Ian the Fish's poker progress journal

[IPlay]

He raised too much preflop. If the villain flops anything significant and A and Queen both don't show he is pretty screwed.

If he flops Ace or Queen and raises at flop, villain has easy fold.

If villain is calling any two preflop we should raise more for value, not less because he might out flop us.

You have much to learn.

 

[Rational Madman]

If villain is calling any two preflop we should raise more for value, not less because he might out flop us.

You have much to learn.

No to be frank I don't. I am a very disciplined player and don't let looseness in others loosen me up because in the long run I avoid hits by being tight.

 

[IPlay]

No to be frank I don't. I am a very disciplined player and don't let looseness in others loosen me up because in the long run I avoid hits by being tight.

Play to win as much as possible, not to lose as little as possible.

 

[Rational Madman]

Play to win as much as possible, not to lose as little as possible.

Play tight so that when you do actually engage people, your hand wins. The more obvious it is to you that you have the upper hand, the more you should be raising (unless you are slowplaying)

 

[Aces2w1n]

Aqo hand weve whiffed id take the 5 cents .. if i hit id raise.

If we against a fish hes not folding to a raise hes hit or got a pocket pair most times

So calling back is fine and once the turn pairs we either habe the best hand or crushed. So i dont actually mind you betting here for value as played but id bet half pot like u did and go check check on riv. The trick is the hidden value on turn

 

[Ian the Fish]

17-07-2017

Played two sessions today (I still am sick, so I am keeping the playing time to a controlled 2-2.5h max / day), and played OK overall. Got some hands to show you as well...

Here are my results:

And the second session:

The first session got me really thinking only during this hand, as the rest were fairly standard situations:

What really got me during this one was his range after my flop raise...

Pacific, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 5 Players

SB: $6.02 (120.4 bb)
Hero (BB): $6.13 (122.6 bb)
MP: $7.10 (142 bb)
CO: $3.42 (68.4 bb)
BTN: $6.07 (121.4 bb)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 2

2

MP folds, CO raises to $0.15, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.32) 9

2

3

(2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.24, Hero raises to $0.64, CO calls $0.40

Turn: ($1.60) A

(2 players)
Hero bets $0.80, CO calls $0.80

River: ($3.20) 5

(2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.60,

Spoiler

Hero calls $1.60

Results: $6.40 pot ($0.32 rake)
Final Board: 9

2

3

A

5

Hero showed 2

2

and lost (-$3.19 net)
CO showed 3

4

and won $6.08 ($2.89 net)

And the hand from the second session, which I felt I misplayed on the river (again), is the following:

Pacific, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players

Hero (SB): $5.77 (115.4 bb)
BB: $5.58 (111.6 bb)
UTG: $6.04 (120.8 bb)
MP: $5.50 (110 bb)
CO: $14.02 (280.4 bb)
BTN: $5 (100 bb)

Preflop: Hero is SB with T

J

UTG folds, MP raises to $0.14, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.12, BB folds

Flop: ($0.33) A

T

T

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $0.24, Hero calls $0.24

Turn: ($0.81) 5

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks

River: ($0.81) 8

(2 players)
Hero bets $0.60, MP raises to $5.12 and is all-in, Hero calls $4.52

Results: $11.05 pot ($0.55 rake)
Final Board: A

T

T

5

8

Hero showed T

J

and lost (-$5.50 net)
MP showed 8

8

and won $10.50 ($5.00 net)

In retrospect, I think BF was the line to go on the river. He has quite a lot of AA, AT, Tx combos, which beat me. Didn't anticipate THAT though... Super unfortunate.

Overall, a nice day full of lessons. My poker mind is slowly coming back!

 

[Ian the Fish]

Play tight so that when you do actually engage people, your hand wins. The more obvious it is to you that you have the upper hand, the more you should be raising (unless you are slowplaying)

Mate, you cannot be bluntly tight. Your opponents notice that. You have to constantly adjust your game to your opponent. Be one step ahead by changing your game.

If you just have one "style" that you play constantly (i.e. tight), you will be simply outplayed consistently.

