enemaz poker musings

Had my first session back in 0.25/0.5 after a bit of a downswing. Started out really good, made almost 10$ in 10-15 minutes. Some draws hit and i was down to 6$ profit so im taking a break to prevent tilt and further frustration.

Here are some hands:

Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:

Play hand

$0.25/$0.5 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A:s, 7:s.
UTG2 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, Hero calls, 2 folds, SB calls, BB checks.

Flop: (6 SB) 6:c, 8:d, A:d (7 players)
SB bets, BB folds, UTG2 raises, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, Hero calls, SB folds.

Turn: (6.5 BB) 6:d (4 players)
UTG2 bets, MP2 raises, Hero folds, UTG2 folds.

Final Pot: 9.5 BB.

I probably shoulda 3-bet the flop, but in a multiway pot i was afraid i was dominated. I folded here and didnt calldown because MP2 had stats like PR 2, Afq 20, even though i had a small sample, as i got further along in the session i saw how passive he was so im assuming i made a good laydown here.

Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:

Play hand

$0.25/$0.5 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9:d, 9:c.
UTG1 calls, UTG2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, Hero raises, BU calls, SB folds, BB calls, UTG1 calls, MP1 calls.

Flop: (10.4 SB) T:h, 2:c, 6:c (5 players)
BB checks, UTG1 checks, MP1 bets, Hero raises, BU calls, BB folds, UTG1 calls, MP1 calls.

Turn: (9.2 BB) Q:d (4 players)
UTG1 checks, MP1 checks, Hero checks, BU checks.

River: (9.2 BB) 5:s (4 players)
UTG1 checks, MP1 checks, Hero checks, BU checks.

Final Pot: 9.2 BB.
Results follow:

Hero shows a pair of nines(9:d 9:c).
BU shows a pair of sixs(K:d 6:d).
MP1 shows a pair of tens(T:s K:s).
UTG1 shows a pair of fives(4:c 5:d).

MP1 wins with a pair of tens(T:s K:s).

This was the loosest table i've ever played at, 70% P/Flop(!!)
I raised the flop to isolate and in case he was drawing. After all the callers i hardly see myself ahead here so i was planning on check/fold to any opposition.

Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:

Play hand

$0.25/$0.5 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J:h, T:d.
6 folds, Hero raises, BB calls.

Flop: (4 SB) A:c, Q:h, 8:h (3 players)
Hero bets, BB raises, Hero calls.

Turn: (4 BB) 4:h (3 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, Hero calls.

River: (6 BB) 6:h (3 players)
Hero bets, BB raises, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10 BB.
Results follow:

Hero shows a flush, queen high(J:h T:d).
BB shows a flush, ace high(A:h 4:c).

BB wins with a flush, ace high(A:h 4:c).

I guess this hand is pretty standard..

Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:

Play hand

$0.25/$0.5 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with T:d, J:c.
CO posts deadblind, 2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO checks, BU calls, Hero calls, BB checks.

Flop: (7 SB) 7:c, J:s, T:s (7 players)
Hero bets, BB folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, CO calls, BU calls.

Turn: (5.5 BB) 4:d (4 players)
Hero bets, MP2 calls, CO folds, BU calls.

River: (8.5 BB) K:d (3 players)
Hero bets, MP2 raises, BU folds, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 12.5 BB.
Results follow:

Hero shows two pairs, jacks and tens(T:d J:c).
MP2 shows a pair of jacks(J:d A:s).

Hero wins with two pairs, jacks and tens(T:d J:c).

I wasnt sure if i should 3-bet here, some straights got there and villain was passive all along. Noted the guy for waiting till river to bet out TPTK on a draw heavy board multiway.

