Tired of reading about everyone's bad beats? Then stop reading here. I am simply going to post hand after hand after hand where I got sucked out on in the large pot.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
UTG calls, 2 folds, MP1 calls, 1 fold, MP3 calls, CO calls, 2 folds, Hero checks.

Flop: (5.50 SB) , , (5 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets, MP1 calls, MP3 folds, CO folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.25 BB) (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG calls, MP1 calls.

River: (7.25 BB) (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets, MP1 calls, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 9.25 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has 9h Ac (full house, twos full of aces).
MP1 has Qs Jc (three of a kind, twos).
Outcome: UTG wins 9.25 BB.

I had a relatively small flush on the flop. As long as the next card wasn't another spade, I would throw a bet on the turn. And so I did... the second I saw the river I screamed out "WHAT THE FUCK?!?" and check-folded. I knew one of them certainly was staying to the river with some pair (probably an ace). And the other moron had Q-high. Fucking runner twos...

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, 2 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 bets, MP1 calls, Hero raises, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) (3 players)
UTG+1 bets, MP1 folds, Hero calls.

River: (7.50 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 9.50 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Jd Qh (three of a kind, queens).
Hero has As 7s (two pair, aces and queens).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 9.50 BB.

Something I've noticed... on PP, a donk-bet on the turn usually means they hit whatever scare card it is. On UB, the donk-bet represents the scare card when their hand is weak. Why donk-bet into someone who re-raised the flop and most likely would re-raise the turn? Wouldn't you want to check-raise him on the turn and get some extra bets in? On UB I often re-raise the donk-bets. On PP I have to call-down and hope for the best. I usually lose to whatever scare card fit his hand.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, CO calls, 2 folds, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) , , (4 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, CO folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.

Turn: (6.25 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, UTG+1 calls.

River: (10.25 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls.

Final Pot: 12.25 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Kd Qd (two pair, queens and fives).
Hero has Ac Ts (two pair, tens and fives).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 12.25 BB.

Once again, the 3-outter hits on the turn and I get donk-bet. I neglected my PP read on donk-bets and did what I thought was a value bet on the river.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero calls, 2 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 2 folds, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks, MP2 bets, MP3 folds, SB calls, BB calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) (4 players)
SB bets, BB folds, Hero raises, MP2 calls, SB calls.

River: (10.50 BB) (3 players)
SB bets, Hero calls, MP2 folds.

Final Pot: 12.50 BB

Results in white below:
SB has Ah 3c (straight, six high).
Hero has 4d 4h (three of a kind, fours).
Outcome: SB wins 12.50 BB.

This time a 4-outter beats me on the turn. HOORAY FOR GUTSHOTS! Maybe if I lead into this flop it would have been re-raised and gotten the gutshot to fold. I seriously doubt it though. After-all, he called the gutshot draw with 6:1 odds. Looks like I would have lost money no matter how I played it.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with , . CO posts a blind of $1.
UTG calls, 2 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, MP3 calls, CO (poster) checks, 2 folds, BB checks.

Flop: (5.50 SB) , , (5 players)
BB bets, UTG folds, Hero raises, MP3 calls, CO calls, BB 3-bets, Hero caps, MP3 calls, CO calls, BB calls.

Turn: (10.75 BB) (4 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, MP3 calls, CO 3-bets, BB caps, Hero folds, MP3 calls, CO calls.

River: (24.75 BB) (3 players)
BB bets, MP3 calls, CO raises, BB 3-bets, MP3 calls, CO caps, BB calls, MP3 calls.

Final Pot: 36.75 BB

Results in white below:
BB has 9s Qc (straight, queen high).
MP3 has 3d Ad (one pair, aces).
CO has Kc Qd (straight, ace high).
Outcome: CO wins 36.75 BB.

BB had the straight on the flop and I would have never made the CO fold his OESD. On the turn I made numerous mistakes... the PP donk-bet means STRONG HAND, and I folded when I could have filled up a boat. I folded more out of frustration than anything. Thankfully the river wasn't a J or T... I would have REALLY been fuming then!