 

[Keith_MM]

I've a feeling that rationalmadman only plays play money games as he can't show any real money hands or results and he'd get murdered by cash game players the way he's advising people to play.

 

[Rational Madman]

I've a feeling that rationalmadman only plays play money games as he can't show any real money hands or results and he'd get murdered by cash game players the way he's advising people to play.

Which tracking thing is best? I will track my microstake/low-stake games as I am not as consistent in medium yet (and can't afford high)

 

[Rational Madman]

Spoiler

Played two sessions today (I still am sick, so I am keeping the playing time to a controlled 2-2.5h max / day), and played OK overall. Got some hands to show you as well...

Here are my results:

And the second session:

The first session got me really thinking only during this hand, as the rest were fairly standard situations:

What really got me during this one was his range after my flop raise...

Pacific, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 5 Players

SB: $6.02 (120.4 bb)
Hero (BB): $6.13 (122.6 bb)
MP: $7.10 (142 bb)
CO: $3.42 (68.4 bb)
BTN: $6.07 (121.4 bb)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 2

2

MP folds, CO raises to $0.15, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.32) 9

2

3

(2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.24, Hero raises to $0.64, CO calls $0.40

Turn: ($1.60) A

(2 players)
Hero bets $0.80, CO calls $0.80

River: ($3.20) 5

(2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.60,

Spoiler

Hero calls $1.60

Results: $6.40 pot ($0.32 rake)
Final Board: 9

2

3

A

5

Hero showed 2

2

and lost (-$3.19 net)
CO showed 3

4

and won $6.08 ($2.89 net)

And the hand from the second session, which I felt I misplayed on the river (again), is the following:

Pacific, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players

Hero (SB): $5.77 (115.4 bb)
BB: $5.58 (111.6 bb)
UTG: $6.04 (120.8 bb)
MP: $5.50 (110 bb)
CO: $14.02 (280.4 bb)
BTN: $5 (100 bb)

Preflop: Hero is SB with T

J

UTG folds, MP raises to $0.14, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.12, BB folds

Flop: ($0.33) A

T

T

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $0.24, Hero calls $0.24

Turn: ($0.81) 5

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks

River: ($0.81) 8

(2 players)
Hero bets $0.60, MP raises to $5.12 and is all-in, Hero calls $4.52

Results: $11.05 pot ($0.55 rake)
Final Board: A

T

T

5

8

Hero showed T

J

and lost (-$5.50 net)
MP showed 8

8

and won $10.50 ($5.00 net)

In retrospect, I think BF was the line to go on the river. He has quite a lot of AA, AT, Tx combos, which beat me. Didn't anticipate THAT though... Super unfortunate.

Overall, a nice day full of lessons. My poker mind is slowly coming back!

Hand 1: Push him all-in on the turn card always. He is drawing something clearly (as he didn't reraise you on the flop) which is either a straight or a flush, although him drawing a straight isn't he main concern it's what ended up happening. You need to abuse turns not completing something for villains SEVERELY. If he called you, yes you'd lose more but he would fold.

 

[Rational Madman]

Spoiler

Played two sessions today (I still am sick, so I am keeping the playing time to a controlled 2-2.5h max / day), and played OK overall. Got some hands to show you as well...

Here are my results:

And the second session:

The first session got me really thinking only during this hand, as the rest were fairly standard situations:

What really got me during this one was his range after my flop raise...

Pacific, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 5 Players

SB: $6.02 (120.4 bb)
Hero (BB): $6.13 (122.6 bb)
MP: $7.10 (142 bb)
CO: $3.42 (68.4 bb)
BTN: $6.07 (121.4 bb)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 2

2

MP folds, CO raises to $0.15, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.32) 9

2

3

(2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.24, Hero raises to $0.64, CO calls $0.40

Turn: ($1.60) A

(2 players)
Hero bets $0.80, CO calls $0.80

River: ($3.20) 5

(2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.60,

Spoiler

Hero calls $1.60

Results: $6.40 pot ($0.32 rake)
Final Board: 9

2

3

A

5

Hero showed 2

2

and lost (-$3.19 net)
CO showed 3

4

and won $6.08 ($2.89 net)

