WVHillbilly
Legend
Silver Level
Congrats on the degree Zach. I don't exactly remember but I may well have been one of those telling you that if you dropped out would be really hard to go back. Glad to be proven wrong if that's the case.
BTW I can get you a job if you want to spend a year in sunny Afghanistan!
BTW I can get you a job if you want to spend a year in sunny Afghanistan!
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Sick post, hack. Once again, just want to congratulate you on finishing your degree. It doesn't have to be "in spite of them" to feel great, but you certainly beat the odds in dropping out and then going back and closing it out. So well done.
On a side note, how do you feel about the softness of Maryland Live's games as compared to other places you have played live? Sand was telling me about a friend of his who spent a week there playing 2/5 and said it was SUPER soft, with tons of 2/5 games going. Guess I'm curious what your experience has been (I know you don't play 2/5, so).
On a side note, how do you feel about the softness of Maryland Live's games as compared to other places you have played live? Sand was telling me about a friend of his who spent a week there playing 2/5 and said it was SUPER soft, with tons of 2/5 games going. Guess I'm curious what your experience has been (I know you don't play 2/5, so).
stately7
Rock Star
Silver Level
That's really cool hack. Maybe you didn't need it, but finishing that degree gives you a lot in terms of confidence, options and opportunity - lots of life +EV with that, including the edge and discipline doing this brings to your poker game too.
On the winrate side, not posting exact financials seems wise. S**t yeah, it's your thread etc!
On the winrate side, not posting exact financials seems wise. S**t yeah, it's your thread etc!
stately7
Rock Star
Silver Level
If you think Hack needed a degree for confidence you dont know Hack
Congrats and stuff.
A baller already eh?
hackmeplz
Sleep Faster
Silver Level
Thanks. Got one more similar story then I'll post a few interesting hands, because I've had some the last few days. I still remember a little bit after black friday when just about everything was going wrong. First of all before BF I was on a 50 bi downswing, then of course the actual BF stopping me from playing online and freezing my FTP/Stars funds, and on top of that I found out shortly after BF that I'd been scammed for ~20k (long story, if you don't know about it already rather not get into it, the good news is I'm still currently being paid installments from the guy who's gotten a regular job and I'm due to be made full in ~2.5 more years but it's better than I expected at the time) and I had also just gotten my rejection letter from the University of Maryland. Also I had put together a large package for the summer and was something like 0/10 and if I bricked the rest I'd be pretty close to busto. I was borderline depressed, felt like the universe was out to get me, and was just extremely frustrated.
Anyway I specifically remember this day because I was having trouble sleeping so at ~4am I finally just got up and decided to go for a run. I can still remember this really clearly, because it was an absolutely beautiful morning and seeing the sun rise against the desert backdrop was just extremely calming. After a bit of running I just sort of sat there and thought, and I realized how lucky I'd been in poker and in life to be where I was. I'd just spent the last 3 months in Australia, I'd seen more of the world than most people do in their lifetimes, I had made a bunch of really good friends through poker, and more importantly, I realized that even if the worst case happened and I bricked the rest of the summer, I'd be financially the same as before I ever played poker but with all the amazing experiences and memories. As soon as I realized that the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen wasn't that bad, I was way more at ease with my situation.
Obviously it does help when things start to get better: I got into UMBC, final tabled an event that summer, and took a trip up to Montreal to get my FTP/Stars funds. But every time things start to go bad, I think back to my thoughts that day and realize how much better off I am because of poker and realize that I need to put things in perspective a little bit. Even ignoring poker, the fact that I (and most people reading this) will never be in a position where I have to worry about my next meal or a roof over my head already puts me near the top in terms of luck in the world. My mom had a phrase she used to say whenever we would say life wasn't fair when we were kids. "Of course life isn't fair, if life were fair we'd have a lot less." As much as I think it's important to always strive to be better and push yourself in anything you want to succeed at in life, I also think it's important sometimes to step back and put things in perspective a bit.
