888 Bankroll recovery

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
yeah, well I could have folded of course, but if you're going to fold your best chances, you may as well not play poker

Exactly. And it's important not to have any regrets after those spots, or else you end up dragging yourself into spots where your risk-aversion causes you to lose for sure, rather than just running a risk of losing. At least that's what I've noticed in my case.

Hang on — why are the chips all coming to me?

Pacific Poker - 25/50 Ante 5 NL - Holdem - 9 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 2,869
BTN: 2,839
SB: 2,961
Hero (BB): 2,985
UTG: 2,914
UTG+1: 2,914
MP: 2,914
MP+1: 2,904
MP+2: 6,700

9 players post ante of 5, SB posts SB 25, Hero posts BB 50

Pre Flop: (pot: 120) Hero has A♠:7♠:

fold, fold, fold, fold, MP+2 calls 50, fold, fold, SB calls 25, Hero checks

Flop: (195, 3 players) J♥:A♦:4♦:
SB checks, Hero checks, MP+2 bets 50, fold, Hero raises to 300, MP+2 calls 250

Turn: (795, 2 players) 4♠:
Hero bets 524, MP+2 raises to 1,048, Hero calls 524

River: (2,891, 2 players) Q♠:
Hero bets 1,582 and is all-in, MP+2 calls 1,582

Hero shows A♠:7♠: (Two Pair, Aces and Fours)
(Pre 55%, Flop 80%, Turn 95%)
MP+2 shows J♣:Q♣: (Two Pair, Queens and Jacks)
(Pre 45%, Flop 20%, Turn 5%)
Hero wins 6,055

I failed to notice that the board pairing rendered his two pair suckout quite useless

As always, it could have been better, it could have been worse.[1]

    Category    Won  Count 
         F/R   1.85      3 
        Misc   0.13      1 
        PLO8  -7.50      1 
        HotD   1.00      1 
 Grand Total  -4.52      6 

I have been playing passive pre-flop in PLO8, but aggro post-flop.
I may experiment with reversing that.
The problem is that being passive pre means only entering pots for small amounts, even when the hands have significant equity.
If they hit, then bet hard — the problem is that one often runs into reverse implied odds like today.

The alternative is to get some money into the pot pre-flop, but be OK with leaving it there in those cases where there is no real chance of scooping — or even getting half the pot.

[1] When looking things over, it was actually better than I expected, but not as good as I'd hoped

more-or-less
As mentioned elsewhere I went with my daughter to the BC Highland Games, and we had a great time, but I missed the tournaments today.

When I got home I had half an hour or so to get the hand-of-the-day (AT today) so I played some NL 5 Snap.

Why is it that my best hands all should have been folds?

Hand #1

Hand #2

Weekly Results
    Category    Won  Count 
         F/R   6.61     10 
        Misc   0.22      3 
        NLHE   9.21      4 
        PLO8  -5.25      6 
        HotD   3.00      5 
         Adj  -0.15      1 
 Grand Total  13.64     29 

The Challenge Thus Far
  Start  Last Wk  This Wk    +/-      Goal  To Date     To Go 
 675.88   867.98   881.62  13.64  3,500.00   205.74  3,294.26 

Won 2 out of the three 87 hands I saw, but then the table broke
But picked up $4.30 along the way.

I've gone back to buying in for 100 BB — it seems just too stupid to win 20BB when I could have won 100.
I've really tightened up pre-flop too, but I will chase a little bit wider post-flop, since I've discovered players are bluffing flops quite a bit.
I'll even raise flops vs players who tend to lead flops a lot:
This hand doesn't quite fit that description, but opponent is aggro post-flop over the few hands I've seen.

Pacific Poker - $0.05 PL Hi/Lo - Omaha Hi/Lo - 7 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BB): $5.00
UTG: $15.58
UTG+1: $2.86
MP: $14.92
CO: $10.17
BTN: $6.70
SB: $3.58

SB posts SB $0.02, Hero posts BB $0.05

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.07) Hero has K♣:T♣:2♠:Q♠:

UTG raises to $0.10, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero calls $0.05

Flop: ($0.22, 2 players) 8♣:T♠:3♦:
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.14, Hero raises to $0.64, fold

Hero wins $0.47
Rake paid $0.03

The week is starting well...
I had the HotD reward ($1.00) with only 22 hands played.
I got 3/4'd early on, but managed to finish the session down less than a dollar

I'm getting a bit concerned about the monthly reward — last month it appeared on the same day I won the fifteenth daily reward.
I've now succeeded on 17 days, but still nothing.

Dare I contact 888 support?

