Bad Beat/Vent/Brag thread

MrKK

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I would bet that flop. No-one ever gives you credit for trips and you will make draws pay to hit. If they missed and fold you probably weren't going to get any more out of them anyway.

On the river I would just call. It's hard to see a worse hand calling your raise. At best you might get them to fold a chop.
 
Jun 27, 2013
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I enjoy playing with mates every now and then, and occasionally online, however I'm an absolute novice, don't really know any tactics and play simply because I like it, but always keen on learning more from those who do know more.

Anyway, on an Ignition low stakes tournament I had about 12 BBs left and got dealt QQ. Bet 3 times BB pre-flop, got called. Flopped J99. Someone bet about half pot, and I raised all-in. They showed J-10. Turn was nothing, and then they hit the J on the river to knock me out.

As I said, I'm a novice , so anything I could have done different pre-flop to get them out then or just unlucky?
Really bad beat there mate

2 outer
 
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Played much better tonight than I did last time around 2 weeks ago, came 8th or 9th from about 30, went out last hand before final table, last 2 levels just got garbage dealt to me and couldn't commit until my final blinds came around, J4 was my final hand, spiked a J on the flop (JKA) 3 handed against another short stack with a jack and had like 5 outs (1 for the chop, and the 4 4s for the win), but we both lost out to the bigger stacks kings.

Anyways

Didn't cop a bad beat which was nice for a change, but the cards really dried up once the blinds started going up halfway through the second hour then the antes whittled me down too towards the end of that hour once the blinds got to 5/10k. Funny if I would have limped in with gash hands like J3, T5, 92, 48 etc I usually spiked cards, but the price was too big to pay. 48 came twice and folded it both times, both times trip 4s would've came out and they'd have been good too, lol.

Made a really bad fold a couple of hands before my cards starting drying up though, had AJ offsuit, kid in the hijack position raises 2x BB, I'm the dealer, I call, blinds fold, UTG calls though having limped in previously.

Flop comes J52, UTG checks, cutoff bets the same amount as he did preflop, I go into the tank and think about it, I then fold having him on a big pair (kid changed table so didn't see how he played previously), more than half my stack would be gone here had I called thinking I needed serious help on turn/river. UTG calls the flog bet, then they knuckle both turn and river and the flog who raised won with just a crummy 5. I was absolutely steaming.

Couple hands later (probably my last decent hand), I'm SB, think we were 7 handed, quite a few limped in, I shove my remaining 45k or so with pocket tens

One guy went into the tank then folded, the rest folded instead of the kid who semi bluffed earlier, he calls with a garbage 52 hoping to knock me out (he had about 80-90k behind him)

He spiked another 5 on the flop, but the tens held, guy who went into the tank said he had A10, was lucky he folded, he put me on kings or aces, only reason why he threw it away and an ace rolled out on the turn I think. Pair of 5s flog self destructed like 2 hands later to one of the big stacks, I lel'd.

After that got nothing really playable aside from AK in late position, correctly folded that hand after some 3 betting went on before me and shoves occurred, but eh what can you do. Folded about 15 hands all the way down to my last BB.

Anyways, much better night, went back to my preferred passive play and performed much better rather than be an aggressor which didn't work last time around. Would like to play in a bigger field and a slower format some time, I think I'm better suited to grind out more hands where I'm not pot committed as much, as you get in these turbo APL pub formats.
 
Feb 23, 2009
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Played much better tonight than I did last time around 2 weeks ago, came 8th or 9th from about 30, went out last hand before final table, last 2 levels just got garbage dealt to me and couldn't commit until my final blinds came around, J4 was my final hand, spiked a J on the flop (JKA) 3 handed against another short stack with a jack and had like 5 outs (1 for the chop, and the 4 4s for the win), but we both lost out to the bigger stacks kings.

