In MP with QQ. Utg limps, I raise to 3xBB. All fold back to UtG who calls the bet. There is $1500 in the pot. The flop is 4c5s6s. I have the Q of spades, not that it matters. He checks, I bet out $2000 figuring to intimidate any draws. He comes over the top for $5k. He had huge hand earlier when he flopped a set and thus was the big stack at the table. I was probably at just above average before the hand started, with a solid image. (I even had a boat on hand #1). If I fold now, I have about $8k left or my starting $10k.
Do you call, fold or raise?
Me, I looked at the board and thought to myself, what would call the bet and then re-raise an overbet (check raise no less).
I put him on either 77 or a KsQs. I re-raised all in (if my read is right, then that is the right move). He called.
My mistake? If he had a draw, and wanted to semi bluff, he would NOT do it as a check raise. What does the check raise mean here?
I figured 77 WAS a big hand, since he would have an OVERPAIR and a straight draw. That seemed to me to be what he had. He called a 3xBB bet and now I figured to have the better overpair. This to me was NOT my mistake. Even if I was wrong, I made my read and went with it... no...
my REAL mistake was getting involved in a HUGE hand in level 4 with only an overpair. Why call another $3k? because I did not want to let go of the $2600 I had in there. Yet, why DO we bet? to SEE where we are at. And I found out. I was beaten.
Still, I just could not get the 77 out of my mind. That just seemed to be the hand. And I committed to the hand.
He flipped over 66 for the set.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Thursday, July 28, 2005
sometimes you surprise yourself
Here is the scenario. It a 1 table SnG and there are 4 players left. I am third in the chip count. Leader on my right has $4000, player on his right has $3000, I have $1000 and the player on my left has less than the BB left ($200) and is on POST AND FOLD. He is now all-in from the BB as he can't even put up the $200.
ALL I have to do is fold to finish in the money. Right? I am in the SB and I am DEALT ACE ACE. Are you freaking kidding me?
So now, the chip leader, a looser player (at least from starting hands) from the button raises to $500.
What is your move? Do you Call, Raise or Fold.
I swear to everyone that I would fold here... but then the dreaded scenario ACTUALLY CAME UP. When it came right down to it, I could not pass up the loose raise and re-raised all-in.
I doubled up when he called and went on to win second place. He made the right move, pretending that the other player was already gone and raising my blind. I made the right move. Why? Because if the aces got cracked, then the hand that cracked it would have had to beat the post and fold anyway. If the post and fold cracks them, I still win alot of chips from the side pot. Looking bad, this was a much easier decision that I made it out to be.
ALL I have to do is fold to finish in the money. Right? I am in the SB and I am DEALT ACE ACE. Are you freaking kidding me?
So now, the chip leader, a looser player (at least from starting hands) from the button raises to $500.
What is your move? Do you Call, Raise or Fold.
I swear to everyone that I would fold here... but then the dreaded scenario ACTUALLY CAME UP. When it came right down to it, I could not pass up the loose raise and re-raised all-in.
I doubled up when he called and went on to win second place. He made the right move, pretending that the other player was already gone and raising my blind. I made the right move. Why? Because if the aces got cracked, then the hand that cracked it would have had to beat the post and fold anyway. If the post and fold cracks them, I still win alot of chips from the side pot. Looking bad, this was a much easier decision that I made it out to be.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Am I getting better?
"baby steps... baby steps... baby steps" Bob, in What about Bob?
Is it possible? I wonder. I was too busy the last couple of days to committ to much. So, I jumped into a "play money" SnG at PSO. It was 3 hands before I knew there was only one other player who I was worried about. Fast forward 30 minutes and we are heads up. He took most of my chips when he hit quads, which he disquised well. It wasn't my play that I noticed though, it was the play of the others. I could quickly determine who was making sub-optimal or down right incorrect decisions. It was like sitting in on a high school class in a way. Like you've been there and don't even want to go back.
Speaking of baby steps, I decided to try the PP mini-steps. I played a SnG and lost. THEN, I read the rules and said... OH. I get it. So, I tried it again. I went from Level 1 to 2 to 3 to 2 to 1 to 2 to 3. The remarkable part about this path was that I did not get knocked out along the way. You have to finish in the top half to not lose ground and still have to finish out of the bottom quarter to not get dismissed. So, I am disspointed at my level 3 and 2 play, where I felt I did not play my best poker, but am proud that I came back to level 3 without a dismissal. It is even more impressive when you think that only first place can advance out of level 1. 2nd place advances out of 2 or 3, but I have never finished 2nd. Always 1st or 3rd-6th.
So, next time I feel mentally sharp, I need to win levels 3 and 4 now to get to the "money level". That, of course is the do or die level where you either cash or finally wash out (no going back a level).
Is it possible? I wonder. I was too busy the last couple of days to committ to much. So, I jumped into a "play money" SnG at PSO. It was 3 hands before I knew there was only one other player who I was worried about. Fast forward 30 minutes and we are heads up. He took most of my chips when he hit quads, which he disquised well. It wasn't my play that I noticed though, it was the play of the others. I could quickly determine who was making sub-optimal or down right incorrect decisions. It was like sitting in on a high school class in a way. Like you've been there and don't even want to go back.
Speaking of baby steps, I decided to try the PP mini-steps. I played a SnG and lost. THEN, I read the rules and said... OH. I get it. So, I tried it again. I went from Level 1 to 2 to 3 to 2 to 1 to 2 to 3. The remarkable part about this path was that I did not get knocked out along the way. You have to finish in the top half to not lose ground and still have to finish out of the bottom quarter to not get dismissed. So, I am disspointed at my level 3 and 2 play, where I felt I did not play my best poker, but am proud that I came back to level 3 without a dismissal. It is even more impressive when you think that only first place can advance out of level 1. 2nd place advances out of 2 or 3, but I have never finished 2nd. Always 1st or 3rd-6th.
So, next time I feel mentally sharp, I need to win levels 3 and 4 now to get to the "money level". That, of course is the do or die level where you either cash or finally wash out (no going back a level).
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Ass kicked by girl
Last night was the monthly tiki lounge poker game. We had about 17 signups, which is perfect. It’s a low $30 buy in freezout and the blinds are such that the first 5 rounds are low blinds. Mrs. Columbo had won last months event and was again feeling the pre-show jitters. She snapped at me twice at dinner and I knew she was worried. She had it backwards… we should have been worried. I was at the 1 table with 9 players. I had BIG hands early, so I tried to take control of the table. I ran my 350 in chips up to 450 pretty quickly, but then had the table wrestled away from me by a LAG. Mark could come into the pots pretty cheap in levels 3,4 and 5, so he would. And man was he hitting flops. Every hand seemed to be a blessing for him. Even his 52o flopped 2 pair. Even a flush board did not scare him as it seems he could not lose. On a flop of Q66, I had the Q and invariably, Mark had the 6.
During level 5, I tried to take control of the table back. I had 93o on the button, but raised it up to make a move. The blinds called as did Mark. The flop was Q rag rag and when it came around to me, I bet it out. Everyone folded but the BB. He did not look happy though. When the turn was a rag, I figured maybe I could even get him to fold a Q5. I bet out and he called. Oops, he must have had Q and a decent kicker. I let the hand go at this point and later told me he had AQ for TPTK. I bluffed off 100 chips there. And I would have gotten away with it to, if it hadn’t been for you meddling Queens and your Ace dog. Rooby, rooby, roo!!!
So now instead of being the table captain at the break, I am short on chips (well below my starting 350 now) and Mark is the table captain. Mrs. Columbo is VERY frustrated by Mark’s play. She hates LAGs and she is venting. When I told her not to tilt, she bit my head off and reminded my in a stern and intimidating voice that she knows better. But you can’t fault Mark for his play. The levels are cheap and he was accumulating chips at a much faster rate than should have been possible.
