Session analysis and the FTOPS!

After dropping some more of my bankroll in the past two days, I hopped back on the tables last night for another session. I played the $.05/.10 deep table (min. $10, max. $20) on FTP and came away with a very solid session. I was happy with both my play and my results. Here's a few hands from the session.

Seat 1: ponzied ($20.35)
Seat 2: marrco2006 ($15.80)
Seat 3: donpeters ($9.65)
Seat 4: deep444 ($10.85)
Seat 5: urnieburn77 ($20.60)
Seat 6: Tarr6 ($4.70)
Seat 7: cryp88 ($18.65)
Seat 8: 4ever_leebug ($19.90)
urnieburn77 posts the small blind of $0.05
Tarr6 posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [Ac Qh]
cryp88 folds
4ever_leebug folds
ponzied folds
marrco2006 raises to $0.20 {Been playing loose, somewhat of a maniac.}
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters raises to $0.75 {His range is too wide for me to just call and let him see a cheap flop.}
deep444 folds
urnieburn77 folds
Tarr6 folds
marrco2006 raises to $1.30 {I hate when people do this.}
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters calls $0.55
*** FLOP *** [Kc 8c Ad]
marrco2006 bets $2.75
donpeters raises to $8.35, and is all in
marrco2006 calls $5.60
donpeters shows [Ac Qh]
marrco2006 shows [Jd Qc] {Umm... no 10 por favor.}
*** TURN *** [Kc 8c Ad] [6h]
*** RIVER *** [Kc 8c Ad 6h] [2c]
donpeters shows a pair of Aces
marrco2006 shows Ace King high
donpeters wins the pot ($17.55) with a pair of Aces

After the flop, I was pretty sure he held 1010, JJ, QQ, A10, AJ. He's the type of loose player that slow played his big hands and played his weaker ones aggressively. When he came out firing the pot, I smiled, threw up a fist pump, and moved all-in.

Seat 1: One Red Ace ($22.15)
Seat 2: marrco2006 ($4.70)
Seat 3: donpeters ($17.15) {In for $10, so I'm doing all right so far.}
Seat 4: deep444 ($11.90)
Seat 5: urnieburn77 ($18.75)
Seat 6: Tarr6 ($4.20)
Seat 7: Doctor Ray ($22.90)
Seat 8: AAndroid ($20.05)
donpeters posts the small blind of $0.05
deep444 posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [Ks Kc]
urnieburn77 raises to $0.30 {UTG, been playing fairly tight, this should get interesting.}
Tarr6 folds
Doctor Ray has 15 seconds left to act
Doctor Ray calls $0.30
AAndroid folds
One Red Ace calls $0.30
marrco2006 folds
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters raises to $2 {Debated between making my raise between $1.50 and $2.00. Settled on the latter because I still had a loose player behind me in the BB and I was out of position on each subsequent street.}
deep444 has 15 seconds left to act
deep444 folds
urnieburn77 folds
Doctor Ray has 15 seconds left to act
Doctor Ray folds
One Red Ace folds
Uncalled bet of $1.70 returned to donpeters
donpeters mucks
donpeters wins the pot ($1.30) {Uneventful, but I'll take it.}

Seat 1: One Red Ace ($20)
Seat 2: soarsoar ($19.65)
Seat 3: donpeters ($18.25)
Seat 4: deep444 ($9.50)
Seat 5: CaptJab ($39.55)
Seat 6: Tarr6 ($10.20)
Seat 7: Doctor Ray ($13.45)
Seat 8: AAndroid ($32.50)
CaptJab posts the small blind of $0.05
Tarr6 posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [Jh Jd]
Doctor Ray calls $0.10
AAndroid has 15 seconds left to act
AAndroid calls $0.10
One Red Ace folds
soarsoar folds
donpeters raises to $0.60
deep444 calls $0.60
CaptJab calls $0.55 {Super maniac and I'm happy he called.}
Tarr6 folds
Doctor Ray calls $0.50
AAndroid calls $0.50
*** FLOP *** [3c Ad Js] {Bingo!}
CaptJab checks
Doctor Ray bets $1.60 {Bango!}
AAndroid folds
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters calls $1.60
deep444 folds
CaptJab folds
*** TURN *** [3c Ad Js] [8d]
Doctor Ray bets $11.25, and is all in {Bongo!}
donpeters calls $11.25
Doctor Ray shows [Ac 2c]
donpeters shows [Jh Jd]
*** RIVER *** [3c Ad Js 8d] [8c]
Doctor Ray shows two pair, Aces and Eights
donpeters shows a full house, Jacks full of Eights
donpeters wins the pot ($26.80) with a full house, Jacks full of Eights
Doctor Ray is sitting out

I opted to just call the flop bet, hoping to trap CaptJab in for a loose call on a fairly dry board. Didn't work out the way I had planned, but still got the original flop bettor to stack off to me on the turn.

