O-Poker

Since I posted a bad beat yesterday, I feel the need to even things out and show the other side of the coin. (There are a few horrible players at 100nl.)


AA vs. AK standard, but what was the other guy thinking?

Poker Stars $0.50/$1.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $99.50
SB: $74.65
BB: $44.80
UTG: $104.25
MP: $50.95
Hero (CO): $111.55

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is CO with A A

1 fold, MP calls $1, Hero raises to $3
BTN raises to $13
2 folds
MP calls $12
Hero raises to $30
BTN calls $17
MP raises to $50.95 all in
Hero raises to $111.55 all in
BTN calls $69.50 all in

Flop: ($251.45) 8 7 K (3 players - 3 are all in)

Turn: ($251.45) 4 (3 players - 3 are all in)

River: ($251.45) 3 (3 players - 3 are all in)

Final Pot: $251.45
BTN mucks 8 9 - ?? Not sure of the though process here
MP mucks K A
Hero shows A A (a pair of Aces)
Hero wins $97.10
Hero wins $151.35
(Rake: $3.00)




Two pair is good right?

Poker Stars $0.50/$1.00 No Limit Hold'em - 4 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $332.85
Hero (BB): $177.95
CO: $93.00
BTN: $108.65

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BB with A K
1 fold, BTN raises to $3.50, 1 fold
Hero raises to $11
BTN calls $7.50

Flop: ($22.50) A A 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $10, BTN calls $10

Turn: ($42.50) 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $30, BTN calls $30

River: ($102.50) 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $126.95 all in, BTN calls $57.65 all in

Final Pot: $217.80
Hero shows A K (three of a kind, Aces)
BTN mucks 8 9 - Two pair is always gold, right?
Hero wins $215.80
(Rake: $2.00)

I haven't even put in 1k hands yet at $0.50/$1.00 nl, but have noticed quite a few big differences in the play. There, also, seems to be quite a difference between the play at FTP and the play at pokerstars, but this is probably just due to the small sample size. (I'll put up a post about the difference in play between sites if I notice the differences continuing.)

Differences between 100nl and 200nl

1. Thereis a ton more limping. I have seen hands that go - UTG limps, UTG+1 limps, CO and button limp, sb limps, BB raises pot, everyone folds. I was also at a table the other night, where everyone limped, I raised 9x from the SB and everyone called. I may limp-cold call stat to my HUD. I'm not sure if there is a limp-fold stat or not, but if there is then I will probably add that one too.

2. There are a lot more passive players. I have seen more players with 50-70% VPiP/0%-10% PFR than ever before - sometimes 2 players like this at the same table. I had one guy at a table the other night that had a VPiP around 85%, a PRF of 0%, and a FCB of 0%. He always called any flop c-bet and either folded the turn to a bet or made a pot sized bet if checked to. I was amazed to see a couple of people gift him stacks, when his play seemed so transparent.

3. There isn't near as much 3 betting with a couple of exceptions. In general, if someone was 3-betting then they usually had a very strong hand. I did run into a few people that had obviously watched one too many LAGgy coaching vids (3 betting way too much) and didn't understand when other players were adjusting and how to adapt to those adjustments.

4. You need to find a way to note the regulars. There are definitely some good regulars playing 100nl and it helps to make a note of who they are. There are so many more good games to choose from at 100nl. You shouldn't be sitting at a table with some of the better players at the limit, unless there are some fish at the table that you are targeting.

I'm going to try to start saving some hands to illustrate some of the differences.

I have been running/playing horribly for a while now. I think it is time to go back to basics.

The last week has been a little brutal over a relatively small amount of hands. I am up 4.5 buy-ins on pokerstars and down 8 buy-ins on FTP during that same time. I think FTP doesn't like me. :)

The downswing has gotten me thinking a lot. I used to rely on poker for some extra income, but the extra dollars haven't been coming lately - at a time when I could use them the most (starting the new business). The business is set up so that I don't need the extra income, but it would definitely help make things easier.

I'm going to play 100nl for the next 30 days and see how things go. I'll post updates/hands as I go. I'm not going to play any mtt over $55 unless I satellite in. It is a little humbling to drop down to 100nl, but it doesn't bother me like I thought it would. I need to re-tool and re-focus.

I am pretty sure there will be an initial adjustment period at 100nl since I haven't ever really played 100nl regularly. I have watched a few 100nl vids and the games seem a lot more passive than the 200nl and 400nl games.