Quick post: One step out of bad beat city!
After a tumultuous series of games where my bankroll swung up, down, up and back down again I decided to step into the gambling world of Pokerstars with a little more caution this Saturday morning.
I fared better on the loose tables, building my stack from the $10 buy in to about $35, but ultimately still losing a hand or two to some sucker play from the opposition. I'm thinking; 'Breath. Relax. If the opposition didn't play this badly there would be no profit in the game! Be grateful.' For example my AA from mid position get cracked by 64 on a dangerous looking one suit flop (hearts) and I didn't have the hearts. Usually I'm a bit more aggressive when I think I'm ahead, but as I said I was taking proceedings much more carefully.
For example, I just called down AK with a K high flush on the river, when usually I would re raise from late position. I'm going to play cautiously until I've had a few winning sessions again.
Some of the other hands I won...better times!
My hand of the morning, cracking aces with AJ suited!
My 1010 held up against two good opponents. Once again I played carefully. The pr flop raiser to my right bet on the flop and I just called as the board was a little dangerous. When he checked on the turn I bet and was called by both players, then everyon checked on the river.
Still, frustrating times as my opponent suckered a draw with A5 offsuit. With possibly just 6 outs I lost out on the win when he spiked a 9 for a draw.
Finally my A3 held from late position versus 6 other opponents after I called a small bet on the river from one 'early raiser'.
Quick quiz: (from Small Stakes Hold'em)
You have 6 ♥️ 6 💎 on the button. Five players limp, and the player on the right raises. You cold call, both blinds call, and all the limpers call (18 small bets). The flop is T ♠️ 6 ♠️ 6 ♣️ giving you quads. Everyone checks to you. What should you do?
Answer: Bet. Checking is absurd. Your opponents are clearly very loose (tight players do not make nine- handed pots). Since the pot is large, they will find any excuse they can to call: a flush draw, a gutshot, two overcards, one overcard, a backdoor she straight draw, a backdoor two pair draw etc. Do not be surprised I found all eight of your opponents call. They do not know you flopped quads. They do not know they are drawing dead. Even if they did know, half of them would probably call anyway.
Your pot equity is nearly 100 percent. That edge isn't way too big not to push. If you would be the pocket aces here (and you should) then definitely bet quads as we'll.
Slowplaying is useful only if the pot isn't small, and you expect most or all of your opponents to fold I feel you bet. In this example expect six or seven of your eight opponents to call. But they can't call if you don't bet!
(Sklansky & Malmuth)
