Friday, March 20, 2009

Check-Raise a tight player

Another break even session. Disappointing, but better than leaving empty.

My first hand just when I sat down was AJ. I called. I haven't even gotten my chips yet. Flop comes out with A. I bet out $12 after checks to me. Get two callers. The turn comes and its check to me again. I bet out $24 this time with my cash and some chips. He calls. On the river, he bets $60. I'm shocked and confused. I start talking to him "check check and then raise?" He keeps still and stares blankly with his hat and sunglasses. I thought about folding, seeing it was my first hand, but I saw something that told me he had A-rag, like a weird smirk from his face. I called. He showed A 4. I win! Free double up. $200 +

After that, I discovered this table was interesting. A lot of good players who also check-raise a lot if they sense weakness or think they can outplay you.

There was a fool who check raised with 2 3 high, when I was holding top pair. I was thinking to fold, but I just couldn't when I saw my stack compare to the pot size and figure he made this play because he missed his flush, since I've made this play in my last session. After I won, I realized my image at the table was a tight player. Which is why so many of these guys pulled this move on me.

I was digging it. Having a tight image and letting other players try to bluff me. I just needed to let them steal a few small pots, which causes to bluff bigger in the game against me when I have the best hand. ( I checked a full-house all the way to the river, where the player then went all in. I insta-call and won $100 from him).

But, I also folded two winning hands with a pot of over $200. Damn it!
One was on a board of 4 7 7. Call all around and someone re-raises. I fold my pocket 10's. The guy next to me calls and wins with A high!..................urg!

Few hands later, I caught my straight on the river and get re-raised high. I gave him credit for a higher straight. Another player called him and he won with a set of 8's. ..............urg!

Knowing I had a table of aggressors, I decided to play tight and it worked well. I let them bluff and gather chips. But, I still regret letting them run me over in large pots. I should have used my tight image more to my full advantage.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Here's a Tip

Tipping. Every time I go into a tournament, I always think if I win it, how much of it should I tip. A first prize of $10k would be $1k and a small prize of $3k would be $300.

Did you know when Jerry Yang won the 07 WSOP, he didn't leave a tip. I thought that was wrong of him, until I started reading more into it and found that the WSOP had already taken a big rake with the entries.

Now, cash game is a different story where you tip every hand. I started thinking how much does it make sense to tip pot after pot? When I lose a hand, who tips me right? Not to mention, they already have a rake + jackpot collection. Say, the pot is three way action with all limpers. Pot is $12 and rake is $4. Now, the pot is only $8. Is this pot even worth playing? Say, you win the $8 with a min bet of $4. You tip $1. You won $7 dollars, but invested $4 dollars. So net gain would be $3. Not worth it!

I read on TV's high stakes poker, they only tip $1 every hand. 1 dollar!!! Here they are playing for thousands, not to mention getting paid per hour sitting there. Here I am tipping $2 - $5 on pots that are $40 bucks. Am I crazy?

I plan on rebuilding my poker bankroll and now realized how much was lost by simply tipping too much on pots that wasn't worth it. I know dealers need the tips to make better wages, but I'm the one sitting at the tables with my own money to risk.

So now, I'm going to be a more cautious tipper. Thoughts?

Friday, March 13, 2009

Playing well with the second best hand

I love it when I play well with good skills and not rely on luck too much.

Tonight, went to lucky chances and brought into the 1 1 2 game. My second hand, I had K10 and the flop came out 2 10 10. Someone bets and someone goes all in. To me, I was thinking he must have A10. I'm sure of it. But, I still called and he showed A 10. I cursed myself for not trusting my read.

Brought in again and made some huge lay-downs. I had KJ suited in the big blind and decide to check it. Flop came out K J A. I bet out with my two pair and get one caller and someone raises. I start to think he has Q10. I thought about pushing it all in, but opt to call, hoping to get lucky and catch. The other guy folds. The turn comes another A and I check. (two pair no good). He bets enough to put me all in and I fold face up. Everyone is surprised I didn't re-raised all-in on the flop when he raised me. Yet, he turns over Q 10 for the flop straight.

I love it when I read good! but hated how much I had to invest. I'm glad he showed me, or else I still be wondering until now if I made a good laydown.

I was down to my last few dollars so many times in the game, because of some major beats. I decided to played in big pots when I was short stacked and played odds when I was behind. All paid off and I soon had my cash back and a little more.

A hand I'm most proud of is when I bet on my AJ of hearts on the flop with two hearts. I bet out, get one caller. Turn, he check, I check. River is a blank and he checks again. In my head, I'm sure he had a low pair or probably had a flush draw too. I bet 50% of my stack and he insta-folds. whew!

best record? $17 dollars all the way to $220? no, i still think my best record was $40 into $800.

I had J 10 at least 10 times tonight. Each won me great pots! No wonder I love this hand. I also finally saw JJ, AA, AK, AQ, and a bunch of KQ, KJ, QJ, & my lovely favorite suited connectors tonight. Love em' all. Its nice to know I can't always be card dead.

Used the profit for a nice dinner.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Why do I have four cards? Omaha 8 session.

Walked into lucky chances expecting to play 1/2 hold em'. Played two hands and got called to Omaha 8. This is my first time playing Omaha 8 at Lucky chances, the game is just not popular enough to get more than one table. So I was excited I finally got a seat.

I already knew how to play Omaha from playing a bunch of H.O.R.S.E tourneys online, so I didn't come in blind.

My second hand I received was AAQQ. Not being sure how the betting went, I just called. Flop comes out AAK57. I have quads and there is another guy who is betting into me! I call him down with a couple raises in between and he shows a qualifying low hand. Damn it! So, the pot gets split.

This is the bad part of high/low because of a bunch of split pots, but it also creates more action. I learned from another player that its not smart to chase a low hand from the gecko because you are only playing just to win half. Why right? unless the pot is so huge, where the low half is worth playing for.

From there, I was getting some awesome cards with all my pocket pairs hitting sets. I got outdrawn a lot as well and left the table with more live experience in the game. Such as, I didn't know I could switch up my hole cards to play for High and low. Next time I play, my skills will be so much better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_hold_'em

This game is so much fun online, but so much more fun live. My head is constantly thinking and I'm trying to read other players at the same time. I hope we can get a live HORSE tourney sometime soon, either home game or card room tourney. I know I would do so well.