Can't beat NL $50
Here's why:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
Button ($20.80)
SB ($61.35)
BB ($76.70)
UTG ($58.30)
Hero ($52.50)
CO ($67.05)
Preflop: Hero is MP with Q
, Q
.
1 fold, Hero raises to $2, 3 folds, BB raises to $5.5, Hero calls $3.50.
Flop: ($11.25) T
, K
, 5 (2 players)
BB bets $7.5, Hero calls $7.50.
Turn: ($26.25) 6 (2 players)
BB bets $13.5, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $39.75
This guy was VERY tight. 10/7/2.33. Basically only playing solid hands and playing them aggressively. I should've folded on the flop. The bottom line is the only hand I beat is jacks. He's not reraising with nines, if he reraises with AK he's got me, ditto for TT. AA and KK both have me. I naively thought I'd get to check it down with him, but of course it didn't happen. The only other option besides folding was try to get him off a better hand. The only hand I have any chance of moving him off of is AA, so not worth it. My flop play was bad. I think calling preflop is okay. Even though he's tight I can't dump the 3rd best hand, but I don't want to repop either.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
UTG ($23.10)
MP ($29.25)
CO ($85.85)
Hero ($52.55)
SB ($34.45)
BB ($110)
Preflop: Hero is Button with K, 9.
3 folds, Button raises to $1.5, SB calls $1.25, 1 fold.
Flop: ($3.50) A, 9, K (2 players)
SB checks, Button bets $3, SB calls $3.
Turn: ($9.50) J (2 players)
SB checks, Button bets $7, SB raises to $29.95, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $46.45
Hated this hand. I flop bottom two, but of course I still like it. When he calls, I figure him for an ace with a mediocre kicker. Not really any draws out there. This player was new at the table so I didn't have any idea of his style of play. Then the turn comes a J, I don't think much of it and bet strong again. He shoves. I puke and fold.
Possible hands for him? AJ makes sense. Check/call flop since it might not be the best hand, luckbox turn, shove. AK? probably reraises preflop, but possible. A9? Dogshit hand to call a raise OOP with (even suited), but some will. QT? Does he take one off there with a gutter ball? Maybe it was sooted and he had a backdoor flush draw? I dunno. The only thing I did know was that I beat a bluff and that's it. Can he possibly play AQ this way? He'd raise the flop, not wait until the turn. Also, I showed strength on the flop and the turn, and on that board I think he has to give me at least AQ, so I gotta believe he's not C/ring without a strong hand himself. AJ for top two is my best guess.
My only dilemma about this hand is whether I should have bet the turn or not. I can't see why not, the J isn't really a scare card, and the only draw that got there was a gutter ball.
Another goddamned hand (as in this hand has literally been damned, by God).
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
MP ($17.75)
CO ($50.50)
Button ($7.15)
Hero ($46.75)
BB ($43.15)
UTG ($158.75)
Preflop: Hero is SB with 6, 7.
4 folds, SB raises to $1.5, BB calls $1.
Flop: ($3) 8, 5, J (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $2, SB raises to $6, BB calls $4.
Turn: ($15) T (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $5, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $20
Sigh. What can I do? A flop c/r is supposed to work in a blind vs. blind. I figured I had more fold equity vs. a bet out, and I'd give him an invitation to bet. Can't get there on the turn, the flush comes in, and I just fold to his $5 bet. I think it's dangerous to take one off there, he could be suckering me in with a flush, I just get in trouble in these spots, so I let it go. He had to have at least a J when he called the c/r.
Another hand where a C/R doesn't work.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
MP ($23.85)
Button ($109.25)
Hero ($51)
BB ($46)
UTG ($108.50)
Preflop: Hero is SB with Q, K.
2 folds, Button raises to $1.5, Hero calls $1.25, BB calls $1.
Flop: ($4.50) T, K, T (3 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, Button bets $2, SB raises to $6, BB folds, Button calls $4.
Turn: ($16.50) A (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $5.5, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $22
I could've 3-bet this but I figured I'd wait to see the flop, which worked well for me at 25NL. So I did. Unfortunately the BB had to come along too; really just wanted it heads-up against the button.
I hit top pair and check. BB checks to the PF raiser who bets less than 1/2 the pot. This guy wasn't really aggressive, but I thought he was capable of betting AQ here, albeit weak. I figured he missed, so I c/r'd to $6. He calls. Sigh.
Ace comes on the turn, I'm looking to get to showdown. Doesn't happen. He made another weakish bet on the turn, but now it just looks like a suck-in bet. Maybe he flopped trips. Not gonna call down here.
---
So in the case that someone were to read this, they'd probably figure my style of play is very exploitable. If I c/r, call and you can take it on the turn with a weak bet. They would be correct. However, I just don't see this happening among my opponents. Believe me, I would love to call them down and pick off a bluff. But they just don't bluff. Hardly ever. I'm just spewing money if I continue with the hand.
I'm good enough to beat this damn level, I don't know what the hell is going on. I lost when I tried it on UB, lost when I made another attempt at it on Stars, and again now (did have a winning session Monday). Maybe I need to be more aggressive? Maybe I'm just running bad? I don't know. I'll figure it out. The players aren't all that different from NL25.