And the hand from the second session, which I felt I misplayed on the river (again), is the following:

Pacific, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players

Hero (SB): $5.77 (115.4 bb)
BB: $5.58 (111.6 bb)
UTG: $6.04 (120.8 bb)
MP: $5.50 (110 bb)
CO: $14.02 (280.4 bb)
BTN: $5 (100 bb)

Preflop: Hero is SB with T

J

UTG folds, MP raises to $0.14, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.12, BB folds

Flop: ($0.33) A

T

T

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $0.24, Hero calls $0.24

Turn: ($0.81) 5

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks

River: ($0.81) 8

(2 players)
Hero bets $0.60, MP raises to $5.12 and is all-in, Hero calls $4.52

Results: $11.05 pot ($0.55 rake)
Final Board: A

T

T

5

8

Hero showed T

J

and lost (-$5.50 net)
MP showed 8

8

and won $10.50 ($5.00 net)

In retrospect, I think BF was the line to go on the river. He has quite a lot of AA, AT, Tx combos, which beat me. Didn't anticipate THAT though... Super unfortunate.

Overall, a nice day full of lessons. My poker mind is slowly coming back!

Hand 2: Raise exactly double on the flop. Turn card isn't a spade, force all-in.

 

[Ian the Fish]

Hand 1: Push him all-in on the turn card always. He is drawing something clearly (as he didn't reraise you on the flop) which is either a straight or a flush, although him drawing a straight isn't he main concern it's what ended up happening. You need to abuse turns not completing something for villains SEVERELY. If he called you, yes you'd lose more but he would fold.

And why would I try to chase him away from his draw? I am trying to keep him in the pot, so that he is chasing his draws and paying me off with a worse hand. If I shove on the turn, unless he has specifically A4h / A5h / 45h, he is NEVER calling. And even then it's not a guarantee. Perhaps I should have bet more (about 2/3 - 3/4 pot), but I'm definitely not shoving there.

 

[Ian the Fish]

From yesterday (19/07/2017)

Forgot to update yesterday. Here are my results from my two sessions played yesterday.

And the second session:

Regarding particular hands:
All I could find in his range are 6x and MORE LIKELY Kx, although the pot-sized bet is suspicious. Perhaps he had JJ / TT / 99, which I had beat there, but I wasn't willing to pay THAT price.

Pacific, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players

SB: $3.68 (73.6 bb)
BB: $6.18 (123.6 bb)
Hero (UTG): $5.07 (101.4 bb)
MP: $5.14 (102.8 bb)
CO: $5.79 (115.8 bb)
BTN: $5.70 (114 bb)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q

Q

Hero raises to $0.14, MP calls $0.14, 3 folds, BB calls $0.09

Flop: ($0.44) 6

6

K

(3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.33, MP folds, BB raises to $0.88, Hero calls $0.55

Turn: ($2.20) K

(2 players)
BB bets $0.88, Hero calls $0.88

River: ($3.96) 2

(2 players)
BB bets $3.96, Hero folds

Results: $3.96 pot ($0.19 rake)
Final Board: 6

6

K

K

2

BB mucked and won $3.77 ($1.87 net)
Hero mucked Q

Q

and lost (-$1.90 net)

 

[Figaroo2]

22 hand
Don't forget to 3bet on occasions from the blinds with small pairs over late position stealers.
The flop check raise is fine. I am however betting bigger on the turn probably 1.20. When he calls the CR he has over pairs, flush draws and top pair hands most of the time and if he has an ace in particular he's calling larger bets. If he calls the turn off his stack size he's pretty much pot committed so just put him all in on that river card. He won't have many 4's in his flop check raise calling range and if he does its just a cooler.
A set is a big strong hand here and big hand=big pot so just keep betting. We know he's fishy from his stack size and these players will call you down with anything half decent like an ace so just keep betting against these types this is where you make your money most of the time.

 

[Figaroo2]

JTs
Not a fan pre flop....giving away position and Initiative with speculative hands in the blinds isn't good poker. Against a guy with over 100bb it's a 3bet or fold unless there is a massive fish in the BB that you want to come along.

