Zanchetta Poker

Bye cash game - Hello donkaments

2008-10-01T17:35:00.003-04:00

I was hit by the PP software update leaving me without HUD. There is no point playing cash games without stats so I started some fun donkaments.

September 2008 Goals

2008-09-07T18:57:00.002-04:00

Play 3 tables max
Analyse each session
Post 2 hands per week
Actively watch 1-2 videos per week
Keep time limit for playing

August 2008 Results

2008-09-06T09:21:00.005-04:00

August started of very well but then I got used to winning, added more tables and went towards autopiloting. In between there was a $1500 heater of playing well and hitting a lot but I somehow lost focus of playing few tables well and gave away much more then necessary in the end. I decided to take a week off the tabes to analyse my faults and win back a good attitude.

So part one of the analysis shows I have a big potential improving in the following points:

Raise more limpers, 3bet more stealers instead of (cold) calling, especially in HU pots
Defend more BB,
Slightly increase Cbetting,
Fold SCs 76s- much more except in multiway pots
Fold offsuit connectors much more except in multiway pots

Then some non statistics related items:

If I want to improve, think through streets, post analyse, eliminate hasty decisions, autopiloting and missclicks then I need to concentrate on two to three tables max. Once games run good or a lot fishy players are around I play too many tables (not a new item).
Value bet thin against oponents with low WTSD
Significantly reduce calling turn raises + river bets from passiv players with just top pair
Minimize slowplaying

July 2008 Results

2008-07-25T15:28:00.010-04:00

I'm closing this month as I will go on holiday - so two weeks without poker which will make my wife very happy and give me the opportunity to think about how to better balance poker and life.

In the beginning of July I took a shot on 100NL and I liked it from the first day. So I just stayed there occasionally adding some 50NL when I did'nt find good games.

I got owned by a particular reg whos game is the first I feel I should study a bit more in detail as we will meet more often and I like to know his game better. He stacked me 3 times in 3bet pots this month and in hindsight I must admit it was due to bad play of mine.

Nevertheless I'm enjoying this limit (first month is always sweet) and hope to target 200NL versus the end of the year.

How to talk yourself into trouble

2008-07-24T05:21:00.007-04:00

Moved up to NL100 this month and it's going pretty well. There are a few good regs and even fewer good LAGs but I'm amazed to find many more bad loose players than in the limits below.

Tilt me, baby!

I sat with this villain about two hours and stacked him in a 240BB pot. He started to mock me obv trying to tilt me a little. After a while we arrived at a 300BB stack each and he repeatedly said: "Let's move All-In, now I 've matched up!". At some point I answered "Just do it." and we got dealt this very next hand:

0.50/1 No-Limit Hold'em (6 handed)
Preflop: Hero is SB with Ad, Ac
MP2 folds, MP3 bets to $300.03 (All-In), 2 folds, Hero raises to $305.80 (All-In), BB folds.

Flop: ($606.83) 6s, 4h, Td
Turn: ($606.83) 9d
River: ($606.83) 3d
Final Pot: $606.83

Hero shows [ Ad, Ac ] a pair of Aces
MP3 shows [ Qh, Qs ] a pair of Queens
Hero wins $5.77 USD with a pair of Aces.
Hero wins $598.06 USD with a pair of Aces.

Love you wannabe LAGs

BB (102.24)
SB 36/15/1.2 over 148 (84):

0.50/1 No-Limit Hold'em (5 handed)
Preflop: Hero is BB with Kh, Ks
3 folds, SB raises to $2.00, Hero raises to $6.00, SB calls $4.00.

Maybe too smallish raise, but hey, let's not scare away a steal raiser.

Flop: ($12.00) 8d, 9d, 4s (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $8, SB raises to $24.00, Hero calls $16.00.

Obv Cbet. Villain may c/R here with any pair, set, a good draw or even air. As it's hard to tell whether I'm ahead or behind I just call.

