Nl Cole 1

Front 1

11--Here is the biggest pot of the day. BB is a very loose-passive 75/11/.9.*** Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (5 handed) **UTG ($394)**MP ($760.10)**Cole ($545.18)**SB ($609.78)**BB ($456.03)**Preflop: Cole is Button with Kh, As. SB posts a blind of $2**2 folds, Cole raises to $14, 1 fold, BB raises to $30,

Back 1

Preflop is standard

Front 2

12-- Cole raises to $120, BB calls $86.**Flop: ($242) 2s, Ah, 2h (2 players)**BB checks,.

Back 2

This is just about the best possible flop I could have hoped for. I have top pair top kicker and a backdoor draw to the nut flush. The only hand he could have that beats me is AA, and if he has AK I am on a freeroll with my backdoor flush draw (which comes in 4.6% of the time). He should have folded any other non-paired hand before the flop and he's probably not putting any more money in with TT-KK (although a good player certainly folds TT, JJ preflop). I put in a good-sized continuation bet of 3/4-pot.

Front 3

13-- Cole bets $180, BB calls $180**Turn: ($602) 7h (2 players)**BB checks,.

Back 3

He thinks for a bit and calls. This scares me as he is pot-committed and should have AA (against which I am drawing dead) or AK just about all the time here. The turn brings a heart giving me the nut flush draw. The pot is $602 and he has $156.03 left so all the money is going in one way or another. He checks to me and I go all in. He calls and I expect to either split the pot, hit my flush and win, or lose to aces full.

Front 4

14---Cole calls $245.18 (All-In), BB calls $156.03 (All-In)River: ($1003.21) 5h (2 players, 2 all-in)

Back 4

My flush came on the river so now the only hand I can lose to is aces full.Final Pot: $1003.21***It turns out that this is exactly the type of opponent you want to have at your game. Here are the results: **BB has Ts Td (two pair, tens and twos).

Front 5

Here is another hand I won applying the somewhat-sarcastic Zeebo Theorem: "Nobody is capable of folding a full house on any street for any sized bet, ever. Don't fool yourself into thinking they can. I'm not even referring to NUT full houses (eg. board reads 29522, if your opponent has the loan 5, they will almost always call allin

Back 5

if they folded, it was likely do to timing out or a misclick). Remember: full houses aren't too common, and after all, you might be bluffing! If you expect someone has a full house, and you can't beat a full house never ever bluff. If you expect someone has a full house and you can beat their likely full house, go allin. Let's say the board is 29522, and you have TT or better, go allin no matter what the size of the pot is, b/c they can't fold."

Front 6

21---Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4BB (5 handed) **UTG ($343.69) **MP ($410) **Button ($513.12) **SB ($1060.54) **Cole ($400) **Preflop: Cole is BB with Ac, 8s. SB posts a blind of $2. **2 folds, Button calls $4, SB (poster) completes,

Back 6

.Limping on the button is a really weak play and I really don't like when opponents do it

Front 7

22---Cole checks Flop: ($12) Ts, Ah, 6c (3 players) **SB checks, Cole checks, Button bets $5, SB folds, **Good flop for me. My hand is not very vulnerable

Back 7

there aren't any overcards to scare me and the board is relatively draw free. At this point I am either way ahead or way behind. Either way, I'm not trying to play a big pot with top pair, weak kicker. If I bet here, I'm probably only getting called by another ace (which likely beats me

Front 8

23---Cole calls $5.Turn: ($22) As (2 players) **Cole checks, Button bets $10,.

Back 8

The turn is another good card for me

Front 9

24---Cole calls $10. River: ($42) Ad (2 players) **Cole bets $65, Button calls $65.

Back 9

Best card in the deck. I now have the nuts and am almost positive he has some sort of pair that has become a full house. Applying the Zeebo theorem, I overbet the pot by 1.5 times expecting him to call with a T and possibly a 6. Of course he does call.

Front 10

25---Cole bets $65, Button calls $65. Final Pot: $172

Back 10

He has aces full of tens and I win a decent pot. Cole has Ac 8s (four of a kind, aces). Button has Qc Td (full house, aces full of tens). Outcome: Hero wins $172.

