craigcu12 diary.

craigcu12

My runs in the main event are looking good, yesterday it was FT and today I managed to finish in 10th place. I did come HU in the 2K sheriff table.

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
x	Small blind		800.00	800.00	128570.00
craigcu12	Big blind		1600.00	2400.00	109030.00
	Your hole cards	5 7
x	Raise		2400.00	4800.00	126170.00
craigcu12	Call		1600.00	6400.00	107430.00
Flop
		K 7 9
craigcu12	Check
x	Check
Turn
		7
craigcu12	Bet		2200.00	8600.00	105230.00
x	Raise		8200.00	16800.00	117970.00
craigcu12	Raise		17400.00	34200.00	87830.00
x	Fold
craigcu12	Muck
craigcu12	Win		22800.00		110630.00
craigcu12	Return		11400.00	0.00	122030.00

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Small blind		1000.00	1000.00	87230.00
x	Big blind		2000.00	3000.00	149770.00
	Your hole cards	Q Q
craigcu12	Raise		3000.00	6000.00	84230.00
x	Call		2000.00	8000.00	147770.00
Flop
		8 5 4
x	Check
craigcu12	Bet		2600.00	10600.00	81630.00
x	Call		2600.00	13200.00	145170.00
Turn
		Q
x	Check
craigcu12	Bet		20000.00	33200.00	61630.00
x	Call		20000.00	53200.00	125170.00
River
		K
x	Check
craigcu12	All-in		61630.00	114830.00	0.00
x	Fold
craigcu12	Muck
craigcu12	Win		53200.00		53200.00
craigcu12	Return		61630.00	0.00	114830.00

It was really close alot of the way but hands like these two reveal even HU has got lots of overfolding.
That spot where I had trips villian held AK and in HU spots that is something you should never be folding. I myself was thinking about my range at the time and when I go raised I saw my trips as still a strong combo and with so many draws in my range I did the raise expecting to get called wide.
That spot with QQ was also interesting when I shoved river villian lol in a way which looked like him trying to think I have something strong but yet again he reveals to me he over folds in HU and in future I am left thinking why bother bluff catching and slowing down, just cbet 1/3 and X/R because it does look as though players will over fold for sure.

cpfc_2010

craigcu12 said:

My runs in the main event are looking good, yesterday it was FT and today I managed to finish in 10th place. I did come HU in the 2K sheriff table.

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
x	Small blind		800.00	800.00	128570.00
craigcu12	Big blind		1600.00	2400.00	109030.00
	Your hole cards	5 7
x	Raise		2400.00	4800.00	126170.00
craigcu12	Call		1600.00	6400.00	107430.00
Flop
		K 7 9
craigcu12	Check
x	Check
Turn
		7
craigcu12	Bet		2200.00	8600.00	105230.00
x	Raise		8200.00	16800.00	117970.00
craigcu12	Raise		17400.00	34200.00	87830.00
x	Fold
craigcu12	Muck
craigcu12	Win		22800.00		110630.00
craigcu12	Return		11400.00	0.00	122030.00

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Small blind		1000.00	1000.00	87230.00
x	Big blind		2000.00	3000.00	149770.00
	Your hole cards	Q Q
craigcu12	Raise		3000.00	6000.00	84230.00
x	Call		2000.00	8000.00	147770.00
Flop
		8 5 4
x	Check
craigcu12	Bet		2600.00	10600.00	81630.00
x	Call		2600.00	13200.00	145170.00
Turn
		Q
x	Check
craigcu12	Bet		20000.00	33200.00	61630.00
x	Call		20000.00	53200.00	125170.00
River
		K
x	Check
craigcu12	All-in		61630.00	114830.00	0.00
x	Fold
craigcu12	Muck
craigcu12	Win		53200.00		53200.00
craigcu12	Return		61630.00	0.00	114830.00

It was really close alot of the way but hands like these two reveal even HU has got lots of overfolding.
That spot where I had trips villian held AK and in HU spots that is something you should never be folding. I myself was thinking about my range at the time and when I go raised I saw my trips as still a strong combo and with so many draws in my range I did the raise expecting to get called wide.
That spot with QQ was also interesting when I shoved river villian lol in a way which looked like him trying to think I have something strong but yet again he reveals to me he over folds in HU and in future I am left thinking why bother bluff catching and slowing down, just cbet 1/3 and X/R because it does look as though players will over fold for sure.

