I'm an idiot

Just tilted off $83.20 playing a 6-handed 25c-50c game. I am so annoyed at myself. I realise now that my new strategy for 6-handed games is shite and I have just been getting pretty lucky. I am going back to grinding it out at the full tables.

Cash Hours = 139.75
Cash Profit = $902.33 ($6.46 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 70.75
Tournament Profit = $1469.53 ($20.77 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2421.86 (next target reached)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

6-handed = big variance!

I was expecting the variance to be greater when I started playing a looser, more aggressive style and it definitely is! Although I don't seem to lose many big pots, I do lose a lot of small pots, as people try to trap me when I am too agressive. I'm played 2 sessions recently and here's how they went...

Session 1
PartyPoker, 10c-25c, 6-handed. 2 tables, 1.5 hours.

- I get 10-4o in the SB. The button limps and I call. The BB checks. The flop is 10d-4h-3d. I bet $0.65 and the button min-raises to $1.30. I make it $5 and he calls. The turn is 3h. I check and he also checks. The river is 3c. I check and he goes all-in for $7.55. I call and he shows 5d-2d = +$11.80

- I raise in the cut-off to $0.65 with 7h-8h. The BB makes it $2.05 and I call with position. The flop is 9-10h-2. He bets $3 and I make a fairly loose call. The turn is Qh and he again bets $3. I now have an open-ended straight draw and a flush draw. Also, he has not shown much strength but betting the same amount again. I therefore decide to min-raise him and see what happens. If he just calls then I think he will fold to an all-in on the river if I miss. He calls and the river is 6d. He bets $8.43 and I go all-in for $15.56. He thinks for ages and folds = +$17.63

Session 2
PartyPoker, 10c-25c, 6-handed. 2 tables, 0.45 hours.

- there are 3 limpers and I make it $1.50 on the button with AKo. I get 2 callers. The flop is 5-Kh-8h. First to act bets $0.75 and the other better folds. I decide to trap and just call. The turn is 2d. He again bets $0.75 and now I think he is on a flush draw. I make it $4 and he calls. The river is 5c and he bets $5. I should probably lay this down, but I call and he shows 5h-6h = -$11.25

- I raise to $0.65 with 9s-5s UTG. I get 3 callers, and I am 3rd to act. The flop is 8s-2s-6. The SB bets $0.25, the BB calls, and I am not really paying attention and just call. The button makes it $2.50 and the SB and BB call. I think the button just sensed weakness and tried to take the pot, and although I think one of the SB or BB may be on a flush draw, I don't think they would call all-in with it. Therefore I decide to push all-in for $21.50. Everyone folds = +$8.85

- I raise to $0.65 UTG with QQ. I get 3 callers and I am 2nd to act. The flop is 4-6-K. The BB bets $0.25 and I make it $0.65. The button and the BB call. The turn is another 6. The BB again bets $0,25 and I make it $1.30. The button folds and the BB min-raises to $2.35. I now know for a fact, from the way that he has played previous hands, that he has a 6. However, for whatever reason, I call. The river is a Q. He bets $7 and I push all-in for $24.28. He calls with 10-6o = +$27.98

Session balance = $44.59

Cash Hours = 139
Cash Profit = $985.53 ($7.09 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 70.75
Tournament Profit = $1469.53 ($20.77 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2460.47 (next target reached)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

Liking 6-handed

Played 3 sessions of 6-max cash games and here's how they went...

Session 1

- get 6h3h in the SB. I limp and the BB makes it $0.75, I call. The flop is 8h-2h-6s. I check and he bets $1. I raise to $3 and he re-raises to $5. I figure he is strong and so just call to try to hit and stack him. The turn is Ah. I bet $8 and he calls. The river is 4d and I go all-in for $13.45. He calls with Ad-Kh = +$25.20

- get KK in the SB. The button makes it $1 and I re-raise to $3.50. The button re-raises to $6 and I push. He calls and shows QQ = +$13.45

- I raise in MP with K9s and UTG limp/min-re-raises. I call. The flop is K-J-7. He bets $2 and I call. The turn is a 6. he bets $5 and I put him all-in. He calls with QQ = +$13.20

- I get 7s5s in the SB. The cut-off raises to $0.75 and the button calls. I also call. The flop is Ks-Qs-7h. I end up hitting 2 pair, making an awful call and paying off a straight = -$15.76

Session 2

I didn't play this one on my computer so I don't have any hand histories to look at. All I remember is my AQ paid off A9 on a A98 flop, and I called an all-in from a player who kept pushing. I had AKs and he had K7 and I won the pot.

