The die is cast

Getting used to pokerstars field.
Less clueless players. They will not simply fold everything because it’s an overbet when F and T went x/x, so then I’m exploiting with value. Seen one or two guys protecting checking range even to the detriment of building the pot, which I think should be the main goal.
On the other hand they fold more often when it’s 1/3 pot so that is a profitable bet to remember and throw in more than once in a while with bluffs.
They seem to fold a bit more to 2nd barrels on 3bet pots. They also 3bet more themselves, being more aggresive overall.
I better think more actively because the amount of tough spots is greater with villains understanding something of nut and range advantage. Also because there is less time until hand autofolds (which keeps game in a good and nice flow).

The fact that there is a chat is a plus. I’ll gently give away my rec instincts by teasing opponents every now and then. Hope players keep that active. The reg part is full satisfied already by choosing to play on PS.

And, yes, no lagging at all so I don’t have to worry about something else than the game.

Originally posted by Paraibuda
But I have just hit a mark: 2X THE INITIAL BR OF THE CHALLENGE!
Good game.

Nice! Good luck with the remainder!

Are you playing regular tables nl$10 at pokerstars now? You did great at Pacific Poker looking at your results!

Thanks!

Now I'm playing mainly the 10 NL zoom at PS. I don't think I can get back to the waiting of regular tables after having transitioned to zoom hehe. Do you also play there or only GG?

So at 888 it was a mix of sunrunning last month and getting used to the regulars there, and more recently implementing an outrageously aggressive strategy in some spots. I'm glad it went well and I hope I can get back there (the lagging is certainly not PC related, if they tell me app is normal then I'll have to check other wi-fi connections).

I'll check out your blog!

No we don't have stars here, so GG rush indeed.

Sometimes very aggressive players are difficult to play against, and I am wondering in what spots and how I can play this laggy. But when you don't do it right it's probably losing money fast.

Man let's discuss some hands and try to discover these spots. I'm trying to figure it out too.

I guess it changes a little from field to field, but maybe not that much. But attacking wherever villain becomes capped, like: if he limps SB, if he checks twice (flop and turn ou turn and river) or more, specially in wet, dinamic boards when they are enticed to bet a lot for protection with their big value hands. I don't bluff a lot A high boards because people won't fold too.
And there is this thing with sizing which I find very important. Like everybody will bluffcatch small pots with 2nd or 3rd pair when you bet 66%, maybe even pot. But my opinion is that lot of people start to become elastic and folding even in small pots when you make it 150%, 2x, 3xpot.

Originally posted by Paraibuda
if he limps SB

Almost never happens in the games I play.

Originally posted by Paraibuda
if he checks twice (flop and turn ou turn and river) or more,

Check twice is the rule right?

Sometimes, when you're oop and you think he is going for a delayed cbet because he missed checking once is enough, and you can donk out.

Originally posted by Paraibuda
specially in wet, dinamic boards when they are enticed to bet a lot for protection with their big value hands.

Yes, although some people call anyway. Need to have somebody that folds in these cases. The more (scare)cards the better. Flop they often still go with it. If turn is awful for their range you can also float turn and bluff river. I do like to have something that connects to the board in those cases though, so sometimes I make my draw and go for value, and sometimes I miss and pretend to have hit anyway and go for a bluff.

Originally posted by Paraibuda
I don't bluff a lot A high boards because people won't fold too.

AKx boards are an exception perhaps, they don't check an ace with a king that can call on the board, so if they don't cbet they will often fold to a bet (pocket pairs as well).

Originally posted by Paraibuda
And there is this thing with sizing which I find very important. Like everybody will bluffcatch small pots with 2nd or 3rd pair when you bet 66%, maybe even pot. But my opinion is that lot of people start to become elastic and folding even in small pots when you make it 150%, 2x, 3xpot.

I don't very often use overbets, something I can still add to my weapons.

Originally posted by Stackoffski
Check twice is the rule right?

Sometimes, when you're oop and you think he is going for a delayed cbet because he missed checking once is enough, and you can donk out.

I think so. When I see players who protect checking range it's one of the first things I actively take note so I don't attack them ruthlessly and lose a lot of money. Then sometimes when they don't protect I can start after one check, but after two the chance they will defend is very low.
This guy is very good at identifying this sort of spot: https://www.youtube.com/@YolanCohenPoker .

Originally posted by Stackoffski
Yes, although some people call anyway. Need to have somebody that folds in these cases. The more (scare)cards the better. Flop they often still go with it. If turn is awful for their range you can also float turn and bluff river. I do like to have something that connects to the board in those cases though, so sometimes I make my draw and go for value, and sometimes I miss and pretend to have hit anyway and go for a bluff.

Yes I never do that with calling stations. Never. Like, if I get to the river with 4 high and I need to bluff to win the pot against this types of players I just give up very frequently and no worries. And I choose semibluffs as well than total air.
I float very little and that's a leak I have to correct.

