2019's ChuckM's Poker Blog

[Chuck M]

Hi all,
As you might have noticed, i started a bloggish thread last year. Just a place to log in my session reviews.

If you’re interested to read my previous year of poker, here’s the link

A cliff note about myself, started poker around 2009, reduced my number of sessions by 2011/12 to switch to online grinding micro stakes, it went pretty well forna few years then got crushed trying to beat 25nl, lost big chunks of my roll as well as my appetite for the game. Then took a break between 2015 to mid 2017, then the passion for the game came back. I prefer live play, but I can play an online game once in a while.

My goals for 2019
– win between 50-60% of my sessions
– win more than my losses (just want to finish up, no amount in head)
– I’d like to play a little PLO
– I could try a 2/5 session, just to see how it plays. I don’t know if it’s worth it. Of course I have no roll, but I also don’t have a roll for 1/2. I’m just curious, just want to try out… maybe not this year, we’ll see…
– I’d like to set a goal as for number of sessions as well. I’d say around 30, I’d be happy.
– I would also like to play more than one tournament. (and if possible, add a score to my hendon mob page)

[Chuck M]

Session #01, jan 2nd

Let’s start already.
I went to play a 1/2 session yesterday.
I only had 2 hours to play (way too short for my taste) but that was better than nothing.

Was a new table, I noticed there were a lot of short stacks tho, only myself and anotger player bought in for 100bb.
Sesh started slowly… Actually, it was kinda slow for the hole 2 hours…

Folded a couple orbits, then opened AK, checked down a Q high board and lost the min vs AQ.

The first pot I won went : limp, raise to 10, I 3bet KK to 30, folded around.

A few orbits later, picked up QJs on the cutoff, I opened and got called in two spots.
Flop (21) A54
Checked to me, I cbet my bdoor fd to 10 (repping the ace in my opening range as well) both folded.

And at last, I raised KK after a limp on the CO, btn, bb, and mp-limper called.
Flop (32) AA9
two checks, I wanted to cbet, but then I thought that I didn’t have much value. They would either fold their hands, of call (or c/r with an ace).
Of course I could get value from a 9 or mid pair, but I thought I was going to bet on a later street.
Btn checked behind me.

Turn 4
Checked around
I could’ve bet there…

River 9
Checked to me
I elected on a chk/call, think I didn’t beat much.
Btn bet 10, took tge chips in my hand, BB called, mp folded, then I thought someone had a boat, then folded (I know, i had a good price, but still felt I wasn’t beating much).

Btn showed T9 for a boat and bb mucked

Lost $99 in 2 hours of play.
I don’t mind yet, 2019 has just started, plenty of time to build up from there (and do better than 2018)

At least I enjoyed myself playing, had a good time 🙂

[John S]

Definitely take a shot at 3/5! You lose some of the goofyness of 1/2 (less 4 to 7-way flops, mainly), but I find I play better at high levels. I tend to get less bored and do less stupid things, and my pre-flop play is better. Since pre-flop is so huge, it really helps the game.

Plus there are still plenty of terrible players at these levels, there step-up in skill isn’t that big save a few of the good players. 5/10 is where the skill level really jumps. Even if you only buy-in for $300-$500, give it a shot!

• This reply was modified 5 years, 11 months ago by John S.

[Chuck M]

Thanks John,
I’ll think about it. I am definitely interested to take a shot, I might try it sooner than later 😉

That might makes an interesting blog too

[Chuck M]

Session #2, Jan 28th

Little early sesh. Got into a 1/2 game. Plays quiet, i’m about even for a few orbits.
Then, perfect spot.
Few limps ahead, I’m on the BTN with AA. I iso to 15 and got 2 calls.

