Bad day + Bad days = Bad week

More allin preflop misery for your enjoyment/empathy....

Friday hasn't been kind. Instead, it's been one long grind, but such is life sometimes. I can recall a thousand days in the office where time went slower, so at least when it happens at home I can swear or moan or whatever makes me feel better.

Just suffered another allin preflop spade beating with AJ vs KJs, I swear I can't win a pot today. Barring an insanely good saturday, this week is going to be another negative one. Next month I'm going to review my play and give an update on my mistakes and changes required.

Monthly earnings: less than $500. May sucked. Damn lucky I have money set aside...

Bad beats => Bad play => Bad day

So today I had a losing session, over 2k dumped. Lots of it was my fault, and I think I was tilting towards the end, and I'm going to be really disappointed if it means this month I have 2 losing weeks, instead of the aimed-for none.

Playing fulltime is all about the mental stamina, and you have to take things like the following on the chin, and NOT let them affect your game. (I have no qualms on naming the following villain - his play deserves nothing less).

Demopolis ($2/4 No Limit Hold'em)

luna459 is at seat 0 with $542.50.
NEruffneck is at seat 1 with $412.30.
fdelpaso is at seat 2 with $124.65.
Incrediboy is at seat 3 with $390.
Kooox is at seat 4 with $779.90.
mrrussian is at seat 5 with $1096.55.
The button is at seat 4.

mrrussian posts the small blind of $2.
luna459 posts the big blind of $4.

Incrediboy: As Ad

Pre-flop:
NEruffneck raises to $14. fdelpaso re-raises to $24.
Incrediboy re-raises to $55. Kooox folds.
mrrussian folds. luna459 folds. NEruffneck calls.
fdelpaso goes all-in for $124.65. Incrediboy goes
all-in for $390. NEruffneck calls. <--- what the hell do you think you're up against????

Flop (board: Jc 6s 3c):

Turn (board: Jc 6s 3c Js):

River (board: Jc 6s 3c Js 2c):

Showdown:
Incrediboy shows As Ad.
Incrediboy has As Ad Jc 6s Js: two pair, aces and jacks.
NEruffneck shows Tc Kc.
NEruffneck has Tc Kc Jc 3c 2c: flush, king high.
fdelpaso shows Ks Kh.
fdelpaso has Ks Kh Jc 6s Js: two pair, kings and jacks.

Hand Summary:
NEruffneck wins the main pot $376.75 with flush, king high.
NEruffneck wins the side pot $530.40 with flush, king high.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Wish me luck for tomorrow and the weekend. Hope you're all faring better than I...

Summary

Here is my bank holiday weekend poker results, neatly summarised in a single picture (got him allin on the turn):

Just before this, his AK duly mastered my KK (aipf). Not a good bank holiday. Still, beats sitting outside in the rain....

This

One of my readers asked me a long time ago what I find to be the most frustrating experience at the poker tables. I think the following HH perfectly illustrates my reply....

$2/4 NLHE, 5 players
Hero is at seat 2 with $522.40.
Villain is at seat 4 with $1509.20.
The button is at seat 2.
LessonsRExtra posts the small blind of $2.
Villain posts the big blind of $4.
Hero: Ac Kh
pokusKAdabra: -- --
Pre-flop:
Patishh folds. rcsox1 folds. Hero raises to
$14. LessonsRExtra folds. Villain re-raises to
$44. Hero calls.
Flop (board: 8s Ks 5s):
Villain bets $65. Hero raises to $150.
Villain re-raises to $540. Hero goes
all-in for $478.40. Villain is returned $61.60
(uncalled).
Turn (board: 8s Ks 5s 3d):
(no action in this round)
River (board: 8s Ks 5s 3d Js):
(no action in this round)
Showdown:
Villain shows 8h Ts.
Villain has Ts 8s Ks 5s Js: flush, king high.
Hero shows Ac Kh.
Hero has Ac Kh 8s Ks Js: a pair of kings.
Hand #53361920-5299 Summary:
Villain wins $1044.30 with flush, king high.

I really believe there is nothing more vexing than making a great read, following it through and then being punished for it. But, this is the life I have chosen.... so I just roll with the punches.

Allin: better to call or to shove?

Here are two separate situations, where I flop an OESD and a flush draw on the flop.

Situation #1, I'm up against an unknown player at a 5-handed $2/4 table, and have just sat down:

Seat 2: Subzero_666 ($400)
Seat 4: Villain ($400)
Seat 6 is sitting out
Villain posts the small blind of $2
XXXX posts the big blind of $4
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Subzero_666 [8h 9h]
XXXX folds
Subzero_666 has 15 seconds left to act
Subzero_666 raises to $14
XXXX folds
Villain calls $12
BB folds
*** FLOP *** [7h Kc 6h]
Villain checks
Subzero_666 bets $24
Villain has 15 seconds left to act
Villain raises to $59
Subzero_666 has 15 seconds left to act
Subzero_666 raises to $209
Villain has 15 seconds left to act
Villain raises to $386, and is all in
Subzero_666 has 15 seconds left to act
Subzero_666 calls $177, and is all in
Villain shows [7s 7c]
Subzero_666 shows [8h 9h]

I knew that he had to have at least 2 pair here, and was unsurprised to see the set. I don't see myself playing this any other way though.

Situation #2, a very aggressive 6-handed $2/4 table, where I have been playing for about an hour.

Seat 1: Villain2 ($324.15) <-- very aggressive but weak
Seat 2: Villain ($293.10) <-- solid, tricky, thinking player
Seat 6: Subzero_666 ($456.70)
XXXX posts the small blind of $2
XXXX posts the big blind of $4
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS *** Dealt to Subzero_666 [Qs Js]
XXXX folds Subzero_666 raises to $14
Villain2 calls $14
Villain has 15 seconds left to act Villain calls $14
SB folds BB folds
*** FLOP *** [Ts 5s Kh]
Subzero_666 has 15 seconds left to act
Subzero_666 checks
Villain2 bets $48 Villain raises to $96
Subzero_666 raises to $442.70, and is all in
Villain2 folds
Villain calls $183.10, and is all in
Subzero_666 shows [Qs Js]
rootsrock shows [Ks Kd]
Uncalled bet of $163.60 returned to Subzero_666

This time, I check-shove to get maximum fold equity from draws and weak hands. The only time I will normally get called though is by 2 pair or better.

I've had some doubts over whether it is best to push allin when the only time you will be called is by a better hand, or call an allin when you are an underdog and need to hit. Does anyone else play the above hands using a different line? Does anyone fold the above hands???

Comments welcome.