Weeks goals complete! Sort of....

Please vote for my video (happyham) on www.hokiegreg.com  There is a poll going on and the winner will get an hour of coaching from Hokie for free!  I would absolutely love to win it!  Only one day left to vote!  Go and do it now!


Song of choice:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAMAw-DFwWY
 
After waking up in my clothes on Saturday morning after spending the previous night in the bar, I felt this song was appropriate.

My weeks goals:


Play 100 games - Complete
Play 10 $50 games minimum - Complete
Post a hand history each day - Kinda complete (I'll explain)
Finish the poker mindset book - Incomplete :( 


So lets start with the stats:

 

I was having a really strong week, untill today.  I played 10 $50 games today and only won 2.  I didn't get too upset about it though.  That's one of the benefits of playing comfortably within your bank roll. 


Posting a hand history every day on HUSNG.com:


I posted only twice, but I have connected with a couple of players who are in a similar situation to me in terms of skill.  I think one of the key factors of improving both mentally and strategically is having a group of likeminded friends to keep you on the right path.  I have been frequently talking strategy and having them review specific hands.  Its been going really well, and I hope we climb the ladder together.  


Finish reading the poker mindset: 


Didn't even read a page since I mentioned it last.  The book is great, but I haven't made time for it this week.  If I haven't been playing poker, I have been talking with new friends about it.  The Australian open has been on all this week, so often at night I have been watching that.  I went to my local bar and socialised one night, as well as attend a fundraiser for a friend of my wife.  I simply haven't been in the mood to read.  I'm going to make extra effort to keep reading next month.  

An interesting hand I played today:


Merge - $33+$1.50|<> NL (2 max) - Holdem - 2 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3: http://www.pokertracker.com

SB: 980.00
Hero (BB): 2,020.00

SB posts SB 10.00, Hero posts BB 20.00

Pre Flop: (30.00) Hero has 2h 7s

SB calls 10.00, Hero checks

Flop: (40.00, 2 players) 3d 2c 9s
Hero checks, SB checks

Turn: (40.00, 2 players) 7c
Hero bets 40.00, SB raises to 160.00, Hero calls 120.00

River: (360.00, 2 players) 9d
Hero checks, SB bets 240.00, fold

SB wins 360.00


This player was pretty weak, and limped almost every button.  To this point he was fairly passive, calling down with marginal hands when out of position.  It was still pretty early in the match.


When I lead the turn and he raises me I'm not feeling fantastic, but there is no way I'm folding.  His range is pretty undefined and hadn't played enough hands to know how often he stabs on flops vs checking back flops.  Using population tendencies, I would say this raise is usually a sign of strength.  The question is, what is HIS idea of strength?  9X?  Overpair?  


I felt like if I was to reraise him here and get it all in on the turn, I would see a lot of hands that are better than mine.  So I chose to call, and allow him to bet big on the river with the intention of calling.  Obviously the 9 is a bad card for me, so folding was easy for me.  


I talked this over with one of my new contacts, and he thinks I should reraise the turn and get it in.  In hindsight, I think he's right and I always play these spots pretty tight.  He could be doing that with 9x, worse 2 pair, flush draws, straight draws etc..  


I'd be interested to know what anyone else thinks :)

Hope everyone is doing well in whatever they are doing!!