Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail, Full Tilt Poker Academy
With the World Series of Poker just a few days away, this might be my last push at running a Full Tilt Poker Academy challenge 5 Common Hold’em Leaks. This went also went quickly right on the tail of doing the Pre-Flop Play Challenge which shared many similarities to this one. Hand selections before the flop, action after the flop, and overall profitability while dodging situations for big down swings.
The challenge was completed over a weekend of multi-tabling the microlimit NLHE games again with the same results. I’m also using the lessons learned through the Bankroll Management challenge to grind my bankroll properly without ever risking the entire thing with one swing of variance.
Listed below are the tasks for the challenge as well as some of my notes.
The challenge started with the following tasks to be completed in any order:
- Open raise 5 times to exactly 3x BB with the following: A-A, A-K, K-K, A-Q, Q-Q, T-T, J-J, or A-J.
- Fold 2 times with A-T, K-Q, or K-J pre-flop when someone has raised before you.
- Raise pre-flop, then win the pot with a continuation bet on the flop without making a pair or better.
- Open fold pre-flop 5 times with a suited A-X, where the “X” is 9 or lower.
- The Pro Play - Show profits in 3 cash game sessions of 60 hands or more where you do not have a net loss in a pot of more than 25 big blinds.
Thanks to my previous challenges, I was fully prepared for the donkery in my way at the microlimit tables. My brain was in ABC mode looking to pick off anyone playing ATC (any two cards), any pair regardless of kicker issues, and those push-pray gutter and flush draws. The Pro Play looked to be tough just on the basis of the near impossibility of playing a session without a monstous suckout.
Sure enough I lost quite a few hands with AA and KK but overall the bankroll took a steady grinding lurching move towards the north.
The first task was automatic, open-raising with big hands. I’m pretty sure you better have this one down pat before picking up the game. The second task was just as easy, folding marginal hands when it’s raised before the action reaches you.
Task four was winning a pot with a continuation bet without flopping a pair or better. An obvious skill you need to have in your arsenal but not the easiest to accomplish with players who are ambivalent to previous player actions. I completed the task with a little trickery and deceit when I picked on players that I knew were paying some attention.
The fifth task was something most player well leak like a sieve at every opportunity. Players at every level of this game fall madly in love with the beautiful looking but very dangerous suited Ace. Never mind the wee little kicker that shares space with the ace, even the most solid players will play these crud hands strictly on the gamble looking for that miracle flop. Easy folds for me, for I am a tight rock.
I played the part of a grinder for a few small sessions and the Pro Play took care of itself, the bankroll is steadily climbing and I may have enough for a carton of cigarettes or a happy meal by the end of the year. I’ve begun the next challenge, Power of Position, but I do not think I’ll complete that before picking up coverage of the 2009 World Series of Poker.
Other posts about the Full Tilt Poker Academy and challenges:
Full Tilt Poker Academy – A First Look
Full Tilt Poker Academy – First Challenge
Full Tilt Poker Academy – Bankroll Management Challenge
Full Tilt Poker Academy – Pre-Flop Play Challenge
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