Bean's New Live Game Thread

[Beanfacekilla]

Yo.

I've been a member here at CC for some time now, but I've been MIA for a long while now. Some of you may know me from before, but for those of you who don't...

I'm a poker player, in the Metro Detroit area. I run a super small YouTube channel as well. It began as a vlog, table footage, hands, etc. The MI gaming commission won't allow filming, and I've been banned before, so I had to stop that.

My channel has evolved into an instructional format, aimed at live players who are trying to learn basics. I felt this was a way I could create content and provide value to my audience.

I do post hand histories from my play sometimes, but I'm such a perfectionist it's an editing nightmare so I avoid the hand histories for the most part.

I created this thread to journal my thoughts, a more personal take on things and my experiences. I intend to write about live poker, and my personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

I pretty much stick to business on my channel, and I don't know how my audience would receive more personal info, I've never shared very much with them. I'm a little uncomfortable sharing on YouTube also in that regard.

I will post hands if I find them interesting, events that happen at the poker room, etc.

The stakes I play are generally 1/2 or 2/5 NLHE. There is 5/10 occasionally, but the lineup is generally not that great, so I hardly ever sit there, and it barely runs anyways. 2/5 is mostly what I play, but I do play 1/2 when I run bad or get into a mental funk.

I'm bipolar, and I don't take meds. My family doctor says she can hook me up with a referral, and I'm considering it. We shall see. I have ups/downs and I've grown accustomed to them perhaps. It's tough to know what it's like to be "normal."

I'll be writing more soon. I have to pay my bill at this restaurant and go home now.

More info coming soon and I'll get into the poker stuff I promise, needed to do a proper intro to the thread.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

So, let's get back to it.

How did I get into poker?

I was a little kid, and my parents played on the kitchen table at family parties over at my grandparents' house, along with my aunts, uncles, and Grandpa. My Grandma never played cards. I begged my parents to let me play. They finally gave in.

They played dealer's choice with games like "Baseball", 7-crd stud, 5-card stud, 5-card draw, etc. I didn't learn hold 'em until much much later in life. The stakes they played were lol, but the stakes weren't the point. The game was the point. Pennies were on the table and in use, and a quarter was a large bet probably.

I barely remember it now. I only have vague memories of how it made me feel at the time. I was elated to be allowed to sit there and play the game. It was fun. Lots and lots of fun.

Most of the relatives have passed on now, and they live on in my memory. I remember the fun we had. There was arguing sometimes, harmless arguing. I guess it could be called "needling" but at the time that term didn't exist in the context it does today.

That was my introduction to live poker.

Next post I'll fast forward to the first hand I can really remember playing in a live game format at the casino.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Fast forward approximately 20 years. This was probably around 2004? 2005? I don't recall.

I went to the casino occasionally, but I usually played roulette. I could probably be described as a minor degen gambler at the time. But on this particular night, I wandered into the poker room.

I asked the staff what games they had.

"three-six, and we have fifty/two hundred over there." The floor guy motions to this table, the fifty/two-hundred. I didn't even know what he was saying at the time.

I asked him what the buy-in was.

He repeats "Fifty to two-hundred." He then looks at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. "The blinds are $1 and $2."

"What's the buy in at the three-six?" I ask him.

"$60 minimum, no cap." he replies.

I decided to go to $3/$6, which was limit poker. I assume you know what this means, but just in case you don't....

$3 is the bet on the flop. $6 is the bet on the turn and river, unless someone wins two pots in a row, then they get the "kill" button. In that case the stakes were doubled, $6/$12

If you get AA preflop for example, you raise to $6. Then everyone at the table will call you thinking you are some punk little puke that's trying to run them over. I was young-ish at the time.

I think the blinds are 1/3, I can't honestly remember it's been so so long since I played that game. They spread it once or twice a week at the casino still.

If I knew what I know now, I'd rather stick toothpicks in my eyeballs than sit there and play $3/$6 limit. I digress.

So I sit down. Play the game long enough to understand what is happening and how to play (or so I thought, lolz)

Then a hand happens.

Long story short:
Somehow, I'm in this hand with K-9. I make a straight.
Board looks something like T-Q-5-J-2 rainbow.

On the river, this dude bets $6
I raise him to $12.
He clicks back to $18 (I think this is betting structure? Long time ago)
I remember thinking at the time "Ace king? Naaaaaa. That's impossible lol.
I click it back to $24.
He raise to $30.
At this point I think I only had a shade over $30.


I move in. Dude calls.

