When Will I Ever Learn My Lesson?

On Sunday I finally had some time to sit down uninterrupted and play online poker. For some reason I felt like playing No Limit so I sat down at the .25-.50 blinds at Full Tilt. Thankfully it was one of those beautiful sessions where not only did I get good hands and they held up, but I even picked off a big bluff when a donkey vastly over bet the pot on the river. I ended the session up $90 and was feeling really good about my game.

Last night I wanted to see if I could extend my streak of good play. The problem with this session was the same one I have been having with most of my online play the last 9 months. Inability to concentrate. Since I now have a baby, there is very little quiet time in the house. I had just finished dinner with my wife and I had spent the two hours before dinner with the baby, so I felt had fulfilled the family time requirements.

Because our house is too small, my desk/work area is in the living room. This means that we have the big TV, Jake’s play area, and 4 dogs all running around. I turned on ITunes and fired up a No Limit game on the computer. Immediately Michele starts talking to me about what needs to be done to get the house ready to sell, Jake is playing and babbling, and the four dogs are barking.

Obviously this environment is not conducive to concentration and good poker playing. Instead of being a smart player and shutting off the computer, I think I can play if I just shut off the music. Bad move.

Here are the hand histories of my biggest losing hands over the session:


Full Tilt Poker - No Limit Hold'em Cash Game - $0.25/$0.50 Blinds - 6 Players - (http://www.legopoker.com http://www.legopoker.com/hh)

bor_venin: $91.85
Hero: $21.95
munkybrain: $33.80
justinwhit23: $28.75
michaela321: $18.90
Light80: $53.50

Preflop: Hero is dealt Qd Kh (6 Players)
2 folds, michaela321 calls $0.50, 2 folds, Hero raises to $2.00, michaela321 calls $1.50

Flop: ($4.25) Th Ks 6h (2 Players)
Hero bets $3.00, michaela321 calls $3.00

Analysis: michaela321 had limped preflop and then calls my bet on the flop. What could he have? A king, a ten, heart draw, or QJ

Turn: ($10.25) 9h (2 Players)
Hero checks, michaela321 bets $5.50, Hero calls $5.50

Analysis: The straight and flush draws hit. The weak/conservative play is to check and if michaela321 bets, fold. I only have top pair, with 2nd best kicker out of position. Not a great place to be. The more aggressive play is to make a probing bet of half the pot. If he does not fold, then I am done putting money in the pot. Instead I become a weak calling station.

River: ($21.25) 7c (2 Players)
Hero bets all-in for $11.45, michaela321 calls all-in for $8.40
Uncalled bet of $3.05 returned to Hero
Uncalled bet of $0.00 returned to michaela321

What the hell can I possibly get out of betting here?

Pot Size: $38.05 ($1.90 Rake)

michaela321 had Js Qh (a straight, King high) and WON (+$17.25)
Hero had Qd Kh ([Qd Kh] a pair of Kings) and LOST (-$18.90)


Full Tilt Poker - No Limit Hold'em Cash Game - $0.25/$0.50 Blinds - 5 Players - (http://www.legopoker.com http://www.legopoker.com/hh)

ALEXCLAIM: $62.65
Hero: $19.40
munkybrain: $147.30
Yateball: $15.60
Action Bet: $59.95

Preflop: Hero is dealt 9h 5d (5 Players)
munkybrain folds, Yateball calls $0.50, Action Bet calls $0.50, ALEXCLAIM folds, Hero checks

Flop: ($1.75) 8h Jc Td (3 Players)
Hero checks, Yateball bets $1.50, Action Bet calls $1.50, Hero calls $1.50

Analysis: I check my BB and flop and open end straight draw against 2 opponents. Against one opponent I usually semi bluff. Against 2, my chances of getting them both to fold go way down, so I try to get there cheaply.

