involved in a hand, watch every hand. Your goal is to see as many hands shown as possible. If you watch a guy play 20 hands, 10 he does not show and the other 10 are only shown at a showdown, he wins 9 of those...you can assume he is a tight player and seldom has anything but a monster when he plays. In the example above you would fold.
Conversely, if you see him show everything from pocket Aces to a pair of deuces you can assume he is much, much looser and now you either call or re-raise. Whenever possible, reconstruct the hand to see when he likes to call, when he likes to raise or re-raise, and what it takes to get him to fold.
II. How do they play them? I.E. top pair, set, draw...do they raise or call?
3) Raising, calling, or folding
Should you raise, call, or fold? A lot of people tend to just call. This can work if you know when to get out of hands but it really limits your options. If you just call your opponent controls the size of the bet, when there is a bet, and thus will win a lot of pots that he shouldn't. If you just raise you risk running into someone who is slow-playing the nuts. In short, you need to mix up your play.
A) Standard raise theory
A good standard raise is 3 times the blind. If the blinds are 25/50, you are first to act, you typically want to raise to 150. Many people adjust this a bit. For example, 2 people limp in, then you raise, some people add 1 blind per person who has entered it so in this case you would raise to 250.
B) When to limp, when to raise, when to fold
It depends on the types of players seated at the table with you. If you are in with action oriented players who like to see a lot of flops cheaply you can limp with a lot of hands you would typically fold. Conversely, if they only ever enter for a raise then you should raise more, call less. Here is an example of why.
You limp in, the opponent raises strong, you look at your 3s and release your hand. The next time you limp in he is likely to raise no matter what cards you have. Conversely, if you are the one who raises, your opponent folds, the next time he limps you do not even need to look at your cards, just raise.
C) Few folds are bad folds but sometimes you have to play back; defending your blind
Sometimes you need to defend your blind. Pay attention to the table. If someone raises every time you are in the blinds it does not mean he has a hand. He might sense weakness in you and be trying to steal your blinds. If you see someone doing this, "play back" at them. The next time they raise, come over the top and re-raise them. If you do not have the courage for that, at least pay to see the flop and if there is anything to work with, take a stab at that. If you do not, they will raise your flop every time no matter what cards they have.
4) Basic odds
Sometimes you think you are behind and need to decide whether to call or not. All you need are basic math skills and a general sense of how much is in the pot.
"The Rule of 2" allows you to quickly figure your percentage chance of hitting a needed card. Say you have an 8/10 and the flop comes A/J/9. At the moment you have nothing but a straight draw. Someone you put on an Ace raises. Should you call? The first thing you do is count your outs. In this case there are 8: if any 7 or Queen falls, you figure to hit your straight and that figures to be the best hand. 8x2 = 16 so you have roughly a 16% chance to hit your card. If this is a flop your actual percentage chance is 34.24% so you are close enough. You will win about 32% of the time, or roughly a third, so if you are getting 2-1 or better on your chips then you can call. If you are getting less then you should fold.
However, don't forget "counterfeited odds". Example:
I had K/10 diamonds, the villain had pocket Jacks. The flop came K/J/2, 2 diamonds. In theory I have 9 outs to make a flush; however, the Jack on the board is a diamond leaving me 8 outs. But not so fast; if another King or deuce falls, he makes a boat. I have the king but the 2 is his, so now I have 7 outs. Regardless of what falls on the turn, if it is not a diamond it takes away one more out since it will also give him a full house and thus a higher hand so you can say that 2 of my theoretical 8 outs are "counterfeited" and in truth I have just 6 outs. Now I need to get 8-1 on my chips to make the call.
That will get you started. More next time, mostly on flop, turn and river play, though some of that was covered here.
Thursday
How You Doin'?
Fresh off last week's obliteration, we took the field against another team that looked pretty good. How good? They are the first team I have seen using a lady pitcher...and I could see why.
We were home and I sat out the first two innings. I was glad to...the wind was playing with the ball making outfield an adventure and there was no infield action to speak of. We gave up 4 and 2 runs. Meanwhile, bottom of the first, Eric flew out to deep right, Becky popped out, I singled, took third on a bobbled ball in the outfield, and scored our first run of the night.