I show, he shows AK.

If I were a betting man, I bet you those cats at that table wanted me to purchase more round betting discs, but I decided to leave the poker room that night.

I might have even returned to the roulette table, but I don't recall.

I have a hand in mind for the next post, my first hand of no-limit.

I'll get into more recent stuff later. I wanted to tell the tale of my journey, and what brought me into live poker and my journey that's led to today.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Fast-forward a year or two later...

My first real experience I remember at $1/$2 NLHE.

I was playing at Greektown Casino. At the time that was the spot for live poker in Detroit. There's tumbleweeds blowing through that poker room nowadays though. I made a video there when I started my vlog. One video, table footage, no faces, voice pitch changed, etc. Hand analysis and session recap. I was banned for life. At the time I made the video, and even more so now, that poker room is almost completely dead. I am surprised they keep it open TBH. I digress.

Anyways. The cards don't matter that much, but I'll fill in some details to make it more interesting.

I have two pair, AQ. Board reads something like Ad-Qc-7d-5s.

My opponent is out of position. I raised preflop, and I bet the flop and turn. At the time I probably defaulted to 3/4 pot or full pot on my bets.

My opponent check/called the turn.

Board Ad-Qc-7d-5s.......river 2d.

I was looking at him when the river came out, and he had this quick look of disappointment. I can still see his face, and what he looked like. He looked at the river, pursed his lips, visibly disappointed. A frown washed over his mouth quickly and then his face returned to baseline.

I had probably recently studied about poker tells, but I had only scratched the surface by then.

After the disappointed look from the opponent, he bet something like $50. This was a large bet to me at the time. I was still in that phase where I actually viewed that $50 as an xbox game or something else, a steak dinner perhaps. It wasn't a small amount of money to call off to me.

But I watched him when the card came out. I thought he gave off a valid tell, and he was trying to bluff me out of the hand.

I thought about it for a little bit, I didn't really tank though. I made the call.

The dude quickly tables his hand

Spoiler

Jd-Td for the flush

I still recall how this hand felt afterwards. I left the poker room, and headed home.

I was driving in my car, and I kept replaying the hand, and the guy's facial expression and how he reacted to the river card. I realized the guy had fooled me with a reverse tell. It was very humbling. I felt stupid for calling the guy. Today I would see right through this, but then it was merely a lesson that I had to learn the hard way.

I was hooked on the game now. I thought it was simple and I could read a book or two at the library and win when I walked into the casino that night. I was wrong, very very wrong. But I was compelled to learn more, I wanted to beat the game.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Approximately two weeks ago, I'm sitting in this 1/2 game in the afternoon.

I'm in the BB, I look down at 8-3o. UTG raises to $8, he is short stacked, maybe $90. Let's call this guy Jimbo.

Jimbo is someone I've known at the tables for years. He plays a ton of hands, and I'm pretty sure he tilts a lot. Spewy player for an older guy. If you stereotype him you'd think he would be a nit. I would venture to say he's probably a break even player at best, but he is likely to be a losing player. Been this way for the last 5 years at least.

Action folds around to me. I'd love to play a hand against this whale but this isn't the time. I fold my 8-3o.

"Brian, why didn't you call? I had a high hand contender." Jimbo says, after I folded. "I would have given you your money back after the hand so I could try to hit a high hand."

"Sorry Jimbo, I didn't know that. I had a terrible hand, I couldn't call a raise." I reply.

See, Jimbo didn't say anything during the hand. He waited until after I folded to say anything.

At this casino, they have high hand promotions every half hour or sometimes every hour. On this day, it was $500 every hour with rollovers. The minimum hand is aces full to qualify.

Jimbo is so loose though he probably had 9-6s or something and he's looking to make a straight flush, based on his $8 raise UTG. If he had a hand like AA for example, he'd raise much larger than that. As I said, been playing vs this guy for years, and he has bet sizing tells.

Anyways, I think nothing more of it.

Next couple sessions I sit at the table with Jimbo, he moves to my left. He's calling every time I raise preflop, calling cold, sometimes starting a call train. I love the action from him, but it seems like he's trying to get me.

Here is an example of this:

CO ($400 ish) Th-9h.
BTN straddle 5. BTN is a PLO degen with a clue.
SB limps (Jimbo, short-stack), UTG limps (Fred, 300),
I raise to 30, BTN calls (PLO degen, smart though), SB calls (Jimbo), UTG folds.
3w flop 2x-5s-3s.
SB leads all in 73, I fold, BTN calls.
Turn Jc, river 3c. SB show 7c-4c, BTN 9-5o FTW.

