HI All,

I've been a member for the last few weeks and so far this is the best training site i've been on, and there;s been a few.

Background – I've been playing 4-5 year, last 2 more seriously and due to illness i play pretty much full time now. I had decent sucess over the last 2 years being in the top 1% of players on OPR winning several events on Pokerstars and the nu defunct Full Tilt. My usernames are Chimpeeeeeee and PainInDeAss/PainInDaAss on most sites. I was quite ill with crohns diseaise at the start of the year and didn't really play at all for 4-5 months. Now i'm back the result don't seem to be coming so i decided to work on the game and try to do an hour a day of study. Hence joing TPE, Which i love… great podcasts. Listened to all of them and working my way through the vids.

I'm not sure how everything works just yet. I'd like to get a HH reviewed for an evening MTT, but no idea who to send that to, or if it stands a chance of getting in.

For today i have a question on range merging. I have a pretty good understanding of the whole idea, but when is it too light to get value. I played this hand earlier to day in London (where I live!).

I played a hand this afternoon in the Mega where I raised in MP with 88,
the player in HJ flatted as did the BB. I had about 200k at the time
and had both the other guys covered. The blinds were 1/2k 400ante and I
raised to 4400. The first caller was a nit, played 4 hands all day. The
BB calling was more interesting. I didn't have a solid read, although he
looks to like the odd bluff.

The Flop

I'm pretty sure I have the best hand, but i'm not going to be over joyed
if i get raised. With this in mind I checked, nit checks and bluffer
bet 10k. I called, nit folds.

Turn

I check, so does he. The A is certainly something with is in his range,
although he had shown a propensity to raise with most aces rather that
call pre.

The River
completing a i card straight on the bored. The way the hands played i
think it's unlikely he has a bare 5, but possible 55. Aside from that I
have him on a bare under mine 77, 66 and possible 55.

On the river he checks to me. Now, merge ranging. I have him on a range
of cards which I beat, and I throw out a bet which i feel does 2-3
things. Value betting what is likely the best hand, a blocker bet to
stop him perhaps putting in a massive bet. I bet, and he nearly looks
to muck for a sec then pulls the cards back and covers them. He tanks
for 2-3 mins before pushing all in. Marv. I'm so sure he's bluffing
here, but i couldn't spring the call. The most likely hand that he's
representing was 55 which I had in in his range.

Thoughts? My good friend who watched the whole hand said it was an awful
bluff. You had showdown value so why bet. I said i was vetting for thin
value, which will hopefully pay dividends down the line, it didn't and i
lost 3 back to back flips before pushing with 82o from the SB and BB
wakes with AQ. Marv.

Thinking about it now i feel that my read was good. He implied after
i'd been knocked out that he river the straight. That from my point of
view isn't the point.

What the value so think that this should ever be a bet? The standard of
players was OK. Phil H was probably the best player at the table, but i
was playing well until this point. The rest of the players were tightish
regs of poor to good standard. No superstars. From what i've read in
this thread tying to use range merging in this instance was the same as
out levelling myself. Something i'm trying to reign in this year!

Incresing my VPIP, AGG, PFR and final value betting thinner on the
river. I've achieved all of them, and hopefully the results will come.
MY main problem generally is out-levelling myself. Also on another note a
friend from the UK tour had suggest using some ADD meds to help me
concentrate. We'll see about that.

Anyway. I'm looking forward to yout thoughts.

PainInDaAss