Craig congrats on the deep run and you have my full respect for the work you are putting into your game.

As you are aware I was the villain in the above hands, I'd l Iike to respectfully disagree with you on both hands.

The first hand, it is irrelevant really what I have, in my eyes you where only ever shoving the river with trips which I couldn't beat, so I folded.
The second hand I had bottom pair and a gutshot , again when we got to the river and you shoved, bottom pair wasn't enough to call.

Neither hand in my book demonstrates "over folding".

You have obviously put alot of work in recently and it is showing in your results, keep up the hard work and good luck.

Tikay10

Might be the first time in history Palace Bloke has been accused of over folding.

cpfc_2010

Tikay10 said:

Might be the first time in history Palace Bloke has been accused of over folding.

You might just be right

craigcu12

I did have strength in both of these occasions but I have to admit that AK looks like an overfold, raising turn with TP IP you must have known I could RR, if I just called and river was blank are you gonna B/C river, if not then their is over folding in HU because you will have loads of air combos in your range for sure and with no Sd value you have got to bluff it.

My idea with that QQ came from the hand just before it, when I overbet that turn you raised AI, I folded a flush draw. Your decision to shove turn was key, it made me think if you have any strength in the hand shown you'll shove turn especially OOP so I myself can overbet turn and then overbet AI the river because I have loads of nutted equity and your range will be more capped.

Calling with that BTM pair on turn tells me your not the over folding player I know, most don't even call turn over bets with weak pair. I also cannot deny I do myself make lots of over folding kinda because I know players are not big bluffers.
WP last night GG.

HENDRIK62

Nasty lady

craigcu12

The way I'm managing to perform in MTTs ATM tells me I am starting to head into a bit of positive tilt. I did get myself HU in an MTT but my play during that HU spot was a touch on the more advanced side against the wrong type of opponent and no hand says it more than this one
As played I did not like the strength on of hand and should fold but instead I attempted to turn it into a bluff to re AQ the thing is I would have to ask my villian to thin value bet, 8x and sets as well as have some bluffs but their is a good chance he is not gonna do that therefore I am making a -EV play

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Small blind		1000.00	1000.00	142448.00
x	Big blind		2000.00	3000.00	85552.00
	Your hole cards	A A
craigcu12	Raise		3000.00	6000.00	139448.00
x	Call		2000.00	8000.00	83552.00
Flop
		10 J K
x	Bet		8000.00	16000.00	75552.00
craigcu12	Call		8000.00	24000.00	131448.00
Turn
		9
x	Check
craigcu12	Check
River
		7
x	Bet		6000.00	30000.00	69552.00
craigcu12	All-in		131448.00	161448.00	0.00
x	All-in		69552.00	231000.00	0.00
craigcu12	Unmatched bet		55896.00	175104.00	55896.00
craigcu12	Show	A A
x	Show	2 Q
x	Win	Straight to the King	175104.00		175104.00

I have a feeling I took this hand too far as well, not thinking about what villian will call and what he'd bet on river, as played I should just go big on turn and give up on river knowing that turn card is one that makes over folds for sure and as played when villian calls I should slow down on river knowing villian will have already over folded lots on turn and alot of what he calls on turn will call river

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
loololollo	Sit out
craigcu12	Small blind		400.00	400.00	65679.37
x	Big blind		800.00	1200.00	76580.00
	Your hole cards	6 K
Jqam	Call		800.00	2000.00	62123.75
avabob	Fold
Serpico007	Fold
craigcu12	Raise		2800.00	4800.00	62879.37
x	Call		2400.00	7200.00	74180.00
Jqam	Fold
Flop
		Q J J
craigcu12	Check
x	Check
Turn
		A
craigcu12	Bet		2400.00	9600.00	60479.37
x	Call		2400.00	12000.00	71780.00
River
		8
craigcu12	Bet		9000.00	21000.00	51479.37
x	Call		9000.00	30000.00	62780.00
craigcu12	Show	6 K
x	Show	9 A
x	Win	Two Pairs, Aces and Jacks	30000.00		92780.00

one thing's for sure their are some blank cards which make bluffing pointless vs people who cannot give ranges. As played I myself should know my villian will over fold his high card combos on flop and what ever he does call is not gonna fold many later streets, especially when I decide to X turn. I myself tried to rep some Jx combos but if I am gonna do that then I should just continue small on turn and then jam river, but as played I just give up on these blank rivers because I know for sure villians like this will have already over folded his A high cards on flop