Session 3

Some very annoying hands in this session! Here's some examples...

- I raise with 75o and the BB calls. The flop is 8-7-6. He checks, I bet $1.25 and he calls. The turn is a 4. he checks, I bet $4.40 and he eventually calls. The river is a 5. He bets $10 and I have to fold = -$6.65

- I have J6 in the SB. The button calls and so do I. The flop is J-6-4. I bet the pot and the button calls. The turn is a 4, I bet the pot and the button calls. The river is a 7. I bet half the pot and the button raises. I really should lay this down, but he had been very aggressive, so I call and he shows 5-3 = -$12.37

But also the odd beauty...

- the same player limps UTG and I call with 7c4c. The flop is 9-7-7. The BB and he check, and I bet $1. The BB folds and UTG min-raises to $2. I know I have him beat, so I try to trap him and just call. The turn is an 8. he bets $1.53 and I make it $5. He calls. The river is another 7 and he goes all-in. I gladly call and he shows AA = +$22.70

Session balance = $11.16

I also got $20 from WorldPx for a mistake they made a few weeks ago.

Cash Hours = 136.75
Cash Profit = $940.94 ($6.88 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 70.75
Tournament Profit = $1469.53 ($20.77 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2460.47 (next target reached)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

Odds and Sods

Played a lot of random things and here's how they all went...

Bodog MTT
144 started and I was doing well until I made a stupid mistake. I can't quite remember it but I ended up coming 21/144 for a massive $5.64 ($1.24 profit!)

Party Step 3
Very early on I get KK in the BB. The blinds are 15-30 and the cut-off makes it 150. I make it 500 and only he calls. The flop is 9 high. I check, hoping he has an overpair which isn't AA. He goes all-in for 1500 and I insta-call. He shows 88. From then on it was pretty plain sailing and I ended up wining the seat in the $165 Step 4.

Party Cash Game
10c-25c, 6-handed. 1 table, 30mins.

I have not played a 6-max table for ages but I was playing an STT and wanted some fast action so thought I'd give it a go at a lower level. It was amazing! You can get great reads on people, aggression actually makes people fold, and I caught quite a few nice hands. Here's the key ones...

- Get a9o on the button. There are 2 limpers, both very weak, and so I make it $1. Just the limpers call. The flop is Jh-5h-2 and the first limper bets 25c. The other limper calls. Every single time the first limper has min-bet, he has folded to a raise. I try the trick again and make it $1.50. The min-better folds and the caller calls. The turn is Ah. He checks and I bet $4, he calls. I now fear a flush. However, he checks a 9 on the river and so I doubt he has a flush. I put him all-in for $4 and he calls with A4o = +$10.73

- get 8c5c in the BB and the tightest player raises UTG+1 to $0.75. Another player calls and so do I. The flop is 8s-8-Js. I check and the raiser bets $1.50. The caller calls, and I make it $4. The original raiser goes all-in for $36 and the other player folds. He either has AA, KK, AsXs or JJ, and I am beating 3 of the hands and so call. The turn is an A, and I worry I just got sucked out on, but he shows KK and I take the pot = +$36.15

I did get very lucky with my hands but also 6-max seems so much more enjoyable! I will give it more of a go at the 10c-25c level and see how I do.

I also played a few other random heads-up etc but nothing too exciting.

Session balance = +$63.86

Cash Hours = 133.75
Cash Profit = $909.78 ($6.80 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 70.75
Tournament Profit = $1469.53 ($20.77 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2429.31 (next target reached)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

Barely played

I've barely played recently as I've been busy and now try to spend most my days off playing golf, although I'm rubbish. So since the last blog I have a few very short sessions with no interesting hands in any of them.

