Sprit Pot (Part 7)

This was a frustrating sprit pot...got a freeroll from a donkey and couldn't spike anything...fawking hearts....

Seat 1: EP ($121.25)

Seat 3: MP ($75.95)

Seat 5: bruechips (button) ($115.95)

Seat 6: SB ($40.70)

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to bruechips [Jh Kh]

EP calls $0.50

MP calls $0.50

bruechips raises to $2.75 (Standard rimper punishment)

SB calls $2.50

EP calls $2.25

MP calls $2.25

*** FLOP *** [3s 6h 2h]

SB checks

EP checks

MP bets $11.50

bruechips raises to $28 (A weak player donks into me for full pot on a scary board. I'm looking for a bet/fold out of maybe a 44/55/A4, or just total air. Or a bet/shove out of QhTh, that would be nice! Anyway I obviously don't mind getting it in vs. A4 or 44 that much anyway. I'd be pretty surprised if he took this line with a set or straight.)

SB folds

MP folds

MP raises to $73.20, and is all in

bruechips calls $45.20 (OK he shoves...I'm obviously not folding at this point.)

MP shows [Jd Kc] (Uhh...??)

bruechips shows [Jh Kh]

*** TURN *** [3s 6h 2h] [7d]

*** RIVER *** [3s 6h 2h 7d] [8c]

MP ties for the pot ($77.45) with King Jack high

bruechips ties for the pot ($77.45) with King Jack high

OK, ghey...chop it up. Let the record show I think his play is terrible. I don't think I'm ever raise/folding this flop in a 4-way pot. If we were heads up and he 3-bet shoved KJ on a AT3 board or something like that, that can be a good play sometimes because 1) he has a draw to the nuts, 2) I will bluff raise a donk bet on that board pretty often, and 3) he could potentially rep more strong hands like A3/AT, whereas none of the 2-pr combos in this hand are very plausible. I wish I could give up a suckout in some other pot to spike a heart on the river in this one to punish this donk for his terrible play.

As a side note, I have been playing lower limits recently, not because of a big downswing or anything, thank god, but just because I don't have that much time to play these days. Because of that, I feel like I'm not quite as sharp when I'm playing and also I don't have time to play a bunch of hands to even out my variance at higher stakes (oooo 1/2 the nosebleeds!! ROR). So until I get more than a couple of hours a week to play, I'll probably donk around at NL50.

-BRUECHIPS

Sprit Pot (Part 6)

Here I turned a made hand into a bluff on the river, hoping to fold out much better hands than the one I got called by:

Seat 4: bruechips (UTG) ($304.15)
Seat 6: UTG+2 ($316.90)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bruechips [As Kh]
bruechips raises to $8
UTG+2 calls $8

*** FLOP *** [Kd 6s 4s]
bruechips bets $15
UTG+2 calls $15 (Pretty standard so far. With his call I'd say his range is KQ/AK, 66/44, possibly QQ-TT and some spades)

*** TURN *** [Kd 6s 4s] [7s]
bruechips checks (If I had it to do over again I'd probably just barrel again here. But I decided to keep the pot smaller and be sure I'd get to see the river, rather than bet and either fold to a raise when I have a draw to the nuts or get it in way behind. Check-raising with the intention of shoving any river isn't a bad option either.)
UTG+2 bets $30 (The spectre of spades obviously looms large...although his range of spades is narrowed by the fact that I have the As, he could still have KsQs, JsTs, maybe Ts9s/9s8s, although those are somewhat less likely given that he called an UTG raiser when he was still in early position himself.)
bruechips calls $30