As played you are slowing down again when it's a check raise bet turn scenario. You gave him a free card with a spade draw and all sorts of gutshots.
Bud at most levels of poker when you have a hand bet it. Mostly its balance for your bluff barrelling.

 

[Figaroo2]

QQ
You are UTG there is a ton of AK in your range. You lead into two players and he still wants to raise on the flop! I fold on the flop unless there's some other read going on.
I probably wouldn't even lead out on the flop here into two players (I would into 1). I'd play it like a wa/wb hand. Check call flop and if someone bets twice easy fold.

 

[Ian the Fish]

JTs
Not a fan pre flop....giving away position and Initiative with speculative hands in the blinds isn't good poker. Against a guy with over 100bb it's a 3bet or fold unless there is a massive fish in the BB that you want to come along.

As played you are slowing down again when it's a check raise bet turn scenario. You gave him a free card with a spade draw and all sorts of gutshots.
Bud at most levels of poker when you have a hand bet it. Mostly its balance for your bluff barrelling.

I agree with you. The JT hand was poorly played. Gonna try to be more aggressive with mid-strength hands like JT. It seems that I either avoid playing those OR just blatantly misplay them. When I will have more hands, I'll have a deeper look.

 

[Ian the Fish]

888 ChampionChips

Sooo... For the past few days I have been relaxing, reading a book (non-poker related), and just going over my past hands. I have been taking some time off of poker to focus on the upcoming 888 ChampionChips tournament week. It is something similar to MicroMillions on Stars.

Basically, it is a week of tourneys every day (not too many, but too nice to miss). In total, there are 17 events, all of which I will play.

Since I gave my closest friends the first opportunity to buy some action, they did do just so (in total I sold 20% of my action). Below I have attached the schedule of the tourneys.

I will play some cash games before, just to warm up. However, for the next week, this will be my focus. I will post updates, as soon as the opportunity presents itself. GL to everyone, who is also gonna play!

 

[Rational Madman]

If you want to be a serious tournament player, play the same tournament buy-in level and similar tournament style to profit from your wins effectively. If you mix up the way you are, you may waste hours getting high place in the lower buy-in tournament and waste that money on your higher buy-in tournaments.

 

[Supmargy]

Im gonna try to keep this rant short.

If you want to be a serious tournament player, play the same tournament buy-in level and similar tournament style to profit from your wins effectively. If you mix up the way you are, you may waste hours getting high place in the lower buy-in tournament and waste that money on your higher buy-in tournaments.

Where do you get your opinions from?? Many serious tournament players play at different stakes. Look at streamers and tv pros.

It's kinda bugging me that you have an opinion on everything, and you almost never back it up with well thought out arguments or stats. You often throw out statements that describe some vague ideal without giving an example.

You claim to be able to read every opponent you face, which is why you win so much. You don't use tracking software because your brain is so damn superior to everyone around you that you read and remember their every move. That's how you exploit them fish right? That's why you're "one of the best cash game players on earth". Yet you have no username, no stats, no graph, no screenshot of your undoubtedly immense bankroll to back your claims up.

You claim to be "arrogant but of the rational kind" or some bullshit like that, yet every time someone disagrees with you and tells you why you could be wrong (and there's definitely a gray zone in poker), you simply dismiss their statement instead of argueing.
You don't have much to learn, as you "frankly" stated in this thread. But you're also inconsistent at medium stakes. Come on man don't kid yourself. I sincerely hope you're only 16-18 years old to be able to blame the attitude problem you have on an underdevellopped brain while hoping you'll grow out of that phase. But I doubt it's a phase. I think you need to take a step back and think more critically of your actions, your plays, your attitude in general.

I don't mind arrogant people who have been extremely successful. Sure, they're dickheads (there's no need to not be nice even though you're better than others in some aspect of life), but at least they know what they're talking about. You've got nothing to show for and yet you've been talking down on so many people on this forum.

I don't want you to quit this forum. I dont think you're unintelligent or unable to improve. But I want you to take a step back and realise you're delusional instead of rational. Because I guarantee you none of the best players of any sport in the world are gonna be like "yeah I'm the best so I've got nothing more to learn. Nothing more to improve on". They know that's bullshit. Everyone does. Yet here you are on a poker forum claiming the exact opposite. If you really were one of the best on earth, you wouldn't be spending time here.