Anyways

Didn't cop a bad beat which was nice for a change, but the cards really dried up once the blinds started going up halfway through the second hour then the antes whittled me down too towards the end of that hour once the blinds got to 5/10k. Funny if I would have limped in with gash hands like J3, T5, 92, 48 etc I usually spiked cards, but the price was too big to pay. 48 came twice and folded it both times, both times trip 4s would've came out and they'd have been good too, lol.

Made a really bad fold a couple of hands before my cards starting drying up though, had AJ offsuit, kid in the hijack position raises 2x BB, I'm the dealer, I call, blinds fold, UTG calls though having limped in previously.

Flop comes J52, UTG checks, cutoff bets the same amount as he did preflop, I go into the tank and think about it, I then fold having him on a big pair (kid changed table so didn't see how he played previously), more than half my stack would be gone here had I called thinking I needed serious help on turn/river. UTG calls the flog bet, then they knuckle both turn and river and the flog who raised won with just a crummy 5. I was absolutely steaming.

Couple hands later (probably my last decent hand), I'm SB, think we were 7 handed, quite a few limped in, I shove my remaining 45k or so with pocket tens

One guy went into the tank then folded, the rest folded instead of the kid who semi bluffed earlier, he calls with a garbage 52 hoping to knock me out (he had about 80-90k behind him)

He spiked another 5 on the flop, but the tens held, guy who went into the tank said he had A10, was lucky he folded, he put me on kings or aces, only reason why he threw it away and an ace rolled out on the turn I think. Pair of 5s flog self destructed like 2 hands later to one of the big stacks, I lel'd.

After that got nothing really playable aside from AK in late position, correctly folded that hand after some 3 betting went on before me and shoves occurred, but eh what can you do. Folded about 15 hands all the way down to my last BB.

Anyways, much better night, went back to my preferred passive play and performed much better rather than be an aggressor which didn't work last time around. Would like to play in a bigger field and a slower format some time, I think I'm better suited to grind out more hands where I'm not pot committed as much, as you get in these turbo APL pub formats.
Just a question but when you were short stacked running card dead why did you fold AK to a 3 bet in pub poker? That is ahead or a flip at worst with a lot of 3 betting ranges at that level and dominates a heap of hands pub players shove with too like KJ, QJ, any A, etc. and probably your best chance to double or triple up if you are just getting blinded out, are you just waiting for high pockets? You could make an argument with a mid/big stack you might avoid the risk in certain situations, but with a short stack and short blind levels, you seriously won't be getting many better spots to shove preflop. Not sure if I read you wrong.
 
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MrKK

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Played much better tonight than I did last time around 2 weeks ago, came 8th or 9th from about 30, went out last hand before final table, last 2 levels just got garbage dealt to me and couldn't commit until my final blinds came around, J4 was my final hand, spiked a J on the flop (JKA) 3 handed against another short stack with a jack and had like 5 outs (1 for the chop, and the 4 4s for the win), but we both lost out to the bigger stacks kings.

Anyways

Didn't cop a bad beat which was nice for a change, but the cards really dried up once the blinds started going up halfway through the second hour then the antes whittled me down too towards the end of that hour once the blinds got to 5/10k. Funny if I would have limped in with gash hands like J3, T5, 92, 48 etc I usually spiked cards, but the price was too big to pay. 48 came twice and folded it both times, both times trip 4s would've came out and they'd have been good too, lol.

Made a really bad fold a couple of hands before my cards starting drying up though, had AJ offsuit, kid in the hijack position raises 2x BB, I'm the dealer, I call, blinds fold, UTG calls though having limped in previously.

Flop comes J52, UTG checks, cutoff bets the same amount as he did preflop, I go into the tank and think about it, I then fold having him on a big pair (kid changed table so didn't see how he played previously), more than half my stack would be gone here had I called thinking I needed serious help on turn/river. UTG calls the flog bet, then they knuckle both turn and river and the flog who raised won with just a crummy 5. I was absolutely steaming.