After the break, the blind acceleration starts. I doubled up once, but then lose when my A9s on the button (with first in vigorish) lost to he BB again who had something like KT and hit the board. I was the 3rd player out. I did not have to wait longer than 5 minutes to pick up a side game.
I introduced the other two knock-outs to “triple play shootout” that I learned at PSO (pokershcoolonline.com). It’s a 3 handed SnG. When it’s a short handed table, sometimes I play and sound like Jean-Robert Bellande (http://www.pokerpages.com/articles/profiles/jeanrobertbellande.htm), jawing and talking and reading hands and faces out loud. I do it in fun, and with a lot of laughing. But when I am in this persona, I often am the favorite. It seems I never play better than when I am talking. When I hit a hand, it’s like I can do no wrong. When I miss a hand, it looks like a great laydown. I dodge AA and KK when others have them, but seems to get my TT paid off every time.
This night was no exception. I won the triple shootout by getting Rich pot committed with a big hand, then grinding Greg away. Twice I had gone for the knockout punch and doubled him up, so it took quite a while and quite a hand to finally take him down.
Meanwhile at the main table, #4 “Big E” gets knocked out and the last 3 are in the money. It’s Pat (who kept raising Mrs. Columbo’s blinds), Anya “the missile” (so named because she will fire out at any pot post flop with a ½ bet) and Mrs. Columbo!!
As I hear it, when the blinds started doubling, Mark needed to stop playing so many pots because of the cost of missing the flops. Well, miss the flops he did. But now when he missed the flops, he had chips committed and wanted to keep table control. He lost it quickly though. Even the best of players needs to be reminded to change gears according to the table dynamic. I failed to do it and was out, and Mark failed to adjust and he was out.
When only 1 person was standing, it was Mrs. Columbo holding up the fishbowl of money! (We use a cheap plastic fishbowl to hold the money). She was SO proud. TWO in a row!! She was so confident, she went right out and started playing real money SnGs on Party Poker to try and save her lost bank roll and redeem herself in our contest (see previous posts). She finished 4th, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 1st and 1st. [If you are keeping score, her bankroll is all the way back to its starting $50 and I had better get off my butt. I have been at $125 for a while, because I have been entertaining myself on the “mini steps”. (I am at step 3/5).]
In the second SnG, I won an Oscar for my scene that I call “Columbo’s think tank”. I am very talkative, and I have KK on the button. I put in a tiny raise and get 2 callers. Anya “the missile” calmly says “KK” from the rail. (little does she know she is 100% right). The flop is KTx and Scott “The chair” bets out from the SB. The other player folds and I start talking about what he could have. I call. The turn is a blank, and “the chair” bets out again. I go into the tank. I start talking about AT and KQ. I start talking about my “worst case scenario” a set of tens. I talk about his lack of reraise before the flop saying he does not have AK. I talk about what hands are good here. Then, I talk about how suspicious I am. I raise “to see how confident he is”. I don’t think Scott noticed that he passed the pot committed point here. But we both knew at this point he had the K and he was not going away. The river was a blank and he bets. I raise him all in and he calls and flips TP. He was left with 35 chips. At the end, it was the Doctor and myself. We had a blast talking about hands as we played them. I think at first the Doc was confused about how I always seemed to escape his big hands. Then, he starting asking. I explained to him about betting ½ the pot post flop often as it disguises your strength, but it sometimes enough to pick up the pot with nothing. We talked about “small ball” and how you try to play pots that never get larger than 50% of your entire stack. We had a blast playing and talking strategy. In the end, I had too many chips for him to make up the deficit and took down the second SnG. Most fun playing heads up since playing Mrs. Columbo at the campsites.
Since the SnGs were VERY low buying, winning both just covered my main event buy-in. But, it was very fun and I feel much more in my element when I am at a short handed table, can talk a lot, and take control of the table.
For the next game in a month, I am going to build a table and have a tiki room trophy for players to loft up for a picture to post on the web site. She has an uphill battle to tie Randy’s record of 3 wins in a row, but if anyone can do it, it’s Mrs. Columbo.
During level 5, I tried to take control of the table back. I had 93o on the button, but raised it up to make a move. The blinds called as did Mark. The flop was Q rag rag and when it came around to me, I bet it out. Everyone folded but the BB. He did not look happy though. When the turn was a rag, I figured maybe I could even get him to fold a Q5. I bet out and he called. Oops, he must have had Q and a decent kicker. I let the hand go at this point and later told me he had AQ for TPTK. I bluffed off 100 chips there. And I would have gotten away with it to, if it hadn’t been for you meddling Queens and your Ace dog. Rooby, rooby, roo!!!
So now instead of being the table captain at the break, I am short on chips (well below my starting 350 now) and Mark is the table captain. Mrs. Columbo is VERY frustrated by Mark’s play. She hates LAGs and she is venting. When I told her not to tilt, she bit my head off and reminded my in a stern and intimidating voice that she knows better. But you can’t fault Mark for his play. The levels are cheap and he was accumulating chips at a much faster rate than should have been possible.
After the break, the blind acceleration starts. I doubled up once, but then lose when my A9s on the button (with first in vigorish) lost to he BB again who had something like KT and hit the board. I was the 3rd player out. I did not have to wait longer than 5 minutes to pick up a side game.
I introduced the other two knock-outs to “triple play shootout” that I learned at PSO (pokershcoolonline.com). It’s a 3 handed SnG. When it’s a short handed table, sometimes I play and sound like Jean-Robert Bellande (http://www.pokerpages.com/articles/profiles/jeanrobertbellande.htm), jawing and talking and reading hands and faces out loud. I do it in fun, and with a lot of laughing. But when I am in this persona, I often am the favorite. It seems I never play better than when I am talking. When I hit a hand, it’s like I can do no wrong. When I miss a hand, it looks like a great laydown. I dodge AA and KK when others have them, but seems to get my TT paid off every time.
This night was no exception. I won the triple shootout by getting Rich pot committed with a big hand, then grinding Greg away. Twice I had gone for the knockout punch and doubled him up, so it took quite a while and quite a hand to finally take him down.
Meanwhile at the main table, #4 “Big E” gets knocked out and the last 3 are in the money. It’s Pat (who kept raising Mrs. Columbo’s blinds), Anya “the missile” (so named because she will fire out at any pot post flop with a ½ bet) and Mrs. Columbo!!
As I hear it, when the blinds started doubling, Mark needed to stop playing so many pots because of the cost of missing the flops. Well, miss the flops he did. But now when he missed the flops, he had chips committed and wanted to keep table control. He lost it quickly though. Even the best of players needs to be reminded to change gears according to the table dynamic. I failed to do it and was out, and Mark failed to adjust and he was out.
When only 1 person was standing, it was Mrs. Columbo holding up the fishbowl of money! (We use a cheap plastic fishbowl to hold the money). She was SO proud. TWO in a row!! She was so confident, she went right out and started playing real money SnGs on Party Poker to try and save her lost bank roll and redeem herself in our contest (see previous posts). She finished 4th, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 1st and 1st. [If you are keeping score, her bankroll is all the way back to its starting $50 and I had better get off my butt. I have been at $125 for a while, because I have been entertaining myself on the “mini steps”. (I am at step 3/5).]
