HOTD

At first I thought I lost this hand...

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 4 players - View hand 375771

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



BB: $304.40

CO: $219.00

BTN: $183.85

Hero (SB): $219.90



Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is SB with A K

1 fold, BTN raises to $7, Hero calls $6, BB calls $5



Flop: ($21.00) 6 5 K (3 players)

Hero checks, BB checks, BTN bets $12, Hero calls $12, BB folds



Turn: ($45.00) A (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN bets $30, Hero raises to $100, BTN raises to $164.85 all in, Hero calls $64.85



River: ($374.70) K (2 players - 1 is all in)



Final Pot: $374.70

BTN shows 4 3 (a flush, Ace high)

Hero shows A K (a full house, Kings full of Aces)

Hero wins $372.70

(Rake: $2.00)

Ah, overbettors

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players - View hand 375749

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



UTG: $246.35

CO: $108.65

BTN: $62.15

SB: $190.95

Hero (BB): $209.30



Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BB with 5 Q

2 folds, BTN calls $2, 1 fold, Hero checks



Flop: ($5.00) J 6 7 (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN checks



Turn: ($5.00) K (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN checks



River: ($5.00) T (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN bets $12, Hero raises to $207.30 all in, BTN calls $48.15 all in



Final Pot: $125.30

BTN mucks 9 Q

Hero shows 5 Q (a flush, King high)

Hero wins $122.30

(Rake: $3.00)

Three in a row

I just had TT, KK and QQ on consecutive hands. Gotta love that.

A reason to wear the ATL shirt

It's hard to believe but the Atlanta Hawks sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-2 record leading into tonight's game against last season's first-round playoff opponent Miami.

It's so early in the season that the record doesn't really mean anything right now. But way to go for a nice start, Hawks.

Full Tilt's Holiday Hundred

Gnomey pointed this out yesterday -- there's a $100 bonus available in Full Tilt's "Check my Bonus Offer" section under "Requests." An e-mail that went out today clarifies it:

Who is Eligible to Receive a Holiday Hundred Bonus?
If you’ve made your initial deposit at Full Tilt Poker and finished any active bonus by 18:30 ET on November 15th, you’ll receive a Holiday Hundred bonus offer immediately.

•If you have not made your initial deposit, you have until 23:59 ET on November 30th to make your first deposit and finish your 100% First Deposit Bonus. If you do so, you’ll receive a Holiday Hundred bonus offer by December 2nd and have until 23:59 ET on December 6th to accept.
•If you have an active bonus, you have until 23:59 ET on November 30th to finish your active bonus. If you do so, you’ll receive a Holiday Hundred bonus offer by December 2nd and have until 23:59 ET on December 6th to accept. To see if you have an active bonus, go to the Cashier in the Full Tilt Poker game lobby, then click the Bonus Account button.

It clears in $10 increments. I'm already on my third. Have to love holiday cheer.

Weird flop aggression

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - View hand 366156

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



SB: $137.80

BB: $99.00

UTG: $160.50

UTG+1: $191.00

Hero (MP1): $230.85

MP2: $278.30

CO: $234.60

BTN: $200.00



Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is MP1 with A A

UTG calls $2, 1 fold, Hero raises to $10, 1 fold, CO calls $10, 3 folds, UTG calls $8



Flop: ($33.00) 4 2 3 (3 players)

UTG checks, Hero checks, CO bets $20, UTG folds, Hero raises to $93, CO raises to $224.60 all in, Hero calls $127.85 all in



Turn: ($474.70) 5 (2 players - 2 are all in)



River: ($474.70) 7 (2 players - 2 are all in)



Final Pot: $474.70

Hero shows A A (a straight, Five high)

CO shows 8 8 (a pair of Eights)

Hero wins $471.70

(Rake: $3.00)

set vs 2 pair

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em $0.20 Ante - 4 players - View hand 364875

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



BB: $316.85

CO: $117.75

BTN: $200.00

Hero (SB): $100.00



Pre Flop: ($2.30) Hero is SB with 3 3

1 fold, BTN raises to $3, Hero calls $2.50, 1 fold



Flop: ($7.80) K 4 3 (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN bets $5, Hero calls $5



Turn: ($17.80) A (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN bets $15, Hero raises to $45, BTN raises to $152.80, Hero calls $46.80 all in



River: ($201.40) T (2 players - 1 is all in)



Final Pot: $201.40

BTN shows 3 4 (two pair, Fours and Threes)

Hero shows 3 3 (three of a kind, Threes)

Hero wins $199.40

(Rake: $2.00)

It's been a while...