Couple hands later (probably my last decent hand), I'm SB, think we were 7 handed, quite a few limped in, I shove my remaining 45k or so with pocket tens

One guy went into the tank then folded, the rest folded instead of the kid who semi bluffed earlier, he calls with a garbage 52 hoping to knock me out (he had about 80-90k behind him)

He spiked another 5 on the flop, but the tens held, guy who went into the tank said he had A10, was lucky he folded, he put me on kings or aces, only reason why he threw it away and an ace rolled out on the turn I think. Pair of 5s flog self destructed like 2 hands later to one of the big stacks, I lel'd.

After that got nothing really playable aside from AK in late position, correctly folded that hand after some 3 betting went on before me and shoves occurred, but eh what can you do. Folded about 15 hands all the way down to my last BB.

Anyways, much better night, went back to my preferred passive play and performed much better rather than be an aggressor which didn't work last time around. Would like to play in a bigger field and a slower format some time, I think I'm better suited to grind out more hands where I'm not pot committed as much, as you get in these turbo APL pub formats.
That AJo hand, it sounds like you only had around 8bb to start the hand. That's too short to flat any raise, you're in shove or fold mode there. AJo is a shove in that spot, vs a late-position min-raise open.

And if you do call pre you can never fold TPTK on the flop.
 
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That AJo hand, it sounds like you only had around 8bb to start the hand. That's too short to flat any raise, you're in shove or fold mode there. AJo is a shove in that spot, vs a late-position min-raise open.

And if you do call pre you can never fold TPTK on the flop.
Yeah I had about that much behind me at the time.

Yeah I definitely should've shoved after I saw the flop with the AJ, but there were a few stacks at the table of similar size to me also

His preflop play got me to fold really though once he put in his continuation bet, thought he was strong, but he was just playing position trying to steal blinds really in the first place, his preflop play combined with being a newbie to the table worked in his favour, but I thought I had some play behind me after that and waited for the right time to shove, which I did with the tens a few hands later which worked and I won more cash of the same bloke who I lost to previously. But yeah, I played that AJ hand really bad.

I had been making some really solid folds all night though too, one of the main reasons I finished 9th. There had been a few other times I had some playable hands, yet only paid the minimum to get away from them. Was one hand I limped in with 5s after some limps before me, saw a flop, missed the flop with a couple of high cards on the board, big stack next to me called down the flop raiser with just pocket 6s and they were good, same big stack rivered a flush when I folded that AK preflop, mix of luck and his big stack set him up. Another time I had A5 of diamonds in the SB, guy who raised that hand never bluffed previously when showdown came, so I threw it away. Flop came out with a red wheel draw A54 hearts and a diamond on the board, 2 pair came out on the flop had I played it, backdoor hearts got there in the end and I'd have only made 2 pair had I played it, the raiser won with a nut 67 straight (think he had 67 diamonds). I was going broke that hand had I saw the flop as I would've likely been called by the 67 as he had an up and down draw and backdoor diamonds so a lot of equity there for a call, so pretty happy with that fold in the end.

Just a question but when you were short stacked running card dead why did you fold AK to a 3 bet in pub poker? That is ahead or a flip at worst with a lot of 3 betting ranges at that level and dominates a heap of hands pub players shove with too like KJ, QJ, any A, etc. and probably your best chance to double or triple up if you are just getting blinded out, are you just waiting for high pockets? You could make an argument with a mid/big stack you might avoid the risk in certain situations, but with a short stack and short blind levels, you seriously won't be getting many better spots to shove preflop. Not sure if I read you wrong.
Last time 2 weeks ago I played AK it was only good once the 3 times I had it

It was the right fold anyway with the way the board played, had AKos, a club and a spade and it cost me nothing.

