Mistakes...
So I bricked another one of the small deep stack tournaments in my package. I chipped up pretty quickly and despite playing at the best table I've played at so far managed to bulldoze my way to a chip stack with no cards. I played pretty snug until I felt like I had established an image. In late position I opened (don't remember the holding) and I ended up triple barreling a guy on a board that got wetter and wetter. He found a fold and I wondered what he had on the turn that he couldn't call the river.
Later, I kind of fell into a hand that I felt pretty proud of... a guy in late position to my left had been punishing the limpers, I didn't limp all day but I thought I might be able to create some free money, when predictably the UTG dude limped again. So did UTG+1. I was in mid position with Qd9d. It didn't matter what I had per se, but I felt like that hand fared all right postflop if the plan I was fostering with awry. So I limped.
As I hoped, the guy on the button put out a raise 4x the button's bet. Just as predictably the best player at the table in the bb, jumped in with a call. The two limpers followed suit. Time for a back raise. I thought the button was good enough to recognize this as strength, same with the big blind. I think amateur players just focus on the fact I initially limped from mid position and don't give the raise any credit. Better players recognize I could be making a sophisticated move with a hand. I done just this with big pairs when the table dynamic allowed it.
When the first two folded, I was fairly sure I'd get through. The first limper folded but the second limper was having none of that. He called. Big pot. I was cbetting any flop. It came Jack high. He checked and he folded almost before my chips hit the center of the table.
So, I continued to chip up and then hit a couple of hands.
The best player at the table and I were chipleaders, until they moved a kid from England to our table with a ton of chips. Nonetheless I felt we somewhat dodging one another. Then this happened. He opened from early position. I looked at 99s and decided just to call.
Bam! 9 ball on the flop. He checks to me. I bet out as there are two spades and the board is a little bit co-ordinated. He raises. Been through this drill before. Check-raising the draw. Alright, I overship and he calls. He has a pair and a flush draw. We are about 70% to win. Turn is dry. River is the spade.
Sucks... without showdown I had doubled my starting stack. My first real big hand and I was walking for the exit.
Now on to the mistakes.
Twice I felt I didn't listen to my gut.
I played a big hand in a tournament later that day when I opened with Jacks, a fairly solid player three bet me. I called and flop came King high. He led into me and did two tells (one bet sizing the other vocal) that let me know he didn't love the board. I should have raised him there. I immediately narrowed his range to just a few hands like QQ, 1010 or AQ maybe 99.
Instead of rasining I called with the idea I'd reevaluate on later streets. A king on the turn slowed us down. Now, it was a little harder for me to represent a King in my hand. We both checked. When he did, I knew I was going to bet the river to dictate how much more I'd have to put in the pot. I led out and he called with QQ.
My mistakes in that hand were allowing myself to play a biggish pot with JJ against a capable and tight player. Could easily fold there (that table unlike the deep stack earlier) was the easiest I played all week so plenty of other spots to get chips. Next it wasn't listening to my gut and going for it on the flop with a raise. Lastly the river blocking bet. I shove there or bet large and I don't think he can call.
Now, his hand was transparent to me, but I'm not so sure my hand was face up to him. I think I could easily have AK and check the turn to him, so hard for him to call off on the river, I think. High risk but better to go for it than not.
Another time I didn't listen to my gut and push back I was also punished. In a blind v. blind hand from a tournament two days ago I had 107 and flopped a 7. Also was a 53--two hearts on the board. I bet he called. Turn was a third heart but was a 2. I checked for pot control and he insta bet (strong is weak) and I knew he didn't hit his flush. Also wasn't worried about A4. Actually because he didn't bet pre as he did with any ace I wasn't worried about an Ace.
So I call. The river is a four. I check and then he bets out with strength (no verbal weakness either) and I study the board. Only thing that beat me was a six. How could he go from weak on the turn to strong on the river. I call instead of folding. I know I'm beat but I can't resist seeing why. He shows 96. He flopped a double gutter.
Ugh. Listen to your gut, and don't call to see. Trust you are right and let it go.