Anyway I specifically remember this day because I was having trouble sleeping so at ~4am I finally just got up and decided to go for a run. I can still remember this really clearly, because it was an absolutely beautiful morning and seeing the sun rise against the desert backdrop was just extremely calming. After a bit of running I just sort of sat there and thought, and I realized how lucky I'd been in poker and in life to be where I was. I'd just spent the last 3 months in Australia, I'd seen more of the world than most people do in their lifetimes, I had made a bunch of really good friends through poker, and more importantly, I realized that even if the worst case happened and I bricked the rest of the summer, I'd be financially the same as before I ever played poker but with all the amazing experiences and memories. As soon as I realized that the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen wasn't that bad, I was way more at ease with my situation.
Obviously it does help when things start to get better: I got into UMBC, final tabled an event that summer, and took a trip up to Montreal to get my FTP/Stars funds. But every time things start to go bad, I think back to my thoughts that day and realize how much better off I am because of poker and realize that I need to put things in perspective a little bit. Even ignoring poker, the fact that I (and most people reading this) will never be in a position where I have to worry about my next meal or a roof over my head already puts me near the top in terms of luck in the world. My mom had a phrase she used to say whenever we would say life wasn't fair when we were kids. "Of course life isn't fair, if life were fair we'd have a lot less." As much as I think it's important to always strive to be better and push yourself in anything you want to succeed at in life, I also think it's important sometimes to step back and put things in perspective a bit.
hackmeplz
Sleep Faster
Silver Level
BTN: $650.90
SB: $712.01
BB: $656.84
UTG: $810.01
Hero (MP): $727.84
CO: $953.17
Pre Flop: ($9.00) Hero is MP with 9:spade: 9:club:
1 fold, Hero raises to $18.00, CO calls $18, 3 folds
Flop: ($45.00) 4:diamond: 3:club: 9:diamond: (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $33.75, Hero calls $33.75
Turn: ($112.50) 3:heart: (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $84.37, Hero calls $84.37
River: ($281.24) T:spade: (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $210.93, Hero raises to $591.72 all in
Hero (BTN): $895.31
SB: $409.38
BB: $1492.74
CO: $710.00
Pre Flop: ($9.00) Hero is BTN with 5:club: 6:club:
CO raises to $13.50, Hero raises to $40.00, 2 folds, CO calls $26.50
Flop: ($89.00) K:diamond: 5:spade: 8:heart: (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $56.00, CO calls $56
Turn: ($201.00) 6:diamond: (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $144.00, CO raises to $355.00, Hero raises to $799.31 all in
CO: $799.59
BTN: $1408.85
SB: $600.00
BB: $1061.51
UTG: $796.29
Hero (MP): $732.83
Pre Flop: ($9.00) Hero is MP with Q:club: K:club:
1 fold, Hero raises to $18.00, 1 fold, BTN raises to $63.00, 2 folds, Hero calls $45
Flop: ($135.00) 4:spade: Q:diamond: 9:spade: (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $101.25, Hero calls $101.25
Turn: ($337.50) T:club: (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $225.00, Hero calls $225
River: ($787.50) 9:heart: (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $393.75, Hero calls $343.58 all in
SB: $400.00
BB: $858.34
UTG: $533.72
MP: $1124.86
CO: $595.63
Hero (BTN): $400.00
Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is BTN with 5:heart: Q:heart:
UTG calls $4, 2 folds, Hero raises to $16.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $12
Flop: ($38.00) J:club: 8:diamond: Q:diamond: (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $28.00, UTG raises to $56.00, Hero calls $28
Turn: ($150.00) 5:club: (2 players)
UTG bets $150.00, Hero raises to $328 all in
SB: $712.01
BB: $656.84
UTG: $810.01
Hero (MP): $727.84
CO: $953.17
Pre Flop: ($9.00) Hero is MP with 9:spade: 9:club:
1 fold, Hero raises to $18.00, CO calls $18, 3 folds
Flop: ($45.00) 4:diamond: 3:club: 9:diamond: (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $33.75, Hero calls $33.75
Turn: ($112.50) 3:heart: (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $84.37, Hero calls $84.37
River: ($281.24) T:spade: (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $210.93, Hero raises to $591.72 all in
Hero (BTN): $895.31
SB: $409.38
BB: $1492.74
CO: $710.00
Pre Flop: ($9.00) Hero is BTN with 5:club: 6:club:
CO raises to $13.50, Hero raises to $40.00, 2 folds, CO calls $26.50
Flop: ($89.00) K:diamond: 5:spade: 8:heart: (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $56.00, CO calls $56
Turn: ($201.00) 6:diamond: (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $144.00, CO raises to $355.00, Hero raises to $799.31 all in
CO: $799.59
BTN: $1408.85
SB: $600.00
BB: $1061.51
UTG: $796.29
Hero (MP): $732.83
Pre Flop: ($9.00) Hero is MP with Q:club: K:club:
1 fold, Hero raises to $18.00, 1 fold, BTN raises to $63.00, 2 folds, Hero calls $45
Flop: ($135.00) 4:spade: Q:diamond: 9:spade: (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $101.25, Hero calls $101.25
Turn: ($337.50) T:club: (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $225.00, Hero calls $225
River: ($787.50) 9:heart: (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $393.75, Hero calls $343.58 all in
SB: $400.00
BB: $858.34
UTG: $533.72
MP: $1124.86
CO: $595.63
Hero (BTN): $400.00
Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is BTN with 5:heart: Q:heart:
UTG calls $4, 2 folds, Hero raises to $16.00, 2 folds, UTG calls $12
Flop: ($38.00) J:club: 8:diamond: Q:diamond: (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $28.00, UTG raises to $56.00, Hero calls $28
Turn: ($150.00) 5:club: (2 players)
UTG bets $150.00, Hero raises to $328 all in
hackmeplz
Sleep Faster
Silver Level
Also I really need to stop calling bet flop ch turn bomb river lines in live poker it's always the ****ing nuts that was going for a turn ch/r just because my range is heavily weighted to bluffs in that spot doesn't mean other peoples' are.
Aces2w1n
Legend
Silver Level
KQ made me squirm... what did he end up having? AK? Sometimes live I c ppl play ultra aggressive pre with 10s.
2paired hands seems like a leak in ur game possibly??? Unless you have some decent reads. Live I get away with playing 2 paired hands like that but online I seem to get burned. Did you just put them on tptk?
2paired hands seems like a leak in ur game possibly??? Unless you have some decent reads. Live I get away with playing 2 paired hands like that but online I seem to get burned. Did you just put them on tptk?
Aces2w1n
Legend
Silver Level
Q5 ran into a set? ... He did reraise the flop often means strength... Some people like to reraise cheeky with top pair I've noticed though on stars, 2pair doesn't look good here unless he's a total nit or tighty and u think he's playing with overpairs.
loafes
Legend
Silver Level
Great posts ITT. It's really good to see what poker can do for someone who is good/has good work ethic and has a good outlook on life. Hopefully if I continue to work on my game I can also be in a situation where I can relief upon a way to make extra cash and have chances to possibly travel a bit and meet new people. I'm only 19 so these are the good years where I can really look forward to living.
stately7
Rock Star
Silver Level
Nice post on perspective.
99 and 56s look very nice to me.
KQ - less so, feel you are beat here by a few combos except JJ. But this depends on villain's 3b tendencies pf, maybe you're good.
Q5 - i think you're good but it's hard to say, only set that makes sense is 88 otf. Villain may limp/call pf with anything from KQ-K10 through QJ-Q9s, who knows (surely not J8).
99 and 56s look very nice to me.
KQ - less so, feel you are beat here by a few combos except JJ. But this depends on villain's 3b tendencies pf, maybe you're good.
Q5 - i think you're good but it's hard to say, only set that makes sense is 88 otf. Villain may limp/call pf with anything from KQ-K10 through QJ-Q9s, who knows (surely not J8).
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
Sick post, zach.
Not much to say on the hands. I usually have no idea what's going on at these levels without table dynamics/reads but:
99: Seems normal/fine line to me.
65s: I'm guessing we assume he can float and take air (gutshots, FD's) to war here if we're gii with bottom 2. I just can't envision a worse value hand from him here.
KQ: Just blows because I feel like we're 100% faceup (I can't think of many non-TP hands that we're x/c two streets with in a 3b pot OOP on this board). And I don't know if that means he'll jam more air OTR or less. But again I feel like we are completely bluff-catching. Not necessarily bad but I just don't have a sense of how much air is in his range. His value combos are QQ+ (10 combos), TT (3 combos), (I feel like he doesn't have KJ, but maybe KJs for 3 combos) so I guess he doesn't need a ton of air for us to call it off. I just struggle to see what air he can have other than AK? How wide is he 3betting pre do you think? No reads given.
