time for a big update

Well Im down about $20 in the last 2 days of play which has only been around 300 hands. Im back to using the laptop so I can only do 3 tables at a time and my computer is so slow that I cant even listen to music. Next time dell has a good deal with a 19 in flat panel monitor Im jumping on it.

I think my game is starting to get much better. Ive been spending a lot of time reviewing my pokertracker numbers from losing sessions and winning sessions and Im starting to pick up on a lot of things. Ive been playing too loose in the 2/4 games which was resulting in no wins . I was playing around 28-30% of my hands and I couldn't turn a profit. I brought that down to around 20-22% and the effect were dramatic. I was winning fewer hands but I was playing so many less marginal situations that the bets I saved far out weighed what I won in the extra pots.

Ive also had a few hands that have really helped my grow my skills. Here is a hand that Im really proud of, I didn't really deserve to win it on the end but Im really glad I did.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is CO with 5d, 4d.
2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, 1 fold, Hero calls, Button raises, SB calls, 1 fold, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (11 SB) Td, 5c, Ad (5 players)
SB checks, MP1 bets, MP2 folds, Hero calls, Button raises, SB calls, MP1 calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (9.50 BB) 2c (4 players)
SB checks, MP1 checks, Hero checks, Button bets, SB calls, MP1 calls, Hero raises, Button folds, SB calls, MP1 folds.

River: (15.50 BB) Kc (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB folds.

Final Pot: 16.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 5d 4d (one pair, fives).
Outcome: Hero wins 16.50 BB.

The flop was great for me, a pair with a flush draw. The deuce on the turn gave me even more outs if all my draws were live. I had 4 threes, 3 fours, 2 fives and 8 other diamonds for a total of 17 outs. And with 3 other people in the pot and decided a check raise was really good idea. I cant remember any other hand that I have check-raised a draw on the turn. I couldnt believe when 2 people folded to my checkraise and when I missed on the river I won with a single bet. I was amazed that I won this hand with only a pair a 5s, the other guy must have been on a flush draw so its probably better that I didn't hit.

While I know this hand is nothing spectacular, it lets me know that Im starting to evolve my game and play situations in a way that is better then what I have doing. I just need to stay focused and keep growing the bankroll and get into those bigger games.

Here another interesting hand that I thought a lot about over the past few days
Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 9h, 9c.
UTG calls, 2 folds, Hero raises, MP3 calls, 4 folds, UTG calls.

Flop: (7.50 SB) 5s, Qc, 7c (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, MP3 raises, UTG calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (6.75 BB) 9s (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks, MP3 bets, UTG raises, Hero 3-bets, MP3 calls, UTG calls.

River: (15.75 BB) 4h (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, MP3 calls, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 18.75 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has Qs Kd (one pair, queens).
Hero has 9h 9c (three of a kind, nines).
MP3 has Qh Kh (one pair, queens).
Outcome: Hero wins 18.75 BB.

Now when he raised me on the flop Im almost guaranteed to be behind, but the pot is laying me 12 to 1 on my call but the odds of hitting a 9 are 23 to 1 but my implied odds if I hit a 9 are huge, well I did hit the 9 and ended up with 18.75 bb which is 37.5 sb, so my implied odds were there to make the call. Here are my other thoughts on the flop, the only draw I was worried about was the flush and since I had the 9 of clubs I could easily fold if a club hit the turn, but if both of my opponents have just a pair of queens and I hit a 9 they will be drawing dead on the river. I feel my call was correct and I only need to win the hand once every 20 or so times for it to be profitable. When the hand was over the other guy got really pissed but I feel what I did was correct.

Ive really started to pay much more attention to pot odds when I play now. With such loose table at party it is often correct to call with only a gutshot, if it is to the nuts. I used to play very tight and never chase any draws but flush and opened ended straights. I realized you don't have to be a big favorite to continue with a hand.

Im just a bunch of you already know this stuff and it seems simple to you but Im glad that my game is improving and new ideas are coming into my play.