You two are so wise!

Good news: I might have misunderstood her. We'll see!

No poker today. However, earlier this morning I decided to calculate my "poker wage" for this week.

$138 from 5 hours of play - roughly $27.50/hr. I'll take that! Keep in mind this is all at $1/$2 and .5/1 LHE. I need to find some more bonuses to clear! Preferably at places with plenty of loose-passives. I cannot even put into words how much joy fills my heart upon seeing four or more people seeing the flop on average! Or when three players cold call an EP raise! Or when someone raises and re-raises their TPTK, two-pair, or whatever, with no idea you're ahead!

I cannot resist sharing some of these beauties:

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, 3 folds, Button calls, SB completes, Hero raises, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, Button calls, SB calls.

Flop: (12 SB) , , (6 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, Button raises, SB 3-bets, Hero calls, Button caps, SB calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (12 BB) (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, Button raises, SB calls, Hero 3-bets, Button caps, SB calls, Hero calls.

River: (24 BB) (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, Button calls, SB calls.

Final Pot: 27 BB

Results in white below:
SB has Kh 3c (two pair, kings and threes).
Hero has Jh Js (three of a kind, jacks).
Button has 6c Kc (two pair, kings and sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins 27 BB.

Good flop for SB. Better turn for Button. Best situation for my JJ!

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero raises, 2 folds, MP1 3-bets, MP2 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls, Hero caps, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop: (28 SB) , , (7 players)
SB bets, BB raises, Hero calls, MP1 3-bets, MP2 folds, CO folds, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls, Hero caps, MP1 calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

Turn: (24 BB) (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, MP1 calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

River: (29 BB) (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, MP1 raises, Button 3-bets, SB folds, BB folds, Hero caps, MP1 calls, Button calls.

Final Pot: 41 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qc Qh (four of a kind, queens).
MP1 has 8d Jd (flush, king high).
Button has 6d Ad (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins 41 BB.

Ah man, 7 players to the flop when I have QQ, I'm definitely going to be outdrawn!

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
UTG calls, 3 folds, MP3 calls, Hero raises, 2 folds, BB 3-bets, UTG calls, MP3 calls, Hero caps, BB calls, UTG calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (16.50 SB) , , (4 players)
BB bets, UTG calls, MP3 calls, Hero raises, BB 3-bets, UTG calls, MP3 folds, Hero caps, BB calls, UTG calls.

Turn: (14.75 BB) (3 players)
BB bets, UTG calls, Hero raises, BB 3-bets, UTG calls, Hero caps, BB calls, UTG calls.

River: (26.75 BB) (3 players)
BB checks, UTG bets, Hero raises, BB calls, UTG 3-bets, Hero caps, BB calls, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 38.75 BB

Results in white below:
BB has Ad As (two pair, aces and tens).
UTG has 9c Td (straight, queen high).
Hero has Qc Qd (full house, queens full of tens).
Outcome: Hero wins 38.75 BB.

3-bet from a player who barely raises pre-flop? Crap! I'm against a higher pair!
He had no idea! Never fold those aces! In fact, re-raise them on every single street! I clearly was bluffing the whole way!

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
2 folds, MP1 calls, 1 fold, MP3 calls, 2 folds, SB completes, Hero raises, MP1 3-bets, MP3 calls, SB folds, Hero caps, MP1 calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (13 SB) , , (3 players)
Hero bets, MP1 raises, MP3 calls, Hero 3-bets, MP1 calls, MP3 calls.

Turn: (11 BB) (3 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls, MP3 folds.

River: (13 BB) (2 players)
Hero bets, MP1 raises, Hero 3-bets, MP1 folds.

Final Pot: 18 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Kd Ks (full house, kings full of sevens).
Outcome: Hero wins 18 BB.

Two quads possibilities on the river! And I was against a complete maniac! After I 3-bet he typed "wtf u on, poket 6s?". I shouldn't have responded with, "Don't tell me you have quads". I should have just shutup and let him 4-bet that river hoping to scare me out of the pot.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , . Hero posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG calls, 5 folds, Hero (poster) checks, Button calls, 1 fold, BB checks.

Flop: (4.50 SB) , , (4 players)
BB checks, UTG bets, Hero calls, Button folds, BB calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) (3 players)
BB checks, UTG bets, Hero calls, BB calls.

River: (6.75 BB) (3 players)
BB checks, UTG bets, Hero raises, BB folds, UTG 3-bets, Hero caps, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 14.75 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has Ah Qd (two pair, aces and queens).
Hero has 3c Kc (flush, king high).
Outcome: Hero wins 14.75 BB.

I love when people overplay their losing hands. I called the whole way... then I come alive on the club hitting on the river. What could I possibly have? Clearly he thought his two-pair was the nuts. I wonder if he even looked at the river card. He probably had one hand on the mouse clicking raise, and the other hand in his pants. OH GOD I'M GONNA WIN A BIG ONE! I'M GONNA WINNN!!!! OH GODDDDD!!

Right... onto the next hand.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (7 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
1 fold, MP1 calls, 1 fold, Hero calls, Button raises, BB calls, MP1 calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) , , (5 players)
BB checks, MP1 checks, Hero bets, Button calls, BB folds, MP1 calls.

Turn: (5.75 BB) (4 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets, Button calls, MP1 calls.

River: (8.75 BB) (4 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets, Button raises, MP1 calls, Hero 3-bets, Button caps, MP1 folds, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 18.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 3c 3d (full house, threes full of twos).
Button has Ad As (two pair, aces and twos).
SB has Qc 4d (one pair, twos).
Outcome: Hero wins 18.75 BB.

Bleh. I should have check-raised the flop. I think I was drunk that night anyway.

