Giving online poker another chance...

[ThinkerJE]

00:11 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
This one doesn"t last too long.  In BB with T4 and 3 callers, I check.  Flop is 2T4 rainbow and I check.  Matey bets and gets 2 callers.  I raise to squeeze and get called by original bettor.  The pot is bigger than my remaining stack now.  Turn is the J and I bet and get raised all in.  Now I get the feeling he may have a set of 2"s, but why bet them on a fairly harmless board.  I figure I may still be ahead and so call.  He turns over JT for a turned better 2 pair.  Now miracle on the river and I am down to 140 in level 1.  Thinking this through I think I played it well enough, my only concern is that I may be over valuing 2 pair again, which is something that has got me into trouble in the past.  The problem is that the standard at this level is very varied.  There are some very good players at these tables, however there are some complete donks aswell.  I had not played against this guy before and so had no read.  I don"t think I can get away from 2 pair on the turn, he was just lucky to hit his card I suppose.  The problem is that I played a big hand in level 1.  Normally I like to sit tight and play solid early doors in order to preserve chips and not take too many risks.  However when a hand like this occurs I had to play it big, so I think I like my play and if he doesn"t hit his card I win a nice pot and are in good shape.

I scratch around for a bit and get up tp 350 before getting it all in AQ vs 88, no help and I am gone in 8th after only 20 minutes.  Move on to the next SNG.

00:38 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
No hands played until level 3 when I call a raise in BB with QT.  Flop (nuts!!!), I check and he checks behind.  Turn is which is horrible and it goes check check.  River which again is horrible and it gets checked down.  I win the hand and are up to 1,575, 50/100 with all 9 left.  He didn"t show and I probably missed a bet somewhere along the way, doubtful whether he would have called anyway.

Very active SB pushes all in for a massive overbet.  I have AQ in BB and go into the time bank.  This is a big call, I know I have his range crushed but do I want to risk most of my chips a this stage.  I finally decide to back my read and call.  AQ vs A9, board comes AK2QK (!!!!!!).  Chop, chop and the sickest board of all time.  1,675 50/100 still all 9 left.

All in verses a SS with AK vs K8, holds and up to 2,365.  Then UTG pushes and I wake up with AA on the button.  AA vs AT, again they hold and up to 4,050 with 75/150 and 5 left (chip daddy now).

Then I do a load of chips on the following hand.  UTG raises and I call in BB with 88.  Flop is 973 rainbow and I bet out.  UTG flat calls.  This feels weak to me as I think he would have rasied if he had an overpair to the board.  I have decided to go with my read and move if the turn is harmless.  Turn is a deuce and I push all in, he thinks and finally calls with A9.  No miracle and I am down to 1,500, 100/200 with 5 left.  Not sure about my play on this hand.  If he re raises the flop I would definitely fold.  I would raise the majority of the time if a had a nine, or an overpair to the board and me betting into him.  However perhaps I need to give him credit for the slow play.  Perhaps I should have slowed down at the turn instead of using maximum aggression, he must have had something or he would have folded the flop.  Perhaps I should re raise pre flop and try to take it down early.  I put it down to a bad read and move on as I still have some play left in this SNG.

Not much though, I"m all in with 55 vs Q8 and a queen on the flop seals the deal, gone in 5th.  Played okay in this game, need to review the 88 hand to see what I can learn from it and how to play it better in the future.

[ThinkerJE]

01:36 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
No hand until level 3.  I call a min raise in BB with .  The flop comes , I check intending to push to a bet.  Right on cue matey bets and I push and get called.   vs Th (I am ahead, wow).  Turn , river and ace high is good.  Up to 2,475 with 25/50 blinds and 7 left.

All in pre flop QQ vs AK, no ace or king and up to 4,900 with 50/100 and 6 left (big chip daddy now).  These confrontations are simply unavoidable at this stage and all the chips are going to go in.

Sit back and do nothing as players drop out and we reach the money with 4.5k vs 1k vs 8k.  The one thing I don"t want to do now is mess around with the big stack.  However chip daddy raises on button and SS folds in SB.  I have 55 in BB and decide to call, but I need to hit my set to go any further in the hand against the chip leader.  Flop 56J and I check, he bets the pot and I push all in.  He calls with TT and no ten on turn or river and I am the daddy now.