Front 11

31---MP is a bad player

Back 11

he is very loose and passive at 46/9/.9.**Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (5 handed) converter **MP ($1062.69) **Button ($195.70) **SB ($645.84) **BB ($127.50) **Cole ($401.40) **Preflop: Cole is UTG with Qc, Qd. SB posts a blind of $2. **Cole raises to $14, MP raises to $30, 1 fold, SB (poster) calls $28, 1 fold

Front 12

32---Cole raises to $110, MP calls $80, SB calls $80. **Flop: ($334) Kd, 2s, 7d (3 players)**SB checks, Cole checks, MP bets $100, SB folds,

Back 12

Poor flop for me. If SB has 22 or 77 (he should have one of these hands about 1/4 of the time), I'm drawing to two outs. If MP has AA, KK, or AK, I'm also drawing to just two outs. The tough part about this part of the hand is the stack sizes. Even if I make a weak 1/2-pot bet of $175, I am left with just over $100 behind and the pot is huge

Front 13

33---Cole calls $291.40 (All-In), MP calls $191.40.**Turn: ($916.80) Jc (2 players, 1 all-in) .**River: ($916.80) 5h (2 players, 1 all-in) .**Final Pot: $916.80.**

Back 13

The turn and river come with no queen and I am stacked by AK. Afterwards, the SB types in the chat "would have made my set with 55" so my read that he had a pocket pair was spot on.Cole has Qc Qd (one pair, queens). MP has Kc Ad (one pair, kings). Outcome: MP wins $916.80.

Front 14

41---Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (5 handed) converter**MP ($281.49)**Button ($383.64)**SB ($312.02)**BB ($400)**Cole ($688.10)**Preflop: Cole is UTG with Ad, Ks. SB posts a blind of $2.**Cole raises to $14, MP calls $14, Button calls $14, 1 fold, BB raises to $40, Cole calls $30, MP folds, Button calls $30.**

Back 14

I am first to act with a great hand and make a standard pot-sized raise. The table is loose and two players with position on me call. The big blind then makes a small raise. I consider raising here in order to get the pot heads up with me in position, but I decide to just call and see if the flop is favorable. The Button also calls the raise, which could mean just about anything because the pot has gotten pretty big and he is getting 5:1 on his call.

Front 15

42---Cole calls $30, MP folds, Button calls $30**Flop: ($148) 7d, 3d, 9d (3 players)**BB bets $146,

Back 15

This is not a bad flop for me. I have two overcards and the nut flush draw. BB makes a large pot-sized bet and certainly has a big pocket pair of at least tens

Front 16

43---Cole calls $644.10 (All-In), Button folds, BB calls $210 (All-In).**Turn: ($1148.10) 3c (2 players, 2 all-in)**River: ($1148.10) 2h (2 players, 2 all-in)**Final Pot: $1148.10

Back 16

The BB had QQ with a diamond, making me 48.89% to win the hand on the flop. My play was perfect and the expectation of pushing all-in is (.4889)(148 + 356) - (.5111)(356) = $64.45. So on average, I am making $65 in this situation. Unfortunately, none of my outs came on the turn or river and I did not win the pot. It is important to not be results-oriented and to continue making these tough, aggressive plays even though half of the time you will lose $356. Over the long-run the play is profitable, and this is all that matters. BB has Qs Qd (two pair, queens and threes). Cole has Ad Ks (one pair, threes).Outcome: BB wins $860. Cole wins $288.10.

Front 17

51---Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (6 handed)**MP ($64.40)**Cole ($290.20)**Button ($262.55)**SB ($215.90)**BB ($194)**UTG ($321.55)**Preflop: Cole is CO with Js, Qs.**1 fold, MP calls $2,.

Back 17

I've got good position with a pretty good hand and there is a limper with less than half of a buy-in. Queen-jack suited is a hand that would rather play a hand against a deep stack because of it's potential to make a huge hand (straight or flush), but would prefer not to play against a short stack because of it's limited high card value. I make a standard pot-sized raise, hoping to take down the pot right here or play in position against the SB or BB, both of whom have a full buy-in. Unfortunately, everyone folds except the short stack.

Front 18

52---Cole raises to $9, 3 folds, MP calls $7**Flop: ($21) 6h, 9d, 4c (2 players)**MP checks.

Back 18

This is not a good flop for my hand. Instead of firing an expensive "Bet Pot" continuation bet, I have been sizing my bets (both with and without a good hand) at about 2/3 to 3/4 of the pot. I want to take the pot down with a continuation bet right here since it is unlikely that Queen-high is the best hand, so I bet towards the high end of this range. If he does anything funny like check-raise me, I'm done with the hand as I have at best 6 outs and am not getting the correct odds to continue. He calls my continuation bet and now only has $39.40 behind, less than the pot.

Front 19

54---Cole checks** River: ($53) Qc (2 players)**MP checks, Cole bets $53, MP calls $39.40 (All-In).

