Could have been worse

Played a half hour session last night which resulted no movement in my bankroll.

It started really well with me 40BBs up in the space of the first 5 minutes with my TPTK or overpair holding up in several multiway pots. Not the strongest of hands, but they do hold up occasionally.

What followed was me missing every draw (or hitting a draw when i've folded preflop), and then getting rivered 3 times in the space of 4 hands when holding powerhouse hands. I think I actually dropped about 60BBs - just a few more were at the $1/2 tables than the $2/4 tables, and I also received a few more rakeback $ so didn't end up down for the session.

Its easy to see how you can very quickly drop quite a few BBs just through the natural variance in the game. I'll have to dig out some of the hands. Some were truly awful beats.

The other odd thing that I noticed with the session is that the $1/2 tables were actually tighter than the $2/4 tables. (Although the fish still took my cash ....)

On the plus side, I received an email from Littlewoods advising me they were transferring my cash balance from their old system on Crypto to Pacific, so at least I dont have to do any messing around there. Still waiting for confirmation from RTR though as to whether rakeback is to be carried over.

Current bankroll: $13,450

Note to self: next post $A or longer term strategy

Perception v reality

Its always interesting when you start up at a new site. Often if I have a bad run early at a new site, I will think less of a site, than if I start off well. In reality this could easily be variance, and I should really ensure my focus is on the hard evidence of what a site is like - ie

1. How soft is it - are there plenty of fishy tables?
2. Are there enough players to allow for table selection?
3. Does the lobby show players per flop?
4. Are there any bugs?
5. Am I getting timed out for no reason?
6. How much does it rake?
7. How much do I rakeback?
8. Are there any other benefits?
9. Is cash out simple and quick?

I guess what made me think of this topic is that i've just started on Pacific, which has a relatively high rake. I'm struggling a bit to find the same level of fishiness on the tables as the blindman, but i'll keep giving it a go - they must be out there. Admittedly I also lost to a couple of horrendous beats for decent sized pots as well which may also bias my opinion. So at the moment the jury is still out on Pacific.

The next thing I really need to do is find another decent sign up bonus. I'm leaning towards a longer term deal on Interpoker through RTR using a pounds rather than $US account. It looks like their monthly bonuses are very generous if you use that currency, as well as the initial ipod nano bonus (or cash equivalent for me I think).

As far as play goes, I put in less than half an hour's play yesterday, and basically broke even. Started horribly early on when I raised UTG with ATo, and got one cold caller from the button. Flop 933 rainbow. I cbet, he calls. Turn is a T, which I bet out again and get raised. WTF could he have? T9? a 3s? I'm fairly sure i'm in front here, but just call. River is an 8. I check, he bets, I call, and he shows down QJ ... wtf. Slowly clawed my way back, although had another set back or two with some even nastier beats, before getting back to even. Got credited $50 in rakeback though, so I end up positive for the day.

Current bankroll: $13,450

Tournaments

I really dont think tourneys are for me.

Played in another one over the weekend, a bit better than mid stacked towards the bubble but not on it. One guy who has been stealing constantly pushes all in from the button and I look down at AKo. I call, and he flips over 9c6c. Flop is KT2 with no clubs. Turn 7, river 8 .. and i'm basically out again.

Haven't had the best of runs on the cash tables either. I think I got in about 4 hours over the weekend, and even though every session started well, the suckouts would then come thick and fast and i'd end up down. Luckily a couple $2/4 tables on fulltilt pulled through for me just before the end of my last session of the weekend, and for a couple orbits I just couldn't seem to lose.

Anyways at one stage being over 60BBs down, the weekend actually turned out okay and I eeked out a small increase in the bankroll, even taking into account my purchase of the Bodog hand grabber. It seems to work quite well. However, the tables arent as fishy as I first thought. Although there are still plenty o fish :)

Current bankroll: $13,400

Potentially good .. and bad news

Well looks like Littlewoods has indeed moved to the 888 network, and there does appear to be a reasonable likelihood rakeback will be carried over ... will be watching developments closely.

On the bad news side, I can't see the William Hill time played bonus anymore ... very very disappointing.

Still running well + free party cash

Only played all of 10 minutes last night, and still ended 15BBs up.

