BACK ON TRACK, PART 1/2

Very recently, a friend of mine – who’ll be playing at one of the lower buy-in WSOP events this summer – asked me to offer him some constructive advice, by looking through hand histories from some of the online tournaments he had recently been playing. I know he respects my opinion and definitely wanted my input, but was probably also just looking for a different point-of-view, realizing there’s rarely ONE “right” way to play a certain hand.

If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend it to anyone reading this. Ask a buddy to send you the hand history from one of his sessions and then just plow your way through it, hand for hand. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a friend who’s a “worse” poker player than you are, ‘cause there’s a lot of learning in there for you as well. I for one picked up a very profitable way of playing certain hands from the blinds, which I’ve now incorporated into my range.


As for my own play, I finally feel like I’m back to playing the sort of power poker that I know I’m capable of and in this blog, I’ll be sharing my progress a bit. As with some of my previous blogs, I’ve decided to go back to a tournament analysis, so this entry will entail a whole bunch of hands from one of my recent tourneys. I’ll try to be inclusive rather than exclusive when it comes to picking hands, as I feel a lot of my success can sometimes be attributed to the hands I DON’T play as well as the ones which would never make for great TV, but are a key reason for doing well. Off we go.


This tourney was on Stars – a $55 freezeout with 1413 players to start and a first-place prize of approximately $12.5K. As is standard for this type of tourney, it starts you out with 3000 in chips and blinds of 10/20. I get involved fairly quickly.


Hand #10
At an 8-handed table I pick up 9sTs in UTG+1 (stack 2970) and raise to 50. The next player calls after a bit of thought and everyone else folds. Blinds 10/20.

(Pot 130) FLOP: 9d 6c Qd
Even though I’m out of position, I’m c-betting almost all flops and the fact that I’ve made a pair just makes it a lot easier. I bet 90. Again, the guy thinks for a bit and then raises to 310 total. That’s a pretty big raise. I remember thinking I could very possibly be ahead in this spot, but with no reads on the guy (too early), I felt there was no need to get further involved here, out of position and possibly up against a legitimate hand. I let the seconds run off for what I thought suggested “appropriate deep contemplation” and then folded.


Hand #11
The very next hand I’m UTG (stack 2830) and pick up KhQh. I’m a little nuts for this hand and have trouble folding it (EVER! LOL) and I did raise it here as well, but just as much for a different reason. If I have to give up a hand the way I just did (or – as is most common – folding to a 3-bet preflop), I like raising again with the very next hand. It’s a little bit of a “don’t fuck with me – I’ll just keep on pounding you” thing which I have a tendency of doing and which I’ve found – has a very high success rate. The general train of thought seems to be, “This guy must know about table-image, so it’s unlikely he’d raise AGAIN, without a very big hand”. I made it 50 again from UTG, was called by the SB and took it down with a c-bet on the 6-high flop.


Hand #14
The table had filled up by now and we were back to 9-handed. Blinds still 10/20. I’m on the button with QhTd (stack 2860) and villain is UTG (stack 2925). UTG limps, folds to MP1 who limps as well, folds to me – I raise to 90 total, folds back to the limpers who both call.

(Pot 300) FLOP: Kh 4d 3h
Ok, so I didn’t exactly flop great, but that’s not overly relevant here. My preflop play is designed to punish the limpers with a show of strength preflop, which in turn wins the hand a lot of the time when I c-bet the flop. They both check to me and I bet 200. UTG calls and MP1 folds.

(Pot 700) TURN: 9h
The UTG-limp-call preflop is very often a small to medium pair in my experience. Too many players still don’t feel comfortable raising 55 from UTG (or – god forbid – folding it!) and therefore elect to go with the limp-call instead. I guess that puts 33 and 44 in his range here, but it also includes a lot of others that will fold when the “scary” 3rd heart hits on the turn. Besides, I’ve got 13 pretty solid outs – so when he checks to me, betting is like 2nd nature. I make it 475. He flat-calls.

