Honestly, there were only a few interesting winning pots from this weekend.  I did not get a ton of play in on Sunday, due to the forementioned post, but that is okay, I enjoyed the tourney and I can always get in cash game hands, that is never a problem.  So here are some of the interesting hands, or at least thoughts on some key concepts about play on AP.

Hand 1: This hand itself is not very interesting.  The key point here is about bet sizing.

$0.5/$1 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:

UTG   ($67.20)  
UTG+1   ($133.35)  
CO   ($132.45)  
Hero   ($113.90)  
SB   ($66.20)  
BB   ($203.75)  

Pre-flop: ($1.5, 6 players) Hero is BTN

3 folds, Hero raises to $4, SB raises to $8, 1 fold, Hero raises to $19, SB calls $11

Here, I think the villain likes hand, but I am not sure to what degree.  I have a really strong hand here and want to get it in.  I do a fairly small 4-bet, because I want to be able to get the money in and I think this player (don’t remember stats, I am at work) is a pretty poor player and would likely call or push this smallish raise, but could possibly fold to a larger raise.  By raising small here, I am building a pot and giving the villain a chance to make a mistake.

Flop: ($39, 2 players)
SB bets $11, Hero raises to $25, SB goes all-in $47.2, Hero calls $22.2

My flop thoughts reflect the same thing I said preflop.  I raise small, because I figure villain likes his hand.  I give him the chance to shove over the top if he desires, but also, I raise small, because it will be almost impossible for villain to fold the turn now.  He complies by shoving and I get it in with the better hand.  The key thoughts in this hand are bet sizing and the reasons for the bet sizing.  Note that I would never take this line against a good regular.  Sometimes, you need to put yourself in your opponents shoes and think like a donk.  I think a bigger raise preflop or on the flop could possibly force a fold in this hand. 

Turn: ($144.4, 2 players)

River: ($144.4, 2 players)

Final Pot: $133.40
Hero shows:
SB shows:

Hero wins $129.9 ( won +$63.7 )
SB lost -$77.20

Hand 2:  The key concept here pertains to getting value on multiple streets. 

$0.5/$1 No Limit Holdem
2 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:

BTN   ($81.80)  
Hero   ($107.00)  

Pre-flop: ($1.5, 2 players) Hero is BB

BTN calls $0.5, Hero raises to $4, BTN calls $3

Standard preflop raise.  I just started this table, which is a great way to get some super soft tables.  Give it a shot.  Thanks to Jason and Noel for pointing this out to me.

Flop: ($8, 2 players)
Hero bets $6, BTN calls $6

I have TPTK.  I need to bet for value and to protect my hand against flush draws.

Turn: ($20, 2 players)
Hero bets $13, BTN calls $13

My turn thoughts are consistent with my flop thoughts, betting for value and charging draws.

River: ($46, 2 players)
Hero bets $21, BTN calls $21

I think a flush would have raised by now, but it is possible I am up against a flush.  Here is my thinking here.  I certainly can get paid off with worse hands.  Maybe an Ac that was drawing, making he has a K and thinks I am full of it.  Point is, the biggest complaint people have about players on AP is that they don’t fold.  Well, if that is the case, you better get lots of value when they don’t fold!  I could have checked behind, but I think he checks behind a lot of hands that I beat, so I bet small for value to get called by a maximum range of hands. 

Final Pot: $88
BTN shows:
Hero shows:

Hero wins $87.5 ( won +$43.5 )
BTN lost -$44.00

Hand 3:  This hand is about letting your opponents make a mistake. 

$0.5/$1 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:

UTG   ($192.45)  
UTG+1   ($70.23)  
CO   ($290.85)  
BTN   ($49.50)  
Hero   ($294.64)  
BB   ($147.82)  

Pre-flop: ($1.5, 6 players) Hero is SB

3 folds, BTN raises to $4, Hero raises to $13.5, 1 fold, BTN calls $9.5

Standard 3-bet preflop with KK.  Notice the stack of the villain in this hand.

Flop: ($28, 2 players)
Hero checks, BTN checks

The flop iz good for btimmz!!  I elect to check here, because the pot is $28 and he has $36 left.  I think a bet folds out a ton of hands and I want value.  Basically, I want him to make a mistake and I feel I can get it in on later streets if he checks behind.  That is key about his stack size.

Turn: ($28, 2 players)
Hero checks, BTN goes all-in $36, Hero calls $36

Again, I check, to try and make the villain do something stupid, because it now looks like I am just giving the hand up.  He complies by taking a hand with showdown value and essentially turning it into a bluff, though I doubt he is good enough to know this.

River: ($100, 2 players)

Thanks for the monies!

Final Pot: $100
BTN shows:
Hero shows:

Hero wins $96.5 ( won +$47 )
BTN lost -$49.50

These were about as interesting as they came from this weekend, hopefully some hands this week will be a little more interesting to post.