1/2 limit hands

Here are some examples of the play at the 1/2 cash tables. I know "tight is right", but if you mix it up once in a while you can really cash in.

Full Tilt Poker Game #3672745858: Table Wildcat (speed) - $1/$2 - Limit Hold'em - 22:24:37 ET - 2007/09/25
Seat 1: jamyhawk ($52.50)
Seat 2: new2dis ($28.50)
Seat 3: Kambler44 ($20)
Seat 5: mbf0700 ($34.75)
Seat 6: thmn_kron ($30), is sitting out
Seat 7: TheRealPicard ($5)
Seat 9: DonCantabrigia ($94.25)
mbf0700 posts the small blind of $0.50
TheRealPicard posts the big blind of $1
Kambler44 posts $1
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jamyhawk [Tc 8c]<--Soooooted 1 gapper.
DonCantabrigia has 8 seconds left to act
DonCantabrigia is sitting out
DonCantabrigia has timed out
DonCantabrigia folds
jamyhawk raises to $2<--If I'm playing, I'm raising.
new2dis folds
Kambler44 calls $1
DonCantabrigia has returned
mbf0700 calls $1.50
TheRealPicard calls $1
*** FLOP *** [7c 8d 8h]<--BINGO!
dpy150 sits down
mbf0700 has 8 seconds left to act
mbf0700 bets $1<--good.
TheRealPicard raises to $2<--even better.
dpy150 adds $16
jamyhawk has 8 seconds left to act
jamyhawk calls $2<--maybe I should have raised, but I want to try to keep as many players in for the turn as possible.
Kambler44 has 8 seconds left to act
Kambler44 folds
mbf0700 calls $1
*** TURN *** [7c 8d 8h] [Qh]
mbf0700 checks
TheRealPicard bets $1, and is all in
jamyhawk raises to $3<--Now I can start raising it up.
thmn_kron has returned
mbf0700 has 8 seconds left to act
mbf0700 calls $3
*** RIVER *** [7c 8d 8h Qh] [7h]<--woo hoo. I hope he hit his flush.
mbf0700 checks
jamyhawk bets $2
mbf0700 calls $2
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jamyhawk shows [Tc 8c] a full house, Eights full of Sevens
mbf0700 mucks
jamyhawk wins the side pot ($7.75) with a full house, Eights full of Sevens
TheRealPicard mucks
jamyhawk wins the main pot ($16.25) with a full house, Eights full of Sevens
TheRealPicard is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $25 Main pot $17. Side pot $8. Rake $1
Board: [7c 8d 8h Qh 7h]
Seat 1: jamyhawk showed [Tc 8c] and won ($24) with a full house, Eights full of Sevens<--Obviously, I won this hand. Not a surprise. But look at what my opponents have.
Seat 2: new2dis didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Kambler44 folded on the Flop
Seat 5: mbf0700 (small blind) mucked [9d Ad] - two pair, Eights and Sevens<--called all the way to the river and my river bet with A high. WTF? Please sit at my table more often.
Seat 6: thmn_kron is sitting out
Seat 7: TheRealPicard (big blind) mucked [6d 5s] - two pair, Eights and Sevens<--of course the short stack goes all in on a draw.
Seat 9: DonCantabrigia didn't bet (folded)