Turn: ($60.00) 2h (2 players)
SB bets $54 (All-In), Hero calls $54.00.

Given my preflop raise and my call of the flop c/R villain should put me on exactly what I have - an overpair. Turn blanks and villain tries to represent a very strong hand. Point is, a really strong hand (like 2 pair or set) has me beat and would not try to make me fold but extract value and therefore bet 1/2 pot knowing I'm comitted anyway.

River: ($168.00) Jh
Final Pot: $168.00
Hero shows [ Kh, Ks ] a pair of Kings
SB shows [ Ad, 3d ] high card Ace
Hero wins $166 USD with a pair of Kings.

June 2008 Results

2008-07-03T14:51:00.002-04:00

May 2008 Results

2008-07-03T14:49:00.001-04:00

On the rollercoaster

2008-05-28T09:11:00.013-04:00

I'm experiencing a pretty swingy month, still 4 BI up so far but nowhere satisfying. Certainly there is a good share of bad play involved, I got used to the limit, played sometimes tired or less focused as in the first month and they have some reads by now. I reviewed a good share of my big pot hands but had not the time or discipline to put them in the blog.

Had my sickest session last night where I lost -5 BI and recovered to end up +1 BI. Some nice coolers like getting river one-outered with top over bottom set, a villain calling my TPSK+ fd flop shove with TP3rdK rivering 2 pair or a flop AI with a flush against a Broadway that became a river straight flush.

Most coolers I simply shrug off or laugh about though. If I get it in with the best hand I don’t mind loosing the pot as it evens out over time.

Very interesting sessions with two LAGs, specialising on calling preflop raises or min raising and floating C bets with any 2 and taking the pot down with huge turn or river bets. Had a lot of fun after adjusting by widening my preflop calling range in position and reducing drastically C betting. As they liked to bluff a lot I offered them many spots to do so. So instead of getting tons of folds on turn and river they actually did the value betting for me and I never got so many pot size river bets to call with my made hands.

Best hand was when I squeezed 30BB 5way with JJ and get the usual folds except for my buddy who calls. T high non connected ragged flop was already 72BB big but we were both another 230BB deep when he insta c/rAI my 2/3 PS C bet. With any normal player this would have been an easy laydown but as he was super aggro across three tables I called and he showed 99…ty! After that I sat at three tables to his left and got back pretty much all of my previous losses – he really made my day. He started to adjust though by value betting less after a while and so he got some medium pots from me until I adjusted again. This is what I expect to happen at higher limits much more often compared to $50NL where many seem to just play their “standard” game.

I'm attaching a Dilbert (I hope Scott Adams doesn't mind - if so, I'll remove it right away). I love these strips as I can find some of Scott's people types in my work environment, too.

First year ($5NL April 07 - $50NL April 08)

2008-04-29T18:36:00.003-04:00

First month on $50NL

2008-04-29T18:23:00.005-04:00

Nice session

2008-04-18T05:10:00.009-04:00

Although I know I have to be patient if loosing continues and it is only important to make good decisions it does feel good to have a +1,5BI session again. I won some coin flips like calling a short stack 3bet-AI with TT or reraising another SS AI on the flop with an OESD + one over. The biggest pot however came from a semi loose villain who squeezed my AA CO raise with KK from the BB and open shoved on a AQJ flop – another example for level 0 thinking.

River Fold TPTK
0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (6 handed)

Preflop: Hero (50.75) is BB with Kh, Ad
MP3 (150.47): 25 / 10 / 0,6 over 252 hands

MP2 folds, MP3 raises to $2.00, 2 folds, SB calls $1.75, Hero calls $1.50.

I could 3 bet, but MP3 has a fairly small raising range and if he calls I have to play a big pot oop.

Flop: ($6.00) 7c, 6s, 8c (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP3 bets $1.50, SB folds, Hero calls $1.50.

