GC 1/4 Hand History: $6/12

This is the second part of the hand history from this post, containing the hands after I got my 6/12 seat.

Before I begin, I've gotta say that the whole hand history process (taking notes, entering them in, expanding and formatting them, posting, etc.) has been a huge time investment. Granted, it is worth it because it gets me thinking about my game, but I can't imagine I'll do it again in this detail. At minimum though, I'm going to take notes on the hands I get involved in, especially larger hands. It is really great to be able to confirm my feelings (wow, that was a bad day) with actual notes, or not, as the case may be.

Another thing I should mention is that I think taking notes probably HURT my win-rate to some degree. After all, if you write down your hole cards after every fold, plus the other notes and thoughts you have, that's time you can't pay attention to how hands are unfolding. One thing I found that helped was to watch the action until the dealer gathered the chips into the pot before the flop, then write down hole cards then so you don't miss much. Of course, when I was in the hand, I never wrote down my hole cards in case someone could see.

Anyway, here's the rest of the night at 6/12. It was a wild ride, as you will see, although I've had larger swings before. Again, as before, if there are no notes after the hand, assume I folded pre-flop.


$6/12, Garden City, Friday Night, from 8:30 to 10:30 pm 94 hands total, -$73

When I sat down, a number of the players were laughing and joking. Always a good sign. I didn't immediately spot any players I'd played with before that I thought were weak, but I recognized the guy to my left and a few others. Realistically, I didn't think it'd be a super profitable table, but see what happens early in the session:

• 69o (BB) (raised to me, 3 players) Easy fold.
  
• 25o (SB)
• 83o (But) In this sequence, I noted that it folded to the blinds at least twice. The table seemed relatively tight.
• 63s
  
• 77 (CO) Limp (four players to the flop). Flop T93, fold to a bet. Probably could/should have raised since it is LP, but that'd trap me in the hand a little more. [Thuan says limp or raise.]
  
• JTo Fold. [Thuan says limp here, but I think that's too loose given the position and since the table was relatively tight. Suited I'd obviously limp.]
  
• Q2o
• 92o
• 45o (BB) I checked my option, obviously, with maybe 5 players in total. Flop comes 654 and I lead out even though I'm not wild about the board. Another 5 on the turn makes me a little more secure, and the guy to my left calls me down. I don't have a ton of notes, because I played the next hand too. One funny thing I remember is that the guy to my left had queens -- he didn't raise pre-flop for some reason, and he was lamenting it. Along with that, a guy in middle position admitted AKo, which HE ALSO DIDN'T RAISE. I got really lucky just being in this hand in the first place, because I'd most likely folded to a bet (even with good odds, 45o isn't great). I told them that too (a little innocent tilt never hurts anyone).
  
• ATs (SB) When it got to me, 6 total players were in, and I actually remembered to raise. The flop came Axx and I bet it down the whole way with one guy calling. I think he had a weaker ace or second pair. I was nervous about a better ace, but since he didn't make any moves at the pot, I just kept betting, and it worked out this time.
  
• AJo (But) I limped this. At the time, I had just won two pots in a row and I already felt like I was frustrating the other players. But in position, I have no excuse for not raising. Flop came Axx with two diamonds, checks to me, and I bet, and two call, a tricky guy (TG) in EP and an old guy (OG) in middle position. TG had been betting a reasonable amount and OG was predictably old man tight, plus a little frustrated. On the turn a third diamond came, checks to me, I bet, TG calls, OG check-raises. I looked down, and I had no diamonds. Plus, OG gave a speech ('Oh, what the hell, I'll raise.'). So I mucked right there. TG calls, no diamond comes on the river, and OG bets and gets called and shows down the nut flush. Pretty happy with the play there -- OG wouldn't have raised me on a semi-bluff.
• 83o (I take a hand off and scribble notes like crazy on the last three hands)
  
• AQs (LP) Raise. (this time, I'm not going to be an idiot). Bunch of callers (5ish?) to a Q55 flop. While the 55 makes me a little nervous, but I bet it down and aggressive asian guy (AAG), two seats to my right, calls me down to the river. Didn't find out his hand. My stack is now $380ish.
  
• A5o
• K2o Fold. Around this time I'm having some 'Winning tilt.' Hard to describe, and I don't think it effects my play too much, but I'm happy to have won so much so quickly (over $200 in less than a circuit of the table). At some point I should figure out how I play in winning tilt (in losing tilt, I usually tighten up a bit and get too attached to my premium pre-flop hands).
  
• 52s
• 53o

The guy to my left is a lot of fun -- I'll call him Happy Asian Guy (HAG) for the purposes of this post. I was going to call him Fun Asian Guy, but the acronym didn't work out quite as well. Anyway, I've seen him around, he he always seems to be happy, always gambling, very experienced, but plays a ton of hands. A great guy to have at the table.

• 42o (BB) Check, fold flop when I miss.
  
• 96o (SB)
  
• A2o It is five- or six-handed now, a few people busted or went for a walk.
  