*** RIVER *** [Kd 6s 4s 7s] [8c]
bruechips checks
UTG+2 bets $60 (The 8c doesn't really worry me too much because there aren't many fives in his range. He could have floated the flop with 87s and have runner-runnered two pair, but that would be very gross and unlikely. His bet sizing (the pot is about $100 at this point) indicate to me that he's trying to make some kind of thinnish value bet. I.e., he does not have a flush. Also I have the As, so for sure he can't have the nuts. The problem with me raising and trying to represent a flush is that I check/called the turn, which is a line I take only occasionally with a flush. But I did think I would have a chance of getting a fold out of 66 and 44 with a river check-raise. It's just so rare that you see a river check/raise from a non-psycho player that's a bluff. He tanked forEVER and finally called.)
bruechips raises to $175
UTG+2 calls $115

*** SHOW DOWN ***
bruechips shows [As Kh] a pair of Kings
UTG+2 shows [Ks Ad] a pair of Kings

Well, you probably already knew the outcome from the title of the post. I wonder if he can call this down if he doesn't have the Ks (eliminating the possibility that I have AsKs or KsQs). I do not think his call is a good one, because the best he's getting is a split. If I had say, AsQh, I think I would almost always just barrel the turn because I have less showdown equity and check/calling with just a draw on the turn is almost never good. If I had QsQh, I would either bet/fold or check/fold the turn. The range of hands that I could possibly be check-raising the river with is AsKx, AsQs, occasionally AsJs (usually I just fold AJs UTG pre-frop), and AsAx (mostly as a bluff, same as I did here with AKo). Against that range, even if it's heavily weighted to AKo since I don't check/call the turn too often with the made flushes and don't bluff raise the river as often with the rockets, he's not doing so well, since at best he's chopping. But, my turn action did make my line a little weird and I'm positive that's what made him call down. Oh well. Just have to mark him as a suspicious type. And check/call the turn and check/raise the river with flushes more often.

Finally, I will be leaving the country for two weeks tomorrow, heading to Patagonia to do some hiking and whatnot. I will try to post some pictures when I get back if I figure out how. In any case, Brackchips will be in charge of the brog while I'm gone. So essentially, don't expect too much in the way of posting until the second half of January. Happy New Year, everyone!!

-BRUECHIPS

Sprit Pot (Part 5)

I think one basic rule is: if you end up splitting a pot without all the money going in in a hand where you had position, you should feel vaginas growing all over your body, because you played it like a little girl. Here's one hand at full ring I played where I think the villain should be running out to the store for a box of tampons:


Button: ($216.15)
BB: bruechips ($458.30)
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bruechips [Ts Kc]
folds around to the button...
button raises to $5
bruechips raises to $16 (I thought his 2.5x raise from the button was just so ghey I am obligated to raise it.)
HybridTt calls $11 (He calls, I'm putting him on some mid-pp or some suited broadway cards)
*** FLOP *** [Kh Ah 8d] (This flop shouldn't hit him if he's got that range, so I bet)
bruechips bets $25
button calls $25
*** TURN *** [Kh Ah 8d] [8c]
bruechips checks (His call on the flop could absolutely be a float or a weak ace I could get him off with a turn bet, but I had never played with him before, and it seemed like he could be slow-playing some monster like aces full, so I check)
button checks (I think aces or kings full would check behind too)
*** RIVER *** [Kh Ah 8d 8c] [5d]
bruechips checks (If he bets, I'm not sure what I would do...I'd probably fold, since a 1/2 pot bet or so would kind of look like he has some weak ace like AT or A9 and I just don't want to pay it off)
button checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bruechips shows [Ts Kc] two pair, Kings and Eights
button shows [Kd Jc] two pair, Kings and Eights

I mean...if he's gonna float the flop with middle pair, doesn't he have to  bet either the turn or the river? He's hoping that I have like 99 and he just wants to show it down so I don't check-raise bluff him? He's scared I have AJ and doesn't want to value-own himself? I'm not really sure. If I have AJ and he bets the turn, it's definitely a tough spot for me.  I think he's just flat out gotta bet the turn, especially with the flush draw out there. But he played it like a little schoolgirl, gave me a free showdown, and half the pot.