Back 19

The river makes me trips and the only hands I could be worried about are 44 or 66. It is actually great that a queen fell, because from his point of view it is now combinatorically less likely that I have a queen and it appears that any bet will be a bluff with an AK, AJ type of hand. He checks, I think for a minute and click Bet Pot. He calls off the rest of his stack with middle pair. Final Pot: $145.40 MP has Kd 6d (two pair, queens and sixes). Cole has Js Qs (three of a kind, queens). This hand wasn't difficult, but the betting pattern was the correct way to get all of his chips in the middle. Playing unpaired hands against shortstacks is never fun, as they frequently push all-in on the flop putting you to the test to see if your AK-type hand is best. If I raise preflop out of position with AK or AQ and am called by a shortstack who has around the size of the pot on the flop, I will open-push all-in on most flops to put them to the test rather than facing a tough (but not financially huge) decision myself.

Front 20

61-Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (4 handed) **Button ($449)**SB ($578.90)**BB ($981.36)**Cole ($416)**Preflop: Cole is UTG with 6s, 8s. SB posts a blind of $2.

Back 20

We are 4-handed and 86s has some potential to make good, disguised hands, which is key in no-limit hold'em. I am first to act and make a standard pot-sized raise, hoping to steal the button and maybe play a hand in position against one of the blinds.

Front 21

62--Cole raises to $14, Button calls $14, 2 folds.**Flop: ($34) Ts, Qc, 6d (2 players )

Back 21

Unfortunately the button does not cooperate and sees the flop. If he had put in any reasonable reraise, I would have folded the hand.**Not a great flop for me, but I did make bottom pair. Button's hand isn't clear

Front 22

63--Cole bets $22, Button calls $22 **Turn: ($78) Ts-Qc-6d-6c (2 players) Cole bets $62, Button raises to $154

Back 22

This is a great card for me, as I now have 3 of a kind. I showed some aggression on the flop, so I continue to bet the turn. Surprisingly, he raises me? It's unlikely he has a 6 because three of them are accounted for and he probably would have folded most hands with a 6 preflop. If he has AA or KK, he now beats QT so it makes sense for him to try to get all the money in against that hand here. I am ahead of AA, KK, AQ, QT, 76s, 65s which I think are his most likely hands. If he has a set, I am toast. I am ahead of more hands than I am behind (TT, QQ, A6s) but I just call. It's possible he's raising on a flush draw or a bluff but I decide not to raise.

Front 23

64--, Cole calls $92.River: ($386) Ts-Qc-6d-6c-4c (2 players)

Back 23

On the river, I have about 2/3s of the pot and will be calling all-in. I have a bad feeling about the hand but check /call his all-in. Cole checks, Button calls $259 (All-In), Cole calls $226 (All-In). Final Pot: $871. Unfortunately he slowplayed queens preflop and flopped a set. Cole has 6s 8s (three of a kind, sixes). Button has Qs Qd (full house, queens full of sixes). Outcome: Button wins $871.

Front 24

71---Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (5 handed)***BB ($69) ***UTG ($422.90) ***MP ($400) ***Button ($386.40) ***Cole ($554.50) ***Preflop: Cole is SB with Jh, Jc. Cole posts a blind of $2. ***2 folds, Button raises to $15,

Back 24

The button raises and I reraise from the SB with pocket jacks. I actually mistyped this raise and meant to bump it up to $48. I usually reraise 3 times the original raiser's raise, but when I'm out of position I make it a little bit more. The button calls and with this player he's almost always got a pocket pair or ace-king.

Front 25

72---Cole (poster) raises to $38, 1 fold, Button calls $25. ***Flop: ($84) 4s, 8h, 3d (2 players) ***Cole bets $70, Button raises to $175

Back 25

Not a good flop for me. I only beat 22, 55, 66, 77, 99, TT, and AK. I lose to 33, 44, 88, QQ, KK, AA. Although I beat more hands than I lose to, if he calls a bet, he almost certainly has 33, 44, 88, 99, TT, QQ, KK, AA and I only beat two of these eight combinations -- not good. I bet a little under the pot and he reraises me big. Easy fold. Unfortunately, I'm busy multitabling and take all the time that's allowed, thinking of the preflop action and recent plays with this player and for some reason decide to go all in (calling is not an option, all the money is getting in). He instantly calls my all-in and I know I'm drawing to two outs.

Front 26

81---Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (6 handed) ***Button ($443) ***SB ($507) ***BB ($589.10) ***UTG ($400) ***MP ($454.10) ***Cole ($391.40) ***Preflop: Cole is CO with 8c, 8s. SB posts a blind of $2. ***1 fold, MP calls $4,.