• Q3s
• K7o
• 64s
• 64s (BB) (straddled, 4 in to me) Called, missed flop, folded.
  
• 72o (SB, chopped)
• A7o (But) Fold, but this is one hand where I probably should be raising, according to what Thuan says. I think I should be playing weak aces more in late position and getting more aggressive with them. [Open raise, read dependent, raise if just one limper]
  
• QJo I open-raised this one when it got to me, but the big blind and HAG (on the button) call. Flop comes A58, I bet the flop, and both call. Turn comes offsuit 7, checks to me, and I take another shot at it and bet. HAG raises me, I show my hand as I'm mucking for advertising. My thinking on the turn is that often the ace will scare people enough that they won't chase quite as much. If they both fold 20% of the time, then it is +EV. [Thuan says call QJo -- I was getting a bit aggressive, but I think it is ok since I was first into the pot and it really was just a blind steal.]
  
• 99 There's maybe 3 players in the pot already, and I raise it up. Everybody calls. Flop comes K98 rainbow. Checks to me, I bet, tricky guy (TG) raises, and I call to keep some people behind me in. A raise won't protect my hand here but on the turn I plan to check-raise. Which is exactly what happens when a blank comes, and it's me against tricky guy. Of course, a Q falls on the river, TG leads into me, and I make the crying call. He had JTo. At this point, I made a mental note that TG likes to bet and raise his draws, so call him down more than usual. [Thuan says raise one limper or less -- I raised more than one limper. Maybe I was too aggressive with a medium pair?]
  
• T9o Fold. [Thuan says: "Call if pots are usually unraised." This is maybe another leak, I'm not sure. Thuan definitely likes the middle unsuited connectors, while I never play them. Maybe I should loosen up, but I actually don't think this is a good play here because it's middle position.]
  
• T3o
• 52o Fold. My chip count is now $266. I took a $100 hit in those last few hands.
  
• ?? (BB, maybe chopped?)
• 44 (SB) Limped, HAG checked his option. Three players in. Flop came out J82 and it checked through. Turn was a J, and I bet out, nobody called. I figured I most likely had the best hand and it'd be hard for anyone to call on a draw.
  
• 76o (But) Fold. [Thuan says, "Call if 3+ limpers in front." I don't think there were in this case.]
  
• A4o
• 84o
• J3o
• K6s

Around this time, someone actually said something about the notebook. Took them long enough. HAG was joking about what I was writing down, so I just told them I worked for the IRS. No problems, nobody gave me any flack. I'm sure it gave me a more serious image though. I told them that I was just keeping track to see why I was losing so much. HAG also confides that he kept track of his losses one month and he lost about $1500. So he stopped keeping track :) Perfect guy to have at the table, plays loose, has fun, knows he loses overall but doesn't care.

• Q4s
• Q7s (BB)
• Q9o (SB) (raised EP, 3 players) Fold.
  
• Q3s (But) Fold. I have $271.
• 93o
• A7s Limp. Flop comes 89J, I check, button bets, I fold flop. It is now 9:25 pm. [Raise if 3+ in front, otherwise call.]
  
• K3o
• 75o
• 92o
• T9o
• AA (BB) Raise, obviously. Flop is 965 with two spades. I bet, two call. King of spades on the turn, I lead out since I have the ace of spades, one caller (HAG). River comes an ace, I bet, he folds (he said he had a 9 with an OE draw). Although, in hindsight, I'm not sure how that is possible. Maybe I have the board wrong. It is nice to recover some chips, and I'm now up to $306 again.
  
• 94o (SB)
• K2o (But)
• T9o

At this point, a new woman sits down (although she looks familiar). And she says, "What table is this? 20-40? 6-12?" Wow, never heard that before. It's the real deal, later they offer her a seat in the 20-40 by name. I'll call her LL, for loose lady. Actually, here's a table map at this point (from memory, I didn't write it in the notes):

Seat 1: OG. Old guy, kinda tilty, pretty loose, on a short stack. Tends to call down too much.
Seat 2: AAG. Seems to play solid, but aggressive. Relatively tight. By the end of the night he has a mountain of chips in front of him.
Seat 3: TWG. Tight white guy. Seems pretty solid, doesn't usually bet or raise without a good hand. Not that he can't mix it up, but he's familiar and I know he plays pretty well.
Seat 4: Me
Seat 5: HAG. Happy asian guy. Loose, has reading ability, plays decently post flop but his pre-flop looseness is hard for him to overcome. Will bluff.
Seat 6: Loose older guy. Didn't get into any hands with him, but he rebought a few times.
Seat 7: ??. A few different people, nobody scary though.
Seat 8: LL. Loose lady. Aggressive, will raise a lot of hands, calls to the turn with anything, but can fold nothing on the river.
Seat 9: TG. Tricky guy. Likes to bet/raise his draws, maybe a little too loose, but seems to not make a lot of mistakes.