In the second SnG, I won an Oscar for my scene that I call “Columbo’s think tank”. I am very talkative, and I have KK on the button. I put in a tiny raise and get 2 callers. Anya “the missile” calmly says “KK” from the rail. (little does she know she is 100% right). The flop is KTx and Scott “The chair” bets out from the SB. The other player folds and I start talking about what he could have. I call. The turn is a blank, and “the chair” bets out again. I go into the tank. I start talking about AT and KQ. I start talking about my “worst case scenario” a set of tens. I talk about his lack of reraise before the flop saying he does not have AK. I talk about what hands are good here. Then, I talk about how suspicious I am. I raise “to see how confident he is”. I don’t think Scott noticed that he passed the pot committed point here. But we both knew at this point he had the K and he was not going away. The river was a blank and he bets. I raise him all in and he calls and flips TP. He was left with 35 chips. At the end, it was the Doctor and myself. We had a blast talking about hands as we played them. I think at first the Doc was confused about how I always seemed to escape his big hands. Then, he starting asking. I explained to him about betting ½ the pot post flop often as it disguises your strength, but it sometimes enough to pick up the pot with nothing. We talked about “small ball” and how you try to play pots that never get larger than 50% of your entire stack. We had a blast playing and talking strategy. In the end, I had too many chips for him to make up the deficit and took down the second SnG. Most fun playing heads up since playing Mrs. Columbo at the campsites.
Since the SnGs were VERY low buying, winning both just covered my main event buy-in. But, it was very fun and I feel much more in my element when I am at a short handed table, can talk a lot, and take control of the table.
For the next game in a month, I am going to build a table and have a tiki room trophy for players to loft up for a picture to post on the web site. She has an uphill battle to tie Randy’s record of 3 wins in a row, but if anyone can do it, it’s Mrs. Columbo.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Boardgames that will make you a better poker player
What happened to boardgames? Sure, it could have been video games, but I think it was crappy board games based on movies and the 1000 stoopid versions of monopoly (insert getto-opoly joke here). But in Europe, boardgames never lost their quality. Recently, many of these titles are being enjoyed by a new wave of game players in the states that enjoy a good challenge with friends. After all, not everyone likes poker (really?). But LIKE poker, all these games are easy to learn and focus on making better choices than your opponent. Playing them and learning from them will make you a better poker player.
Medici, possibly the best bidding game ever invented.
This game will really teach you which pots are worth going after and which are worth letting go.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=004526
Bootleggers, whiskey running during prohibition.
This game will teach you how to maximize your CHANCE of success by hedging your bets, playing the percentages, and knowing when to come over the top on your competition. The timing of making a move and risk/reward are also big lessons.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014887
Edel, Stein & Reich
This game is a great way to learn to read opponents and know when to bluff and how much you can get away with before you overstep your bounds. Don’t let the cryptic title fool you, this is a very simple and straightforward game that should have been named “bluff and double bluff”.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014011
Turn the Tide
Learning to play what life deals you better than your opponent can. Ever find yourself bitching that you never get cards? Well, what if everyone had to take a turn playing the cards you got. If they did better with them that you did, would you learn anything? http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014881
Condottiere
Again the title is unfortunate. It should have been named, “domination”.
It will teach you when to know you’re dominated in a pot before losing all your chips. You protect your cards in this game, must like you protect your chips in poker. It also helps you read your opponents situation. Can he AFFORD to let go of this hand or is he in it for the duration? Can I chase him out of this conflict?
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=005551
For Sale
Like Medici, this is a bidding game. Simpler and quicker to play, you are simply trying to spend the least amount of chips to win the most amount of chips. Sound familiar?
http://www.funagain.com/control/addItemToShoppingList/product
Balloon Cup
A simple game of that will teach you a very important skill, knowing when to fold.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014032
Cartagena
Perhaps the most unique of the games, this game would have been titled “pirates” had their not already been a dozen titles with that name. Use your cards and PATTERN RECOGNITION to advance further towards then end goal than your opponents. Will definitely teach you to adjust to maximize any opportunities that your opponent makes available to you.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=011132
Buy these at funagian.com or fairplaygames.com and enjoy learning poker with people who don’t even play poker! What better way to introduce your friends and family to poker strategy without ever saying the word poker. And best of all, all these games are kid and family friendly. Enjoy!
Medici, possibly the best bidding game ever invented.
This game will really teach you which pots are worth going after and which are worth letting go.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=004526
Bootleggers, whiskey running during prohibition.
This game will teach you how to maximize your CHANCE of success by hedging your bets, playing the percentages, and knowing when to come over the top on your competition. The timing of making a move and risk/reward are also big lessons.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014887
Edel, Stein & Reich
This game is a great way to learn to read opponents and know when to bluff and how much you can get away with before you overstep your bounds. Don’t let the cryptic title fool you, this is a very simple and straightforward game that should have been named “bluff and double bluff”.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014011
Turn the Tide
Learning to play what life deals you better than your opponent can. Ever find yourself bitching that you never get cards? Well, what if everyone had to take a turn playing the cards you got. If they did better with them that you did, would you learn anything? http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014881
Condottiere
Again the title is unfortunate. It should have been named, “domination”.
It will teach you when to know you’re dominated in a pot before losing all your chips. You protect your cards in this game, must like you protect your chips in poker. It also helps you read your opponents situation. Can he AFFORD to let go of this hand or is he in it for the duration? Can I chase him out of this conflict?
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=005551
For Sale
Like Medici, this is a bidding game. Simpler and quicker to play, you are simply trying to spend the least amount of chips to win the most amount of chips. Sound familiar?
http://www.funagain.com/control/addItemToShoppingList/product
Balloon Cup
A simple game of that will teach you a very important skill, knowing when to fold.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014032
Cartagena
Perhaps the most unique of the games, this game would have been titled “pirates” had their not already been a dozen titles with that name. Use your cards and PATTERN RECOGNITION to advance further towards then end goal than your opponents. Will definitely teach you to adjust to maximize any opportunities that your opponent makes available to you.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=011132
Buy these at funagian.com or fairplaygames.com and enjoy learning poker with people who don’t even play poker! What better way to introduce your friends and family to poker strategy without ever saying the word poker. And best of all, all these games are kid and family friendly. Enjoy!
Monday, July 18, 2005
Boardgames that will make you a better poker player
What happened to boardgames? It could have been video games, but I think it was crappy board games based on movies and the 1000 stoopid versions of monopoly (insert getto-opoly joke here). But in Europe, boardgames never lost their quality. Recently, many of these titles are being enjoyed by a new wave of game players in the states that enjoy a good challenge with friends. After all, not everyone likes poker (really?). But LIKE poker, all these games are easy to learn and focus on making better choices than your opponent. Playing them and learning from them will make you a better poker player.
Medici, possibly the best bidding game ever invented.
This game will really teach you which pots are worth going after and which are worth letting go.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=004526
Bootleggers, whiskey running during prohibition.
This game will teach you how to maximize your CHANCE of success by hedging your bets, playing the percentages, and knowing when to come over the top on your competition. The timing of making a move and risk/reward are also big lessons.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014887
Edel, Stein & Reich
This game is a great way to learn to read opponents and know when to bluff and how much you can get away with before you overstep your bounds. Don’t let the cryptic title fool you, this is a very simple and straightforward game that should have been named “bluff and double bluff”.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014011
Turn the Tide
Learning to play what life deals you better than your opponent can. Ever find yourself bitching that you never get cards? Well, what if everyone had to take a turn playing the cards you got. If they did better with them that you did, would you learn anything? http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014881
Condottiere
Again the title is unfortunate. It should have been named, “domination”.
It will teach you when to know you’re dominated in a pot before losing all your chips. You protect your cards in this game, must like you protect your chips in poker. It also helps you read your opponents situation. Can he AFFORD to let go of this hand or is he in it for the duration? Can I chase him out of this conflict?
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=005551
For Sale
Like Medici, this is a bidding game. Simpler and quicker to play, you are simply trying to spend the least amount of chips to win the most amount of chips. Sound familiar?
http://www.funagain.com/control/addItemToShoppingList/product
Balloon Cup
A simple game of that will teach you a very important skill, knowing when to fold.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014032
Cartagena
Perhaps the most unique of the games, this game would have been titled “pirates” had their not already been a dozen titles with that name. Use your cards and PATTERN RECOGNITION to advance further towards then end goal than your opponents. Will definitely teach you to adjust to maximize any opportunities that your opponent makes available to you.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=011132
Buy these at funagian.com or fairplaygames.com and enjoy learning poker with people who don’t even play poker! What better way to introduce your friends and family to poker strategy without ever saying the word. And best of all, all these games are kid and family friendly.
