A bit of luck

I needed to get lucky to win my first $15 pot at $0.25/$0.50 limit. I managed to parlay middle pair on the flop to a full house by the river to suck out on a flopped straight.

I think I mostly played it OK. Preflop I have an OK drawing hand QTs. When the early limpers call the raise I'm getting around 10:1 to see a flop with good implied odds if I can connect by flopping a good draw.

The flop is OK I have an oesd plus middle pair. I'm probably still behind here but I have pretty good equity so I bet. The flop was getting capped anyway.

The turn is misplayed. I improve to trips but that only pulls me ahead of MP3 if he has QQ-AA. I'm behind JJ, 99, AT and KQ which are all in his range and my checkraise gets 3bet. I think check/call is better on the turn and hope for more help on the river.

On the river I get lucky. The board pairs to give me the full house and my first $15 pot at this level. I won one at $0.50/$1.00 before but this one is more satisfying for some reason.

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Ts, Qs.
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 calls, 2 folds, MP3 calls, CO raises, 2 folds, Hero calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (12.40 SB) 9h, Jd, Tc (6 players)
Hero bets, UTG raises, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls, CO 3-bets, Hero calls, UTG caps, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (15.20 BB) Td (5 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.35 (All-In), UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls, CO raises, Hero raises, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls, CO 3-bets, Hero calls, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls.

River: (27.90 BB) 9s (5 players, 1 all-in)
Hero bets, UTG+2 folds, MP3 folds, CO calls.

Results:
Hero has Ts Qs (full house, tens full of nines).
UTG has Ah 8d (two pair, tens and nines).
CO has Qh Kc (straight, king high).

Outcome: Hero wins 30.10 BB.


Strangely I then won another $15 pot at $0.25/$0.50 a few days later. This time it was KK unimproved over some really bad players. I was surprised at showdown to have the best hand. An overpair or TPTK are usually not good in a multiway showdown in a pot that large when that many people see the flop. I was lucky in a way.


PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Kc, Kh.
Hero raises, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, Button calls, SB 3-bets, BB calls, Hero caps, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop: (32 SB) 9c, 4d, Qh (8 players)
SB checks, BB bets, Hero raises, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

Turn: (22 BB) 5d (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, MP2 folds, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

River: (27 BB) 4c (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, CO folds, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

Results:
SB has 9d Td (two pair, nines and fours).
BB has 6h 6d (two pair, sixes and fours).
Hero has Kc Kh (two pair, kings and fours).
Button has Qs Jh (two pair, queens and fours).

Outcome: Hero wins 31 BB.