Revenge of the Pairs

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Tonight was a bit of a disaster - I'd planned to try and put in a really solid session with 3+ hours but I quickly realised it wasn't going to be my night after a few wayward hands on Full Tilt. I was frustrated but composed myself in the post-chow session and got stuck in. Unfortunately my pocket-pairs were just not playing ball at all tonight.

There's no real point to posting them since there aren't really any mistakes in my play of them with the possible exception of the 99 hand (he could have been semi-bluffing over-cards with a diamond though). I guess I just want to document how exasperating this session was considering I lost my money with some of my most profitable hands and from a group of hands that are all winners for me. So in ascending order:

FullTiltPoker Game #2194305082: Table Lynnwood (6 max) -

$1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:00:48 ET - 2007/04/12

Seat 1: Cursefree ($198.35)
Seat 2: lz5t38 ($79.35)
Seat 3: downtpwn ($222.75)
Seat 4: ProV1x7 ($201.85)
Seat 5: craka_lakin ($226.95)
Seat 6: Salt Pork ($54.40)
ProV1x7 posts the small blind of $1
craka_lakin posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #3

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to Cursefree [8h 8d]
Salt Pork folds
Cursefree raises to $8
lz5t38 calls $8
Salt Pork adds $40
downtpwn calls $8
ProV1x7 folds
craka_lakin folds

*** FLOP *** [9c 4c 6d]

Cursefree bets $20
lz5t38 calls $20
downtpwn folds

*** TURN *** [9c 4c 6d] [Kh]

Cursefree bets $52
lz5t38 calls $51.35, and is all in
Cursefree shows [8h 8d]
lz5t38 shows [Kc Qc]
Uncalled bet of $0.65 returned to Cursefree

*** RIVER *** [9c 4c 6d Kh] [4d]

Cursefree shows two pair, Eights and Fours
lz5t38 shows two pair, Kings and Fours
lz5t38 wins the pot ($166.70) with two pair, Kings and Fours

This hand annoyed me like last nights Kd8d hand. The guy gave a way a glaring tell on the flop with a near insta-call of my continuation bet and I immediately attributed him to a flush. I figured with any other hand he'd have taken at least a few seconds longer to contemplate his play. The turn was a concern but I can't allow myself to auto-fear it - I push to shut his flush draw down but he's already improved a higher pair!

Less than 2 minutes later and on the same table:

FullTiltPoker Game #2194312192: Table Lynnwood (6 max) -
$1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:02:07 ET - 2007/04/12

Seat 1: Cursefree ($119)
Seat 2: lz5t38 ($166.70)
Seat 3: downtpwn ($224.80)
Seat 4: ProV1x7 ($192.85)
Seat 5: craka_lakin ($223.95)
Seat 6: Salt Pork ($92.40)
Salt Pork posts the small blind of $1
Cursefree posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #5

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to Cursefree [9c 9s]
lz5t38 folds
downtpwn folds
ProV1x7 raises to $7
craka_lakin folds
Salt Pork folds
Cursefree calls $5

*** FLOP *** [8d 3d 4d]

Cursefree checks
ProV1x7 bets $15
Cursefree raises to $45
ProV1x7 raises to $185.85, and is all in
Cursefree calls $67, and is all in
ProV1x7 shows [Ts Th]
Cursefree shows [9c 9s]
Uncalled bet of $73.85 returned to ProV1x7

*** TURN *** [8d 3d 4d] [Jh]

*** RIVER *** [8d 3d 4d Jh] [4s]

ProV1x7 shows two pair, Tens and Fours
Cursefree shows two pair, Nines and Fours
ProV1x7 wins the pot ($236) with two pair, Tens and Fours
Cursefree adds $200

I could probably debate the $67 call back and forth with myself but I think the key decision was in whether to play the flop at all. In light of the 88 hand moments ago it might have been better to adopt a set-mining attitude to this hand and thus fold to his continuation bet. Of course that would be a pretty dumb attitude to adopt given that I'd not even had a chance to top up yet and couldn't stack him even if I had hit a set!

Moving up we have QQ next - given villains play I just can't see how I can avoid paying out here. I won't lie, I was trapping on a margin preflop looking for a strong c-bet from him to raise. The flop was perfect for the play but the c-bet wasn't forthcoming:

FullTiltPoker Game #2194366824: Table Dinning (6 max) -

$1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:12:15 ET - 2007/04/12

Seat 1: DMBryOwnsU ($168.65)
Seat 2: Zimmer4141 ($210)
Seat 3: 05042006 ($261.60)
Seat 4: tRiCkYsArAhLoLo ($40)
Seat 5: Cursefree ($192)
Seat 6: Ender44 ($90.50)
Ender44 posts the small blind of $1
DMBryOwnsU posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #5

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to Cursefree [Qc Qs]
Zimmer4141 folds
05042006 folds
tRiCkYsArAhLoLo folds
Cursefree raises to $8
Ender44 folds
DMBryOwnsU raises to $21
Cursefree calls $13

*** FLOP *** [9s 3d 6s]

DMBryOwnsU checks
Cursefree bets $30
DMBryOwnsU calls $30

*** TURN *** [9s 3d 6s] [9h]

DMBryOwnsU checks
Cursefree bets $141, and is all in
DMBryOwnsU calls $117.65, and is all in
Cursefree shows [Qc Qs]
DMBryOwnsU shows [As Ah]
Uncalled bet of $23.35 returned to Cursefree