BRUECHIPS

Sprit Pot (I wish) - Part 4

This is a hand where my intent was to buy back half of this pot and ended up free-rorring this 15/13 virrain. Whire it didn't work out so werr in this case, I stirr think it's a good pray. When a 15/13 kind of prayer carrs behind on an A-high pretty dry board rike this, it's AQ rike armost every time. AK re-raises prefrop. Sets usuarry raise to try and get furr varue from AK. Occasionarry he might try and froat here with JT or KQ, on the chance that I have KK and wirr check-ford the turn. He might show up with AJs occasionarry too, but he is not carring a second barrer. So I decided on the brank turn to check-raise arr-in. If he has AQ and I read, he's probabry carring down. If he has AJ, he wirr probabry ford. But I think he fords AQ not of crubs the check-raise, which is great for me, because I win back half the money in the pot that was headed his way. The onry probrem is I think he checks behind AQ no crub for pot contror pretty often (which is OK with me too), but I'm at reast getting more varue than I would by reading vs. air and AJ. Unfortunatery he had crubs and owned me on the river. Dagger.

BRUECHIPS

P.S. For some reason Brogger doesn't want to ret me both type in brue and embed the hand reprayer. Anyway, this is a Bruechips post despite the font color. Suck my barrs, Brogger.

Sprit Pot! (Part 3)

Virrain is a very nittish regular....

Full Tilt Poker, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

UTG: $69.80
UTG+1: $147
UTG+2: $102.50
MP1: $18.50
MP2: $39
CO: $100
BTN: $159.20
Hero (SB): $104.05
BB: $198.80

Pre-Flop: dealt to Hero (SB) (Raising this every time, even though it's diamonds)
7 folds, Hero raises to $3, BB calls $2 (Not excited about this call. He's not just defending with trash, so I'm only putting in maybe one c-bet unless I...)

Flop: ($6) (2 Players) (...flop the nuts?? With a backdoor flush draw? Let's waste no time building this pot, hopefully he has slowplayed KK or something retarded like that.)
Hero bets $4.50, BB calls $4.50

Turn: ($15) (2 Players)
Hero bets $10, BB raises to $29, Hero raises to $96.55 and is All-In, BB calls $67.55 (Obviously the 8 isn't the best card because I no longer have the nuts. I think the better play here would actually be to flat call on this turn. The reason is that, even with one of the sevens already in my hand, I think it's very unlikely he has anything but a seven here. Which means, unless he has 67 of clubs, a club or the board pairing on the river is going to scare him, and I might be able to steal back half the pot. So I think flat-calling this turn and shoving every river is better than coming over the top on the turn.)

River: ($208.10) (2 Players - 1 is All-In) (Turns out it didn't matter, as he wouldn't fold to a shove on this river card....)


Results: $208.10 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero showed (a straight, Eight high) and WON $102.55 (-$1.50 NET)
BB showed (a straight, Eight high) and WON $102.55 (-$1.50 NET)

Sprit Pot! (Part 2)

This one certainly brought ress joy than the first sprit pot.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 8 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

BTN: $116.75
SB: $35.90
BB: $45.80
Hero (UTG): $114.05
UTG+1: $158.95
MP1: $28.65
MP2: $156.40
CO: $40.45

Pre-Flop: dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $4, 2 folds, MP2 calls $4, CO raises to $12, 3 folds, Hero calls $8, MP2 folds

(The CO was a little bit of a nut, and MP2 wasn't too aggro, so there's a good chance my hand is good, and I don't have much fear of being re-raised by MP2. Still pretty loose to call a re-raise with 99, but against this guy, I felt like I couldn't fold, and the possibility of MP2 calling meant that I might win a huge pot if I hit a set. I still might have folded if I didn't have the nine of SPADES though. That was really the clincher.)

Flop: ($29.50) (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO bets $28.45 and is All-In, Hero calls $28.45

(No reason to bet this flop. Check-call is the best play, I think. He's gonna shove overcards and pocket pairs smaller than mine, whereas he might not call if I shove. Given that I called pre-flop, I can't check-fold this flop. If I was going to do that, I'd have to fold preflop. When I call and see he has 88, I'm pretty happy. Just gotta fade the remaining two eights in the deck!)

