FTOPS $2500 Hands

I had a good opening table draw. The guy to my left turned out to be a ridiculous insane maniac and the guy to his left was extremely aggressive but not completely nuts. Dan Shak aka oiltrader was also at the table. He plays poorly but probably not as bad as his wife.

CO = cutoff (one before button)
HJ = hijack (two before button)
UTG = under the gun (first position)
EP = early position
MP = middle position
LP = late position

5000 chips to start

10-20

Raise very first hand KQ MP they fold.
Raise UTG AQ 2^nd pos calls LP reraises huge fold.
Fold T7o in BB to a 3x EP raise.
EP limps I limp 63o in SB BB raises 4x EP calls I fold.
Raise AQ MP again guy to my left calls again it gets reraised huge again I fold.
Raise next hand A8cc BB calls flop K94 two hearts he checks I fire 2/3 pot he folds.
LP makes small raise SBRounder calls I call in SB with Ts8s flop QJ9 two hearts one spade I check LP bets Rounder calls I make a pretty big raise they both fold.
Limp 87o on button blinds complete flop 662 they check to me I bet small they fold.
Raise AcQs MP cre8ive who hasn’t played a hand yet calls on button. Flop K53 two clubs I fire she calls turn 2s I check and fold to a 2/3 pot bet I generally try to avoid playing hands like that.
Fold A5o cutoff.
Raise 64cc HJ the very bad player to my left makes a big (4x) reraise. This guy is the time bomb at the table and will stack off with an overpair or even worse so I call. Flop comes 876 with two diamonds. I check and call a decent sized bet. Turn 9 I check and fold to a bet.
Raise QTcc MP same guy makes that big reraise again I call out of position and check-fold on a raggedy board.
Raise T9o CO win blinds.
4280

15-30
Folds to me in SB with the nut in the BB I raise KK 3x he instafolds.
UTG raises I call 88 on button flop JT4 she fires I fold.
Rounder raises I call with T9s Sergei Berezin (the real aggressive guy two to my left) squeezes huge we fold.
Limp 55 UTG blinds check flop T94 with a flush draw checked around turn K Rounder fires I fold.
Walk the nut with 84o.
Raise 64s MP they fold.
Raise KQ EP they fold.
Raise a red AK get reraised huge by the button then the SB (Shak but I don't yet know it's Shak) smoothcalls I make a 3x reraise of that the button folds but then Shak calls. Flop 9d5s3s check I decide to give up and check turn 8s he bets pot I fold.
EP raises I smooth with AK flop 553 he bets I call turn A he checks I bet 2/3 pot he calls river 3s providing a backdoor flush he checks I bet big he tanks a long time and folds.
3720

20-40
Raise AQ UTG maniac calls flop comes T32 I check-fold to his 100% chance of betting. This brings up an interesting question, how am I supposed to play ace high here against a guy who a) has never once folded to a continuation bet b) has bet every time he has been checked to and c) will certainly bet all three streets with or without a hand if checked to.
Raise KK percy (the maniac) calls BB calls flop comes Qd6c5c BB checks I check percy bets BB folds I raise 3.3x percy folds instantly.
EP raises gets called I fold 74s in BB.
Sergei raises UTG I fold KQ in SB.
Raise AK on the button percy calls in SB flop 77h3 check check turn Jh check check river 6h he bets half pot I instacall he has K5s I win.
Raise K9ss MP percy calls flop A74 all diamonds I check-fold.
Raise KK, LP calls and BB calls. Flop J95r checked to me I bet LP folds BB calls. Turn 7s BB checks I fire 60% pot he quickly makes a barely more than min raise leaving himself 900 chips I fold.
Try to limp Q9o on button percy makes a 6x raise from the SB and Sergei calls in the BB I fold.
Fold K6s HJ.
Raise AJo percy calls and then Sergei makes his usual gigantic reraise. I feel like I have a few too many chips for AJ right now and the risk/reward ratio is bad so I fold even knowing Sergei might have shit. Percy calls and they check down a board of QJ63Q Sergei has A8o and percy wins with 76o.
3112

