Too much excitement: 5/10!

From time to time I will open a game at a higher limit than I play in order to observe hands and analyse play. I found a 5/10 table on Eurolinx, and after watching a while noticed the biggest fish I've ever seen at midstakes. He was 70/10 preflop, but folded to Cbets 60% of the time and played essentially weak tight postflop. The ultimate fish. I couldn't resist - I had to sit down.

Anyway, it was fairly nerve wracking stuff. I went down $60, back up to plus $50, down to -$100 and finally about level. The fish left after a short while, and I probably played on for too many hands after he left - especially when the player on my right woke up and started playing aggressively.

Anyway a few hands:

Naturally at my first hand playing 5/10 I run into aces! QTs was good enough to call a bet, and I played aggressively with the flush draw and turned gutshot. I guess villain was afraid of a 9, but I think his play was quite weak.

5/10 Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	monkeybusiness	($453.63)
UTG+1	jugggg	($301.53)
CO	coolbrezze	($58.53)
BTN	joeparulesND	($250.94)
SB	donutmon	($478.13)
BB	Hero	($205.00)

Pre-flop: (1.5 SB, 6 players) Hero is BB

monkeybusiness raises, 4 folds, Hero calls

Flop: (4.5 SB, 2 players)
Hero checks, monkeybusiness bets, Hero raises, monkeybusiness calls

Turn: (4.2 BB, 2 players)
Hero bets, monkeybusiness calls

River: (6.2 BB, 2 players)
Hero bets, monkeybusiness calls

Final Pot: 8.2 BB
Hero shows:
monkeybusiness shows:

monkeybusiness wins 8.0 BB ( won +4.0 BB )
Hero lost 4.0 BB



Second hand soon after I get a very nice pair of ladies. I was gutted to see the ace after the PF cap, and was astonished when they both folded my Cbet. This is a very weak table! We haven't even seen the superfish jugggg yet.

5/10 Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	donutmon	($418.13)
UTG+1	Hero	($169.00)
CO	monkeybusiness	($515.13)
BTN	jugggg	($251.53)
SB	coolbrezze	($56.03)
BB	joeparulesND	($327.94)

Pre-flop: (1.5 SB, 6 players) Hero is UTG+1

donutmon raises, Hero 3-bets, 2 folds, coolbrezze 4-bets, 1 fold, donutmon calls, Hero calls

Flop: (13.0 SB, 3 players)
coolbrezze checks, donutmon checks, Hero bets, coolbrezze folds, donutmon folds

Final Pot: 7.0 BB

Hero wins 6.7 BB ( won +4.2 BB )
coolbrezze lost 2.0 BB
donutmon lost 2.0 BB


Hand 3 is a classic way ahead/way behind situation. Superfish jugggg seldom raises or 3 bets, so I have to put him on ace-big or a big pair. Maybe I missed an extra bet, but I was happy enough that he Cbet to the river with two overcards to his QQ!

5/10 Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	joeparulesND	($302.94)
UTG+1	donutmon	($402.38)
CO	Hero	($203.50)
BTN	monkeybusiness	($507.63)
SB	jugggg	($263.91)
BB	coolbrezze	($49.16)

Pre-flop: (1.5 SB, 6 players) Hero is CO

2 folds, Hero raises, 1 fold, jugggg 3-bets, 1 fold, Hero calls

Flop: (7.0 SB, 2 players)
jugggg bets, Hero calls

Turn: (4.5 BB, 2 players)
jugggg bets, Hero calls

River: (6.5 BB, 2 players)
jugggg bets, Hero calls

Final Pot: 8.5 BB
jugggg shows:
Hero shows:

Hero wins 8.2 BB ( won +4.2 BB )
jugggg lost 4.0 BB


Hand 4: This is an uncomfortable spot with a PF cap. Flopped TP+FD is nice, and I planned to checkraise. Turn 3-bet is scary. Maybe I can fold the river, but I think I have to call.