We are heads up 9k vs 4.5k.  The first hand matey raises on the button.  I have AJ in BB and re raise, he pushes, I call.  AJ vs 66, no ace or jack and the positions flip flop as I am down to 4,100.

Heads up happens to quick to write all the hands down.  It went back and forth for a while, we played heads up for nearly 4 levels.  I did catch a river 5 to stay in at one point and managed to get up to level chips.  However the final hand occurred, all in pre flop, KT vs A8, no help and I finish 2nd.  Again pleased with the result, my play was solid and I made the money again.

I decided to call it a night at this point, happy with my poker in general and looking forward to playing again tomorrow.  I am definitely enjoying playing online again, it still is no match for live play, but it means you can play whenever you want whilst only wearing your underwear.

NO BAD BEATS - 50% ITM today

[ThinkerJE]

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Had to go and do the big shop for Christmas this morning.  I hate shopping.  Lucky Morrisons (other supermarkets are available) was fairly quiet and we were able to wizz round in about an hour.  After lunch I fired up the laptop and back to the SNG"s.

15:33 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
1st hand I re raise with AK and get 1 caller.  I bet 300 into 430 pot on flop KT2 rainbow and take it down.  Up to 1,730 10/20 and 9 left.

Still in level 1 there is a raise and re raise in front.  I wake up in the SB with AA and pop it up to 670.  The re raiser calls the 470 more.  Flop 3 5 6 rainbow and I push all in for 800.  Insta called by 54off (!!!!!! wtf).  How is this clown still in with that hand???  Anyway I am ahead but I fear what is coming.  Turn 6 is okay, but river 7 is a killer and numpty wins a massive pot.  I"m down to 40.  So this guy re raises with 54 off then calls a massive re re raise.  I want this guy (or lady) on my table 100% of the time, just not today.

All in with Q9, no help and I am gone in 8th after only 13 minutes.  One of those things, move on to the next SNG.

15:50 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
Call a raise with Tc and we are 3 handed to the flop.  QT9 looks great but I have to fold to crazy all in action.  Ends up AQ vs KJ and the flopped straight knocks out the AQ.  Down to 1,300 with 15/30 blinds and 8 left.  That could have been alot worse and I did well not to get too involved with my middle pair/up and down draw.

Raise UTG with KK, matey pushes and I insta call.  KK vs JJ and no jack see me up to 2,545 with 25/50 blinds and 5 left, in good shape now.

I"m duckin n divin, without taking any risks and I manage to steer the thinker stack through the bubble.  3 handed I have 2,550 with 75/150 blinds and are 2nd in chips.

The button raises and SB flat calls.  Now I am looking to push in this spot and pick up the dead money, my range for this move is fairly loose.  As it happens I find 77 in BB and move all in.  I get called by AJ and the board KAKQ4 sends me to the rail in 3rd.  Pleased with the move, no brainer really.  The AJ call was strange as it came from the SB, why did he not re raise the button pre flop?  I probably move in anyway at these stacks and blinds, AJ is strong 3 handed but I would rather be pushing than calling all in with it.  In the money again so I am not too un happy.

16:43 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
I call a raise in position with but get no help from the board and have to release.  I like these spectulative hands early as long as I am not risking too much of my stack and potentially can win a massive pot.  Down to 1,310, 10/20 and 9 left.

We lose a couple of players and there is now a big chip daddy playing table captain and the other 6 stacks are very similar.  I am at 1,250 with 7 left and blinds 25/50.

I then get no hands and cannot find a spot to make a move.  I hate to let my chip stack get so low that I am losing my fold equity, however there was nothing I could do.  I had no cards and someone was always in the pot before me.  I am down to 900 with 50/100 blinds and still 7 left.

Finally I find a hand and its all in pre flop.  AQ vs 88, queen on turn doubles me up to 1,900.  Next hand I push with AK and are up to 2,200.  Card dead again and I fold my way to the bubble with 1,325 but blinds 100/200.

I push with A2 vs AJ of a smaller stack and get no help so I only have 475 left with 200 in the BB.  SB makes up and I check 67 off.  Flop 963, so I stick the remaining 275 in and he calls with QT.  He cannot fold for the chips and I need to avoid 6 outs.  5 on turn is okay, but river T is a killer and I bubble in 4th.  Damm I hate the bubble.  Happy with my play, there were long periods where I could not get anything going on a very active table.  I hate to let my chip stack get so low, but I could not find a spot (or cards) to get my chips in.

