I post hands by cutting and pasting and then deleting uneeded stuff and putting the cards in square brackets

eg As becomes [A s] (but with no space) which shows as on screen..

Your start seems great and it's also fine to fold anything from the SB that you wouldn't play from the button - it may only be half a bet but it is the worst position (first to act) post flop and IMHO long term overfolding the SB is much less a mistake than overplaying it (esp. when you aren't experienced in playing OOP).

I am going to attempt to post a hand...this one is from the small blind, and actually maybe the best hand I had from a blind. Here goes:


#Game No : 3957532869
***** Hand History for Game 3957532869 *****
$5 NL Texas Hold'em - Wednesday, April 12, 13:59:30 ET 2006
Table Beginners Briagolong (Real Money)
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 9
Seat 4: RhinoRifle ( $7.41 )
Seat 6: Chaox7 ( $12.66 )
Seat 5: Thxlbx ( $5.85 )
Seat 3: StaideR ( $3.11 )
Seat 2: MeGaNiSsS ( $5 )
Seat 1: JoshMerfi ( $4.67 )
Seat 8: etron173 ( $4.96 )
Seat 7: wdick1 ( $5 )
Seat 10: garinet ( $5 )
RhinoRifle posts small blind [$0.02].
Thxlbx posts big blind [$0.04].
wdick1 posts big blind [$0.04].
garinet posts big blind [$0.04].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Thxlbx
Chaox7 folds.
wdick1 checks.
etron173 calls [$0.04].
garinet checks.
JoshMerfi folds.
StaideR calls [$0.04].
RhinoRifle calls [$0.02].
redfox1982 has joined the table.
Thxlbx raises [$0.12].
wdick1 folds.
etron173 calls [$0.12].
garinet folds.
StaideR calls [$0.12].
RhinoRifle folds.
** Dealing Flop ** , ,
Thxlbx bets [$0.40].
etron173 folds.
StaideR folds.
Thxlbx does not show cards.
Thxlbx wins $1
Game #3957539230 starts.

I was trying to be aggressive...was I too aggressive, or should I have been happy to take the pot right there, considering my AQ did not flop well?

a few points:

- i also did instantbankroll... it's absolutely brillaint for those who don't want to put in any of their own money. that being said, it IS worth it to use some of your money for the deposit bonus that you're also eligible for. ditto for the IGMPAY bonus. this is just REALLY easy money to clear, esp at the beginner tables. you'll need $1000 to max out these bonuses ($500 each), but you don't have to actually risk that money. just clear the bonuses playing microlimits and withdraw afterwards.

- excessions comments about the SB are right on (as usual). being able to get value from the "good odds" your getting to call with a wide range of hands depends on you being able to play well post flop. i'm not sure about the quality of your play, but you certainly seem to lack confidence. imo, you'll know when you're ready to start adding hands to the SB complete range. it might take a while, but you'll know when you're ready.

- playing AQ this way from the SB (in your posted hand) is definitely one way to play it. your pfr gives you "initiative" in the hand, so a continuation bet (CB) can represent a wide range of hands. you're basically forcing the other players to hit a hand. that being said, you're going to have problems if you run into a calling station (CS) who won't fold TP or second pair (jacks in this case). playing this hand out of position (OOP) can be tough and requires good post-flop skill imo. i wouldn't like this flop precisely because odds are one of the callers hit part of it. that being said, you're play worked, and you still had outs to the str8 and TP if it didn't.

- i recommend that you go to stars and play lots of HU and 3-handed LHE at the .02/.04 tables (don't play at the dedicated HU tables... some decent players there). there's no rake, and it gives you a chance to see A LOT of hands with low exposure to your BR. you get to learn about aggression (e.g., when to push, when to ease up), and it gives you a lot of experience in board reading and hand reading. i was shocked at how much this helped all aspects of all of my community card games, and i recommend that all players (esp. new ones) do this.


anyway, good luck.

Well, I played a couple of hours tonight, and finished off my first bonus! I am now a bonuswhore! Earned my $25 bonus from party, in addition to finishing about $8.00 ahead, despite not getting very good cards. Following excession's advice about the small blind has helped too, folding it when I have junk cards is much better than calling and getting dragged into a hand that could be trouble. Here is my money hand of the night, the loosest call I probably made, since it was AJ suited, but I limped hoping to flop big and it worked out:

$5 NL Texas Hold'em - Tuesday, April 18, 23:37:46 ET 2006
Table Beginners Easy Bucks (Real Money)
Seat 5 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: Shady28222 ( $4.67 )
Seat 2: Boopy555 ( $2.95 )
Seat 3: jw408140 ( $6.46 )
Seat 4: yorib ( $5.25 )
Seat 5: BatMyEyes68 ( $5.93 )
Seat 6: birdieboy70 ( $10.67 )
Seat 9: fronce09 ( $8.52 )
Seat 10: Thxlbx ( $4.40 )
Seat 7: texas_studd2 ( $2.88 )
Seat 8: maquinman ( $6.37 )
birdieboy70 posts small blind [$0.02].
texas_studd2 posts big blind [$0.04].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Thxlbx [Js ]
maquinman calls [$0.04].
fronce09 calls [$0.04].
Thxlbx calls [$0.04].
Shady28222 folds.
Boopy555 calls [$0.04].
jw408140 calls [$0.04].
yorib calls [$0.04].
BatMyEyes68 folds.
birdieboy70 folds.
texas_studd2 checks.
** Dealing Flop ** , , [7s ]
texas_studd2 checks.
maquinman bets [$0.54].
>You have options at Beginners #1205548 Table!.
fronce09 calls [$0.54].
Thxlbx raises [$1.08].
Boopy555 folds.
jw408140 folds.
yorib folds.
texas_studd2 folds.
maquinman calls [$0.54].
fronce09 calls [$0.54].
** Dealing Turn **
maquinman checks.
fronce09 bets [$4].
Thxlbx is all-In [$3.28]
maquinman is all-In [$5.25]
fronce09 calls [$1.25].
** Dealing River **
fronce09 shows ,[3s] a flush, ten high.
Thxlbx shows , a flush, ace high.
maquinman doesn't show , two pairs, aces and tens.
fronce09 wins $3.74 from side pot #1 with a flush, ten high.
Thxlbx wins $12.73 from the main pot with a flush, ace high with ace kicker.

Previous Bankroll: 96.79
Winnings 4/18: $7.99
Bonus Cleared $25
Current Bankroll: $129.78

$ to 10NL $71.22

Now that I have cleared my small Party Poker bonus, I can withdraw my money if I want...so the question is, should I continue to play at Party for awhile, or should I switch to another site. Are they are any sites with a bonus that can clear at the level I am at now? If not,should I stay at Party till I hit a level where I can bonuswhore some (10NL mayber? 25NL for sure I would think). What do yall think?