Limit Hold'em, Other Stuff

Busted out a 150-hand session this morning. Yesterday I only won 1.10, essentially two big bets lol. But I was just scoping out the tables, and I knew today would be different. I scooped 7.90, or 16 big bets in a session just short of an hour and a half. That win-rate equals something around 10 big bets an hour. That is about the standard for a good session, but I would like it to be closer to the 15-20 range. I'll work on it.

Some things I've noticed about LHE, including weaknesses in my own game:

-The games are just as soft as I expected. My table last night was very loose-aggressive, but this morning they were passive and tight. I can easily adapt my game to beat both ends of this spectrum.

-Many players continuation bet with ATC (any two cards) on the flop, whether they connected or not. I'm calling with any gut shot or backdoor draw, and probably raising if I flopped a pair. I may also raise with nothing. This poor donk at my table this morning went through 25 big ones at .25/.50, and most of it came from him raising or even 3-betting preflop, leading out for .25, and then folding when I made it .50 to go with nothing.

-It is almost always correct to defend your blind in LHE. However, there were a few times I laid down a hand, simply because I knew how tight some of the players at my table were playing. Whenever you see a guy go through two rotations of .25/.50 Limit without playing a hand, you can tell he is not going to profit from this game.

-I played 54% of my hands today. Against tight opponents that was a winning strategy, but against a looser table that number should be closer to 30-35% (It's only that high because we were 5 or 6 handed most of the time).

-Most players that raise preflop, continuation bet, then 3-bet when raised, ALMOST ALWAYS have the goods.

-It is profitable to play most hands straight forward out of position, betting when you've got it, checking when you whiff. However, in position you can call with odd draws and overs, as well as raise with nothing, simply because there is so much money in the pot in relation to the size of your bet. Even if you don't have the best hand, getting the second best (or sometimes first best) hand to fold is optimal.

-Slowplaying is hardly right, except when flopping sets. Most players don't mind calling 3 bets with middle pair, ignoring the fact you could have flopped a set. Ex: 4 players to a flop, I have 4-6 in the SB. Flop is 4-4-T. I am going to CHECK-CALL, not raise. It gives away the strength of my hand WAY too soon, and only to earn .25. Why wouldn't I check raise the turn, and get an extra big bet or two out of it, as opposed to only the small flop bet?

-I'm going to have to two, three, or four table LHE to make any serious money. But, I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT that I can grind this game to a profit at least 75% of the time. That is a huge win rate. The problem lies in the fact that I don't four table very well. I don't focus and I don't read my opponents enough, I spend too much time focusing on my own cards. I think I'm going to solo table another session or two, then work my way up to two tables. And if I still think I can do it, add another table. I'd like to have the capability to four table by the end of the year.

I dropped 5.50 this morning trying to go back-to-back in tournament play on UB. I limped with KJ in the second level in MP (first mistake). 4 players saw a flop of K-9-4. The blinds checked, I bet the pot (120) and a guy behind me called. The turn was a Q, I bet 260 and he minraised. This should be an instant fold for me, seeing as his range of hands includes K9, KQ, 99, 44, JT, and all sorts of problematic draw hands. I called anyway, hoping to check-check the river. It was a harmless card, and he bet 600 behind me. Easy fold? I didn't think he could see the turn this early in the tourney with JT. I think he would've bumped it preflop with KQ in LP, but I really didn't know, I had no real reads yet. I called and he tabled 99, good enough. I had 600 chips left, waited a few rotations, and pushed with A7 against only the blinds on a flop of 3-T-A. That's usually an insta-win, but the BB hadn't raised with AdJd and I was about out. I spiked a seven on the turn, putting me way ahead, but I was counterfeited and eliminated when another ten hit the river. Oh well.

-The Gerk-