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Big blind		600.00	600.00	93279.37
	Your hole cards	10 Q
x	Raise		1800.00	2400.00	54780.00
Jqam	Fold
avabob	Fold
Serpico007	Fold
craigcu12	Call		1200.00	3600.00	92079.37
Flop
		J J 3
craigcu12	Check
x	Bet		2700.00	6300.00	52080.00
craigcu12	Raise		7200.00	13500.00	84879.37
x	Call		4500.00	18000.00	47580.00
Turn
		6
craigcu12	Check
x	Check
River
		4
craigcu12	Bet		18000.00	36000.00	66879.37
x	Call		18000.00	54000.00	29580.00
craigcu12	Show	10 Q
x	Show	A A
x	Win	Two Pairs, Aces and Jacks	54000.00		83580.00

My exit hand in the mini shows my over play more than anything.

as played I should already know a monotone flop like this will get lots of over folds, I should also know a lot of villians in mini will fold much of their remaining value on later streets as they will have already give up on flop, those who call will call down most turns and rivers giving me a busted flush therefore as played I should be giving on my hand on turn and river unless a single card flush card comes

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
Toffeeandy	Small blind		1000.00	1000.00	23854.53
x	Big blind		2000.00	3000.00	73602.50
	Your hole cards	A 8
Serpico007	Fold
craigcu12	Raise		5000.00	8000.00	53583.33
bananaboi	Fold
SnowQueen	Fold
Toffeeandy	Fold
x	Call		3000.00	11000.00	70602.50
Flop
		2c 3c 7c
x	Check
craigcu12	Bet		5500.00	16500.00	48083.33
x	Call		5500.00	22000.00	65102.50
Turn
		Jh
x	Check
craigcu12	Bet		8000.00	30000.00	40083.33
x	Call		8000.00	38000.00	57102.50
River
		3d
x	Check
craigcu12	All-in		40083.33	78083.33	0.00
x	Call		40083.33	118166.66	17019.17
x	Show	7 K
craigcu12	Show	A 8
x	Win	Two Pairs, 7s and 3s	118166.66		135185.83

I am really happy about my overall game ATM that's for sure and being in positive tilt is a good thing showing I have improved my game big style and am playing very well what I am taking away from today is I must remember to take into account what I think the villians turn and especially river ranges are gonna be when I have showed aggression

AKAscotty

craigcu12 said:

The way I'm managing to perform in MTTs ATM tells me I am starting to head into a bit of positive tilt. I did get myself HU in an MTT but my play during that HU spot was a touch on the more advanced side against the wrong type of opponent and no hand says it more than this one
As played I did not like the strength on of hand and should fold but instead I attempted to turn it into a bluff to re AQ the thing is I would have to ask my villian to thin value bet, 8x and sets as well as have some bluffs but their is a good chance he is not gonna do that therefore I am making a -EV play

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Small blind		1000.00	1000.00	142448.00
x	Big blind		2000.00	3000.00	85552.00
	Your hole cards	A A
craigcu12	Raise		3000.00	6000.00	139448.00
x	Call		2000.00	8000.00	83552.00
Flop
		10 J K
x	Bet		8000.00	16000.00	75552.00
craigcu12	Call		8000.00	24000.00	131448.00
Turn
		9
x	Check
craigcu12	Check
River
		7
x	Bet		6000.00	30000.00	69552.00
craigcu12	All-in		131448.00	161448.00	0.00
x	All-in		69552.00	231000.00	0.00
craigcu12	Unmatched bet		55896.00	175104.00	55896.00
craigcu12	Show	A A
x	Show	2 Q
x	Win	Straight to the King	175104.00		175104.00