Just had a series of 3-4 bad beats when i was dominating in SNG.
After my AK gets cracked by A5 for a river wheel, my 9s by 7s river 7 and my AQ by AT by someone really really bad im a bit frustrated (all of them in POF state). I got my money in while ahead, but it's like every hand i saw the worst case scenario happen and it did.
If i could quit the last sng im playing at i would quit and call it a day, but no refunds for SNG :\ (as i'm writing these lines i cashed for 3rd place)

Also in FL after my morning session i had a losing one. Im pretty sure i made the right decisions most of the time, but sometimes that isnt good enough and the cards dont hold up. Im not doing so well in 0.25/0.5 and im gonna have to move back down to 0.1/0.2 due to insufficient BR (~133$). In 0.1/0.2 the money comes a lot easier due to the fishy players. In 0.25/0.5 the players are fishy as well, but i cant seem to have a winning streak. I haven't played many hands so it's a bit early to be frustrated and it could just be that bitch named variance :).
Writing these lines i feel my mood improving a bit, and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Every scar is a lesson, and from lessons we learn, and by learning the moniez will come

Had a good FL 0.1/0.2 session right now, in 350 hands i was up 4.8$ after a morning -3.5$ session
Only mistake i noticed making was missing a value bet. Sometimes i got locked on to a certain read of the opponent and i forget to take into account the strength of my own hand. I had AQo, on turn i made a Q high straight and i had a nut flush draw and i didnt cap the turn because for some reason i got it into my head that my opponent had KQ for a K high straight. On the river i hit my nut flush so that wasnt an issue anymore ♦

In the SNG front i managed to make it ITM more than 35% of the time, but too many 2nd and 3rd finishes so im down 7.2$

So far it's been a pretty good day. Had a 4 table SNG session this morning and i won 1st and 2nd place in 2 of them.
After that i had a good FL session which started out great, made 4-5$ in 100 hands, but then it went down to around 1-2$.
After that i took a break (played some rock band, read a little, took a nap) and had another FL session in the green, and this is [rpbably the best hand i've had in a while:

Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:

Play hand

$0.1/$0.2 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 6:h, 6:d.
UTG1 folds, UTG2 raises, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, Hero calls, BU calls, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: (10.5 SB) T:h, 2:d, 6:c (5 players)
BB checks, UTG2 checks, MP2 bets, Hero raises, BU 3-Bets, BB calls, UTG2 folds, MP2 folds, Hero caps, BU calls, BB calls.

Turn: (11.75 BB) 6:s (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BU raises, BB calls, Hero 3-Bets, BU caps, BB calls, Hero calls.

River: (23.75 BB) 3:d (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BU raises, BB folds, Hero 3-Bets, BU caps, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 31.75 BB.
Results follow:

Hero shows four of a kind, sixs(6:h 6:d).
BU shows a full-house, tens full of sixs(T:s T:d).

Hero wins with four of a kind, sixs(6:h 6:d).

This hand made me feel like Gus Hansen in HSP ♦
I think after the turn cap i told myself: "holy shit, i think this guy has TT" KACHING!! $$$$ ♦

Originally posted by enemaze
This hand made me feel like Gus Hansen on HSP ♦
I think after the turn cap i told myself: "holy shit, i think this guy has TT" KACHING!! $$$$ ♦

Yeah, in those places i hate playing FL cause capping is just not enough!! You really want to stack the guy ♠_grin:

The morning session started out quite well, got my bankroll up to ~145$. I decided to have another go at 0.25/0.5. I started the session with an insane upswing, my draws hit in multiway pots and villains shipped it ♦
Made some good laydowns, and also i had a few successful bluffs in multiway (!!!) pots. i had a +12$ session so im quite happy with the results and i managed to erase my losses in FL and even make it in the green for this month. Hopefully ill keep it up

Been running insanely hot these couple of days at 0.25/0.5. Im up about 50$ in 4-3 days which is pretty sick considering the fact i play about 400-600 hands per day. My BR is now 202$, and playing at 0.25/0.5 i can easily get myself at least a bronze iron man status, so that should be beneficial as well. So things are going quite well this weekend. I've been playing the best i can and im seeing results, my cards are holding up, and i scoop in pot after pot. Doesn't get better than this

Still waiting for the bad streak to come my way, after all, what goes up must come down, at least temporarily, that's just the way poker is. I think experiencing this upswing will certainly help me get through my future downswings, just remembering how easily i can win my money back is a great motivation.

There are 18 days left in September, if my BR will reach 250$ by the end of the month, and along with the 50$ from take 2, it will be a month to remember and a huge leap toward my goals. Im just feeling really optimistic

After a losing session yesterday im back in the green and b/e after these 2 days. I wanted to show 2 hands. I've seen a lot of badly played hands in my ~15k hands of FL. I think this is one of the most poorly played hands i've ever seen an opponent play:

Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:

Play hand

$0.25/$0.5 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 6:s, T:s.
CO posts deadblind, UTG2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO checks, BU calls, SB folds, Hero checks.