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 3 folds, MP3 calls, 1 fold, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, MP3 calls, Button calls, SB folds.

Turn: (4.50 BB) (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, MP3 folds, Button folds, Hero calls.

River: (6.50 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 8.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 2c 8c (flush, jack high).
UTG+1 has Qs Js (full house, jacks full of tens).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 8.50 BB.

The river was just a slap in the face. Whereas every other time that night I missed my 12-out draws, I finally hit my 9-outter draw! BUT IT DOUBLE-PAIRS THE BOARD! AGHHH!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH THIS SHIT?!?

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
UTG calls, 3 folds, Hero calls, Button calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets, Hero raises, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG calls.

River: (6.50 BB) (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: 6.50 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has Kc Kd (two pair, kings and nines).
Hero has Td Jc (two pair, jacks and nines).
Outcome: UTG wins 6.50 BB.

Have you EVER seen such passive playing of KK? I figured this was just going to be a split pot... JJ99A. When he turned over the kings I just died a little inside. At least this one was a small pot.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero raises, 4 folds, Button calls, 2 folds.

Flop: (5.50 SB) , , (2 players)
Hero bets, Button calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) (2 players)
Hero bets, Button calls.

River: (5.75 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.

Final Pot: 5.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qs Qc (three of a kind, queens).
Button has 4h 4d (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Button wins 5.75 BB.

Hooray for fish, right? Calls with 2nd worst pair to the river... but hey, he has a 4-high flush draw on the turn! Of course I needed to make trip Qs on the flop just to rub it in "THE GAME IS RIGGED YOU FUCKIN DOLT".

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
UTG calls, 1 fold, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, 1 fold, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (6 SB) , , (6 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, UTG calls, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, CO folds, SB calls.

Turn: (6 BB) (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, UTG calls, SB calls.

River: (9 BB) (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG bets, SB calls, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 12 BB

Results in white below:
SB has 6s Ks (one pair, kings).
Hero has 7s Kh (one pair, kings).
UTG has Ah 5d (one pair, aces).
Outcome: UTG wins 12 BB.

Once again, the fish doesn't fold his gutshot given 4.5:1 odds on the flop and then 7:1 on the turn. And then he spikes an ace on the river! I just CANNOT make these bastards fold! Usually that isn't an issue... but when I get outdrawn this many times in one night... IT IS RIDICULOUS.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, Hero calls, 2 folds, Button calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB bets, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, Hero raises, Button folds, SB calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Turn: (6.50 BB) (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, SB calls, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.

River: (9.50 BB) (3 players)
SB bets, UTG+1 raises, Hero folds, SB 3-bets, UTG+1 caps, SB calls.

Final Pot: 17.50 BB

Results in white below:
SB has Qs 9s (straight, king high).
UTG+1 has 7c Ac (straight, ace high).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 17.50 BB.

Once again my re-raise on the flop laying them 5:1 odds isn't enough to get EITHER gutshot to fold. I have top-pair decent kicker with an OESD! What a great situation, right? I remember right after betting the turn "if anything other than a J comes out, I'm betting the river." OH THE IRONY! Another fuckin slap in the face.

Okay, this will be the last batch.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
4 folds, MP3 calls, Hero raises, 2 folds, BB calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) , , (3 players)
BB checks, MP3 bets, Hero raises, BB folds, MP3 calls.

Turn: (5.25 BB) (2 players)
MP3 checks, Hero bets, MP3 calls.

River: (7.25 BB) (2 players)
MP3 checks, Hero bets, MP3 calls.

Final Pot: 9.25 BB

Results in white below:
MP3 has Qd Ah (two pair, aces and sixes).
Hero has Jc Ac (two pair, aces and sixes).
Outcome: MP3 wins 9.25 BB.

I keep neglecting to consider loose-passive players occasionally will have these strong hands yet not raise them for value. Remember the KK example earlier?