Draw heavy 3-way-flop. I think MP3 would have bet ½ to ¾ PS ip with an over pair. Therefore I put him on either a flush, straight or combo draw. I’m not raising just with OC as he is very unlikely to fold a good draw. By 3-betting preflop he might have folded SC’s and small PPs.

Turn: ($9.00) Kc (2 players)
Hero bets $3, MP3 raises to $6.00, Hero calls $3.00.

I don’t like my turn bet. I should bet 2/3 pot and fold to a raise or check behind for pot control. MP3 minraises which is for TAGs not uncommon if they want to look weak and keep villain in the hand. He is also pretty passive (AF 0.6) and would not raise the turn with a draw.

River: ($21.00) 4h (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $14, Hero folds.

Given MP3 is a relatively passive but decent player and given he knows I have a made hand as I called the turn raise I think the river is a fold.

Do you like my squeeze play?
0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (5 handed)

Preflop:
Hero (121.50) is BB with Jh, Js.
CO (50) 25/ 13/ 0.7 over 32 hands posts a blind of $0.50.
MP3 folds, CO raises to $2.00, BU folds, SB calls $1.75, Hero raises to $7.00, CO calls $5.00, SB folds.

CO’s squeeze calling range could AQ+, TT+.

Flop: ($16.00) Tc, 3d, 4c (2 players)
Hero bets $14, CO folds.

CO will call a normal CB with nearly all of his range. With another big turn bet I would already be pot committed. So I probably have to stack off or let go on the turn.
I bet nearly pot with the intention to give up the hand if he calls / raises.
CO thinks very long before folding and comments: “ I wonder if this is your normal bs or if you really had a hand”. He might well fold everything but AA, KK, TT (I think he folded QQ or a fd).
If I continue to make this play I need to do it sometimes for deception with a very good hand, too.

Still loosing

2008-04-17T04:15:00.010-04:00

I reduced tables to three, tried to apply ranges whether I was in the hand or not. Down one BI for the day mainly due to a big 4way pot with a K set against a gutshot that got lucky on the turn. I was card dead half the session and focused on not playing marginal hands out of boredom. I think I loose a lot by getting floated or raised off conti bets, need to reread UF2B article.

Value of steaming
0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (6 handed)

Preflop:
Hero is MP3 with 9s, 9c
SB 47/ 31/ 7.5 over 49 hands

MP2 calls $0.50, Hero raises to $2.50, 2 folds, SB raises to $6.00, 2 folds, Hero calls $3.50.

MP had just lost a big pot the hand before so I thought he might be steaming a bit. His 3bet is so small I get 1 to 11 – a borderline call for set value if we get it in.

Flop: ($13.00) 7s, 9d, 3h (2 players)
SB bets $10, Hero calls $10.00.

Flop is dry but SB conti bets big. Given his preflop 3bet he might have an overpair. He is pretty much committed already so I just call to keep him in the hand.

Turn: ($33.00) 4c (2 players)
SB bets $17.50 (All-In), Hero calls $17.50.

SB gets it in on the turn. What did he put me on given my preflop and flop call on that board? I think he was really steaming as he should have become suspicious. He lost two BI in two consecutive hands and left right away.

River: ($68.00) 7c
SB shows [ Jh, Js ] two pairs, Jacks and Sevens
Hero shows [ 9s, 9c ] a full house, Nines full of Sevens
Hero wins $65 USD with a full house, Nines full of Sevens.

Squeeze misplayed
0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (6 handed)

SB (180.29): 73/ 18/ 0.4 over 22 Hands
BU (50): 22 / 17/ 2.7 over 181 Hands
Hero (51.20) is BB with 9h, 9s

Preflop:
MP2 folds, MP3 calls $0.50, CO folds, BU raises to $2.50, SB calls $2.25, Hero raises to $10.00, 2 folds, SB calls $7.50.