Should've made clear, I didnt 3bet the AK, I think I was the cutoff that hand and I hadn't made a move yet, the 3 betting was before me between the UTGs and the hijack, think it went limp, raise, then the reraise by the hijack, I tanked then folded, SB which was a big stack called, then the BB and 2 UTGs folded, out came the flop and the 3better put it all in, SB called.

Was 2 red jacks vs 9T spades I think. 3 spades came out in total with 2 on the flop, I only had the 1 spade, would've went broke there.

The AJ as mentioned before was the major clanger of my night.
 
Feb 23, 2009
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Yeah I had about that much behind me at the time.

Yeah I definitely should've shoved after I saw the flop with the AJ, but there were a few stacks at the table of similar size to me also

His preflop play got me to fold really though once he put in his continuation bet, thought he was strong, but he was just playing position trying to steal blinds really in the first place, his preflop play combined with being a newbie to the table worked in his favour, but I thought I had some play behind me after that and waited for the right time to shove, which I did with the tens a few hands later which worked and I won more cash of the same bloke who I lost to previously. But yeah, I played that AJ hand really bad.

I had been making some really solid folds all night though too, one of the main reasons I finished 9th. There had been a few other times I had some playable hands, yet only paid the minimum to get away from them. Was one hand I limped in with 5s after some limps before me, saw a flop, missed the flop with a couple of high cards on the board, big stack next to me called down the flop raiser with just pocket 6s and they were good, same big stack rivered a flush when I folded that AK preflop, mix of luck and his big stack set him up. Another time I had A5 of diamonds in the SB, guy who raised that hand never bluffed previously when showdown came, so I threw it away. Flop came out with a red wheel draw A54 hearts and a diamond on the board, 2 pair came out on the flop had I played it, backdoor hearts got there in the end and I'd have only made 2 pair had I played it, the raiser won with a nut 67 straight (think he had 67 diamonds). I was going broke that hand had I saw the flop as I would've likely been called by the 67 as he had an up and down draw and backdoor diamonds so a lot of equity there for a call, so pretty happy with that fold in the end.


Last time 2 weeks ago I played AK it was only good once the 3 times I had it

It was the right fold anyway with the way the board played, had AKos, a club and a spade and it cost me nothing.

Should've made clear, I didnt 3bet the AK, I think I was the cutoff that hand and I hadn't made a move yet, the 3 betting was before me between the UTGs and the hijack, think it went limp, raise, then the reraise by the hijack, I tanked then folded, SB which was a big stack called, then the BB and 2 UTGs folded, out came the flop and the 3better put it all in, SB called.

Was 2 red jacks vs 9T spades I think. 3 spades came out in total with 2 on the flop, I only had the 1 spade, would've went broke there.

The AJ as mentioned before was the major clanger of my night.
2 things you will learn, and need to learn.

1. It doesn't matter if your AK only won 1 out of the last 3 times, that's called variance and it evens out in the long run, you don't not play a hand because youve lost with it a few times, those results have zero effect on the next board.

2. It's not correct or incorrect decision based on the cards that come or don't come and what "would have happened", it's not correct to raise with 7/2 off suit out of position because it flopped 772, and it's not incorrect to have folded 7/2 because it flopped 772 and you "would have won". Likewise if you shove AA preflop, it's not incorrect because JJ happened to catch a J and beat you, you made the correct decision and if the same thing happened the next hand, you want to do the exact same thing in that situation, and again and again, etc.

Variance will even out the cards if you make the right decisions. Do not base it on previous hands and don't determine your decisions being right or wrong on what would have happened.

Ps. Short stacked in a fast blind structure tournament, AK is a preflop shove, that's not a tough decision, it's an easy one. It's only murky if you are just off money bubble or a big pay jump and players around you have shorter stacks you could try and fold to outlast them. If you want to win a tournament, you can't fold that hand in that spot.
 
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2 things you will learn, and need to learn.

1. It doesn't matter if your AK only won 1 out of the last 3 times, that's called variance and it evens out in the long run, you don't not play a hand because youve lost with it a few times, those results have zero effect on the next board.

