Emptying the Chambers

This past Thursday, my bankroll on Full Tilt was looking like Anna Nicole Smith in a hotel room. I was very, very near busto. I was running poorly, making bad plays, dronking off chips, and getting rivered left and right.

After pumping my stomach, giving my game a little mouth-to-mouth, and getting plenty of fluids (beer) last night, my 'roll is now in stable condition, and ready to get off of life support.

I played five $2+.25 SnG's (6-handed) on Full Tilt last night and placed 1,1,2,1,1 for a profit about about $23.00. I basically more than doubled what was in my account before the night started.

I believe I've finally found the Holy Grail of these micro-SnG's: Fire the second (or third) bullet. Even if you think you're behind.

Easy as that. At the lower levels, people expect to lose. Give them what they want.

I tend to only do this when facing one or two opponents, but it's been wildly successful when I put it to consistent use.

Observe:

Full Tilt Poker Game #1765286300: $2 + $0.25 Sit & Go (13052212), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:36:14 ET - 2007/02/09
Seat 1: Bloody P (1,785)
Seat 2: roxygirl84 (1,440)
Seat 3: Riding Hood (1,530)
Seat 4: 969FDA (1,395)
Seat 5: Deacon John (1,395)
Seat 6: djreed84 (1,455)
969FDA posts the small blind of 15
Deacon John posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Bloody P [2c 2h]
djreed84 calls 30
Bloody P raises to 135
roxygirl84 raises to 360
Riding Hood folds
969FDA folds
Deacon John folds
djreed84 folds
Bloody P calls 225
*** FLOP *** [Ks Th 6s]
Bloody P bets 795
roxygirl84 folds
Uncalled bet of 795 returned to Bloody P
roxygirl84: awwwwww jj
Bloody P mucks
Bloody P wins the pot (795)
The blinds are now 20/40
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 795 | Rake 0
Board: [Ks Th 6s]
Seat 1: Bloody P collected (795), mucked
Seat 2: roxygirl84 folded on the Flop
Seat 3: Riding Hood (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: 969FDA (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: Deacon John (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: djreed84 folded before the Flop

Here, with a pair of 2's, I'm obviously looking to hit a set on the flop. I missed, but looking at the texture of the flop, I hoped that the king would be a scare card. I thought I would take a stab at the pot and make a pot sized bet to see how roxygirl responded. Even if she (we'll assume she's female) pushes here, I can fold and still rebuild my stack with 1000 chips and the blinds at only 15/30.

This time firing the bullet worked pretty well, if she indeed had Jacks.

Another one against "roxygirl84". I had seen her play enough hands to know that she hates
any sort of pressure or hard decision making. That led to me winning this pot:

Full Tilt Poker Game #1765307335: $2 + $0.25 Sit & Go (13052212), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:39:13 ET - 2007/02/09
Seat 1: Bloody P (2,140)
Seat 2: roxygirl84 (3,360)
Seat 3: Riding Hood (1,665)
Seat 5: Deacon John (570)
Seat 6: djreed84 (1,265)
Bloody P posts the small blind of 20
roxygirl84 posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Bloody P [9c 9d]
Riding Hood folds
Deacon John folds
djreed84 calls 40
Bloody P raises to 160
roxygirl84 calls 120
djreed84 folds
*** FLOP *** [Js Td Ac]
Bloody P bets 360
roxygirl84 calls 360
*** TURN *** [Js Td Ac] [2d]
Bloody P bets 1,080
roxygirl84 folds
Uncalled bet of 1,080 returned to Bloody P
Bloody P mucks
Bloody P wins the pot (1,080)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,080 | Rake 0
Board: [Js Td Ac 2d]
Seat 1: Bloody P (small blind) collected (1,080), mucked
Seat 2: roxygirl84 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 3: Riding Hood didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Deacon John didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: djreed84 (button) folded before the Flop

It may seem like a couple of foolish bets on my part, but again, firing that extra bullet with a big, pot-sized bet that would have crippled her made sense with an Ace on the board. And again, if I get played back at, I have enough chips with 20/40 blinds to try to get back to even and make a run at winning the table (which I've done many times, with many less chips).

The bottom line is if you have a good read on your opponent, you're heads up, have the stack to absorb a hit, and have the balls to make the play...FIRE THAT BULLET! A lot of players will stay with you with middle pair, top pair/bad kicker, and flush or straight draws just hoping to catch their miracle card on the turn. If they miss (as they inevitably do) and are facing a big ass bet, they're going to fold to naked aggression.