Manners cost nothing craig, no need to be disrespectful of others, i mean if you only played players at your advanced level you would have no one to play on sky, Rumour has it Villian is a really nice guy! i will give you one tip from a really nice guy" "Stay humble fella"

plus Sharkscope will tell you in £20+ games i hold my own, until we meet again xxx

craigcu12

AKAscotty said:

craigcu12 said:

The way I'm managing to perform in MTTs ATM tells me I am starting to head into a bit of positive tilt. I did get myself HU in an MTT but my play during that HU spot was a touch on the more advanced side against the wrong type of opponent and no hand says it more than this one
As played I did not like the strength on of hand and should fold but instead I attempted to turn it into a bluff to re AQ the thing is I would have to ask my villian to thin value bet, 8x and sets as well as have some bluffs but their is a good chance he is not gonna do that therefore I am making a -EV play

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Small blind		1000.00	1000.00	142448.00
x	Big blind		2000.00	3000.00	85552.00
	Your hole cards	A A
craigcu12	Raise		3000.00	6000.00	139448.00
x	Call		2000.00	8000.00	83552.00
Flop
		10 J K
x	Bet		8000.00	16000.00	75552.00
craigcu12	Call		8000.00	24000.00	131448.00
Turn
		9
x	Check
craigcu12	Check
River
		7
x	Bet		6000.00	30000.00	69552.00
craigcu12	All-in		131448.00	161448.00	0.00
x	All-in		69552.00	231000.00	0.00
craigcu12	Unmatched bet		55896.00	175104.00	55896.00
craigcu12	Show	A A
x	Show	2 Q
x	Win	Straight to the King	175104.00		175104.00

Manners cost nothing craig, no need to be disrespectful of others, i mean if you only played players at your advanced level you would have no one to play on sky, Rumour has it Villian is a really nice guy! i will give you one tip from a really nice guy" "Stay humble fella"

plus Sharkscope will tell you in £20+ games i hold my own, until we meet again xxx

Apologies if I mis say my words, people like you do play great, I've been looking and watching too much of the high poker stakes play in the last couple of days and am starting to use it in the wrong spots. in that hand I didn't even bother thinking about my play I just acted random.

The way I'm talking at the minute is another sign of positive tilt, I am bragging on and on about my good results and showing off. I need to get a grip of myself and realize their is still a lot to learn.

craigcu12

I've gottta say last Sunday has been another memorable moment, it's the first time I've managed to run so deep in both the main and mini on same day having jackpot potential in my mind. I made an overall review of how I ran and played in the main event and can see my game was brilliant overall with just a couple of bad plays. Two of the bad plays came when I tried to thin value bet on river cards favouring villain's range and both occasions the villain raise me.

Some of the most talked about hands were this 88

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
rspca12	Small blind		250.00	250.00	9421.25
x	Big blind		500.00	750.00	37832.50
	Your hole cards	8 8
craigcu12	Raise		1250.00	2000.00	40590.00
_WuFy_	Call		1250.00	3250.00	14883.75
BlairReid	Fold
rspca12	Fold
x	Fold
Flop
		Q 9 Q
craigcu12	Check
x	Check
Turn
		3
craigcu12	Check
x	Bet		2000.00	5250.00	12883.75
craigcu12	Call		2000.00	7250.00	38590.00
River
		7
craigcu12	Check
x	Bet		4000.00	11250.00	8883.75
craigcu12	Call		4000.00	15250.00	34590.00
x	Show	10 K
craigcu12	Show	8 8
craigcu12	Win	Two Pairs, Queens and 8s	15250.00		49840.00

Normally I am gonna snap fold my 88 on this river but with some really deep thought about how the flop was played, what villian's will give me, what I see in the villian's range, I managed to make a decent hero call with this pair, I do not beat any value but I did not see much value in villian's range but he will have some high card combos who's equity is still weak on flop, also If I was gonna fold this then villian himself can turn showdown value like 44 and 66 into a bluff. If he has a 33, TT JJ 9x or Qx good for him, I didn't see too many as he'd probe some on flop.


