Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Overbet bluffed

I got bluffed off the best hand when I hit top pair on the river but couldn't call a overbet.

My opponent played it well. I didn't think he was capable of such a big bluff because most overbets are for value. Now I know.

This hand shows the value of three barreling and overbetting against an opponent who's trying to get to showdown:


Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Seat 1: StillTippin ($1,067) -
Seat 2: mcc3991 ($3,459.25) -
Seat 3: smizmiatch ($1,000) -
Seat 4: Space4Sale ($1,656.50)
Seat 5: lucky_scrote ($3,046.30)
Seat 6: Crank14 ($725)


PRE-FLOP:

mcc3991 posts small blind $5
smizmiatch posts BIG blind $10
Dealt To: smizmiatch


6 ANTES
4 FOLDS

RAISE mcc3991 ($33)
CALL smizmiatch ($23)


FLOP:

Pot: $75


BET mcc3991 ($61)
CALL smizmiatch ($61)


TURN:

Pot: $197


BET mcc3991 ($120)
CALL smizmiatch ($120)


RIVER:

Pot: $437


BET mcc3991 ($3243.75)
FOLD smizmiatch
UNCALLED mcc3991 ($3243.75)
mcc3991:


mcc3991 collected $434 from main pot

SUMMARY:
Total pot: $437 Rake: $3

Final Board:


Seat 1: StillTippin button folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1.5)
Seat 2: mcc3991 small blind collected 434 - Net Gain/Loss: ($218.5)

Seat 3: smizmiatch big blind folded on the River - Net Gain/Loss: ($-215.5)
Seat 4: Space4Sale folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1.5)
Seat 5: lucky_scrote folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1.5)
Seat 6: Crank14 folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1.5)


Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Monday, May 25, 2009

Winning a flip vs. Paul Wasicka

It's been a while since I busted a pro!

I'm not in love with my play on this hand. His 5-bet ship represents a lot of strength against my backraise. But I decided before I called UTG's initial raise that if Wasicka squeezed, I was playing for stacks. So I stuck with my plan.


Full Tilt Poker $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 132584

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

sbca (BB): $210.00

Tojabei (UTG): $3147.80

Hero (MP): $1161.00

Paul Wasicka (CO): $1013.00

gaucho2121 (BTN): $1170.75

LuldeBehanger18 (SB): $1152.00

Pre Flop: ($15.00) Hero is MP with JJ of spades JJ of diamonds

Tojabei raises to $30, Hero calls $30, Paul Wasicka raises to $130, 4 folds, Hero raises to $250, Paul Wasicka raises to $1013 all in, Hero calls $763

Flop: ($2071.00) 55 of hearts 99 of spades 22 of clubs

Turn: ($2071.00) 22 of spades

River: ($2071.00) 99 of diamonds

Final Pot: $2071.00

Hero shows JJ of spades JJ of diamonds (two pair, Jacks and Nines)

Paul Wasicka shows AA of clubs KK of clubs (two pair, Nines and Twos)

Hero wins $2068.00

(Rake: $3.00)

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Antes strike 5/10 NL on Full Tilt

New tables with antes have arrived at the 5/10 NL tables on Full Tilt, and with them came instant changes in the landscape.

Short-stackers have been relegated to non-ante tables because the ante tables are all deep-stacked. Some of the non-ante tables were filled entirely with shortstackers trading chips and feeding the rake. Deep-stacked ante tables are one way to get rid of those shory, hit-and-run specialists.

The ante tables also stimulate action. Pots are bigger preflop, and they grow faster postflop. For example, at a full ring 5/10 game with $1.50 antes, the pot is almost twice as large preflop than in a game without antes: $27 vs. $15. Players who realize the added value of winning the dead money preflop will play more hands and make bigger preflop raises. Pots will quickly expand as more bets go in on each street.

Antes juice the games, which attracts fish and action junkies. I can't complain about that.

We may see the beginnings of a shift in the way games are spread. The ante games are so popular already that they've significantly reduced the number of traditional non-ante 100BB buy-in tables.

It may not be long before 200BB tables with antes become the standard, especially among players who prefer shorthanded games over full ring. Watch the rise of ante tables as Full Tilt continues to gradually introduce them at lower limits.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

An Inexplicable Wonder

Somehow, the fish keep biting and the tank keeps getting refilled.

Six years after Chris Moneymaker catalyzed the poker boom, the tables at the primary U.S. poker sites are full of players, some of whom have little clue what they're doing. Despite the recession, or maybe because of it, people are gambling online as much as ever. It's rare to log in and not be able to find a good game.

Most of you can beat this game. You can make money in poker if you exercise emotional control, possess reasonable logic skills and show a willingness to learn.

Online poker isn't packed with colluders and bots. Instead, online poker is populated by people who love to gamble and don't have a clue how to play postflop.

Jump in. Improve your game. Quit when you're tilted. Win money.