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , .
1 fold, Hero calls, MP1 raises, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, 2 folds, BB calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (12.50 SB) , , (6 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, MP3 bets, CO calls, BB calls, Hero raises, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, BB calls.

Turn: (11.25 BB) (5 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, MP2 checks, MP3 checks, CO checks.

River: (11.25 BB) (5 players)
BB folds, Hero bets, MP2 folds, MP3 raises, CO folds, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 15.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 5s 4s (straight, eight high).
MP3 has 8h Ah (flush, ace high).
Outcome: MP3 wins 15.25 BB.

I know... limping that early with 54s is a terrible play. I did it mostly because of how RIDICULOUSLY loose the table was. I re-raise the flop hoping to scare people out of betting the turn - sorta like raising for a free card. It works nicely... then I hit my straight. The only thing I lose to is a runner runner flush or someone with a gutshot T9. And you see what happened here.

At least I hit my draw right? That's more than I can say for the times I have an OE straight-flush draw, or a pair, overcard and flush draw.... and I MISS EVERY SINGLE FUCKING OUT EVEN THOUGH I SHOULD HIT THEM 60% OF THE TIME!

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with , . CO posts a blind of $1.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, Hero raises, 2 folds, CO (poster) calls, 1 fold, SB calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (10 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, CO calls, SB folds, BB calls, UTG+1 folds.

Turn: (8.50 BB) (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, CO calls, BB calls.

River: (11.50 BB) (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, CO checks.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

Results in white below:
BB has 9c Tc (two pair, queens and fours).
Hero has Jd Jh (two pair, queens and jacks).
CO has Ah 4d (full house, fours full of queens).
Outcome: CO wins 11.50 BB.

The BB is just clueless. That's all I have to say there.

Then there's the CO fish calling my EP raise with A4o! And he doesn't raise AT ALL throughout the hand. You know, it's fine to call me with this shit when I raise. But why must they hit?

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, Hero calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (7 SB) , , (7 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets, Hero raises, CO calls, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls, UTG+1 folds, MP1 3-bets, Hero caps, CO calls, BB calls, MP1 calls.

Turn: (11.50 BB) (4 players)
BB checks, MP1 bets, Hero raises, CO calls, BB calls, MP1 3-bets, Hero calls, CO calls, BB calls.

River: (23.50 BB) (4 players)
BB bets, MP1 calls, Hero calls, CO raises, BB 3-bets, MP1 calls, Hero folds, CO calls $1 (All-In).

Final Pot: 33 BB

Results in white below:
MP1 has Jc As (three of a kind, jacks).
CO has 3d 7d (straight, seven high).
BB has 9s Ts (flush, jack high).
Outcome: BB wins 33 BB.

The CO is another clueless dolt. All he has is a backdoor straight draw and a backdoor flush draw. He calls despite only being given 5:1 odds. Uh yeah... a 2-outter will not hit 1 in 6 times. Moron.

By the turn I realized I might be drawing practically dead. With all that action, he must have a J... I just assumed since he was another loose player his kicker would suck. That or he had a full house... and on the river I knew I was beat. The first bet... fine I call that. Then raised and re-raised? I'M OUT LIKE A FETUS!

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with , . CO posts a blind of $1.
2 folds, Hero raises, MP2 calls, 2 folds, Button calls, 1 fold, BB calls.

Flop: (9.50 SB) , , (5 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, MP2 folds, Button calls, BB raises, Hero 3-bets, Button folds, BB calls.

Turn: (8.25 BB) (3 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.

River: (10.25 BB) (3 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 12.25 BB

Results in white below:
BB has 9s Jh (three of a kind, jacks).
UTG doesn't show.
Hero has As Ad (two pair, aces and jacks).
Outcome: BB wins 12.25 BB.

Calling an EP raise with J9o... that's all I have to say. The fish hits the lucky flop again and there I go.

I didn't bother to list all the other hands where I had an extremely strong draw (12+ outs) and missed them time and time again. I was raising and re-raising with those and others were raising and re-raising me... so I lost a lot of money on nut-draws.

