Coming back

I’m on the come back!
Haven’t written much as this has been a hellacious month; but I’m coming back.

I left Commerce Casino almost 500 up when Felicia and I stayed there, but then I hit some bad runs.
Example: I call a raise from the BB w/ KJ (probably my first mistake, but there were a few people in the pot) and catch a good flop of KJx.
I bet, original raiser (OR) raised, middleman calls (MM); I reraised, OR capped, MM called.
Blank on turn: I bet, call, call.
T on turn: I think about the possible straight, but bet anyway
OR calls, MM raises; I call hoping to see KT or JT. Nope, AQ.
MM called all that way, cold calling raises on the flop twice to catch the gut.

But, as they say, things tend to equal out. Like when I was playing a freeroll and limped in w/ Td9d and got a flop of: 8h8d7d. Yes, there was a pair on board, but this was a freeroll, so when someone in the SB bet, I raised. Turn, blank: SB bet, I raised. River Jd, he bet, I [missing the fact that I just got the straight flush] called. SB shows 77 for the flopped full house. Oops! LOL.

So, I have been getting sucked out on, misreading my hands, and calling bets/raises that I shouldn’t, probably due to frustration. Usually a hit and run player, I play on Party for 2 hours and have $3 to show for it. Then again, the other day I find that I only need 5 more raked hands to qualify for that night’s freeroll, so I sit down at a couple tables. One I post behind the button and find myself w/ 3c2c. I think to myself, hey, at least it’s suited! He he. Flop is Jc6c3d. BB checks, limper bets, I call, BB calls. Turn is an offsuit 2. BB bets out (straight?), limper calls, I raise (hey, I got two pair and a flush draw), BB raises, limper calls, and I call (knowing I have at least 11-1, not recalling how many people saw the flop). 9c hits the river :-D Bet, call, raise; BB reraised(?), limper folds, I just call, wondering if my 3-high flush is good; it is!

15 BB’s up in one hand. Sweet. It all equals out. Now I’m just waiting for it to equal out to the point that I at least have at much as when I came back from Commerce, lol.

Since I stated that part of my being down is probably frustration and bad calls, I’m starting to read again. I get into the bad habit of not studying for periods of time. I recall when I first started playing that I felt like every time that I started reading, I was losing. When I stopped reading, I started winning again. I look back at that period and know that I was confused and would over-analyze; I just didn’t have the experience. Now a days, the reading isn’t apt to confuse me as it did before.

I reread a document I have for Draw strategy and found that I wasn’t re-raising enough on two pairs before the draw. While this might increase fluctuation, it’s not getting the money in the pot when I probably have the best hand (knowing that the original raiser will raise on one pair). I also found that I’m slightly too tight in the blinds when there’s a raise. Gotta keep reading. Keep my mind fresh. This isn’t like school where I’ve learned a formula and I use it time and again in subsequent equations and the formula gets memorized. There’s a formula here of sorts, but sometime situations require alterations.

For example: I know player X will limp with any pair, possibly small two pair. When player X raises, do I call with KK or AA? They could have trips or possibly be pat (have a complete hand: straight, flush, boat). Depends on my odds. Plus, I could get there (make trips myself) and still lose (if they have AAA, or are pat). Then there’s player Y who will raise any pair QQ or higher, TT or higher if on the button. Say I call with KK in the BB. What do I do when I don’t improve and he bets? There are many times when I probably have the best hand and fold, but I don’t know. I have to go on my judgment of the player and the situation (are there multiple opponents? Good players won’t bluff into a large field as it’s more possible someone will have improved and will call).

In all this I have a tendency to lose track of the proper times and values to call. I feel this is all part of the learning process. I have to keep reading and rereading to keep all this information fresh. Keep me on the right path.

There is a tendency in human nature to make the same mistakes, even if you've been warned of the mistakes. I hope that you, reader, if you must make the mistake yourself before you learn, that at least you will realise that you have made a mistake and not do it over and over. Here’s hoping that the two or so people that read this are keeping up with their studies. Keep yourself fresh and in tune.

Take care.

Posted by Glenn