Everything Has A Limit

I’ve been taking this stuff seriously. I actually read some stuff on 2+2. Anyway, it would appear that players are claiming a loss rate in the small blind and big blind of 0.11 of a big bet in the small blind and 0.18 of a big bet in the big blind.

I’ve long known that blind play is one of my weaker areas, so I’ve decided to defend more and raise more. There is a natural tendency to “overshoot”, I know, and perhaps I did here. But, it worked. Anyway, I rock and you suck, so here it is.

( click here )

How about this hand from the tourney tonight.

Blinds 25-50. You are UTG+1 with 2350 (starting stack of 2500) and pick up AsKd. UTG limps. You limp. MP1 limps, MP2 limps, MP3 limps, passed round to SB who calls. BB declines the option. Pot 350.

Flop: Ah Ac 5d.

UTG checks. You check. MP1 checks. MP2 bets 100. MP2 had 2850 at start of hand, so he has you covered. Passed round to you. You call. Pot 550.

Turn 8d.

You check. MP2 bets 200

MP2 has been an active player so far, but you have not had many hands to go on, so he might just have been getting good cards.

What do you do?

One thing we can be sure of, we won't be seeing a three grand profit this month! Ultimate has been pretty horrific since the middle of last month, while on Party I've had three losses of over $100 and two more of sub-$100 in 10 sessions. The £90 on Betfair brings the loss back to respectability (minus $92) but the cards seem to be running cold. Oh well, good that they do that when I am not playing $15-$30, I guess!


I was pleased with my play here.

$5/$10 Hold'em - Sunday, July 10

Seat 10 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 2: Birks ( $503.5 )
Seat 3: kidney2 ( $496.5 )
Seat 4: johnscalise ( $68.47 )
Seat 5: otig17 ( $298 )
Seat 6: pbob22 ( $270.5 )
Seat 8: jiw7400 ( $216 )
Seat 9: monkEstud ( $424.47 )
Seat 10: akiy0003 ( $534 )
Seat 7: yggod ( $0 )
Seat 1: mlakh ( $57 )
mlakh posts small blind [$2].
Birks posts big blind [$5].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Birks [ As Kc ]

johnscalise raises [$10].
mlakh calls [$8].
Birks calls [$5].

There's an argument for a reraise here, but (a) I am in the middle and (b) a flat-call with AK can catch out a lot of raisers with AQ or AJ. Johnscalise has light raising standards. I might have him strangled. And I don't want mlakh (loose and passive) to get too emotionally involved.

** Dealing Flop ** [ Kh, Ts, Tc ]

mlakh checks.
Birks bets [$5].
johnscalise calls [$5].
mlakh raises [$10].
Birks raises [$10].
johnscalise raises [$15].
mlakh calls [$10].
Birks calls [$5].

Hmm, interesting stuff. I didn't see mlakh having a 10 here. He would have check-raised the turn rather than the flop. QJs, a pair of queens or jacks, AQ suited? Or is it late at night, he's short-stacked, and tilting it off? As for the calise cap. Also interesting. I suspect he is looking for a cheap turn card. Whatever, I think that I am in front.

** Dealing Turn ** [ Qd ]
mlakh checks.
Birks checks.
johnscalise bets [$10].
mlakh raises [$20].
Birks folds.
johnscalise raises [$20].
mlakh is all-In.

I have no problem folding here. I'm not sure why or how I am behind, but I'm fairly sure that I am. I suspect that mlakh has, after all, got trip tens.


** Dealing River ** [ 4h ]
johnscalise shows [ Ah, Ks ] two pairs, kings and tens.
mlakh shows [ 9h, Jh ] a straight, nine to king.

johnscalise wins $3 from side pot #1 with two pairs, kings and tens.
mlakh wins $141 from the main pot with a straight, nine to king.

Ahh, so mlakh WAS tilting it off on the flop, but then he hit his gutshot on the turn. But the key play that saved me here was my check on the turn. If calise checks then I get to see a cheap showdown. If he bets then mlakh has to act before me. His check-raise allows me to fold in comfort.