BTN starts laughing, saying to Jimbo "I thought you had two overs and a flush draw."

Jimbo looks like his head is about to explode. Reloads a single black chip from his pocket.

Fast forward a little while later.

I'm sitting in a session for a few hours with Jimbo, and others. Jimbo leaves.

A while after, someone else at the table says something about Jimbo running hot that day. He was playing loose AF in this game again, but he was hitting flops with junk hands repeatedly. I think the tablemates were a little irritated with his luck.

One of them tells me something he said to them, behind my back so to speak.

"Jimbo told me you won't help anyone out with high hands. He says last week he raised a high hand contender and you folded. Wouldn't help him out."

Jimbo said this about me when I went to the bathroom.

I just laughed and said "what a jerk."

I then told them the hand he's talking about. He raised, everyone folded, he didn't say a word, and I folded a trash hand.

What I didn't tell them is poker isn't a team game, and I'm under no obligation to help anyone hit a high hand with junk cards. But, Jimbo didn't say anything anyways. I'm not a mind reader.

This guy's demeanor and how much he calls vs me had changed noticeably since that day. I didn't know such a little event would trigger this dude to be on tilt for two weeks. The dude still calls every hand I raise, with junk hands every time. I raise absurd amounts when he is there too. Lol.

This is a little glimpse into the mind of a 1/2 regular in Detroit.

 

[Jillychemung]

What a fun player to have after you. This is poker nirvana. So so much fun getting to exploit a player like this.

And good on you for not succumbing to the pressure to collude!!

 

[Beanfacekilla]

What a fun player to have after you. This is poker nirvana. So so much fun getting to exploit a player like this.

And good on you for not succumbing to the pressure to collude!!

Poker nirvana, I like that!

It is common amongst regs to "help each other out" by giving action in high hand spots.... the room obliges too. I think it's stupid AF TBH, but whatever. It's not a huge deal but it makes me uncomfortable to be asked.

 

[Jillychemung]

I think it's stupid AF TBH

Absolutely [emoji817] and then the room/regs start to wonder why they get a reputation for making calls that favor regs etc.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Went last night, played some 1/2 during prime hours, Friday night.

The session was cool. Won some money.

On the way out, I usually go to the bathroom and wash my hands very well to get the chip funk off.

I'm standing at the urinal, doing my thing. I hear someone next to me saying

"Yo man, put that away, what are you doing?!" "Stop it!"

I don't want to look over, but I can't help it. Look over. To my horror, some dude is standing like 6 feet away from the urinal peeing everywhere but the urinal, I think he peed on the dude that was on the other side. He was getting yelled at.

I hurry up, get away. I can see a little mist hitting my hiking boot, gross. Good thing it's waterproof. If the divider wouldn't have been there he likely would have peed on me and I'd have to attack a drunk guy in the restroom. I can't think of many reasons to knock someone out, but some drunk dude peeing on me would be high on the list.

I hardly ever play Friday or Saturday nights, and now I remember why. The f***ery that ensues on Friday nights at Detroit casinos is pretty shocking sometimes.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Have you ever been asked "what did you have" when someone stacks you?

I just got coolered by some dude and he asked me this.

I literally had an urge to slap him.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

At this 1/2 table right now. Been getting beat up. Very unlucky in a lot of spots in a short period of time. Trying to keep my head in the game.

Action folds to us, I have an active image. Table is loose AF. Playing very bad cards for the most part.

I'm in the HJ. Playing about 425.

I look at 8c-6c. Raise first in to 12, CO calls (about 350), BTN calls (about 385)

SB calls (250), BB calls (100 back).

Flop Qh-9c-4c. SB and BB check, I check, CO bets 15 (he has shown evidence he bets weak hands, 2nd pair no kicker multi way, etc), BTN calls 15, BB calls 15.

I check raise to 85.

CO tanks a bit. Finally calls 85.

BTN hesitates also, calls 85, BB all in for 100 total.

I call 15 more.
CO calls, BTN calls.

I am not liking this spot. Done here unless we turn equity.

4-way turn (BB all in) (450ish)
Qh-9c-4c......turn 7d.

Here we go.

Obv I improve to open ended.

I think a little. I think CO might have a queen, and BTN and BB are both drawing. Not sure, but that's how it feels because of how the action is going. I might be up against a bigger flush draw here, BTN or BB likely to have this IMO.

I shove 345 ish, trying to fold out BTN and if CO calls me so be it. Feels like a punt sort of but we do have a fair amount of equity if called.