The following hand I had a plan, but it didn't work out. Looking back on it, I could have and maybe should have taken a different route, but opted not to because my opponent had been playing the last few hands like a complete nut.

Seat 1: One Red Ace ($27.50)
Seat 2: soarsoar ($19.45)
Seat 3: donpeters ($30.25)
Seat 4: deep444 ($1.55), is sitting out
Seat 5: CaptJab ($47.45)
Seat 6: Jiboy1337 ($19.90)
Seat 7: centja1 ($23.10)
Seat 8: AAndroid ($24.80)
Jiboy1337 has 5 seconds left to act
Jiboy1337 posts the small blind of $0.05
centja1 posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [Jh Th]
AAndroid has 15 seconds left to act
AAndroid is sitting out
AAndroid has timed out
AAndroid folds
One Red Ace calls $0.10
soarsoar calls $0.10
AAndroid has returned
donpeters calls $0.10
CaptJab has 15 seconds left to act
CaptJab raises to $0.65 {Has been raising and playing each of the last 10-12 hands.}
Jiboy1337 folds
centja1 folds
One Red Ace has 15 seconds left to act
One Red Ace folds
soarsoar folds
donpeters calls $0.55
*** FLOP *** [6h Qh 2h] {Beautiful flop.}
donpeters checks
CaptJab bets $0.90
donpeters raises to $2.70 {Questionable, but if he hit any of this flop he's coming back over the top.}
CaptJab has 15 seconds left to act
CaptJab folds
Uncalled bet of $1.80 returned to donpeters
donpeters mucks
donpeters wins the pot ($3.15)

So looking back on the hand, I should have just called the flop and then threw my check-raise in on the turn. I check-raised, hoping my opponent would come back over the top of me based on how he had been playing the past few hands. As soon as he folded, I knew I probably should have just called and trapped him for more. They always say that not losing money in poker is a win, but is not winning money a loss?

Seat 1: One Red Ace ($30.70)
Seat 2: MoMoney2305 ($18.60)
Seat 3: donpeters ($30.65)
Seat 4: Poonet ($17)
Seat 5: Mutton Stew ($20.75), is sitting out
Seat 6: Jiboy1337 ($19.70)
Seat 7: centja1 ($25.90)
Seat 8: AAndroid ($32.25), is sitting out
donpeters posts the small blind of $0.05
Poonet posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [2h 2s]
Jiboy1337 folds
centja1 folds
One Red Ace calls $0.10
MoMoney2305 folds
donpeters calls $0.05
Poonet checks
*** FLOP *** [5d 4h 2c] {Whoohoo!}
donpeters bets $0.30 {No slow-playing here.}
Poonet raises to $0.90 {Perfect. Not that strong of a player here}
One Red Ace folds
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters raises to $3 {Like I said, no slow-playing here.}
Poonet has 15 seconds left to act
Poonet adds $4
Poonet folds
Uncalled bet of $2.10 returned to donpeters
donpeters mucks
donpeters wins the pot ($1.90)


Seat 1: One Red Ace ($30.75)
Seat 2: MoMoney2305 ($17.10)
Seat 3: donpeters ($30.40)
Seat 4: Poonet ($21.20)
Seat 5: Mutton Stew ($20.75), is sitting out
Seat 6: Jiboy1337 ($20)
Seat 7: centja1 ($28.15)
Seat 8: AAndroid ($32.25), is sitting out
Poonet posts the small blind of $0.05
Jiboy1337 posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [Qh Kh]
centja1 raises to $0.40
One Red Ace folds
MoMoney2305 calls $0.40
donpeters calls $0.40
Poonet calls $0.35
Jiboy1337 folds
*** FLOP *** [Th 9c Qc]
Poonet checks
centja1 checks
MoMoney2305 checks
donpeters bets $1.40 {If no one wants the pot, I'll take a stab here in position.}
Mutton Stew has returned
Poonet calls $1.40 {Pretty big check, call.}
centja1 folds
MoMoney2305 folds
*** TURN *** [Th 9c Qc] [2c]
Poonet checks
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters bets $3 {The flush draw hit, but I opted to fire and see where I'm at. He could have a Jx, a weaker Q, etc. and I want to keep control of the action.}
Poonet has 15 seconds left to act
Poonet raises to $8 {Not how I wanted to keep control of the action. Now I'm thinking 2 pair, flush, flopped straight.}
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters folds
Uncalled bet of $5 returned to Poonet
Poonet mucks
Poonet wins the pot ($9.45)

I opted to not play a big pot with just my top pair and gutshot with KQ on a fairly connected board. I can pick much better spots than this to get my money in.