One of the hands I do think was played good but should have a different bet size is this KQ

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Small blind		400.00	400.00	48818.00
DARRENANDG	Big blind		800.00	1200.00	65417.75
	Your hole cards	QD KH
BlairReid	Fold
rspca12	Fold
x	Raise		1600.00	2800.00	24511.25
jimbo66	Fold
craigcu12	Raise		3600.00	6400.00	45218.00
DARRENANDG	Fold
x	Call		2400.00	8800.00	22111.25
Flop
		10D 10S 9D
craigcu12	Bet		3200.00	12000.00	42018.00
x	Raise		7200.00	19200.00	14911.25
craigcu12	All-in		42018.00	61218.00	0.00
x	All-in		14911.25	76129.25	0.00
craigcu12	Unmatched bet		23106.75	53022.50	23106.75
craigcu12	Show	QD KH
x	Show	A J
Turn
		6C
River
		KC
craigcu12	Win	Two Pairs, Kings and 10s	53022.50		76129.25

A board texture like this is one I will go for a more polarized range, I do have lots of strength but I also have lots of high card air, I do not have much nutted equity villian has atleast some. The range I play to cbet are those which can fire most turns and give the S:P ratio I'm best off going big on flop then calling any raise and if called I shove brick turns.

This hand had a bit of debate of twitch

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Small blind		500.00	500.00	69029.25
x	Big blind		1000.00	1500.00	87197.75
	Your hole cards	JD KD
BlairReid	Fold
rspca12	Fold
y	Raise		2000.00	3500.00	73412.00
craigcu12	Call		1500.00	5000.00	67529.25
x	Call		1000.00	6000.00	86197.75
Flop
		QS JH 8D
craigcu12	Check
x	Bet		1000.00	7000.00	85197.75
y	Call		1000.00	8000.00	72412.00
craigcu12	Call		1000.00	9000.00	66529.25
Turn
		6S
craigcu12	Check
x	Bet		1000.00	10000.00	84197.75
y	Call		1000.00	11000.00	71412.00
craigcu12	Call		1000.00	12000.00	65529.25
River
		8H
craigcu12	Check
x	Bet		1000.00	13000.00	83197.75
y	Fold
craigcu12	Raise		15000.00	28000.00	50529.25
x	Fold
craigcu12	Muck
craigcu12	Win		14000.00		64529.25
craigcu12	Return		14000.00	0.00	78529.25

These weak donk bets they do annoy me alot, if I was IP I would have been raising then but OOP I am not so happy X/R because one thing's for sure I will not be the last to act on river and if I X/R flop or turn I might get into an awkward spot on rivers. at the time of play it was a bit random but looking at his play I cannot see him put me on ranges and when he does bet so small on river I was thinking it's a really good scare card, my villian's range looks weak maybe Qx or Jx and when I raise I did not expect him to be able to put me on a range, I also know people will over fold river raises and being a card which looks scary I opted to bluff raise my Jx get rid of all his Qx.

Looking back I am in future stick to 3betting, I didn't 3bet this at the time thinking I do not want to see a 4bet but I don't believe people will 4bet as a bluff and if they do then I can call this KJ depending on stacksizes.

craigcu12

Yesterdays run in the main event looked good but I'm more proud to have finished 11th in the 6K bounty hunter. My overall play in the main event was great but 1 really poor bluff followed by a hit and hope shove with the 11BB still in my stack resulted in my exiting what was a potential final table.

This was the bluff and I am really ashamed of myself.

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
craigcu12	Small blind		4000.00	4000.00	237381.25
Chrismags	Big blind		8000.00	12000.00	59224.00
	Your hole cards	K Q
UBluffALot	Fold
gaming123	Raise		16000.00	28000.00	129392.00
Darkness23	Fold
craigcu12	Raise		36000.00	64000.00	201381.25
Chrismags	Fold
gaming123	Call		24000.00	88000.00	105392.00
Flop
		6 7 4
craigcu12	All-in		201381.25	289381.25	0.00
gaming123	All-in		105392.00	394773.25	0.00
craigcu12	Unmatched bet		95989.25	298784.00	95989.25
craigcu12	Show	K Q
gaming123	Show	8 8
Turn
		5
River
		5
gaming123	Win	Straight to the 8	298784.00		298784.00

I myself know that board texture hits villian's range well and hit's my range weak, I also know when called the equity of my hand is gonna be really weak and looking back I myself know this hand shove have been X/F on flop or at the very least delay cbet. When I look back I would say my 3bet size should have been smaller that it was in this spot, as played I have inflated the pot so much I am only able to bet 1 street, If I went for a 3bet that was 2x the P:S ratio on flop would have allowed me to go for a small big bet on the flops textures I know suit my range well, I also know that flop textures which do not suit me well can be given up no problem with a loss of very little.