Who am I kidding, running with scissors.

CO tanks a little, he all in for 245. BTN is tanking. He has about 285. He finally folds.

3-way river..... action closed.

Qh-9c-4c-7d........River 10h. We make straight.

Table hand. CO is not pleased. He muck.

BB head explodes and he shows Kc-Qc.

We scoop. BB chews me out for approximately 25 seconds.

He say I hate money. Maybe he's right.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

I have one more interesting hand from last night.

Let's paint the picture:

I have $945 in chips invested. The session started out with some pretty unlucky scenarios, top two vs set, raising primos preflop and investing postflop and it backfiring. I was stuck approx 775 at the peak, before things turned around.

I played the hand from the previous post in this thread, poorly IMO but I've played hands worse than that.

So here I am, sitting in a pretty good game.

I have around 1.2k? I'm not sure.

I'm in SB, $1.2k, 7s-7d. Table 8 handed I believe.

EP jams all in for $55. He arrived, played a bunch of hands, now he is on his last 55 and he's trying to get back in the game.

MP player cold calls $55. He has about $600 behind. I would describe this guy as a station postflop, and he has shown evidence he's willing to value bet a little thinner than most of the 1/2 regs.

I would think based on info I have at this time MP has a pocket pair or some strong Broadway combo perhaps.

The action folds around to me in the SB.

I ordinarily wouldn't call this much with 7-7, but I'm essentially setmining vs this guy in MP. I call the $55.

Others fold. We go to the flop 3-ways, one all-in.

Flop Ah-7h-6h (165).

I check middle set. I choose this action because I think it will often induce overplay from an opponent, but if I bet, opponent will be forced to react to the bet and the range will be much more narrow.

MP fires $100, pretty quickly.

I call quickly. Cliffnotes on my thoughts are something like:

I don't think he ever has a flush here, and if he did it would have to be something like Kh-Qh or something. He would likely slow play and/or bet smaller.

Most likely candidates are Ax-Kh for example, maybe 6-6? I guess he could have some weaker flushes but that seems a little more unlikely because he was the first person to call 55 preflop, and he called cold.

3-way to the turn, $200 side pot brewing.

Ah-7h-6h...... turn 8c. Main-$165 side-$200.

I check.

Dude in MP blasts all-in for $403.

At the time, I squirmed in my chair a little TBH. I wasn't worried about my hand until now. I do consider the possibility this dude could have AA. I would probably flat call a $55 jam in his spot with AA.

But then I think more about what does he think I have. I think when players see flops like this, they often try to "price you out" because the first hands they will consider are draws to the flush, Kh the most obvious.

Opponents at 1/2 do hand read, but they do it in optimistic ways, they only put their opponents on hands they can beat, not considering the entire range of possibilities. How do I know this? I have coached dozens of players from all walks of life trying to beat live low stakes, and during our meetings I ask them to put their opponent on a range. They all have similar fundamental flaws that we work through.

Anyways, I tank for a little while, maybe 30 or 45 seconds. I settle on the fact that I think based on the info I have on this player, history, etc, the most likely hand is 6-6, maybe an overplayed Ax-Kh, or perhaps <gulp> AA.

"Don't fold sets."

I make the call.

I can see MP react to the call, he looks a little sick TBH. That is a good sign.

Ah-7h-6h-8c.......River 2 or some brick.

Dude in MP tables after a slight delay:

Spoiler

6-6

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Last night, I table changed. There was a kid 3 seats to my left, he had a pretty deep stack, and he was doing the chip shuffle, hoodie up and strings pulled tight.

I was just getting started in the session, nothing eventful yet.

This kid was very active, and I suspected he might be a loose player, a poker goober.

After only 10 or 15 mins I see him open in MP, hand goes to showdown, and he shows Q-5o. Yeah, I think that's pretty loose lol.

Anyway, fast forward a little while.

I'm in the BB. I have $300. I look down and TT.

UTG limps (200).

Goober opens UTG1 for $13 (covers, approx $600), BTN calls(125 back?), SB calls (200), I call, UTG calls and closes.

Right here, you might be thinking "why didn't you 3bet?"

I thought about it. Here are my thoughts, the cliffnotes.

#1, relative position. We have 1 limper, who will probably fold to the 3bet. But the poker goober in UTG1 will probably defend, he could possibly 4bet also. He seems pretty aggro.

The most likely scenario is goober flats and defends the 3bet, and starts a call train and we play a super bloated pot out of position with a hand that doesn't flop well.