(Pot 1650) RIVER: Kd
When he called me on the turn, I was pretty sure I’d have to give up the hand. When the king hit, I pretty much knew I wouldn’t be bluffing. If he was in there with two black sevens, then credit to him and a virtual tap on the table. Never got a chance to not bluff though as he led for 700 on the river. 4s full of kings? Definitely plausible. I decide to push all-in and put him to the test.

…

For fucks sake! Of course I didn’t do anything stupid like that! LOL. Not that there wasn’t a time where I WAS foolish enough to attempt something along those lines! Oh yeah, those were the days – me playing deep theory poker, advanced to the 9th degree! If he thinks, that I think, that he thinks, that I think… - some of the most shameful moments of my life took place back then. A true massacre. Not pretty.


Hand #15
Sometimes you just can’t control when the playable hands find their way into your ‘pocket’ and this was a case thereof. Having just folded on the river, I really didn’t want to play a hand again right away. When I do that I feel like I’m too easily exploited by other players, mostly because they started doubting your starting hand requirements. Seriously, for some of your opponents, that’s all it’s gonna take – 2 hands in a row and they’ve got you marked down as Gus Hansen’s cousin. Just be aware.

I’m in the CO with 5d6d (stack 2095) and villain is MP1 (stack 2900). Folds to MP1 who raises 3xBB to 60, folds to me – I call, button and the blinds fold.

(Pot 150) FLOP: 9c 5s 2h
Villain leads for 80 which in my book is a bit small, but for some players it’s standard. Later on in the tourney, this is a prime raising-spot as long as we’re at least 35BBs deep, but given my new table-image, I don’t want to get pushed off the hand, so I elect to just call. I mean, I might be up against aces – who knows?

(Pot 310) TURN: 8s
Villain leads again and this time for 140. Now, it’s not a case of him betting small as a standard, unless he’s got 7s6s (and pretty much only that hand). I picked up a gutshot to go with my pair, so I raise and make it 340. Villain folds and I pick up a nice little pot, in a situation that I feel was pretty much risk-free.


Hand #21
Between the last hand and this, I’ve deliberately folded semi-playable hands such as JT and A9 from middle and early position, simply to regain a tighter table image. The way I play simply works better, when my opponents give me credit for hands and with a loosy-goosy image, that ain’t gonna happen.

I’m in the BB with Th2h (stack 2405) and blinds at 15/30. Folds to the HJ who limps, CO limps, button limps, SB completes and I’m happy to just check my option.

(Pot 150) FLOP: 2s Jd 7h
YATZEE! A pair and a back-door str8+flush draw. Opportunities like these only come along every so often! (LOL). SB checks to me and I bet 100 confidently. HJ folds, CO calls and the rest fold.

(Pot 350) TURN: Qc
Time to let him know we really have the jack, so he can fold his 7. I bet 235 and villain folds. Note: I think that if a 5 hits and he in fact has a 7 in his hand, he’ll go to the river with us, but as soon as the queen hits, most players don’t understand its insignificance – they just see two overcards and figure “they must be beat”.


Hand #22
I folded this hand and I think I was correct in doing so, but after reading through my buddy’s hand history, I know that’s it’s not necessarily the standard.

I’m in the SB with AcTs (stack 2625) with blinds at 15/30 still. Folds to MP1 who min-raises to 60, 1 fold and now the HJ min-re-raises to 120. Folds to me and I confidently fold. Some might argue that this kind of donkish min-raising at the beginning of a tournament suggests my ace is good here, but I see no reason to get involved in an effort to win what is currently a 225-chip pot. Just seems futile.


Hand #37
I fold for quite a bit and don’t really mind it, ‘cause – as I stated before – it gives me a chance to re-establish my tight table image. In this hand I’m in the BB with KcQd (stack 2580) with blinds now at 25/50. Villain is UTG (stack 2385). No specific reads at this point. UTG min-raises to 100, folds to me – I call.

(Pot 225) FLOP: Jc 3c 7d
I check to villain and he bets out 50. Hmmm… was actually thinking I’d check-fold the flop, but that bet is pretty much an invitation to float. I’m not quite sure what it means yet, but call and we go to the turn.

