Taking Notes and Playing the Player

While playing 10+ tables at time, we rely mostly on our HUD stats when deciding how to play against a specific villain. However, when we see a villain expose a certain tendency, it is important to make a note of it for future reference. For instance, if we notice that a 8/6 nit 3-bets his entire raising range (including hands like AQ/TT) we should be inclined to start 4-betting him with hands like AK and QQ to compensate, although against a typical 8/6 player this is likely a very bad idea.

In the hand below, I am playing against a 24/10 villain whom I have a note on which says "raises his draws and likes to bluff". Against a typical villain, my line on this hand would be terrible. However, against this particular villain after he min raises the flop, I know he is drawing much of the time.

Unfortunately, I still misplay the hand by checking the turn - I really should have fired out 2/3rds to 3/4ths of the pot, to force him into making a significant mistake if he wants to draw further, then check/call the river once the flush draw misses to induce a bluff.

Instead, I induce a semi-bluff on the turn and a full fledged bluff on the river, with a hand that at this point is nothing more than a bluff catcher given the betting so far.

Poker Stars, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 9 Players

UTG+1: $18.25 (36.5 bb)
MP1: $17.10 (34.2 bb)
MP2: $17.45 (34.9 bb)
MP3: $55.80 (111.6 bb)
CO: $51.50 (103 bb)
BTN: $39.10 (78.2 bb)
Hero (SB): $50.70 (101.4 bb)
BB: $125.55 (251.1 bb)
UTG: $50.70 (101.4 bb)

Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls $0.50, 4 folds, BTN calls $0.50, Hero completes, BB checks

Flop: ($2) (4 players)
Hero bets $2, BB folds, UTG+1 folds, BTN raises to $4, Hero calls $2

Turn: ($10) (2 players)

Hero checks, BTN bets $6, Hero calls $6


River: ($22) (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $14, Hero calls $14


Results: $50 pot ($2.40 rake)
BTN showed (high card King) and lost (-$24.50 net)
Hero showed (a pair of Jacks) and won $47.60 ($23.10 net)