Although I'm disappointed with this bluff I should remain very proud of my poker game overall because I am improving my game every week, getting a better and better idea of ranges and have a really good idea how to bet size in manners which will maximise value with strength allows bluffs to get maximum EV and always have decent plan for future streets

craigcu12

This crazy year is almost over and as I am taking a break tomorrow I might as well round up my performance of year. The main talking point begun with me quitting BPC, I did it knowing BPC were not helping me get very far in advanced poker and having to commit so much time on table meant it was difficult to get study time in.
I was a cash played but I had lots of difficulty finding the right tables and therefore I opted to switch to MTTs.

It begun with the UKOPS in autumn and things looked very promising having cashed out in two HR events. For some reason it would be a week or two before I played my next MTT and my performance proved good. My MTT game really kicked off in december and I managed to cash out in all but 1 of the sunday majors I played. My performance in the december UKOPS was ok but not great, I am really proud of myself for coming 2nd in the first HR and could be deemed unlucky not to have took it down but in the final day on UKOPS I was at my very worse over thinking and playing moves as a guess.

The strongest points of my MTT game come when I am a deep stacked player, The great thing about deep stacked poker is I can bring in all the stuff I've learned from cash and use it in my MTT performance, when I become shorter stacked then things get tough, the preflop ranges change big style, bet sizing are gonna be more difficult, their is less post flop play and every chip you lose is more costly.

I do believe my game is really well and will be starting to play more of the bigger MTTs on sites like PP and PS to see for myself whether or not I am as good as I think.

Also I have just subscribed to DTO which is this app you can use to play in multiple spots against a pot, this will enable me to learn GTO poker much easier and the more I learn the easier it will be for me to memorize them for playing poker on the tables.

I wish everyone a happy new year

craigcu12

This here is how my Shark scope is since I first moved over to MTT.

Nitrogen

I'm a newbie to Sky but love reading this, can relate strongly to lot of what you say. There's such correlation between time spent studying and results huge respect for anyone who puts in the time.

I watched a bit of one of your streams - working to apply GTO thinking in real time is to be admired, even if we know it's going to fall short of optimal - there's no doubt it's the road to success. For me it's the adjustments on top of the fundamentals that's the key to MTTs - knowing when to deviate from the optimal because villain is so far from the norm.

Anyway, look forward to seeing you on the tables in the new year and hopefully finding some fun spots to talk about.

craigcu12

My first update of the new year and it is a nice one, I said my new year's resolution was to begin playing more Poker stars and Party poker MTTs so I could see if my game really is good and judging by results it does look that way. I do have pool play in my game that's for sure but that poor play seems to be getting my chips all in correctly and playing as the shorter stack, I managed to cash out in 3/11 MTTs on party poker but I believe their should have been another 2 cash outs which I ended up exiting right on the bubble. the first of those was from making a high risk shove 14BB deep as 77 against 4BB open raise size made by a dominant stack, the 2nd exit was due to a very dire call having done was I set out to be a blocker bet with weak pair+ top kicker.

The spot I find most improved over the last week is using the correct bet size post flop, I have learned now their are some boards which should have a checking range and a polarized betting ranges using large cbet sizes whilst others boards will have me cbetting my entire range 33% pot . I also know now their are times where blocker betting our weak value has more EV to it than checking for showdown and their are times where you should double barrell bet 33% on both flop and turn, common examples of this are when you get a flop like K83 and the turn card is a 2 or when the turn card brings the first broadway card and it's texture is dry.

I am still a few miles from being that great great player but each and every week I am getting a better and better idea on how to play ranges well and I am really proud of myself.

craigcu12

My diary has been silent long enough so I will say it now, this month has been an awful one filled with issues. I begun the month with great hope and ambition of playing more high stakes MTTs, I subscribed with a coaching group that plays high stakes, I purchased a few poker programs that would help me inprove my GTO play in MTTS, What happens next I discover 1 poker site is frozen, another poker site is hacked and then I get scammed.