[ThinkerJE]

18:14 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
No raise and I find KQ in BB.  I check and the flop comes Q32 rainbow.  I bet out and get min raised, I call.  I am trying to control the pot size and not get too commited in the early levels, although I think I am ahead.  Turn is a blank, I check, matey bets and I call.  River is another blank and it goes check check.  He shows QT and I pick up a nice pot.  Up to 1,690 with 15/30 blinds and 9 left.  Some people may be more aggressive in that last hand, however I prefer to play passive in the early levels and try not to expose too many of my chips too early without the absolute nuts.

Nothing much happens in the next few levels.  I call a raise in position with KQ and bet out on a queen high board.  It gets called but a dangerous flush and straight card on the turn ensures it is checked to the river and I pick up another nice pot.  Up to 1,815 with 75/150 blinds and 6 left.

Then I get really lucky.  All in pre flop AK vs KK, the board AK2A7 comes to my rescue and I am up to 3,705 with 75/150 and 4 left (bubble time).  Not much else to say about this, the confrontation was unavoidable and I got so so lucky, especially after he flopped the set.

All in pre flop 88 vs AK (SS) and the board 28KQ6 means we are in the money and up to 5,239 with 100/200 blinds.

I start to use my stack to bully the other players and get up to 8k without a showdown.  We lose another player and are heads up 8.5k vs 5k.  We play for about a level and a half with the stacks pretty much the same before the final hand.  We have both been aggressive, the button has been raised most hands.  I continue this by raising with K6 and get called.  Flop is K68 (perfect).  Although I am super strong I bet about 3/4 of the pot hoping he won"t believe me.  Sure enough he move all in and I call.  He was on the complete bluff with J7 and I take the victory.

Another solid display, I got very lucky with AK vs KK, but that"s poker and I am happy I made the most of my good fortune to take the win.

[ThinkerJE]

19:31 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
No raise and I check 56 in BB.  Flop 775 (2 hearts) and I bet to find out where I am at.  I get one caller.  Turn is black 2 and I bet again and get called.  I bet the turn hoping to check the river as there are lots of bad cards for me, not that I am definitely winning at the moment.  River is a 3rd heart and I check and fold to a bet.  He shows the flush.  From what I know about this player he likes to chase his draws and short of moving in on the flop he may never pass in that spot.  Down to 1,280 with 10/20 blinds and 9 left.  Still early doors and plenty of time left.

Call a raise in position with 22.  Flop Td .  I check raise to take down the pot.  Up to 1,500 still 10/20 blinds.

SS moves all in for about 400 and I call with 77 vs AJ, but a jack on the flop takes me down to 1,025, 15/30 and 8 left.

I get no hands for the next level and I am now the short stack with 800, 50/100 and 6 left.  I finally find a spot to move in with vs but get no help from the board and are gone in 6th. 

Couldn"t get going in this game, never got above starting stack and struggled to find decent spots throughout the 40 minutes I was in.  Move on to the next SNG.

20:14 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
There is a raise and call in front and I find 99 in BB.  I could re raise here but decide to control the pot by just calling.  Flop TK2 (all hearts), turn , river Td.  It is checked all the way to the river and the nine"s are good (to my amazement).  Up to 1,710 with 15/30 and 8 left.

Next level I am in BB with A7 and have to call bets on the turn and river on a QTQT4 board, matey had a queen.  Down to 1,330 25/50 and 7 left.

Then a cooler, all in pre flop JJ vs KK, plays itself and no miracle this time, down to 100, 75/150 6 left.

All in BB for 100, 74 vs AJ, board T4389, survive up to 300, 75/150 5 left.

All in SB for 300 AK vs AJ, board 7384K, survive again, up to 600 75/150 5 left.

I am now beginning to think of great comebacks and what a story this will make. then this happens.

All in on button for 600 42 vs 44 (ouch!!!) 9J525 board and the comeback is over, gone in 5th.  I had to sugababe (push the button) when it folded to me and 600 is enough to make the BB pass without a decent hand.  Unfortunately he had the worse hand and it was all she wrote.  JJ vs KK early again is unavoidable and just one of those things.