Medici, possibly the best bidding game ever invented.
This game will really teach you which pots are worth going after and which are worth letting go.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=004526
Bootleggers, whiskey running during prohibition.
This game will teach you how to maximize your CHANCE of success by hedging your bets, playing the percentages, and knowing when to come over the top on your competition. The timing of making a move and risk/reward are also big lessons.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014887
Edel, Stein & Reich
This game is a great way to learn to read opponents and know when to bluff and how much you can get away with before you overstep your bounds. Don’t let the cryptic title fool you, this is a very simple and straightforward game that should have been named “bluff and double bluff”.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014011
Turn the Tide
Learning to play what life deals you better than your opponent can. Ever find yourself bitching that you never get cards? Well, what if everyone had to take a turn playing the cards you got. If they did better with them that you did, would you learn anything? http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014881
Condottiere
Again the title is unfortunate. It should have been named, “domination”.
It will teach you when to know you’re dominated in a pot before losing all your chips. You protect your cards in this game, must like you protect your chips in poker. It also helps you read your opponents situation. Can he AFFORD to let go of this hand or is he in it for the duration? Can I chase him out of this conflict?
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=005551
For Sale
Like Medici, this is a bidding game. Simpler and quicker to play, you are simply trying to spend the least amount of chips to win the most amount of chips. Sound familiar?
http://www.funagain.com/control/addItemToShoppingList/product
Balloon Cup
A simple game of that will teach you a very important skill, knowing when to fold.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=014032
Cartagena
Perhaps the most unique of the games, this game would have been titled “pirates” had their not already been a dozen titles with that name. Use your cards and PATTERN RECOGNITION to advance further towards then end goal than your opponents. Will definitely teach you to adjust to maximize any opportunities that your opponent makes available to you.
http://www.funagain.com/control/product/~product_id=011132
Buy these at funagian.com or fairplaygames.com and enjoy learning poker with people who don’t even play poker! What better way to introduce your friends and family to poker strategy without ever saying the word. And best of all, all these games are kid and family friendly.
A day for Charlie
Last night I played in the Charlie Tuttle charity tournament. (2idiots.com for the details) 144 players raised about $2800 bucks. Not bad. First prize was $1.44 and a DVD of the WSOP. Well, I was determined to play my best poker.
I have been concentrating VERY hard on making good decisions. Little else really. In order to be a good poker player, you need to make good decisions. End of story.
So, I get to my table and the only blogger there is non other than Wil Weaton. Now, I love Wil’s writing, his blog is first rate. But I never really read it regularly until he started playing poker. (See link at right). I really don’t consider Wil a celebrity anymore, just a poker blogger with a great sense of humor. (Mandatory in poker writing).
I had decided I was going to try playing “small ball” (read previous posts) and win lots of small pots until I saw a cinch chance to double up. Well, the strategy paid off as I never saw better than a pair more than once the entire night…
Highlights:
First to drop the hammer. Raised pre-flop and then Continued with a re-raise post flop. When he called, I took a deep breath. When the board paired the 3 on the turn, I figured it was easy to represent a better 2 pair or a Tens over 3s boat. I figured due to the lack of a re-raise on the flop, I could get away with it if I did not underbet the pot on the turn.
Level I (10/20) - 2005/07/17 - 18:13:28 (ET)
Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: pmpsup (1440 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: webcents (1290 in chips)
Seat 3: themayorpete (1400 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: pyite_nh (1960 in chips)
Seat 5: Columbo777 (1700 in chips)
Seat 6: Timmypg (1350 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 8: Wil Wheaton (1480 in chips)
Seat 9: heL1xx (1380 in chips) is sitting out
Wil Wheaton: posts small blind 10
heL1xx: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [2s 7h]
pmpsup: folds
webcents: calls 20
themayorpete: folds
pyite_nh: folds
Columbo777: raises 40 to 60
Timmypg: folds
Wil Wheaton: folds
heL1xx: folds
webcents: calls 40
*** FLOP *** [Td 3s Ts]
webcents: bets 20
Columbo777: raises 80 to 100
webcents: calls 80
*** TURN *** [Td 3s Ts] [3h]
webcents: checks
Columbo777: bets 200
webcents: folds
Columbo777 collected 350 from pot
Columbo777: shows [2s 7h] (two pair, Tens and Threes)
Columbo777 said, "da hammer"
Wil Wheaton said, "THE HAMMER!!!"
webcents said, "good job"
penner42 [observer] said, "nh"
Columbo777 said, "ty"
At the break, there were 87 players left. My “M” was 7, but my Q was 1, so I felt ok for now.
The only player that would play back at me at this early stage was WW and he had a hand when he did it. So, I would be forced to fold. When I did make a good steal and had cards, I would show them so everyone thought I was just getting good cards. I showed presto once to, just to let someone yell out “presto”.
Now, WW goes all in with 88 and loses to TP (which unnecessarily river trips just to rub it in). Why is this important? Because WW is now the SS and I am raising the most pots. A clash in inevitable and I am weary of not getting in there with the worst of it.
The quote: Wil Wheaton said, "look out . . .I'm deadly with a short-stack"
Foreshadowing, your key to quality writing…
Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2005/07/17 - 18:45:16 (ET)
Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: pmpsup (1125 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: webcents (1770 in chips)
Seat 3: themayorpete (1055 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: pyite_nh (5165 in chips)
Seat 5: Columbo777 (1825 in chips)
Seat 6: Timmypg (990 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 8: Wil Wheaton (425 in chips)
Seat 9: heL1xx (990 in chips) is sitting out
webcents: posts small blind 50
themayorpete: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Ad 9d]
pyite_nh: calls 100
Guinness [observer] said, "chip and a chair, wil - chip and a chair!"
Columbo777: raises 100 to 200
Timmypg: folds
Wil Wheaton said, "IGGY!"
Wil Wheaton: raises 225 to 425 and is all-in
heL1xx: folds
pmpsup: folds
Up4Poker [observer] said, "bonus code..."
webcents: folds
themayorpete: folds
pyite_nh: folds
Columbo777 said, "is this where I double up ww????!!!"
Wil Wheaton said, "do it! do it!"
Columbo777 said, "I HAVE to call on odds here..."
Columbo777: calls 225
Columbo777 said, "nooooooo"
*** FLOP *** [3s Ac Kd]
Guinness [observer] said, "woohoo"
jbltk [observer] said, "LOL"
ugadawg [observer] said, "yep"
Columbo777 said, "nh"
rogersba [observer] said, "wow"
*** TURN *** [3s Ac Kd] [Qd]
penner42 [observer] said, "uh oh"
Up4Poker [observer] said, "uh oh"
Columbo777 said, "ddddd"
*** RIVER *** [3s Ac Kd Qd] [7h]
jonnybawlz [observer] said, "Holy..."
Columbo777 said, "ddd"
penner42 [observer] said, "whew."
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Columbo777: shows [Ad 9d] (a pair of Aces)
Wil Wheaton: shows [Ts As] (a pair of Aces - Ten kicker)
Columbo777 said, "ooof"
Wil Wheaton collected 1100 from pot
jonnybawlz [observer] said, "D00d!"
Wil Wheaton said, "*whew*"
HermWarfare [observer] said, "nh"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1100 | Rake 0
Board [3s Ac Kd Qd 7h]
Seat 1: pmpsup (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: webcents (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: themayorpete (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: pyite_nh folded before Flop
Seat 5: Columbo777 showed [Ad 9d] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 6: Timmypg folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Wil Wheaton showed [Ts As] and won (1100) with a pair of Aces
Seat 9: heL1xx folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Columbo777 said, "ouch. I had u lol"
Well, now WW is back in it and I lost all of my ill gotten steal money. It’s uphill now, but I was making good decisions and not ready to lie down yet.
