1. 2008-03-12 02:03:55

   Bankroll Bulletin: One Unfortunate Hand

   • Date: January 10th
   • Location: La Center, WA
   • Game: 4-40 spread limit

   After a month and a half break, I found myself playing at La Center once again. After a new table was created, within the 1st fifteen hands I pick up . Everybody folds to me in the small blind and I make it 12 dollars to go. The big blind calls the flop came out . I bet 12, guy calls, the turn comes out a - that is a terrible card. I bet anyway, just to see if that helped him. He raised and I folded. He showed me - just as I figured, Aces get cracked by T7. Within 10 hands later I pick up , make it 12 to go preflop, and get one caller. The flop is with no flush draws. That gives me the absolute nuts, I check the flop. The turn is a , guy checks, and I bet 20 (about half the pot) and he folds. So I am just thinking "man, what bad luck". Soon after I pick up again under the gun, make it 17 to go, and NOBODY CALLED! Damn this game sometimes! Once again I pick up , make it 15 to go, and got two callers. The flop came out . I bet out 12 to test the waters I get raised to 24, after deciding for a bit I make it 64 to go, and he called. So now I think that my hand is not that great but let's see what the turn comes out. The turn is a , he checks, I bet 40 and he folds. I was puzzled on what he had. So after all of that I pretty much broke even on having AA and KK twice in an hours' time. At the end of the posting I will tell you about me folding to a all in and go in depth on why I dropped it pre flop.

   Queen Ten Of Diamonds

   Soon after that AQ decision, I get on the button, just coming off the hand before with when I turned an open ended straight and a flush draw and didn't hit either. I limp into a 6 way pot the flop comes out two diamonds. All I am thinking is what a monster flop, damn. Someone bets 10 and there was 2 callers including me. The turn gives me the nuts with an of spades - the best card in the deck. Everyone checks to me, I bet 15 into like a 70 pot, I did that because I wanted to see the river and really make my move then. I got 1 caller - just what I wanted the river came out an - a very good card. He bets 25 out there, I took my time and deciding how much I wanted to raise and how much my opponent will call. I decided a 30 dollar raise is a good number he calls and shows two pair Aces and eights. I was very glad to win that pot - a very good confidence builder.

   Ace Ten

   After losing some small pots calling small raises preflop and not hitting anything and long string of bad cards (of about an hour) I pick up in middle position, I decided this would be a hand to break out of my shell and raise. I make it 15 to go, the button calls (a player which I bluffed really bad earlier). The flop comes out , I am thinking jackpot! I am destroying AK or AQ and if he just calls on the flop it is pretty easy to put him on a flush draw. He checks, I bet out 15 and he calls, so that is an indicator of a flush draw. A hits on the turn - to me a meaningless card. he checks again, I bet out 30 this time, and he calls again. The river comes out a 5 of hearts. That tells me that he missed his flush draw and I am still destroying AK AQ. He checks once again now I think he is just giving up on the hand. I bet the max 40, he raises 40, I sit back in my chair, just stunned by this turn of events. I couldn't fold - too much money in the pot to give the hand up, he could have three 7s, but that is the only realistic hand that could beat me of what I was thinking. I called cause I couldn't fold and he turns over WOW!!! He had a monster flop of his own with an open ended straight flush draw - that is huge - a ton of outs against me and my hand.

   Analysis on why I dropped Ace Queen

   Getting back to that hand. It was early in my session, I raised it to 15 dollars and had someone who re raised 40 and only had 11 on top of that. Now what I was looking at was: I am already down 50 bucks, do I really want to risk most of my stack on a coin flip? After consideration that is what I put him on. I decided that with my bankroll I really couldn't afford to put most of my buy in at risk on a coin flip. Now, If I had a big bankroll, then you would just play the odds and it is an easier call. But you have to look at it in the perspective of how big your bankroll is, because that should dictate how your really able to play big pots.

   Come back next week and read about my journey into bankroll supremacy someday. The roll is at 700 on the decline so I will have to regroup. Play well and may all your pots be monster.

   Posted by Nick L at 2008-03-12 02:03:55

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Comments on “Bankroll Bulletin: One Unfortunate Hand”

1. • Posted by Graham g 2008-03-13 00:43:23
   • 

   • I just wanted to say that your opponent on the hand was in even better shape than you were on the hand. I'd agree with Jason, betting out $30 on that flop would be my play with those draws available (on the AT hand).

     I'd also agree with Jason on the QT hand, especially when you hit the turn. Now there are two flush draws. Bet it up, so when they do call it's in your best interest, not theirs... $40 in to $70 instead of $10. That might not even be enough to put the numbers in your favor.

2. • Posted by Nick L g 2008-03-12 18:12:49
   • 

   • Ya I actually thought with that A10 hand that I was in great shape to win a nice pot. But man that was like a punch in the mouth how that felt. All things considered about the Q10 hand, that is good info with raising to see a free turn and river I have heard of it but really haven't made into my game yet. When Vegas comes I will use that to my advantage.

3. • Posted by Jason M g 2008-03-12 06:16:14
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   • Tough session, man. That is a killer cooler. Not that it would have mattered, but I'd bet out more than $15 into a $35+ pot on the flop. I guess you want action, though...

     I would raise with the on the flop. With that many "outs", it's considered a value bet. You want to build a bigger pot so when you hit you can really get paid off, and if people fold, that's okay. If somebody re-raises, you can easily commit. Better yet, you'll probably get a free turn and river if you are in late position. And when the came, you could safely bet again, as people might think you are still pushing a flush draw.

4. • Posted by Krishna g 2008-03-12 02:47:08
   • 

   • QT Hand:
     Bet more when you hit the straight with the back door flush possible. It is tough to see a straight. They will put you on diamond draw and call or some other hand. It worked out for you this time with him catching two pair on the river.

     AT hand:
     Not much you can do pot committed.

     AQ hand:
     Good lay down. I would put shorts tack allin myself but not call allin unless I am getting great odds.