2. It's not correct or incorrect decision based on the cards that come or don't come and what "would have happened", it's not correct to raise with 7/2 off suit out of position because it flopped 772, and it's not incorrect to have folded 7/2 because it flopped 772 and you "would have won". Likewise if you shove AA preflop, it's not incorrect because JJ happened to catch a J and beat you, you made the correct decision and if the same thing happened the next hand, you want to do the exact same thing in that situation, and again and again, etc.

Variance will even out the cards if you make the right decisions. Do not base it on previous hands and don't determine your decisions being right or wrong on what would have happened.

Ps. Short stacked in a fast blind structure tournament, AK is a preflop shove, that's not a tough decision, it's an easy one. It's only murky if you are just off money bubble or a big pay jump and players around you have shorter stacks you could try and fold to outlast them. If you want to win a tournament, you can't fold that hand in that spot.
The bolded helps me sleep at night

I lost to AA to a 1 card flush. shrug, the move was correct

If I walk away saying my final move was correct then I am comfortable that the next time will be better
 

MrKK

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The bolded helps me sleep at night

I lost to AA to a 1 card flush. shrug, the move was correct

If I walk away saying my final move was correct then I am comfortable that the next time will be better
It usually takes me about 5 minutes to get over a really horrible beat, but if I totally butcher a hand I'll stew on it until the next time I play.
 
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2 things you will learn, and need to learn.

1. It doesn't matter if your AK only won 1 out of the last 3 times, that's called variance and it evens out in the long run, you don't not play a hand because youve lost with it a few times, those results have zero effect on the next board.

2. It's not correct or incorrect decision based on the cards that come or don't come and what "would have happened", it's not correct to raise with 7/2 off suit out of position because it flopped 772, and it's not incorrect to have folded 7/2 because it flopped 772 and you "would have won". Likewise if you shove AA preflop, it's not incorrect because JJ happened to catch a J and beat you, you made the correct decision and if the same thing happened the next hand, you want to do the exact same thing in that situation, and again and again, etc.

Variance will even out the cards if you make the right decisions. Do not base it on previous hands and don't determine your decisions being right or wrong on what would have happened.

Ps. Short stacked in a fast blind structure tournament, AK is a preflop shove, that's not a tough decision, it's an easy one. It's only murky if you are just off money bubble or a big pay jump and players around you have shorter stacks you could try and fold to outlast them. If you want to win a tournament, you can't fold that hand in that spot.
Fair enough

Let me say this though

I ain't ******* shoving with more than 2 BBs with AQ though unless I've seen a flop and connected :cool::p

Same with QJ

Garbage % rate

Played QJ a few times again last night but only early on, never connected with the board, got rid of it once I had to pay up

They're simply no good unless they connect
 
Feb 23, 2009
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Fair enough

Let me say this though

I ain't ******* shoving with more than 2 BBs with AQ though unless I've seen a flop and connected :cool::p

Same with QJ

Garbage % rate

I predict that view will change as you play more. What hands are you waiting for then with <5 BBs left? What's your range? You are shove or fold at this point.
 
Fair enough

Let me say this though

I ain't ******* shoving with more than 2 BBs with AQ though unless I've seen a flop and connected :cool::p

Same with QJ

Garbage % rate

Played QJ a few times again last night but only early on, never connected with the board, got rid of it once I had to pay up

They're simply no good unless they connect
We all have hands we hate because it’s cost us in the long run like pocket jacks for me I can’t stand but you can’t think like that it effects the rest of your game

When you get as low in chips as you’re talking aq is an instant shove In 99% of cases

Flatting in that spot bleeds chips
 
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I predict that view will change as you play more. What hands are you waiting for then with <5 BBs left? What's your range? You are shove or fold at this point.
I shoved 45k with 10s around the 5.5 BB range (think it was 4/8k BBs at the time)

I think any pocket pair of 9s or above is good enough in that situation around 5-7 BBs, maybe 8s also, but I find 8s don't hold up all the time, so I prefer 9s or above.