25-50
Raise AK next hand the button (cre8ive) calls flop T73 check check turn K I fire she folds.
Guy limps I limp J8s on button percy makes a 7x raise from the SB guy calls I fold.
Fold A5s MP. 60x BB stack now.
UTG (very tight) raises I call in next position with 22 another calls flop A high UTG bets we fold.
Tight guy raises HJ I call cutoff with AJss. Flop J43r he bets 250 I call. Turn J he checks I bet 444 he calls. River 8 he checks I timebank and eventually bet 1432 he tanks a long time and finally calls with 99.
Cre8ive (who has been playing great) raises EP I defend BB with 8h7h and check-fold on QdTh3d.
Raise AQ LP Cre8ive makes a big reraise from the SB I maybe should just dump it against this player but I call. Flop AK2 she bets hard I don’t love my hand but call. Turn T check check river J she checks I bet 1777 in a similar fashion to the trip jacks hand a moment ago she uses all her time bank and finally folds. I think I got very lucky to win this hand.
7144

30-60
Raise AJ HJ percy calls cre8ive calls. Flop KK4 checked around turn 3 checked to percy he bets quickly I am prepared to call two streets here but cre8ive calls I fold.
Fold KTo in BB to the CO’s raise – he is a solid player.
Limp J4s in SB percy raises 3x I call. Flop K83 I check-fold. Obviously a siphon there but percy could so easily double me up if I hit against him.
Raise KJs EP cre8ive calls and BB calls. Flop AJ3 BB checks I check cre8ive fires BB checkraises I fold. Would have casually called if BB folded and would have raised if BB called.
Guy min raises LP I call in BB with 9d8d. Flop JJd7d I bet 201 he makes it 700 I make it 1999 which is most of his stack he folds.
Sergei raises UTG I call in SB with AQ percy calls in BB. Flop 973 I check percy bets we both fold.
Fold A2s EP.
Cre8ive raises EP SB calls I call in BB with Tc8c. Flop Th7h6c checked around. Turn 3 SB checks I bet very small (1/3 pot) cre8ive folds SB calls. River J check check I win he has 99. Would definitely have launched a value bet on the river but the jack was a bad card.
Limp SB with KcTh percy checks. Flop Tc9h7c I check-call half pot. Turn 6c check check. River T check check he has J3 I win.
7767

40-80
Fold 43s in BB to cre8ive’s raise.
Fold K7s on button after Shak limps.
Short stack raises I reraise with JJ he shoves I call he has QQ and wins.
Limp 86dd in SB percy raises in BB I call. Flop TcT6c I check-call a bet. Turn J check check. River 2 I check he bets big and fast I call he has AJ. Timing tells on this hand, particularly the turn where he instantly checked, need to be remembered.
Raise Ad9h on button percy calls in SB. Flop K54 all diamonds percy checks I bet 2/3 pot he raises I make a pot committing 3x reraise he shoves immediately I call he has K5hh the 9d falls on the river for a dramatic double up.
Fold T8s in pos to a short stack’s raise.
Raise AJ percy calls a new guy squeezes I fold.
Fold A6o HJ.
Raise 99 three guys call flop 552 I bet 60% pot they all fold.
LP raises I smoothcall in SB with AK percy makes a big reraise from the BB original raiser folds now I make a gigantic potcommitting reraise percy folds.
Fold QTo hijack.
Fold KTo to a raise.
11,063

50-100
Percy finally goes broke after losing 200 BBs in about fifteen hands, the last of it raising with Q5s, calling a reraise, and then check-jamming a 952 flop and running into Sergei's AA.
Button raises 2.2x I call in BB with J9o flop comes KdQsTs I bet out he calls turn As check check river 8 I bet 38% pot he calls with AA.
Raise AQ HJ they fold.
Fold K9s EP.
Raise JJ UTG LP calls Eric Froehlich calls in BB. Flop T73r BB checks I fire 2/3 pot LP thinks and calls Froehlich folds. Turn 4s I check LP bets pretty hard I think and min raise she instantly shoves in I fold.
EP limps I complete with A9. Flop A93 with a flush draw I check BB checks EP bets 300 (pot) I call. Turn 2 check check. River 4 I bet out pretty big he decides to look me up with 66.
Limp A3 on the button SB raises 4x with a shortish stack I fold.
EFro raises I call with 44 BB calls. Flop 643 with a flush draw they check to me I fire 2/3 pot they both fold quickly.
Fold KJo UTG.
EFro raises from SB I call in BB 98hh. Flop QJ7 all clubs he bets I fold.
EFro raises button I call in SB with AQ BB calls. Flop 883 two diamonds I check BB shoves for 1.3x the pot EFro folds I decide to call. BB has 96dd as suspected but hits a pair and then another to win it.