Flop: (5.4 SB) 4:s, 2:c, 6:c (6 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, BU folds.

Turn: (4.7 BB) 9:s (5 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls.

River: (8.7 BB) 3:s (5 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls, MP3 folds, CO folds.

Final Pot: 10.7 BB.
Results follow:

Hero shows a flush, ten high(6:s T:s).
MP1 shows a flush, jack high(5:s J:s).

MP1 wins with a flush, jack high(5:s J:s).

Limp with J5s, calling after completely missing the flop.
Call on turn in understandable, but calling with a flush? Gotta love them fish saving me my money when they hit

This other hand from today is the biggest pot i've seen in FL to date. I missclicked at first, but it turned out to be a profitable move. Got really unlucky at the river, but next time hopefully this 17$ pot will be mine :drooling:

Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:

Play hand

$0.25/$0.5 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7:s, 7:d.
UTG1 raises, UTG2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO calls, 2 folds, Hero 3-Bets, UTG1 caps, MP1 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (20.4 SB) 9:d, 7:h, 5:h (5 players)
Hero bets, UTG1 raises, MP1 calls, MP3 calls, CO folds, Hero 3-Bets, UTG1 caps, MP1 calls, MP3 calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (18.2 BB) 2:s (4 players)
Hero bets, UTG1 raises, MP1 calls, MP3 calls, Hero 3-Bets, UTG1 caps, MP1 calls, MP3 calls, Hero calls.

River: (34.2 BB) 4:h (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG1 checks, MP1 bets, MP3 calls, Hero calls, UTG1 calls.

Final Pot: 38.2 BB.
Results follow:

Hero shows three of a kind, sevens(7:s 7:d).
MP3 shows a flush, ten high(T:h 8:h).
UTG1 shows a pair of aces(A:d A:h).
MP1 shows a flush, king high(J:h K:h).

MP1 wins with a flush, king high(J:h K:h).

What im happy about in this hand is the fact that i noticed how i'd vastly improved since beginning FL. First, i didnt tilt after losing a huge pot. I just said better luck next time and kept on playing. Second, my reads were dead on. I knew UTG1 didnt have 99 and probably had an overpair he was trying to protect. I knew the other villains were drawing and that i had the best hand till the river. I had a similar hand in one of my first sessions where i misplayed it by overplaying my flopped set, and besides the preflop 3-bet which was a missclick, i think this hand is played perfectly.

Had a pretty bad day. Started the day i was up about 6$, took a break and then i was down to -10$. I began the session, and i dont know why but i was really spewy, trying all sorts of moves and the outcome wasnt good at all. I caught myself and returned to my normal play. Some bad beats, coolers, but my play from that point i think was fine so i didnt mind the losses.

After that session i played again, and again i was spewing. And again, i noticed it and went back to my regular game. But then my monster hands didnt get payed off, my good hands were either outdrawn or not enough, and voila im down 30 for the day. I got pissed off that i was outdrawn by really bad players, but i dont think it effected my game. Of course it's possible i made some additional mistakes, but i think overall my play was solid.

It's not the losses that concern me so much, in most cases i just ran into monsters, the spewing at the beginning of the session concerns me more. Hopefully ill return to my normal form next sessions and this is just a one time slip.

Im done for today, not that i think that my losses will effect my play, but im afraid if i lose even more it might lead me to a spiral of doom and tilt so im just gonna stop and tend to other things. Hopefully tomorrow i will gain some of it back, and even if not, just do my best to get out of this micro-hell.

Had a great morning session after another not so good day yesterday. Was running well and the idiots payed me off instead of the other way around
It's been a swingy month so far, but im happy at the much needed experience im gaining.

Wow, it's trully been a sick day for me.

Up around 95BB in 500 hands. I flopped the nuts like 4 times with connected cards My big hands came often and won, and today the field was exceptionally full of fish, calling stations and maniacs that love to inflate my BR. I made back all my losses from the last 2 days. So sick.