5/10 Limit Holdem
4 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

CO	Hero	($220.50)
BTN	monkeybusiness	($498.35)
SB	coolbrezze	($81.32)
BB	joeparulesND	($316.57)

Pre-flop: (1.5 SB, 4 players) Hero is CO

Hero raises, monkeybusiness 3-bets, coolbrezze 4-bets, 1 fold, Hero calls, monkeybusiness calls

Flop: (13.0 SB, 3 players)
coolbrezze checks, Hero checks, monkeybusiness checks

Turn: (6.5 BB, 3 players)
coolbrezze bets, Hero raises, monkeybusiness folds, coolbrezze 3-bets, Hero calls

River: (12.5 BB, 2 players)
coolbrezze bets, Hero calls

Final Pot: 14.5 BB
coolbrezze shows:
Hero shows:

coolbrezze wins 14.2 BB ( won +8.2 BB )
Hero lost 6.0 BB
monkeybusiness lost 2.0 BB


Hand 5: I played this really badly. PF is a marginal call I think. Checkraise with top pair of 5s is maybe pushing it a bit, but his 3-bet is almost certainly an overpair on that board. A FD is a thin possibility. I think I should probably fold the turn, and definitely the river after the third heart appears.

5/10 Limit Holdem
4 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

CO	monkeybusiness	($478.35)
BTN	coolbrezze	($160.82)
SB	joeparulesND	($309.07)
BB	Hero	($165.50)

Pre-flop: (1.5 SB, 4 players) Hero is BB

monkeybusiness raises, coolbrezze calls, 1 fold, Hero calls

Flop: (6.5 SB, 3 players)
Hero checks, monkeybusiness bets, coolbrezze calls, Hero raises, monkeybusiness 3-bets, coolbrezze folds, Hero calls

Turn: (6.8 BB, 2 players)
Hero checks, monkeybusiness bets, Hero calls

River: (8.8 BB, 2 players)
Hero checks, monkeybusiness bets, Hero calls

Final Pot: 10.8 BB
Hero shows:
monkeybusiness shows:

monkeybusiness wins 10.4 BB ( won +6.0 BB )
coolbrezze lost 1.5 BB
Hero lost 4.5 BB

Hand 6: Now monkeybusiness is getting aggressive PF, albeit mostly with decent hands. OOP this is a tough spot on the flop. I'd appreciate ideas here.

5/10 Limit Holdem
4 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

CO	Hero	($134.00)
BTN	monkeybusiness	($537.10)
SB	coolbrezze	($143.32)
BB	joeparulesND	($294.07)

Pre-flop: (1.5 SB, 4 players) Hero is CO

Hero raises, monkeybusiness 3-bets, 2 folds, Hero calls

Flop: (7.5 SB, 2 players)
Hero checks, monkeybusiness bets, Hero calls

Turn: (4.8 BB, 2 players)
Hero checks, monkeybusiness bets, Hero folds

Final Pot: 5.8 BB

monkeybusiness wins 5.5 BB ( won +2.5 BB )
Hero lost 2.0 BB


Hand 7 is the saviour. I think I am getting better at correctly calling with a gutshot, and thankfully the magical card came on the turn. Also fortunate was both villains holding top pair to pay me off 6BB on the turn and river. After this I got up at the next BB a magical $1.50 ahead for the session. It was educational!

5/10 Limit Holdem
4 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

CO	monkeybusiness	($562.23)
BTN	coolbrezze	($138.32)
SB	joeparulesND	($286.57)
BB	Hero	($119.00)

Pre-flop: (1.5 SB, 4 players) Hero is BB

monkeybusiness raises, coolbrezze calls, 1 fold, Hero calls

Flop: (6.5 SB, 3 players)
Hero checks, monkeybusiness bets, coolbrezze calls, Hero calls

Turn: (4.8 BB, 3 players)
Hero checks, monkeybusiness bets, coolbrezze calls, Hero raises, monkeybusiness calls, coolbrezze calls

River: (10.8 BB, 3 players)
Hero bets, monkeybusiness calls, coolbrezze calls

Final Pot: 13.8 BB
coolbrezze shows:
Hero shows:
monkeybusiness shows:

Hero wins 13.4 BB ( won +8.9 BB )
coolbrezze lost 4.5 BB
monkeybusiness lost 4.5 BB

Plugging leaks

Holdem Manager has a few links to interesting articles on how to use HM to plug your leaks. I've just been working through one entitled "Plugging Leaks - The Basics", which is based on this 2+2 article (originally for Poker Tracker). The results are rather fascinating.