Modest success — cashed in two of 5 freerolls
    Category    Won  Count 
         F/R   1.00      2 
        PLO8  -0.78      1 
        HotD   1.00      1 
    cashback   0.09      1 
 Grand Total   1.31      5 

We have a new record too — $890.49 so officially within $10 of $900

It's a real thing
A force all-in just after the bubble burst gives me a quadruple-up
Pacific Poker - 4000/8000 Ante 800 NL - Holdem - 9 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 29,522
Hero (BB): 7,995
UTG: 1,938
UTG+1: 10,389
MP: 4,151
MP+1: 15,312
MP+2: 25,325
CO: 3,797
BTN: 17,719

9 players post ante of 800, SB posts SB 4,000, Hero posts BB 7,195

Pre Flop: (pot: 18,395) Hero has T♣:4♣:

fold, UTG+1 raises to 9,589 and is all-in, fold, MP+1 raises to 14,512 and is all-in, fold, CO calls 2,997 and is all-in, fold, fold

Flop: (40,570, 4 players) 7♥:J♣:9♦:

Turn: (40,570, 4 players) 8♥:

River: (40,570, 4 players) J♦:

Hero shows T♣:4♣: (Straight, Jack High)

Main Pot [22,185]: (Pre 19%, Flop 17%, Turn 84%)
Side Pot#1 [13,597]: (Pre 24%, Flop 28%, Turn 95%)

UTG+1 shows 4♠:A♣: (One Pair, Jacks)

Main Pot [22,185]: (Pre 16%, Flop 9%, Turn 3%)
Side Pot#1 [13,597]: (Pre 16%, Flop 9%, Turn 3%)
Side Pot#2 [4,788]: (Pre 22%, Flop 11%, Turn 9%)

MP+1 shows K♦:A♠: (One Pair, Jacks)

Main Pot [22,185]: (Pre 79%, Flop 89%, Turn 91%)
Side Pot#1 [13,597]: (Pre 79%, Flop 89%, Turn 91%)
Side Pot#2 [4,788]: (Pre 79%, Flop 89%, Turn 91%)

CO shows 8♣:7♠: (Two Pair, Jacks and Eights)

Main Pot [22,185]: (Pre 100%, Flop 100%, Turn 100%)

Hero wins 22,185
Hero wins 13,597
MP+1 wins 4,788

totally suck

And still no monthy HotD reward
    Category    Won  Count 
         F/R   0.60      1 
        NLHE   1.87      1 
        PLO8  -6.07      1 
        HotD   0.50      1 
         Adj  -0.07      1 
 Grand Total  -3.17      5 

and it still isn't over

Cashed in 2 freerolls, as well as the $1 Big Shot[1]
    Category    Won  Count 
         F/R   0.95      2 
        PLO8  -0.03      1 
         TRN   3.53      2 
        HotD   1.00      1 
    cashback   0.04      1 
 Grand Total   5.49      7 

I played the $1 Big Shot tournament the same way I play the freerolls — and I cash in those a fair bit, so I'm guessing my play isn't too far out of line.
Two notable hands:
In the first one, I contemplated merely raising, but I with just under 15 BB left, shoving seemed correct

In this next one, I did 3Bet 4x the opening bet — opponent is not a believer apparently

[1] I had a ticket to the $1 Big Shot, as well as a ticket to a 10¢ Blast
I'm back to within 15 cents of my highest BR

Hey Vorpal!

I read through your last several posts, and I enjoy your blog, thanks for sharing!

With that $0.10 blast tickets you can enter either a 10c 10 seats GTD satellite to Big shot 1 directly, or run for a 10 1$ ticket GTD tournament what gives you an universal $1 ticket. These tournaments are so soft you will always get more than 1 ITM in every 10 try, so I would say they worth it. I always reg late, like just before the last blind level of the late registration period, and wait for a hand I can double up with. This way you can constantly run the Big Shot 1 for as little as 10c, so even mincashing makes a nice profit compared to your buy-in.

I really wish I can read about your new record today, good luck at the tables!

Originally posted by Tamaseger
Hey Vorpal!

I read through your last several posts, and I enjoy your blog, thanks for sharing!

Thanks!

Originally posted by Tamaseger
With that $0.10 blast tickets you can enter either a 10c 10 seats GTD satellite to Big shot 1 directly, or run for a 10 1$ ticket GTD tournament what gives you an universal $1 ticket. These tournaments are so soft you will always get more than 1 ITM in every 10 try, so I would say they worth it. I always reg late, like just before the last blind level of the late registration period, and wait for a hand I can double up with. This way you can constantly run the Big Shot 1 for as little as 10c, so even mincashing makes a nice profit compared to your buy-in.

I will try that — normally I avoid 888 satellites, since they are massive shove-fests, and you need to get supremely lucky, but your idea of last-minute registration has promise.

Originally posted by Tamaseger
I really wish I can read about your new record today, good luck at the tables!

Yeah, me too

But MAN what a struggle to get there.

The observant among you will no doubt notice that the hold'em cancelled out the plo8 — almost — finishing down 2 cents in cash games.
But 2 freerolls and a HotD put me in profit.

I also got a cashback spin — and a 2% cashback — but in the end my 888 bankroll was 14 cents less that PT4 thought it should be — even after correcting all the errors.

I've asked 888 support for help, so perhaps we'll have this resolved by Canada Day.
I've also sent the problematic hand off to PT4 support for their insights.