Back 26

MP is very loose, limps a lot and always calls any raises behind him. He has been very active, frequently bluffing at big pots. After he limps, I raise the pot with a good hand, pocket eights. As expected, he calls behind me.

Front 27

82---Cole raises to $18, 3 folds, MP calls $14***Flop: ($42) 9h, 6s, 4d (2 players)***MP checks

Back 27

This flop is pretty good for me. There is only one overcard to my pair, and it is a not-so-scary 9 as opposed to an A, K, or Q. MP checks and I make a good sized bet of 3/4-pot because basically any card other than an 8 that comes next will be bad for my hand (low cards make straights and high cards are overcards to my pair). Not so surprisingly, he calls my bet. It's safe to say my hand is probably best.

Front 28

83---Cole bets $30, MP calls $30. ***Turn: ($102) 5c (2 players) ***MP bets $36

Back 28

.

Front 29

84---Cole raises to $120, MP calls $84***River: ($342) Td (2 players) ***MP bets $36

Back 29

At the river, he bets extremely weak -- about 1/10 of the pot. There's not much point in a raise here, as we both have a lot of money behind and I don't want to be three-bet with this marginal hand. I call expecting to win the pot. Final Pot: $414 He had middle pair and was indeed trying to see a cheap showdown. His problem was a common one, playing weak hands out of position. When you're out of position, you are punished to the maximum when your opponent has a decent hand. Because I was in position, I was able to put in a large raise on the turn and make him pay to see the hand down. Additionally, when you're out of position, it's hard to extract much money out of your opponent when you do indeed have a good hand. MP has Qc 6c (one pair, sixes). Cole has 8c 8s (one pair, eights). Outcome: Cole wins $414.

Front 30

91---Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, immediately after the last hand. $4 BB (6 handed) ***SB ($434.20) ***BB ($493) ***UTG ($583.10) ***MP ($387.50) ***CO ($286.30) ***Cole ($592.40) ***Preflop: Cole is Button with Qc, Ac. SB posts a blind of $2. ***2 folds, CO calls $4, Cole raises to $18, 1 fold, BB calls $14, CO calls $14.

Back 30

I again raise his limp, mainly to frustrate him, but I do have a decent hand.

Front 31

92---Flop: ($56) 5s, 9h, Qd (3 players) ***BB checks, CO checks,

Front 32

93---Cole bets $40, BB folds, CO calls $40. ***Turn: ($136) Jc (2 players) ***CO bets $58

Back 32

Horrible turn card. Now lots of straights are possible, as are many two-pair hands. His bet is very weak and I opt just to call. Against this player, with these stack sizes, I probably will never be folding this hand. However, if he is bluffing, a raise lets him get off cheap and is a poor play. By the time we get to the river, the pot will be well over his stack so if he checks to me I can bet 3/4-pot and he will be forced to go all-in.

Front 33

94---Cole calls $58. ***River: ($252) Qs (2 players) ***CO calls $170.30 (All-In)

Back 33

Luckily, he does the betting for me and goes all-in. I don't even think about folding here and instantly call. However, I expect to lose this hand about 25% of the time and far more often against a reasonable player (I would raise the turn against a reasonable player and fold to any further action). Final Pot: $592.60. His middle pair is no good, he is stacked, and he leaves the table. CO has 5c 6s (two pair, queens and fives). Cole has Qc Ac (three of a kind, queens). Outcome: Cole wins $592.60.

Front 34

101---Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, BB seems weak. $4 BB (3 handed) ***SB ($202.81) ***BB ($597.40) ***Cole ($392) ***Preflop: Cole is Button with Kc, Ah. SB posts a blind of $2. ***Cole raises to $14, 1 fold, BB calls $10. ***Flop: ($30) Ks, Ad, Ts (2 players) ***BB bets $73.56

Back 34

The flop looks pretty good for me as I've flopped two pair but there are a lot of draws out there. Anyone with a Q or J has a gutshot straight draw. One likely hand that is going to want to get all the chips in here is a pair + gutshot + flush draw like JsTs. Surprisingly, the BB overbets 2.5-pot!? This is a huge bet on the flop and I definitely should have just folded right here.I've only invested $14 and my hand is good, but definitely not unbeatable. He probably has the nuts (QJ) or a very good draw. However, top two pair is pretty good hand 3-handed and I tell myself it is the nuts and raise to $175 hoping he has a draw, KT, or AT. If he has QJ I only have 4 outs to win the hand.