Won two key hands, firstly in a blind v blind battle with me in the BB with AA, and SB holding KK. Betting capped preflop, SB bets out the flop of A72r, I call. SB bets out blank turn, I raise, SB calls. SB checks blank river, I raise, SB calls and shows KK ... I think that's the maximum I could have gotten there.

Only other hand was when a fairly aggro LAG raised from the button preflop and I have A7s in the BB. I am the only caller. Flop is 568r and he bets out, which I then raise with the OESD and the A. He calls. Turn is an A which he bets out, so I raise, he reraises and I call. River is a Q. He checks .. weird .. so I raise, he calls and flips over 77. He was drawing to 1 out to win the hand, and 8 to chop.

Party also gave me another $15 free (but restricted) money to play with, so I took that to the blackjack table. I only bet $10 on the first hand, which was kinda silly as I won that one, so took my $10 profit out to add to my bankroll. Second hand I put on $15 and dealer scores blackjack, so that's game over. Still .. $10 for free and about 2 minutes work I can't complain about.

Weekends comin up so thats it for me for the week.

Current bankroll: $13,350

One hand can make the difference

Well the difference between having a winning and losing session.

When I thought about this post it was after i'd had a 1 hour session at $2/4 on fulltilt and started off badly with some horrible beats but I gradually worked my way back, including winning one 20BB pot when my pocket 3s flopped a set.

Thing is, I ended up about $50 for the session of about 200 hands. If i'd lost with that set, i'd actually have recorded a negative session. I guess that's why variance occurs and I often do have negative sessions or tables, as my edge is actually relatively small.

Having said that, I then put in a 2 hour session - jeez i'm racking up the hours this month come to think of it. And in that session I managed a fair heater, playing a fair chunk of $1/2 on bodog and again a heap on Fulltilt $2/4. I think I ended up around 60BBs without actually ever being down for the session. That being said, it was fairly swingy, as I was seated to the left of a maniac on two of the tables I had open. One was running at 90%/85% ... and the other at around 90%/60%. I did donate to them a few times, as I quickly realised that even if you had a single pair it was worth calling the river, but they also paid me off with complete air that they's raised every street on more than a couple occasions.

Also played in the freeroll again, although don't know if I will bother any more. My late tourney game sux I think. Admitedly I havent actually read either of the harrington books so it serves myself right. I made it into the top 10 and had about a 8BB stack when there were two limpers and me on the button looking at As8s. I decided to push all in hoping to steal the limpers and blinds which were a decent chunk of my stack. Unfortunately both limpers called showing 77 and KJo and the board missed everyone booting me out of the tourney. I suspect in hindsight I should have waited for a better spot ... but i'm not absolutely sure of that. Maybe I should do some reading ....

Current Bankroll: $13,300 (should also be boosted by some rakeback shortly)

Hands

Hand 1: (BB is quite loose)

$2/$4 Limit Holdem • 5 Players (annoyinly one guy sitting out)
UTG
$218.50
CO
$24.00
BTN
$100.00
Hero
$101.00
BB
$76.00
Pre-Flop (1.5 SB, 5 players) Hero is SB with KcJd

3 folds, Hero raises, BB 3-bets, Hero calls (i'm raisin here for sure. not happy with the 3b but not in bad shape)
Flop (6.0 SB, 2 players)

Js6s3c (sweet .. top pair .. i should be in front here)

Hero checks, BB bets, Hero raises, BB calls (time for a c/r)
Turn (5.0 BB, 2 players)

9c (not a bad card for me)

Hero bets, BB raises, Hero calls (hmm a 9 helped him? I'm at least calling down with top pair, depending on river)
River (9.0 BB, 2 players)

As (hmm not a great card. FD hit. A is not nice either)

Hero checks, BB bets, Hero calls (i'm still callin this down)
Final Pot: 11.0 BB

Hand 2: (same villain as hand 1)


$2/$4 Limit Holdem • 5 Players
UTG
$239.50
CO
$16.00
BTN
$104.00
Hero
$73.00
BB
$84.00
Pre-Flop (1.5 SB, 5 players) Hero is SB with JsJh (awesome)

3 folds, Hero raises, BB calls
Flop (4.0 SB, 2 players)

Qh4h3s (surely he doesnt have a heart)

Hero bets, BB calls (cbet .. i should be in front)
Turn (3.0 BB, 2 players)

As (ack not again ... still .. he's in the blind so there's a chance i'm still in front. will fold to a reraise I think)

Hero bets, BB calls (hmm he called .. i guess he has a fair piece of it? an A? a Q?
River (5.0 BB, 2 players)

2s (fd has hit again ...)

