Playing against 'hot' players

This week the theme of loose and aggressive play has continued at the $5-$10 full-ring tables. I can think of at least 3 times when the worst player in the game has had the biggest stack of chips. This is a situation that gets me drooling, and I generally go out of my way to get involved with them. Things didnt go according to plan, however, and the results for the week were no better than 'decent': a $599 win in just under 11.5hrs play.

All three of these players played too many hands, around 60% when not in the blinds, but whereas the first two where at least sometimes aggressive, the third just called even when he was really strong. He won a small fortune but really should have won even more.

These players weren't hot. They just appeared hot, as they played so many hands that they were showing down unlikely winners more often than is usual. Obviously the main reason for this was that they were playing many more hands than is optimal, and so there were also many losing hands that we never got to see.

Numpty #1

This guy was sat down with just over $3000 when I joined the table. He ended up losing $1143 in the hour that I played with him, despite winning $427 from me. He never got much higher than $3k and it was instantly obvious that the sharks were circling him.

He lost $560 drawing to a pair+straight-flush-draw when he hit trips on the river against a full-house. Then he got stubborn with A7 and lost another $460 v AQ on a A95,3,A board.

The only decent pot he won was with A2 when he flopped AT2 and made small bets to the river and was called down by 77, with your truly coming along for the value with K6 (the NFD).

Generally he played too many pots and lost 10 pots after putting in between $70-$200.

Numpty #2

Later the same day; this guy was even worse. When I sat down he had about $1100 but he soon whittled that down to $500 or so before going on a big run up to about $2600. I got involved with him a few times but managed to not lose much to him, until I then won a big one, doubling through my $1300 against his then $1600.

I raised to $50 with KK, which is more than I usually raise but he was routinely calling $50 before the flop so it made sense to get as much in before the flop with the best hand. He called from the SB with J9 and we saw the J99 flop heads-up. He checked and I bet $90, which he just called. The turn was a Q and despite the possibility that he had a 9, I decided to bet again, $190, as QJ was definitely in his range of possible holdings. When he called again I was starting to get a bit worried that he had a 9 after all. The river was a King, and he delighted me by leading out with a bet of $330, which I raised a further $660 all-in. Obviously he called and a big pot came my way.

When I left the table about 20 minutes later he had managed to get back up to about $700.

Numpty #3

This fella did run pretty hot and was very lucky cards-wise, but he didn't maximise his good luck. I just reviewed this guys session and he was actually loose because he got hit by the deck. Every marginal hand he had held up. Every draw he had hit.

Of his $2200 win, over $1800 of it came from yours truly. I lost 15 pots to him. Here are some of the details, starting with the biggest:

(1) He raises to $35 from EP with 65(hearts) and I call from the BB after the button calls. The flop is 972(with 2 hearts) and he bets out $50, called by the button and I call too. The turn is an offsuit 9 and he bets out again for $100, the button folds and I raise to $290, which he calls. I know I have him beat at this point, but because he generally calls when anyone takes the lead its tough to know what he has. The river is the 4 of hearts and I bet a partly-defensive $370 into the $840 pot, which he just calls.

(2) I raise to $30 with KQ and there are 3 callers including our nemesis. I bet only $60 on the flop and that succeeds on getting it heads-up. The turn bring a 10 and he calls my $150 bet, before calling my $220 bet on the blank river with trip 10s. He scoops the pot and comments "Ever heard of checking son?"

(3) I re-raise a button steal to $110 with J9-suited. He calls cold from the BB and the button folds. I check the K-high flop but bet $220 on the turn which he calls with JJ. I give up on the river and he checks behind.

(4) I raise to $30 with T9 and get 2 callers, including the nemesis on the SB with 73(hearts). The flop come QJ8 with two hearts and he calls my $50 bet. The flush gets there on the turn and he min-check-raises my $50 bet, which I call. I have the 10 of hearts. He then bets out $100 on the river and I call again.

(5) I limp on the button with 96(spades) and we see a Kd8s5s flop 4-handed. All check to me and I attempt to steal for $30. Nemesis makes it $60 and I call. I could raise here but I really dont see him folding anything at all. He then bets $100 into the $160 pot and again I consider raising but just call (same reasoning), before folding to his river value bet ($100 - K5 for the flopped 2-pairs).

Looking back I dont think I did too much wrong. It just happens that way sometimes. Value-bets look good when they are called by lesser hands but you can look a bit foolish when your opponent has you beat all along.

There is so much scope for error in this game. I have made lots of errors this week and still come out ahead. This week's win is really insignificant, though, when compared with the amount of money I have put across the line. A better player than me could have won $3-4,000 with the cards I've had, I guess. My quest should be to try to maximise every time. I feel as though I've left a lot of money on the tables this week.

I need to take a bit of a stop back this week, take my time a bit more and think through the possiblities a bit longer. I have maybe drifted into auto-pilot a little and that is dangerous. I must try to re-focus and see if I can get my win-rate back up to that of August and September.