It reminds me of a saying I read once: "Argueing with an idiot is like playing chess with a pigeon. It's gonna knock over all the pieces and strut around like it's won".

You're the pigeon mate.


You have much to learn like figaroo said. We all do. So please change your attitude so we can grow and learn together instead of bashing many newbies for no reason at all.

Ps: sorry Ian to rant in your personal thread. I just wanted to vent about this guy when I saw what he wrote in your thread.

 

[Rational Madman]

No, the pigeon is you and all you spew is insults instead of justifying your retort to my claim of sticking to the same stake level.

 

[terryk]

Supmargy,,,,,:congrats:,,,,well said.

 

[Supmargy]

No, the pigeon is you and all you spew is insults instead of justifying your retort to my claim of sticking to the same stake level.

Man this response just makes me think you didn't read the whole post.

I'll adress what you say though.
So your statement was that if you wanna be a serious tourney player, you shouldnt switch stakes.
I said in my post that many famous people in poker are serious AND switch stakes from time to time.
Apparently you must have missed that but whatever. Since you insist I'll give you some more names to prove my point.

Negreanu, polk, veldhuis, both staple brothers, ivey, ferguson, helmuth have all played many tourneys at different stakes in the last month. They are all really serious about tournament poker.

Anyway. Now that that's out of the way. Let's talk about your criticism in general. You proved my point again that you just dismiss what others say whithout proper argumentation. You even go further than that. You demand proper argumentation to counter your statements for which you dont even provide arguments.
Double standards won't get you far in life.

Maybe you could argue the insults were uncalled for. But I've seen you talk down on so many people in these past 2 weeks I'm just gonna have to disagree. I wanted to give you a wake up call but I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up.

I hope you read this completely.

 

[Figaroo2]

If you want to be a serious tournament player, play the same tournament buy-in level and similar tournament style to profit from your wins effectively. If you mix up the way you are, you may waste hours getting high place in the lower buy-in tournament and waste that money on your higher buy-in tournaments.

What so Ian shouldn't play in this series? Just because you think its better to stick to one buy in level....
Don't you ever play satellites?
All my biggest cashes have come from satties into bigger tournaments and I have an excellent ROI and ITM% in the bigger events I play in.

Ian also has an excellent record of cashing in bigger buyins earlier this year.
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/pok...6/record-little-wins-252626/post-3627307.html
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/pok...6/record-little-wins-252626/post-3627333.html

You can look us up on Offical poker rankings or sharkscope, or the CC leaderboard wherever, but it seems like you have no profiles posted in CC for us to gauge if you do actually have any skill at all. The quality of your posts suggests you are a relative newbie.

I play wherever I want within my bankroll and to suggest that you stick to one level is quite frankly stupid, how are you ever going to improve doing that?

 

[Rational Madman]

Spoiler

Man this response just makes me think you didn't read the whole post.

I'll adress what you say though.
So your statement was that if you wanna be a serious tourney player, you shouldnt switch stakes.
I said in my post that many famous people in poker are serious AND switch stakes from time to time.
Apparently you must have missed that but whatever. Since you insist I'll give you some more names to prove my point.

Negreanu, polk, veldhuis, both staple brothers, ivey, ferguson, helmuth have all played many tourneys at different stakes in the last month. They are all really serious about tournament poker.

Anyway. Now that that's out of the way. Let's talk about your criticism in general. You proved my point again that you just dismiss what others say whithout proper argumentation. You even go further than that. You demand proper argumentation to counter your statements for which you dont even provide arguments.
Double standards won't get you far in life.

Maybe you could argue the insults were uncalled for. But I've seen you talk down on so many people in these past 2 weeks I'm just gonna have to disagree. I wanted to give you a wake up call but I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up.

I hope you read this completely.

If he is able to play at the stakes Phil f***in Ivey can afford then yes, he can afford any stake...

Na, I'm not talking more to you. You are toxic trying to anger me and I am calm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzonQoON9eo