BU had an attempt to steal of 43 and likely to fold to a squeeze. SB was running hot and I assumed him to call BU light. Obviously he really had a hand this time.

Flop: ($23.00) 3d, 3c, Kc (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $15, SB raises to $44.00, Hero folds.

That’s were I screwed up. This board usually is a no brainer conti bet, but what will SB have called the squeeze with: QQ+, AK are likely. So given his range and passivity I should rather check behind and try to catch a nine or a cheap SD.

Final Pot: $82.00

No more 6-tabling

2008-04-16T05:43:00.011-04:00

I started very well the first days on $50NL running at 20PTBB/100. Although I knew this was just variance I unconsciously felt I don’t have to adjust to the new limit and started to 6-table. I sometimes 9-tabled on $25NL when I wanted to get a bonus or when the games were good.
On my second day of 6-tabling $50NL I was down 4BI and ended up the session down 3BI. I lost a lot of all-in pots due to 0-level-thinking. So I reduced the tables to max. 3 in order to assign ranges street by street and maintain always at least level-1-thinking.

Set on suited flop
0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (3 handed)

Preflop:
Hero (56.78) is BB with 3s, 3c
SB (26.63): 47/22/1,2

BU folds, SB raises to $1.00, Hero calls $0.50.

Flop: ($2.00) 3h, 7h, Qh (2 players)
SB bets $1, Hero raises to $3.00, SB calls $2.00.

SB bet could be a flush, fd, set, pair or air. I’m not sure what line to take here. Should I just call and try to get cheap to the river hoping the board pairs? My raise folds out most hands I beat. Villain is very loose but I don’t think he calls without at least a medium heart.

Turn: ($8.00) 6c (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $4, SB calls $4.00.

I think SB checks as he is drawing or trapping. Should I give him a free showdown or try to get some value from a draw as I did here?

River: ($16.00) Ah (2 players)
SB bets $7, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $23.00

River is an obvious fold without a decent heart.

Waste of chips
0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (5 handed)

BB (50.12): 49/17/0.6 over 200 hands
Hero is MP (56.03) with Kd, Qc

Preflop:
Hero raises to $2.00, 3 folds, BB calls $1.50.

BB is very loose and I expect him to defend Ax, any PP, SC and any 2 face cards.

Flop: ($4.25) Qd, Ac, 3d (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2, BB calls $2.00.

Flop offers some draws but as BB checks I think I should bet my SPGK. I bet only ½ pot as BB will often defend with any Ax. BB will call with Ax, Qx, (3x?), fd.

Turn: ($8.25) 8d (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $4, BB calls $4.00.

I think I misplayed the turn. The flush arrives and I still have outs for the second nut flush. Villain checks but as he is very passive he may very well have a hand. I cannot really expect to fold a lot of his range with my bet. So I should have checked the turn to catch my flush or get a cheaper showdown.

River: ($16.25) 7c (2 players)
BB bets $12, Hero folds.
Final Pot: $28.25

Given villain’s passivity I don’t think about calling.

Thin value
0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (6 handed)

Hero (49.25) is BU with Td, Qd
SB (48.38) is 21/12/1.3 over 107 hands
BB (102.87) is 48/12/0.4 over 132 hands

Preflop:
2 folds, CO calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50, SB raises to $2.00, BB calls $1.50, CO folds, Hero calls $1.50.

I just call on the button as I was stealing a lot and did not want to be 3bet. SB raises far to small and as BB calls I get too good odds not to call ip.

Flop: ($6.50) 2c, 7d, Jd
SB checks, BB bets $1.50, Hero calls $1.50, SB raises to $6.00, BB folds, Hero calls $4.50.

I have odds to call the BB donk. I do not reraise as I don’t want SB to fold or 3bet. SB c/r provides correct odds again, so I call. I don’t think there is value in a semi bluff 3 bet as SB is likely to shove.

Turn: ($20.00) Ad
SB checks, Hero bets $7, SB calls $7.00.