All i have to say is WOW! You are defintely suffering from a severe case of CWS (Cant Win Syndrome)- I mean GOD, that hand where you had the pair of Ks and that dumass is in there chasing a wheel and pairs his A on the river- that is a sure sign of runnin awful. Of course, a set of Q's losing to the running nut flush is pretty bad too...wait no it was a 4 high flush! Well, at least he didnt value bet it- consider yourself lucky!

Anyways dude those are pretty awful beatings. But hey, if people wanna cold call your raises with j9o and A4o, then id say your at some pretty decent tables, but having some pretty crappy luck.

Hope ya turn it around soon- keep fightin the good fight!

And quit losing to four high 4 card flushes....its embarassing!

Hey EP9,

I will try to give you a little analysis of some of your hands as they are good learning tools to help you out along the way in improving your limit game. As always these are just my opinions and are not written in stone and certainly others will disagree in some of my advice. You have some bad suckouts along the way but many of these hands you either should not have played to start with or you didn't minimize or maximize your value on them.


Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
UTG calls, 2 folds, MP1 calls, 1 fold, MP3 calls, CO calls, 2 folds, Hero checks.

Flop: (5.50 SB) , , (5 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets, MP1 calls, MP3 folds, CO folds, Hero calls.

I think it bests to go ahead and lead into the field here as you are in EP and it will give some of your opponents a chance to raise you on there one spade draws orotherwise that you have beat, you can then 3 bet it and force them to pay the maximum as well as perhaps trap in some dead money. If you do check and another EPplayer bets and there are a couple of calls when it gets back to you then by all means raise the pot. It's very important to trap people for extra bets who are drawing dead or slim on the flop before they can get away fairly cheaply by folding the turn after only paying 0 or 1small bet on the flop.

Turn: (4.25 BB) (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG calls, MP1 calls.

Since you didn't CR the flop then by all means go for it here as UTG will likely fire again when this rag hits the turn.

River: (7.25 BB) (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets, MP1 calls, Hero folds.

Good fold

Final Pot: 9.25 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has 9h Ac (full house, twos full of aces).
MP1 has Qs Jc (three of a kind, twos).
Outcome: UTG wins 9.25 BB.



Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, 2 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Muck this hand preflop. If you are going to call with this piece of garbage make sure you have a MULTITUDE of players that have called ahead of you. For most players the reason for mucking are exemplified on your play by your inability to get away from your hand when you flop the A with shitty kicker.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 bets, MP1 calls, Hero raises, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

One EP better and a caller to you I simply don't like your hand at all as there are no likely draws out there except perhaps the double gutter with J10 but TYPICALLY I think you are in real bad shape here. These are the reasons I continue to preach such a tight preflop strategy because it keeps you out of positions like this that you just don't really know where in the hell you are standing and all likelihood it is in a pile of shit.

Turn: (5.50 BB) (3 players)
UTG+1 bets, MP1 folds, Hero calls.

You raised the flop got called in two places and now this guy is leading into you again. Ask yourself what possible hands could an EP player have that you beat given the previous betting sequences. I can't think of any.

River: (7.50 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 9.50 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Jd Qh (three of a kind, queens).
Hero has As 7s (two pair, aces and queens).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 9.50 BB.


Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, CO calls, 2 folds, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Probably not a bad idea to fold this hand but if you are going to play it I agree with the raise here.

Flop: (8.50 SB) , , (4 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, CO folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.

Good.

Turn: (6.25 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, UTG+1 calls.

Extremely bad. He leads into you, calls your raise and leads into you again when another overcard hits. He either has a 5, a Q (quite possibly Q10) or a slightly less possibility of a 10 that you still beat. Either way I think at most a call here is warranted because you are really opening up yourself to a 3 bet here which you ain't going to like.

River: (10.25 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls.

Terrible. This is not the time for a value bet. Check and if the pot slides your way be extremely happy.

Final Pot: 12.25 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Kd Qd (two pair, queens and fives).
Hero has Ac Ts (two pair, tens and fives).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 12.25 BB.

