Short little session tonight - build up a small stack, get everything in the middle with an equity edge, and villian sucks out on the river to 3/4 me. Oh well. Almost got back to even despite that hand, so I can't complain too much.

Poker Stars
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
7 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $33.30
UTG+1: $8.80
MP1: $24.70
Hero: $27.95
Button: $17.10
SB: $19.95
BB: $30.60

Pre-flop: (7 players) Hero is CO with
UTG raises to $0.75, UTG+1 calls, MP1 folds, Hero calls, 3 folds.

Flop: ($2.6, 3 players)
UTG bets $2, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls.

Turn: ($8.6, 3 players)
UTG bets $7, UTG+1 calls all-in $6.05, Hero raises all-in $25.2, UTG calls.

River: ($65.05, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $26.75, Sidepot 1: $38.3)


Results:
Final pot: $65.05

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=2351057
pokenum -o8 ad kd 8h 4d - 6d 5s 4c 2d - as kh 4s 2c -- 6h 2h kc 5c
Omaha Hi/Low 8-or-better: 36 enumerated boards containing Kc 5c 6h 2h
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ad Kd 4d 8h 0 7 26 3 0 0 36 0.363 <-- UTG
5s 4c 6d 2d 0 4 28 4 0 11 2 0.093 <-- UTG+1
As 4s 2c Kh 0 18 11 7 0 0 36 0.544 <-- Hero

Heads-up for the sidepot, I'm a 60/40 favorite after the turn.


=================================================
Results as of 1/30/07:
$.50/$1 LHE - 15,000 hands; 1.27 BB/100 winrate
$25 PLO8 - 2,701 hands; 0.22 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 NLHE - 90 hands; 122.11 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 PLO - 0 hands; 0 PTBB/100 winrate

Total bankroll: $2,985.00 (-$2.00 poker)
=================================================

Played at AJ's again tonight. Table was the tightest I've seen yet and I was more or less card/flop dead the entire time, but I won the one big hand I was in - had AQ with the on an all-heart flop (in a 6-way raised pot) and hit the flush on the river. That would be the last pot I won, so I left when I was down to $15 in profit (it was the time I normally leave, anyway)

Between that and a $7 win at PLO8 tonight, my bankroll is FINALLY back above the $3K level for the first time since my 500 BB freefall not too long ago. Well, $3K if I include about $500 sitting in Neteller.

Total profit for the month - $668.25 ($542 of that was live, but it's still money, right?).

=================================================
Results as of 1/31/07:
$.50/$1 LHE - 15,000 hands; 1.27 BB/100 winrate
$25 PLO8 - 2,813 hands; 0.74 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 NLHE - 90 hands; 122.11 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 PLO - 0 hands; 0 PTBB/100 winrate

Total bankroll: $3,007.40 (+$22.40 poker)
=================================================

Could someone tell me again why I'm playing PLO8??

PLO8 - 3,732 hands - -$13.35 total
NL25 - 724 hands - +$147.30 total

Figure it's time for an update. Spent most of the week at The Palace $4/$8 game - completely card/flop dead almost the entire time. Last night, I won all of one pot, and finished down $99 after losing $75 the night before. Tonight I went back to the $6/$12 game at AJ's and got $60 of it back.

Then, I get home and fire up a couple of tables of PLO8. At one point I was down about $40 between the two tables, then went on a big run (including scooping a $70 pot when I out-boated someone on the river) to finish up $31.65.

I'm down a little bit for the month, but there's still plenty of month left.

=================================================
Results as of 2/10/07:
$.50/$1 LHE - 15,000 hands; 1.27 BB/100 winrate
$25 PLO8 - 4,660 hands; 0.96 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 NLHE - 1,375 hands; 13.73 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 PLO - 0 hands; 0 PTBB/100 winrate

Total bankroll: $2,971.98 (+$91.65 poker)
=================================================

Another solid day - not great, but not too bad, either.

Played some PLO8 to start, and finished up about $14 - the profit came entirely on this hand -

Poker Stars
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
9 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $9.75
UTG+1: $24
MP1: $10.55
MP2: $14.75
MP3: $15.50
CO: $3.35
Button: $22.30
Hero: $27.55
BB: $7.80

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is SB with
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, CO calls, Button calls, Hero calls, BB raises to $1.75, UTG calls, MP1 calls, 2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: ($7.5, 4 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP1 bets $1.25, Hero raises to $10.9, BB calls all-in $6.05, UTG folds, MP1 calls all-in $7.55.
Uncalled bets: $2.1 returned to Hero.

Turn: ($31.15, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $25.65, Sidepot 1: $5.5)


River: ($31.15, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $25.65, Sidepot 1: $5.5)


Results:
Final pot: $31.15

I have just under 50% equity in a 3-way pot... I'm very happy to get all their money in the middle on that flop.

