A-Game Live: July 7 Results

7:30-3:30 - 8hrs

W/L = -53
Expenses = -20

Total = -73

Another disappointing night where I was way up at times and way down at times. I flopped 4 sets and all failed to hold up in NL, missed all my combo draws/nut draws in Omaha in big pots except when I opened AAK4 double suited, flopped top set, and backdoored a flush draw.

Even though 4 sets failed, I did make 2 bad calls with them. Early when it was clear I was up against two flopped flushes, I peeled the flop to draw to a boat which was right, but peeled the Turn too not quite getting the correct price or perhaps breakeven with implied odds. Later I had a boat, bet the River, got reraised, it was called in another spot. I was clearly behind, but called the 50bb raise in a large pot mainly due because just a couple hands prior, the guy who had reraised me was obviously very frustrated at me check/raising him multiple times. I didn't think I had, but trusted his sincere feelings. I thought he could be making a play, but I don't think I could really give him credit for it in hindsight. I should have folded but instead called and lost to two higher boats.

Those are my 2 big mistakes for the night. I made some smaller mistakes by not raising hands like KQs in the blind. I should be raising this, but justified a call due to how much it would be worth if I made a big flush or straight multi-way. I don't think this is bad logic, except that it is not to the nuts, I am OOP, and people are somewhat afraid of my bets. That doesn't mean they ever fold a smaller flush, but they might fold TP or 2 pair because they are deathly afraid of bets when the flush card hits. I should be flatting hands like A4s, but still raising hands like KQs and AJs and not justifying it with how much I'll make with more people in if I hit a big hand. That doesn't happen often, I play much better HU or 3-way than 10-way (far more exp in 6max than FR), and it helps my image to raise more hands. I think part of it is due just to the fear of being called 6-ways and facing just TP on the flop in a 60bb pot, not wanting to deal with having to cbet 30-40bbs, and being lost of the Turn when called. On thing I have to get over live is the feeling of embarrassment of losing. Online you are anonymous and can instantly rebuy. Your results are connected to you more personally, and it is a little embarrassing to lose live as you push your chips away. But that is something I have to get over.

Playing scared is losing play, whether it's because of the amount of money or the embarrassment of losing. I should never be playing scared and this is something I need to work on to play my A-game live.

Aside for a couple big mistakes, likely several very small mistakes, and whiffing nut draws in big pots getting the right price with pot odds/implied, the rest of losses came from some coolers. I flop the nut flush vs a super-calling stating that was up like 800bbs on the night. He called me to the River and would do so any FD, TP, or better. He checked the River, the board paired on the end, and the pot was huge. I almost bet, but it was Omaha, and so I checked it back and he showed the rivered boat and raked in a well over 100 bb pot. By the end of the night, I had folded several big hands like sets, straights, and flushes. I was correct every time as I got to see each showdown and accurately read the players for what they had. That's good because I was right, and bad because so many hands did not hold up.

One highlight of the night was a big bluff using my image and trusting my instinct. I had the nut flush draw on the Turn and checked from EP. Dave the dealer bet 4bb in a 30bb pot like he did frequently. It was called all the way around the table. I was pretty sure everyone was weak, my image was that a big check/raise would look very strong, and there was a possibly straight on the board. So I check/raised to 40. It folded to Ron to took forever. Almost folded once, then decided to call. That's a pretty big bet for him to call and I did not like it, but he did take forever so I thought he may have had two pair. Effective stacks were about 250bbs to start the hand. The right brought a K, and overcard, and a card I didn't think would help him. I started to check and give up, but then realized the only way I can win is to bet, the pot is large so if I bet 2/3 pot, I only need it to actually work 40% or better to profit, and he almost folded on the Turn already. I would also be great advertisement if it worked, so I bet 60bbs into about a 100bb pot, expecting that to be enough as 40 to standard for huge bets in their eyes, regardless of the size of the pot. He insta-folded a weaker flush draw and I table it. I do think it was good to show as people began to say things like "he's buyin' it again" and so on, although it probably cost me 50bbs a few hands later when I should have folded that boat, but called partly because of how I thought that hand my have affected my image.

The last cooler came late into the night in a game of Crazy Pineapple. I had AK3ss in the hole and raised PF 6-way. Got called in 4 spots. The flop was AK3, leaving me behind to only the case AA, KK, and 33, and way ahead of all Aces. I got called in one spot. A tell I may have on Dave, who talks to much during play, is that he said "30? I just don't believe you" and called with a monster.

I bet the 9 Turn and he called again. I thought I could be up against a set, but with only 3 combos of sets, 4 combos of AK and A3, 6 combos of A9, and numerous combos of other Aces like AQ he will have some of the time, I thought there was no way valuebetting could be wrong. The River was a J and I pushed. He called and flipped over KK, which he had slowplayed preflop - river. I lost about 120bbs in that pot.

So at the end of the night, super calling station (who always bets 5 or 10 max on his huge hands all 3 streets in 60+bb pots) cashes out for 800bbs, Dave the dealer cashes out for probably 1000bbs, Marshall cashes out for about 700bbs, and I cash out down 200bbs. I'm 0-3 now, what the hell is going on?