Front 35

102---Cole raises to $175, BB raises to $388.5

Back 35

He pushes all-in and I'm getting 3:1 to call, which I pretty much have to do (in case he has a draw or worse two pair) after misplaying the flop so poorly, so I do.***Turn: ($796.50) Jh (2 players, 1 all-in) ***River: ($796.50) 8c (2 players, 1 all-in) ***Final Pot: $796.50. He had flopped the nuts and I played the hand terribly. However, this situation gave me a great idea of how this player plays and I was able to exploit him on future hands, winning most of my money back. ***BB has Qc Jc (straight, ace high).

Front 36

103—SB openlimping

Back 36

One element I have been adding to my play is never letting the small blind open-limp when I have the big blind. If the small blind complets the $2 bet, I immediately raise to $18 with almost any two cards. The only times I wouldn't raise is with an extremely weak hand against a player whom I have thoroughly frustrated with this strategy. By playing this way, I encourage the small blind to fold every time he has the chance to open. If he does this with the bottom 70% of his hands, it's making me about one small blind ($2) every thirty hands (this is an estimate based on how often he gets to open, etc.). By raising every time, I am punishing the small blind for playing out of position and usually he folds and gives me the $4 he put in the pot. However, when he doesn't fold, I am in position and when players play back at me they usually have defined their hand pretty well. Here are a couple of hands in which I applied this technique, raising with either a good hand or complete garbage. Most of the time I take the pot down uncontested, but these hands went to a flop.

Front 37

Preflop: Cole is BB with Ah, Ad. SB posts a blind of $1. ***2 folds, SB (poster) completes, Cole raises to $7, SB raises to $20, Cole raises to $58, SB raises to $123, Cole calls $386.69 (All-In), SB calls $169.10 (All-In).

Back 37

As predicted, the SB open-limps. I raise it up to $9. He reraises me to $20 and I take a look at my cards for the first time. I have aces! Great, let's try to get all the money in preflop. I reraise him about three times his bet and he instantly pops me again. It's clear he has a real hand so I'm just going all in here. He calls and I expected to see KK, QQ, or maybe JJ. ***Flop: ($739.79) 8s, 6s, 7h -Kd -7c ***The board was great for me unless he had KK, and it turned out he held AQ so I was 91.53% to win the hand when all the money went in preflop. This is probably the biggest edge I've ever had in a poker game, certainly with this many big blinds going in the pot. This pot put my bankroll over the edge to play 2/4 no-limit and was the last hand at 1/2 I played. Thanks SB!

Front 38

121-At the following table, I had been raising the small blind every time he entered the pot. He was usually folding, so of course I was not going to stop and give up the free $4. This hand shows how easy it is to read someone hand when they play back at you after you raise their blind. ***Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (5 handed) ***Cole ($394) ***UTG ($360) ***MP ($269.37) ***Button ($423.73) ***SB ($230.33) ***Preflop: Cole is BB with 2c, 6d. SB posts a blind of $2. ***3 folds, SB (poster) completes, Cole raises to $14, SB calls $14.

Back 38

The small blind open limps and I raise to $14 with one of the worst hands in hold'em: six-deuce offsuit.. He calls my raise and it is painfully obvious he has a big hand. He has been folding to my raise every time, and naturally if he has an OK hand that he doesn't particularly want to play out of position, he would raise himself to try to steal my blind (which I would gladly give up with 62). When he calls, I put him on a big hand and unless I hit something big I am not investing any more money in the pot.

Front 39

122--Flop: ($36) 2h, 6s, 5s (2 players) SB checks.

Back 39

This is one of the best possible flops for my hand. I flopped top and bottom pair and think he has a big hand. The problem with his play is that he defined his hand so well while letting us see the flop together. If I had made just one pair, I would have checked and folded. Since I can now beat any overpair, I bet 2/3-pot. He raises me just over the minimum and it is clear he has an overpair. I know he will call if I go all-in so I do, and he predictably calls. SB checks, Cole bets $24, SB raises to $53.22, Cole calls $352 (All-In), SB calls $159.11 (All-In). 9d-5d. ***He shows AA and takes the pot down with aces up. The important part is that I played the hand perfectly and got all the money in when I was 71% to win. If I could flip a 70/30 coin for several hundred dollars many times a day, I would be a very rich man.