8459
60-120
Limp 22 UTG. Sergei raises 4x I call and check-fold on a KQ3 flop.
Limp 55 on button Sergei checks. Flop AK9 two diamonds he bets out I fold.
Call an EP raise with JThh Shak calls in BB flop KQ6 two clubs they check to me I fire 2/3 pot they both fold.
EP limps I limp A7s in SB BB checks. Flop T33 one of my suit I check BB checks EP bets I fold. That one kinda felt bad.
Limp K9cc on button Sergei checks. Flop QJT all hearts he bets out pretty hard I just call. Turn x he bets out hard I just call. River Q he bets fairly hard I call again he has Q5s I win.
EP limps I limp KJo CO blinds check. Flop KJ9r Sergei leads right out into everyone pretty hard I think forever and just call. Turn 8d he bets out hard again I call. River Td making a backdoor flush he bets big yet again I can’t see how I’m possibly good here so I fold. Right line here I think is raise the flop and bet the turn hard and fold if ever reraised.
Raise QQ MP they fold.
Give a walk with 75o.
Limp button with Q9o blinds check. Flop AKQ checked around. Turn K checked around. River T they check to me I bet the minimum. The only reason I bet here was so I didn’t have to turn over the hand. Only reason at all.
Raise AThh EP one player calls. Flop J86 two diamonds one heart it goes check check. Turn 4 I check and fold.
Raise the next hand UTG with JTs they all fold.
Open-fold 63s CO I feel like I’ve been a little too active.
Open-fold A9o next hand.
9080

80-160
Fold J9s 2^nd pos.
Fold 43s in BB to Sergei’s EP raise.
CO raises I call in SB with AcJc BB calls. Flop 9s7s7c I check BB checks LP bets I decide to fold.
MP limps I raise 3.5x on button with AKcc he calls. Flop Ah9h3c he checks I check. Turn Kd he checks I bet half pot he calls. River 5c he leads half pot I think forever and then make a 2.5x raise he folds.
Fold Q8s HJ.
Raise 77 Sergei calls and Shak calls in SB. Flop AsTc4s checked around. Turn Ah Shak checks I bet the minimum (160) Sergei calls Shak folds. River 5d check check Sergei has QJs I win. It's amazing, I've employed this min bet strategy a few times now live and online, it totally freezes opponents and they have no idea what to do and it gives you a good read on what they got. No wonder Phil Hellmuth keeps winning those bracelets.
UTG limps I limp QTs EP blinds come along flop 87x blinds check UTG fires I jettison.
Raise JJ MP Shak calls in BB. Flop T98 check check. Turn 6 check check. River 6 he bets the minimum I think a long time and just call. He has K8 I win.

12,528
100-200
Fold 54s MP
Moved to a new table where I recognize no one except Nordberg without too many chips.
First pot is limped I have 33 in BB and check it comes high and drawy I have no interest of course.
UTG limps MP raises I fold ATo in SB.
Fold 64s in pos to Nordberg’s raise he doesn’t have much chips.
MP big stack raises and I fold ATo in BB.
Give walk with 74o next hand, then fold Q5s on button. Cultivating tight image for upcoming antes and observing new table.
Raise QQ MP BB calls. KJ9 flop check check. Turn Q he bets I call. River As backdoor flush hits he checks I tank and bet ¼ pot he folds instantly.
Fold T7s in BB to dapalma’s UTG raise, then walk him with 32o next hand, then fold 96o on button.
Raise QJhh 2^nd pos win blinds.
Fold AJo UTG next hand.
EP limps and LP limps I check 44 in BB and have no interest in a Q high flop especially after it gets bet and shoved.
Raise A9s Nord calls in BB board of K537J is checked the whole way down and I beat his QT.
Raise the next hand with KQ and win uncontested.
Guy raises CO I call in BB with AJ. Flop K83r check check and now I am very suspicious. Guys always bet that damn flop. Turn A I check he bets kinda hard I call. River 6 I check he bets average I really really want to throw this one away I know this guy checked his damn set on the flop. I just don’t think I can fold though and I finally call but he has 88 as expected. I know I am reading guys great today I just wish I could have found the impossible fold there. Honestly this is the hand I regret the most from the whole day, I just "knew" he had it.
10,139

