Well starting to work on my NL game in a serious way now as the Party Blind structure should open up alot of new revenue. Still have a long way to go in getting my skills up to speed but I think I still can hold my own at the lower limits. Just went through my hand histories today and of course found about 3 or4 REALLY stupid bet, calls etc. that cost me quite a bit. These hands here were more problem ones for me that I am not sure if I played them ok, bad or real bad. A couple of them I would have folded to the bets if they would have been slightly larger but their size in relation to the pot enticed me into calling the turn. All criticism welcome.

Hand 1.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em 100 (10 handed)

MP1 ($87.4)
MP2 ($98.25)
MP3 ($99.5)
CO ($186.95)
Button ($219.9)
SB ($63)
BB ($25.8)
Hero ($137.5)
UTG+1 ($6.25)
UTG+2 ($100)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , . SB posts a blind of $0.5.
Hero raises to $4, 4 folds, MP3 raises to $8, 4 folds, Hero calls $4.

Flop: ($17.50) , , (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $10, Hero calls $10.

This bet here was just low enough to entice me into a call to see what he did on turn. Perhaps he had AQ, JJ, AJ, A10. I guess I didn't want him to have AK

Turn: ($37.50) (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 checks.

River: ($37.50) (2 players)
Hero bets $15, MP3 calls $15.

Final Pot: $67.50

Results in white below:
Hero has Qs Qd (three of a kind, queens).
MP3 has Ah Ks (two pair, aces and kings).
Outcome: Hero wins $67.50.

Hand 2.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em 100 (10 handed)

SB ($96)
BB ($67.65)
UTG ($120.8)
UTG+1 ($101.1)
Hero ($105.05)
MP1 ($83.8)
MP2 ($91.5)
MP3 ($36.5)
CO ($56.75)
Button ($146.3)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with , . SB posts a blind of $0.5.
2 folds, Hero raises to $3, 3 folds, CO calls $3, 3 folds.

Flop: ($7.50) , , (2 players)
Hero bets $5, CO raises to $10, Hero calls $5.

He raises to 15 I am gone but the miniraise got my call at 4.5:1 for gut shot, backdoor flush or perhaps A as outs.

Turn: ($27.50) (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $15, Hero calls $15.

River: ($57.50) (2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks.

Final Pot: $57.50

Results in white below:
Hero has Ac Qh (one pair, aces).
CO has 7d Td (one pair, tens).
Outcome: Hero wins $57.50.

Hand 3.
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em 25 (9 handed)

Hero ($25)
MP1 ($35.16)
MP2 ($38.55)
MP3 ($24.5)
CO ($22.1)
Button ($24.4)
SB ($27.9)
BB ($7.4)
UTG ($22.75)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , . SB posts a blind of $0.1.
UTG calls $0.25, Hero raises to $2, 2 folds, MP3 calls $2, 2 folds, SB (poster) calls $1.90, 1 fold, UTG calls $1.75.

Flop: ($8.25) , , (4 players)
SB checks, UTG bets $4, Hero calls $4, MP3 raises to $8, SB folds, UTG calls $4, Hero calls $4.

Just got trapped in here, MP3 is a pretty big fish so his raise didn't have to mean alot although he had something, when it gets back to me I am getting 7:1 on call but probably should have folded as several of my outs perhaps are no good. Really think I stunk this hand up.

Turn: ($32.25) (3 players)
UTG calls $12.75 (All-In), Hero calls $15 (All-In), MP3 calls $14.50 (All-In).

River: ($74.50) (3 players, 3 all-in)

Final Pot: $74.50

Results in white below:
UTG has Ah Kc (one pair, kings).
Hero has As Ks (one pair, kings).
MP3 has 4h 3h (two pair, fours and threes).
Outcome: MP3 wins $74. Hero wins $0.50.

Hand 4.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em 25 (9 handed)

UTG ($23.8)
UTG+1 ($22.4)
MP1 ($55.7)
MP2 ($24.65)
MP3 ($26.45)
Hero ($108.08)
Button ($60.2)
SB ($25.1)
BB ($31.3)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , . SB posts a blind of $0.1.
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $0.5, MP1 calls $0.50, 2 folds, Hero raises to $4, 3 folds, UTG+1 calls $3.50, MP1 calls $3.50.

