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Onwards and (sort of) sideways
Aug. 18th, 2005 01:08 pmWhat is it about August? My plants die, and the hands that I play turn to dust. At the moment, I think that I should stick to Omaha, because I can't win a carrot at anything else.
The irony of it at the moment is that I feel I am playing well. Indeed, I often play better when I am in a bad run than when I am in a good run, because I know that every dollar counts. It's a lot easier to be relaxed about missing a bet when you seem to be getting a big pocket pair every round and your small pairs invariably transmute into sets on the flop.
So at the moment it's just struggle struggle struggle. Here's another hand that went wrong but which I feel I played well.
SB: Loose
BB: Loose-aggressive-macho
MP2: Aggressive
Button: Me : 5c 5s
Ring game, $5-$10 Limit
MP2 raises to $10
I call
SB calls
BB calls
There is an argument for me folding, calling or raising. I think that I am 65-35 to be in front of MP2 at this point, given the laxness of his raising standards. So, why not reraise? Well, the Big Blind is calling for one bet, and he is calling for two. It's a matter of principle with him. So I'd rather have the loose small blind in for a four-hander than just the Big blind and the raiser in for a three-hander. However, I am prepared to accept that another factor was that I hadn't seen any pairs or paint for what seemed like forever. Bad reason, but, we are all human.
Flop Th 8d 2c
Not a terrible flop for me. If I put MP2 on his normal range, I reckon to be in front of him most of the time. I'm raising his bet here.
SB checks
MP2 bets $5
Birks raises to $10
SB folds
BB calls
MP2 calls
Turn: 3d
BB checks
MP2 checks
Birks checks
I lost all interest in this pot the moment BB called my raise on the flop.
River: Ah
BB bets $10
MP2 calls $10
BB shows 8h 8s for three of a kind, 8s
MP2 mucks Ad Qd for a pair of Aces
BB wins $87 with three of a kind, eights.
Now I can fold pre-flop and I can fold on the flop, but playing like that will eventually get you a weak-tight reputation. I have a classic potential limit situation where I can win this hand if I improve and possibly win it if I don't improve, both of which, if my cards are shown, will have good meta-game implications.
But the raise on the turn told me all that I needed to know. MP2 had a set of some sort and knew that he had the hand strangled (with two pair, he would/should have three-bet it). If I hit my set on the turn or river I'll call the hand down, but apart from that, I'm gone.
So, I backed off at the right time for the right reasons, rather than pushing too hard. All very rational. But, as they say, you can't eat expected value.
So, a session that would have probably resulted in a loss of about $250 a year ago was only a loss of $75. But you do sometimes wonder to yourself how long it will be before it ends. I'm currently $1,300 off my peak, which would have been a disaster at this time last year, but which this year looks more like a statistical irritation. At least, I hope it is. But it's still $1,300. It still buys the same amount of stuff in the shops, statistical aberration or not. I've got the computer guy coming tonight to reinstall the second monitor. That might bring about a change of fortune. Here's hoping. :-)
+++++
Just been to the gym -- resounding performances on bike and rowing machine. Feeling pleased with myself.
The irony of it at the moment is that I feel I am playing well. Indeed, I often play better when I am in a bad run than when I am in a good run, because I know that every dollar counts. It's a lot easier to be relaxed about missing a bet when you seem to be getting a big pocket pair every round and your small pairs invariably transmute into sets on the flop.
So at the moment it's just struggle struggle struggle. Here's another hand that went wrong but which I feel I played well.
SB: Loose
BB: Loose-aggressive-macho
MP2: Aggressive
Button: Me : 5c 5s
Ring game, $5-$10 Limit
MP2 raises to $10
I call
SB calls
BB calls
There is an argument for me folding, calling or raising. I think that I am 65-35 to be in front of MP2 at this point, given the laxness of his raising standards. So, why not reraise? Well, the Big Blind is calling for one bet, and he is calling for two. It's a matter of principle with him. So I'd rather have the loose small blind in for a four-hander than just the Big blind and the raiser in for a three-hander. However, I am prepared to accept that another factor was that I hadn't seen any pairs or paint for what seemed like forever. Bad reason, but, we are all human.
Flop Th 8d 2c
Not a terrible flop for me. If I put MP2 on his normal range, I reckon to be in front of him most of the time. I'm raising his bet here.
SB checks
MP2 bets $5
Birks raises to $10
SB folds
BB calls
MP2 calls
Turn: 3d
BB checks
MP2 checks
Birks checks
I lost all interest in this pot the moment BB called my raise on the flop.
River: Ah
BB bets $10
MP2 calls $10
BB shows 8h 8s for three of a kind, 8s
MP2 mucks Ad Qd for a pair of Aces
BB wins $87 with three of a kind, eights.
Now I can fold pre-flop and I can fold on the flop, but playing like that will eventually get you a weak-tight reputation. I have a classic potential limit situation where I can win this hand if I improve and possibly win it if I don't improve, both of which, if my cards are shown, will have good meta-game implications.
But the raise on the turn told me all that I needed to know. MP2 had a set of some sort and knew that he had the hand strangled (with two pair, he would/should have three-bet it). If I hit my set on the turn or river I'll call the hand down, but apart from that, I'm gone.
So, I backed off at the right time for the right reasons, rather than pushing too hard. All very rational. But, as they say, you can't eat expected value.
So, a session that would have probably resulted in a loss of about $250 a year ago was only a loss of $75. But you do sometimes wonder to yourself how long it will be before it ends. I'm currently $1,300 off my peak, which would have been a disaster at this time last year, but which this year looks more like a statistical irritation. At least, I hope it is. But it's still $1,300. It still buys the same amount of stuff in the shops, statistical aberration or not. I've got the computer guy coming tonight to reinstall the second monitor. That might bring about a change of fortune. Here's hoping. :-)
+++++
Just been to the gym -- resounding performances on bike and rowing machine. Feeling pleased with myself.
