Learn from my mistakes (Part 2)

Be careful when you try to get tricky with big pocket pairs because it could come back to haunt you...

FullTiltPoker Game #3273542762: Table Mission Point - $2/$4 - No Limit Hold'em - 20:04:08 ET - 2007/08/16
Seat 1: ThisHowIGetDown ($307.60)
Seat 2: fishy27 ($206.50)
Seat 3: RogueRaider ($969.95)
Seat 4: RecessRampage ($400)
Seat 5: rowenazolekker ($62.80)
Seat 6: Chapter XI ($551.40)
Seat 7: Garbally ($460.30)
Seat 8: DrawingSlim ($0), is sitting out
Seat 9: Jdiddy01 ($207.40)
RogueRaider posts the small blind of $2
RecessRampage posts the big blind of $4
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RecessRampage [Qc Qs]
rowenazolekker folds
Chapter XI folds
Garbally folds
Jdiddy01 calls $4
DrawingSlim has returned
ThisHowIGetDown folds
fishy27 folds
RogueRaider raises to $16
RecessRampage calls $12
Jdiddy01 calls $12

I'm not the type to play a certain type of hand the same way so I would obviously sometimes reraise here to isolate or price out the other limper in case he is trying to see a flop cheap with a small/mid pocket pair. However, the key here to do that when you know your opponents. In other words, there's not much value in doing something that you usually don't do against opponents that don't know you. In that case, you can play straightforward poker for a little while to establish your image. Well, I guess I was feeling frisky so I wanted to switch it up.

*** FLOP *** [5c 9s 7c]
RogueRaider has 15 seconds left to act
RogueRaider bets $20

Personally, I'm not crazy about this flop. Bunch of mid/low cards. It's right up the alley of the limper in MP. I'm also not too crazy about the fact that the big stack bets out. Since I don't know anything about my opponents, I'd have to assume that he's got a big stack because he is better than others. Of course, maybe he got lucky but we don't know that at this point. So, I need to define my hand here.

RecessRampage raises to $70
Jdiddy01 folds
RogueRaider has 15 seconds left to act
RogueRaider raises to $258

This is where things get interesting. The big stack initially puts out a probe bet, I raise 3.5x his bet and now he comes over the top. At this point, you have to believe that you are behind with the QQ. How far behind? That's hard to tell because it's hard to see if he's overbetting for value with a set or a straight or now trying to protect his two pair? The only questionable thing is that he's the one who raised preflop from the SB so he could have AA-TT, of which I only beat two of them. And if he had JJ or TT, it's hard to see him come over the top here...

But as you can imagine, since this is the "learn from my mistakes" series, here's where I donk it up.

RecessRampage has 15 seconds left to act
RecessRampage has requested TIME
RecessRampage raises to $384, and is all in <--- HEEEE HAAAAW
RogueRaider calls $126
RecessRampage shows [Qc Qs]
RogueRaider shows [5d 7d]

*** TURN *** [5c 9s 7c] [4d]
*** RIVER *** [5c 9s 7c 4d] [3d]
RecessRampage shows a pair of Queens
RogueRaider shows two pair, Sevens and Fives
RogueRaider wins the pot ($813) with two pair, Sevens and Fives

If you are going to get tricky with an overpair, you have to be willing to let the hand go on a dangerous board. Limiting leaks like this will lead to more profitable cash game play.

Learn From My Mistakes (Part 1)

I've been trying to accumulate some of the hands that I played poorly in order to highlight my mistakes and share them with you. Hopefully, you may gain something. If not, maybe you could just get a good laugh. But either way, I intend to start a mini series here where I will post some of the hands where I made a mistake and put in my thoughts, where applicable. Oh, and when I say "trying to accumulate", it's not because they are few and far between. I'm just trying to sift through all the bad ones and pick the ones that may actually be beneficial.

Ok, below is an instance where if you have a decent hand, you HAVE TO ISOLATE the short stack all in. Money not won is the same as money lost. In other words, when you have the edge or the better hand, you have to bet and protect it. No way around that. Here's an instance where I totally missed that.

Full Tilt Poker Game #3151345352: Table Russell (6 max) - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 14:31:08 ET - 2007/08/04
Seat 1: Nathan Petrelli ($210.15)
Seat 2: kdogvet ($31.05)
Seat 3: pokerPIMP_5 ($223.70)
Seat 5: Imperatorce ($203.45)
Seat 6: RecessRampage ($253.95)
Nathan Petrelli posts the small blind of $1
kdogvet posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RecessRampage [Ts Td]
pokerPIMP_5 folds
Imperatorce raises to $7
RecessRampage calls $7
Nathan Petrelli folds
kdogvet raises to $31.05, and is all in
Imperatorce has 15 seconds left to act
Imperatorce calls $24.05
RecessRampage calls $24.05

The game is 5 handed, as you can see. Pocket 10s in a 5 handed game is a monster holding and one that is most likely ahead. I might reraise a few times there on the initial raise by imperatorce but that's just a variation. I've been at this table for a little while at this point so they've seen me reraise when in position and not many hands go to showdown so again, that's just me switching it up.

When the short stack goes all in on top, imperatorce just calls. And for some reason, I think I didn't have an option to reraise there. I could be wrong but I think I was forced to call. Like the reraise option wasn't there? I think that's actually some sort of a rule but again, not sure. Please confirm if you know.

*** FLOP *** [6h 7s Js]
Imperatorce has 15 seconds left to act
Imperatorce checks
nonthinking sits down
RecessRampage checks <--- HEEEEE HAAAAAW

I'm sure all of you could see what the big blunder here is. My pocket 10s are very good on a jack high flop. This isn't some tournament bubble in a satellite where knocking out one player means anything. This is a cash game. At this point, I need to bet out to isolate the shortstack. I think this is obvious to everyone. But if not, here's why.

If the shortstack has AA, KK, QQ, or JJ, I was already beat before the flop and unless I get lucky, I'm not gonna win the main pot. So, against those hands, I have no chance on this flop. However, there's another player in here and he could have KQ, AK, AQ. If so, I need to bet here to at least protect my hand from those holdings. Again, if I do that, then I wouldn't lose any more money AND I only have to fend off the draw (if I'm ahead) of the guy who is already all in.

Well, clearly, I missed that. And this is what happens.

*** TURN *** [6h 7s Js] [Qc]
Imperatorce has 15 seconds left to act
Imperatorce bets $30
RecessRampage folds
Imperatorce shows [9h Qh]
kdogvet shows [Ks Ah]

Now I have no choice but to fold when he bets. I had the better hand AND better position and somehow I let this happen.

*** RIVER *** [6h 7s Js Qc] [9s]
Imperatorce shows two pair, Queens and Nines
kdogvet shows Ace King high
Imperatorce wins the pot ($91.15) with two pair, Queens and Nines
kdogvet is sitting out

That's $90 that should be added to my stack but instead, because of my donkey play, I missed out on that. In this instance, I didn't just lose $30. Yeah, that's the actual hit to my bankroll. But the real hit was the $90 that shoulda been there. Again, money not won when you should is the same as money lost. You can't let opportunities like this get away from you.