Flop: ($12.35) , , (3 players)
UTG+1 bets $6, MP1 raises to $12, Hero raises to $18, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls $6.

MP1 was a fairly solid player. Perhaps a larger flop raise was called for here. When he doesn't come back over the top I figure he doesn't have a set.

Turn: ($54.35) (2 players)
MP1 bets $6, Hero raises to $12, MP1 calls $6.

A very weak bet. I really am in a quandry here. I decide to raise just a little to see what happens and perhaps take a free showdown if I don't like the river.

River: ($78.35) (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero checks.

Perhaps played this a little weak but confident that I had the best hand.

Final Pot: $78.35

Results in white below:
MP1 has Jh Js (two pair, jacks and fours).
Hero has Qh Qd (two pair, queens and fours).
Outcome: Hero wins $78.35.

Hand 5.

Probably should have raised a little on the flop here.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em 25 10 handed)

MP3 ($26.95)
CO ($49.65)
Button ($46.3)
SB ($22.38)
BB ($25.1)
UTG ($25)
Hero ($34.25)
UTG+2 ($27)
MP1 ($18.9)
MP2 ($28.05)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , . SB posts a blind of $0.1. UTG posts a blind of $0.25.
UTG (poster) checks, Hero calls $0.25, UTG+2 raises to $0.5, 3 folds, CO calls $0.50, 1 fold, SB (poster) raises to $0.65, 1 fold, UTG folds, Hero calls $0.50, UTG+2 calls $0.25, CO calls $0.25.

Flop: ($3.50) , , (4 players)
SB bets $2, Hero calls $2, UTG+2 calls $2, CO folds.

Turn: ($9.50) (3 players)
SB bets $4, Hero raises to $8, UTG+2 calls $8, SB calls $15.63 (All-In), Hero raises to $31.26, UTG+2 calls $16.25 (All-In).

River: ($84.64) (3 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $84.64

Results in white below:
SB has 2h 6h (one pair, twos).
Hero has 8c 8d (three of a kind, eights).
UTG+2 has Qh Ks (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins $84.63.

Piers,
I haven't actually looked at your post yet because I'm running back and forth. That being said.... I think 5 hands in one post is a bit too much. 1 or 2 hands I can follow..but evaluting 5 no limit hands in a row just seems tedious IMO.

I agree with Kenny. Having said that, I'll analyze the first 3 hands now and do the next two in a bit.

Hand 1:

I really think you need to fold the flop. 99% of the time when players re-raise in NL it means QQ-AA and AK. Since we can pretty much throw out QQ he's got you drawing to 2 (or less) outs on the flop. But having called, you then need to bet the turn. He's not gonna be able to put you on QQ and if he has an ace you are giving him a free shot at a gutshot. Make a 2/3-pot bet on the turn and check-call that particular river. The Ace means he could have made a set of aces, or he could already have a set of kings, so the only hand you beat is AK.

Hand 2:

I don't know if opening for a raise with AQo in EP is a particularly good idea. Having said that, I think you should check the flop. I don't believe in betting a missed flop if there are two broadway cards out that you don't have - particularly on such a draw heavy board. You will get called VERY often on that board with a weak 2/3 pot bet and will almost always be forced to check-fold the turn. If you check you could see a free turn to make your straight, TPTK, or a flush draw, at which point you can bet. I think the turn call is okay, although folding certainly isn't bad. On the river I would have made a blocking bet of 1/3 pot.

Hand 3:

I like your big preflop raise. Party players suck and if you are gonna get action might as well make a big raise with premium hands. Having said that, I hate your flop call. When hero bets, I'm gone - for several reasons. First, you don't have a draw to the nuts, other than a measely backdoor flush draw. If you had a gutshot at least, a call might be in order, but you don't. Second, you have two people to act after you, and depending on how aggressive they are, you could be trapped for a raise, which is exactly what happened. Third, even if you hit an ace or a king, you really aren't gonna get action from lower pairs since they expect you to have hit with the King or Ace. I hope this makes sense. Again, you need to fold to MP's raise. You could very well be drawing dead if they hit the set they were supposed to be drawing for with their pocket pairs. On the turn you are pretty much committed but it should be easy to see how you should have never gotten to the turn in the first place.

Hope this helps.