Front 40

131--Here is a big pot I won today by simply frustrating my opponent. He was getting very tired of me raising his open limp, and I continue to do it to put him on tilt as well as take his blind money. ***Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4BB (5 handed) ***SB ($429.46) ***Cole ($444.60) ***UTG ($179.95) ***MP ($765.90) ***Button ($378) ***Preflop: Cole is BB with 9h, Jd. SB posts a blind of $2. ***3 folds, SB (poster) completes, Cole raises to $14, SB calls $14.

Front 41

132--Flop: ($36) Th, 6c, 8s (2 players) ***SB bets $10

Back 41

Both the SB and I have pretty deep stacks so this is a great flop for me. I am not trying to put all my chips in with a pair of jacks or nines, but I gladly will with a straight. I have made an open-ended straight draw and have eight outs to the nuts (no flush will be possible on the turn). The SB makes a very weak bet of $10, which could mean anything. I could raise him, but I don't want to give him the opportunity to reraise and it's good for me to see the next card cheaply.

Front 42

133--Cole calls $10. ***Turn: ($56) Qc (2 players) ***SB bets $25

Back 42

Cole raises to $50, SB raises to $75, Cole raises to $170, SB calls $95. I made my straight. I now have the nuts and he bets less than half of the pot. This bet is weak and I have been really pushing around this player in the past few hands, so I put in a minimum raise. Very rarely do I minraise, but I made this one for two reasons. First and foremost, being minraised is extremely annoying. You really can't fold to a minraise here if you think you have any outs because your pot odds are pretty good. I think minraising this player will just frustrate him even more and I have such a lock hand I want him to make a bluff or make an angry call with a weak hand. Secondly, I have a very good hand but a minraise looks like I may be trying to get him off of a weak hand cheaply. It is also not that much money for him to call and I expect him to call with any pair. He starts steaming and immediately minraises me right back. At this point, I'm trying to figure out how to get all the money in the pot as smoothly as possible. If I just call, the pot size will be too small to go all-in on the river and expect to get called. If I make a standard 3-times raise to $225, this may be too much money for him to call. I decide on raising somewhere in between, to $170. This is designed because it is "not even $100" for him to call, and if he does call I can go all-in on the river for just over half of the pot. Getting 3:1 odds on a river call he will call with anything he calls on the turn with. My plan works perfectly and he calls my bet.

Front 43

134--River: ($396) 6s (2 players) ***SB checks, Cole calls $246.60 (All-In), SB calls $231.46 (All-In).

Back 43

The river card pairs the board which is lousy for me, but we don't have much money behind and it's all going in whether he bets or I do. He checks to me, I go all-in and he calls. Final Pot: $874.06 He shows down 2-pair as I pull in a big pot. A key part to the hand was the raise to $170 on the turn. If I had just called and he had checked to me on the river, I would not have been able to bet very much. Because the board paired on the river, he now loses to AA and KK, two of my likely hands given the way I played. He definitely wouldn't have called an all-in on the river in a smaller pot. SB has 8h Qh (two pair, queens and eights). Cole has 9h Jd (straight, queen high). Outcome: Cole wins $874.06.

Front 44

141--Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (3 handed) ***BB ($586.77) ***Button ($288.25) ***Cole ($403.60) ***Preflop: Cole is SB with Ac, Ad. Cole posts a blind of $2. ***Button calls $4, Cole (poster) raises to $16, BB calls $14, Button folds.

Back 44

The game is very shorthanded with only 3 players and I find myself in the small blind with pocket aces. I'm relatively tight from the SB because my position will be horrible for the rest of the hand, but because the game is 3-handed, my raising range (I would never just call here) is pretty wide. I raise the pot and the big blind calls.

Front 45

142--Flop: ($40) Jd,-Qh-7s (2 players) ***Cole bets $32,.

Back 45

This is a decent flop for aces. The only viable threats are QJ and 77. I lead for more than 3/4-pot which is pretty standard when I am heads up and out of position, whether I have a hand or not.

Front 46

143--BB calls $32***Turn: ($104) Jd,-Qh-7s -Qd (2 players)

Back 46

The BB calls and I am pretty sure I have the best hand. Because we both have pretty deep stacks, he would raise a good hand on the flop like QJ or 77 in order to build the pot. I think he would raise any Q here as well, but I am not positive. On the turn a lousy card comes, putting two queens on the board. The only draws are KT and T9, two hands he may have played preflop. I continue to bet, firing more than 3/4-pot again. If I'm raised here I haven't decided what I'm going to do, but it will be a tough decision.

Front 47

144-Cole bets $78, BB calls $78. River: ($260) Jd,-Qh-7s –Qd- 5s (2 players) Cole checks, BB bets $175.