Session balance = -$23.33

Cash Hours = 133.25
Cash Profit = $848.11 ($6.36 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 67.5
Tournament Profit = $1467.34 ($21.74 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2365.45 (next target reached)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

1 big pot, the rest was shit

PartyPoker, 25c-50c. 2 hours, 3 tables.

- It all started so well! I'm in LP with 33. UTG makes it $2 and I call. The button then makes it $6 and UTG calls. Although I would not normally call a 12xBB raise with 33, there are a few reasons why I did here. Firstly, someone raised from UTG = strong hand. Secondly, someone re-raised = strong hand. Thirdly, I'm definitely ending the betting. Therefore I believe that if I hit I can definitely stack the button, and therefore have implied odds of 14.5-1 compared to 7.5-1 to hit a set. So I call and the flop is 2-3s-Qs. UTG bets $10, I call, knowing the button will raise, and the button goes all-in for $56.15. UTG calls all-in and I call. The both show KK. IDEAL! They need running Qs to plsit or one needs running spades to take the pot. The turn is 9s but the river is a rag = +$96.25

After this though I could not hit a hand! Every continuation bet was being raised, every flop missed, it was crazy. The biggest amount I lose in any pot on all 3 tables was only $5.50, but I lost so many $2 and $3 pots it was crazy. I did win one other hand though, which I think I should've extracted much more value from...

- I get 95 in the BB. There are a couple of limpers and I check. The flop is 9s-6s-5 and I bet $2.20. I get 1 caller. The turn is a 9. I check and he checks. The river is a Q and I bet the pot ($7.55) hoping for it to look like a bluff. However, he min-raises me. For some reason I am convinced that he has Q9 and so I just call. He shows 55 = +$18.40

I did however play enough hands to earn my bonus! Woohoo! I hope they run this bonus scheme every month, it's always nice to get $100 free.

Session balance = +$48.41 (+$100 bonus)

Cash Hours = 131
Cash Profit = $871.44 ($6.65 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 67.5
Tournament Profit = $1467.34 ($21.74 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2338.78 (next target reached)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

Great Session Turned Sour

I felt really hungover and so didn't want to play anything too strenuous. I decided that as tomorrow is Rake Back Monday on Worldpx, I would try to earn some rake.

Worldpx.com, 10c-25c. 0.5 hrs, 1 table.

I wasn't in the patient mood and I started raising almost every hand to $0.65 pre-flop. The first 3 hands I won either pre-flop or with another $0.65 bet on the flop. The 4th hands I got paid off with QJ by A4 and AK on a Q94-2-Q board. The very next hand I get AK and make my standard 65c raise. I bet one caller. The flop is K high and I bet 65c again. He moves in on me for about $6. I call and he shows K9 (tpwk). Nice start.

So after 30mins I was up to about $60 using this strategy. I then get KQo in MP and make it 65c. I get 1 caller. The flop is J-10-3 and I bet another 65c. He calls. The turn is a 9 and I bet $1.30. He raises me to $7 and I put him all-in for $16.10 more. He calls and shows 33. The river is a 6 and I win the pot. HOWEVER, the $16.10 went back to his stack and I just got the remaining money, giving me only about a $8 profit on the hand. Everyone on the table was suprised, and I am currently awaiting a reply from technical support. After that I just couldn't trust the site and logged off straight away (saving the hand history first).

Anyway I liked my new strategy alot. Usually I am very tight in cash games, and I know this is only 1 session but I will keep trying it and see how it goes.

Session balance = +$36.62 + $16.10 (if I ever get it) (298 hands to bonus)

Cash Hours = 128.50
Cash Profit = $723.03 ($5.63 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 67.5
Tournament Profit = $1467.34 ($21.74 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2240.37 (next target reached)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

Hmmm...

Played 3 cash tables to try and reach the bonus, and one MTT (on Stars so not part of challenge, and I bloody bubbled anyway!). Here's the info...

Cash
PartyPoker, 25c-50c. 2.5 hours, 3 tables.

Key hands...

