Well the winning streak is over. Tough session at the Wynn tonight. Started out bad and just got worse. To begin, there was a 10+ person waiting list for every NL game and they wouldn't open a new table, so I had to play $8/16 limit shorthanded and I'm very inexperienced at limit. Lost a about $180 there in like 30 minutes. Then within the first few minutes at NL I get set under set. Luckily the guy way slowplayed it(checked around on flop, I bet and he flat called turn, and the river brought 4 to a straight which scared us both) so I only lost $150 on the entire hand. Overall I lost a little over $1200 for the session. It sucks because I was actually thinking of moving up to $5/10 now that my bankroll is near $25,000. But I guess that'll have to be put on hold for a bit now. Anyway, heres some hands. Now that I have a deposit box, I buy in for large amounts to cover everyone($5000 or so) so I'll only list my opponent's stack size in the hand descriptions.
Hand of the Day #1
I have AQ in MP/LP. Villian hasn't done anything stupid or out of line yet, so he gets a normal amount of respect I guess. I forget how much he has because its not an issue in the hand really. Two limpers in EP including villian, I raise to $30. I get 3 callers, all either in the blinds or EP so I'm last to act.
Flop comes 59Q with 2 hearts. I have the ace of hearts, the queen on the board is the one card that is not a heart. Check, check, villian bets $75, I call, everyone else folds. Turn is a 4 non-heart. He checks, I bet $125, he calls.
Now I'm sure many would question my flat call on the flop and my rather small bet on turn. Let me explain my thinking: On the flop I was very surprised by his bet. It could've been a lot of things for sure. When you factor in that there are 2 people acting after me now, I really want to find out more about where I'm at before I act. So I just called.
On the turn, if he had a set, then he surely was planning on check raising me here and a smaller bet is best. If he had QK then a smaller bet is best. If he has a flush draw then a bigger bet is best. I don't know why, but I didn't really put him on a flush draw alone...maybe a straight and flush draw or a pair of queens with the flush draw....However I felt as if I would have a very clear idea of his hand range based upon his response to my turn bet, and that coupled with position in the hand made me kinda want him to stick around.
I dunno, maybe I should've bet more though. Anyway, he calls. The river is a 9 non heart, pairing the 9. He leads out for $250. Your move.
What I did
I thought for a while, but I really never gave serious consideration to folding. If he had 55 or Q9 then I don't see how he didn't fear the draws more. Well he ended up having 89os and won the pot.
What I think I should've done
I definitely could see an argument for a $175 bet on the turn. I don't mind the river call there, as I was very surprised by his hand and I don't think I can fault myself for paying him off.
Hand of the Day #2
I'm in BB with AQ of spades. A few limpers, I raise to $35. Three calls again, which isn't what I was hoping for. Flop comes 34T with 2 spaces. I bet $90. One caller. Caller didn't seem like that great of a player to me, typical losing $2/5 player. He has about $360 remaining after calling the flop. The turn is another 3 non spade. Theres now $300 in the pot. Your move.
What I did
I pushed. He called with 34 and I was drawing dead.
What I think I should've done
The 3 was such a bad card for me. Not only for the obvious reason that it made his hand, but because it made it less likely that he had a set- since he had limped I ruled out TT already. I thought he either had something like AT/TJ or maybe a mid pocket pair like 8s. I thought that my overbet would scream big pair that wants the draws out and get him to fold most hands, and even if he called then I'd have a ton of outs still. If I check and he bets it pretty much pot commits him anyway, and I'd much rather be betting than calling. Its the risky play, but I think I still like it. Would like some thoughts though.
Hand of the Day #3
I get JJ in EP and raise to $20. LP calls, villian in BB raises to $70. Villian has raised quite a few times preflop, but in general seems TAG and has never done anything out of line. He has a little over $1100 total before the hand. I call, LP folds.
Flop is 49J with 2 diamonds...jackpot! He bets out $100. I think for a while and min. raise to $200. I really wanted it to seem like I had QQ and was probing because I was pretty confident that he either had AA or KK. He calls.
Turn is the worst card I can possibly see: Ace of diamonds. He bets out $400. I do not have the jack of diamonds, although it isn't on the board either(so if he put me on JJ then its likely he may think I'm on a diamond draw). He has a little under $400 remaining. Your move.
What I did
I folded. He showed me AA.
What I think I should've done
Feels good to be able to get away from it here. I think his bet had to be either AA or KK with the K of diamonds. I guess KK is more likely since theres not one on the board. I think it was the right fold, although its always tough to fold such a big hand.
I left shortly after this last hand. Tough night.