I just finished up a nice 2 hour session ahead 42 BB (450 hands). This is a pretty nice win for that time period and while much of it had to do with my big pairs holding up and flopping more than my fair share of sets just as much of it had to do with knowing when to fold. Anyone can play top sets and big pairs pretty easily but it is also VERY important to know when to get away from a hand preflop or post flop that will end up costing you money. Following are 3 hands from today and my take on them.

***** Hand History for Game 1192736643 *****
1/2 TexasHTGameTable (Limit) - Thu Nov 18 09:56:38 EST 2004
Table Cold coffee (Real Money) -- Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: clothfairy ( $19.88)
Seat 2: Borjomi ( $136.87)
Seat 3: bravheart969 ( $51)
Seat 4: cervezapolar ( $79.75)
Seat 5: jeff411 ( $49.25)
Seat 6: pgsheff ( $24)
Seat 7: iselaV ( $52.75)
Seat 8: spikey21 ( $26.75)
Seat 9: bucknut12 ( $70.25)
Seat 10: Sladgie ( $37)
Borjomi posts small blind (0.5)
bravheart969 posts big blind (1)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to cervezapolar [ Js, As ]
cervezapolar calls (1)

I am not a big proponent of playing AJ UTG or any EP for that matter. If it is AJo I fold nearly every time in EP. Being that it was suited I called.

jeff411 folds.
pgsheff folds.
iselaV folds.
spikey21 raises (2) to 2

Just want I didn't want to happen

bucknut12 raises (3) to 3

Now even worse.

Sladgie folds.
clothfairy folds.
Borjomi folds.
bravheart969 folds.
cervezapolar folds.

Now it's to me to call two more bets. What can I possibly be facing that is worth the call in this situation. Nothing in my opinion. I am out of position against TWO players in which at least one probably has me crippled. Should be an easy fold. Don't let your previous preflop action with "pretty cards" allow you to get sucked in for further damage. LET THEM AND YOUR ONE BET GO.

spikey21 calls (1)
** Dealing Flop ** : [ 2c, 6h, 7s ]
spikey21 bets (1)
bucknut12 raises (2) to 2
spikey21 calls (1)
** Dealing Turn ** : [ Qc ]
spikey21 checks.
bucknut12 bets (2)
spikey21 raises (4) to 4
bucknut12 calls (2)
** Dealing River ** : [ 4c ]
spikey21 bets (2)
bucknut12 calls (2)
** Summary **
Main Pot: $23.5 | Rake: $1
Board: [ 2c 6h 7s Qc 4c ]
clothfairy balance $19.88, didn't bet (folded)
Borjomi balance $136.37, lost $0.5 (folded)
bravheart969 balance $50, lost $1 (folded)
cervezapolar balance $78.75, lost $1 (folded)
jeff411 balance $49.25, didn't bet (folded)
pgsheff balance $24, didn't bet (folded)
iselaV balance $52.75, didn't bet (folded)
spikey21 balance $39.25, bet $11, collected $23.5, net +$12.5 [ Ah Ad ] [ a pair of aces -- Ah,Ad,Qc,7s,6h ]
bucknut12 balance $59.25, lost $11 [ Kc Ks ] [ a pair of kings -- Kc,Ks,Qc,7s,6h ]
Sladgie balance $37, didn't bet (folded)

AA and KK, drawing pretty slim here.


Hand #2

1/2 TexasHTGameTable (Limit) - Thu Nov 18 09:46:51 EST 2004
Table Crystal Clear (Real Money) -- Seat 2 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: elemonstero1 ( $36.75)
Seat 2: vteconly ( $61.25)
Seat 3: macdiarmid ( $38.5)
Seat 4: cervezapolar ( $57.25)
Seat 5: greg0641 ( $48)
Seat 6: marvinturnag ( $14)
Seat 7: DeadmoneyEB ( $96.12)
Seat 8: jerzeechris ( $51.5)
Seat 9: LilaAffe ( $82.5)
Seat 10: spikey21 ( $79.75)
macdiarmid posts small blind (0.5)
cervezapolar posts big blind (1)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to cervezapolar [ 9s, 9c ] Not bad for the Big Blind
greg0641 raises (2) to 2 UTG raises
marvinturnag folds.
DeadmoneyEB folds.
jerzeechris folds.
LilaAffe folds.
spikey21 raises (3) to 3 Well now it's two bets to me
elemonstero1 folds.
vteconly folds.
macdiarmid calls (2.5) SB calls 2.5 bets cold.

cervezapolar folds. Well there are ten bets in the pot and it is costing me 2 more to call to hit my set and perhaps three more if the UTG caps it off. Again I am out of position with 3 players showing strength. I think a muck here is the right choice with 99 because I am very likely facing at least one over pair. If I hit my set I am likely to get paid big but in this situation I don't like calling TWO more bets to see the flop.

greg0641 calls (1)
** Dealing Flop ** : [ 8h, 4d, Ts ]
macdiarmid checks.
greg0641 bets (1)
spikey21 raises (2) to 2
macdiarmid calls (2)
greg0641 raises (2) to 3