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=2383759
pokenum -o8 th 9c 8c 7d - ac as 4h 2d - ad js 4c 3s -- td 8h 5h
Omaha Hi/Low 8-or-better: 666 enumerated boards containing Td 8h 5h
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
9c 8c 7d Th 146 512 154 0 0 65 0 0.494
As Ac 2d 4h 104 116 540 10 351 96 9 0.394
Js 3s 4c Ad 25 28 628 10 96 351 9 0.112

Then tonight the PLO8 tables all had big waiting lists, so I played a bunch of $25NL instead. Was just cruising along until I ran into one big hand where I made a bad call with TPTK (we both had $35+ stacks. ), so that knocked me down to -$30. But, instead of tilting over the bad call, I slowly worked my way back up to finish up $5 for the night.

Here's my second biggest win - for some reason I just couldn't see someone shoving with an overpair, even if he is a short stack. When he shoved, it just felt like a big Ace wanting to gambool it up a little bit..

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players


Stack sizes:
Hero: $24.40
CO: $14.15
Button: $9.90
SB: $15.90
BB: $27.35

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is UTG with
Hero raises to $1, CO folds, Button raises all-in $9.9, 2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: ($20.15, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $20.15)


Turn: ($20.15, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $20.15)


River: ($20.15, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $20.15)


Results:
Final pot: $20.15
Hero showed 9c 9d
Button mucked Ts Ah



=================================================
Results as of 2/10/07:
$.50/$1 LHE - 15,000 hands; 1.27 BB/100 winrate
$25 PLO8 - 5.075 hands; 1.44 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 NLHE - 1,903 hands; 10.46 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 PLO - 0 hands; 0 PTBB/100 winrate

Total bankroll: $2,991.48 (+$19.20 poker)
=================================================

Well, I think I'm going to put PLO8 on hold for a while and concentrate on NLHE. I think I could still beat PLO8, but after 5K+ hands, I'm basically break-even (down $4.10, to be exact). With NLHE, on the other hand, there are just so many fish....

Fish who will push with a flush draw (can't blame BB here - I'd go broke here every time as well) -

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
6 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $26.25
UTG+1: $25
CO: $28.65
Hero: $37.10
SB: $10.85
BB: $11.60

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is Button with
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $0.85, CO folds, Hero calls, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: ($2.65, 3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets $1.9, Hero calls, BB raises to $3.8, UTG+1 raises all-in $24.15, Hero calls, BB calls all-in $6.95.

Turn: ($61.7, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $34.9, Sidepot 1: $26.8)


River: ($61.7, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $34.9, Sidepot 1: $26.8)


Results:
Final pot: $61.7
UTG+1 showed
BB mucks


Or fish who will push with a flush draw with only one card to come -

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $15.70
CO: $45.55
Hero: $24.75
SB: $31.85
BB: $28.75

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is Button with
UTG calls, CO raises to $1, Hero calls, SB folds, BB calls, UTG folds.

Flop: ($3.35, 3 players)
BB checks, CO checks, Hero checks.

Turn: ($3.35, 3 players)
BB bets $1, CO folds, Hero raises to $4, BB raises to $7, Hero raises to $16, BB raises to $25, Hero calls all-in $7.75.
Uncalled bets: $1.25 returned to BB.

River: ($50.85, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $50.85)


Results:
Final pot: $50.85
BB showed


Or fish who will push with a baby overpair (on my second hand at the table, no less) -

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
5 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $8.40
CO: $46.25
Button: $15.45
Hero: $24.75
BB: $55.85

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is SB with
UTG folds, CO raises to $1.5, Button folds, Hero calls, BB folds.

Flop: ($3.25, 2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $7, Hero raises all-in $23.25, CO calls.

Turn: ($49.75, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $49.75)


River: ($49.75, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $49.75)


Results:
Final pot: $49.75
CO showed
Hero showed


After today's sessions, I think I'm starting to understand why so many LHE players have left for the greener pastures of NLHE.

=================================================
Results as of 2/13/07:
$.50/$1 LHE - 15,000 hands; 1.27 BB/100 winrate
$25 PLO8 - 5,391 hands; -0.15 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 NLHE - 2,693 hands; 7.20 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 PLO - 0 hands; 0 PTBB/100 winrate

Total bankroll: $2,947.93 (+$24.00 poker)
=================================================

Let's see... Last night I finally had my first full-rack win at the AJ's $6/$12 game. A loose game (4-6 people regularly seeing the flop) and I finally get some cards, including two flopped full houses. The game uses $2 chips, and my total win was $210.

Today it was back to NL on PokerStars. 1.043 hands of $25NL, and I'm down $11.85 (top set on a monotone board where villian had the flush and QQ vs KK on an undercard board were the main culprits). Then I read journals like Semillon's where he's playing the same level on a much smaller bankroll, and I start to wonder why I'm still playing $25NL with 125 buy-ins. It's been a couple of months now since my massive downswing and I'm playing well, so why not move up?

So, I pull up a chair at a $50NL table (I was tempted to sit down at a $100 game since I still have 30 buy-ins for that, but thought better of it). The first couple of orbits, I make a 4bb raise (AK and 55), fire my standard 8bb continuation bet when I whiff (which gets called), and have to give up because I've completely missed by the river. I'm down $12 before the chair even gets warm. So, I slow down on the CB's and wait for big hands. Fortunately, a few of them come.

