michaeyk's poker blog

No poker for a couple days

2007-07-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

We're flying back to the U.S. tomorrow for a couple months. Had to get papers for the dogs to travel and passport pages added so I didn't have much time to play poker. We still have to pack our bags before flying out tomorrow. We'll be flying into Las Vegas, my girlfriend's hometown. I don't think I'll be playing any live poker.

I was really hoping to play a decent amount of hands and post/comment a lot during the July LL grinders experiment. Now that I'm getting ready to leave, it's harder to find time to play. We're hiking the John Muir Trail in California during most of August and I feel like planning for the hike is going to eat up a lot my time the last two weeks of July. I'll try to stay as active as possible.

Thanks for all the comments so far. You guys have helped my game out tremendously!

Down a couple buy-ins

2007-07-14T22:46:00.001-07:00

Played about 1700 hands today dropping little bit more than 2 buyins. Can't win every session, but it never feels good to lose. Getting tricky right out of the gate is not a good. I think it really messes with me psychologically having to climb out of a hole from the first minutes of a session.
Here I thought I saw a good opportunity to squeeze. When it doesn't work out, it just keeps getting worse. The worst part was I didn't have any stats on button, he was completely unknown. I really need to let a few orbits go around before trying this type of stuff. When he checks behind on the turn, I figured I was good to snag this pot on the river when I saw a harmless deuce.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1264894

Then I get this hand. I like potting the flop when I hit a flush because it disguises my hand I usually make a huge pot this way. He min-raises me on the turn indicating a strong hand. I put him on a straight, 2 pair, or a nut flush draw, so I figured shoving was my best action. I really thought I had the best hand until he turned his cards over.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1264893

Halfway through the month and I'm not really too happy with my numbers. I've played 22K hands, which is quite good. I was aiming for 40K hands playing 6 tables, but I'm right on track just playing 4 tables. I'm only up $176 or 0.40 BB/100 which is a bit lower than I hoped. Anyway, we still have the rest of the month to get that number up.

Slowly but surely

2007-07-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

Played 1100 hands up for +$150. Nothing interesting as far as hands. I had a pretty clear idea how to play most of my hands, as they were pretty standard.

Here's a hand where I think I missed a turn bet. I generally don't fire a second barrel, because it's so hard to push people off a hand at this level. I think I should have tried here because the turn was a scare card and villain could be on a draw. Too results oriented maybe.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1260707

Anyway, I would like to get more sweat sessions going. For those of you posting comments, email me at michaeyk@gmail.com to arrange one.

Had to withdraw a bit for bread and wine.
BR:2576

Barely a good day

2007-07-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

Had a sweat set up with Liquigas today, but couldn't have it due to skype problems. We'll try again some other time.

Played about 1900 hands today. Only up $21, but I guess it's better than posting a loss. I think I played pretty good today. I didn't really have any tough situations, in that I think I played most of my biggest losers correctly. Unfortunately they were the kind of hands that cost you a lot.

I really feel like I could have gotten away from this hand. His 1/2 pot raise was suspicious. He just called my raise preflop, making big pairs unlikely. He check-raised me all in, even when I raised him 5x. These facts taken together I think a fold was in order. My biggest loser as well.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1255488

Here are two interesting hands. On the turn, I just raised him all in because if I felt that if I check called, I would be facing an all-in bet anyway. I figure take the fold equity as well and just bet out.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1255521

Same thing here, bad outcome. I can apply the same thinking as in the previous hand, right?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1255512

My worst hand. I should have raised the flop to see where I was instead of taking such a passive line. Still learning.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1255865

A great sweat session with Disconnected

2007-07-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Had a sweat session with Disconnected today for about an hour. He watched me play 4 tables 100nl . We ended +$269 even after a runner-runner suck out and losing a stack w/ AA vs. AK. I will be watching him play next week. So far every sweat session has been in the plus. If anyone is interested, let me know.

Here's an interesting hand from today. I think these spots come up a lot in at the low levels. I had a similar hand just moments earlier when I had a non-nut flush. I decided to call and lost. I decided that a raise would have been better, then this hand come up. I think min blocking bets should generally be raised.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1252175

Disconnected will tell you that the cards were hot. We ran so well that during a lapse of attention, I let the timer run out on a set to a min raise. He even says, "you could have been out kicked anyway, don't worry ," after I miss a likely huge pot.

Here's the biggest hand from our session. We discussed his possible holdings for a second and fired. Pretty ABC.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1252263

Stats for the day: 988 hands, 18.7/14.3/3.6 11.81 BB/100.