(Pot 325) TURN: 9c
I check to the villain again and now he bets 250. Uh-uh pal. It don’t make no sense yo! Mainly because of his incoherent story, I decide to raise him and make it 700 – but the fact that I’ve picked up numerous draws does help. He folds almost immediately. What an absurdly strange way for him to play that hand, regardless of his holding.


Hand #40
In the CO, I pick up KdQc (stack 2980) and blinds at 25/50. UTG limps, folds to MP1 who also limps and fold to me. I raise and make it 230 to go. It folds to the BB who calls, as do both limpers. The BB calling is of a slight concern to me and I’m now hoping to flop big.

(Pot 945) FLOP: 6d 5h 8s
I whiff big-time and when everyone checks to me I decide to check behind. I don’t see the value in bluffing into 3 players (which I’d be doing) and the pot is so big, that I don’t wanna be committing myself.

(Pot 945) TURN: 2c
The BB immediately leads 300. The rest of us fold. Well played me.


Hand #41
Another one of those hands, that has so much post-flop potential, I simply have to play it – tight image or not. I have 8d7d in the HJ (stack 2750) and when it folds to me I raise to 130. Folds to the button who calls – as does the BB.

(Pot 415) FLOP: Qd 8h 3h
The BB checks to me and I bet 310 with my middle-pair. My c-bet is 75% of the pot and more than I’d normally make it (which I can’t explain…), but of no relevance as they both fold. The fact that I JUST checked in the last hand after having raised preflop, probably added credibility to my hand here.


Hand #48
I’ve been quiet again for a little bit, so when it folds to me on the button with 7d8s (stack 2885), I figure I’ve gotta raise it up. Blinds have gone up to 50/100 and I make it 270. Both SB and BB call.

(Pot 810) FLOP: 6c 2d 2s
The SB leads at the pot with 200 and the BB folds. If you’ve read any of my previous entries, you’ll know I only have one response to that. RAISE. The minimum-lead-out-into-the-raiser is just always weakness. I make it 700 and the SB folds. Some of the easiest chips you’ll ever pick up in a tournament.


Hand #56
Again I’ve been quiet for almost a full orbit and I’m in the SB this time with Jc8d (stack 3525) and blinds now up to 75/150. It folds to the button (stack 2090) who has been pretty weak so far and he just calls. I complete and the BB (stack 2796) checks.

(Pot 450) FLOP: Qc 2c 2h
It checks all the way around.

(Pot 450) TURN: Js
Seems like I’m probably best here, unless the BB has a deuce (don’t see button limping any kind of deuce) so I bet 225. BB folds and the button calls.

(Pot 900) RIVER: Ad
When the ace hits I instinctively put out another bet – again half the pot. However, checking might be a better option. I think two things are possible here: a) we both have a jack and will split the pot b) button has a draw that didn’t hit and will probably check, so I win – but he just MIGHT try to steal the pot with a bluff and I’d be there to pick him off. In the situation, it doesn’t matter. He folds and I take the pot.


Hand #69
By the time we get to this hand, I’ve raised two others – both times with A3. The first I took down preflop and the second I was called by the SB who bet the flop and I folded. I’m this time in MP2 with 6c6d (stack 3650) and blinds still 75/150. A new player has just arrived at our table and this is his first hand. He is sitting in UTG+1 (stack 11240) and limps when UTG folds. Because he’s unknown and has a big stack, I don’t raise him, but elect to flat when it folds to me. This creates a true limping-frenzy as the next 3 players also just call. When it gets to the SB, he pushes all-in for a total of 1080. I’m actually ready to call with my sixes, but Mr. Big Stack needs to get out of the way first. He doesn’t and instead min-raises to 2010. It turns out UTG+1 had AK and my decision to limp behind probably saved me some chips, but it’s marginal. By the way, SB showed AT and spiked a 10 on the river to stay in the game.