Probably any pocket pair or suited connector/connector or high cards when sitting on 3 or below

Like I said before, got bugger all hands when my stack was whittling down, hands like 73, 92, j3, 94 etc all off suit too were coming my way, any king or ace I would've shoved once I got really low but they didn't come aside from that AK situation where I still had some play left, I had about 80k left when that AK hand came, still around 10 BBs, I think it was the last hand of the 4/8k level, but I thought another hand would come after that, alas it didn't.
We all have hands we hate because it’s cost us in the long run like pocket jacks for me I can’t stand but you can’t think like that it effects the rest of your game

When you get as low in chips as you’re talking aq is an instant shove In 99% of cases

Flatting in that spot bleeds chips
We were actually talking about pocket jacks at the table as they didn't play well at all at the WSOP, and they did come out a few times last night, don't think I saw pocket kings once though.

First couple of hands jacks lost, then it got on a mini run before they lost again (that hand where I threw away AK)

Just seems like 9s and 10s are running better than jacks at the moment.
 
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I shoved 45k with 10s around the 5.5 BB range (think it was 4/8k BBs at the time)

I think any pocket pair of 9s or above is good enough in that situation around 5-7 BBs, maybe 8s also, but I find 8s don't hold up all the time, so I prefer 9s or above.

Probably any pocket pair or suited connector/connector or high cards when sitting on 3 or below

Like I said before, got bugger all hands when my stack was whittling down, hands like 73, 92, j3, 94 etc all off suit too were coming my way, any king or ace I would've shoved once I got really low but they didn't come aside from that AK situation where I still had some play left, I had about 80k left when that AK hand came, still around 10 BBs, I think it was the last hand of the 4/8k level, but I thought another hand would come after that, alas it didn't.

We were actually talking about pocket jacks at the table as they didn't play well at all at the WSOP, and they did come out a few times last night, don't think I saw pocket kings once though.

First couple of hands jacks lost, then it got on a mini run before they lost again (that hand where I threw away AK)

Just seems like 9s and 10s are running better than jacks at the moment.
With shoving ranges against 1-2 players value pocket pairs and high cards above things like suited connectors, so get it in there preflop with AK or 55, etc. This is backed up by equity and range calculators.

Suited connectors lose value here, they are more playable multiway with betting on each street as you can get in for a couple of BBs and get multiple bets from multiple players to a hand that draws big to win a monster.
 

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We all have hands we hate because it’s cost us in the long run like pocket jacks for me I can’t stand but you can’t think like that it effects the rest of your game

When you get as low in chips as you’re talking aq is an instant shove In 99% of cases

Flatting in that spot bleeds chips
My username is a play on the fact that pocket Kings have screwed me more times than I care to remember. I still force myself to play them according to their value though.
 

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I shoved 45k with 10s around the 5.5 BB range (think it was 4/8k BBs at the time)

I think any pocket pair of 9s or above is good enough in that situation around 5-7 BBs, maybe 8s also, but I find 8s don't hold up all the time, so I prefer 9s or above.

Probably any pocket pair or suited connector/connector or high cards when sitting on 3 or below

Like I said before, got bugger all hands when my stack was whittling down, hands like 73, 92, j3, 94 etc all off suit too were coming my way, any king or ace I would've shoved once I got really low but they didn't come aside from that AK situation where I still had some play left, I had about 80k left when that AK hand came, still around 10 BBs, I think it was the last hand of the 4/8k level, but I thought another hand would come after that, alas it didn't.

We were actually talking about pocket jacks at the table as they didn't play well at all at the WSOP, and they did come out a few times last night, don't think I saw pocket kings once though.