• J5o
• QTs I limp along with a bunch of others pre-flop, including loose lady. On the flop of KQ6, she leads out, OG raises, and I fold. None of my suit and I can't chase for those odds. She ends up showing down Q2o, but loses to a king (OG).
  
• A8o Fold. I have in my notes that OG shakes a ton. Usually with decent hands, but not always.
  
• 42s
• KK Raise it. Get 4 callers. Flop is K98 with two spades, I bet. TG raises, I have the nuts, but just call to check-raise him on the turn. The turn is a third spade, I check, TG bets, TWG calls in the big blind, and I call. Raising won't help now, and I figured TG was on a flush draw. I do have the king of spades though. River is a blank, we all check, and I say, "Shit, I missed a bet." Until TWG turns over 42 of spades. Crap. Maybe I should have raised the turn, but it wouldn't have gotten anyone out and I'm likely behind with the action the way it is. If the board pairs I could probably check-raise the field on the river too. Although, this may be fancy play syndrome. The way it went down, I lost the minimum.
  
• 94o (BB)
• A2s (SB) Call. Flop is J34 with one of my suit. There are six in, and we all check the flop. Turn is another 4 of my suit, so I bet out. Only LL calls. River is an ace, I bet for value, she raises, I call. She shows 52o. Darn.
  
• 92o
• A4o I have $216 on the table. I have a note saying, "Is it an act?" about LL. I wonder if it's her thing, to make everything think she sucks. Yet, I've seen enough to know she sucks. She's just got plenty of money and plays poker to take a break from 21. Another great person to have at the table.
  
• J3o
• K7o Around this time HAG tells me he's "catching up" to me. He's not trying to be mean or rude, he's just making an observation.
  
• K5o
• AA Raise. Five players call me. Flop is J64 with two spades. I bet, LL raises, OG three-bets all in. I cap it, LL calls. Turn is the king of spades, and I grab chips to bet but LL already has chips in her hand crossing the line. So I check, and she checks. Damn it. That gets me every time when they try to insta-call me. I've got to stop getting tricked by that. Jc river, I bet, LL folds. And OG turns over JTo. At least I won the small side-pot, but I missed LL's bet.
  
• 86o Fold. I've got $176 left.
  
• K5o (BB) Check, fold flop.
  
• K6o (SB, chop)
• 93o (But)
• 84o
• J4o
• Q9o
• 73o

I take a break around 10:05 pm. HAG gathered his chips and left about ten hands ago. I'm starting to get tired so I go and get a drink of water during my blinds. At most another hour of play in me. LL is still around, but she's spewing a lot of the chips she won earlier. The table in general has tightened up a bit.

• 83o (Post, CO) I miss buying the button, so I post in the cut-off. Flop comes AK8, someone in EP bets, someone calls, and I fold. Maybe that's weak, but I just didn't feel it there. My outs would likely be clean though.
  
• 73o
• Q4o
• 87o Fold. [Thuan says Call if two are in]
  
• 33 Limp. Fold on an 865 flop.
  
• K2o
• K3o (BB) (Raised, 3 in) Fold.
  
• 82s (SB) Limp. KT2 none of my suit, LL bets, I fold. LL and another woman get into it, the other woman wins because LL had AJo. This may have been the hand that busted LL.
  
• K9s (But) I call, 972 flop, rainbow, but one of my suit (6 players). AAG leads, I raise him, and it folds around to OG who says, "What the hell, three-bets." He's definitely got something, and it could be a set. So I call after AAG calls. Turn is something like a king which puts two hearts out there (not my suit) and it checks to me. I take some time. OG is on a short stack, and I honestly think I have him beat. So I bet it. OG says, "What the hell, let's get it all in." He raises for $20 total, AAG cold calls after a little thought, and I call. River is the ten of hearts completing a ton of draws. It checks to me, and I check behind. OG has K9 and AAG has A9. It really is too bad we couldn't force AAG out, but I doubt he'd be folding to me on the river. Besides, I thought I had him beat :)
  
• 97o
• A6s Limp. Flop comes 987 with one of my suit, and I call a bet. Turn is a blank, and I get out. [Call... raise if 3+ limpers. Wow, raising A6s seems really loose, no matter how many limpers.]
  
• J4s Fold. I have $93 left now.
  
• Q3s
• Q9o (BB) T73 flop, SB leads into it, and I fold. Nothing for me there.
  
• Q6o (SB, raised, 2 in) I fold. Flop comes QJ6 and I curse my fold. Turn comes 6, and I really curse my luck. No showdown though. At this point, I decide it's my last round. Eyes burning, getting pretty tired.
  
• A7o (But) Fold. [Thuan says: raise 1-2 limpers depending on my read of the players]
• KK Raise, take the blinds.
  
• 83o
• T7s Fold. Blinds chop. Again. Table is super tight now.
  
• Q9o
• K4o

"Seat open!"

It is 10:35, and I cash out $91. I'm pretty tired now. Plus, it is no fun when you don't even need a chip rack when you leave...

More analysis tomorrow, but at least I got this stuff finally typed up.