Flop (50-ish)
J72dd,
checked to me, I bet 35, villain c/shove for 105
I call, he showed QJ
Turn, X
River, J
Oh well…

a little later, limped pot, since i became short, I decieded to overlimp ATo on the BTN. (maybe I should have raised here… I just thought it was a little weak to invest a 6th of my stack… and to strong to just fold… Though I’d see a cheap flop, and play from there)(maybe not the best option!?)
Flop AQJ
checked to me, I bet 12, and got a call (was thinking a better ace would’ve raised pf, so, I was prolly good)
turn brick,
he checks, I bet 16, he shoves 20, I call. He showed QJ and held… oh well, nh

And finally, got QQ utg, and opened to 8 (from my $52 stack)
called by two
flop (25ish)
J85,
I cbet 18, two calls

turn (79)
2
I shove 26, one fold, one call with Jx, and I held.

Not very long afterwards, I cashed out to 117

I had fun, and I’m glad with the way I played… Maybe there’s that AT hand which i’m not super convinced of, but appart from that, I think I played good.

—
2019
2 sessions / 4 hours / down 182
—

Year starts slow, but doesn’t really matter, looking forward to go back. I’d like to play more often, and longer sessions… I used to play 4-5 hour sessions, but now, with my gf’s schedule, and mine, I find it harder. I go play when I can, and for short sessions, but I’d really like to play longer ones. I kind of feel that in 1 or 2 hours of play, you gotta get lucky, you gotta hit cards. As for a longer session, you can wait for good spots. It happened to me quite a few times when I finished shorter sessions loosing, and I thought : had I been playing longer, I could’ve rebuilt and end my session up. I feel like we don’t have much time for that in a 2 hour session… maybe it’s just me (?)

[Chuck M]

Hi all, just a little update

that might look like I went busto, or stopped playing and stuff…. but it’s not the case… not entirely. I have a little bit of a gf situation which makes it hard for me to go play as much as I would want to.
No bankroll, and I just got an unexpected expense to take care of. *I play music, and got a huge tune up to do on my instrument*

That doesn’t mean I stopped playing, and wont be able to go back. It’s just that, aiming for 30-40 sessions by the end of the year looks way harder than expected at first. I’ll try go to at least once or twice a month.

But on a side note, I re-started to play a little bit of online poker (cash games, mainly).
Used to play a lot a few years back, (I might have hit a million hands, not sure, I kinda quit around 2014, and quit counting my hands, at around 750k hands, but I then played a bit of zoom poker (on stars)…

Anyway, that wasn’t the point 🙂
I have a tiny bankroll online, but I didn’t want to deposit. So, I’ll try to make it grow from where it is. I played a bit of 10NL, but with $75 in my account, that was a little bit crazy. In one sesh, lately, I lost a BI with KK < 99. That happens all the time, so I decided to get more disciplined and stick to 2NL. (feels boring, since I used to play 16 and 25NL). Maybe I should just deposit. One 1/2 live buy-in could allow me to play 10NL, probably… Thing is, I’m not sure I want to take it super seriously. I play a bit online here and there, between my live sessions. On the other hand, if I could grow an online roll from (nearly) skratch, that could be cool as well (done it in 2009-2010)

So, just for fun, here’s some stats

Since I didn’t play live poker in February,
I played a few sessions online. 4. Short sessions. Total of 781 hands. (at my peak, I used to play 20k hands / month, around 1000 hands/session). But that era is long gone (lol)
Mix of 5NL and 10NL (full ring)
3 up / 1 down, broke even (KK<99)

For stats geeks, I played 19/15/7. Fold to 3B 68%, 4bet 18%. Steal atmp 52%, fold blind vs steal 72% (I’ll have to diminish that)

Cbet 71, fold to cbet 71 as well (I’d like to decrease that also). But 781 hands is still a real small sample, so… we can take those stats with a bit of a grain of salt.

went to showdown 27%, won 50%, won without showdown 37% (that’s too low I think)

Maybe the sessions I played were against tight players, and my ranges were a bit wide (and wide for FR in comparison of SH), so that’s why I had to give up a lot post flop.

I’ll think about it.
And for sure, I’ll keep that blog updated as for next time I’ll go play live 😀 (gawd, I can’t wait)

[Chuck M]

Session #3, April 14th

Finally! I went to play today. It felt really good 🙂

I usually play cash games, but today, I was in the mood for a little tourney. Been a few days/weeks that I had this in mind.

