The Recovery Starts Here...

Cricket got rained off this afternoon, unfortunately we had almost got to their ground by then, 20 miles away :-(

This gave me the opportunity to try to restore my confidence with a quick session at the tables, which I have just finished. This was a feeler session for me, really just to build confidence and get back into the swing of things. I only played for an hour but felt like I was the best player at the tables, which I was pleased about. No beats or coolers thank god but I lost count of the short stacks I busted! Didn't play any big pots v big stacks - I didn't hit that many flops and only flopped one set in a limped pot. My aggressive pre flop play saw me reraise with AQ an UTG raiser with 30/14 stats. He folded, and said he had AQ, lol!

Here's my stats from this afternoon's quick session:

Hands: 372
VPIP: 20.43%
PFR: 14.52%
Amount Won: $64.68
BB/100 Hands: 17.39

Overall, a good quick session which has helped no end with my confidence after tuesday.

Here's some hands from today. There weren't that many of interest but these I felt were worth commenting on: Critique always welcome!

I was waiting to bust this guy - he overbet all in so many times and I was just looking for a spot. He wasn't that loose pre flop, but volatile is an understatement post flop... Notice how passively I played the streets, that was a conscious decision as I really didn't want him to push and leave me folding K high which may have been the best hand. When the river came giving me top pair on a 3 flush flop, I beat him into the pot calling his all-in overbet. A prime example of playing the player.

Game #2435923054: Hold'em NL ($0.25/$0.50) - 2006/05/20 - 16:56:37 (UK)
Table "Laptop" Seat 6 is the button.
Seat 1: Javkam07 ($20.03 in chips)
Seat 2: CruS ($64.42 in chips)
Seat 3: jompass ($45.20 in chips)
Seat 4: Birksted ($98.73 in chips)
Seat 5: Guzzin ($10.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Fruitypro ($83.95 in chips)
Javkam07: posts small blind $0.25
CruS: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Fruitypro [Qh Kh]
jompass: folds
Birksted: calls $0.50
Guzzin: folds
Fruitypro: raises to $3
Javkam07: calls $2.75
CruS: folds
Birksted: folds
----- FLOP ----- [3d 6d 5d]
Javkam07: bets $0.50
Fruitypro: calls $0.50
----- TURN ----- [3d 6d 5d][6c]
Javkam07: checks
Fruitypro: checks
----- RIVER ----- [3d 6d 5d 6c][Qs]
Javkam07: bets $16.53 and is all-in
Fruitypro: calls $16.53
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Javkam07: shows [Jc Qd] (Two Pairs, Queens and Sixes, Jack high)
Fruitypro: shows [Qh Kh] (Two Pairs, Queens and Sixes, King high)
Fruitypro collects $39.01 from Main pot

This next hand shows the value of being the aggressor pre flop, and taking that approach into the flop as well. I couldn't stand the reraise but everything I did suggested I had a huge hand. I am guessing he had AK, AQ, TT or 88 as he had fairly low PFR stats. So there was a big chance that my aggression won me the hand without the best hand. On a side note, his raise pre flop is far too small with the limpers already in the pot.

Game #2435288704: Hold'em NL ($0.25/$0.50) - 2006/05/20 - 16:08:51 (UK)
Table "Laptop" Seat 4 is the button.
Seat 1: Javkam07 ($57.35 in chips)
Seat 2: CruS ($54.95 in chips)
Seat 3: Robtovnb ($24.27 in chips)
Seat 4: Birksted ($143.28 in chips)
Seat 5: expired ($48.20 in chips)
Seat 6: Fruitypro ($50 in chips)
expired: posts small blind $0.25
Fruitypro: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Fruitypro [Ah Kc]
Javkam07: calls $0.50
CruS: calls $0.50
Robtovnb: calls $0.50
Birksted: folds
expired: raises to $2
Fruitypro: raises to $8
Javkam07: folds
CruS: folds
Robtovnb: folds
expired: calls $6
----- FLOP ----- [Jd 3s 9h]
expired: checks
Fruitypro: bets $12
expired: folds
Returned uncalled bets $12 to Fruitypro
Fruitypro: doesn't show hand
Fruitypro collects $16.65 from Main pot

This last hand shows a leak I have in my game. When I flop middle pair in position when I have raised pre flop in a multiway pot I play it too passively. I really should have fired on the flop, or at least the turn, and I am a bit obsessed with keeping the pot small. I need to find where I am and not pay off people who catch on the river. It was only a small bet but if I bet the flop I probably win.

Game #2436014144: Hold'em NL ($0.25/$0.50) - 2006/05/20 - 17:03:55 (UK)
Table "Katerina" Seat 4 is the button.
Seat 1: Potbet ($43.55 in chips)
Seat 2: DoctorX2k ($67.85 in chips)
Seat 3: Fruitypro ($55.85 in chips)
Seat 4: jompass ($52.45 in chips)
Seat 5: daiwiza ($48.65 in chips)
daiwiza: posts small blind $0.25
Potbet: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Fruitypro [Kh Ts]
DoctorX2k: folds
Fruitypro: raises to $2.50
jompass: folds
daiwiza: calls $2.25
Potbet: calls $2
----- FLOP ----- [4d As Th]
daiwiza: checks
Potbet: checks
Fruitypro: checks
----- TURN ----- [4d As Th][6s]
daiwiza: checks
Potbet: checks
Fruitypro: checks
----- RIVER ----- [4d As Th 6s][9s]
daiwiza: checks
Potbet: bets $2
Fruitypro: calls $2
daiwiza: folds
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Potbet: shows [9h 9d] (Three of a kind, Nines, Ace high)
Fruitypro: mucks hand [Kh Ts]
Potbet collects $10.95 from Main pot