Points for me to note:

• My aggression is too low. PFR/VPIP is around 0.54, and it seems clear that higher aggression is more profitable. If the given tables are to be believed, then one really wants to aim for the 0.7-0.85 range.
• I don't play positionally enough - I need to raise more in late position, and probably tighten up in early position.
• My blind stealing % looks pretty good, and the profit from blind stealing situations is absolutely incredible - around 75-85 big blinds per 100 on the cutoff and button, and even 10 blinds/100 in the SB position.
• Blind defence looks ok, but could probably be improved.
• Heads up on the flop with no PFR is a red flag. I think I have actually stopped open limping in 6 max games, but if ever I needed proof it's here. I am losing money in nearly all positions when I limp open and end up heads up with the big blind.
• I do ok in multiway pots, but interestingly I am losing significant money on the button when there is no PFR. The fascinating thing here is that relatively decent hands are just as unprofitable as bad hands. Even the classic hands that *should* play well in this situation don't - the small pairs and suited connectors. The answer is probably that I am playing these hands with too few players in the pot. I clearly need to raise more and fold more in this situation.
• Suited connectors and small pocket pairs are a problem. Another red flag is don't cold call a raise in the big blind with suited connectors (or any other position really).

Anyway that was a remarkably interesting analysis, albeit fairly superficial at this stage. It's certainly given me some things to think about.

Holdem manager is proving to be a profoundly valuable tool. If you haven't got it, or something like it - get it.

Edit: Right after posting that, and feeling confident I promptly pissed away 40BB in fairly quick time. Marvelous.

Bonehead plays 101

Ladbrokes is a bit of a revelation. Not many games, but when they run they seem full of loose passive players and the odd maniac.

http://www.holdemmanager.net
Limit Holdem $3(BB) Prima Game#1073328502

Hero ($71.60)
darwin10 ($1,741)
paul147 ($76.52)
AKSAW ($71.34)
McMoNeYMaKeR ($142)

Hero posts (SB) $1.50
darwin10 posts (BB) $3

Dealt to Hero 9d 9c (nice hand 2nd hand at the table)
paul147 calls $3
McMoNeYMaKeR raises to $6 (time to raise out the blinds)
Hero raises to $9
darwin10 raises to $12 (ouch)
paul147 calls $9 (double ouch - oh well, I guess I'm playing for a set)
McMoNeYMaKeR calls $6
Hero calls $3

FLOP ($48) 6d Qd 7s (tough spot for me four handed)
check,
darwin10 bets $3
paul147 calls $3
McMoNeYMaKeR folds
Hero raises to $6 (I guess I can make one play here)
darwin10 folds (great)
paul147 calls $3 (oh well)

TURN ($63) 6d Qd 7s 6c
Hero bets $6 (this is probably pushing it)
paul147 calls $6 (hmm, I guess a queen or a better pocket pair)

RIVER ($75) 6d Qd 7s 6c 2s
check, check,
paul147 shows 4c 3d (omgyfk: this guy called one and then three more cold preflop, then chased his gutshot all the way)
(Flop 16.4%, Turn 9.1%)

Hero shows 9d 9c
(Flop 83.6%, Turn 90.9%)

Hero wins $72


This one, I'm not sure who is the bonehead. It is the villain's first hand at the table (he posted oop), hence my desire to call him down.

http://www.holdemmanager.net
Limit Holdem $3(BB) Prima Game#1073334661

AKSAW ($64.52)
McMoNeYMaKeR ($173)
Hero ($153)
maybethemanw ($136)
Badboyyy ($42.61)
Luckyson7 ($312)

AKSAW posts (SB) $1.50
McMoNeYMaKeR posts (BB) $3
Badboyyy posts (BB) $3

Dealt to Hero Kd Kc (yummy)
Hero raises to $6
fold,
Badboyyy calls $3
fold, fold,
McMoNeYMaKeR calls $3

FLOP ($19.50) 6d Ad 5h (bleurg)
check,
Hero bets $3 (gotta be done)
Badboyyy calls $3 (hmm)
McMoNeYMaKeR folds

TURN ($25.50) 6d Ad 5h 3s
Hero bets $6 (badboy is defending a blind, so I have to charge him to draw to a small straight)
Badboyyy raises to $12 (disaster.. this looks very bad for me)
Hero calls $6 (crying - against a known opponent I might fold here)

RIVER ($49.50) 6d Ad 5h 3s 2h
check,
Badboyyy bets $6
Hero calls $6 (still crying)

Hero shows Kd Kc
(Flop 95.5%, Turn 100.0%)

Badboyyy shows 8d Th (and now laughing - it's complete air)
(Flop 4.5%, Turn 0.0%)

Hero wins $58.50