Running Good

September is still going good. Other than Sunday, I've posted a profit every day. I think I am up just over one grand, including bonus, so far. *knocks on wood*

I thought I'd post a few hands from the last week and discuss them. Some I played good. Others I played bad.

I'll start with the Ugly, so that by the end of this post, you won't think I'm a donk.

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The First three hands are all from the same session across two tables (all happening within 20 minutes of each other). I was playing really bad, and I was distracted.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (9 handed)

UTG ($330.95)
UTG+1 ($103.70)
MP1 ($198.00)
MP2 ($275.80)
MP3 ($235.35)
CO ($194.10)
Button ($41.40)
SB ($200.00)
HERO ($214.15)

Preflop: HERO is BB with Js, Jh. SB posts a blind of $1.
UTG Calls $2, 1 folds, MP1 raises to $9, 5 folds, HERO calls $7, UTG calls $7.

UTG was a pretty solid player. WIth his Limp, then call, I figured some kind of pair 9's and below. I didn't have much information on MP1. His stats were 20/0 (20% VP$IP, 0% Pre-flop Raise %), but that was after only 15 or so hands. I could have easily raised here with my Jacks. But the MP1 hadn't raised before in the 15 hands I had on him, so I figured he could have a big pocket pair. I'm not sure what I would have done if I would have re-raised, and then he come back over the top.

Flop: ($28.00) 8d, 5d, 3s(3 players)
HERO checks, UTG checks, MP1 bets $24,

That is a pretty good flop for me (assuming MP1 doesn't have AA-QQ). I checked with the intention of check-raising, so I can see if MP1 does have one of those top 3 hands. And sure enough he bet, so I tripled his bet

HERO raises to $72,

Now there is $124 in the pot. This is where it gets scary. UTG FLAT CALLS. And then MP1 pushes the rest of his chips in!

UTG calls $72, MP1 re-raises to $189 and is all in,

Obviously I am beat here. So I type in "lol, you got aces, and you got 8's" and then fold

HERO folds, UTG calls $117

Turn: ($475.00) Jd (2 players)

River: ($475.00) Ts (2 players)

Final Pot: $475.00

MP1 has Kd, Qd (flush, King high).
UTG has 8h 8c (three of a kind, Eights).
Outcome: MP1 wins $475.00.

So there you have it. It was so obvious that UTG had a set. I thought for sure MP1 had Aces, but he had Kd, Qd for a flush draw. Good thing I raised there instead of call to see where I stood, cause that jack on the turn would have given me top trips, and I would have had a hard time believing MP1 had a flush. I probably would have lost my whole stack. This hand was just sick. I think I played this hand ok. The other two guys played it not so good. I mean, UTG has got to know that his flat call screams monster. It turns out MP1 is a total donk, as you will see in the next hand.

Same table, about 15 mins later.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (8 handed)

UTG ($244.80)
UTG+1 ($226.60)
MP1 ($154.75)
MP2 ($434.70)
HERO ($138.30)
Button ($194.95)
SB ($55.45)
BB DONK ($264.35) <----- see, 15 mins later, and he went from having 475 to 264 Preflop: HERO is CO with Ac, 4d. SB posts a blind of $1.
4 folds, HERO raises to $8, Button calls $8, SB calls $7, DONK calls $6.

Great, I was just trying to steal some blinds, and then EVERYONE CALLS! Here is mistake #1 for me. I should have just pitched this hand.

Flop: ($32.00) Kh, Tc, 4c(4 players)
SB checks, DONK checks, HERO checks, Button checks.

ok, so I obviously don't want to put any more in this pot. Sure, I flop bottom pair, but I am probably behind.

Turn: ($32.00) 7c (4 players)
SB checks, DONK bets $32,

So now the donk leads out for a full pot bet here. For some reason I think he is just trying to steal this pot. The full pot bet looks fishy to me. Plus, I have the nut flush draw, and it is definitely possible that an Ace will also give me the best hand. So I figure I could have 11 outs here. I don't have the odds, but for some reason, I think my implied odds are better. I think that if I hit one of my 11 outs, I can double up ( I have $100 left and the pot has $96 in it now when I call)

HERO calls $32, Button folds, SB folds.

River: ($96.00) 6c (2 players)
DONK bets $224 and is all-in, HERO calls $98.

Sweet, a club came on the river. I have the nut flush. And he bet into me! Oh this is great!!!!

Final Pot: $290.00

DONK has 8c, 5c (straight flush, Eight high).
HERO has Ac, 4d (flush, Ace high).
Outcome: DONK wins $296.00.

As the end of this hand was going on, the following hand was going on, so I had hit the call button on this table, knowing that the chips would be sliding my way. I then went to the other table, so I didn't see the hands being turned up and the money sliding his way. When I went back to this table, I noticed I was sitting out with $0. I was completely shocked to see that. I had the nuts I thought! Then I opened up the hand history, and noticed the chat.