Big hand #1 -

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players


Stack sizes:
UTG: $21.25
Hero: $52.15
CO: $50.45
Button: $92.65
SB: $30.20
BB: $48.85

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is UTG+1 with
UTG calls, Hero raises to $2, 2 folds, SB raises to $5, 2 folds, Hero raises to $15, SB calls.

Flop: ($31, 2 players)
SB is all-in $15.2, Hero calls.

Turn: ($61.4, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $61.4)


River: ($61.4, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $61.4)


Results:
Final pot: $61.4
Hero showed
SB showed


Big hand #2. Villian had just sat down, so I wasn't sure what he'd be smooth-calling with. As long as he didn't throw out huge bets, I didn't mind letting him bluff away -

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

BB ($44.05)
Hero ($71.90)
MP ($41.80)
CO ($78.55)
Button ($49.25)
SB ($46.55)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero raises to $2, MP calls $2, 4 folds.

Flop: ($4.75) , , (2 players)
Hero bets $4, MP calls $4.

Turn: ($12.75) (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $4.5, Hero calls $4.50.

River: ($21.75) (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $9.5, Hero calls $9.50.

Final Pot: $40.75

Results in white below:
Hero has Ad Jd (one pair, aces).
MP has Jh Kc (high card, ace).
Outcome: Hero wins $40.75.

And the biggest hand of all. I love how the villian waits until I outdraw him before finally check-raising me. A c/r on either the flop or the turn and I instamuck. Oh well.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

MP ($39.75)
Hero ($88.90)
Button ($27.10)
SB ($72.55)
BB ($46.50)
UTG ($53.15)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
1 fold, MP calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50, 2 folds, BB checks.

Flop: ($1.75) , , (3 players)
BB checks, MP checks, Hero bets $1.5, BB folds, MP calls $1.50.

Turn: ($4.75) (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $4, MP calls $4.

River: ($12.75) (2 players)
MP checks, Hero bets $10, MP raises to $33.75, Hero calls $23.75.

Final Pot: $80.25

Results in white below:
MP has 5h 6s (full house, sixes full of tens).
Hero has Td 9s (full house, tens full of sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins $80.25.


By the time the dust had settled, I was up $60.15 at the $50NL table. Not a bad start...

=================================================
Results as of 2/13/07:
$.50/$1 LHE - 15,000 hands; 1.27 BB/100 winrate
$25 PLO8 - 5,391 hands; -0.15 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 NLHE - 4.067 hands; 1.96 PTBB/100 winrate
$50 NLHE - 143 hands; 42.06 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 PLO - 0 hands; 0 PTBB/100 winrate

Total bankroll: $3,165.87 (+$48.30 poker)
=================================================

Whew. Just finished what is easily my longest session at one table - 509 minutes, 688 hands, +4.5 buy-ins.

I started out the day getting stacked for the first time since I started playing NL50. KQs >> AA. No problem, just reload and keep going. However, the table soon filled up with nits. My 23%VP$P was the loosest at the table, and after 3 complete orbits without there being a single flop, I decided to move to a better table.

Good choice.

Here's the graph from this session -



So far, I'm running 16.87 PTBB/100 through my first 1,674 hands. I'm sure that's sustainable.

=================================================
Results as of 2/18/07:
$.50/$1 LHE - 15,000 hands; 1.27 BB/100 winrate
$25 PLO8 - 5,391 hands; -0.15 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 NLHE - 4.067 hands; 1.96 PTBB/100 winrate
$50 NLHE - 1,674 hands; 16.87 PTBB/100 winrate
$25 PLO - 0 hands; 0 PTBB/100 winrate

Total bankroll: $3,388.12 (+$176.30 poker)
=================================================

AK is the nuts...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG ($45.25)
MP ($94)
Hero ($45.80)
Button ($58.15)
SB ($50.25)
BB ($53.80)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
UTG raises to $2, 1 fold, Hero calls $2, 3 folds.

Flop: ($4.75) , , (2 players)
UTG bets $4, Hero calls $4.

Turn: ($12.75) (2 players)
UTG bets $8, Hero raises to $20, UTG calls $12.

River: ($52.75) (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $19.8 (All-In), UTG calls $19.25 (All-In).

Final Pot: $91.80

Results in white below:
UTG has Kd Th (three of a kind, kings).
Hero has Ac Kc (three of a kind, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins $91.79.


Against an unknown I might fold to the push, but this was the same villian I stacked in the last hand, and this wasn't too long after that hand. So, I figured the odds were pretty good this was a tilt-push. I was right.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (4 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG ($52.55)
Button ($96.10)
Hero ($93.70)
BB ($75.40)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
UTG raises to $2, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.75, 1 fold.

Flop: ($4.50) , , (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $3.5, Hero raises to $10, UTG raises to $50.55, Hero calls $40.55.

Turn: ($105.60) (2 players)

River: ($105.60) (2 players)

Final Pot: $105.60

Results in white below:
Hero has Ks Ah (full house, jacks full of aces).
UTG has 5s 6s (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins $105.60.

In position, reraise the AKsoooted in Hand #1 preflop. Hand #2 looks pretty nice and standard, especially after a possible tilter. Nihan.