I get moved to another table. There are now 53 players left and I need to watch my M and Q very carefully. Q is .75 and M is hovering around 12. I will be ok until the antes start. I am still scraping up chips playing small ball…
I get a chance for the old Stop N Go.
Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) -
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Grasp (2535 in chips)
Seat 2: chipnchair33 (4890 in chips)
Seat 3: OMQA (2928 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (2560 in chips)
Seat 6: SGTdanko (7890 in chips)
Seat 7: chrisdhal (3390 in chips)
Seat 8: ZeRat11 (890 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: ddhartranft (12667 in chips)
OMQA: posts small blind 100
Columbo777: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Jd Qs]
SGTdanko: folds
chrisdhal: folds
ZeRat11: folds
ddhartranft: folds
Grasp: raises 500 to 700
chipnchair33: folds
OMQA: folds
Columbo777: calls 500
*** FLOP *** [4s 7s 6s]
Columbo777: bets 1860 and is all-in
Grasp: folds
Columbo777 collected 1500 from pot
Columbo777: doesn't show hand
Columbo777 said, "stop n go"
*** SUMMARY ***
38 players left. My Q is .4 and I have been card dead. The antes have started and now my M is BRUTAL. I need chips fast. Then it happens. I actually hit my only hand of the night better then TP. I reluctantly play KTo from the button for a limp and flop the nuts on 89J.
Level VII (100/200)
Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Grasp (1785 in chips)
Seat 2: chipnchair33 (6640 in chips)
Seat 3: OMQA (3278 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (3110 in chips)
Seat 6: SGTdanko (7540 in chips)
Seat 7: chrisdhal (3540 in chips)
Seat 8: ZeRat11 (640 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: ddhartranft (11217 in chips)
Grasp: posts the ante 25
chipnchair33: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts the ante 25
Columbo777: posts the ante 25
SGTdanko: posts the ante 25
chrisdhal: posts the ante 25
ZeRat11: posts the ante 25
ddhartranft: posts the ante 25
ZeRat11: posts small blind 100
ddhartranft: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Kh Ts]
Grasp: folds
chipnchair33: calls 200
sarahbellum is connected
OMQA: folds
Columbo777: calls 200 (how can I not call here for only one big bet?)
SGTdanko: folds
chrisdhal: calls 200
ZeRat11: folds
ddhartranft: checks
*** FLOP *** [8c 9s Jd]
ddhartranft: bets 400
chipnchair33: calls 400
Columbo777: calls 400
chrisdhal: calls 400
*** TURN *** [8c 9s Jd] [Qc] (JOY!)
ddhartranft: checks
chipnchair33: bets 800
Columbo777: raises 1685 to 2485 and is all-in
chrisdhal: folds
ddhartranft: folds
chipnchair33: calls 1685
*** RIVER *** [8c 9s Jd Qc] [Ks]
ddhartranft said, "nh"
chipnchair33 said, "nh"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
chipnchair33: shows [Th 9h] (a straight, Nine to King)
Columbo777: shows [Kh Ts] (a straight, Nine to King)
Columbo777 said, "no!@"
Columbo777 said, "!"
chipnchair33 collected 3835 from pot
Columbo777 collected 3835 from pot
Columbo777 said, "NONONONONONON"
Columbo777 said, "kick chaitr"
Columbo777 said, "tantrum"
Columbo777 said, "jopke!"
Columbo777 said, "hehehehe"
sarahbellum said, "lol"
chipnchair33 said, "lol"
Columbo777 said, "man, I needed that hand. ugh"
Columbo777 said, "There is $1.44 at stake"
But I did get some chips there which bought me about 3 rotations. I continue making a living stealing blinds and unraised pots.
A big stack gets moved to my table.
Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200)
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: chipnchair33 (6990 in chips)
Seat 3: OMQA (4888 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (3760 in chips)
Seat 5: sarahbellum (9885 in chips)
Seat 6: SGTdanko (8490 in chips)
Seat 7: chrisdhal (2840 in chips)
Seat 8: ZeRat11 (440 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: ddhartranft (10417 in chips)
chipnchair33: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts the ante 25
Columbo777: posts the ante 25
sarahbellum: posts the ante 25
SGTdanko: posts the ante 25
chrisdhal: posts the ante 25
ZeRat11: posts the ante 25
ddhartranft: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts small blind 100
Columbo777: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [6h Ad]
sarahbellum: raises 400 to 600
SGTdanko: folds
chrisdhal: folds
ZeRat11: folds
ddhartranft: folds
chipnchair33: folds
OMQA: folds
Columbo777 said, "u cant raise here..."
Columbo777 said, "stop that"
Columbo777: folds
sarahbellum collected 700 from pot
sarahbellum: doesn't show hand
sarahbellum said, ":)"
Foreshadowing… (yada, yada)
So now the blinds are 200/400/25 ante. Killer. My Q is between .8 and .95 depending on my steals. I am proud of this and puts me in position to make a run at the end. I refuse to blind out of this one. My M is 10 and if I can double up, I can win this thing. And here is my chance!
Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400)
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Ranger_R (7400 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: chipnchair33 (3565 in chips)
Seat 3: OMQA (3138 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (8000 in chips)
Seat 5: sarahbellum (13610 in chips)
Seat 6: SGTdanko (18542 in chips)
Seat 7: chrisdhal (5930 in chips)
Seat 8: penner42 (11700 in chips)
Seat 9: Wil Wheaton (5665 in chips)
Ranger_R: posts the ante 25
chipnchair33: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts the ante 25
Columbo777: posts the ante 25
sarahbellum: posts the ante 25
SGTdanko: posts the ante 25
chrisdhal: posts the ante 25
penner42: posts the ante 25
Wil Wheaton: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts small blind 200
Columbo777: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Jh Jd]
chrisdhal said, "damn"
sarahbellum: raises 800 to 1200
SGTdanko: folds
chrisdhal: folds
penner42: folds
Wil Wheaton: folds
Ranger_R: folds
chipnchair33: folds
OMQA: folds
Columbo777: raises 2000 to 3200
sarahbellum: raises 10385 to 13585 and is all-in
Columbo777: calls 4775 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [5s Ac 7d]
Antifuse [observer] said, "wooo"
yestbay1 [observer] said, "oh boy"
Columbo777 said, "noooooooooooooooo"
*** TURN *** [5s Ac 7d] [4c]
jonnybawlz [observer] said, "Woooooooahh"
*** RIVER *** [5s Ac 7d 4c] [6d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Columbo777: shows [Jh Jd] (a pair of Jacks)
sarahbellum: shows [Ah Qh] (a pair of Aces)
sarahbellum collected 16375 from pot
sarahbellum said, "gg"
Onebeer [observer] said, "ouch"
Wil Wheaton said, "gg, columbo."
Well, I needed to win that race and I lost it. So be it. It was a good analysis of what her holdings could be. And I figured I had folding equity if she had AQ, AJ but not AK since she was the big stack. But it was correct to race here. I only wished I won. Sarahbellum went on the win the tournament. (WW went out 3 places later.)
Most fun I had at the tables in a long time and I regret nothing. I made good choices, which is more important than the results. I picked the right time and place to race, and I made a living stealing. Overall I was happy with the effort and it was all for a good cause.
Now listen to Cardclub at lordadmiral.com and enjoy reading WW’s blog (see links at right) dammit!
I have been concentrating VERY hard on making good decisions. Little else really. In order to be a good poker player, you need to make good decisions. End of story.
