Image is Everything

How do tend to play at the beginning of a session or maybe even the beginning of a tournament. Unless the cards are just horrible, I usually start of a little loose. Is this good? I'm not sure and tend to think not. But before we talk about that, I'll briefly mention the MATH.

Again, I find myself doing really well in this as again, I love the 6 max format. Things were going swimmingly until I lost a pretty big hand with 99 when Gydyon hit a set with his 77 on the turn as we were all in preflop.

We were down to the final 3 tables and this is the hand that did me in. I so, wanted to pull the trigger on the flop which I should have done. I'm pretty sure that I would have taken it down with an all in on the flop. What are your thoughts?

Full Tilt Poker Mondays at the Hoy No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t200/t400 Blinds + t50 - 5 players

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
CO: t18105
BTN: t10890
SB: t12658
Hero (BB): t8835
UTG: t4795

Pre Flop: Hero is BB with 4 4
1 fold, CO raises to t1050, 2 folds, Hero calls t650

Flop: (t2550) 2 5 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks

I should have just pushed right here. I would have been about a 4-1 favorite and I believe JackAce would have folded here. But I waited for the c-bet and was planning to check raise; but didn't get the opportunity. What do you think?

Turn: (t2550) J (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets t1200, Hero raises to t7735 all in, CO calls t6535

River: (t18020) Q
Final Pot: t18020
CO shows Ac Jh (a pair of Jacks)
Hero shows 4d 4s (a pair of Fours)
CO wins t18020

Dang!!!! Out in 14th. 8 got paid.

Back to image. My cash games got a real bad start with I believe my very first hand. Take a look and give me your thoughts:

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
MP: $47.50
CO: $21.85
BTN: $50.70
SB: $54.20
Hero (BB): $50.00
UTG: $143.85

Pre Flop: Hero is BB with K 9

3 folds, BTN raises to $1.75, 1 fold, Hero raises to $5.50, BTN calls $3.75

My first hand and again I tend to be a little loose and want to make sure that people know that I am going to play back at you. K9s is not a great hand obviously; but it can be a bit disguised if you hit.

Flop: ($11.25) 3 Q 6 (2 players)

Hero bets $7.70, BTN calls $7.70

I'm c-betting almost 100% on this flop hoping to take it down right here. The flat call here spells trouble.


Turn: ($26.65) J (2 players)

Hero bets $13.35, BTN raises to $37.50 all in, Hero ??????

The turn card brings me a gutshot and flush draw and maybe still an over. When he pushes all in, I know I am toast. Do you make this call? I ended up making the call because of the above stated outs with the one added factor of it I did go to showdown and lost with this hand, it might make people think twice about what I had. Or hopefully, they would play more pots against me.

River: ($100.25) J

Final Pot: $100.25
BTN shows Qc Kd (two pair, Queens and Jacks)
Hero shows Kc 9c (a pair of Jacks)
BTN wins $97.25
(Rake: $3.00)

OK... River was bad and I got stacked on my very first hand. Thoughts?

One final hand that got one guy really talking was this hand. Again, really early in the session.


Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
BTN: $85.60
SB: $44.40
Hero (BB): $43.75
UTG: $52.55
MP: $50.00
CO: $16.15

Pre Flop: Hero is BB with K A
UTG raises to $1.75, MP calls $1.75, CO calls $1.75, BTN raises to $14.40

Seems like an obvious squeeze here. Hmm... I'm going to put him to the test.

, 1 fold, Hero raises to $43.75 all in, 2 folds, CO calls $14.40 all in, 1 fold

Well, as I thought he folded. I did not expect the shorty to call. Look and see what he called with.

Flop: ($50.45) 3 3 9

Turn: ($50.45) 4

River: ($50.45) T

Final Pot: $50.45

Hero shows Kd Ah (a pair of Threes)
CO shows Jd 4d (two pair, Fours and Threes)
CO wins $47.95
(Rake: $2.50)

DOH!!!!! Thoughts?

I did end up the night a little above break even counting tourney fees.

Stats:

644 hands 22.67/18.32/3.71 6.56 bb/100

Have a nice day!!!