My first action at short was nice. Two soft grounders that I charged pretty hard and made bullet throws to get the runners.
The bottom part of our line-up got rolling and we scored 7 runs in the third to take an 8-6 lead. But we would not be able to hold it.
By the time I caught a short fly we had given up a couple. Then there was a play I SHOULD have made an in the past would have...little flare over the pitchers mound. I thought JJ had a bead on it, got a late start, called him off so we would not collide....and had it bounce off the end of my glove. Tough chance but one that, when I was a REAL athlete, I would have made. Oh, well, did make one other catch that inning.
My next time up I got under it a bit and flew out to the warning track. That was interesting...I normally don't have that kind of power any more. It was also a mistake on my part. They were shading my beloved right-center alley and I went to left-center. Oh, well, it was an excellent pitch and I gave it a ride.
Next time up I went back to right and got it over their heads, ending up with a triple. My final time up I weakly singled.
It was a fun game but ultimately we could not come back and lost something like 18-13. Most importantly it was a fun team to play against and we had a great time. Overall I thought I played really well. Must be less of a perfectionist that I have been because I did not really give a lot of thought to the misplayed pop-up.
Normally that would be all but Phil needed help on his men's' league team. As a general rule I try to avoid back to back games as I am not in shape to play 2-1/2 hours...but since I sat out 4 of 6 innings I was okay with it.
Initially they had me in the outfield but then their normal center fielder showed up so they moved me to catcher. Yuck...I hate that.
We gave up a couple runs in the first and then scored a couple. In the second they looked to have a good rally going. With one out they had runners on 1st and 2nd when a guy made a pretty routine fly to left...which the normally reliable Phil just...dropped. Very atypical. Since their runners were waiting to tag, a fortuitous bounce meant the guy on third did not advance as our other outfielder pounced on it and rocketed the ball back in...and he caught the runner off second. So as we tagged that guy out, the guy on third broke for home. A quick relay, slightly offline, and I blocked the plate and tagged him out. Close play but we got him. And he got me. Tore my knee up pretty good.
And, as so often happens in baseball, the guy who makes the defensive play then comes up to bat. I went right into my right-center power alley, over their guys head, and walked into third with a triple. I scored, so I felt pretty good about that.
My next time up we had runners at the corners, one out. This time they were playing deep so I tried to under swing and just pop it over the second baseman's head but I topped it and grounded to him. Fortunately I got to the base quick enough to avoid being doubled up and we scored one but I knew it was a poor swing.
My next trip up (not much defensive action as a catcher...) I got caught up in watching them and swung from my heels, flying out to the warning track in right center. Hmm. I have not had home run power in 15 years and not had warning track power in 10. What is up with that?
Anyway, they started to mount a comeback. They had scored a couple runs, had a guy on first, no outs, and one of their better hitters was up. He was fooled by a pitch and hit a little pop about 8 feet up the first base line. I knew I could not catch it but did not want it to go foul because I did not want him to get another shot at it. I came out of the crouch pretty fast and jumped on it about 6" fair. They thought it was foul so they weren't moving. I started running towards the guy standing on first planning to tag him and step on the bag when it occurred to me I actually don't know the rule...if I tag him but he is on the base, even though it was a force...would he be out? So I threw it to second, they stepped on the bag, back to first...meanwhile, the batter was standing there arguing with the ump that it was foul.
It was a stupid argument. My footprints were plainly visible where I had jumped to a stop to keep the ball from going foul, and I was a good 6" inside the base paths.
Well, that double play killed their rally and we ran away with the game. I did manage to double my next time up so on the night I went 2-4, scored twice, drove in 1, and made a couple pretty spectacular plays.
It was nice because I was a bit intimidated going in...I have only ever played one other men's' league GAME and that was as a pick-up player last year. I just usually don't like them as much because that is where you find softball guy...drunk, obnoxious, taking it as seriously as a Major League Baseball game even though he is pot-bellied, probably drunk, and less talent than a single a short season guy...
So I had lots of fun, played really well and look forward to next week, because they asked me back...