So, I get to my table and the only blogger there is non other than Wil Weaton. Now, I love Wil’s writing, his blog is first rate. But I never really read it regularly until he started playing poker. (See link at right). I really don’t consider Wil a celebrity anymore, just a poker blogger with a great sense of humor. (Mandatory in poker writing).
I had decided I was going to try playing “small ball” (read previous posts) and win lots of small pots until I saw a cinch chance to double up. Well, the strategy paid off as I never saw better than a pair more than once the entire night…
Highlights:
First to drop the hammer. Raised pre-flop and then Continued with a re-raise post flop. When he called, I took a deep breath. When the board paired the 3 on the turn, I figured it was easy to represent a better 2 pair or a Tens over 3s boat. I figured due to the lack of a re-raise on the flop, I could get away with it if I did not underbet the pot on the turn.
Level I (10/20) - 2005/07/17 - 18:13:28 (ET)
Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: pmpsup (1440 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: webcents (1290 in chips)
Seat 3: themayorpete (1400 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: pyite_nh (1960 in chips)
Seat 5: Columbo777 (1700 in chips)
Seat 6: Timmypg (1350 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 8: Wil Wheaton (1480 in chips)
Seat 9: heL1xx (1380 in chips) is sitting out
Wil Wheaton: posts small blind 10
heL1xx: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [2s 7h]
pmpsup: folds
webcents: calls 20
themayorpete: folds
pyite_nh: folds
Columbo777: raises 40 to 60
Timmypg: folds
Wil Wheaton: folds
heL1xx: folds
webcents: calls 40
*** FLOP *** [Td 3s Ts]
webcents: bets 20
Columbo777: raises 80 to 100
webcents: calls 80
*** TURN *** [Td 3s Ts] [3h]
webcents: checks
Columbo777: bets 200
webcents: folds
Columbo777 collected 350 from pot
Columbo777: shows [2s 7h] (two pair, Tens and Threes)
Columbo777 said, "da hammer"
Wil Wheaton said, "THE HAMMER!!!"
webcents said, "good job"
penner42 [observer] said, "nh"
Columbo777 said, "ty"
At the break, there were 87 players left. My “M” was 7, but my Q was 1, so I felt ok for now.
The only player that would play back at me at this early stage was WW and he had a hand when he did it. So, I would be forced to fold. When I did make a good steal and had cards, I would show them so everyone thought I was just getting good cards. I showed presto once to, just to let someone yell out “presto”.
Now, WW goes all in with 88 and loses to TP (which unnecessarily river trips just to rub it in). Why is this important? Because WW is now the SS and I am raising the most pots. A clash in inevitable and I am weary of not getting in there with the worst of it.
The quote: Wil Wheaton said, "look out . . .I'm deadly with a short-stack"
Foreshadowing, your key to quality writing…
Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2005/07/17 - 18:45:16 (ET)
Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: pmpsup (1125 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: webcents (1770 in chips)
Seat 3: themayorpete (1055 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: pyite_nh (5165 in chips)
Seat 5: Columbo777 (1825 in chips)
Seat 6: Timmypg (990 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 8: Wil Wheaton (425 in chips)
Seat 9: heL1xx (990 in chips) is sitting out
webcents: posts small blind 50
themayorpete: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Ad 9d]
pyite_nh: calls 100
Guinness [observer] said, "chip and a chair, wil - chip and a chair!"
Columbo777: raises 100 to 200
Timmypg: folds
Wil Wheaton said, "IGGY!"
Wil Wheaton: raises 225 to 425 and is all-in
heL1xx: folds
pmpsup: folds
Up4Poker [observer] said, "bonus code..."
webcents: folds
themayorpete: folds
pyite_nh: folds
Columbo777 said, "is this where I double up ww????!!!"
Wil Wheaton said, "do it! do it!"
Columbo777 said, "I HAVE to call on odds here..."
Columbo777: calls 225
Columbo777 said, "nooooooo"
*** FLOP *** [3s Ac Kd]
Guinness [observer] said, "woohoo"
jbltk [observer] said, "LOL"
ugadawg [observer] said, "yep"
Columbo777 said, "nh"
rogersba [observer] said, "wow"
*** TURN *** [3s Ac Kd] [Qd]
penner42 [observer] said, "uh oh"
Up4Poker [observer] said, "uh oh"
Columbo777 said, "ddddd"
*** RIVER *** [3s Ac Kd Qd] [7h]
jonnybawlz [observer] said, "Holy..."
Columbo777 said, "ddd"
penner42 [observer] said, "whew."
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Columbo777: shows [Ad 9d] (a pair of Aces)
Wil Wheaton: shows [Ts As] (a pair of Aces - Ten kicker)
Columbo777 said, "ooof"
Wil Wheaton collected 1100 from pot
jonnybawlz [observer] said, "D00d!"
Wil Wheaton said, "*whew*"
HermWarfare [observer] said, "nh"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1100 | Rake 0
Board [3s Ac Kd Qd 7h]
Seat 1: pmpsup (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: webcents (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: themayorpete (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: pyite_nh folded before Flop
Seat 5: Columbo777 showed [Ad 9d] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 6: Timmypg folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Wil Wheaton showed [Ts As] and won (1100) with a pair of Aces
Seat 9: heL1xx folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Columbo777 said, "ouch. I had u lol"
Well, now WW is back in it and I lost all of my ill gotten steal money. It’s uphill now, but I was making good decisions and not ready to lie down yet.
I get moved to another table. There are now 53 players left and I need to watch my M and Q very carefully. Q is .75 and M is hovering around 12. I will be ok until the antes start. I am still scraping up chips playing small ball…
I get a chance for the old Stop N Go.
Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) -
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Grasp (2535 in chips)
Seat 2: chipnchair33 (4890 in chips)
Seat 3: OMQA (2928 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (2560 in chips)
Seat 6: SGTdanko (7890 in chips)
Seat 7: chrisdhal (3390 in chips)
Seat 8: ZeRat11 (890 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: ddhartranft (12667 in chips)
OMQA: posts small blind 100
Columbo777: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Jd Qs]
SGTdanko: folds
chrisdhal: folds
ZeRat11: folds
ddhartranft: folds
Grasp: raises 500 to 700
chipnchair33: folds
OMQA: folds
Columbo777: calls 500
*** FLOP *** [4s 7s 6s]
Columbo777: bets 1860 and is all-in
Grasp: folds
Columbo777 collected 1500 from pot
Columbo777: doesn't show hand
Columbo777 said, "stop n go"
*** SUMMARY ***
38 players left. My Q is .4 and I have been card dead. The antes have started and now my M is BRUTAL. I need chips fast. Then it happens. I actually hit my only hand of the night better then TP. I reluctantly play KTo from the button for a limp and flop the nuts on 89J.
Level VII (100/200)
Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Grasp (1785 in chips)
Seat 2: chipnchair33 (6640 in chips)
Seat 3: OMQA (3278 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (3110 in chips)
Seat 6: SGTdanko (7540 in chips)
Seat 7: chrisdhal (3540 in chips)
Seat 8: ZeRat11 (640 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: ddhartranft (11217 in chips)
Grasp: posts the ante 25
chipnchair33: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts the ante 25
Columbo777: posts the ante 25
SGTdanko: posts the ante 25
chrisdhal: posts the ante 25
ZeRat11: posts the ante 25
ddhartranft: posts the ante 25
ZeRat11: posts small blind 100
ddhartranft: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Kh Ts]
Grasp: folds
chipnchair33: calls 200
sarahbellum is connected
OMQA: folds
Columbo777: calls 200 (how can I not call here for only one big bet?)