*** RIVER *** [9s 3d 6s 9h] [Js]

Cursefree shows two pair, Queens and Nines
DMBryOwnsU shows two pair, Aces and Nines
DMBryOwnsU wins the pot ($335.30) with two pair, Aces and Nines

Next up we have KK and a two-outer beat (small pot thankfully):

FullTiltPoker Game #2193609087: Table Newburg (6 max) -

$1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 12:36:29 ET - 2007/04/12

Seat 1: Topcheese ($284.45)
Seat 2: BIGSLICK4091 ($142.40)
Seat 3: sm59233 ($48.90)
Seat 4: ChkOutXpres ($182.05)
Seat 5: Cursefree ($204.75)
Seat 6: NoWeiKayOkay ($203)
BIGSLICK4091 posts the small blind of $1
sm59233 posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #1

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to Cursefree [Kd Kc]
ChkOutXpres stands up
ChkOutXpres folds
Cursefree raises to $8
NoWeiKayOkay folds
rylen808 sits down
Topcheese folds
BIGSLICK4091 folds
rylen808 adds $200
sm59233 raises to $14
Cursefree: hmmmm
Cursefree has 15 seconds left to act
Cursefree raises to $204.75, and is all in
sm59233 calls $34.90, and is all in
Cursefree shows [Kd Kc]
sm59233 shows [Ts Th]
Uncalled bet of $155.85 returned to Cursefree

*** FLOP *** [4d 5h Qd]

*** TURN *** [4d 5h Qd] [Tc]

*** RIVER *** [4d 5h Qd Tc] [Qs]

Cursefree shows two pair, Kings and Queens
sm59233 shows a full house, Tens full of Queens
sm59233 wins the pot ($95.80) with a full house, Tens full of Queens

And finally this little gem, AA:

FullTiltPoker Game #2194425209: Table Lynnwood (6 max) -

$1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:22:51 ET - 2007/04/12

Seat 1: Cursefree ($259.05)
Seat 2: lz5t38 ($193.55)
Seat 3: downtpwn ($206.90)
Seat 4: BillFrist879 ($203.05)
Seat 5: craka_lakin ($191.40)
Seat 6: Salt Pork ($214.55)
BillFrist879 posts the small blind of $1
craka_lakin posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #3

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to Cursefree [Ac Ah]
Salt Pork raises to $6
Cursefree raises to $15
lz5t38 folds
downtpwn folds
BillFrist879 folds
craka_lakin folds
Salt Pork calls $9

*** FLOP *** [8d 2h 9h]

Salt Pork bets $32
Cursefree calls $32

*** TURN *** [8d 2h 9h] [7d]

Salt Pork bets $102
craka_lakin adds $10.60
Cursefree raises to $212.05, and is all in
Salt Pork calls $65.55, and is all in
Cursefree shows [Ac Ah]
Salt Pork shows [8s 8c]
Uncalled bet of $44.50 returned to Cursefree

*** RIVER *** [8d 2h 9h 7d] [Tc]

Cursefree shows a pair of Aces
Salt Pork shows three of a kind, Eights Salt Pork wins the pot ($429.10) with three of a kind, Eights

Only regret with the AA hand is my fairly low raise preflop. Normally I'd go $18-20 there but I was in action on several other tables and just grabbed the slider and found a figure. It didn't seem to matter too much holding the AA preflop and to be honest I think he'd have called $3-4 more anyway. For those questioning the smooth calling as opposed to my usual aggressive raising I put villain on a pair (probably a high one) preflop so I was happy to make sure he was totally committed with 1010-KK before I revealed my aces.

At around this time I started to tilt. Tilt is very rare for me and my form of tilt certainly isn't the worst kind. I don't get loose preflop or make crazy bluffs but I just become ultra over-defensive with made hands. If I flop a set and have a c-bet called with any draw present then I'll bet massive on a safe turn. I over bet rivers where I should get value and shut down hands well before I should. I essentially lose my ability to trap or play crafty in any way and I scare away the 2nd/3rd best hand far too easily. I take the decision to come out and am pleased to find that a number of other medium pots I've won over the 20 minutes of hell result in me being just $300 down. With AA,KK,QQ and two other pairs smashed to bits I have to view that as acceptable.

No-Limit-Grinder makes an interesting point in the comments on my previous post in regards to putting pressure on myself. This is something I've discussed with my friends and family a lot and it's clear that I do put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve certain goals in certain times. Tonight I don't feel bad at losing $300 for its numerical value as it's only around 4% of my bankroll - it's just that any backward step keeps me further from my goals. This is not something I'd translate into full-time play; my only true goal for full-time play would be to make more than my job for fewer hours and enjoy a full life. That's it. I'd like to make loads, play the big events and make a name for myself but I'll not pressure myself to do so. The reason I put pressure on myself at the moment is the burning desire to get out of my job situation and get playing full-time. I can't describe how boring I find my job now - I have no love for it at all and find absolutely nothing about it interesting. If my employer ever checked my emails to see how much I write and read about poker I'd be fired in a flash. Day-time poker chat is the only thing that gets me through the day!