So I took a look at the schedule, there was a Daily $65 Deepstack Turbo (15min blinds) @ Playground (~30 minutes away from where I live). Started at 1pm, but late registrations were open till 2:30. Got there for 2:15/20, blinds were about to be 300/600/600bba (BB ante). Starting stack is 30k, so plenty of bigs, and average was at 34k, so, I thought it was worth it.

First hand I play (well, there was an overlimp in late pos with 33 for a set mine, where I missed and folded flop). But first real hand I played was the last one before the 1st break.

Blinds 300/600/600bba
I open (1800) KQo from UTG+1. Big stack (I’d say nearly 100k) calls on the btn, and SB does so.

Flop Q77 (6.6k)
I decided on a check. I could’ve cbet, but I thought that could be nice to have some top pair in my checking range here. Plus, I planned to cbet the next two streets if they were to be safe cards.
On the other hand, I kinda wonder if it’s really worth it to balance in that situation, since I just got there, they don’t know me, I don’t know them. The sample of hands we’ll be playing together is most likely going to be quite small… Anyway, I chose to balance by checking here.
Checked around

Turn Q77-8 (6.6k)
I now bet 3k
only BTN calls.

Riv Q778-K (12.6k)
I go ahead and bet 4k. (and I don’t think I like this sizing… I could easily have gone around 6k (had 25k before the river bet).
Anyway I bet 4k, he asked me how much I had left, and started to cut down his stacks to count them…
Then I got a bit scared… He’s gonna raise and put me all-in, and I won’t know what to do… Don’t wanna call to see his 7x and bust after 11-12 minutes of play… but he could also be light, since he’s got aroung 4x my stack and my river bet might’ve looked weak, plus, he probably knows that there are few 7s in my opening range from EP…
but then, he just folded, lol

We’re up to 37.5k feels good 🙂

I didn’t get much more hands to play, unfortunately. Lots of J4, K2, Q5…
And I rarely play tournaments, and it got to me as I found myself in that following spot :
QJs UTG… 10-12 bb… what do I do? I never really studied the push/fold charts, I was playing with my instinct. Plus, we seldom face such decisions in cash games. Usually my instincts were good.
But here, now, is it an auto-shove? I kinda feel it is, but, am I only gonna get called by better? When I’m called, will my equity be around 30-35% ? Do I want it that way? Or can I wait to shove that hand from LP, or any suited Ace…
I hesitated, and that might be (and probably is) a mistake, but I folded.

Afterwards, I had a look at such charts, and I think yeah, it should’ve been a snap shove (isn’t?) Especially in a turbo (d’uh!). Yeah, so I kinda regret that…
but anyway, I got do see a few more orbits, and last untill the 2nd break.

EDIT : After I was out, I threw that hand in a range calculator, and gave an estimated calling range, and sometimes, I could be ahead of some QT, JT… and overall it was nearly a flip (based on the calling range I put in the app)

With the blinds rise, we got back at 1.5k/3k/3k bba. And I only had 18k, lol

A few hands passed, and the BB got to me.
folded around to the BTN who raises to 14k.
SB gets out of the way.
I look down at AQcc, nice, any ace would’ve done, even any suited Kx or Qx.
so in the middle went my last 15k (after I paid the 3k BB ante).
Villain called the remaining 1k.

my AQcc is up against his J7cc
Nice, I even have his suit dominated.
Turn 7
nh, gg 🙂

busto in 61st out of 164 entries.

Pretty happy with my play. I would’ve liked to see more spots, have more stealing opportunities. And I should’ve shoved those QJs earlier, lol

But that was fun. Next time, I might to back to cash game, but I’ll hop into a tournament once in a while. They can be fun, and I could use some practice before bigger events, like the WSOP Circuit coming “home” in late August… right on time for my bday 😀

• This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Chuck M.

[Chuck M]

Sesh #4, April 22nd

Well it wasn’t a cash game session. I played another tournament instead.
Tonight, there was a Short Deck tourney and I and a day off or work and I wanted to go play and try this format 😀
I had tried it for a few minutes on microstakes cash game on pokerstars, just to get a little feel of how it played. But tonight, I had the occasion to try it live!

