Here we go
kbis, Feb 11 2010
Hello LP, I am a lurker that wants to take a shot at blogging because i feel like it will help me keep track of my progress. I started playing online poker in early December and have been on a roalercoaster ever since. I’ll have a winning session, think im one of the poker gods themselves, and spaz out and lose 5 buy in’s trying to run double/triple barrel bluffs with absolute garbage.
I think my biggest leak that caused this was always trying to win every pot, and having a hard time folding. Instead of thinking “What line can i take to Win the most or Lose the least,” I am stuck on the winning the most part. I felt as if every pot i played i had to absolutely win, and this lead to alot of blind betting and raising without thinking of my opponents holdings, and only thinking about my own.
Ok, enough about the past.
I currently attend McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and am in an Honours Bachelor of Science Program. I am a dedicated Toronto Raptors fan, and enjoy long walks on the beach (kidding about the last part, if anyone wants to talk basketball I am always down). I currently play 10NL with a ~$450 bankroll on stars and am planning to move up to 25NL once i establish a solid winrate, or move down to 5NL if necessary.
Ok, and now onto some of my current concerns with my game.
I believe that one of my biggest leaks has to be continuation betting too often. I checked my PT3 over my first 12k hands and saw that I am continuation betting 96% of flops. I believe this is again because of the pattern of thinking i have. I always try to push my opponent off any hand he has by being agressive, and this over aggressiveness costs me alot of money. Currently i am down 5 BI at 10NL and going over my Hand Histories about 4BI’s of losses are basically bet pf, cb f, opponent calls, bet again turn (opponent calls), either c/f river or push if a scare card comes up. I really feel like I need to tame my agression.
So the First Question I have for you guys is:
When Continuation Betting, what is your thought process, and what things make you not want to cb.
Lastly, I want to leave you guys with some hands that i played and your thoughts on the lines that i took.
Hand One —> The player was playing with TAGish stats over 30 hands (so doenst really mean much) and i was generally readless
Submitted by : kbis
PokerStars Game #39588699254: Holdem No Limit ($0.05/$0.10 USD) - 2010/02/11 13:38:33 ET
Table Hungaria III 6-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Hero ($10 in chips)
Seat 2: johnpbg ($10.35 in chips)
Seat 4: drumbun ($13.20 in chips)
Seat 5: ElzwisPresPl ($10.15 in chips)
Seat 6: maagzuur ($8 in chips)
Hero: posts small blind $0.05
johnpbg: posts big blind $0.10
Ichspielen: sits out
Holecards
Dealt to Hero  
drumbun: raises $0.30 to $0.40
ElzwisPresPl: calls $0.40
maagzuur: folds
Hero: calls $0.35
johnpbg: calls $0.30
Flop (Pot : $1.60)
  
Hero: bets $1.50
johnpbg: folds
drumbun: folds
ElzwisPresPl: calls $1.50
Turn (Pot : $4.60)
Hero: bets $3
ElzwisPresPl: raises $5.25 to $8.25 and is all-in
Hero: ......
I put him on some kind of a flush draw with a jack, I dont really think he wouldve check raised me with a KQ, although he wouldve if it was KQh, I also did not think he had a AK because he probably would’ve 3bet that preflop, and also there was a slight possibility he has some kind of Qxh or KJh, otherwise, i felt that he had generally some kind of flush draw possible with a J. I am wondering what the best play here would be to call, or fold.
Hand Two —> Villain seemed to play extremely tight from the BB and i had previously stolen his BB over the last 3 orbits.
Submitted by : kbis
PokerStars Game #39589481918: Holdem No Limit ($0.05/$0.10 USD) - 2010/02/11 13:53:15 ET
Table Hungaria III 6-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Hero ($18.80 in chips)
Seat 2: johnpbg ($11.05 in chips)
Seat 3: suspicaz ($5.85 in chips)
Seat 4: drumbun ($12.50 in chips)
Seat 5: ElzwisPresPl ($19.30 in chips)
Seat 6: maagzuur ($8.10 in chips)
Hero: posts small blind $0.05
johnpbg: posts big blind $0.10
Holecards
Dealt to Hero  
suspicaz: folds
drumbun: folds
ElzwisPresPl: folds
maagzuur: folds
Hero: raises $0.20 to $0.30
johnpbg: calls $0.20
Flop (Pot : $0.60)
  
Hero: checks
johnpbg: bets $0.40
Hero: raises $1.10 to $1.50
johnpbg: calls $1.10
Turn (Pot : $3.60)
Hero: checks
johnpbg: checks
River (Pot : $3.60)
Hero: bets $2
johnpbg: ....
Initially i wanted to just attempt to steal his blind, but unfortunately he called. I check the flop to him planning to check raise trying to play as if i slow played a set, he bets, i cr, he calls. At this point i put him on some kind of middle pocket pair, a set, or a diamond suited connector type hand. After my agression i decided the best play would be just to give up on the hand. I checked the Q turn to him, and he checked back. This eliminated a possible Set, or overpair, and i was left under the assumption that he was looking for some kind of strait or flush draw, Maybe a hand like A4d, or A2d, or any two diamonds. The turn came a blank for A2d and any flush draw and i decided the best option would be to bet out.
What are your thoughts on my analysis of that hand and what is the line that you would take?
Alright, that was really long, but it felt really good to get all of that out,
Thanks in advance to the people who decide to post and follow me on my journey.
Song of the day: Nas - The Message "A thug changes, and love changes, and best friends become strangers. Word up."
Peace out, keep it fresh
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