Back 47

The river card is a harmless 5. Any draws have missed. If I bet, I will not be called by a busted draw. However, I will be raised all-in by a queen. If I check, a draw may bluff and a queen will make a value bet but he will not go all-in because the pot is too small. It is doubtful that a jack will call a big river bet. I decide checking is the right play. He fires a large bet of $175. He will never do this with a jack

Front 48

151-Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4BB (6 handed)***MP ($400) ***CO ($447.38) ***Button ($455.38) ***SB ($282.88) ***Cole ($404) ***UTG ($399.55) ***Preflop: Cole is BB with 9s, 3d. SB posts a blind of $2. ***UTG calls $4, 1 fold, CO calls $4, Button calls $4, SB (poster) completes, Cole checks.

Back 48

I am in the big blind with a trashy hand and get to see a cheap flop.

Front 49

152- Flop: ($20) 9h, 9d, Ts (5 players) ***SB checks, Cole bets $14, UTG folds, CO calls $14, Button raises to $33, SB folds

Back 49

The flop is good for me and I make three of a kind. I lead out for just under 3/4-pot and am raised the minimum by the Button. This player is awful and very loose, but normally very passive postflop. My records show that he has raised the flop just one out of twenty opportunities. I use a heads-up display that shows me this information, and strongly consider folding. However, is raise is just the minimum and there is some chance he has a hand like AT or QJ. I'm pretty sure I am beat by a better 9 here, but I call and plan to reevaluate on the turn. If he puts much money in on the turn I am pitching the hand.

Front 50

153--Cole calls $19, CO calls $19. ***Turn: ($119) 3c (3 players) ***Cole checks, CO checks, Button bets $56.62,

Back 50

The turn is the best card for me as it gives me a full house. The only hands I lose to are T9 and TT

Front 51

Cole calls $217 (All-In), Button calls $217.

Back 51

My checkraise on the turn made the pot the perfect size for an all-in on the river. I push all-in for just over half of the pot and he has to call with any nine. He had J9 for three of a kind and played the hand miserably. My play worked as I had planned, and I drag a nice $853 pot.

Front 52

161- Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4BB (5 handed) ***UTG ($263.14) ***MP ($388) ***Button ($345.12) ***SB ($445) ***Cole ($435) ***Preflop: Cole is BB with 9c, Kc. SB posts a blind of $2. ***UTG raises to $10, MP calls $10, 2 folds, Cole calls $6.

Front 53

163--Cole calls $26, UTG folds. ***Turn: ($84) 9s (2 players) ***Cole checks, MP bets $50

Back 53

Cole raises to $150, MP folds. The turn card gives me a pair. I check and MP bets a little over 1/2-pot. He cold-called a small raise preflop, showed a lot of strength on the flop, but began to slow down on the turn. This really screams that he has a marginal hand and really the only hand I am concerned of him having is 22. I now have a pair and the second nut flush draw, and the board is very scary for a marginal hand like KJ. I decide to make a standard checkraise to $150, trying to take down the pot then and there, but if I am called it's not a big loss as I have a ton of outs (9s, Ks, and clubs are all possible outs). The MPs bet looked very weak, and I was correct in pouncing on it as he folded to my checkraise. Final Pot: $284 No showdown. Cole wins $284.

Front 54

53---, Cole bets $16, MP calls $16**Turn: ($53) Qh (2 players)**MP checks

Back 54

Now I have top pair with a pretty good kicker. I am pretty sure I have the best hand right now. If I continue betting and he has something like a 4 or a 6, he will probably give up and put me on an overpair or top pair hand like AQ or KK. I don't want this to happen, because then I won't be getting the rest of his stack. The only cards I'm scared of on the river are A's and K's, and even if one falls I likely still have the best hand. I decide to check behind here, to make it look like I am giving up on the hand. In my mind, I have already made up my plan on the river no matter what card comes. If he goes all in on the river, I will gladly call him. If he checks on the river, I will think for a minute and then hit the "Bet Pot" button that is so popular on UB when making bluffs. This is planned to appear as a bluff, while taking the rest of his stack safely (since he can't checkraise me).

Front 55

73---Cole calls $444.50 (All-In), Button calls $171.40 (All-In). ***Turn: ($944.90) 5h (2 players, 2 all-in) *** River: ($944.90) 2h (2 players, 2 all-in) ***Final Pot: $944.90**No jack comes, but a 2 and 5 do so now I even lose to AK. He had aces and was way ahead the whole time. Very poorly played on my part. Cole has Jh Jc (one pair, jacks).
Button has Ad As (straight, five high). Outcome: Button wins $776.80. Cole wins $168.10.