There were a couple spots where I’m not quite sure of my play…
Also, I kinka limped quite a few hands. More than I do in NLHE, but I think I heard it was normal, Short Deck plays more post-flop… I mean, I’m not sure, but I think no hand had that much of an edge over another preflop. Or maybe it’s just because the game is kinda new, so people want to see cheap flops.

It was kinda hard putting people on ranges preflop. Anyway, that was fun!

There’s one spot, where I’m not sure if I missed value.
I’m in the blinds, there’s an open, a couple calls, I call with QJs.
– Flop AKTr (wow)
I check, OR cbets, couple folds, I elect on a call (maybe I could raise… I don’t remember the stack sizes here) So I flat
– Turn AKT-Q (oh)
I thought about betting, but I chose on a c/c. Unfortunately, villain checked back.
– River AKTQ-T (d’oh)
check check, I win.

I thought about betting the river as well, but went again for a c/c….
Anyway, I don’t think I’m gonna get called by worse… even 2pair combos or trips, it’s a scary board.. I’d get him to fold a large percentage of the time, we chop vs Jx, and lose to fullhouses.

I felt I played it a little too passive, but in retrospect, I think it was just an awful runout.

I was short stacked a great portion of the tournament. I was patient and waited for good spots to take some chips, see flops, etc… then we were only 9 left!
(47 entries).
9 left! Final table! (small tourney, but still, it’s cool to make it to the FT, especially on a format I was trying out for the 1st time) 😀

Then the blinds and antes got up, and I was short… untill I found AKs, and shoved pre, called by AQ, and I held. (14k => 35k)

Very next hand, I’m BB. (yeah, at this poker room, they run a blinds structure as a regular nlhe tournament as opposed to everybody puts an ante, plus there’s a single blind OTB… or maybe that’s just for SD cash game? D’you guys know?)

Anyway, I just got up to 35k, but now I’m BB (plus there’s a BB ante)
2k + 2k.
Q9hh, a few limps, and the flop is :
A86hh,
excellent! I got a double draw (for 9 outs) (5 for the flush draw, and 4 for a gutshot, the wheel draw (A6789)) I though a minute about check/shoving, but after I checked, a guy bet 6k. Since it was so cheap, I deceided to flat.
We went to the turn 3way.
Turn paired the A. I knew that even if villain had a fullhouse, I could outdraw him by rivering a flush. I checked, player in the middle checked, flop bettor bet 12k. (starting with 35k -2, -2, -6… had 25k left)
I decided to fold…
I got to see the showdown, the bettor had A8 for a turned board.
River was a black 10…

I lasted for another orbit or two. I remember the blinds were 1.5k/3k/3k BBa.
I woke up with KK. 2 limps, then I shoved my last 16k or so.
Got called by AJ.

Board ran out : J87 (all spades and I had the Ks) 6x J
ouch, nh, gg

out in 8th place out of 47…
top 6 was in the money… so close!

But I still glad I played that tournament, Short Deck was fun 🙂

[Chuck M]

Sesh #5 May 30th,

Pretty straight forward session. But I’m super happy ’cause it was only my 3rd cash game session this year (after playing 2 tourneys). First “win” of the year as well (lol). Lost half my buy-ins on previous sessions, and this one, I ended up cashing a $8 profit! Haha… well I could say it was a break even session.

first hand, I open AJs to 10 after a couple limps, flop 5way-ish, Kxx, I gave up. Flop checked around, and I folded to a turn bet. (bettor had KJ).

Then first win is a limp fest, I complete my SB with 78hd
flop A56hhd
I x, V bets 65-70% pot, a call or to, I call.
Turn 4d
I x, V bets 25, to me, I c/r to 65 (I should’ve raised bigger, but I only had 160 at this point, was setting a river shove). V called.
Riv 7c (not the best, but pretty happy not to see a H or the board pair)
I lead AI for 102 (into 150-160ish i think)
V tank folded A5.
I guess I could’ve vbet for 50-60ish, but with my spr smaller than 1, and with 2 busted f.d. on board, I thought shoving was going to look more bluffy (or more polarized). Villain had around 400 in his stack at this moment, I thought I could’ve been paid by 2pairs/sets. Anyway, I’m glad with that pot (maybe a bigger turn raise, but I would’ve had a weird river stack size). Anyway…

then, not much else to say, won some small pots with top pairs, took ’em down either on the flop or on the turn.