Full Tilt Poker Game #3672756719: Table Wildcat (speed) - $1/$2 - Limit Hold'em - 22:25:38 ET - 2007/09/25
Seat 1: jamyhawk ($67.50)
Seat 2: new2dis ($28.50)
Seat 3: Kambler44 ($18)
Seat 4: dpy150 ($16)
Seat 5: mbf0700 ($25.75)
Seat 6: thmn_kron ($30)
Seat 7: TheRealPicard ($0), is sitting out
Seat 9: DonCantabrigia ($94.25)
DonCantabrigia posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jamyhawk [Qs Kh]
TheRealPicard stands up
jamyhawk raises to $2<--If I'm playing, I'm raising.
new2dis folds
dbtom sits down
Kambler44 has 8 seconds left to act
dbtom adds $20
Kambler44 calls $2
mbf0700 folds
DonCantabrigia calls $1
*** FLOP *** [9c 2s 2c]<--total miss.
DonCantabrigia has 8 seconds left to act
DonCantabrigia checks
jamyhawk checks
Kambler44 bets $1
dbtom adds $20
DonCantabrigia has 8 seconds left to act
suzyqmb sits down
DonCantabrigia folds
jamyhawk calls $1<--the beauty of limit poker. I know we are heads up, so the most I'm losing here is $5. He could be on any draw or even Ace high. I can rule out AA, KK, AK, QQ because of no re-raise pre-flop. I imagine any K or Q will be good to take the pot.
*** TURN *** [9c 2s 2c] [Jd]
jamyhawk checks
suzyqmb adds $32.75
Kambler44 bets $2
jamyhawk has 8 seconds left to act
jamyhawk calls $2<--I hope he doesn't have JJ, but I have 4 more outs with the 10's. I can fold to a river bet and have only spent $3 to get there. And again, I am not going to play KQo/s very often, especially after missing the flop. I would be out of this hand already if there were 1)2 opponents instead of 1 2)no draw after the turn or 3)if a 9 or 2 hit the turn.
*** RIVER *** [9c 2s 2c Jd] [Ts]<--runner runner to payday.
jamyhawk bets $2
Kambler44 calls $2
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jamyhawk shows [Qs Kh] a straight, King high<--so I luckbox into a straight. That's going to happen once in a while. But look at the mucked cards below.
Kambler44 mucks
jamyhawk wins the pot ($15.25) with a straight, King high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $16 Rake $0.75
Board: [9c 2s 2c Jd Ts]
Seat 1: jamyhawk showed [Qs Kh] and won ($15.25) with a straight, King high
Seat 2: new2dis didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Kambler44 mucked [Ad 9s] - two pair, Nines and Twos<--what is it about A9? I hate playing Arag, but I guess somewhere, it is a great hand to have???? So I luckbox into a straight but this guy should have folded pre-flop.
Seat 4: dpy150 is sitting out
Seat 5: mbf0700 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: thmn_kron is sitting out
Seat 7: TheRealPicard (small blind) is sitting out
Seat 9: DonCantabrigia (big blind) folded on the Flop


Full Tilt Poker Game #3672798356: Table Wildcat (speed) - $1/$2 - Limit Hold'em - 22:29:32 ET - 2007/09/25
Seat 1: jamyhawk ($73.25)
Seat 2: new2dis ($26)
Seat 3: AZ and WI Kid ($20)
Seat 4: dpy150 ($10)
Seat 5: mbf0700 ($22.50)
Seat 6: thmn_kron ($62.25)
Seat 7: suzyqmb ($29.75)
Seat 8: dbtom ($39)
Seat 9: DonCantabrigia ($87.25)
dpy150 posts the small blind of $0.50
mbf0700 posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jamyhawk [5h 5c]<--Presto is gold, so says Fuel55 (he actually hit 55 three hands in a row. Click on his name to see the results)
thmn_kron has 8 seconds left to act
thmn_kron folds
suzyqmb folds
dbtom folds
DonCantabrigia raises to $2
jamyhawk calls $2<--3 behind me to act, so I am calling.
new2dis folds
dpy150 calls $1.50
mbf0700 has 8 seconds left to act
mbf0700 calls $1
*** FLOP *** [Kd 4s Qc]
dpy150 checks
mbf0700 checks
DonCantabrigia checks
jamyhawk bets $1<--let's see if we can steal the pot.
dpy150 folds
mbf0700 calls $1
DonCantabrigia calls $1
*** TURN *** [Kd 4s Qc] [5d]<--whoa! Presto is Gold!
mbf0700 checks
DonCantabrigia checks
jamyhawk bets $2<--obvious
mbf0700 calls $2<--on a draw.
DonCantabrigia raises to $4<--wait a minute. That 5 couldn't have helped him. He was slow playing. AA? Surely not KK or QQ? A set would have re-raised me after the flop. Even AA should have. Maybe K5 soooooted?
jamyhawk raises to $6<--let's build the pot.
mbf0700 has 8 seconds left to act
mbf0700 calls $4
DonCantabrigia raises to $8
jamyhawk calls $2
mbf0700 calls $2
*** RIVER *** [Kd 4s Qc 5d] [2h]
mbf0700 checks
DonCantabrigia bets $2<--as expected.
jamyhawk raises to $4
mbf0700 has 8 seconds left to act
mbf0700 folds
DonCantabrigia calls $2<--no re-raise? must not be the set of K's or Q's.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jamyhawk shows [5h 5c] three of a kind, Fives
DonCantabrigia mucks
jamyhawk wins the pot ($42) with three of a kind, Fives
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $43 Rake $1
Board: [Kd 4s Qc 5d 2h]
Seat 1: jamyhawk showed [5h 5c] and won ($42) with three of a kind, Fives<--winner! Presto is gold.
Seat 2: new2dis (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: AZ and WI Kid is sitting out
Seat 4: dpy150 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: mbf0700 (big blind) folded on the River
Seat 6: thmn_kron didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: suzyqmb didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: dbtom didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: DonCantabrigia mucked [Ac As] - a pair of Aces<--poorly played AA.