I try to make my bet look weak to keep him in the hand. Maybe I loose value here.

River: ($34.00) 3d (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $7, SB calls $7.00.

River is not a good card for me. I'm not afraid of him holding Kd but must be clear to him that he is beat. So I go for thin value.

Final Pot: $48.00
Hero shows [ Td, Qd ] a flush, Ace high
SB shows [ 7s, 7h ] three of a kind, Sevens
Hero wins $45.60 USD with a flush, Ace high.

Level-0-thinking is just not enough at $50NL

2008-04-14T17:39:00.015-04:00

120BB- by level-0-thinking - part one

vp$ip	foldbb	ats	pfr
Position: Stack
af	w$sd	wts	hands


Hero: $78.26

23	25	17	6
BU: $60.74
0.3	70	43	84

0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (5 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Ac, 7c
2 folds, BU calls $0.50, SB folds, Hero checks.

Villain 23/6 over 80 hands OL at BU.
Preflop he would have raised ATs+, AK, 77+. Therefore possible Range: AJo-A5o, A9s-A3s, 66-, JTs-76s, QJo-87o
Weak check of mine oop. Should have raised to fold/ define his range.

Flop: ($1) 7s, 8d, 6s
Hero checks, BU checks.

Drawheavy Flop (FD, SD, SFD). Villain checks ip with air or Monster. Would have bet a draw or made hand (MP, TP).

Turn: ($1) Ad
Hero bets $1, BU raises to $3, Hero raises to $7, BU raises to $21, Hero raises to $78 (All-In), BU raises to $60 (All-In)

Villain reraise. Possible Range: A9-, 54?, T9, FD, SFD. Would only have called with LP.
From here I should have played pot control , maybe 3bet/ fold. Made a somehow weak 3 bet instead.
Villain 4 bets. He should put me now at least on TPKT or 2 Pair and he isn't bothered. Range narrows to A8, (A6?), T9 (SFD?). Against this range I have only 26% equity, I may beat only A6 and a draw. So this is a clear fold and my RRAI will only be called by hands that have me beat.
By consequently assigning a range street by street I could have avoided to stack off here. But thats not possible 6 tabling.

River: ($139) 3s

Final Pot: $139

Hero shows [ Ac, 7c ] two pairs, Aces and Sevens
BU shows [ Td, 9s ] a straight Six to Ten
Hero wins $17.52 USD with two pairs, Aces and Sevens.
BU wins $119.73 USD with a straight, Six to Ten.

110BB- by level-0 thinking - part two


CO: $50.38


Hero: $54.27

0.25/0.50 No-Limit Hold'em (5 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Kc, Kh
MP3 folds, CO raises to $2, BU folds, Hero calls $1.75, BB folds.

Villain 19/8/0.5 over 200 hands raises preflop. Range ATs+, AJo+, KQs, 77+.
Smoothcall KK oop is questionable (maybe FPS tilt). A RR would help narrowing his range.

Flop: ($5) Qh, 7d, Qd
Hero checks, CO bets $2.50, Hero raises to $8, CO raises to $24, Hero raises to $52 (All-In), CO raises to $48 (All-In).

Villain should interpret my C/R as SMH, FD or bluff.
Villains 3 bet limits his range to AQ, KQ, QQ+, 77 (AF 0.5!) and none of these hands I beat.
So this is a fold. My 4bet-AI is again level-0-thinking at $NL10 level.

Turn: ($105) 9d
River: ($105) 7c

Final Pot: $105

CO shows [ Qs, As ] a full house, Queens full of Sevens
Hero shows [ Kc, Kh ] two pairs, Kings and Queens
Hero wins $3.89 USD with two pairs, Kings and Queens.
CO wins $98.76 USD with a full house, Queens full of Sevens.

Tough?