And for the overbets I think this guy teaches very well in some of his videos: hungry horse, although he plays live and it is probably less likely to work moving up stakes online.

This was week's results at 888. Not a word from support unfortunately so this is the least I've played in a week since the last 6 months I'd guess.
Always on the verge of tilting there but ended up with a small win.

And this was at PS. The game is actually more intimidating but much more interesting. Look, for example, these 2 hands:

PokerStars - $0.10 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 100 BB
SB: 113.6 BB
Hero (BB): 99.5 BB
UTG: 131.3 BB
MP: 107.1 BB
CO: 195.1 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 9♠ Q♠

fold, fold, CO raises to 2.5 BB, fold, SB raises to 4 BB, Hero calls 3 BB, CO calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (12 BB, 3 players) J♣ T♠ A♠
SB bets 5.8 BB, Hero calls 5.8 BB, CO calls 5.8 BB

Turn: (29.4 BB, 3 players) T♦
SB bets 14.1 BB, Hero calls 14.1 BB, fold

River: (57.6 BB, 2 players) 2♦
SB checks, Hero bets 75.6 BB and is all-in, SB calls 75.6 BB

Hero shows 9♠ Q♠ (One Pair, Tens)
(Pre 14%, Flop 50%, Turn 31%)
SB shows Q♦ Q♥ (Two Pair, Queens and Tens)
(Pre 86%, Flop 50%, Turn 69%)
SB wins 199.4 BB

This was a gangsta call from villain, and I'm not even sure if I shouldn't have bluffed. Hand-readingwise I was right but maybe misread the capacity of the guy, who made a call worth of his "stars season winner" badge

And:

PokerStars - $0.10 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 169.7 BB
SB: 141.9 BB
BB: 279.2 BB
Hero (UTG): 112.1 BB
MP: 70.3 BB
CO: 73 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A♣ A♦

Hero raises to 2.5 BB, fold, fold, BTN calls 2.5 BB, fold, fold

Flop: (6.5 BB, 2 players) Q♥ 8♠ 2♥
Hero checks, BTN bets 4.8 BB, Hero calls 4.8 BB

Turn: (16.1 BB, 2 players) 6♠
Hero checks, BTN bets 22.2 BB, Hero calls 22.2 BB

River: (60.5 BB, 2 players) Q♦
Hero checks, BTN bets 140.2 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 82.6 BB and is all-in

BTN shows T♥ 9♥ (One Pair, Queens)
(Pre 23%, Flop 48%, Turn 34%)
Hero shows A♣ A♦ (Two Pair, Aces and Queens)
(Pre 77%, Flop 52%, Turn 66%)
Hero wins 215.5 BB

What villain - who then proceeded to throw me fishes and the likes everytime he saw me - missed was that this must be an overbluffed spot. There's only AQ and 88 who will play like that for value and a myriad of bluffs.

Spots like that were rare at 888 and people played more face up I'd say. Nothing that a few adjustments won't fix. But NL25 pool must be tough.

BR now is 730 (888) + 45 (profit at PS): $775.

That was quite an ambitious call from QQ

The second hand, I would probably have check-raised the turn instead of letting him get there and pay him off when he hits (if I put him on a draw). You elect to let him semi-bluff once more. Interesting. I wonder what makes the most money ... any thoughts on raising him on turn?
This is almost exactly the kind of hand that was giving me trouble, oop with an overpair on such a board. Instead I was leading out and they just called flop+turn. I chicken-check-fold river twice. Happened twice in a short time, that's why I remember ... I know it's a good bluff-board but I think they might have hit two pair or whatever by the river.

That was also what I was talking about when I was talking about floating ... I do this too sometimes.

There is a big difference between players at these stakes (at GG at leas). Some are just not capable of pulling this off (and you know they do have it), and some will grab the opportunity to bluff.

You have a good bankroll for nl$10
I am back at playing nl$5 atm.

Second hand OTT I chose calling mainly because he polarizes by overbetting. And then I don't think I have much incentive to raise because he simply folds the bluffs (and even AQ, KQ if he is disciplined and realizes I have overpairs in my range, and raising overbets is value-heavy) or I'm in a tough spot against the nuts.
So by calling I will 1. Lose to full houses and trips a whole stack by the river. 2. Get money from his bluffs when he goes for it.
If I raise, I keep losing to full houses and trips, but don't get any money from his bluffs.

But as you mentioned, there is the risk he completes the flush. Suppose it's a 9♥:. I'm likely folding to a shove then with no headaches whatsoever. It completes flushes, straights and some two pairs. But like:3h: I'd have to tank it.

And I know the feeling of check-folding the river after double barreling hehe. One thing that helps now and then is to throw a block bet and fold to shove, because bet-bet-bet is underbluffed so is really unintuitive for opponents to find that shove OTR for bluff. Anyway I do that sometimes because I am always lost in these spots when I check river and V shoves.

Good luck at the tables!

Took a beating at PS 25NL.