After a few weeks waiting for PS to reply back they confirm why my account with them is frozen, they request I send ID proof via the email address that is registered too that account, trouble now is the Email addresses I expected to be linked to that account are in fact not linked so I am in the dark.

Party poker did get back in touch with my about sorting out my hacked account and ensuring I get it opened up as quickly as they can but I get told couple of days later not to expect that to get opened as quickly as hoped.

Next option for me was GG poker and I attempt to make a nice deposit into that site but I then get told by GG poker as a british citizen I am required to do an affordability check first, I can deposit $200 dollars per day but will be able to make the large deposit I was hoping to make until I do the affordability check.

Another issue was my modem broke thankfully a new modem arrived to my house quicker than expected.

you could say I shouldn't be too annoyed because their are plenty of other sites to play including sky poker and whilst that's true if you looked at my sharkscope you will see I am having a bad run on these sky tournaments ATM. I could call it a down swing but if you were to look at the starting date it was when all this chaos first begun and is highly likely down to my mental state. One of the down sides with sky you cannot do hand analsis easy, you'd either need to write down the HH number for every hand in the spot you studying or you need to go through every hand.



On the good side I have finally managed to get another poker site going and it's bet 365, I have made a deposit of 1K into that site, I am yet to decide whether I should do nl50 or give some of their MTTs a shot but what's certain, I am gonna spend the final week of this month over on bet 365, the only bit of poker outside of that site is gonna be the sunday major on sky.

craigcu12

This might be a surprise to many readers but I am not joking when I say this, "I managed to take down the sky £33 6K bounty hunter, cashed out in an MTT during the first day on bet 365 MTTS and in a disappointing but positive way I finished just outside the bubble of £110 10K sunday major. All you have to do is watch the very end of my latest stream on twitch and you will notice I reacted in so much joy following my victory in that 6K bounty hunter.

As far as game play goes I cannot deny some spots of poor play were made but I myself am so proud of myself overall starting off with my study work. In a lot of the recent study work I put so much info into context and made things all confusing but in this study work I put my entire focus into Cold calling BTNvs CO. What I did in this study work was input the CO and BTN ranges into GTO+ and then looked into various board textures where I would see what parts of my range should be getting defended. When I was on the tables I could now think very well always having a decent idea about colding calling BTN and what you could say now is I was far more relaxed and managed to make other various good plays like blocker betting, thin value betting, thin value raising, the point is I always give ranges

The hands I see showing my best improves are these

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
Tommo2002	Small blind		4000.00	4000.00	121313.00
craigcu12	Big blind		8000.00	12000.00	128286.00
	Your hole cards	9 J
x	Raise		16000.00	28000.00	291030.51
GSmith13	Fold
gingerlama	Fold
Tommo2002	Fold
craigcu12	Call		8000.00	36000.00	120286.00
Flop
		2h 10 9
craigcu12	Check
x	Check
Turn
		5
craigcu12	Bet		12000.00	48000.00	108286.00
x	Raise		48000.00	96000.00	243030.51
craigcu12	All-in		108286.00	204286.00	0.00
x	Fold
craigcu12	Muck
craigcu12	Win		132000.00		132000.00
craigcu12	Return		72286.00	0.00	204286.00

craigcu12 of the past is folding J9o pre, any craigcu12 that calls will check it down post flop hoping it reaches showdown and fold that turn raise or X/C turn and X/F river. The difference here was thought about P:S ratio I was told recently when you are shorter stacked you can defend far wider in the BB and as played what I did was blocker bet turn to deny equity, when I get raised I then shove why well as played I see him bet lots of strength on flop including flush draws, getting raised on turn he's polarized and with P:S ratio as it is these combos are gonna bust most times against better so what I do is B/RAI on turn if he has better good for him what's great is I block flushes, Jd gives me more potential outs against slow played strength and most importantly I prevent opponent from getting to see a free river.

