A buddy of mine who i convinced to start playing cash games sent me this hand history. i gave him my advice, but its been a while since ive played NLHE at these stakes. he's trying to learn from "the ground up", so he can adjust to all skill levels etc. He's a great tournament player and im hoping he can make the transition and start killing cash games as well. anyway, any input would be appreciated. i dont want to give him any bad advice



PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FCP)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP3 ($0.37)
CO ($9.61)
Button ($1.21)
SB ($10.73)
BB ($12.19)
Hero ($6.16)
UTG+1 ($15.80)
MP1 ($6.96)
MP2 ($6.98)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A , Q .
Hero calls $0.05, UTG+1 calls $0.05, MP1 calls $0.05, MP2 calls $0.05, MP3 calls $0.05, CO calls $0.05, 1 fold, SB completes, BB raises to $0.1, Hero calls $0.05, UTG+1 calls $0.05, MP1 calls $0.05, MP2 calls $0.05, MP3 calls $0.05, CO calls $0.05, SB calls $0.05.

Flop: ($0.80) 8 , Q , A (8 players)
SB checks, BB bets $0.1, Hero calls $0.10, UTG+1 calls $0.10, MP1 folds, MP2 calls $0.10, MP3 folds, CO folds, SB folds.

Turn: ($1.20) 5 (4 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.6, UTG+1 calls $0.60, MP2 folds, BB folds.

River: ($2.40) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $1, UTG+1 raises to $3, Hero....

Final Pot: $8.40

Wow. He played that quite badly. First off, raise AQs up front. I don't hate-hate the limp...but it should mostly be done when you're mixing up your play. I guess I'm fine with the call of the min-raise pre-flop.

On the flop, we hit huuuuuge. Let's charge some the other aces and the flush draws. Basically, raise the freaking flop.

On the turn, with two flush draws, you've got to bet more than that. You're practically inviting people to outdraw you for cheap.

On the river, a bet/call is fairly standard.

Here's the trick to low-stakes NL...don't try to get tricky/trappy. Just play your cards in a fairly straightforward manner and you'll make money.

First of all, LOL at 7 limps, followed by a minraise, followed by 7 calls. I told him I actually don't absolutely hate limping AQs here, but to probably re-raise after that min-raise to get a lot of dead 2BB's in the pot and make the hand easier to play. he would be in position against the BB and that is his most important opponent, just looking at the PF action.

I told him definitely raise the flop. the BB has minraised PF and then bet .10 at a 0.80 flop. It's time to get out anyone drawing to a gutshot broadway and see what's going on with the two clubs on board. Be wary of 88 from someone else in the hand, but other than that, try to figure out of the BB has AA or QQ (unlikely.)

Then the BB checks the turn, which means he may have just given up on this hand. I'm glad he bet, but I wish he'd have bet more as to eliminate odds for a club draw. Then UTG+1 is the only caller, so I give him a range of weaker two pair, slowplayed set, or flushdraw based on his line (limp, call, call, call.) Probably not AK.

His bet of $1 into the 2.40 after the non-club river is where I get fuzzy. He probably won't get called by a flush-draw, will get called by 2 pair, and will get raised by the slowplayed set. It's possible for UTG+1 to have AQ as well and have gotten excited that the board finished in a non-threatening manner. I don't think 2 pair will raise. I don't think the river helped him, so he must have something that coordinated exactly with the flop. I told him I could almost only see the UTG+1 having 88 or AQ. He hasn't told me the results yet

*bump*

he gave me the results. does anyone else have any thoughts on this? I'd like to know what you guys think of my analysis. i'll post results later

Raise before the flop UTG. It's strong enough.

Raise the flop. It's low stakes, there are about 37 players, someone will call, so you want to charge the draws and make the baby Aces donate to you.

Bigger turn bet. All the draws are priced in. Bet/call the river. The villain might be raising with some other 2 pair, but it's looking like he backed into some awkward straight with something like 6 4 or 6 9 or maybe even a horriblly played set.

Your friend is too passive. There shouldn't be 7 players competing for a pot.