Headsup

So, I'm getting ready to call it quits on Friday. I was down a bit (maybe 1 1/2 buyins) for the night. I'm just looking around and I see that the #1 50NL PL (according to pokertable ratings) players is still playing and has an open seat. The only problem is that he only plays Heads Up. No secret that I'm not a heads up expert (even though I did win a blogger headsup challenge once upon a time); but why not play the best eh? After a couple dozen hands, I can see why this guy is successful. Pretty much unbridled aggression. His stats are:

65/58/4.7 - 3 bets 30% folds to 3 bet 35 and Cbets 91%.

The question of the day is how do you combat this? Do you play back with aggression? Do you play more passively? Leave me a comment with your thoughts.

I went with the more passive approach. I was aggressive preflop; but normally called as I 3 bet only about 20%.

Anyway, it was working as I picked off many bluffs on the river. Unfortunately, I lost 2 big hands and lost 2 buyins. I did, however, make up the 2 buyins playing others.

Well, that got my interest and was back to the heads up tables on Saturday. Ooops. Down 8 buyins. I've made back about 3 of them since then. I may continue to see if I can make it back. I know this game is a bad game at these limits as the rake just eats you up; but I'll keep at it for a while as 3 out of the top 5 players for the month are heads up players.

I also had bronchitis this weekend which also make things not so fun. Oh well, what are you going to do.

Have a nice day!!!

And then sometimes it doesn't work

This goes into the oops category. Similar to yesterday, I played the min raise game. Oops.


Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/161230
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $17.00
UTG+1: $49.75
UTG+2: $9.75
MP1: $5.50
MP2: $72.60
CO: $59.15
BTN: $49.25
SB: $103.00
Hero (BB): $50.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with 4h Ts
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.50, 2 folds, MP2 calls $0.50, 3 folds, Hero checks

Flop: ($1.75) 4d 4s As (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks

Turn: ($1.75) Tc (3 players)
Hero bets $1, UTG+1 raises to $2, MP2 folds, Hero raises to $3, UTG+1 raises to $4, Hero raises to $5, UTG+1 raises to $7, Hero raises to $14.85, UTG+1 raises to $25, Hero raises to $49.50 all in, UTG+1 calls $24.25 all in

River: ($100.25) 2h (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $100.25
UTG+1 shows Ad Ac (a full house, Aces full of Fours)
Hero shows 4h Ts (a full house, Fours full of Tens)
UTG+1 wins $97.25
(Rake: $3.00)

Oh well,

Have a nice day!!!

Still Can't figure out the big difference

I continue to play mostly Pot Limit; but I also mix in NL tables when there aren't enough PL tables running. I've also starting mixing in some PL/NL 100 games as I have the bankroll to do so. So, what is the difference?

This weekend, I was positive for PL and negative for NL:

100PL ; 105.73 bb/100 .. OK, I obviously ran well
100NL ; -39.18 bb/100
50PL; 26.01 bb/100
50NL; -3.58 bb/100

I took a look at PokerTableRatings at one point over the weekend and I was:

6th for the week at 50PL
13th for the month at 50PL
13th for the year at 50PL

These lists include all games such as Heads-up and Short handed so it is really hard to really compare how I am doing against people playing at my games.

Here is one reason that I like PL:

http://www.holdemmanager.net
NL Holdem $0.50(BB) Replayer Game#12952819221

grouchoM ($69.90)
Danboi8 ($93.05)
sexycomadina69 ($139)
wphwpi ($50.50)
willwonka ($64.15)
kewer111 ($53.90)
FernandoFreitas ($25)
SchruteFarms ($50)

grouchoM posts (SB) $0.25
Danboi8 posts (BB) $0.50

Dealt to willwonka 3c 3s
sexycomadina69 raises to $1.75
fold,
willwonka calls $1.75
kewer111 calls $1.75
fold, fold, fold, fold,

FLOP ($6) 8s 3d 5c
check,
willwonka bets $3
kewer111 calls $3
sexycomadina69 folds

TURN ($12) 8s 3d 5c 8d
willwonka bets $6
kewer111 raises to $12
willwonka raises to $18
kewer111 raises to $24
willwonka raises to $30
kewer111 raises to $49.15 (AI)
willwonka calls $19.15

RIVER ($110) 8s 3d 5c 8d 2h

willwonka shows 3c 3s
(Flop 98.4%, Turn 100.0%)

kewer111 shows As Td
(Flop 1.6%, Turn 0.0%)

willwonka wins $107

Oh well, I guess it isn't important. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing for now.