Hand #84
Apart from a small pot that I picked up out of the blinds, I’ve been pretty card-dead for a while and blinds have started to take their toll on me. They’re now 100/200 and my stack is dwindling. Meanwhile, the big stack who limped the AK hand has been trying to push everybody around, but it seems like he’s only got one gear and I’ve been waiting to exploit him. In this hand I hold Ah8d on the button (stack 3250) and villain is in the HJ seat (stack 10630). It folds to him and he raises to 600, which has been his standard. I think for 2 seconds and then cram my stack over the top. Blinds fold and he only considers for a few seconds, before folding also.

My friend with the hand history asked me one specific question and it was related to metaphysics of the game, table image etc. This is a perfect example of pulling off a squeeze-move, when you’ve got the right image. I’m not really looking for a call here (doh!) as I think villain’s range includes a whole bunch of hands that beat me: 22 through 77, A9/AT as well as hands that I don’t fare too well against: lots of suited broadway combinations etc. However, I think his calling range against me is pretty narrow. I have been biding my time and unless he’s got TT+/JJ+, he’s probably folding.


Hand #85
In the CO with KcJs (stack 4150) I elect to raise to 500 (blinds 100/200 still) and hope to get heads-up with one of the blinds. The dealer and SB fold and the BB (stack 7060) obliges by calling. Two to the flop:

(Pot 1100) FLOP: 5s Ts 3c
The BB checks and I think this is a good time to check behind. I just re-raised all-in the hand before and the BB might feel this is the right time to play back at me. Add to the mix that he could easily have hit or have me beat with a small pocket-pair and I think checking makes sense some of the time.

(Pot 1100) TURN: Th
The BB now leads 800 into me, as I expected he would – regardless of his holding. Because the bet is rather large, I instinctively decide to call him (looks more like a draw or shaky hand, than a 10) and look to move him off the hand on the river. Reviewing it now, it might not be the best idea, but again – pretty marginal and sometimes you’ve gotta go with your gut.

(Pot 2700) RIVER: Jc
Well, that made my life a lot easier. I’m cramming all-in no matter what. He bets 1200 and I instantaneously move my remaining 2850 into the pot. He folds immediately.


Hand #109
All of a sudden I go EXTREMELY card-dead and the few spots that were semi-playable becoming insta-folds when I’ve got re-raises or all-ins in front of me. In this hand I find AdJd (stack 4475) on the button and in the meantime blinds have gone up to 150/300/a25. It folds to the CO who just limps and I only have one move, which is to shove over the top. Everyone folds and I pick up a small pot.


Hand #110
Very next hand and I pick up 7c7s. It folds to me and I raise to 800. Everybody folds. *sigh* - not gonna be winning too many tournaments if this continues.


Hand #114
I finally get a bit of action when I look down at JsJd in the BB. Boo-yaa! My first big pocket-pair! – I do a little dance to celebrate. My stack is 6000 and blinds are still 150/300a25. It folds to the SB (stack 43550) who just calls 300. I decided to raise substantially so as not to give away the strength of my hand and make it 975 to go. He thinks briefly and calls.

(Pot 2150) FLOP: 6c 8s 4h
He checks to me and I put out a bet of 1500. He folds and I pick up the pot. (Who the fuck knows what I would’ve done, if he had moved all-in on me. Hmmm…)


Hand # 144
Between this and the last hand I’ve actually seen KJ three times (always in EP), but with the blinds having gone up, my stack was too small to open with semi-strong hands like that and I had to let them go. I also picked up 77 on the button, but had a raise and a re-raise-allin in front of me. Basically, every single hand I held was unplayable because of the situation or the position. As a result, the blinds have just been going up and my stack has dwindled.

This hand I’ve got a meager Kc7h (stack 3375) in the HJ with blinds at 300/600/a50. I would normally never let my stack get to such a level, but after reviewing now it confirmed the belief I had when I was playing – unavoidable. It folds to me and I push all-in. The BB (stack 25150) feels committed to call (which he is) and shows 9c8c. One time dealer. The flop brings two clubs (always a sweat), but I dodge the rest and manage to double up. Phew. Still in jeopardy, but with a stack of 7400 and a fighting chance.


TO BE CONTINUED…


Thanks for reading.