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
destinycod	Small blind		5000.00	5000.00	156871.70
NOSTRI	Big blind		10000.00	15000.00	379555.78
	Your hole cards	10d 10c
x	Raise		22000.00	37000.00	622661.02
craigcu12	Call		22000.00	59000.00	446911.50
destinycod	Fold
NOSTRI	Fold
Flop
		2c 6c 4s
x	Bet		36850.00	95850.00	585811.02
craigcu12	Call		36850.00	132700.00	410061.50
Turn
		Ks
x	Bet		88000.00	220700.00	497811.02
craigcu12	Call		88000.00	308700.00	322061.50
River
		5h
x	All-in		497811.02	806511.02	0.00
craigcu12	All-in		322061.50	1128572.52	0.00
x	Unmatched bet		175749.52	952823.00	175749.52
x	Show	Qd 10s
craigcu12	Show	10d 10c
craigcu12		Pair of 10s	952823.00		952823.00

The hand of the night was this one. In GTO+ terms I have made a really close call and taking ICM into account that call will become poor. In this spot and only this spot one could argue both myself and opp made +EV moves how?
In the opponents view I am this really big nit and on that river card he could bluff any two cards knowing I will fold near enough everything because most sets were already getting raised on turn, on this river I have just 1 3x combo and 4 76 combo and with expection I fold the rest it's a fine call.

It's +EV in my shoes for very similar reason in GTO+ terms he should value bet this river as some Kx, sets and should not have many bluffs at all but against a villian like me you can normally over bluff easy with all combos and when that river card brings straight you expect to slow down everything but nuts knowing I fold most worse.

One thing's for sure this hand is most certainly a one off I myself will call some Mid PP combos on this river but the priority combos are gonna be those which unblock bluffs and block nutted equity. I myself also know now villian will do more thin value betting on river and not so much over bluffing.
The point I am taking away from this MTT victory is I am getting better and better at defending my ranges and not over folding.

craigcu12

With January over it's time to do a monthly update.

I will begin with sky poker, I played 129 MTTs this month, I took down 2 of those MTTS and final tabled in a 3rd. As far as profit goes I came out break even but assuming we excluded the SPTs and it's satellites I estimate making a profit of £700. Some could say I would have made even more if I didn't get my account with party poker hacked and bank account scammed because these issues certainly got me stressed out. What I like about my game this month is I am starting to say good bye to that extremely tight game, last year I would never have made a call without straight on board textures with 4 cards to the straight, My river value bets use to be very polarised only the best of hands got value bet, now I am starting to make thin value bets and sometimes even thin value raises. if they have slow played a hand they shouldn't good for them, if they do, I myself know now their is more river raising as thin value and as a bluff.

My bet 365 report isn't very big, I begun playing those MTTs at the end of this month and it was only because I couldn't access my party poker or poker stars account. I have managed to play in 36 of those MTTs and cashed out in 4. It's certainly too early to say much but I do believe a number of improvements need to be made, for starters having antes means I should be playing more looser, as full ring MTTs, I also need to do more cold calling, 3betting and squeezing because their isn't gonna be as many unopened pots, I shall also have to do more work on playing OOP and multiway pots.

craigcu12

I hate to say it but here goes.
I might be force to go back towards playing the cash games I was playing. i am not in any way annoyed with bad runs in the MTTs, it appears gambling regulations are making it difficult for me to play MTTs and manage my bankroll correctly on other sites.

What I mean is GG poker is not allowing me to deposit much into my account with them, I have managed to deposit $1300 with them but if I was to run poor and needed to deposit more then I will have to try to argue with them again over allowing me to make another deposit.

I am still waiting to hear from party poker security about getting my account with them reopened but I just got an Email of them telling me the account is getting excluded and from what I read it looks likely it is because of gambling.

My account with stars is still frozen and I'm yet to hear back from them but the way its going either I will have this account frozen forever or if it does get opened I can see gambling regulations likely be a problem with that as well.

I could still play MTT on a number of other sites that's for sure but what these games will be of lower stakes and I can see myself make just as much cash playing on the cash games but without the hassle of having to play at a certain time or risk missing hands when my dog need to go outside or is pestering me.

It's certainly still early doors for sure I will try sending emails non stop and speaking with gambling commission but if any one has any advice please tell me.

craigcu12

I am still hoping to remain an MTT player and it's early days for sure