I think there is merit to a 3bet, but I chose a lower variance route here, and decided to play postflop instead.

5-way flop T-J-Kr. (65)

SB checks, I debate leading, but decide to check, I think someone will bet this flop.

UTG checks.
PFR UTG1 checks, BTN bet $35.

SB folds.

I debate a check raise, but decide to just call and lead turn if need be, on brick turns, 4 straight turns would be gross, but I'm willing to take the chance.

This does open up opportunity for PFR to check raise hands like pair+SD, etc, under rep my hand and induce overplay perhaps.

UTG folds. PFR UTG1 C/R to $115.

BTN all in for about 105? Can't recall exactly.

My thoughts at this point: AQ super unlikely, flopped nuts on rainbow board is trapping most of the time, maybe Q9? I dunno about that one. Most likely hands are things like KQ or QJ maybe KJ top two?

Not worried, if we losing somehow, it's whatever. I don't fold sets in spots like these,, and this is the time.

I backraise all in, it's around 285.

Dude UTG1 snaps.

He announces "I have a straight."

"Good for you." I reply. "I need a little help then."

I table my hand. BTN table KJss for top two.

UTG1 Q9o for a straight.

I'm sitting there thinking "why did I allow this guy to raise a hand this bad and see this flop."

I still stand behind my decision, this is just an unlucky spot. Maybe I can suck out and win the side pot at least?

T-J-Kr ... turn 8, river 8.

PFR goes crazy, starts berating me for not 3betting pre.

Then he berates me for sucking out.

Then he says "you must be a losing player. There's no way you are a winning player, you suck for not 3betting pre."

Then he accuses me of staring at him when board ran out. Says "are you gay or something? You like me?"

"Yeah you're right, I like skinny little punks who wear hoodies." I finally reply.

More complaining, whining, and insults. I engage back by this time.

The highlights of things I said were "You open Q9o in EP and you're giving me advice? No thanks."

He keeps going, and going. Finally I say "that's what you get for raising Q9o."

I finally just tell the guy a few times "Stop it. Just stop it."

Floor arrives. Asks us if we are gonna be cool. He says yes. I say nothing.

Situation subsides.

When I play 2/5 people rarely whine and complain and berate people like this. Only at 1/2. I had some pretty unlucky spots and I decided to step down to 1/2 for a bit to get my mindset and confidence back on track, and I'm literally getting berated daily lol.

Fast forward. Dude tilts off another 200, reloads, tilts more, reloads, then I stack him with a set of 9's at some point for $400+.

I didn't celebrate. He didn't berate me. I felt a little bad for stacking him, like it was just uncomfortable. I wondered if he was gonna erupt again but he was cool after the initial incident.

Maybe the 300 just really stung him and he was emotional about it.

I thought about walking over to him and offering to bump fists but I didn't. I just left quietly a long while after I stacked him.

Other than that, session was good. I'm running hot the past week or so at 1/2. Like really really hot.

I could go back to 2/5 any time, my confidence has returned mostly, my mindset has improved. But I'm starting to think 1/2 win rate might be comparable to 2/5 win rate. I'd need a long sample of both to verify, but I might spend some more time at 1/2. The players are much easier to play against.

 

[Debi]

Welcome back!

 

[pirateglenn]

Welcome back Bean!

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Last night, this 1/2 game I was in was juicy, like real juicy. The table was loaded with chips, gambling, etc.

There was this guy who came to the table. He tells everyone when he arrives that he plays 2-3 like it's aces and he's going to try and beat us all with underdog hands because that's how you win. Any two cards can make take down AA and KK.

Fast forward a little while, I make a call vs this guy, he has under-repped AA, and I suck out. Dude goes crazy, reloads. Emotional outburst is putting it mildly.

He tells me "I'm coming after you. I'm gonna beat you out of all those chips." Etc, etc, etc. He was so mad lol.

Maybe a hand or two later, I'm in the CO.

I look at Ah-Th.

Emotional Dude has $300. We cover by loads, playing around 800 maybe?

He rifles in $25 as an open, he's UTG. You can tell he is probably spaz raising.

1 caller, another tilted guy, but he isn't nearly as emotional as UTG. He's playing about 300.

I consider 3b, but think better of it. I don't want to flip or take a high variance line to beat anyone right now. I think it's more prudent to take a flop and try to navigate in position.

I call $25. One other person calls 25, BB, who is playing about $250 behind.