- get QQ in the BB. 1 limper and I make it $2, he calls. The flop is 6h-7-3h. I bet $2.75 and he raises to 414.50. I don't think he would bet this strongly with a set or a straight, and so I think he either has an overpair, which I almost certainly beat, or a flush/straight draw. I push all-in and he calls with 8h5h. He is actually a slight favourite, but the turn is Qc and river 5s = +$30.05

- I am in the SB with Qc7c and 8 of us see a flop of Q-10h-7h. I bet $2.50 and get 2 callers. The turn is 4d. I bet $7 and get 1 caller. The river is a 7 and I go all-in, hoping he'll call but thinking he probably has a flush draw. He folds, saying he had KhQh = +$14.25

- I get KK in the BB. There are 6 limpers and I make it $3.50. I get 3 callers. The flop is A-6d-9d and I am ready to give up on the hand. However, it checks round and the turn is a K. I bet $10 and they all fold = +$11.25

- I get TT in the SB. There are 2 limpers and I just complete (it's only my second hand at the table). The flop comes Q-10-4. I bet $1.20 and the BB raises to $2.40. The limpers fold. I just call, hoping to trap. The turn is a 7 and I check. he bets $1.74 and I make it $4.75. He calls. The river is a J and I put him all-in for $8.80. He calls with AQ = +$15.80

- I get AQo in the SB. There are 2 limpers and I just call. The flop is A-7s-5s. I bet $1.20 and just the button calls. The turn is a K. I bet $2.75 and he raises to $5.50. I call but fear I am beat. The river is a 5. I check and he bets $7. I know 100% that I should fold, but I call, and he shows K5o = -$14.20

- Session balance = $48.87 (298 hands to bonus)

I know I now have the bankroll for 50c-$1 but I am still not completely confortable cash gaming. I feel I am just getting used to 25c-50c and don't want to jump up too fast. My aim is to get to $2500 and then move up.

Cash Hours = 128
Cash Profit = $686.41 ($5.36 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 67.5
Tournament Profit = $1467.34 ($21.74 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2203.75 (next target reached)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

Step, Cash and Tournies

I was sticking to my cash and tourney strategy. I started by playing 2 cash tables, a mini-step 2 and a multi on Stars (not part of the challenge). When I finished the step I went to three cash tables. Here's how it all went.

Step

Came second which gives me a ticket to level 3 worth $55. Hopefully I won't forget about this one and wait ages before I get around to playing it.

Cash

PartyPoker, 25c-50c. 2.5 hours, 2-3 tables.

Keys hands...

- I get AQo in MP. UTG limps, MP makes it $2, I call and so does the SB and UTG. The flop is Ad-ks-2s. SB checks, UTG bets $1, MP calls, and I just call, not wanting to build a big pot yet. SB folds. The turn is 6d. UTG again bets $1, MP calls and I raise to $5. Just UTG calls. Thr river is 7h. UTG bets $2 and I just call, pretty unsure where I am in the hand. He shows KQ = +$15.20

- I limp in Ep with AdQs. Folded to the BB who makes it $2. I call. The flop is A-4d-3d. He bets $1 and I call. The turn is a nice card for me, Qd. He bets $2 and I call (yes I should probably raise). The river is a 4 and he bets $3. I raise to $10 and he calls with A9 = +$14.00

- I get AhKh on the button. There are a couple of limpers and I make it $2. Just one limper calls. The flop is K-Jh-8. He bets $1 and I raise to $3.75. He calls. The turn is 3h. He checks and I bet $6.50. He calls. The river is a 2. He checks and I check behind, not 100% sure I'm ahead. He shows AJo = +$12.25

- Get AhKh again in MP. I make it $2 and the 2 players on my left both call. The flop is Qh-J-9h, giving me a big draw. I'm not sure how to play it, so I check. Caller 1 bets $5 and Caller 2 folds. I raise to $17.50 and Caller 1 goes all-in for $46.45. I am getting odds to call, with atleast 11 outs, and I call. He shows K10 but the river is the 10h = +$46.00

PartyPoker are also currently running a deposit bonus. I deposited $500 and if I play 1,000 raked hands within a week then I get $100.