Alright Millionaire Maker is just a couple of hours away. I can't wait to play long levels (despite the short starting stack) and really focus. Have some friends who made some deep runs, one is one of twelve with a shot at a bracelet today, go Blake B!
Later, I kind of fell into a hand that I felt pretty proud of... a guy in late position to my left had been punishing the limpers, I didn't limp all day but I thought I might be able to create some free money, when predictably the UTG dude limped again. So did UTG+1. I was in mid position with Qd9d. It didn't matter what I had per se, but I felt like that hand fared all right postflop if the plan I was fostering with awry. So I limped.
As I hoped, the guy on the button put out a raise 4x the button's bet. Just as predictably the best player at the table in the bb, jumped in with a call. The two limpers followed suit. Time for a back raise. I thought the button was good enough to recognize this as strength, same with the big blind. I think amateur players just focus on the fact I initially limped from mid position and don't give the raise any credit. Better players recognize I could be making a sophisticated move with a hand. I done just this with big pairs when the table dynamic allowed it.
When the first two folded, I was fairly sure I'd get through. The first limper folded but the second limper was having none of that. He called. Big pot. I was cbetting any flop. It came Jack high. He checked and he folded almost before my chips hit the center of the table.
So, I continued to chip up and then hit a couple of hands.
The best player at the table and I were chipleaders, until they moved a kid from England to our table with a ton of chips. Nonetheless I felt we somewhat dodging one another. Then this happened. He opened from early position. I looked at 99s and decided just to call.
Bam! 9 ball on the flop. He checks to me. I bet out as there are two spades and the board is a little bit co-ordinated. He raises. Been through this drill before. Check-raising the draw. Alright, I overship and he calls. He has a pair and a flush draw. We are about 70% to win. Turn is dry. River is the spade.
Sucks... without showdown I had doubled my starting stack. My first real big hand and I was walking for the exit.
Now on to the mistakes.
Twice I felt I didn't listen to my gut.
I played a big hand in a tournament later that day when I opened with Jacks, a fairly solid player three bet me. I called and flop came King high. He led into me and did two tells (one bet sizing the other vocal) that let me know he didn't love the board. I should have raised him there. I immediately narrowed his range to just a few hands like QQ, 1010 or AQ maybe 99.
Instead of rasining I called with the idea I'd reevaluate on later streets. A king on the turn slowed us down. Now, it was a little harder for me to represent a King in my hand. We both checked. When he did, I knew I was going to bet the river to dictate how much more I'd have to put in the pot. I led out and he called with QQ.
My mistakes in that hand were allowing myself to play a biggish pot with JJ against a capable and tight player. Could easily fold there (that table unlike the deep stack earlier) was the easiest I played all week so plenty of other spots to get chips. Next it wasn't listening to my gut and going for it on the flop with a raise. Lastly the river blocking bet. I shove there or bet large and I don't think he can call.
Now, his hand was transparent to me, but I'm not so sure my hand was face up to him. I think I could easily have AK and check the turn to him, so hard for him to call off on the river, I think. High risk but better to go for it than not.
Another time I didn't listen to my gut and push back I was also punished. In a blind v. blind hand from a tournament two days ago I had 107 and flopped a 7. Also was a 53--two hearts on the board. I bet he called. Turn was a third heart but was a 2. I checked for pot control and he insta bet (strong is weak) and I knew he didn't hit his flush. Also wasn't worried about A4. Actually because he didn't bet pre as he did with any ace I wasn't worried about an Ace.
So I call. The river is a four. I check and then he bets out with strength (no verbal weakness either) and I study the board. Only thing that beat me was a six. How could he go from weak on the turn to strong on the river. I call instead of folding. I know I'm beat but I can't resist seeing why. He shows 96. He flopped a double gutter.
Ugh. Listen to your gut, and don't call to see. Trust you are right and let it go.
Alright Millionaire Maker is just a couple of hours away. I can't wait to play long levels (despite the short starting stack) and really focus. Have some friends who made some deep runs, one is one of twelve with a shot at a bracelet today, go Blake B!
Comments