Q5: Gross. I can't help feeling like we're behind OTF, but it's so draw-heavy I don't want to fold. But is a guy who's limp/calling pre at 600nl online really going to take tons of draws to war postflop?? Idk, but I'd guess not. If he can value-raise and then turn-jam worse I guess it's fine to gii.
Not much to say on the hands. I usually have no idea what's going on at these levels without table dynamics/reads
but:99: Seems normal/fine line to me.
65s: I'm guessing we assume he can float and take air (gutshots, FD's) to war here if we're gii with bottom 2. I just can't envision a worse value hand from him here.
KQ: Just blows because I feel like we're 100% faceup (I can't think of many non-TP hands that we're x/c two streets with in a 3b pot OOP on this board). And I don't know if that means he'll jam more air OTR or less. But again I feel like we are completely bluff-catching. Not necessarily bad but I just don't have a sense of how much air is in his range. His value combos are QQ+ (10 combos), TT (3 combos), (I feel like he doesn't have KJ, but maybe KJs for 3 combos) so I guess he doesn't need a ton of air for us to call it off. I just struggle to see what air he can have other than AK? How wide is he 3betting pre do you think? No reads given.
Q5: Gross. I can't help feeling like we're behind OTF, but it's so draw-heavy I don't want to fold. But is a guy who's limp/calling pre at 600nl online really going to take tons of draws to war postflop?? Idk, but I'd guess not. If he can value-raise and then turn-jam worse I guess it's fine to gii.
B
baudib1
Legend
Silver Level
I find that absolutely no one in my games believes bet-check-bet can be for value. It's been a long time since I played any cash games regularly online but I'm pretty sure that NL25 regs circa 2011 recognized this as a pot-controlling line with TPTK-type hands but every fish I run into in my (low stakes) live games will put you on air or missed draw.
B
baudib1
Legend
Silver Level
Find it hard to comment on any of these hands except to say I think I like the KQ hand. Would he turn JJ into a bluff?
hackmeplz
Sleep Faster
Silver Level
Few live spots:
1.
Hero is dealt 66
MP opens to 35, CO calls, hero calls button, blinds fold.
Flop ($120)=992r
MP bets 75, CO folds, hero calls
Turn ($270)=(992)2
MP checks, hero bets 135, MP calls
River ($540)=(9922)4
MP bets $300, hero ???
Seems close between all 3 options.
2.
Hero has ~3.5k, villain covers
Hero is dealt AKo
Like 5 limps, button makes it $110, hero is in the SB and ???
While hero is tanking all the limpers snapfold because they don't realize I have cards, I feel like this makes it a much easier call instead of 3-bet.
Flop ($285)=775r
Hero checks villain bets $200, hero ?
In game hero called.
Turn ($685)=775(8) completed rainbow
Hero checks villain bets $300, hero ?
In game hero raised to $950.
Comments on every street?
1.
Hero is dealt 66
MP opens to 35, CO calls, hero calls button, blinds fold.
Flop ($120)=992r
MP bets 75, CO folds, hero calls
Turn ($270)=(992)2
MP checks, hero bets 135, MP calls
River ($540)=(9922)4
MP bets $300, hero ???
Seems close between all 3 options.
2.
Hero has ~3.5k, villain covers
Hero is dealt AKo
Like 5 limps, button makes it $110, hero is in the SB and ???
While hero is tanking all the limpers snapfold because they don't realize I have cards, I feel like this makes it a much easier call instead of 3-bet.
Flop ($285)=775r
Hero checks villain bets $200, hero ?
In game hero called.
Turn ($685)=775(8) completed rainbow
Hero checks villain bets $300, hero ?
In game hero raised to $950.
Comments on every street?
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
1. I don't think raising is ever best here, because I think if we can't call profitably we can't raise profitably, and I don't think raising will be better than calling if we can call profitably. I can't really articulate why though. I think just that his worse-for-value range won't call, but his better-for-value range will, and we beat all of his air obv. I guess we might get him to fold JJ, but his line just seems so weird to me. Why wouldn't he just x/c river? I like a call b/c how much 9x can he really have? But also why would he donk river a relatively large size with Ax... I'm really on the edge between call and fold.