SGTdanko: folds
chrisdhal: calls 200
ZeRat11: folds
ddhartranft: checks
*** FLOP *** [8c 9s Jd]
ddhartranft: bets 400
chipnchair33: calls 400
Columbo777: calls 400
chrisdhal: calls 400
*** TURN *** [8c 9s Jd] [Qc] (JOY!)
ddhartranft: checks
chipnchair33: bets 800
Columbo777: raises 1685 to 2485 and is all-in
chrisdhal: folds
ddhartranft: folds
chipnchair33: calls 1685
*** RIVER *** [8c 9s Jd Qc] [Ks]
ddhartranft said, "nh"
chipnchair33 said, "nh"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
chipnchair33: shows [Th 9h] (a straight, Nine to King)
Columbo777: shows [Kh Ts] (a straight, Nine to King)
Columbo777 said, "no!@"
Columbo777 said, "!"
chipnchair33 collected 3835 from pot
Columbo777 collected 3835 from pot
Columbo777 said, "NONONONONONON"
Columbo777 said, "kick chaitr"
Columbo777 said, "tantrum"
Columbo777 said, "jopke!"
Columbo777 said, "hehehehe"
sarahbellum said, "lol"
chipnchair33 said, "lol"
Columbo777 said, "man, I needed that hand. ugh"
Columbo777 said, "There is $1.44 at stake"
But I did get some chips there which bought me about 3 rotations. I continue making a living stealing blinds and unraised pots.
A big stack gets moved to my table.
Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200)
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: chipnchair33 (6990 in chips)
Seat 3: OMQA (4888 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (3760 in chips)
Seat 5: sarahbellum (9885 in chips)
Seat 6: SGTdanko (8490 in chips)
Seat 7: chrisdhal (2840 in chips)
Seat 8: ZeRat11 (440 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: ddhartranft (10417 in chips)
chipnchair33: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts the ante 25
Columbo777: posts the ante 25
sarahbellum: posts the ante 25
SGTdanko: posts the ante 25
chrisdhal: posts the ante 25
ZeRat11: posts the ante 25
ddhartranft: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts small blind 100
Columbo777: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [6h Ad]
sarahbellum: raises 400 to 600
SGTdanko: folds
chrisdhal: folds
ZeRat11: folds
ddhartranft: folds
chipnchair33: folds
OMQA: folds
Columbo777 said, "u cant raise here..."
Columbo777 said, "stop that"
Columbo777: folds
sarahbellum collected 700 from pot
sarahbellum: doesn't show hand
sarahbellum said, ":)"
Foreshadowing… (yada, yada)
So now the blinds are 200/400/25 ante. Killer. My Q is between .8 and .95 depending on my steals. I am proud of this and puts me in position to make a run at the end. I refuse to blind out of this one. My M is 10 and if I can double up, I can win this thing. And here is my chance!
Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400)
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Ranger_R (7400 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: chipnchair33 (3565 in chips)
Seat 3: OMQA (3138 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (8000 in chips)
Seat 5: sarahbellum (13610 in chips)
Seat 6: SGTdanko (18542 in chips)
Seat 7: chrisdhal (5930 in chips)
Seat 8: penner42 (11700 in chips)
Seat 9: Wil Wheaton (5665 in chips)
Ranger_R: posts the ante 25
chipnchair33: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts the ante 25
Columbo777: posts the ante 25
sarahbellum: posts the ante 25
SGTdanko: posts the ante 25
chrisdhal: posts the ante 25
penner42: posts the ante 25
Wil Wheaton: posts the ante 25
OMQA: posts small blind 200
Columbo777: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Jh Jd]
chrisdhal said, "damn"
sarahbellum: raises 800 to 1200
SGTdanko: folds
chrisdhal: folds
penner42: folds
Wil Wheaton: folds
Ranger_R: folds
chipnchair33: folds
OMQA: folds
Columbo777: raises 2000 to 3200
sarahbellum: raises 10385 to 13585 and is all-in
Columbo777: calls 4775 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [5s Ac 7d]
Antifuse [observer] said, "wooo"
yestbay1 [observer] said, "oh boy"
Columbo777 said, "noooooooooooooooo"
*** TURN *** [5s Ac 7d] [4c]
jonnybawlz [observer] said, "Woooooooahh"
*** RIVER *** [5s Ac 7d 4c] [6d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Columbo777: shows [Jh Jd] (a pair of Jacks)
sarahbellum: shows [Ah Qh] (a pair of Aces)
sarahbellum collected 16375 from pot
sarahbellum said, "gg"
Onebeer [observer] said, "ouch"
Wil Wheaton said, "gg, columbo."
Well, I needed to win that race and I lost it. So be it. It was a good analysis of what her holdings could be. And I figured I had folding equity if she had AQ, AJ but not AK since she was the big stack. But it was correct to race here. I only wished I won. Sarahbellum went on the win the tournament. (WW went out 3 places later.)
Most fun I had at the tables in a long time and I regret nothing. I made good choices, which is more important than the results. I picked the right time and place to race, and I made a living stealing. Overall I was happy with the effort and it was all for a good cause.
Now listen to Cardclub at lordadmiral.com and enjoy reading WW’s blog (see links at right) dammit!
Sunday, July 17, 2005
playing omaha with the fish
Get your tackle box out and go fishing.
Omaha 8OB. Learn it, love it, go fishing. It is a fun game because few newbies can play it competently, it does not require the memoriztion skills of STUD or RAZZ, and its a good game to learn for pattern recognition practice (i.e. it will make you a better post flop Hold Em player)
The rules:
1. Learn Omaha
2. Avoid the 2 big Omaha TRAPS
Trap #1 NEVER play a hand that does not have an ACE in it. You will never scoop the pot without an Ace, and in 8OB, you are trying to SCOOP the pot.
Trap #2 NEVER continue with a hand after the flop that can not scoop the pot.
Note: NEVER fall for the idea that you have the nut low and that is good enough. If someone else has it also, you are going to split the split for 25% equity in the pot. Assuming that there will be raising, the field quickly narrows to the 3 players, the high and the 2 lows getting the short end of it. (you can continue if you have HIGH as that rarely splits and you can catch two people in the above trap).
WATCH for this situation. You can just watch the table and when 3 players are going at it, you can start laughing because you'll know. 2 lows and a high.
ESPECIALLY fun are the Omaha 8OB SnG tables, where players often "try" omaha. They will see ANY flop and then they get lost post flop like an 8 year old in the maze of mirrors.
Enjoy!
Omaha 8OB. Learn it, love it, go fishing. It is a fun game because few newbies can play it competently, it does not require the memoriztion skills of STUD or RAZZ, and its a good game to learn for pattern recognition practice (i.e. it will make you a better post flop Hold Em player)
The rules:
1. Learn Omaha
2. Avoid the 2 big Omaha TRAPS
Trap #1 NEVER play a hand that does not have an ACE in it. You will never scoop the pot without an Ace, and in 8OB, you are trying to SCOOP the pot.
Trap #2 NEVER continue with a hand after the flop that can not scoop the pot.
Note: NEVER fall for the idea that you have the nut low and that is good enough. If someone else has it also, you are going to split the split for 25% equity in the pot. Assuming that there will be raising, the field quickly narrows to the 3 players, the high and the 2 lows getting the short end of it. (you can continue if you have HIGH as that rarely splits and you can catch two people in the above trap).
WATCH for this situation. You can just watch the table and when 3 players are going at it, you can start laughing because you'll know. 2 lows and a high.
ESPECIALLY fun are the Omaha 8OB SnG tables, where players often "try" omaha. They will see ANY flop and then they get lost post flop like an 8 year old in the maze of mirrors.
Enjoy!
playing small ball
Mike Madasow coined the phrase (in my mind) recently at the WSOP. Small ball is a VERY important and overlooked strategy. It is a great way to deal with donkey drawers and people that call 20xBB bets with Ax and crack QQ. The idea is to aggressively attack pots post flop, while trying to keep pre-flop betting. In other words, QQ is no longer a great starting hand, but a pocket pair that needs to hit a set or be an overpair. AFTER the flop, you attack, especially if there is no Ace. But NOW, if your the donkey and you hit the Ace on Ax and are worried about your kicker, you either get pushed out of the pot or "give away" the fact that you have the Ace by calling.