Turn: ($6.25) Ac (3 Players)
Hero checks, Yateball checks, Action Bet checks

River: ($6.25) 7d (3 Players)
Hero bets $4.00, Yateball folds, Action Bet raises to $11.00, Hero raises all-in to $17.40, Action Bet calls $6.40

Analysis: I make my straight but it’s not the nuts. It’s the third nuts. However, everyone checked the turn through when the Ace hit, so I don’t believe anyone has KQ for the nuts. K-9 seems unlikely because if I had flopped the straight, I would like the Ace hitting because hopefully someone paired up and I can win some money. I would bet. Since everyone checked, I think my hand is good.

I bet $4 and Action Bet raises. This does not make a lot of sense to me along my lines of logic. If I wasn’t distracted I could have taken more time to reevaluate. Instead I get stubborn and reraise all in.

Pot Size: $41.05 ($41.05 Rake)

Action Bet had Ks Qd ([Ks Qd] a straight, Ace high) and LOST (-$19.40)
Hero had 9h 5d ([9h 5d] a straight, Jack high) and LOST (-$19.40)


Full Tilt Poker - No Limit Hold'em Cash Game - $0.25/$0.50 Blinds - 5 Players - (http://www.legopoker.com http://www.legopoker.com/hh)

Yateball: $15.85
Action Bet: $60.00
ALEXCLAIM: $63.15
Hero: $37.40
munkybrain: $130.35

Preflop: Hero is dealt 8s 8d (5 Players)
ALEXCLAIM folds, Hero raises to $2.00, munkybrain raises to $6.00, 2 folds, Hero calls $4.00

Analysis: munkybrain had been reraising me preflop a lot. One time I lost patience and reraised him with 6-2 suited. He called and the flop was A-A-T. I c-bet and he folded luckily. Unfortunately my one display of aggression did not slow him down.

Flop: ($12.75) 5s 7c Qc (2 Players)

Analysis: munkeybrain had not shown that he was raising light but he was raising so often that he could not have Aces or Kings that often. I figured if he had a pocket pair under Queens or AK, he would lay down to a strong bet.

Hero bets $12.00, munkybrain raises to $48.75, Hero folds
Uncalled bet of $36.75 returned to munkybrain
.
Analysis: Since he reraised, I’m pretty sure he had something pretty good. I could have increased my chances for a fold, if I put in the last raise preflop and then lead the flop. It looks more like Aces or Kings that way. If I raise to $12 preflop and he comes over the top again I can easily lay it down. If he calls, then I can bet $12 again and see what he does.

Pot Size: $36.75 ($1.80 Rake)

Full Tilt Poker - No Limit Hold'em Cash Game - $0.25/$0.50 Blinds - 5 Players - (http://www.legopoker.com http://www.legopoker.com/hh)

Hero: $53.90
munkybrain: $118.50
Yateball: $16.70
Action Bet: $48.25
Light80: $31.60

Preflop: Hero is dealt Ah 5c (5 Players)
3 folds, Hero calls $0.25, munkybrain checks

Analysis: munkybrain is in my head. Because I was tired of getting reraised, I just call hoping to see the flop cheap. There is a difference between adapting your play to take advantage of your opponent and changing your play because someone else is forcing you to do it. I was being pushed around.

Flop: ($1) 4s As 9c (2 Players)
Hero checks, munkybrain bets $0.50, Hero calls $0.50

Turn: ($2) Kh (2 Players)
Hero checks, munkybrain bets $2.00, Hero raises to $6.00, munkybrain calls $4.00

Analysis: I think the better play here is keeping the pot small. The check raise on the turn is a strong move. With munkybrain calling, I should be done putting any more money in this pot.

River: ($14) 7s (2 Players)
Hero bets $7.00, munkybrain calls $7.00

Analysis: What the fuck am I doing?

Pot Size: $28.00 ($1.40 Rake)

munkybrain had 4c 9h (two pair, Nines and Fours) and WON (+$12.60)
Hero had Ah 5c ([Ah 5c] a pair of Aces) and LOST (-$14.00)