Playing super well....

Here's how I know.

Past two night sessions, go down 2-3 buy-ins within the first 10 minutes of each session. Mostly because of a coolers or bad beats but 2 of them (one in each session) due to my own bad play.

And I didn't tilt. Instead I recognized the losses for what they were, especially the losses due to bad play. Made a note to help develop my reads on the villains.

And then went on to crush. First night was the 3 buy-in downer. I swung it back to +2 buyin session.

Tonight instantly down 2 buy-ins when semi-coolered with a flush over flush and then a terrible play in a 3bet pot w AK when I tried to push a bad player (even had dbag in his screen name) off a Q high flop when I pushed over his re-raise and he snap called w JJ and I bricked out. I recognized my mistakes in the hands. As a result, I didn't tilt. Made my notes to develop reads on both players and moved on.

Moved on to a +5.5 buy-in session over 2 hours.

Oh yeah, final VPIP/PFR of 30.1/23.2. Not exactly nitting it up.


Uhm.....make that a +7.5 buy-in session. Just turned quads and got check-raised. I flatted; he snaps shove river and I win a $40 pot at 10NL. So I guess you can say I run pretty well too.

Anyways, the other example of playing well:

Absolute Poker $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold'em - 4 players - View hand 341566

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



BB: $19.91

Hero (CO): $18.33

BTN: $33.46

SB: $10.40



Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is CO with 3 3

Hero raises to $0.30, BTN raises to $1.05, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.75



Flop: ($2.25) 2 K Q (2 players)

Hero bets $0.80, BTN raises to $1.60, Hero raises to $3.80, BTN calls $2.20



Turn: ($9.85) J (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN checks



River: ($9.85) A (2 players)

Hero bets $6.45, BTN folds




EDIT: Important note is that we are playing relatively deep with effective stacks of 180bbs. This gives me much more room to maneuver and apply pressure as you see in the following analysis.

I have a very strong read on this player. I know that his 3bet is JJ+ based on the 1.2k+ hands I have played with him. On this flop, I have a particular plan against him so I donk into him expecting the re-raise from AA, KK, QQ, and AKo and AKs. He probably flats with a small chance of fold JJ (chance of fold increases if missing Js). I put in the 3bet (notice this size is considered relatively large for this particular table, this is important at it puts a good deal of pressure on him) to gather more information as I'm about 70% positive that he'll give me a free river with anything less than a set here. He will be shoving QQ and KK, AA with Aspade. 50/50 on him flatting w AKo with Ace spades. This means I can make a move on the river if it is a spade. He obliges and flats the 3bet and gives me the info I need to play this hand perfectly.

He checks behind Jd trn which eliminates JJ from his range. I now put him on AK.

So in order to avoid any "data loss" (concept that we add hands to villain's range after the flop that we said he couldn't have before the flop - Cardrunner video by Vital Myth as part of "The Big Difference" series. HIGHLY RECOMMEND), I put villian on JJ, QQ, KK, AK, AKs due to his 3bet. After flop, I am able to eliminate As from his range based on the action. Qs and Ks is already out there so he cant have those either.

The river is the absolute perfect card to bluff at against this particular villain as I 100% KNOW that he does not have a spade. I am also 100% positive that he is a thinking enough player that he will fold to a largish raise.

Against a bad player, this is a much much closer play as they will not be willing to fold two pair or stronger on this river. (EDIT: actually against a bad aggressive or even bad passive player, I am check-folding this flop texture.)

Anyways, just thought I'd share my thoughts on an interesting hand. I've made some great strides recently in my poker playing based on changing HOW I am studying the game and, as a result, how I'm approaching the game when I'm on the tables.

See you at the felt,

DubsPoke