Hero checks, BB bets, Hero calls (i'm still calling down here)

Hand 3: same villain

$2/$4 Limit Holdem • 5 Players
Hero
$72.00
CO
$129.00
BTN
$247.50
SB
$72.00
BB
$45.00
Pre-Flop (1.5 SB, 5 players) Hero is UTG with AsKc

Hero raises, CO 3-bets, 3 folds, Hero 4-bets, CO calls (cool .. heads up and 4 bet)
Flop (9.5 SB, 2 players)

Ts8d3d (hmm whiffed .. although fair chance he's whiffed too .. although i guess he could have a pocket pair)

Hero bets, CO calls (cbet)
Turn (5.8 BB, 2 players)

4h (blank)

Hero bets, CO calls (cbet .. bah he called again)
River (7.8 BB, 2 players)

Jh (hmm not the best card for me ... but will see a showdown here i think)

Hero checks, CO bets, Hero calls (would have preferred it checked through but let's have a look)

Hand 4: (TAG type villain)

$2/$4 Limit Holdem • 5 Players
UTG
$117.00
CO
$85.00
BTN
$86.00
SB
$50.00
Hero
$124.00
Pre-Flop (1.5 SB, 5 players) Hero is BB with 7c6c

UTG calls, 2 folds, SB raises, Hero calls, UTG calls
Flop (6.0 SB, 3 players)

5s8h3h (hmm oesd for me, but also a fd on the board for an opponent)

SB bets, Hero raises, UTG folds, SB calls (lets try to punt out any overs that whiffed)
Turn (5.0 BB, 2 players)

Th

SB checks, Hero bets, SB calls (hmm a check ... scared of the FD or waiting to c/r me? no cr ... hmmm)
River (7.0 BB, 2 players)

Jh (arr crap ... whiffed and now 4 hearts on the board)

SB checks, Hero bets (hmmm well i'm not winning unless I bet here I think. Can fold to a reraise easily ... wonder if thats the right way to think?).

Hand 5:

$2/$4 Limit Holdem • 6 Players
UTG
$85.00
UTG+1
$86.00
CO
$41.00
Hero
$138.00
SB
$111.00
BB
$54.00
Pre-Flop (1.5 SB, 6 players) Hero is BTN with Ks9c

3 folds, Hero raises, 1 fold, BB 3-bets, Hero calls (hmm not super happy with the 3bet .. but lets see
Flop (6.5 SB, 2 players)

2h6s6c (interesting .. there's no way that flop has hit him .. unless maybe 66? pockets will be a problem for me)

BB bets, Hero calls (hmm well his cbet means ... well .. he has 2 cards ... for one bet i think i'll call here .. any 9 or K is fairly likely to be good I think)
Turn (4.2 BB, 2 players)

9h (bingo)

BB bets, Hero raises, BB calls (lets reraise here ... see if he does have something big)
River (8.2 BB, 2 players)

Kc (hmm ... thats probably not the best card for me .. if he has a big K i'm in trouble)

BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls (hmmm he's checked. Maybe he doesn't have a king. I'll throw out a value bet i think)
Final Pot: 10.2 BB

Hand 6:

$2/$4 Limit Holdem • 5 Players
Hero
$157.00
CO
$110.00
BTN
$12.00
SB
$105.00
BB
$86.00
Pre-Flop (1.5 SB, 5 players) Hero is UTG with AhQs

Hero raises, 1 fold, BTN calls, 2 folds
Flop (5.5 SB, 2 players)

AdKh4s (nice)

Hero bets, BTN calls (bet out .. hope he has Kx)
Turn (3.8 BB, 2 players)

4d (surely he doesnt have a 4 ...)

Hero bets, BTN raises, Hero calls (bet out ... oh he's all in)
River (6.8 BB, 2 players, 1 all-in)

Kc

Final Pot: 6.8 BB