4w flop 9h-2h-5c ($100)

BB checks, looks uninterested. UTG verbally declares "seventy-five" and rifles in 3 green chips, aggressively. I take this as an attempt to intimidate us and make us fold. I think given the circumstances, he is tilted and probably has a weak hand.

As you know, I have NFD+ two over cards vs a tilted guy who declared war vs me.

MP player folds. Action on me.

"All-in."

Folds around to UTG. He squirms. Calls off $275 total.

Cut chips. Get pot sorted out.

I table cards. Tell him "this is what I have man."

He says something like "I knew you was on some bull **** bluff, that's why I snap called you!"

Dude tables Kc-2c.

Board 9h-2h-5c....... turn 4h, river brick.

Dude explodes again, slams cards and storms off into the casino.


A little while later.....

Dude comes back with a handful of purple chips ($500). Sits down on my right this time. He is still mad, tells the table and dealer he is here to beat me out of all my money.

Emotional guy sits with 300, the table max. Fistful of purple chips on standby.

First hand of note, only a couple hands after emotional Dude sits....

I'm in the BB. Ks-Kd. ($1.4k ish)

BTN straddle is on, $5. Emotional SB raise to $15.

I 3bet to $65. Folds around to SB. He calls $65.

Heads up flop. Q-8-4r. ($135)

Checks.

I bet $75.

Hesitates only a few seconds, makes the call.

"Here we go" another table mate blurts out. People are chuckling a little. This table has been action, action, action.

Q-8-4r.......Heads up turn 7.

Emotional Dude Hesitates a little....

I'm thinking to myself "incoming"

"All in" he says.

I snap call. It's around 175 +/-

I just put a stack of chips out indicating a call. SB chips are mostly $25 chips.

Q-8-4-7......River Kc.

I think it's best to just table my hand. It was probably good anyways, and this guy's head will explode if I make him show first (even though he's supposed to).

Table hand.

Dude explodes again.

"**** you all, I can't win here!"

"I'm gonna go back and play blackjack again, at least I can win there."

Turns to me "Man you lucky AF. You needed that set, I had two pair!"

Mucks hand. Still complaining, leaves. He was so mad I was concerned enough I didn't take my eyes off him when he got up. He looked very upset.

After he left, we all breathed a sigh of relief, then we all laughed at his outbursts.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Welcome back!

Welcome back Bean!

Thanks!

 

[Beanfacekilla]

A really strange hand I played last week....

I'm in the BB. I have approx $700.

This is 1/2 NLHE, and the BTN straddle is on for $5. Kind of a wild table. Good game.

The action starts on SB, he is playing nearly every hand. He had maybe around $1.5k when I arrived at the table, and he's bled down to now around 450. He's all around loose AF and capable of some bluffs, and he doesn't seem tilted but he has to be frustrated.

SB raises to $15.

I look down at TT.

There's a guy on my left, UTG, who cold calls every time I bet it seems like. I don't know if this is just his thing or he is trying to get into pots with me. He sat at my table a few days ago and did this then too. He never 3bets, but he is def a station preflop, and he isn't that tight with these calls from the very little showdown info I have.

I decide to put in a cold 3b to $50.

Guess who calls, first in? UTG. The player mentioned above. He's playing about 400, and he starts the call train, again.

HJ calls (playing 165 ish total), CO is all in for $82, BTN folds, SB calls $82.

The action is back on me. I'm not really sure what to do here. I am weighing out options, lesser of two evils. I decide to just call the 82 and go postflop.

UTG double cold calls the 82.

HJ jams all in for 163.

CO is all in for less, maybe 120? I can't recall.

SB flats again, 163.

Here I am, thinking about what to do. I feel like I must have the best hand, at least now. I just decide to move in and hopefully get a call from whatever SB is holding. Nothing would surprise me here. This guy has called heaps preflop with some really bad hands.

I announce all in.

UTG finally whips his cards to the muck and folds. He is clearly frustrated when he folds.

SB shrugs, says "let's gamble."

SB Calls. He ends up having about 460 total.

It takes a while for all the side pots to get sorted.

4-way flop A-Q-5, turn 7, river T.

I table my hand.

Spoiler

murmuring. HJ shows 9-9, the other two muck. I scoop the pot. SB just reaches in to his pocket and loads a fresh 300 onto the table. He doesn't even look frustrated. $1.5k to the felt in about 2 hours.

 

[Jillychemung]

SB just reaches in to his pocket and loads a fresh 300 onto the table. He doesn't even look frustrated. $1.5k to the felt in about 2 hours.

