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TILTZ_24_7 · Pair Joined: 20 Oct 2007 Posts: 33

The game is NL $0.5/$1 9 max. Table is a mixed bag with a couple of absolute rocks, 1 maniac, some real fishy callers, the legend that is myself and my opponent in the hand in question.

Firstly ive moved up to this limit for a while because the standard is better, more money at stake and more room to play a more varied game as playing at the micros there is no real point deviating from a basic bread and butter strategy. So far so good as im turning a regular profit Very Happy

I would like to focus this post on 1 hand in particular. Part of my new strategy at this slightly higher limit is to play alot more hands and see alot more flops, really mix it up to develop a better feel for the game rather than playing to a set in stone strategy.

First 2 players fold and a maniac ($102 stack) in middle position raises to $4, then a re-raise to �12 from a rock 1 off the button ($237) stack. Now this guy is very tight and has already more than doubled his stack, taking advantage of some very fishy play by a player no longer at the table. Im on the button with 8d 9d and decide to call for the following reasons.

1) Stack size- Theres nearly $340 behind my 2 opponents and i myself have $197 after an AA vs QQ all in at the start of my session.

2) Position on both players

3) Im up against a very loose player who can hold pretty much anything, and very very predictable player in our rock.

At this point i had already figured mr rock was holding a big pair AA-QQ or AK, so even though i new i was behind there was alot of money to play for for the sake of $12.

Blinds and Maniac fold so its heads up.

FLOP 2D JC 10C (pot $29)

Rock fires $25 and i call. I didnt call in the hope of hitting a 7 or Q but more to see what his next move is, and what shape the board takes on the turn as im certain this guy has AA-QQ.

TURN JD (pot $79)

Rock fires $40 and i call instantly. Now i have a flush and straight draw and its $40 into a $119 giving me just about the rite odds to call.

RIVER 10C (pot $159)

Rock checks. Even though i missed all draws i tried to think how the hand looks from my opponents point of view. I only called his bet preflop and if he does have AA-QQ this is an awful board for him with the 10,10 and JJ, and the possible club flush. I move all in for my last $120 and after a few seconds he folds what he says were Kings.

As stated prior i have really made an effort to mix things up, play alot more cards and put myself in alot of tricky spots with hands i wudnt normally play, purely to improve my game and to get a more 3 dimensional education on the game. Not a play im going to make a habit of doing but some opinions wud be great Very Happy

sixandfour · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 12:38 pm Post subject:

Don't know if that's "magical". I believe the proper term is "Back alley mugging".

I would recommend not "calling instantly" when you're on a draw, as that is a common tendency and rock probably knows that. Had the board not been such a nightmare for him, he'd probably call a shove there. Fortunately for you, there wasn't anything aside from a bluff he could beat. I won't get into the odds you called on, especially on the turn. At least on the flop you could fall back on implied odds. Long story short, you needed a scary board or making your hand to keep from spewing $80 (or more if you shoved the river on a less scary board), and you never had any fold equity against the range you put the guy on until the river saved you, AND he gave up.

Having said that, on the river, i do like your shove. It was smart to take advantage of the opponents weakness against that board... and a good read on your part as well. I also like your analysis of the hand PF and the understanding of the opportunity to make a lot of money with the right flop, but you also have to know when to let it go (even if you do get a pretty good flop) and wait for a better opportunity.

StevieWard · Message Board Junkie Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 1134

Riddim · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 1:48 pm Post subject:

PF looks really bad (especially since �12 is a lot more than $12), flop and turn look standard and river is horrible unless he can't read hands at all. What hand are you trying to represent here that would take your line? Exactly TT or JJ?

Edit: Not to mention that those aren't very likely either. What are you supposed to have here?

HuJwang

PokerJessO · Straight Flush Joined: 28 Jun 2007 Posts: 371

TILTZ_24_7 · Pair Joined: 20 Oct 2007 Posts: 33

Thanx for feedback guys!

As stated prior this is a break from the norm in my game. The advice i read from a pros online blog suggests playing a looser game for a while can vastly improve your judgement as you are you are not relying on the strength of your hands as much as you would playing a tighter game. More often than not its a fold preflop anyway, deeper stacks than normal made me call and i ended up in a situation that was tricky and potentialy very expensive!

I do have a gd knowledge of poker fundamentals and this is not a profitable play long term however the decision to play more cards and place myself into unfamiliar positions was deliberate as i have said. Each decision throughout the course of the hand was thought about and i can justify each choice based on the information available at the time.

Again thanks for feedback. Smile

StevieWard · Message Board Junkie Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 1134

Riddim

StevieWard · Message Board Junkie Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 1134

Riddim

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