Had a table with a real maniac. never seen anything like it. I somehow always managed to come up short against him, but hopefully ill see him at the tables in future sessions ♦

This just goes to show what i was up against:

Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter:

Play hand

$0.25/$0.5 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (7 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BU with 6:d, Q:d.
2 folds, MP3 calls, CO raises, 3 folds, MP3 calls.

Flop: (5.4 SB) K:s, A:s, T:h (2 players)
MP3 bets, CO raises, MP3 3-Bets, CO calls.

Turn: (5.7 BB) K:h (2 players)
MP3 bets, CO raises, MP3 calls.

River: (9.7 BB) A:c (2 players)
MP3 checks, CO bets, MP3 calls.

Final Pot: 11.7 BB.
Results follow:

CO shows a full-house, aces full of kings(A:h K:c).
MP3 shows two pairs, aces and kings(3:d 6:h).

CO wins with a full-house, aces full of kings(A:h K:c).

Still had a pretty good day, im happy with any day in the green
Not sure i played my A game today, probably about 90%-85%. Spewed off a bit of chips with marginal calls, so i have some spots to work on.

I think i sort of came up with a plan of action for the near future.
When i get to the required BR for 0.5/1 (im sure i will, 0.25/0.5 is easilly beatable) i think i might want to review my game by someone with more experience and just make sure my game is up to par to play in 0.5/1 and above. I want a more objective person to spot my leaks.
I want my game to be the best it can be before going to SH. I want to improve my postflop game, which is probably one of the most important things in SH.
Im starting to incorporate a bit of table selection into my play. Almost every table at my current limit is rather fishy, but im paying a lot more attention to the level of players at each table and adapting to it.

So overall, im hoping that by the end of october, i will be playing at 0.5/1 in top form.

Hey. I see you are doing good at FL

BTW, if you want for your signature to be clickable, you have to enable BB code.
Go to your profile/edit signature and click "options" below that text window. There you will see checkbox "deactive BB code" and uncheck it.

GL at the tables.

First i would like to open this post by thanking CoreySteel for making my blog more accessible ♦

Im a bit frustrated that my BR just zigzags up and down, from 150-220 like a bloody sine wave (couldnt help making the geeky analogy ♦). Last night i had a losing day, and at night i was looking in FTP and saw the fish had come out to play. Although tempting, i knew that if i would lose it would probably effect my mood and it's just not worth it. So i read a bit and just went to sleep. Today had a +15$ session, not too bad..

I think im starting to get a little fed up with FL. Maybe i was just a bit frustrated yesterday, but perhaps it's time to get acquainted with another variant. Im not really in the mood for SNGs so i was thinking of maybe learning some PLO, and i read a bit of the articles today. So far im still gonna stick to FL, but maybe sometime soon I will try out PLO. Maybe when i have a bigger BR, playing PLO2 seems a bit.. bah and i dont have the necessary BR for PLO10 so maybe ill wait a bit. Anyway, im gonna start by studying and watching videos before i actually play.

BTW, today is the first day of the Jewish new year, so happy new year everyone! ♦

roee_st.
Is this you on FTP?
If this is then I have played you a bit today, and I think that you should keep at it but play a little less aggresive. If I have the right guy maybe we will bump into each other this week.

Yeah it's me
Sometimes i get a little over aggressive, but my AF is 2 so that's pretty much standard. What's your screen name? Maybe we can sweat a session or 2
BTW sometimes i intentionally bluff and play over aggressive in sessions to build an image

Originally posted by enemaze
BTW sometimes i intentionally bluff and play over aggressive in sessions to build an image

My kind of guy!! Some times i do it just to see how much heat others can withstand!! Hope that sweat session is open to more players ;-) Some day... ;-) Keep up the good runs...

Could u post AF by position?? Thanks

"BTW sometimes i intentionally bluff and play over aggressive in sessions to build an image"

For a session is ok but the regulars pick up on this and will get you next time! Luckly for me I missed the flop so I was not going to invest more. I noticed the speed you bet and raised after a couple of hands, and the amount preflop you were raising and made some notes which is why I remembered the name. After a while I had a feeling that you may be bluffin at a few pots.

Ahh screen name, you know what it is, and if not you will next time we play!

I've always told myself that i need to slow down my actions. First it let's me better analyze the situation, and 2nd, when i need time to think and have a hard decision i wont be giving any timing tells. Maybe i should start doing that..

Anyway, here are all my stats for now.