That was fun, I played from 11pm to 2:30am
I’m looking forward to go back

Oh yeah, I had this little app to help me calculate my live VPIP, I used it for my 2 last tournaments, but I was excited to get some data from my cash game… but I forgot to use it last night, lol… next time I will 🙂
cheers

[Chuck M]

Session #6, June 15th

Yeah! Just got back from a 3hour session of 1/2 NLHE.
My best result of the year (actually, my best result in a year and a half..(represents 25ish sessions)).
That was super cool, but… I experienced something a little unpleasant.

Bought in for 208 (out of my $250 bankroll -lol-)

I sat down in the middle of a hand (preflop action). Action was on the guy to my direct left, he was on the CO with $12 in front of him (not his stack, but he had bet 12). Btn called, and a guy in the blind had 3betted to i dunno, somewhere between 50 and 75. Co was tanking quite a bit, and then decided on a shove (250). BTN folded and Blinds called after 20-30 seconds…
JJ vs AQs which made nf on the turn.

I folded a few hands, completed a hand from the blinds, folded post-flop.
Then on a straddled pot (from UTG) I limped AQo from UTG1 (expecting the guy on the srdl to raise his option, so I’d called his raise)… Insted, it ended up being a 4 way limped pot (or 5way, not sure).
I won a small pot (checked down on KQxKT).

Then, I’m on the CO, folded to me, and I decided to open J7hh to 10.
BTN called me (the co from the first hand). And a OMC from the SB.
– Flop (30) K6h4
x, I cbet 15, BTN called, SB folded
– Turn (60) 5h
I x, Btn checked back
– Riv (60) 4h
I 22, Btn raised to 80.
I took a little moment and then called, he said “nice call” and showed 75dd

That put me up to 300ish.

Then a few hands later. UTG opens to 8. +1 3bet to 16, I (right next to act) cold 4bet to 56 with AA.
Btn called for less. Folded to UTG+1 who shoved for 100ish.
I held vs QTs and an unknown/mucked hand after the board went 88759

That got me up to 510
Wow, not only have I double (and more) my buy-in, but my entire bankroll (lol)….

But then, I became super frisky. I know I dropped from my Agame for sure.
It’s silly, but being close to a round number (500) made me not wanting to get under 500…
I folded KTs from UTG, which could’ve been a playable hand.

A little while later I called a raise with 77 and didn’t hit my set, folded to a postflop bet on all overcards.

Afterwards, I opened KQo from UTG, BTN (the guy from the blinds on the 1st hand) 3bet me to 20, that should’ve been a call, I folded cause I wanted to protect my winnings. I know when I start thinking like that, it’s pretty much time to leave. I stayed a little bit.

I opened TT, got 3betted, and that also should’ve been a call, but being oop, I opted for a nit fold… Had I been even at that time, I’m pretty sure I would’ve made those calls. Or had I have a bit of a bankroll. I don’t think I play scare, but when I’m up, I found out that I didn’t want to lose my winnings. That might also be caused by the fact that it’s been quite a while since my last good win.

I think I need to go back more often, get used to booking wins again (like I used to do back in the days -lol-) and I guess that’ll fix itself.

I know I was over-tight, I counted my VPIP and stuff… folded 62 out of the 74 hands I got dealt. I played 16/5/1. That was only one session, but I’ll see how it goes after 200 – 500 hands, 1000 hands…

By the end of the session, I thought that instead of fixing myself a cashout objective, I could set myself a goal in terms of number of hands. Here, I was at 74, I could’ve tried to play untill 100. On the other hand, I kinda planned to play untill 1:30am, and I left around 1:45

In summary, I’m pretty happy with the result, but I’m not super happy with my play overall. My winning were mainly due to a 3way all-in preflop with AA, nothing much to do here.
I’m glad with my play/river call with my J7hh hand.
But not so much with the fact that I tighten it up like I did.