22:24 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
2nd level I raise in late position with AT and get called.  My continuation bet is check raised and I have to release.  Down to 1,200, 25/50 with 8 left.

UTG min raises and gets 2 callers.  Td in BB and its 100 to call into 750 pot, I call.  Flop is .  I push all in, 1,000 into 850 pot.  I want to pick it up now but hopefully have outs if called.  I get called by 88.  I have 12 outs twice and so are nearly 50/50.  Alas no ten or diamond and I depart in 7th.  I like the play, being aggressive and forcing the call, knowing I would have outs.  Another day I hit and win a very nice pot.  NEXT!!!

23:07 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
I limp UTG with 66.  4 players see a flop 6 Q A.  I check and matey bets, I flat call.  2 to the turn which is a trey.  I check, he bets again and I flat call.  I know I am ahead and intend to milk the most out of him.  River is a jack (I know he doesn"t have KT and I am winning), I check and he bets.  I min raise and he folds.  Up to 2,200, 15/30 and 9 left.  Normally I like to play sets faster but I felt he would do the betting for me so the passive way was better in this situation.  Probably got the most out of him, not sure how he can fold on the end to the min raise, unless he had a complete goo ball all along.

Keeping out of trouble, duckin n divin, up to 2,460 at 50/100 with 6 left.  I fold my way to the bubble having 2,110, 75/150, 4 left and I am the short stack.

My stack is getting eaten away as I cannot find a spot.  Finally I am all in pre flop 77 vs AQ flop T4A (damm), turn 7 (wow) river 4.  That was a big turn card and means I survive.  However next hand I am all in again pre flop AQ vs 88, board 62998 and I bubble, gone in 4th.  I HATE THE BUBBLE.

00:07 $30 + $3 Pokerstars
I raise with KK and get called.  I bet the flop with an ace on it and get raised so I have to release.  Down to 1,400 early in level 1.

I call a SS all in with TT vs JJ, no help and down to 1,015, 25/50 and 7 left.  Then a few hands later its all in pre flop JJ vs QQ.  I get some help from the flop TJK, the turn 7 is great also but the A on the river knocks me out in 7th.  Again this played itself.  I was way behind pre flop but the board is still a pretty sick way to lose after going ahead on the flop.  Thats poker.

I had had enough now and called it a night.

[ThinkerJE]

Thursday 18 December 2008

I had a few things to do today so I decided to have a day off from online poker.

So far my progress is as follows;

Played 34
1st 5 - 15%
2nd 6 - 18%
3rd 3 - 9%

This gives me 41% ITM and a profit of $167 - ROI 15%

This is not a bad start and I hope to get the ITM %age up to 50% and also increase my ROI as I play more. 

One thing I have noticed is that I have bubbled 5 times (15%).  This ia an area I need to improve on.  I have done alot of the hard work to make the final four, I just need to push on and convert money of those positions into cash finishes.  Apart from that I am happy with my play overall and most importantly I am enjoying playing online poker again.

NO BAD BEATS - Still in profit.

[Chipaccrual]

Great Stuff James.


Oh, and Happy Birthday  

[lukybugur]

Happy Birthday James - deep breath ... iiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiii i

[Laxie]

Happy Birthday!!!

[monkeyman]

Give it time........
  I"ve always found that I tend to endure more sequences on Pokerstars than other sites i.e. will frequently win three or four on the trot then lose a similar number whereas with other sites it seems to be a lot more even. Is this just me?

[ThinkerJE]

Ok I realise I have not posted this year, but I thought that I would update.

Basically I have continued playing SNG"s at the $30 level and have been doing good in 2009.  January was a losing month, but I was well ahead in February & March and April has started in profit.

I tend to play 3 or 4 nights a week and I have started to play 2 tables at once which I have found has improved my return.

The goal at the moment is to build my bankroll so that I can move up to the $50 level and I think I will be ready to move up in the next few weeks.

I will post my current stats and then try and update my progress throught the rest of the year.

[mal666]

Instead of moving up a level why not increase the number of tables you are playing? Moving  up when you can consistently beat 6-8 tables at your chosen stake would be a far better option imo.

[hi_am_chris]

agree with mal, and learning to play 4 to 8 tables now could prove invaluable for future profit and the speed in which you make that profit both in sngs, cash and mtt"s