$50 USD NL Texas Hold'em Party Poker

UTG ( $17.05 USD )
MP ( $34.05 USD )
CO Hero ( $50.70 USD )
BU ( $47.25 USD )
SB( $59.02 USD )
BB ( $48.31 USD )

Dealt to Hero: [ Jc Qc ]

UTG calls [$0.50 USD]
MP calls [$0.50 USD]
Hero raises [$3 USD]
BU calls [$3 USD]
SB folds.
BB folds.
UTG calls [$2.50 USD]
MPcalls [$2.50 USD]

UTG and MP are loose. Therefore I isolate.
BU is a TAG. His calling range ip could be AQ, (AK), 22-JJ, JTs+. I expect him to 3bet QQ+,(AK).

Flop: [ 8s, Qh, Qd ]
UTG checks., MP checks.
Hero bets [$6 USD], BU raises [$12 USD], UTG folds, MP folds. Hero calls [$6 USD]

BU minraises either a monster (AQ, KQs, 88) or maybe a medium PP JJ-99. But as a decent player I would assume him to rather reraise big and fold to a 3 bet with these PP and KK, AA. So the only way to find out and not loose the whole stack would be to 3bet ($30) / fold. Any other suggestion?

Turn : [ Kc ]
Hero checks. BU bets [$15 USD]. Herois all-In. BU is all-In.

Would you fold here? I shove the turn as I’m committed.

River : [ 7d ]
BU shows [ Qs, Ah ]three of a kind, Queens.
Heroshows [ Jc, Qc ]three of a kind, Queens.
Herowins $3.45 USD from the side pot 1 with three of a kind, Queens.
BU wins $98.25 USD from the main pot with three of a kind, Queens with Ace kicker.

Coolish

$50 USD NL Texas Hold'em Party Poker

UTG ( $29.32 USD )
BU Hero ( $47.90 USD )

Preflop:
Dealt to Hero [ As Ks ]
UTG calls [$0.50 USD]. CO folds. Hero raises [$2.50 USD]. 2 folds. UTG calls [$2 USD]

UTG is a loose player (VPIP > 40). I value raise ip for isolation.

Flop [$5.25 USD]: Jd, Kh, 3d
UTG checks. Hero bets [$3.50 USD]. UTG calls [$3.50 USD]

Standard CB as I would have bet if I had missed, too. Villain calling range could be Jx, Kx, 3x, QT, AT+.

Turn [$12.25 USD]: Jc
UTG checks. Hero bets [$8 USD]. UTG calls [$8 USD]

Should I check or bet less on the turn? I still beat his range except for Jx or 33 which I would expect him to raise. I like to get some value off his draws and weak made hands.

River [$28.25 USD] Ac
UTG bets [$9 USD]. Hero calls [$9 USD]

River completes also QT. Villain value bets so small I have to call.

UTG shows [ Jh, Tc ]three of a kind, Jacks.
Hero doesn't show [ As, Ks ]two pairs, Aces and Kings.
UTG wins $44.25 USD from the main pot with three of a kind, Jacks.

ZANCHETTA's bio

2008-04-14T17:23:00.004-04:00

I'm Zanchetta from Europe. I'm about 40 and I work as an engineer.

I started playing poker in 2007 after watching some shows on TV.
First I played some offline games and after two weeks I signed up
with Poker Strategy to play $5NL on Party with their $50+100 promo.
I never put my own money into Poker and I think this hobby should pay itself.

Now after one year of slowly but constantly moving up the micolimits
I started playing $50NL two weeks ago.

Besides reading books and strategy posts, watching vids and sometimes reviewing my stats I feel that a blog could help improving my game by posting some hands. Comments are wellcome!
I enjoy reading blogs of Dodgyken and his friends and UF2B members.

I hope to establish myself at $100NL in 2008 and take some shots at $200NL.
My time for Poker is limited though as I have a wounderful family which is the most important thing in my life. So I will move up with no hurry and a bankroll management of 40-50BI minimum.