2. Agree on pre. Call looks good with given info. Without info I'm much more likely to 3b. Flop looks good to me. No reads on BTN, but against most players, if they're not cbetting a lot of air on 775r, then we can probably fold AK pre lol. I kind of prefer x/f turn tbh. I think we have better combos we can be doing this with, although I understand that we rep 76s and 87s pretty strongly. If anything the 8 might be bad for us since we can't have 87 as often. In fact given suits, we can only have 1 combo of 87s and 2 combos of 76s, but idk if villain is thinking this kind of thing in game. I'm assuming we don't really rep 75 or 97 or A7, but idk your image.
But anyway I'd kind of prefer x/r gutters, although I guess AK might be next best since we sometimes have outs when he continues. But if we spike a K, and check, and he bets, are we calling? Not that that's the primary consideration, but I just don't know how we play rivers when he continues. I guess we're barreling all in?
2. Agree on pre. Call looks good with given info. Without info I'm much more likely to 3b. Flop looks good to me. No reads on BTN, but against most players, if they're not cbetting a lot of air on 775r, then we can probably fold AK pre lol. I kind of prefer x/f turn tbh. I think we have better combos we can be doing this with, although I understand that we rep 76s and 87s pretty strongly. If anything the 8 might be bad for us since we can't have 87 as often. In fact given suits, we can only have 1 combo of 87s and 2 combos of 76s, but idk if villain is thinking this kind of thing in game. I'm assuming we don't really rep 75 or 97 or A7, but idk your image.
But anyway I'd kind of prefer x/r gutters, although I guess AK might be next best since we sometimes have outs when he continues. But if we spike a K, and check, and he bets, are we calling? Not that that's the primary consideration, but I just don't know how we play rivers when he continues. I guess we're barreling all in?
hackmeplz
Sleep Faster
Silver Level
One more live spot:
2.5k stacks,
Hero is dealt KQss, like 5 limpers, I make it 90 in the SB, 3 callers
Flop ($400ish)=QdTd2s
Hero bets 220, next to act (who's actually a decent reg but plays kinda unconventional) folds and in the process the 2c gets flipped up. Next guy is a spewy reg and he calls the 220, fish folds.
Turn ($840)=QdTd2s7h
Hero checks, villain bets $500, hero raises to $2100 and is allin. Thoughts? I know he's 100% isolating AQ rather than limping behind and probably TT as well. The 2 getting flipped up is super awesome for me since now only 1 combo of 22 (although he's a spewtard he probably isos that most of the time too) plus he knows the 2 got flipped too. But he has a lot more draws/meh hands than hands that beat me right? Kinda sucks because I'm not getting a super good price and it's a spot where if I'm called I'm in pretty bad shape but do I just take the pot down enough to just shove here? Also there's a chance he can have like QJ and call putting me on a draw but I think that might be rare.
2.5k stacks,
Hero is dealt KQss, like 5 limpers, I make it 90 in the SB, 3 callers
Flop ($400ish)=QdTd2s
Hero bets 220, next to act (who's actually a decent reg but plays kinda unconventional) folds and in the process the 2c gets flipped up. Next guy is a spewy reg and he calls the 220, fish folds.
Turn ($840)=QdTd2s7h
Hero checks, villain bets $500, hero raises to $2100 and is allin. Thoughts? I know he's 100% isolating AQ rather than limping behind and probably TT as well. The 2 getting flipped up is super awesome for me since now only 1 combo of 22 (although he's a spewtard he probably isos that most of the time too) plus he knows the 2 got flipped too. But he has a lot more draws/meh hands than hands that beat me right? Kinda sucks because I'm not getting a super good price and it's a spot where if I'm called I'm in pretty bad shape but do I just take the pot down enough to just shove here? Also there's a chance he can have like QJ and call putting me on a draw but I think that might be rare.
Matt Vaughan
King of Moody Rants
Bronze Level
I'm not sure if I'm following the thought process here. We think we beat most of his range, draws won't call, and we're in trouble when he does? Can't we play semi-perfectly on rivers then if we just call?
B
baudib1
Legend
Silver Level
I disagree with scourrge and think turning 66 into a bluff seems better than calling. Raising > folding > calling. 66 has to be one of the better hands in our folding range.
KQ hand looks good, KJ and diamonds play better on river than our hand.
KQ hand looks good, KJ and diamonds play better on river than our hand.