Sure, it wasn't a suckout, because I was behind after the turn. And I really only had five outs, not the 11 that I originally thought. But it sucks to go thinking that you won a hand, and then go and see that you lost to a straight flush. Especially to someone who called your PF raise with 85s.

And now this is the last hand of the session, over on a 100NL table.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (9 handed)

UTG ($88.90)
UTG+1 ($76.80)
MP1 ($160.05)
MP2 ($341.20)
HERO ($112.10)
CO ($78.55)
Button ($29.20)
SB ($95.70)
HERO ($100.00)

Preflop: HERO is MP3 with Qc, Qd. SB posts a blind of $0.50.
3 folds, MP2 calls $1, HERO raises to $4.50, 4 folds, MP2 re-raises to $8.00, HERO re-raises to $25.50,

So I get pocket Queens, and I make a pot size bet. It folds around to the big stack limper who min-raises me! I'll have no part of that, so I raise pot again.

MP2 re-raises to $78.00,

He re-raises me back pot. For some reason, I just can't put him on Aces. I mean, who limps/re-raises with Aces from middle position? Sure, people do it all the time from UTG. But from MP?!?!!?!?! I suppose he could have had kings...

So I re-raise all-in, and he calls. And then he shows his Aces and I lose a $220 pot. blah blah blah. I guess it is true. No matter what position you are in, if you are 4-bet, it means Aces. 99% of the time. I should have folded after his 4 bet. Oh well. At least my other table is going good! I just won a huge pot with the nut flus...... WTF!!!!!!?!?!!

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So lets get to some hands that I think I played good.

Over at Sun Poker at a 200NL table.

Sun No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (9 handed)

UTG ($392.00)
UTG+1 ($21.00)
HERO ($309.00)
MP2 ($137.50)
MP3 ($195.00)
CO ($91.99)
Button ($170.75)
SB ($176.63)
BB ($177.00)

Preflop: HERO is MP1 with Ac, Kh. SB posts a blind of $1.
3 folds, HERO raises to $8, 3 folds, Button calls $8, 2 folds.

Flop: ($19.00) 2h, 4h, Jh(2 players)
HERO checks, Button bets $15, HERO calls $15.

Turn: ($49.00) Kd (2 players)
HERO checks, Button bets $40, HERO raises to $286 and is all-in, Button folds.

Final Pot: $126.00

HERO doesn't show hand
Outcome: HERO wins $126.00.

I think I played this hand pretty well. I raise with my AKo, and get called by the button. The flop comes all hearts, and I decide not to continutation bet this. (Plus, I am out of position). I do have two over cards and the 2nd nut flush draw. I could have definitely raised on the flop, but I decided that I would re-evaluate after the turn.

The turn gave me TPTK and I still have the 2nd nut flush draw. This time I check-raise all-in. I suppose I could have just called again and maybe induce a bluff. But I was happy to take down the pot there.

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Same table as the previous hand at Sun 200NL. This hand actually happened before the one above.

Sun No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (10 handed)

UTG ($188.75)
UTG+1 ($196.63)
MP1 ($79.50)
MP2 ($392.00)
MP3 ($21.00)
HERO ($209.00)
CO (137.50)
Button ($185.25)
SB ($196.00)
BB ($256.24)

Preflop: HERO is LP with Ks, Kc. SB posts a blind of $1.
1 folds, UTG+1 calls $2, 3 folds, HERO raises to $9, 3 folds, BB calls $7, UTG+1 calls $7.

Flop: ($28.00) Js, Jc, 3h(3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, HERO bets $16, BB calls $16, UTG+1 folds.

Turn: ($60.00) 4c (2 players)
BB bets $23, HERO calls $23.

River: ($106.00) 9d (2 players)
BB bets $45, HERO calls $45.

Final Pot: $196.00

BB has 7h, 7d (two pair, Jacks and Sevens).
HERO has Ks, Kc (two pair, Kings and Jacks).
Outcome: DONK wins $296.00.

Hmmmm, should I have rasied anywhere here? I was worried about the two Jacks, so I told myself I would just check/call until he showed weakness. I guess his less than half pot bets could have been taken as weekness. And now that I think about it, I doubt he calls any of my raises.

What do you think?

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I have some other ones I could post, but I guess they aren't all that difficult. My opponents made dumb plays and I had the nuts, so they weren't hard decisions to make.

For example, I raise on the button with T9o after one limper. Limper is the only caller. Flop is AKJ rainbow. He checks, I Continuation bet, he calls. River is a Q completing the rainbow and giving me the nuts. He checks, I bet again, and he calls. River is a blank and he leads into me all-in. I call thinking we'll split with both of us having a Ten. Nope. He has AK.

And then another where I call a small PF raise with ATs. Flop is two of my suit, he checks, and I bet 3/4 pot. The turn gives me my nut flush, and he leads into me for 1/3 pot and I call. River is a blank, and he leads into me all-in. I call with my nut flush. He has Jack high. Donk you very much!

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That's it for now. Maybe I'll post some more tomorrow.