Then I switch tables. I'm working on some other stuff, so I play at a lower limit table and not a speed table, so I can bounce back and forth easily between programs. At the .50/1 tables, I always sit down with $25.

I show this hand to illustrate how many people will chase draws.

Full Tilt Poker Game #3674652884: Table Desert Inn - $0.50/$1 - Limit Hold'em - 1:49:29 ET - 2007/09/26
Seat 1: BT101 ($41.10)
Seat 2: Mangomango ($26.40)
Seat 3: sapphiretonic ($28.90)
Seat 4: jtmurph ($21.25)
Seat 5: guyt8019 ($18.60)
Seat 6: guybrush_th ($22.35)
Seat 7: megabyter ($22.65)
Seat 8: jamyhawk ($25.55)
Seat 9: dchowder ($87.70)
Mangomango posts the small blind of $0.25
sapphiretonic posts the big blind of $0.50
5 seconds left to act
dchowder posts a dead small blind of $0.25
dchowder posts $0.50
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jamyhawk [Ad Ah]
jtmurph folds
guyt8019 folds
guybrush_th folds
megabyter calls $0.50
jamyhawk raises to $1<--bet your strong hands!
dchowder has 15 seconds left to act
dchowder calls $0.50
BT101 folds
Mangomango folds
sapphiretonic folds
megabyter calls $0.50
*** FLOP *** [Kc 3c 9s]
megabyter checks
jamyhawk bets $0.50<--bet your strong hands! No slow playin' here.
dchowder folds
megabyter calls $0.50
*** TURN *** [Kc 3c 9s] [5s]
megabyter checks
jamyhawk bets $1<--bet your strong hands!
megabyter calls $1
*** RIVER *** [Kc 3c 9s 5s] [Js]
megabyter checks
jamyhawk bets $1<--he was on a club draw, surely.
megabyter folds<--folds with 6:1 on his money for a call. So you know he was chasing a draw. Maybe even Ace high.
Uncalled bet of $1 returned to jamyhawk
jamyhawk mucks
jamyhawk wins the pot ($6.65) <-- That's a winner!
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $7 Rake $0.35
Board: [Kc 3c 9s 5s Js]
Seat 1: BT101 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Mangomango (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: sapphiretonic (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: jtmurph didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: guyt8019 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: guybrush_th didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: megabyter folded on the River
Seat 8: jamyhawk collected ($6.65), mucked
Seat 9: dchowder folded on the Flop

1/2 limit tables and Survivor

For the past couple of years that I have played online poker, I have been playing NLHE most of the time. Most of the time, I have played at low limit or micro limit tables and the play there is horrible. You know the players I am talking about. The "WTF, it's only $5. I'm all in, needing runner, runner to win." I think at those limits, a lot of times it is just a matter of getting the cards. You can't play poker. You can't bluff; you can't re-steal a pot. You can't raise someone off of a draw.

Lately, I have been playing $1/$2 limit poker at FTP, and have rarely had a down session. The tables are extremely soft. It seems people have enough invested that they can find the fold button. I have bet top pair any kicker down to the river when I read my opponent on a draw and they will call all the way down. If I see the draw hit, I can limit my losses, but if it doesn't, some players will fold a $2 call into a $20 pot. I typically sit down with $50 at the $1/$2 tables, which seems to be an amount that is enough to sustain a couple of bad beats, but not so intimidating that people won't get into pots with you. Try these tables and see. I will try to start posting more hands at these levels.

I would also be interested in any feedback on how the $1/$2 tables are compared to the $2/$4 tables. I would like to move up, but haven't built the bankroll up enough to feel comfortable at those levels.

Now on to Survivor. I haven't missed a season yet. Technology today is amazing! I have 3 TIVO's in my house and don't think I would watch TV without it these days (except sports). I can catch up on 3 weeks worth of shows in one Saturday night. If you don't have TIVO yet, prioritize. Put it on the top of the list. Anybody that watches TV should make it a must!

Well, last week it happened. I forgot to TIVO Survivor. Not one single machine had it ready to go (I don't use the auto recording feature where the TIVO will record what it THINKS you want recorded -it fills up our hard drive too fast doing that). I had seen the previews on Big Brother 8 and on CBS football, but never programmed it to record.

But never fear! Technology rescued me once again. I hooked my laptop up to my 42" flatscreen, connected some external speakers and I could watch Survivor over the Internet directly from the CBS website. Unbelievable! The only downside was being forced to watch Viagra ads (the gheyest commercials of all time -8 middle aged guys in a barn playing instruments and singing "viva vi-agra" while smiling at each other like they are about to get it on). You couldn't skip through the ads over the Internet, but I got to watch my show!

That's about it for now. Hope you are making money! Stay patient...