Looks like a real nice fold now.

spikey21 calls (1)
macdiarmid calls (1)
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 7s ] Turned an open end straight.
macdiarmid checks.
greg0641 bets (2)
spikey21 calls (2)
macdiarmid calls (2)
** Dealing River ** : [ 7c ]
macdiarmid checks.
greg0641 bets (2)
spikey21 calls (2)
macdiarmid calls (2)
** Summary **
Main Pot: $30 | Rake: $1
Board: [ 8h 4d Ts 7s 7c ]
elemonstero1 balance $36.75, didn't bet (folded)
vteconly balance $61.25, didn't bet (folded)
macdiarmid balance $28.5, lost $10 [ 6h 6s ] [ two pairs, sevens and sixes -- Ts,7s,7c,6h,6s ]
cervezapolar balance $56.25, lost $1 (folded)
greg0641 balance $68, bet $10, collected $30, net +$20 [ Ks Kd ] [ two pairs, kings and sevens -- Ks,Kd,Ts,7s,7c ]
marvinturnag balance $14, didn't bet (folded)
DeadmoneyEB balance $96.12, didn't bet (folded)
jerzeechris balance $51.5, didn't bet (folded)
LilaAffe balance $82.5, didn't bet (folded)
spikey21 balance $69.75, lost $10 [ Jh Jc ] [ two pairs, jacks and sevens -- Jh,Jc,Ts,7s,7c ]

Four pairs preflop and I was sitting third. If one more player had been in the hand preflop I would have called as well getting 6.5 to 1 on the call but I like at least 4 others in the pot preflop to see if I catch a set with my small pairs.

Hand #3
Now a situation with one of my least favorite hands KQo in bad position

***** Hand History for Game 1192708398 *****
1/2 TexasHTGameTable (Limit) - Thu Nov 18 09:33:56 EST 2004
Table Table 11385 (Real Money) -- Seat 10 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: adamsandeve ( $35.75)
Seat 2: cervezapolar ( $62.5)
Seat 3: chawinski ( $40)
Seat 4: fugazi_17 ( $20.87)
Seat 5: stetor ( $19)
Seat 6: figgypud ( $45.5)
Seat 7: Icham ( $86.25)
Seat 8: Rackm ( $44.25)
Seat 9: Krendel ( $62.88)
Seat 10: Llooyy ( $43)
adamsandeve posts small blind (0.5)
cervezapolar posts big blind (1)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to cervezapolar [ Kh, Qs ]

UTG raises, not a good sign for KQ

chawinski raises (2) to 2

fugazi_17 calls (2) UTG+1 calls
stetor folds.
figgypud folds.
Icham folds.
Rackm folds.
Krendel folds.
Llooyy folds.
adamsandeve folds.

cervezapolar folds. Folded around to me in the Big Blind. What to do? Well I fold this hand in EP nearly 100% of the time so it is an easy laydown for me in the BIg Blind. UTG raisers usually have a pretty decent hand and UTG+1 callers do as well. I see so many people that play hands such as this for 1 more bet preflop and it is just not a winning situation. You have terrible position and are facing TWO early positions showing strength. For the beginning player TWO of the BEST things you can do to improve your results are muck AJo and KQo in Early Position. Not to blow my own horn but I am one of the best LImit holdem players around and my play post flop is outstanding and I MUCK these hands religiously preflop, you should too.

** Dealing Flop ** : [ 9c, 3c, 8h ]
chawinski bets (1)
fugazi_17 calls (1)
** Dealing Turn ** : [ Ac ]
chawinski bets (2)
fugazi_17 raises (4) to 4
chawinski calls (2)
** Dealing River ** : [ 6h ]
chawinski checks.
fugazi_17 bets (2)
chawinski calls (2)
** Summary **
Main Pot: $18.75 | Rake: $0.75
Board: [ 9c 3c 8h Ac 6h ]
adamsandeve balance $35.25, lost $0.5 (folded)
cervezapolar balance $61.5, lost $1 (folded)
chawinski balance $49.75, bet $9, collected $18.75, net +$9.75 [ Ad Kd ] [ a pair of aces with king kicker -- Ad,Ac,Kd,9c,8hKd(kicker card) ]
fugazi_17 balance $11.87, lost $9 [ Qh As ] [ a pair of aces -- As,Ac,Qh,9c,8h ]
stetor balance $19, didn't bet (folded)
figgypud balance $45.5, didn't bet (folded)
Icham balance $86.25, didn't bet (folded)
Rackm balance $44.25, didn't bet (folded)
Krendel balance $62.88, didn't bet (folded)
Llooyy balance $43, didn't bet (folded)

Only AK and AQ we were up against there. Still like my KQ preflop:) Save your bets for better situations. It is just as important to stay away from trouble hands out of position as it is to play your good hands well. Tighten up your game and your results will only improve online. Good luck.

Doood. I like this post also. Buuuuuuuuuuuuut...... There is no goddam way i am foldng KQo to an ep raise from the blind. All the rest is good shit.

I don't even play limit but I like this post