We were home and I sat out the first two innings. I was glad to...the wind was playing with the ball making outfield an adventure and there was no infield action to speak of. We gave up 4 and 2 runs. Meanwhile, bottom of the first, Eric flew out to deep right, Becky popped out, I singled, took third on a bobbled ball in the outfield, and scored our first run of the night.
My first action at short was nice. Two soft grounders that I charged pretty hard and made bullet throws to get the runners.
The bottom part of our line-up got rolling and we scored 7 runs in the third to take an 8-6 lead. But we would not be able to hold it.
By the time I caught a short fly we had given up a couple. Then there was a play I SHOULD have made an in the past would have...little flare over the pitchers mound. I thought JJ had a bead on it, got a late start, called him off so we would not collide....and had it bounce off the end of my glove. Tough chance but one that, when I was a REAL athlete, I would have made. Oh, well, did make one other catch that inning.
My next time up I got under it a bit and flew out to the warning track. That was interesting...I normally don't have that kind of power any more. It was also a mistake on my part. They were shading my beloved right-center alley and I went to left-center. Oh, well, it was an excellent pitch and I gave it a ride.
Next time up I went back to right and got it over their heads, ending up with a triple. My final time up I weakly singled.
It was a fun game but ultimately we could not come back and lost something like 18-13. Most importantly it was a fun team to play against and we had a great time. Overall I thought I played really well. Must be less of a perfectionist that I have been because I did not really give a lot of thought to the misplayed pop-up.
Normally that would be all but Phil needed help on his men's' league team. As a general rule I try to avoid back to back games as I am not in shape to play 2-1/2 hours...but since I sat out 4 of 6 innings I was okay with it.
Initially they had me in the outfield but then their normal center fielder showed up so they moved me to catcher. Yuck...I hate that.
We gave up a couple runs in the first and then scored a couple. In the second they looked to have a good rally going. With one out they had runners on 1st and 2nd when a guy made a pretty routine fly to left...which the normally reliable Phil just...dropped. Very atypical. Since their runners were waiting to tag, a fortuitous bounce meant the guy on third did not advance as our other outfielder pounced on it and rocketed the ball back in...and he caught the runner off second. So as we tagged that guy out, the guy on third broke for home. A quick relay, slightly offline, and I blocked the plate and tagged him out. Close play but we got him. And he got me. Tore my knee up pretty good.
And, as so often happens in baseball, the guy who makes the defensive play then comes up to bat. I went right into my right-center power alley, over their guys head, and walked into third with a triple. I scored, so I felt pretty good about that.
My next time up we had runners at the corners, one out. This time they were playing deep so I tried to under swing and just pop it over the second baseman's head but I topped it and grounded to him. Fortunately I got to the base quick enough to avoid being doubled up and we scored one but I knew it was a poor swing.
My next trip up (not much defensive action as a catcher...) I got caught up in watching them and swung from my heels, flying out to the warning track in right center. Hmm. I have not had home run power in 15 years and not had warning track power in 10. What is up with that?
Anyway, they started to mount a comeback. They had scored a couple runs, had a guy on first, no outs, and one of their better hitters was up. He was fooled by a pitch and hit a little pop about 8 feet up the first base line. I knew I could not catch it but did not want it to go foul because I did not want him to get another shot at it. I came out of the crouch pretty fast and jumped on it about 6" fair. They thought it was foul so they weren't moving. I started running towards the guy standing on first planning to tag him and step on the bag when it occurred to me I actually don't know the rule...if I tag him but he is on the base, even though it was a force...would he be out? So I threw it to second, they stepped on the bag, back to first...meanwhile, the batter was standing there arguing with the ump that it was foul.
It was a stupid argument. My footprints were plainly visible where I had jumped to a stop to keep the ball from going foul, and I was a good 6" inside the base paths.
Well, that double play killed their rally and we ran away with the game. I did manage to double my next time up so on the night I went 2-4, scored twice, drove in 1, and made a couple pretty spectacular plays.
It was nice because I was a bit intimidated going in...I have only ever played one other men's' league GAME and that was as a pick-up player last year. I just usually don't like them as much because that is where you find softball guy...drunk, obnoxious, taking it as seriously as a Major League Baseball game even though he is pot-bellied, probably drunk, and less talent than a single a short season guy...
So I had lots of fun, played really well and look forward to next week, because they asked me back...
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