Really tried forcing things today

2007-07-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

Down about $90. Played 1600 hands and played poorly.

Here's where it started. I wasn't getting much in the way of hands, so I decided to do this on a gut feeling that I would draw out on him.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1248951

This hand bothered me. Bigger turn bet? Shove?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1248959

It's amazing how long it takes to get yourself back into green after dropping early in a session. I buckled down and started playing my game. I even got cards and managed to find myself w/ more than 3 buyins on one table and 2 1/2 on another. I was really surprised to see that I was still down when I ended my session.

A couple more winning days

2007-07-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a little better lately. I played about 800 hands Saturday for $174. Today I played another 800 hands for $94. Didn't really feel like playing this weekend but I've got my eye on something in the FTP store. Stupid Ironman medals keep me disciplined.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1246345
I had KK run into AA against a short stack. The fourth raise PF indicates AA and I usually fold my KK in these cases. But the guy only had $27 left when he shoved it all in, so I called. Looking back I think I should have just folded.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1246377
I don't feel bad laying hands like this down at all. I know some of you guys never fold KK.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1246321
I guess this hand is pretty routine, but it was my biggest loser for the session. Villain was 34/20 for 79 hands. I was considering double barreling here but I just didn't think I could get him off his hand.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1246358
Biggest winner. As standard as it gets. I have 1 hand on him, this one. I was so shocked when I saw his cards, I forgot to put a note on him.

BR:2405

When you put notes like.....

2007-07-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

"Can't release pocket pair after 2 overs flop" or "Won't release TP, regardless of kicker", it's going to be a good day. I did about 2000 hands at 17.4/13.4/3.1 for 7.75 BB/100.
+$300

Here's the one hand that gave me problems. For those of you following Dodgyken's blog, there was a very similar hand yesterday. I even left a comment. On the river he really put me to a decision betting just $13 into a $25.50 pot. Looking back I feel like I should have just folded, but I convinced myself that he could have a weak A. I think that most times he's just going to turn over 2 pair or the straight. Betting into a board like this w/ an A worse than mine isn't happening often enough to justify a call. What if he had bet just $8 or $6?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1240722
Hate to answer my own question, but I guess it would be a 2 pair throwing in a blocking bet. I'm still dead.

Biggest pot. Build it and they will come. No need to try to do anything fancy to milk the pot, just bet out and raise them.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1240738

Thanks for the comments guys. Usually I post my most misplayed hand, but today's hands were really straight forward. Instead of playing 6 tables, I'm down to 4 and it's been working out great. Now I use that extra attention changing tables out once they get too nitty. I now have 4 small tables open and another dozen cascaded so I can see the VPIP of the table. When one of my tables loses the maniac players, I just open the one w/ the highest VPIP.

Winning day.... at last!

2007-07-05T17:41:00.001-07:00

Had a sweat with mbman today. He watched me play a 1000 hands or so and the session went very well. He pointed out some things in my game that I should work on improving or at least thinking about.

Something that we discussed was the cost of small mistakes that add up in the long run. I've gotten rid of 2 tables and will now play only 4. This will help me concentrate and play my best possible game and hopefully catch these little mistakes.

Here's a hand that mbman saw today. I kind of played it in autopilot but mbman noted that I could have just checked behind and called a river bet or fold to a big river bet. Clearly with this strategy, I could have saved some money here.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1237726

I don't know about this hand. If I call his min raise, I have to call his river bet. I didn't have many hands on villain, but when he min check-raised after calling the flop and limping in ... I thought he'd have a 6 or 44. He showed me 84 after I folded.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1237697

Biggest pot. I got few big pots from this guy, he called me down from the river with 55 on a broadway board.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1237838

My biggest loser was when my KK met AA. I still managed to play 2100 hands 4 tabling. I'm in the green +$335. Tomorrow I will try to play only 4 tables and use the remaining screen space to find better tables.

BR: 1994

Just spinning my wheels here

2007-07-04T22:35:00.000-07:00

Sweat Dodgyken today for a couple hours. It was nice to see how others are playing while they play. I think this is a great tool for all of us and look for to having more sweat sessions. If you anyone is interested in sweating or vice-versa email me... michaeyk@gmail.com.

I've been trying to tighten up lately today I'm 16.8/13.4 for 2800 hands or so with another losing session -$474!