Back 55

Final Pot: $944.90**No jack comes, but a 2 and 5 do so now I even lose to AK. He had aces and was way ahead the whole time. Very poorly played on my part. Cole has Jh Jc (one pair, jacks).
Button has Ad As (straight, five high). Outcome: Button wins $776.80. Cole wins $168.10.

Front 56

83---Cole bets $30, MP calls $30. ***Turn: ($102) 5c (2 players) ***MP bets $36;.

Back 56

The 5 is one of the better cards that could have come. It's an undercard to my pair, but it does make several possible straights. MP makes a very weak bet of just $36 into a $102 pot. This is a key point in the hand. He has been bluffing, and the board is dry so it looks like I may not have hit it. Although it's not a great board for 88, it's about as good as it gets by the time you are at the turn and an eight hasn't arrived. I read MP for being weak and having a paired 4, 5, or 6, or possibly a 3 or 7 that just made an open-ended straight draw. He wants to see a cheap showdown, I believe I am ahead, and so I make a large raise for value to $120. He just calls my raise and I'm almost positive I have the best hand.

Front 57

92---Flop: ($56) 5s, 9h, Qd (3 players) ***BB checks, CO checks,;

Back 57

Great flop for me, top pair top kicker. I bet and the opponent calls

Front 58

110---Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (4 handed) ***Button ($254.50) ***SB ($293.10) ***Cole ($446.69) ***UTG ($87.60) ***I played this hand a while ago when I was still at the 1/2 no-limit games. The game is only 4-handed and I have been raising the SB every time he open limps, which has been frequently. He has clearly been extremely frustrated with me and I can tell he's waiting for a hand to play back at me with. ***Preflop: Cole is BB with Ah, Ad. SB posts a blind of $1. ***2 folds, SB (poster) completes, Cole raises to $7, SB raises to $20, Cole raises to $58, SB raises to $123, Cole calls $386.69 (All-In), SB calls $169.10 (All-In).

Back 58

;As predicted, the SB open-limps. I raise it up to $9. He reraises me to $20 and I take a look at my cards for the first time. I have aces! Great, let's try to get all the money in preflop. I reraise him about three times his bet and he instantly pops me again. It's clear he has a real hand so I'm just going all in here. He calls and I expected to see KK, QQ, or maybe JJ. ***Flop: ($739.79) 8s, 6s, 7h -Kd -7c ***The board was great for me unless he had KK, and it turned out he held AQ so I was 91.53% to win the hand when all the money went in preflop. This is probably the biggest edge I've ever had in a poker game, certainly with this many big blinds going in the pot. This pot put my bankroll over the edge to play 2/4 no-limit and was the last hand at 1/2 I played. Thanks SB!

Front 59

131--Here is a big pot I won today by simply frustrating my opponent. He was getting very tired of me raising his open limp, and I continue to do it to put him on tilt as well as take his blind money. ***Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4BB (5 handed) ***SB ($429.46) ***Cole ($444.60) ***UTG ($179.95) ***MP ($765.90) ***Button ($378) ***Preflop: Cole is BB with 9h, Jd. SB posts a blind of $2. ***3 folds, SB (poster) completes, Cole raises to $14, SB calls $14.;

Back 59

Predictably, the SB open-limps and I have a very mediocre hand. I raise it to $18 and he comes along to see a flop.

Front 60

154--Cole raises to $150, CO folds, Button calls $93.38. ***River: ($419) Ks (2 players)
Cole calls $217 (All-In), Button calls $217.

Back 60

My checkraise on the turn made the pot the perfect size for an all-in on the river. I push all-in for just over half of the pot and he has to call with any nine. He had J9 for three of a kind and played the hand miserably. My play worked as I had planned, and I drag a nice $853 pot.

Front 61

161- Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $4BB (5 handed) ***UTG ($263.14) ***MP ($388) ***Button ($345.12) ***SB ($445) ***Cole ($435) ***Preflop: Cole is BB with 9c, Kc. SB posts a blind of $2. ***UTG raises to $10, MP calls $10, 2 folds, Cole calls $6.;

Back 61

UTG makes a tiny raise to $10 and MP calls. I am in the big blind getting great odds with an OK suited hand. I elect to call.

Front 62

162- Flop: ($32) 8h, 2c, Jc (3 players) ***Cole checks, UTG checks, MP bets $26,

Back 62

This is a pretty good flop, I've got the second-nut flush draw and some backdoor straight draws. I just check, UTG checks, and MP makes a pretty big bet of over 3/4-pot. I call and UTG folds