Ohhh these tables are just so lovely!!!

Had a hand Sat night where the board ran out a FH but I had an overpair for a better FH and a player called my AI bet of $220 with Ace-hi thinking I was just trying to push him off a chop!!!

 

[Beanfacekilla]

Ohhh these tables are just so lovely!!!

Had a hand Sat night where the board ran out a FH but I had an overpair for a better FH and a player called my AI bet of $220 with Ace-hi thinking I was just trying to push him off a chop!!!

Ha ha ha!

I play late night, but I haven't always done that. I went through a phase post covid where I'd show up around 8-10am, and I was doing OK, but my friend kept telling me "Dude you gotta play prime hours, 8pm-4am."

I resisted this advice. It wasn't until I finally forced myself to go to the late night game that I fully realized what I was missing.

 

[Beanfacekilla]

I went to play live today, had a noteworthy experience with some of my table mates, but it's a long story.

I show up to the room, and I get seated at a 1/2 game. I've been playing nights, but I haven't been sleeping well at all. I seem to only sleep 3 or 4 hours and wake up. I've been exhausted for weeks now.

So there are some faces around I haven't seen in a little while, because I don't normally play these hours.

A gentleman over on the 2/5 game waves hello, and reminds me he's been waiting for a "signed copy" of my book. He said this to me a while ago, and I'd forgot.

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I do bring a backpack every day, and I have two copies of my book in there.

After a while, I go over, speak to him. I ask somewhat quietly "you're not messing with me about signing it?"

"No man, could you sign it?"

"OK, no problem."

I sign a copy, hand it to him.

Move on to my session. A little while passes, and a guy on my table asks me about my book, wants more specifics. I tell him a little more, etc.

You see, I'm definitely bashful about this stuff. I feel like if I say anything, or bring it up on my own, it's like tooting my own horn or something.

He asked me direct questions about it, which led to my YouTube channel, and the fact that I coach beginners to help them think.

Truth be told, I find it somewhat embarrassing to even discuss these things at the table. I don't know why, but it makes me uncomfortable.

Anyways, a guy on my right starts asking direct questions about the book, what's in it, who's the publisher.

Then he asks me "how much have you made from poker?"

I am somewhat shocked he would even ask this, I don't want to answer, and I think it's sort of rude.

"That's the million dollar question" I reply.

Then he starts in with some passive aggressive statements. Saying things like "I don't see Daniel Negreanu playing 1/2."

Then he flat it says "you haven't made anything from poker, have you? You wouldn't be sitting here if you did?"

I finally say "you can make $30-$40 per hour at 1/2 if you play well."

"$40 an hour is nothing" he fires back. Laughing.

"I wrote a book, and it doesn't mean I'm an expert" he goes on.

Then he starts in on one of the topics about my book, that he asked about. I told him it deals with mental aspects of live poker.

"I don't think anything you're doing has anything to do with the mental aspects of poker" he says.

"It does, but maybe you don't realize it" I reply. I immediately think of the fact that I am playing on my image, playing very LAG, and I am well aware of how I'm perceived by my table mates. This is part of the stuff I wrote about in my book, I digress.

I'm starting to understand this guy is pretty much attacking me for no reason. I don't know why he is so condescending, but he is starting to make people uncomfortable with his tone and his line of questioning and discussion. He's making me uncomfortable.

He then replies back, I don't remember what he says, but basically a veiled insult. Something like "why should anyone listen to you?"

He worded this in a way and tone trying to act as if he's generally curious, but he isn't a good actor.

At this point, one of my tablemates intervened, and started defending me. I didn't even think this table mate liked me before this, but he stepped up and defended me. And he was rewarded for it by my passive aggressive attacker now attacking him:

"Why are you sticking your nose in this conversation?" Dude asks, clearly sounding angry.

They go back and forth a little. The guy defending me is calm, and cool, keeps his voice down, but responds. The mean guy is clearly getting more agitated, raising his voice a little.

Finally I say "look man, I didn't say anything, I was just asked about my book and it led to my YouTube channel and coaching."

Guy who asked me about this chimes in "yeah I just wanted to know about the book, and I've been looking for a coach."

"I'm just asking about it too. I just wanted to know how much he has made from poker, and what his book was about" replies the angry guy.

Now he is trying to act like his line of questioning is just out of curiosity.

"No, you're insulting me and being condescending" I say, looking him right in the eye.

When confronted with this, he denies being condescending, says maybe I am mistaken.

"No, you are totally being condescending, and you're insulting my life's work" I reply again, in a calm quiet tone.