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1235174
If this isn't a hand to check behind on the turn, what is? I wasn't really thinking anything but, "oh... my hand is even better now." Hopefully I'll catch these mistakes before I make them next time.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1235258
I guess this hand went as well as I could have expected, minus winning the pot.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1235263
Of course dropping 4 1/2 buy-ins is going to have hands like this. I was getting really frustrated by this point. I shouldn't have even been in this hand, but if I'm going to take the line I did.... I think bluffing on the river is a must. I would have rather lost more and played this hand better.

My biggest pot was when I got all-in preflop w/ QQ vs 88 for $95. Biggest loser was AA vs. KK, all-in preflop. He flopped a K for $92.

Days like today, I'm thankful that at least I have a rakeback. Back at it tomorrow.

Another Losing Day

2007-07-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

Trying to tighten up and play a game that should beat 100nl. Here are my numbers for today after 1600 or so hands. I think optimal number would be even tighter for this level. I got rid of weak A unsuited from cut off and tried to 3 bet more preflop.
15.4/12.5/3.92

I've been trying to experiment with the 3 betting preflop more often. I'm 3 betting from the blinds hands I raise from the button... then continuation betting a dry flop. It's been working pretty well.

Now the hands. There are links today after seeing a comment about it on someone else's blog.

Here's a line I took after reviewing a few hands my girlfriend played yesterday. The theory is min-betting a min-better usually creates a battle of minbets, that leads to an all-in. It achieved its purpose, but I missed a lot of fold equity. I missed fold equity not only on the flop, but barring an all in on flop; I could have pressured him once more on the turn. From now on, I'm just putting in a proper re-raise.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1228518

I think this is pretty typical. I would have put in another bet at the river had it come blank. Should I have put in a small blocking bet after investing so much on every street?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1228571

Here's my worst hand. The one I lost the most on would be hand 1, but I need to get rid of play like this if I'm going to improve. Calling 3bet with hands like this isn't necessary. Then putting in more money on a "flop it or fold it" type hand. Bad, bad, bad.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1228624

Biggest pot.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1228607

I'm back at it tomorrow... BR: 2295

First Day of July Low Limit Grinders Group

2007-07-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Starting July off with 1600 or so hands and unfortunately I'm down about $23. Here are some hands that I feel I could have played better.

I was out of position and trying to milk the pot when a terrible card hit the river forcing me to fold. In retrospect, I wonder why I was trying to milk it when an 8 is calling me down anyway. As it happened I saved money, but I feel like I played it wrong. I should have put more into the pot to grow it.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1226017

This is just flat out horrible, my worst hand of the day. I think that I should have just shoved over him on the flop... or checked it and taken my free card. As I played it, calling his C/R is awful. I really was hoping to see the river for free, but he wasn't having that.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1226037

A 3bet here? I'm trying to add more 3 bets preflop and this could be one of those spots. Not re-raising on the flop is just a mistake.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1226043

Thanks for any comments guys! Oh and my biggest pot was for $95 when I get 4 bet all in by AQo to my KK.

BR:2373

Almost July First Session

2007-06-30T15:51:00.001-07:00

Played about 1200 hands and dropped about 3 buyins. I feel like I played pretty well but had short stacks suck out after getting them all in. My KK got cracked by QQ; all in preflop. The usual.

Here I had KK run into AA . I really wish he would have raised just once more preflop, I could have saved some money. As played, I don't think there's anything I could have done.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1222710

Here's what I consider to be my worst hand. I think I should have checked the turn and hoped to see another card cheaply instead of betting weak.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1222715

Biggest pot:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1222722

BR: 2226

Starting a poker blog for the Low Limit Grinders Group

2007-06-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

After a couple bankroll changing final table finishes last week, I decided I was ready to move up to 1/2. This didn't work out very as I was under bankrolled a bit and probably lacked the skills to beat the game. After a 6 or 7 buyin drop in a couple days, I'm back at .5/1 and plan to put more dedication to game.

I think I've been way to fixated on the money aspects of the game. I've been over eager to move up in the levels and spend way to much time playing vs. studying the game (watching videos, reviewing hands).

In order to correct this, I will be studying my PT by at least looking at my biggest losing hands and identifying my mistakes. I will also watch at least one video each day that I play. I'll post something about the video I've watched. I will also post my ugliest play or the hands that gave difficulty.

So I am dedicating July to improving my game. I will not move up regardless of my bankroll. My rakeback is going into my pocket to reward myself. My goal is to have solid green number under BB/100.

BR: 2625

blah

2005-11-27T14:11:00.000-08:00

test