At the end of the 3 hour, 26 minute session, I saw 223 hands and netted a win for $15.60. I also cleared a $7.50 chunk of bonus money, so that puts me at +$23.10 for this session. Not bad for playing $.05/.10 NL. I have been running bad as of late, so I played even tighter than I normally do for this session and it seems to have worked. Out of the 223 hands I saw, I only saw the flop a mere 11% and took down 2 hands preflop. At these limits I feel patience is such a key factor. There are so many weak and loose players out there in the micros that just sitting tight and playing straight forward poker works the best for me.

While playing the cash table, I was also playing my $50+5 FTOPS satellite. I won in for $3 a few weeks back and tonight was the night I was up to win my seat. They have us a deeper stack than normal and just under 25% won seats... I liked my chances. I had a key hand early on that gave me a nice, comfy double up.

Seat 1: Dahladino (1,980)
Seat 2: marinersjj (2,030)
Seat 3: Aron F Jenks (1,970)
Seat 4: OlyDaJew (1,960)
Seat 5: kyriasialiolios (2,000)
Seat 6: robert99999ft (3,005)
Seat 7: spike800 (1,780)
Seat 8: donpeters (1,980)
Seat 9: timjim_1 (1,295)
donpeters posts the small blind of 10
timjim_1 posts the big blind of 20
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [8d Td]
Dahladino folds
marinersjj folds
Aron F Jenks calls 20
OlyDaJew calls 20
kyriasialiolios calls 20
robert99999ft calls 20
spike800 folds
donpeters calls 10
timjim_1 checks
*** FLOP *** [8h Ad Ts]
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters bets 100 {Don't like to get too tricky in a satellite, just come out betting. And this is really early.}
timjim_1 folds
Aron F Jenks folds
OlyDaJew folds
kyriasialiolios raises to 300
robert99999ft folds
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters has requested TIME
donpeters raises to 700
kyriasialiolios calls 400 {Snap call! I put him on Ax and was leaning towards an AJ.}
*** TURN *** [8h Ad Ts] [Kc]
donpeters bets 1,260, and is all in
kyriasialiolios has 15 seconds left to act
kyriasialiolios has requested TIME {Now I'm praying for a call, I know I have him.}
kyriasialiolios calls 1,260
donpeters shows [8d Td]
kyriasialiolios shows [Ah 7c] {Awesome, sweet, thanks.}
*** RIVER *** [8h Ad Ts Kc] [6h]
donpeters shows two pair, Tens and Eights
kyriasialiolios shows a pair of Aces
donpeters wins the pot (4,040) with two pair, Tens and Eights

Seat 1: BocceBob (5,395)
Seat 2: donpeters (3,610)
Seat 3: JoeytheLips (825), is sitting out
Seat 4: RedDogg101 (660)
Seat 5: ronzki (1,005), is sitting out
Seat 6: druster (7,235)
Seat 7: 2DogsHumpin (3,340)
Seat 8: dodger368 (5,985)
Seat 9: urdadio (855), is sitting out
RedDogg101 posts the small blind of 60
ronzki posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [Jc Js]
druster folds
2DogsHumpin folds
dodger368 folds
urdadio folds
BocceBob raises to 240 {I still don't really get the min-raise from MP.}
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters raises to 650
JoeytheLips folds
RedDogg101 folds
ronzki folds
BocceBob has 15 seconds left to act
BocceBob folds
Uncalled bet of 410 returned to donpeters
donpeters mucks
donpeters wins the pot (660) {Decent pot, I'll take it.}