Turn: ($86.40) (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

(No eight no eight no eight....)

River: ($86.40) (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

(Gross!!!)

Results: $86.40 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero showed (a full house, Fives full of Tens) and WON $41.70 (+$1.25 NET)
CO showed (a full house, Fives full of Tens) and WON $41.70 (+$1.25 NET)

BRUECHIPS


I'm not a huge fan of the PF call. While I somewhat understand the logic behind the fact that you were confident that MP would not 4b, the fact of the matter is you were OOP. It is just so much more difficurt to extract varue when you frop a big hand. Hmmm...this actually has me thinking about position affects your implied odds...

BRACKCHIPS

Sprit Pot! (Part 1)

Sometimes you get it in bad and the board saves half of you. Given the name of this brog, how could we not honor these situations with a series of their own? I wirr start it off with this nugget:

Full Tilt Poker, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

UTG: $124.40
UTG+1: $244.95
UTG+2: $100.90
MP1: $152.10
Hero (MP2): $120.95
CO: $100.90
BTN: $69.55
SB: $99
BB: $98

Pre-Flop: J J dealt to Hero (MP2)
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $3.50, 2 folds, Hero calls $3.50, 2 folds, SB raises to $13, BB folds, UTG+1 calls $9.50, Hero calls $9.50 (I will re-raise the original raise frequently, but I thought he was pretty tight, plus he's UTG+1, his stack is large, so I decided I'd just call with position and see what the flop brings. When the SB re-raised, I was definitely not loving my hand, since he's pretty tight, too. But when UTG+1 called, I was priced in to set mine with everyone being full-stacked.)

Flop: ($40) J Q K (3 Players) (Uhh..werr...I hit my set...ror!...but obviously this isn't my ideal flop. I think the SB's three-betting range preflop is pretty much AA and KK. I doubt even QQ or AKs are in there. I definitely considered laying this hand down, but I just couldn't do it. Given that there's a K on the board, AA becomes twice as likely as KK. While I think he might just check-fold AA in this situation, I just can't fold a set after I paid pre-flop to mine for one.)
SB bets $35, UTG+1 folds, Hero raises to $107.95 and is All-In, SB calls $51 and is All-In

Turn: ($212) T (2 Players - 1 is All-In)


River: ($212) 9 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)


Results: $212 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero showed J J (a straight, King high) and WON $104.50 (+$5.50 NET)
SB showed K K (a straight, King high) and WON $104.50 (+$5.50 NET)

Runner runner!!! Ship half of it!!!!

BRUECHIPS

When I first discussed this hand with BRUECHIPS I was actually in favor of FOLDING bottom set in this spot. I'm just your regular donk, but given the info on the virrain, his range is PRECISELY 3 hands - AA, KK, and AKss. Yer behind two of three of these hands (KK has you PWNED, and AKss will very rikery make him a royar frush by the river). Also - AA has 6 clean outs vs JJJ. Bottom set vs his range is fold here my friend...but you lucksacked yer way into a sprit. Its VERY rare to be in a spot where folding a set is the correct play, but given the villain's range and the board texture...you can find a fold.

I would compare folding a set on the flop to be similar to folding KK pf. Its almost impossible to do (and rarely an correct play) but if have a very strong read on your opponent - go with your read and fold! (or shove and try to suckout!)

BRACKCHIPS

Yea, I can see the rationale for folding. It all depends on how likely he is to have AA or AKs in this spot (or QQ for that matter). Say you think he plays AA or AKs this way half the time. There are 3 AKs combos possible, and 6 AA combos, and only 3 KK combos. Since he's only playing AA and AKs this way half the time, that's effectively 4.5 combos. So most of the time I'm ahead, and should try and get money in, especially if he's gonna call my shove with AA and AKs. If you think he doesn't lead out that strong with AKs or AA ever, then you can fold.

BRUECHIPS