- Session balance = $76.35 (674 hands to bonus)

Cash Hours = 125.5
Cash Profit = $637.54 ($5.08 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 67.5
Tournament Profit = $1467.34 ($21.74 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2154.88 ($45.12 to next target)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

Cash and tourneys

I think I pay much more patiently in cash games when I am playing multi's at the same time. Therefore last night I had a session where I played 1 or 2 MTTs and 2 or 3 cash game tables at the same time. Here's how it went...

Cash games
PartyPoker, 0.25-0.50. 4 hours, 2-3 tables.

Key hands...

- get AA in late position. An early position player makes it $1 and I re-raise to $3.50. Only he calls. The flop is 8-10-J. He checks and I bet $5. He calls. The turn is a 7. He bets $5 and I decide to call, justto see what he does on the river. The river is a Q and he bets $15. I fold = -$13.30

- a middle position player makes it $2 and I call in late position with 8c7c. The BB also calls. The flop is Qc-8-3c. BB bets $1, MP calls and I call (maybe I should raise here?). The turn is Ac. BB bets $2, MP calls and I raise to $6.50. Just BB calls. The river is Kc. Not an ideal river. He bets $1 and I call. He shows AK = +$14.25

- get KK UTG+1. UTG limps and I make it $2. The SB and UTG call. The flop is 6h-9h-2h. I have Kh. They both check and I bet $3.75. They both call. The turn is a 3. They both check, and I decide to check too. The river is 10h. SB checks and UTG bets $5. It's pretty obvious he has Ah but I call anyway. He shows Ah3h for the flopped nuts = -$10.75

- get 8s7s in the SB. An MP player makes it $2 and I am the only call, although being out ofposition, I should fold. The flop is A-6-5. I check and he bets $4. Now I should definitely fold, but I call. The turn is a 7, giving me a few more outs (any 4, 9, and I think 7 or 8 = 13 outs). I check and he bets $5. I call. The river is a 9 and I bet $15. He calls with AK = +$23.90

Session balance = +$31.59

Tournaments
BoDog, $4 + $0.40. 133 runners, 27 paid.

This is the tournament I came 2nd in last week so I thought I would give it another go. I played very tight, got no premium hands but hit a few sets and won a couple of 50-50's to get up to 13k with 16 people left. This was enough to put me in about 5th position. Then the big stack min-raises UTG. I push with KK, as although I have a lot of chips compared to others, I still have a fairly low M. He calls with AQ. If I win this then I am a massive chip-leader with 16 to go. In stead he flops a Q and turns another Q and I am out in 16th = +$2.25

Titan, $2 + $0.10. Heads-up.

I can't remember how, but I lose. I am rubbish at heads-up and thought I should practice. = -$2.10.

Overall session balance = $31.74

Cash Hours = 123
Cash Profit = $561.19 ($4.56 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 66.5
Tournament Profit = $1467.34 ($22.07 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2078.53 ($121.47 to next target)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000

Monthly review and semi-final

For winning one of the Titan MTTs, there are 2 semi-finals running. If you come in the top 4 in either then you go through to a live STT in London with a $25k prizepool. The first was last night and I came a disappointing 32nd out of 38.

With blinds at 30-60 I raised to 200 in MP with TT. A player who had raised almost every hand, and whose chipstack had gone from 1500 to 4000 to 140 and back to 1500 within the first half an hour, called. The flop was 9d-5d-9. I checked, knowing he would bet, and he duly bet 300. I was well ahead of his range of possible hands, and so I pushed all-in for 1300. He called with QdJd and hit a J on the river. Game over.

The overall challenge is also not going too well. This is the first time in months that I have had to put '$xxx to next target', and it feels as though the pressure is on. I have not been able to play as much in the last month, but will have to pick up the pace if I am to reach $3,000.

Cash Hours = 119
Cash Profit = $529.60 ($4.45 p/h)

Tournament Hours = 63.5
Tournament Profit = $1467.19 ($23.11 p/h)

Total bankroll = $2046.79 ($152.21 to next target)

August 1st - $2200
September 1st - $3000