Seat 1: BocceBob (6,415)
Seat 2: donpeters (4,170)
Seat 3: JoeytheLips (585), is sitting out
Seat 4: DeepBlueSea (1,125)
Seat 5: ronzki (585), is sitting out
Seat 6: druster (7,515)
Seat 7: 2DogsHumpin (3,700)
Seat 8: dodger368 (5,505)
Seat 9: urdadio (435), is sitting out
donpeters posts the small blind of 80
JoeytheLips posts the big blind of 160
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [9h 9s]
DeepBlueSea folds
ronzki folds
druster folds
2DogsHumpin folds
dodger368 raises to 480
urdadio folds
BocceBob calls 480
donpeters calls 400
JoeytheLips folds
*** FLOP *** [4d Js 4s]
donpeters checks
dodger368 checks
BocceBob checks
*** TURN *** [4d Js 4s] [As]
donpeters checks
dodger368 checks
BocceBob bets 160
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters calls 160 {Cheap enough for a chance to win a big pot if the river bet stays small.}
dodger368 calls 160 {Something smells here, I just had that feeling.}
*** RIVER *** [4d Js 4s As] [7h]
donpeters checks
dodger368 bets 800
BocceBob raises to 1,600
donpeters folds
dodger368 raises to 4,865, and is all in {That feeling was reassured big time!}
BocceBob calls 3,265
*** SHOW DOWN ***
dodger368 shows [Jh Jd] a full house, Jacks full of Fours
BocceBob mucks
dodger368 wins the pot (11,810) with a full house, Jacks full of Fours

This hand actually gave me a ton of confidence. I had a feeling the way it played out that dodger held JJ the entire time. When my suspicions were confirmed and I was right, I was very happy with myself and my read and felt I had a lot of confidence from here on out. You don't always have to be a big player in a hand to get a huge emotional and mental lift!

Seat 1: FLoWerGirl19 (4,410)
Seat 2: KBBPOKER (9,860)
Seat 3: Flowkid1 (4,084)
Seat 4: timjim_1 (2,070)
Seat 5: jwood71 (7,140)
Seat 6: arigold13 (9,551)
Seat 7: donpeters (3,555)
Seat 8: cosjoel (7,620)
Seat 9: acesindixie (5,065)
FLoWerGirl19 antes 25
KBBPOKER antes 25
Flowkid1 antes 25
timjim_1 antes 25
jwood71 antes 25
arigold13 antes 25
donpeters antes 25
cosjoel antes 25
acesindixie antes 25
Flowkid1 posts the small blind of 120
timjim_1 posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [Js Ah]
jwood71 folds
arigold13 folds
donpeters raises to 600
cosjoel folds
acesindixie folds
FLoWerGirl19 folds
KBBPOKER folds
Flowkid1 folds
timjim_1 has 15 seconds left to act
timjim_1 calls 360
*** FLOP *** [Th 3h 4c]
timjim_1 checks
donpeters bets 950 {A nice continuation bet always did the trick.}
timjim_1 folds
Uncalled bet of 950 returned to donpeters
donpeters mucks
donpeters wins the pot (1,545)

Seat 1: KurMur (5,748)
Seat 2: rvdh51 (4,513)
Seat 3: Jorge Q (6,036)
Seat 4: donpeters (3,090)
Seat 6: DONKYcDONKYdu (7,064)
Seat 7: clarktheshrk (5,618)
Seat 8: bud85 (10,710)
Seat 9: dolfan89 (3,164)
KurMur antes 50
rvdh51 antes 50
Jorge Q antes 50
donpeters antes 50
DONKYcDONKYdu antes 50
clarktheshrk antes 50
bud85 antes 50
dolfan89 antes 50
Jorge Q posts the small blind of 200
donpeters posts the big blind of 400
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to donpeters [Th Qd]
AmbulanceChaser sits down
AmbulanceChaser adds 8,828
DONKYcDONKYdu folds
clarktheshrk folds
bud85 folds
dolfan89 has 15 seconds left to act
dolfan89 is sitting out
dolfan89 has timed out
dolfan89 folds
KurMur folds
dolfan89 has returned
rvdh51 has 15 seconds left to act
rvdh51 folds
Jorge Q has 15 seconds left to act
Jorge Q raises to 800 {Folds to the SB and he min-raises, hmm.}
donpeters has 15 seconds left to act
donpeters has requested TIME
donpeters folds
Uncalled bet of 400 returned to Jorge Q
Jorge Q mucks
Jorge Q wins the pot (1,200)

I debated for a good time on what to do here. In the end I folded, but I'm still questioning my play here. It folded around to the SB who proceeded to min-raise my BB. I think in a normal tournament I'd shove here, putting him on a weak attempt to steal the blinds and antes, but because this is a satellite and my main goal is lasting and conserving chips, I opted for folding. A friend of mine was rail-birding and said he would have just called. I felt with my stack size, I couldn't just call another 400 chips here.

After this, things got a little worrisome. I had to shove with A7, KQ, and A9 in some good spots to pick up the blinds and antes to keep myself out of harms way. In the end, I was able to grind it out and making it into the top 156 out of 687 and qualify for FTOPS Event #1. The event is a $750,000 guarantee taking place tonight. Blind levels are increased an extra 2 minutes and we start with a double stack of 3000, so I'm happy. Wish me luck.