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 Pot Limit Hold'em - 8 players - View hand 364853

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



UTG+1: $100.00

Hero (MP1): $100.00

MP2: $53.50

CO: $137.65

BTN: $101.10

SB: $116.00

BB: $100.00

UTG: $100.00



Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is MP1 with K J

2 folds, Hero raises to $3, 1 fold, CO calls $3, 3 folds



Flop: ($7.50) T 6 9 (2 players)

Hero bets $6, CO calls $6



Turn: ($19.50) Q (2 players)

Hero checks, CO checks



River: ($19.50) K (2 players)

Hero bets $10, CO calls $10



Final Pot: $39.50

Hero shows K J (a straight flush, King high)

CO mucks 7 K

Hero wins $37.55

(Rake: $1.95)

crackin' some harbls

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 360553

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



BTN: $150.25

SB: $20.00

BB: $101.50

Hero (UTG): $120.20

MP: $312.55

CO: $109.85



Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is UTG with Q Q

Hero raises to $3, MP calls $3, 4 folds



Flop: ($7.50) Q 4 9 (2 players)

Hero checks, MP checks



Turn: ($7.50) 8 (2 players)

Hero bets $5, MP raises to $17, Hero raises to $50, MP raises to $309.55 all in, Hero calls $67.20 all in



River: ($241.90) 9 (2 players - 2 are all in)



Final Pot: $241.90

Hero shows Q Q (a full house, Queens full of Nines)

MP shows 8 8 (a full house, Eights full of Nines)

Hero wins $238.90

(Rake: $3.00)

Another good hand

I was about to bet the Q then decided to see if I could induce a bet. I sure did -- they were potting it on the flop and turn. The A on the turn made me wonder how legit that bet was.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 359859

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



BTN: $236.35

SB: $202.80

Hero (BB): $118.55

UTG: $85.30

MP: $105.70

CO: $102.80



Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BB with 6 Q

2 folds, CO calls $1, 2 folds, Hero checks



Flop: ($2.50) 2 T Q (2 players)

Hero checks, CO bets $2.50, Hero calls $2.50



Turn: ($7.50) A (2 players)

Hero checks, CO bets $7.50, Hero requests TIME, Hero raises to $20, CO calls $12.50



River: ($47.50) 4 (2 players)

Hero bets $25, CO calls $25



Final Pot: $97.50

Hero shows 6 Q (a pair of Queens)

CO mucks T J

Hero wins $94.50

(Rake: $3.00)

Like Gonzalez in the end zone (HOTD)

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 359853

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



UTG: $198.00

UTG+1: $219.95

UTG+2: $127.00

MP1: $194.00

MP2: $345.80

CO: $199.00

BTN: $200.00

Hero (SB): $235.10

BB: $274.30



Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is SB with 8 8

1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $7, UTG+2 calls $7, MP1 calls $7, 3 folds, Hero calls $6, 1 fold



Flop: ($30.00) 4 5 8 (4 players)

Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, UTG+2 bets $12, MP1 raises to $24, Hero calls $24, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 calls $12



Turn: ($102.00) T (3 players)

Hero checks, UTG+2 bets $2, MP1 calls $2, Hero raises to $204.10 all in, UTG+2 requests TIME, UTG+2 calls $94 all in, MP1 folds



River: ($296.00) 5 (2 players - 2 are all in)



Final Pot: $296.00

UTG+2 shows A A (two pair, Aces and Fives)

Hero shows 8 8 (a full house, Eights full of Fives)

Hero wins $293.00

(Rake: $3.00)

Playing straightforward preflop in low-limit NL games

We've all been through this situation before -- you are fortunate enough to get a premium hand like AA in a low-limit NL game and you raise ... and everyone folds.

I've thought a lot about this phenomenon recently, especially because against regular players you tend to get folds but then have noticed that being straightforward preflop is tremendously effective against donks. And these donks are the ones that I make the most money from.

Texas Hold'em is like a football game in which the defense has a chance to see how you are lining up offensively and then get to decide whether or not to stay in for the snap.

It makes sense that experienced players see a pre-flop raise or a 3-bet and get out of the way after they evaluate whether their hand can contain yours. It's that much more awesome when a donk decides they want to see if they can make an open-field tackle against your monster holding, the poker equivalent of Adrian Petersen.

So in a low-limit NL game and without a lot of information on a player -- and this tends to happen a lot with new players constantly shuffling in and out of such juicy games -- it's probably better not to think/worry about deviating from a straightforward pre-flop game. Your profit mainly comes from donks, the inexperienced.

So why bend over backwards to go through hoops to entice experienced players if most of your profit comes from donks anyway? Trick pre-flop plays (limping, for example with a premium hand) might cause you to get sacked by both the talented and the donkeys alike.

This isn't supposed to be an endorsement of overly nitty play. But tightness here makes sense -- it's like choosing who you want to make a play in the red zone in a football game -- experienced players facing donkey defenses go to their stars before the flop and donks in return will frequently go for the fourth option.

With this kind of play-calling, it's not hard to see who ends up having winning season after winning season at the end of it all.

A textbook kill

There are so many times where I would bluff the K on the flop but I am extremely glad I checked.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players - View hand 355832

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



UTG: $100.00

CO: $67.60

Hero (BTN): $107.20

SB: $64.05

BB: $100.00



Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BTN with 3 4

2 folds, Hero raises to $3, SB calls $2.50, BB calls $2



Flop: ($9.00) K 5 2 (3 players)

SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks



Turn: ($9.00) A (3 players)

SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $6, SB folds, BB calls $6



River: ($21.00) 8 (2 players)

BB checks, Hero bets $14, BB raises to $37, Hero raises to $98.20 all in, BB calls $54 all in



Final Pot: $203.00

Hero shows 3 4 (a straight, Five high)

BB mucks 2 2

Hero wins $200.00

(Rake: $3.00)