Once again, the 3-outter hits on the turn and I get donk-bet. I neglected my PP read on donk-bets and did what I thought was a value bet on the river.

I think he just took a stab at a shitty flop to see if he could pick it up and when you raise he is getting 11.5:1 to call your raise with what turns out to be 6 outs (41:6). Of course he can't know that all his out are good but as it turned out he made the correct call odds wise.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero calls, 2 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 2 folds, SB completes, BB checks.

FOLD PREFLOP

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks, MP2 bets, MP3 folds, SB calls, BB calls, Hero calls.

Depending on the players to act behind you you might be best off leading the betting here because it is a pretty innocuous flop that may get checked around. If an A, K or Q hit then I might be more inclined to let the last 2 guys have a shot at it. If the next guy bets and you get two or three callers DO NOT wait for the turn to get fancy with a raise as you can punish the limpers now and probably won't get to extract that extra bet from them on the turn given this board and your position. Sometimes given the board, number of players, etc. it is better to wait for the turn to pounce but when multiplayers are in the hand with money already in the pot and you get a chance to raise them on flop with a powerhouse like you had here do so because that opportunity will very likely be gone on the turn.

Turn: (4.50 BB) (4 players)
SB bets, BB folds, Hero raises, MP2 calls, SB calls.

With him just calling here you still got to love your hand. He really stunk it up with his call here.

River: (10.50 BB) (3 players)
SB bets, Hero calls, MP2 folds.

Final Pot: 12.50 BB

Results in white below:
SB has Ah 3c (straight, six high).
Hero has 4d 4h (three of a kind, fours).
Outcome: SB wins 12.50 BB.


Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with , . CO posts a blind of $1.
UTG calls, 2 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, MP3 calls, CO (poster) checks, 2 folds, BB checks.

FOLD THIS PREFLOP from this position with only 1 caler.

Flop: (5.50 SB) , , (5 players)
BB bets, UTG folds, Hero raises, MP3 calls, CO calls, BB 3-bets, Hero caps, MP3 calls, CO calls, BB calls.

Not a bad flop but you get 2 people cold calling raises behind you and then a 3 better in front of you. IF you are ahead now you got some serious work in maintaining that lead.

Turn: (10.75 BB) (4 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, MP3 calls, CO 3-bets, BB caps, Hero folds, MP3 calls, CO calls.

Undaunted by the Ace, the BB leads again after just 3 betting and calling a cap. The pot is now big enough to justify the call for your 4 outer but I don't think you should be raising here with TWO people that also called the cap behind you, what in the world do you think they might have been calling with (KQ, AJ, 88, 1010 come to mind). When it gets back to you on the cappuchino you are getting 24.75:2 to call for what may or may not be 4 outs. I would probably call but wouldn't feel real good even if a J hits the river.

River: (24.75 BB) (3 players)
BB bets, MP3 calls, CO raises, BB 3-bets, MP3 calls, CO caps, BB calls, MP3 calls.

Final Pot: 36.75 BB

Results in white below:
BB has 9s Qc (straight, queen high).
MP3 has 3d Ad (one pair, aces).
CO has Kc Qd (straight, ace high).
Outcome: CO wins 36.75 BB.

BB had the straight on the flop and I would have never made the CO fold his OESD. On the turn I made numerous mistakes... the PP donk-bet means STRONG HAND, and I folded when I could have filled up a boat. I folded more out of frustration than anything. Thankfully the river wasn't a J or T... I would have REALLY been fuming then!

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 3 folds, MP3 calls, 1 fold, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, MP3 calls, Button calls, SB folds.

I like to check these types of flops with a few people to act behind me in hopes that an EP bets and alot of limpers come along then I raise into the field with my flush or better yet straight draw (some of the biggest pots I have ever won have came for the BB with double gut shot straight draws into big fields playing it this way. One of the two times I have ever pulled off a triple CR was in such a situation as my hand was very well disguised the way I played it).

Turn: (4.50 BB) (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, MP3 folds, Button folds, Hero calls.

River: (6.50 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

Save that last bet. You are getting 7.5:1 to call but you aren't going to win that often in my opinion given the way the hand played out.