120-240-25
Raise ATs get reraised by the button and fold.
Raise next hand with KQo EP SB calls flop comes KK9 he check-folds to my 2/3 pot bet.
Raise next hand (three in a row) UTG with KQo SB calls. Flop 872 two hearts check check. Turn 6h he bets less than half pot I call. River 8 check check he wins with TT I am happy with how that hand played out.
Fold Q8s MP.
Raise AJo UTG win uncontested.
Raise QJo EP win blinds.
Raise A9s CO win blinds.
Raise QQ EP get no action.
Call a raise with 77 SB calls flop 332 two hearts they check to me I bet the minimum giving them 10:1 they both call turn 5 they check to me I bet 1/6 pot they both fold. Again that funny min bet strategy works, they don't know what to do and they never make moves at it. My friend Remmy is always telling me about these wacky strategies he stumbles upon by experimenting and trying new things. From time to time he finds one that seems to work real well in certain situations and that's how I feel about this min bet strategy - in the right situations it's a real neutralizer.
11,630

150-300-25
Raise J9s EP get reraised by next position and fold.
Button raises with short stack I fold Q3s in BB.
Raise K9o in SB dapalma folds BB.
Cutoff raises SB reraises kinda hard I have A9o in BB and just enough to get the SB to fold really thinking about making this move but I let it go.
Next hand button raises I fold JTo in SB.
Raise KJo MP win.
Fold JTo UTG.
Button raises SB reraises again a great spot for “TheMasterJ” 4-bet all-in uninvested but I fold 98o in BB.
Limp KQ in SB dapalma raises 3x I just call. Flop Q86r check check. Turn J I fire 2/3 pot he calls. River x I fire quickly and big he folds.
Fold J7s HJ.
Raise AQ EP a tight player reraises 4x I fold.
Raise A2s UTG win blinds.
Get walked next hand.
Guy who seems to raise every button raises I fold 54s in SB.
12,752

200-400-50
Raise KK no action.
Next hand raise 66 EP dapalma calls. Flop comes Q96 two hearts we both check. Turn 2 check check. River Ah third heart I fire 70% pot and get paid off by AJ.
Limp A8o SB dapalma checks. Flop K87 I check-call a small bet. Turn 6 I check-fold to a half pot bet.
Raise 55 button win.
Raise JTs EP no takers.
A tight player raises kinda big I call in the BB with QsJs. Flop J96 all clubs I check he bets hard I call. Turn 7d I check he tanks a long time then bets most of his stack I fold.
Next hand a tightish guy raises and I call in the SB with 33. Flop 872 I check he bets pretty hard I fold. Questionable line there, maybe I shouldn't call that preflop.
Raise 99 dapalma calls flop AK6 I check he bets I fold I think I can get away with a check-fold there cause I checked a monster to him last time.
Fold J8s next hand.
Raise AJo UTG a very tight player calls and then a guy reraises 4x I fold.
Raise KQ EP BB makes a big all-in shove I fold.
Limp KTo in SB dapalma checks in BB. Flop AKx check check. Turn I bet he folds.
8753

250-500-50

This was a brutally card-dead period, I just never had anything at all or even a spot where someone raised in LP and I could think about moving it on a bluff.

Big stack raises to 1350 I fold JTs with 6.3k.
EP raises to 1350 gets called in two spots I fold A9s on button with 5.2k.
Raise half my stack cutoff with KJo get shoved on and then suck out against AK.
Raise 55 MP win the blinds.
10,350

300-600-75
Table has gotten very aggressive with most pots raised and reraised preflop. Switched the FTP background to jungle.
Fold J8s EP really ice cold cards the last hour.
Shove for 8.3k on button with KJs pick up the blinds.
Next hand make a very small raise from the cutoff with A8o the SB reraises and I fold.
Next hand UTG raises and I fold 33.
Next hand fold KTo.
Get a walk!
Raise small with two black queens CO for some reason both blinds just call and don’t reraise my short stack. Flop comes a horrifying Td8d7d. SB checks and BB leads out. I think I have to fold and I do.
Raise 99 UTG and win the blinds.
Shove on the button for 11x with A3 get called by AJ and lose.