Wednesday, January 17, 2007
$100 Freeroll CD Poker
Not a lot of action last night, played the $100 freeroll on CD Poker just for practice, freeroll, no risk etc. I just wanted to work on my skills, concentrate and take my time to play well. I finished 280th from 1000 runners. Does not sound impressive but I was quite happy with my play overall. I could actually see things unfold, I was thinking about position, my hand, reading the flop and where it was likely to lead and what other players would do or should be doing.
Many instances of people playing out of position, UTG, UTG+1, +3 etc calling only to have the cutoff raise 3-4 x BB and a few callers then being forced to call or fold, most would normally call. You could then watch all the callers checking around to the cutoff waiting to see what he would do, a large bet would see a sea of folders as they would not have hit their cards on the flop. The game is very interesting when playing with even the slightest bit of insight.
I'll just mention two hands from last night. The first, AA ($3000 chips) as the big blind, folds to UTG+3 ($1400) who calls, SB calls. I raise $400, blinds 50/100, UTG+3 calls and SB folds. From previous observations the caller plays any face card, I had him pegged at this stage with AK, AQ, KQ, QJ etc or maybe mid / low pockets otherwise I think he would have been all in pre-flop. Flop comes K73 rainbow. He checks to me as predicted and I bet out $400 2/5 his remaining stack, insta-all-in, so I know he has hit his K, perfect for me. I call he flips over K9o and does not improve and I collect a great pot.
I understand from his point why he did this, he could only see his cards, "hey I've hit my K on the flop, so I must have top pair, I am all-in here." He, like myself on many occasions, do not take into account the $400 bet from the pre-flop raiser. That goes out the window. For low level players it seems like the game starts again when the flop hits and anything preflop goes out the window. The villain here had two great opportunities to fold, preflop - think, would I bet $400 with K9o, hell no, so why call, fold and it cost you $100 to call and you are not out of the game.
The second is when he checks and I bet out, fair enough he thinks that he has 'trapped me' but it is the otherway around and I was stoked to see that K on the board. Another easy fold opportunity but the signs are ignored again and he quickly goes out of the tournament.
The hand that I eventually went out on was AJs, this hand has been my downfall of late going out in four tourneys with it. I had $4K in chips, chip lead on our table $13K. I was small blind he was cut off. Folds around to cut off who calls, blinds 200/400, I raised to $800 to isolate and have BB fold (they were sitting out) cut off calls. Flop, A73 rainbow(diamond, heart, club). I bet out $1500 looking to win the pot there with my paired A, but get called instead, turn brings T clubs and I bet $1500 again and get raised to $3K, now possible flush on the river, and possible straight draw with board, A73T, but with $200 left I call, he turns over 98 clubs, so currently has nothing but lots of outs with the straight and flush possible 30% chance of hitting, so pretty good and of course hits 2 clubs to complete his flush and I am out in 280th.
Even though it was only a $100 freeroll, I am a bit bummed, I just wanted to play good poker which I think I did. I am not sure how else I would have played this hand. The flop bet I think was right, or should it have been all-in here? The turn bet perhaps a check to see what the opponent does if he bets large the $3K I fold. I was trying to make it into a difficult decision, I guess with chip stakes against me it was a little harder...hmm..
Enjoyed the game regardless, the analysis a whole lot more. Appreciate any feedback. ¶ Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Many instances of people playing out of position, UTG, UTG+1, +3 etc calling only to have the cutoff raise 3-4 x BB and a few callers then being forced to call or fold, most would normally call. You could then watch all the callers checking around to the cutoff waiting to see what he would do, a large bet would see a sea of folders as they would not have hit their cards on the flop. The game is very interesting when playing with even the slightest bit of insight.
I'll just mention two hands from last night. The first, AA ($3000 chips) as the big blind, folds to UTG+3 ($1400) who calls, SB calls. I raise $400, blinds 50/100, UTG+3 calls and SB folds. From previous observations the caller plays any face card, I had him pegged at this stage with AK, AQ, KQ, QJ etc or maybe mid / low pockets otherwise I think he would have been all in pre-flop. Flop comes K73 rainbow. He checks to me as predicted and I bet out $400 2/5 his remaining stack, insta-all-in, so I know he has hit his K, perfect for me. I call he flips over K9o and does not improve and I collect a great pot.
I understand from his point why he did this, he could only see his cards, "hey I've hit my K on the flop, so I must have top pair, I am all-in here." He, like myself on many occasions, do not take into account the $400 bet from the pre-flop raiser. That goes out the window. For low level players it seems like the game starts again when the flop hits and anything preflop goes out the window. The villain here had two great opportunities to fold, preflop - think, would I bet $400 with K9o, hell no, so why call, fold and it cost you $100 to call and you are not out of the game.
The second is when he checks and I bet out, fair enough he thinks that he has 'trapped me' but it is the otherway around and I was stoked to see that K on the board. Another easy fold opportunity but the signs are ignored again and he quickly goes out of the tournament.
The hand that I eventually went out on was AJs, this hand has been my downfall of late going out in four tourneys with it. I had $4K in chips, chip lead on our table $13K. I was small blind he was cut off. Folds around to cut off who calls, blinds 200/400, I raised to $800 to isolate and have BB fold (they were sitting out) cut off calls. Flop, A73 rainbow(diamond, heart, club). I bet out $1500 looking to win the pot there with my paired A, but get called instead, turn brings T clubs and I bet $1500 again and get raised to $3K, now possible flush on the river, and possible straight draw with board, A73T, but with $200 left I call, he turns over 98 clubs, so currently has nothing but lots of outs with the straight and flush possible 30% chance of hitting, so pretty good and of course hits 2 clubs to complete his flush and I am out in 280th.
Even though it was only a $100 freeroll, I am a bit bummed, I just wanted to play good poker which I think I did. I am not sure how else I would have played this hand. The flop bet I think was right, or should it have been all-in here? The turn bet perhaps a check to see what the opponent does if he bets large the $3K I fold. I was trying to make it into a difficult decision, I guess with chip stakes against me it was a little harder...hmm..
Enjoyed the game regardless, the analysis a whole lot more. Appreciate any feedback. ¶ Wednesday, January 17, 2007