Final Pot: 8.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 2c 8c (flush, jack high).
UTG+1 has Qs Js (full house, jacks full of tens).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 8.50 BB.

The river was just a slap in the face. Whereas every other time that night I missed my 12-out draws, I finally hit my 9-outter draw! BUT IT DOUBLE-PAIRS THE BOARD! AGHHH!!! WHAT THE **** IS WITH THIS SHIT?!?[/quote]

Perhaps I will give some analysis on second set later as I have a few errands to run. I hope this helps out some. In general I think you are playing way to loosely preflop from the 3 lists of hands you posted.

The past week of play at PP .5/1. I'm very happy with the results!

Earlier today I was getting the shit end of variance again. If you see my post in the Odds thread, you'll know how bad it was. Within five hands, I lost against higher flushes. Two other players flopped the flush and I lost!

Within the past hour I made a WHOPPING 75 BB/100. Thank you variance! On this one table... the 7 hands I played... I won ALL SEVEN. My draws were hitting, my top-pairs were holding up... everyone else missed their draws.

I'll give a few lucky examples:

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
UTG raises, 3 folds, MP2 calls, 2 folds, Button calls, Hero 3-bets, BB calls, UTG calls, MP2 calls, Button calls.

Flop: (15 SB) , , (5 players)
Hero bets, BB folds, UTG raises, MP2 folds, Button calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (10.50 BB) (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets, Button folds, Hero raises, UTG 3-bets, Hero caps, UTG calls.

River: (18.50 BB) (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 20.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Jd Jh (three of a kind, jacks).
UTG has Kc Ah (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 20.50 BB.

I only called the flop raise in case I hit a backdoor flush draw or J. It was a loose flop call, I know. I was nearly positive he had a K. With 18:1 odds I nearly have enough to peel one off to hit a J anyways. And when I do, it's going to be a HUGE payoff. So I'll justify it as "implied odds". I would have dumped it on the turn if another diamond didn't come up.

I also don't like betting and then folding to a raise on the same round when it's a close decision. I think it encourages players to raise me with weak hands and draws and I'd rather them play straight-forward against me.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, 1 fold, SB calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (12 SB) , , (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 folds, MP2 checks, Hero bets, SB calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP2 calls.

Turn: (8.50 BB) (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, SB calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP2 calls.

River: (13.50 BB) (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: 13.50 BB

Results in white below:
SB has 8h Qh (high card, ace).
BB has Th 9s (one pair, tens).
UTG+1 has Qd 8s (high card, ace).
MP2 has Kh 2d (one pair, kings).
Hero has Qs Ks (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 13.50 BB.

Can you believe it? 4 players calling to the river... and NONE have an ace! AMAZING! With the passivity throughout the whole hand I considered value betting the river. But then I thought "one of them probably has an ace-crap hand". I mean, come on... FOUR PEOPLE calling to the river.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, 1 fold, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (7 SB) , , (7 players)
Hero bets, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO calls.

Turn: (6.50 BB) (6 players)
Hero bets, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, MP3 calls, CO folds.

River: (10.50 BB) (4 players)
Hero bets, BB folds, UTG folds, MP3 folds.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

Like I've always said... in an unraised pot, playing any two suited cards in the SB is profitable given the right table conditions. These players are extremely loose and will call down to river with weak draws and weak pairs. When you hit your flush, you will get paid off nicely. (Unless you get shit luck like me earlier losing to two other flushes... which is rarer than losing set over set.) Pay one half-bet after a couple limpers and bet the flop if you catch a flush draw (or 2-pr/trips/fh). Otherwise check-fold. That's all there is to it!

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , . Hero posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG calls, Hero (poster) checks, 2 folds, MP3 calls, 1 fold, Button calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (6 SB) , , (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets, Hero raises, MP3 folds, Button folds, SB calls, BB folds, UTG calls.

Turn: (6 BB) (3 players)
SB bets, UTG calls, Hero calls.