Today by Category
    Category    Won  Count 
         F/R   0.80      2 
        NLHE   4.51      1 
        PLO8  -4.53      1 
        HotD   1.00      1 
         Adj  -0.14      1 
 Grand Total   1.64      6 

Hold'em

PLO8

Congratulations on your new record!

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
I will try that — normally I avoid 888 satellites, since they are massive shove-fests, and you need to get supremely lucky, but your idea of last-minute registration has promise.

That's another nice thing in reging late to these events is most instable players (those shove with 40bb effective) are usually long gone when you enter the tournament.

Originally posted by Tamaseger
Congratulations on your new record!

Thanks!

Originally posted by Tamaseger
That's another nice thing in reging late to these events is most instable players (those shove with 40bb effective) are usually long gone when you enter the tournament.

Unfortunately in today's effort I was card dead most of the way — doubled up once, lost most of it, doubled up again, then lost it all well of the money.

On the plus side I picked up a $5 ticket in today's gift drop.
I'll use that in the Made-to-Amaze tournament this Sunday — Last Sunday's tournament had only 1475 players for a $10,000 prize pool.
That is an astonishingly large overlay. Not only that but the first place finisher gets your year of birth in $1 Blast tickets. It pays to be young.

888 Support got back to me right away about my cashback strangeness — They reported that I got 4 cents one day and 7 the next.
Over the 4 years I've been playing on 888 I have uncovered quite a few errors in their hand histories.
At the limits I play it is never more than a few cents discrepancy, but still...

I haven't seen one of these in a while
The reason that it is magic is that it gives you a better high hand when two players have a wheel for low
In this case, opponent has no low, so I get all the lolly

Pacific Poker - $0.05 PL Hi/Lo - Omaha Hi/Lo - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: $0.19
BTN: $1.66
SB: $2.39
Hero (BB): $6.31

SB posts SB $0.02, Hero posts BB $0.05

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.07) Hero has 3♣:4♥:A♣:6♠:

CO calls $0.05, BTN calls $0.05, SB calls $0.03, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.20, 4 players) 5♣:2♠:3♠:
SB checks, Hero bets $0.05, CO calls $0.05, fold, fold

Turn: ($0.30, 2 players) Q♦:
Hero bets $0.10, CO calls $0.09 and is all-in

River: ($0.48, 2 players) 9♥:

CO shows 5♦:3♥:6♣:2♥: (Two Pair, Fives and Threes)
(Pre 37%, Flop 14%, Turn 8%)
Hero shows 3♣:4♥:A♣:6♠: (High: Straight, Six High, Low: 5432A)
(Pre 63%, Flop 86%, Turn 92%)
Hero wins $0.23
Rake paid $0.02
Hero wins $0.23

and within a buck of $900
Current Bankroll: 899.83

By Category:
    Category    Won  Count 
         F/R   4.85     11 
        Misc   0.04      1 
        NLHE   8.12      3 
         PLO   2.03      1 
        PLO8  -4.96      8 
         TRN   2.53      3 
        HotD   5.50      6 
         Adj  -0.13      3 
    cashback   0.23      4 
 Grand Total  18.21     40 

Today's hand-of-the-day is 87, and at this point I've already lost a buy-in when flopped set of 8s didn't hold — so this hand put me back in

Pacific Poker - $0.05 PL Hi/Lo - Omaha Hi/Lo - 2 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (SB): $9.63
BB: $6.01

Hero posts SB $0.02, BB posts BB $0.05

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.07) Hero has A♠:A♦:T♣:2♦:

Hero raises to $0.15, BB calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.30, 2 players) 3♠:4♥:T♠:
Hero bets $0.19, BB calls $0.19

Turn: ($0.68, 2 players) K♣:
Hero bets $0.68, BB raises to $2.72, Hero calls $2.04

River: ($6.12, 2 players) 4♠:
Hero bets $6.12, BB calls $2.95 and is all-in

Hero shows A♠:A♦:T♣:2♦: (Two Pair, Aces and Fours)
(Pre 73%, Flop 72%, Turn 38%)
BB shows 5♥:2♥:T♥:K♥: (Two Pair, Kings and Tens)
(Pre 27%, Flop 28%, Turn 63%)
Hero wins $11.31
Rake paid $0.71

Only 1 tournament cash out of 8 tournaments
However one of those was for $5.00, I finished PLO8 in profit, and managed to gain yet another hand-of-the-day reward

Quads over Quads — check it out — https://www.pokerstrategy.com/forum/thread.php?postid=3324823#post3324823

New Record — $908.12
So new giraffe

The entire Challenge by Category:
    Category      Won  Count 
     Bal Fwd     0.20      1 
         F/R   863.33   1069 
        Misc   102.63     89 
        NLHE  -143.65    204 
         PLO   -14.82      3 
        PLO8  -292.93    407 
         TRN   292.04    228 
        HotD   101.50     74 
         Adj    -2.76     14 
    cashback     2.58     14 
 Grand Total   908.12   2103 

No Cashes, and down nearly 2 Buy-ins
I ran into runner-runner so often I thought I was in a relay race.

I'm just a shade under $900 once again.