Wednesday 9 January 2008

AQ hmmm..


At the start of the year (2008) I decided to deposit a small amount of money into Ladbrokes Poker and give there software a trial. Where my alias is currently lJAMESl I found there software to be lightning quick and there deposit and withdrawl methods are extremely quick and efficient. I put 200$ into my ladbrokes account and decided to give 1-2$ a little trial, I do not recommend this for anyone who is trying to build a bankroll but I was prepared to lose the money without any real bother just to get a feel for the site. A couple of hours later I found myself quadrupled up and found the site pretty soft at NL 200$ this could of possibly just been due to the fact I was on a weak table.


So I gave it another try the next day I sat on NL 200$ this time I found myself tripled up at the end of the session. I now had around 1400$ in my account from a starting amount of 200$.


To be honest I was pretty happy with the way things were goin in just two days. I decided to do something again I don't personally recommend with a 1400$ Bankroll and that was give NL 400$ a taster.


I sat for a while stayed pretty tight and aggressive and watched a couple of aggressive scandinavian players wipe eachother out, show bluffs to each other and then berate eachothers play. I managed to double up early on with Jacks full where a scandinavian player tried bluffin me on the river by shoving with AKcc a missed gutshot straight draw on a J 10 6 6 9 board.


My stack was now around 900$... I found myself in the cut-off in which there had been 3 limpers so I decided to squeeze the pot slightly with AcQh I raised to 8 bb = 32$

I got two callers who I both had positon on an aggressive loose scandinavian player and a tight british player who I was a bit wary of.


The flop came Ks Qs 7h both players checked so I led out a 1/3rd pot bet around 35$ to see where I was, the tight british player folded and the loose scandinavian flat called.

I assumed now he was on a draw possibly a straight or flush draw or maybe he had a weak queen I didn't think he had a King as I felt being his playing style he would of reraised me on the flop same with a flush draw.


The turn brought the 8 of spades the board now read Ks Qs 7h 8s The scandi player checked to me I decided to fire small and see his reaction I fired around a 1/3rd of the pot again he reraised me around 5-6 times my bet, Alarm bells rang I genuinely believed this bet was not one of a player holding a flush in his hand but infact one of a player who was representing a flush, I decided to call the bet.


The river brought the 2 of clubs a blank in my mind the board read Ks Qs 7h 8s 2c


My best hand being A pair of Queens and an Ace kicker. On the river the scandi player fired almost his full stack (525$) into a 550$ pot.

I had to click the time bank because in all honesty this was a very good bet I was 100% sure he did not have a king and I was pretty sure he did not have a flush I couldn't see him playing a set like this and If he had a flush why would he bet so big on the river? Surely he would value bet his flush.


After a long think and believing I was facing J10 or maybe even A8 with the ace of spades I called the bet and the scandi player showed 9-10os a missed gutshot straight draw.

I took down the 1500$ pot and was pretty happy with my call and my thought process on the hand but I don't particularly believe I played the hand that well but I believe if I didn't play the hand in this weak manner I wouldn't of been able to win such a big pot and of induced such a huge bluff.


I have won a bit more since and I currently have 3800$ in my ladbrokes account since the new year from my 200$ deposit. Hopefully I can build this into a decent bankroll and move up to the higher stakes.


Any thoughts about the hand please feel free to make a comment


Thanks and Goodluck James :)

7 comments:

Amatay said...

hello m8, i added you to my contacts

Michael said...

Good luck with poker and the blog.
I've linked you up.
http://tolekim.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I think it was a great read and a great call! you shouldn't underestimate it!!

we$ty aka UareSoSad said...

or8 m8 i think u made an amazing read buddy but also showed big balls lol keep up the good work

C said...

great blog mate - could i get a link? i've added you...

www.exsnowman.blogspot.com

- a year in the life.

nice one! good luck!

Anonymous said...

Great read! Great call! but be careful of those scandys m8 they r brutal!!
They like J 10 aswell

HA HA

Anonymous said...

> Alarm bells rang I genuinely
> believed this bet was not one
> of a player holding a flush in
> his hand but infact one of a
> player who was representing a
> flush, I decided to call the bet.

Although you were right in the end, I think your thought process may be flawed here. If a player is any good then he will represent a hand with exactly the same bet as if he had it. Maybe you had a specific read on this player (whether you were aware of it or not) the he wasn't that good a player.

> The river brought the 2 of
> clubs a blank in my mind the
> board read Ks Qs 7h 8s 2c
> ...
> the scandi player showed 9-10os
> a missed gutshot straight draw.

The turn missed his gutshot, but gave him an open-ender to miss on the river :-)

Anyway, great read and ballsy call. It's being able to make those big reads and get them right AND to back it up with real money that separates the OK players (like me) from the great players (like you).

- Ghoti