That's it for now.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
Button ($20.80)
SB ($61.35)
BB ($76.70)
UTG ($58.30)
Hero ($52.50)
CO ($67.05)
Preflop: Hero is MP with Q
, Q.1 fold, Hero raises to $2, 3 folds, BB raises to $5.5, Hero calls $3.50.
Flop: ($11.25) T
, K, 5 (2 players)BB bets $7.5, Hero calls $7.50.
Turn: ($26.25) 6
(2 players)BB bets $13.5, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $39.75
This guy was VERY tight. 10/7/2.33. Basically only playing solid hands and playing them aggressively. I should've folded on the flop. The bottom line is the only hand I beat is jacks. He's not reraising with nines, if he reraises with AK he's got me, ditto for TT. AA and KK both have me. I naively thought I'd get to check it down with him, but of course it didn't happen. The only other option besides folding was try to get him off a better hand. The only hand I have any chance of moving him off of is AA, so not worth it. My flop play was bad. I think calling preflop is okay. Even though he's tight I can't dump the 3rd best hand, but I don't want to repop either.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
UTG ($23.10)
MP ($29.25)
CO ($85.85)
Hero ($52.55)
SB ($34.45)
BB ($110)
Preflop: Hero is Button with K
, 9. 3 folds, Button raises to $1.5, SB calls $1.25, 1 fold.
Flop: ($3.50) A
, 9, K (2 players)SB checks, Button bets $3, SB calls $3.
Turn: ($9.50) J
(2 players)SB checks, Button bets $7, SB raises to $29.95, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $46.45
Hated this hand. I flop bottom two, but of course I still like it. When he calls, I figure him for an ace with a mediocre kicker. Not really any draws out there. This player was new at the table so I didn't have any idea of his style of play. Then the turn comes a J, I don't think much of it and bet strong again. He shoves. I puke and fold.
Possible hands for him? AJ makes sense. Check/call flop since it might not be the best hand, luckbox turn, shove. AK? probably reraises preflop, but possible. A9? Dogshit hand to call a raise OOP with (even suited), but some will. QT? Does he take one off there with a gutter ball? Maybe it was sooted and he had a backdoor flush draw? I dunno. The only thing I did know was that I beat a bluff and that's it. Can he possibly play AQ this way? He'd raise the flop, not wait until the turn. Also, I showed strength on the flop and the turn, and on that board I think he has to give me at least AQ, so I gotta believe he's not C/ring without a strong hand himself. AJ for top two is my best guess.
My only dilemma about this hand is whether I should have bet the turn or not. I can't see why not, the J isn't really a scare card, and the only draw that got there was a gutter ball.
Another goddamned hand (as in this hand has literally been damned, by God).
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
MP ($17.75)
CO ($50.50)
Button ($7.15)
Hero ($46.75)
BB ($43.15)
UTG ($158.75)
Preflop: Hero is SB with 6
, 7. 4 folds, SB raises to $1.5, BB calls $1.
Flop: ($3) 8
, 5, J (2 players)Hero checks, BB bets $2, SB raises to $6, BB calls $4.
Turn: ($15) T
(2 players)Hero checks, BB bets $5, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $20
Sigh. What can I do? A flop c/r is supposed to work in a blind vs. blind. I figured I had more fold equity vs. a bet out, and I'd give him an invitation to bet. Can't get there on the turn, the flush comes in, and I just fold to his $5 bet. I think it's dangerous to take one off there, he could be suckering me in with a flush, I just get in trouble in these spots, so I let it go. He had to have at least a J when he called the c/r.
Another hand where a C/R doesn't work.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
MP ($23.85)
Button ($109.25)
Hero ($51)
BB ($46)
UTG ($108.50)
Preflop: Hero is SB with Q
, K.2 folds, Button raises to $1.5, Hero calls $1.25, BB calls $1.
Flop: ($4.50) T
, K, T (3 players)Hero checks, BB checks, Button bets $2, SB raises to $6, BB folds, Button calls $4.
Turn: ($16.50) A
(2 players)Hero checks, Button bets $5.5, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $22
I could've 3-bet this but I figured I'd wait to see the flop, which worked well for me at 25NL. So I did. Unfortunately the BB had to come along too; really just wanted it heads-up against the button.
I hit top pair and check. BB checks to the PF raiser who bets less than 1/2 the pot. This guy wasn't really aggressive, but I thought he was capable of betting AQ here, albeit weak. I figured he missed, so I c/r'd to $6. He calls. Sigh.
Ace comes on the turn, I'm looking to get to showdown. Doesn't happen. He made another weakish bet on the turn, but now it just looks like a suck-in bet. Maybe he flopped trips. Not gonna call down here.
---
So in the case that someone were to read this, they'd probably figure my style of play is very exploitable. If I c/r, call and you can take it on the turn with a weak bet. They would be correct. However, I just don't see this happening among my opponents. Believe me, I would love to call them down and pick off a bluff. But they just don't bluff. Hardly ever. I'm just spewing money if I continue with the hand.
I'm good enough to beat this damn level, I don't know what the hell is going on. I lost when I tried it on UB, lost when I made another attempt at it on Stars, and again now (did have a winning session Monday). Maybe I need to be more aggressive? Maybe I'm just running bad? I don't know. I'll figure it out. The players aren't all that different from NL25.
That's it for now.
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