Have a nice day!!!

Casino Tourney and Mook #4

So I went to the casino today and finished about break even on cash (down $3). I went to the tourney. They had 70 runners today. I saw somebody I knew and I mentioned that I had finished around 12th the last two Wednesdays and I said I would probably be one of the first ones out. That almost came true. Early on, I called a small raise from BB with 98s. I flop 2 pair and check raise and he 3 bets so I know he has an over pair. I went ahead and pushed the rest of my chips and sure enough he had aces and I'm in good shape. That is until he gets runner, runner spades (they are indeed gold) to take the pot. I got up and told him nice hand and started to walk away when the dealer stopped me and said I have a couple more chips left. Oh boy. Just what I need... to spend more time in the tourney instead of nice cash game. But then, double up, triple up and I'm back in this thing.

Short story. I remained short stacked the entire time; but picked up pots when I needed them. Eventually, it came down to a bad call that put me out. A raise and a reraise in front of me and I can't lay down JJ? What is my problem?? Anyway, 8 places paid and I finished 8th which was about 2 1/2 times the buyin. Oh well. Cashing is nice. I even went home afterwards and didn't locate the table games although part of me wanted revenge from last week.

---------------

Online Cash was also break even today (+$9) in an up and down session.

Speaking of runner, runner spades, does anybody make this call on river?

Villain was 31/5/2.4 over about 400 hands.

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/150183
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP2: $58.80
CO: $55.50
Hero (BTN): $50.00
SB: $26.75
BB: $11.00
UTG: $52.70
UTG+1: $44.20
UTG+2: $50.00
MP1: $19.50

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BTN with Kh Ad
UTG calls $0.50, UTG+1 calls $0.50, 1 fold, MP1 calls $0.50, MP2 raises to $3, 1 fold, Hero calls $3, 2 folds, UTG calls $2.50, 2 folds

Flop: ($10.75) 8h 2s Ah (3 players)
UTG checks, MP2 checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($10.75) 6s (3 players)
UTG checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets $6.35, UTG calls $6.35, MP2 folds

River: ($23.45) As (2 players)
UTG bets $23.45, Hero ??

Regardless of call or not, it is yet another lesson on how not to play Big Slick.

-------------------

While playing cash, I looked down at the clock and it was 9:09. YIKES!!! The Mook started at 9. I looked just in case there was still Late Registration and sure enough there was. I don't remember alot of details other than the turnout was understandably light (32 players) post BBT4; but I made it to the final table in fine shape. I got Heads Up with Bodee201 and lucked my way to my 4th Mookie title. I believe I was outmatched got the lucky hands when I needed them.

GG ALL

Have a nice day!!

Casino Shell Shocked And Extended Vacation Comes to an End

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. Following the fiasco from the Big Game bubble finishes, I went to the local casino (Harrah's) and played in their daily tournament. 80 runners. One preface to the story. The preceding week, I had finished 13th out of 90 (10 paid out) when my pocket Kings lost to AQ. Fast forward one week and we are again down to 15. I am comfortably above the average. Then... AK loses to AJ and QQ loses to JJ and I am out in 12th. To say that I was once again shell shocked would be an under statement. What to do now? I had to plenty to do outside of the casino as I had to help my father in law with some stuff. I was still up on the day due to the cash games preceding the tourney. Did I go home? What do you think? I preceded to drop another hundy at the Black Jack table and then over two hundy at the craps table and to put the icing on the cake. I even burned $10 at a slot machine.

Fast forward one day at home. I lose 8 buyins on bad beat, coolers, etc.... I am way past steaming now.

The story does have a somewhat happy ending as I have made up for the online losses. I'm headed back to Harrah's today to hopefully make amends for the last two tournies.

Well, as you may or may not know, I lost my job around 5 weeks ago; but I'm hear to thank the Lord as my "extended vacation" will be coming to an end on Monday. Talking about all the aligning:

My severance from my previous job ends on Monday (the same day I start my new job).
My third interview was with somebody that graduated the same year I did from my same college. Go Bears!!!!
One of references worked as a senior auditor to my new boss so they already knew each other.

Anyway, I've enjoyed my time off (obviously); but I am ready to get back to a more normal life as crazy as that sounds.

I'll start posting some more hands tomorrow.

Have a nice day!!!