First couple of hands jacks lost, then it got on a mini run before they lost again (that hand where I threw away AK)

Just seems like 9s and 10s are running better than jacks at the moment.
Don't just look at your shoving hands through the prism of how they hold up if called. A lot of your equity comes from the blinds you win when everyone folds. If you have 6bb then an uncalled shove increases your stack by 25%.
 
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My username is a play on the fact that pocket Kings have screwed me more times than I care to remember. I still force myself to play them according to their value though.
QQ for me, have lost with it the last 6 or so times I've had it, the most recent was the board showed a 10 high straight on the river and my opponent held a J. It's easy to get nervous playing it and losing and then second guess it's strength the next time you get it, when in reality it's the 3rd best starting hand you can get preflop, it's a premium, and your hand is almost certainly ahead of everyone's range at that point.
 
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Don't just look at your shoving hands through the prism of how they hold up if called. A lot of your equity comes from the blinds you win when everyone folds. If you have 6bb then an uncalled shove increases your stack by 25%.
Problem is though my shoves preflop when I'm short always get called by someone, so I need to have confidence in that hand that it'll hold up

People are more likely to get away from hands once they've seen a flop if I do shove on a flop instead for example.
 

MrKK

Norm Smith Medallist
Mar 11, 2012
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Problem is though my shoves preflop when I'm short always get called by someone, so I need to have confidence in that hand that it'll hold up
No, they don't always call, even if it seems that way over your current sample size. I once shoved AA UTG for only 2bb on a final table and every campaigner folded.

Take 22 for example. I'll shove that under 10bb if no-one has raised. Better hands like small pockets might fold and a lot of the hands that call me I'll win ~50% of the time. And you have to win some flips in pub poker, they're just unavoidable due to the blind structure.

People are more likely to get away from hands once they've seen a flop if I do shove on a flop instead for example.
Are you shoving the flop on a bluff? Or check-folding if you miss? The first is dangerous because if called you're probably much further behind than you would've been pre-flop. And the second leaves you bleeding chips on the many occasions you miss the flop.

It feels like you're trying to eliminate variance by waiting until you've got your opponent dominated before committing chips. Pub poker in the later stages just doesn't give you the time to do that. You'll be blinded out waiting for premium hands.
 
Jun 27, 2013
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No, they don't always call, even if it seems that way over your current sample size. I once shoved AA UTG for only 2bb on a final table and every campaigner folded.

Take 22 for example. I'll shove that under 10bb if no-one has raised. Better hands like small pockets might fold and a lot of the hands that call me I'll win ~50% of the time. And you have to win some flips in pub poker, they're just unavoidable due to the blind structure.
At the moment they always call preflop when I shove

The coin flip did go my way this week though on the pocket tens with 5.5BBs

Being fairly tight is the way I've learnt to play though mainly playing cash games over the years, or occasionally playing the minimum buy in at Crown. I guess I've got to adapt to different playing structures and styles.
Are you shoving the flop on a bluff? Or check-folding if you miss? The first is dangerous because if called you're probably much further behind than you would've been pre-flop. And the second leaves you bleeding chips on the many occasions you miss the flop.
Nah I'd shove on the flop when I'm strong if I'm short be it an overpair to the board or connected on the flop well, sometimes with AK, but most of the time I'd have shoved already beforehand.

I don't bluff that often in this quick raising blinds structure though, try and pick my spots early on to get them through though then play tight afterwards, had mixed success on that front, normally 4 card busted draws I'll try and get them through when I can represent a made hand (3 to a flush/straight etc on the board)

I haven't got to the stage of a weak check fold on the flop after a preflop raise, normally earn a free card or two, even showdown. Another play I made first time I played 5-6 weeks ago was early on when blinds were still small, had some chips, raised 2.5 with aces, couple of calls, 3 clubs come on the flop, someone bets into it as I was in lateish position, I call, another caller, 2 folds, 3 players to the turn and another club came out, same guy bets bigger, I don't hold a club, chance both of these guys have one, I folded.

