Hand 1
Caesar's Palace 1/2 NLHE (9-handed)

SB $450
Cobalt $300

Cobalt is BB w/ Q Q . Cobalt is viewed as TAG. SB seems TAG and has a habit of making large raises pre-flop. Game is loose.

Pre-flop:
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 2 folds, MP3 calls, CO calls, 1 fold, SB raises to $18, Cobalt re-raises to $60, 3 folds, SB mulls for a bit and re-raises to $210, Cobalt says "I'm out" and quickly folds face-up


Hand 2
Caesar's Palace 1/2 NLHE (9-handed)

BB $650
UTG+1 $250
Cobalt $300
MP3 $250

Cobalt is MP1 w/ Q Q . Cobalt is viewed as TAG. BB seems sLAG but competent. No good read on others. Game is loose.

Pre-flop:
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $10, Cobalt re-raises to $30, 1 fold, MP3 calls, 3 folds, BB re-raises to $150, 1 fold, Cobalt folds


Hand 3
Caesar's Palace 1/2 NLHE (9-handed)

MP2 $350
Cobalt $300
BB $250

Cobalt is CO w/ Q Q . Cobalt is viewed as TAG. BB seems LAG. MP2 is quite loose (and loves suited connectors) but competent. He usually has a decent hand when money goes in. Game is loose.

Pre-flop:
3 folds, MP2 calls, 1 fold, Cobalt raises to $10, 2 folds, BB calls, MP2 says "I'm gambling" and calls

Flop ($31): 5 4 3 (3 players)
BB checks, MP2 bets $50, Cobalt mulls and folds


I know I'm going to look 'weak' on these, but bring on the critiques.

I think 1 is fine.

Hand 2 is a little different. I wuold expect most players to make smallish reraises with aces or kings. Also, if this occured after you tabled the fold in the first hand, he could be making a play. I probably push here.

I can't find a fold in hand 2. I think it is likely that he has a smaller pair or some kind of draw.

Play the 2/5 games over there Cobalt.

I think everyone of these hands is good.

Yeah, after 3 sessions and up $200 from 1/2 live in a casino, I definitely think 2/5 is the way to go. Easier in a...hands work themselves out sensibly sort of way.

Nah. All three of these hands are days apart.

As for the second hand, you've got a raise in EP, a re-raise in EP, and a smooth call in MP...I think if you're playing reasonable, you've got to have considerable strength to come over the top of that.

Hand 1 standard.

Hand 2, you have the 3rd best hand against a LAG. Raise to $40 or $50, or call. Reraising small: "Stop raising, Mr. Lag." "Oh yeah, wiseguy? Let's see what you do with a re-re-raise."

Hand 3, raise to $125, call and see what happens on turn (an overcard is coming), folding isn't awful but maybe a little weak.

On the first hand, the SB showed the table KK. Honestly, whether he called or re-raised me, I was mostly done with the hand.

On the second hand, I'm still not sure exactly what the BB had, but I was pretty confident that the laydown was correct.

On the third hand, MP2 showed 4d3d.

(As you can tell, I was feeling good about my reads.)