He again denies.

"Maybe I misunderstood you then. I'm sorry" I tell him. I'm really not sorry, but I don't know what else to say at this point.

I've written down my general recollection of this event, but I can't recall everything he said, and exactly how I replied. Objectively, he was insulting me, saying that I'm not a successful person because I'm at 1/2, and a book doesn't mean anything.

I found this incredibly hurtful and depressing. I'm still really sad about this.

It makes me think of the times I'm not the greatest person. I've been carrying this fortune from a fortune cookie in my wallet for a few weeks now. It reads "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting their battle too."

Now I will tell a little more personal detail about me. I've never been successful at anything in life. I've been an emotional basket-case most of my life, and I've had some challenges. I'm bipolar, def have emotional problems, over-think things, etc. There's a lot wrong with me.

I've had countless jobs. I hated them. I always have trouble with sleeping, or workplace interactions, or bad feelings, etc.

Life has been a battle for me since I was a young boy. I know other people have tough lives also, perhaps much worse than I did, but that doesn't mean life has been a cake walk for me either. I'm not trying to feel sorry for myself or anything. I'm just in a very bad mood now.

My mom recently passed on August 11, 2021, after a long battle with dementia. My dad is now alone and I worry about him. I miss my mom. I used to be able to talk to her years ago about things just like this.

That's why I chose to work so hard at poker. The highest stakes I have available to me is regular 2/5, and I'm not comfortable with that level of variance, the money swings. I stick to mostly 1/2.

I can't move, because I have family here. So pursuing the "poker dream" isn't in the cards, pun intended. I am content to make a modest living playing live low stakes, coaching people, and making occasional YouTube videos.


At least I thought I was, until this guy ruined my day. He is just some old reg who plays 1/2 and probably has a good job and he felt like belittling me for whatever reason. This is precisely the reason I don't like talking about books or anything unless asked.

Add to that I ran pretty bad today, and I play a higher variance LAG style so when things backfire, and you run bad, you know how it can go.


If I play 2/5, people are much more pleasant usually. I get berated at 1/2 for winning, get berated if I lose. I have opponents making fun of me to the guy sitting next to them at the table, when they make an atrocious call and suck out with rags. They laugh when they win, slow roll me, etc. They regularly break table rules by talking during hands, going south, you name it. At 1/2 nothing surprises me.

I never do any of this stuff. I give them carte blanche. You can't tap the glass.



But this guy today, he really got to me. Afterwards, he changed tables. A couple table mates stood up for me politely before he did. I don't know if he left out of embarrassment, or because he was so angry, or because he just wanted to go somewhere he can limp and see cheap flops.

This is the stuff that happens sometimes in my live poker universe. My world. I gave up the rat race for this.

 

[Pokerstudy]

I just watched your KJ video and love it! Subscribed!

I have a question about KJ suited from your perspective in this situation.

Was at 11th spot in a tournament and a guy shoved on me preflop..I could just tell by his shove (don’t know how) that he did “not” have a pair. I had KJ suited. I learned well from Annie Dukes book not to fall in love with suitedness and overall not to love KJ but I decided to call and it felt like the right move. His AQoff held up and I took 11th. I went home and checked equilab and felt I made the right call, considering the blinds and antes were going to really start getting deep and it could put me in a position to get to mega chips. In my mind, placing 11th or possibly having a commanding chip lead to win the tournament is why I made the call. Thanks for video!

 

[Beanfacekilla]

I just watched your KJ video and love it! Subscribed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuATXdeYL0s

I have a question about KJ suited from your perspective in this situation.

Was at 11th spot in a tournament and a guy shoved on me preflop..I could just tell by his shove (don’t know how) that he did “not” have a pair. I had KJ suited. I learned well from Annie Dukes book not to fall in love with suitedness and overall not to love KJ but I decided to call and it felt like the right move. His AQoff held up and I took 11th. I went home and checked equilab and felt I made the right call, considering the blinds and antes were going to really start getting deep and it could put me in a position to get to mega chips. In my mind, placing 11th or possibly having a commanding chip lead to win the tournament is why I made the call. Thanks for video!

Thanks, I'm happy you liked the video.

KJs will be behind most times, but not all. It's a risk based on incomplete and also often incorrect info (reads). I think in tournaments risks will have to be taken, but TBH I'm not a tournament player. I'm a cash game player so I am not well educated in tournament theory.

You didn't provide information on stack sizes, payout structure, etc. Without that info I don't know what I would have done.