Well decided to delve back into some NL today with the requisites mistakes that I seem to make that invariably cost me a stack or two before getting things together. Here are a couple of hands that I won with but perhaps should have played differently or perhaps even folded on the second one. As always just let me have it as I can take the criticism:) The first hand I was UTG and made a small raise which because of position might have better not been made but I just have a little gamble in me at times in NL since I am Rocky McRock usually at limit.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed)

UTG+1 ($62.90)
MP1 ($85.10)
MP2 ($49.10)
CO ($119.90)
Button ($95.55)
SB ($94)
BB ($100)
Hero ($138.20)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero raises to $3, 3 folds, CO raises to $5, 3 folds, Hero calls $2.

Flop: ($11.50) , , (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $6, Hero raises to $30, CO calls $24.

Perhaps a call here was better to see how things developed but I thought perhaps I could push him off overcards here and if called I still had alot of outs.

Turn: ($71.50) (2 players)
Hero bets $42, CO calls $42.

River: ($155.50) (2 players)
Hero bets $61.2 (All-In), CO calls $42.90 (All-In).

Final Pot: $259.60


Hand #2

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed)

SB ($50.20)
BB ($78.55)
UTG ($50.55)
UTG+1 ($85.25)
MP1 ($134.60)
MP2 ($136.15)
MP3 ($107)
Hero ($177.45)
Button ($134.55)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
5 folds, Hero raises to $3, 2 folds, BB calls $2.

Flop: ($6.50) , , (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5, BB raises to $25, Hero calls $20.

That's a pretty good size raise and I thought seriously about mucking here but I think it was close.

Turn: ($56.50) (2 players)
BB bets $10, Hero raises to $60, BB folds.

He has about 50.00 left after his weak 10.00 bet. I decided to push here instead of making a smaller raise. If he has outs to catch me I figure he needs to put all of his money in here.

Final Pot: $126.50

I love you raising with suited connectors from UTG. Play looks fine to me.

In hand #1 I would lead out at the flop , knowing hes going to raise, then I come over the top with a LARGE raise. I might go all in depending on the size of his raise. He reraised preflop so he probably has a big pair. If he calls your big raise thats fine because you are the favorite. You should get a lot of folding equity playing it that way also.


Hand #2..I dont like so much. Your flop call of his large check raise is pretty marginal. You do have a gutshot to go wih the flush draw, but if he flush doesnt hit, he'll make a huge turn bet if hes any good and then you have to fold.

Hand 1- I like the way you played this one. That river sucks and its a tough call, though I dont think he has a boat. If he folped a set lead into you and you put in a large raise. There is a flush draw a straight it is hard to think he wouldn't have reraised with his set. A higher flush seems more likely to me than a full boat. I do like the way you played it, I would never put you on 4/5 spades if I was playing you.

Hand 2- I really dont like the way you played this hand. First off I'm not a huge fan of the raise with 4/7 suited. This is not to bad, you think that you can steal the blinds and if not you have a hand you can hit in a lot of different ways. The play post flop is what I dont like. After your $5 bet there is only $11 in the pot and you called a $20 raise with just a flush draw. The major problem here is you are trapping yourself if you miss. He only has $50 left and there is now $56 in the pot, if the turn is not a scare card he is all in and you again have to decied to make a call with a major underdog. You have 13 outs so you have a 25% chance of hitting it on the turn, you arn't getting odds to call, plus you dont get great pot odds because you dont always get all his $$ when you hit your flush card.

I like the preflop play for both hands. Very deceptive and cunning. But if you want to make money in NL keep calling and raising with these hands to a minimum unless it is a mulitway pot. Still like the creativity. The first hand I don't have any commments on, but the second one as everybody mention wasn't played so great. I think you have to check call the flop because heads up the pot isn't big enough for you to chase and he probably won't pay you off when you hit your spade unless you reraise all in on the flop and that is a very high variance play since you're going to hit a little less than 50% of the time. Nice hands!

Yeah I agree with the sentiments already shared. Hand #1 is nice. Hope you didn't get boated on the river on hand #1!!

Hand #2 that guy made much too big of a raise to call. Think about those limit pot odds.... Even implied odds are not here to make this hand worthwhile. He's only gonna let you see the turn...meaning you have about 1-5 odds to hit your card. If you both had $400 stacks this would be different maybe.

Another thing to consider....he could be raising his higher flush draw hard, and then coming in for a weak lead on the turn, trying to get raised. Your hand is very weak on the flop and still might lose even if you hit.

I honestly just hate the flop call here.


good luck in your persuit to NL exellence

BTW Piers...what happened to under 20% VP$IP

I am curious. Do you know what CO had in hand 1? Did he have a spade?

He had KK no spade.

piers,

I am going to disagree with a lot of the other posters and say you shouldn't be playing either one of these hands.

In hand 1, your position sucks. Believe me, that your position makes the difference between this hand being marginally profitable in the right situation; to being a huge leak in poor position. There are a couple of big stacks at your table, but I still don't think the stacks are deep enough to be playing these type of hands out of position. Your edge over your opponents has to be huge or "reverse" implied odds in this type of situation will be too great to overcome. (i.e. you will get yourself trapped by higher straight or flush too often)

In hand 2, 47 has too large a gap to make it worth playing regardless of position. As far as stealing the blinds go; it just isn't worth it in these type games. If the game was shorthanded, you could make a stronger argument, but I still think you should fold this cheese and wait on a better opportunity.

wsaul