In for 208 / out for 455

—
2019 :
4 cash sessions / 11 hours / up 73
2 tournaments / 6 hours / down 130
—

[Chuck M]

oh yeah, and the AQ hand in the beggining should’ve been an open, I usually raise that, obv, but in that instance, I expected a raise from either BTN or Straddler. But I usually raise that of course

[Chuck M]

Session #7, July 6th

Just got back form the pokerroom.
Played a little over 2 hours.
In for 200, out for 333

Not much to say, I played pretty nitty, couldn’t find great spots.

First I won a small pot, opening 87s CO, one call in the blinds.
Flop J52r villain x/f to cbet

Then I lost 25ish A3 < A6 on 9632A

Got down to about 165stack.

Straddled pot (1/2/5)
Omc opens to 15 on the CO, I call QJcc on the btn, SB and Strdl call.
Flop (60)
Q85
X x x I bet 30, Strdl calls.
Turn (120)
J
Villain x/c my 50
Riv (220)
Q
V shoves and I call off my last 64
He shows Q5 and I got a nice double up

Then I got a few raise n’ take with AK, JJ, and AQ

__

2019 :
5 cash sessions / 13 hours / Up 202
2 tournaments / 6 hours / down 130

[Chuck M]

Just to give an update
Went to the casino with a friend of mine who used to play poker but stopped. We played a little bit of table games together.
Won $80 at blackjack
Lost $60 back at the let it roll table,
Was fun anyway, and glad i didn’t lose back all my profit lol

[Chuck M]

Sesh #8, July 28th

I went to play today. A nothing-you-can-do type of day.
-$222 in 2 hours.

A whole table of limpers/callers, sticky post-flop, no concept of range vs range. Really gotta limp and see a cheap flop trying to hit. I was raising legit hands, but I kept missing flops. Cbet or not, no way to take the pot.

I went busto with my last $55 opening KJ to 10, flop 4way.
F. J85r, checked to me, I shove my last 45 (into 40ish), got on call 76hh
T. 4
R. 8
nh, gg, i’m out.

I know it happens, but I was a bit disappointed, I blew my 2019 profits in 2 hours. well, was only one buy-in, so doesn’t really count… Anyway…
There’s also the Canadian Stop of the WSOP Circuit in a month. Was planning to play an event or two. Was hoping to win enough to cover my buy-ins… I’ll have to re-think my stuff, or start winning again, lol
I guess it’s gonna be allright, was just a bad sesh

On a brighter note, I played an online tournament last week I rarely do so. $1.10 buy-in (in the PS’s micro-millions). Finished 6th/4500~ for $101

[Chuck M]

Sesh #9, August 7th

Went to play last night.
Bought in for 200.
Started a bit slow, I had won only 2 hands in the first two hours.
Gradually dropped to 110 (i don’t reload yet, no roll).

Then happens this hand. Straddled pot (1/2/4), i open KJs in utg2 or mp-ish since we were 6 or 7 handed at the moment. Straddler called.
Flop KQx
He c/c my 20
Turn KQx K
He checks, i shove (i cover him, he’s got 45 left) he tanks a little bit asking me if I have that king, then calls off
River brick, I show, he mucked

That put me back to 180ish

I then won another hand shortly after that. Don’t really remember what it was, probably something like I open AQ, a call or two, flop tptk, cbet and took it down.

Back up to 199 after i tipped $1 the dealer. My session was coming to an end, 2am, was planning to leave around that time. Last orbit, utg+1 i found AKo and open to 10, got 2 calls (or 3?)
Missed the flop totally, checked around, missed river and folded to a bet in front of me.

Cashed out for 186 (oh i geddit, paid the blinds after i was at 199, so -2, -1, 196, -10 w/ AK, out for 186, makes sense.

Pretty glad with the result. I would’ve like a win, but that feels almost like one after I was down half a buyin without winning a pot (or so). I consider that pretty much a break-even-ish session.

—-
2019 :
7 cash sessions / 18hrs / -34 (after $39 of tips, but that’s a live poker reality that i accept)

2 mtt’s / 6hrs / -130

[Author]

Posts