River: (9 BB) (3 players)
SB bets, UTG calls, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, UTG calls, Hero caps, SB calls, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 21 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has 7c 5c (flush, jack high).
Hero has Kc Th (full house, tens full of kings).
SB has Ad Qh (straight, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins 21 BB.

First off.. please note this was my first hand on the table, so I posted my blind and checked the KTo. I would have folded KTo in EP otherwise.

Once again, I get lucky and hit my four-outter. With the SB check-calling the flop and then donk-betting the turn, I put him on a flush. (That reminds me... I have a post to make in the Limit section about PP donk-bets versus UB donk-bets.)

Onto my stats...

3000 hands
18% VP$IP
28% VP$IP from SB
8% PFR
AF: 3.25
AT: 3.25
AR: 3.25
Win: 12.8 BB/100

Good changes:
* Due to PP's extremely loose playing, I've become slightly looser - especially from the small blind. And it's paid off nicely.

* Once again... PP being a completely different beast than UB... I've increased my aggression on all streets. ESPECIALLY the river. I now value bet confidently with top-pair, middle-pair, etc. and I usually win. Re-read Small Stakes Hold'Em (SSHE)'s chapter on Betting For Value on The River. It's VERY important!

Needing Improvement:
* I've folded to the river bet 66% of the time. That sounds WAY too high! But really... I don't want to call down with 9-high after I miss my open-ended straight flush draw. Everytime I've folded on the river and seen the showdown, I made the right fold. Sometimes I've folded on the turn with the best hand (middle pair or bottom pair), but those don't count.

* I can definitely increase my raising standards some more. Lately I've been raising 99 from middle position and 88 from late position no matter how many loose limpers before me. I still will get like four callers and when I hit my set you better believe I get paid off nicely! Even if I don't... the flop comes with undercards enough that I can bet and raise. I should add A9s and QJs to my raising hands from LP (as long as there are two loose limpers before me, which is the case nearly 100% of the time on PP).

* I need to stick with my reads. When someone donk bets the turn on PP with a scare card, I need to let the hand go, or call if I have the odds to hit some miracle outs. I gotta stop letting my emotions get to me ("Don't tell me I got outdrawn again!") here. If you add all my mistakes together... I could have saved at least 100BB the past few days.

Somedays I absolutely love the fish... other days I consider moving back to no-limit. At least the fish there have to pay more for their weak draws!

I've now completed the IGMPay bonus on PP. Hooray another $100 bonus in my account!

Frankly, I've been getting tired of playing the PP players. It's so... random. When they turn over their cards at showdown I'm almost always amazed. Oh... he was on a draw... to pair either of his hole cards which were both under the cards on the board (after he hits a runner runner two-pr with them). I notice so many of them calling ANY bet on the flop just to see what develops on the turn. If they catch a gutshot or better, they'll call to the river no matter the odds. You give them 6:1 and they're calling with their 4-outter!

The past week of playing PP I've made over $300 on the micro-limit games alone! The bonuses add another $250 total. So I've made a little over $550 in a week at PP playing small-stakes limit games.

4-tabling is always an interesting experience for me. Here's what happened earlier tonight:

One table every hand I raise with holds up in a multi-way pot. I hit my draws, I hit my trips, I hit miracle 2-outters, etc. On another table I lose on the turn or river nearly 100% of the time (or my cards simply don't hit). And the other two tables I'll be up 1 or 2 BB or down 1 or 2 BB.

Playing limit poker is truly a grind. I hope some of my limit strategies don't carry over the next times I'm playing no-limit.

Speaking of no-limit... I don't even know why I bother to watch WSOP anymore. I almost never see any post-flop action! Instead I see race situation after race situation, and then occasionally Big Pair versus Small Pair. That's great... I already know the odds of what will win. There's no point in watching that part! I want to see the IMPORTANT part of poker... everything from the flop and on.

If poker were truly only a pre-flop game, then weak-tight would win it all.

I haven't played poker in 5 days straight now. And oddly enough, I don't feel much of a craving to play it anymore. So what happened?