I don't mind bleeding chips sometimes if you've still got some play behind you, you simply ain't going to win every hand. That AJ blunder (20k lost with about 75k start of the hand, but I didn't raise, just called) was made up by a double up + blinds and a limp or two when I shoved with 45k a few hands later, sat at about 105k after that win which sadly was the high point of the night stack wise.
It feels like you're trying to eliminate variance by waiting until you've got your opponent dominated before committing chips.
Yeah I know, I've always preferred to play that way, found it worked best for me over the years, sure pub poker is mainly luck, but I've always played to try and eliminate the luck factor if possible. I guess I have to adapt, swallow my pride and play aggressive. Big fan of seeing flops though, but only for the right price/with the right hand.

Two weeks ago though it didn't fall my way and hated being the aggressor seeing the cards didn't fall my way when I had premium hands (AK AQ in particular), felt I bled chips that night, preflop raise, didn't connect with the flop etc. Was lucky I didn't lose more in some circumstances though, was able to earn a few free cards.
Pub poker in the later stages just doesn't give you the time to do that. You'll be blinded out waiting for premium hands.
Yeah I was blinded out, but that's also a bit of me being stubborn taking the high ground until I had some sort of hand :p, would that be a form of tilt, or would it be anti-tilt? Sure it'd frustrate players, but I get frustrated from players not checking cards/playing the bluff game regularly too.
 
Mar 21, 2016
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Playing tight in Pub Poker (PP) can work until a certain point.

I also play fairly loose ie pay for the flop when the blind levels are low enough to play around then tighten up like a screw when they get above a certain level. This gives me an opportunity to steal some straight draws or 2 pair flops etc but also to study other players and what they do consistently. Because if PP has taught me anything is players are consistent

From the A chasers to the best card bettors.

BUT

The problem I generally encounter is hitting the final table with a small stack if the cards dont come out. Then is when I feel the pressure you feel , the need to increase my stack in the last 16. Again if the cards dont come then it becomes problematical


Good luck because PP can be a great atmosphere if you dont take it too seriously but also a good learning area on quick study and finding out what frustrates you
 
Jun 27, 2013
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Playing tight in Pub Poker (PP) can work until a certain point.

I also play fairly loose ie pay for the flop when the blind levels are low enough to play around then tighten up like a screw when they get above a certain level. This gives me an opportunity to steal some straight draws or 2 pair flops etc but also to study other players and what they do consistently. Because if PP has taught me anything is players are consistent

From the A chasers to the best card bettors.
Yep agree

I also like playing loose and seeing flops early on, but tighten right up once blinds get to about 1/2k or 2/4k.
BUT

The problem I generally encounter is hitting the final table with a small stack if the cards dont come out. Then is when I feel the pressure you feel , the need to increase my stack in the last 16. Again if the cards dont come then it becomes problematical
Yeah the only final table I made, first hand up got aces, 15/30k BBs, only had 80k or something behind me

As I was short, I min raised from earlyish position hoping for someone to go over the top and put me all in as to reduce the risk of everyone folding if I shoved and not get paid in full. Someone did come over the top though, AA vs AT, aces were good.

After that didn't see anything aside from pocket 8s in late position with 2 shoves before me with bigger stacks. Got away from that as there was about 7 players left at the time, only paid the ante. The 8s would've been no good too had I shoved, think it was 9s vs some queen hand, queen hand made a boat.
Good luck because PP can be a great atmosphere if you dont take it too seriously but also a good learning area on quick study and finding out what frustrates you
Yeah agree

I'm taking in the experience, enjoying it much more than other leisure activities I've done last few years, can't play cricket/footy anymore due to injuries, so this is a different experience being an individual type of game/sport.

Just wish it was on later in the week and went for a bit longer, I normally last about 2 hours give or take, aside from the first time I played, made the final table and came 4th, went past 1030 that night from a 730 start.
 
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