I love how he raised his aces pre-flop, then slow-played them until the river. I was extremely surprised to see him turn over AA!

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, Hero raises, 1 fold, Button calls, SB calls, 1 fold, UTG calls, UTG+1 3-bets, MP1 calls, Hero calls, Button calls, SB calls, UTG calls.

Flop: (19 SB) , , (6 players)
SB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 bets, MP1 folds, Hero raises, Button folds, SB folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 3-bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (12.50 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

River: (14.50 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 16.50 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Kc Jh (one pair, kings).
Hero has Qc Ks (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 16.50 BB.

Ah, I'll never forget this hand. Villain here was extremely loose and raised many hands pre-flop. This limp-raise of his was most peculiar.

I figured I was more likely way ahead than way behind on this flop (only AA and AK beat me). I am so glad I made so many people face two-bets cold! If someone stayed in until the river with a 9 or 4, I'd be extremely disappointed. After he raised me again on the flop, I gave him more respect than necessary and called down. I really didn't expect to win on this river, so I was most pleasantly surprised!

Okay that's enough hands for now

How can anyone hate these loose players? They're so adorable!

That quads hand is my favorite of all time.

Thanks to Mecos suggestion and the 2+2 forums, I've moved on from full ring limit to shorthanded. I enjoy those games much more! I get to play more hands in more positions and I get to play more actual poker than full ring. I still have plenty of improvements to make.

One thing I have to improve is when to continue betting a-high heads-up and when to give it up. With full ring I find it easier to narrow down my opponent's holdings. With short-handed, many of the people are even looser and will call with any part of the flop or any backdoor draws.

I raise with AsQs
Flop: JdJs4h rainbow, checked to me and I bet. One extremely loose player calls.
Turn: Qh, checked to me and I bet.
River: Ah, checked to me and I bet.

He turns over 7h3h for the winning flush.

I've only played 2k hands on there so far so these stats aren't that reliable:

VP$IP 21%
Folded SB to raise 95%
Folded BB to raise 73%
PFR 14%
AGF: 4.5
AGT: 3.5
AGR: 2.0
BB/100: 6.7

The past two days the calling stations and maniacs have been sweeping the floor with me. Very frustrating to say the least!

Maniacs re-raising and capping with a-high, gutshots, single overcards, any pair.
Calling stations staying in with any pair, any overcards, any runner runner draws.

After taking so many bad beats against them, I need a little break. In most cases I would LOVE to continue playing against these suckers. Being down 20-25BBs at a table thanks to suck outs is not my idea of a grand time.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 max, 6 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
4 folds, SB completes, Hero raises, SB calls.

Flop: (4 SB) , , (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (5 BB) (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero caps, SB calls.

River: (13 BB) (2 players)
SB bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 15 BB

Results in white below:
SB has Ac 2s (straight, ace high).
Hero has 9s Ts (straight, king high).
Outcome: SB wins 15 BB.

Villain here is ridiculously loose, almost never raises pre-flop (but occasionally limp re-raises with complete crap), and is a maniac post-flop.

I was hoping raising him on the flop would slow him down. But nope! He keeps firing away! The turn was a miracle and I really don't know why he was capping. The river was the absolute worst card I've ever seen in my life. I fucking hate the Jack of Spades now!

Another frustrating thing about maniacs.. when they have a monster hand it is thoroughly disguised.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
2 folds, Button calls, Hero raises, BB calls, Button calls.

Flop: (6 SB) , , (3 players)
Hero bets, BB calls, Button raises, Hero 3-bets, BB folds, Button caps, Hero calls.

Turn: (7.50 BB) (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero calls.

River: (11.50 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 13.50 BB

Results in white below:
Button has 3c 3s (three of a kind, threes).
Hero has Td Ts (one pair, tens).
Outcome: Button wins 13.50 BB.

He could have been raising with anything and everything, but this time he has a set.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
UTG calls, MP calls, Hero calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP bets, Hero raises, SB folds, BB calls, UTG folds, MP calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) (3 players)
BB checks, MP checks, Hero bets, BB calls, MP calls.

River: (8.50 BB) (3 players)
BB checks, MP bets, Hero calls, BB calls.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

Results in white below:
BB has 6c Ah (one pair, aces).
MP has Jd Qs (one pair, jacks).
Hero has Qh Jc (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: BB wins 11.50 BB.

BB calls with a-high until the river and he scores a nice hefty pot! He even called two bets on the flop with an overcard and a runner-runner draw!

I always have to remember... if maniacs and calling stations didn't occasionally get paid off by their terrible play, they would stop playing poker. MVP would refer to this as intermittent reinforcement schedules resulting in a massive delay in extinction.

It's amazing I was only down a total of 5 BBs after all these beatings today!

Current stats at 6max:
22% VP$IP
16% PFR
33% WtSD (should be a little higher)
95% Folded SB to Steal
68% Folded BB to Steal
36% Folded BB to Steal Heads-Up
AGF: 4.6 (way too high)
AGT: 3.6 (a little too high)
AGR: 1.9
BB/100: 5.7

22% VP$IP!!!?????

Yeah? I know you and Piers play closer to 34%. A couple posts back in the limit forum I mentioned my basic starting hands in 6-max. I also raise with a bunch more hands when there's only one weak limper in the pot so far. Still, I come nowhere even close to 34%!

I told ya behaviorism was practical! Maybe it doesn't land you a job, but it applies to so many things in life.

Personally, I'm a cognitive/behavioralist... But who's countin... While I DO believe that reinforcement and punishment are strong facets regulating human behavior, I ALSO think that negative and positive mental processes play a role in determining our future...

Anyways, now that I've thoroughly bored the crap out of everyone on your journal, come over to MINE everybody... Always talk of midget porn and donkey molestations to be had by all

Huh? I know me some pot odds.