On friday I returned back to college. I now have my own place - my own single bedroom apartment. This is the first time I've truly lived on my own. I didn't even have the internet up until yesterday (Monday). Two buddies on my floor and I are splitting the costs of the cable connection. Not a bad deal at all! And both of them are into poker...

Someday I'll return to actually playing poker. Lately I've just been worried about academia and potential girlfriends. You know... the stuff more important than playing poker which I completely disregarded during summer.

It's days like this that I feel like if I just get laid I'd feel all better.

I've been trying to stick with playing poker for at least an hour a day again. I have so many other concerns in my life now revolving around college and relationships that I struggle to fit in time for poker. Thankfully I've saved up a lot of money from summer to pay for groceries and beer, you know - the essentials.

The past week or so, Tib and I have been butting heads daily. At the same time, I certainly have made a name for myself in the limit forums. I have nothing against anyone in the forum... I just happen to often disagree with the tighter advice given. Compared with the 2+2 forums, this forum is practically weak-tight heaven. I'm a bit on the looser side than many of the players here - and I show TREMENDOUS profit playing this way! I'm now up 14.35BB/100 over 6200 hands!

The more I think about my winnings at these levels, the more I consider keeping low-limit games as a part-time job. I think I've played at these levels long enough to have a great sense of what to do in various situations to extract maximum value. And you know what? Despite still being a winner in the tighter games, I much prefer the looser games. I love being able to play more speculative hands, and I love battling away in multi-way pots.

This past week I decided to clear Bet365's $50 for 250 raked hands bonus. There's almost never a .5/1 table open, and when there is, it's a rock garden! I don't think any of my AK or AQ hands hit, but I just bet the flop, turn, and river knowing everyone there was weak-tight and got people to fold more than 3/4 the time. I cannot even tell you how boring it was playing at those tables. Bluff bluff bluff with a-high heads-up, take down a 3BB pot. WHOOPIE! I got so bored and impatient I cashed out after 150 hands.

I don't know how anyone can enjoy playing .5/1 full against a bunch of tight players. God, it was painful! I should work on my 6 Max games some more...

yes, i am probably the leader of the weak/tight ring but to be honest, i think i've grown past limit, at least low limit as it didn't hold my interest and moved on to other games where I'm better at adapting. I think i just hit a rut with limit that was marginally profitable and it is weak tight. However, take me on shorthanded and I'm a maniac.

Its good to get other types or perspectives here, especially for limit because until TW and Mecos, it was pretty much me and piers. Then those degenerates showed up and now we got a wide variety of limit players. All perspectives are welcome. I just hate limit now

The reason being that he grinds it out day and and day out at those positively awful 20% VPIP 3/6 full ring tables. I honestly think i could have 15 of those tables open at once and still be bored out of my ****-ing wits!

hahaha I completely agree with you. I fucking LOATHE those tables!

it'll also help develop your overall poker play, as playing short affords you alot of room to move around and actually 'play poker' whereas full ring tables are more about being disciplined enough to wait 2 hours for AA, then fold it when you know your beaten and somehow manage not to tilt over it.

I agree I should put more effort into improving my short-handed game.

But really... full-ring game is not at all about camping on aces and kings. You will lose more in blinds alone than you will just WAITING for aces and kings. I've become so detached from losing with premium hands - and that's a great trait for these looser low-limit games! I still win with them more often than not and get paid off MAJORLY in the process.

Point being- make sure your priorities are straight here! Poker will be here when your a decrepit old cumudgeon whose penis hasnt seen the light of day in seventeen years. College on the other hand, is a flash in the pan.

Excellent points. What pisses me off is this is my senior year and I really have had a mellow and banal college life overall. It wasn't even until last fall that I started getting into drinking! But last semester I was so poor I couldn't even afford to be going out or buying alcohol.

This year I started anew again. My own place, I'm 21, I've saved up a lot of money, I'm single again (last semester I had a gf early on) and I still make some money from playing poker. And I recently found out one of the girls I like is a lesbian. WHAT LUCK I HAVE!