Small Ball:
Never get all your money in pre-flop, instead avoid the MIS (move in specialsts) and let them have their hands.
AFTER the flop, evaluate the texture and the number of players in, and attack. If the pot starts to get big, then you must be ahead to continue to play. If you can keep the pot small, you can read you opponent(s) and decide what is in your best interest.
Small Ball works when a couple of situations exist. The first is that there is no LAG at your table. If there is one, you'll need to pick him off once or twice and slow him down. The second is that you have to be a good post flop player. You have to be willing to see a flop with TT, knowing full well that it might mean mucking the hand if the flop is nasty. And three, you need to make high value river bets when the board shows broken draws. (You can also bluff someone who is chasing you down with AX when the flush card comes on the river. Ax players know the flush draw very well as its their favorite hand. They WILL notice and often muck TP to a big river bet that makes a 3 flush.)
It is a scary existance, but there is a funny effect of doing it. You will start to control the table. Not because you are TAKING control, but rather the other players will subconciously start to relinquish control. They will view you as a superior player to themselves as they can't seem to win a big pot against you, only small ones. Small Ball wages a "winter campaign in Russia" against them, wearing them down and destroying their resolve. Frustration sets in and they make major blunders on marginal hands.
Small ball only really works when the stacks are deep and the level generous, like at the WSOP. But it is definetly worth putting into your bag of tricks. You can practice this by playing PL instead of NL once in a while and practicing the adjustments that need to be made.
Small Ball:
Never get all your money in pre-flop, instead avoid the MIS (move in specialsts) and let them have their hands.
AFTER the flop, evaluate the texture and the number of players in, and attack. If the pot starts to get big, then you must be ahead to continue to play. If you can keep the pot small, you can read you opponent(s) and decide what is in your best interest.
Small Ball works when a couple of situations exist. The first is that there is no LAG at your table. If there is one, you'll need to pick him off once or twice and slow him down. The second is that you have to be a good post flop player. You have to be willing to see a flop with TT, knowing full well that it might mean mucking the hand if the flop is nasty. And three, you need to make high value river bets when the board shows broken draws. (You can also bluff someone who is chasing you down with AX when the flush card comes on the river. Ax players know the flush draw very well as its their favorite hand. They WILL notice and often muck TP to a big river bet that makes a 3 flush.)
It is a scary existance, but there is a funny effect of doing it. You will start to control the table. Not because you are TAKING control, but rather the other players will subconciously start to relinquish control. They will view you as a superior player to themselves as they can't seem to win a big pot against you, only small ones. Small Ball wages a "winter campaign in Russia" against them, wearing them down and destroying their resolve. Frustration sets in and they make major blunders on marginal hands.
Small ball only really works when the stacks are deep and the level generous, like at the WSOP. But it is definetly worth putting into your bag of tricks. You can practice this by playing PL instead of NL once in a while and practicing the adjustments that need to be made.
Friday, July 15, 2005
oh woe is... hey, wait a minute!
I reluctantly jumped back on the horse last night. I had vowed to take the night off, but had my plans cancelled and then sat down to watch TV. I caught the ESPN replay of the world series with the Greg R. narration. Worth the price of admission. The quote that got me was, “there is still a lot of luck in poker. You can make all the right decisions and play the hand right, and still lose the hand. The more correct decisions you make though, the better your chances overall”. Or something close to that. I decided that I was a bright person that in certain situation would start to play by desire instead of by smart decision making. I would try to WISH myself chips. I know I can get past this. I am the little train that could bet.
I got myself into a $1 tournament with 1000 players. $1500 in chips to start. Within 2 hands, someone was at $4900. Within one rotation (9 hands), 70 players were out. I decided right there to get it out of my system and was going to go all in on the first draw in encountered. I got a caller (of course) and missed it.
Now that I had gotten that out of my system, I sat down to a single table SnG . I did not focus on any particular strategy, just concentration and focus. Everyone starts with $1500 in chips. I watched and waited. I got dealt a good hand in KQ and raised from position. I couple of limpers called and saw a King high flop. When they checked, I bet out. One folded and the other called. With get this, 22. First of all, how do you call a preflop raise from out of position with 22? Then, how do you continue the hand after the flop, out of position, to a better with a K on the board?! Well, I made 2 pair and he RIVERED the 2 for a set. I was truly shocked and lost half my stack.
Then I had another window open and when I went back to the table, I must have clicked exactly where the fold button was. I folded AA preflop. That is one way not to get Aces cracked!
A player goes broke to the loose player on my right and I am not going out first!
Then, I waited again and got KQo. I raised and got one caller. The flop is KQ5 and he makes a bet. I raise right there in case he has AK or a draw. Either way, I want his money in now. He re-raises me all-in and all I need to fear is 55. I call He turns 55. I have 80 chips left. 80. I wait two hands and go all in with a decent hand. FOUR limpers call the extra ten and then the player on my right raises all in to isolate. THIS IS A BIG MISTAKE IN MY OPINION. He is only going to pick up 300 chips and he is already the chip leader (but a loose one). Second, he does it with A6o which is ridiculous. And three, he MIMIMIZES the chance of eliminating me in a SnG. Plus, he creates all this dead money that now helps only me if out outdraw him. And I do. Not surprising. With just and Ace he is only a 3 to 2 favorite.
I now have 300+ chips and get to fold my 83o blind. I once again get KQ and go all in and get called by the other short stack, Mr. 22. He flips over ATs. Fair enough. But I WIN the race and now have 700 chips. When he goes out on the next hand, I am STILL the short stack 7 handed, but have a chance.
I start folding a lot and suddenly everyone just loses it. I am in the BB and a MP raises to 2xBB. The next player reraises to 4xBB. The next player re-re-raises to 10xBB and the guy on my right (Mr. loose) goes all-in. I like this move if he has a big hand, and its stupid if he doesn’t. I fold so I can watch the fireworks. ALL THREE CALL?!!??! How can this BAD of a play even happen? The first guy? Then the second guy after 2 all ins? Then the THRID guy based on what? Hopes and dreams? The guy on my right with the original all-in shows KK and the rest show hands that I would have folded BEFORE the all-in. Ax suited, ATo, 44. Insane. I watch not a single player improve and KK takes it.
I am now a 5 handed table. I am still the short stack and Mr loose has $10k. But the other 2 players are now afraid to get involved in big hands. I avoid any hands where the big stack plays, and out play the others after the flop. One guy (the bird) was taking long with every decision. I suspected multi-table play and would pick off his calls with re-raises. But since he was tight, he did not go out next. Then I notice that the second place guy has stopped playing completely. He was Post and Folded. Fast forward a few hands and I have ground the bird and the other player out of it with my post flop play and the Post and Fold guy just took third.
I then avoid the big stack until Mr. Post is gone. I am now head up and a dog of $10k to $2k. But he has no idea what to do now. He can’t be a LAG heads up and he is way ahead. He seems lost. He would only play decent cards and hit flops. I started raising every hand. I bet every flop. He folded a lot. Sure he took down a big hand, but that only confirmed that he was doing the right thing. I would fold any major confrontation, even if I thought he was bluffing, because he was giving up too much equity in his other folds. I worked my way up to equal stacks. Then I continued to wait. I coiled up like a viper. I knew he was quick to fold, so I needed to hit a draw to break him. Now that the stacks were equal, I felt I could manipulate him into letting me draw when the situation came up. Finally I had 78 and the flop was K67. I hoped he had a K or he would fold to any bet. But I could not check as the alarms would go off. So I bet like I did every hand. He Called!! He had the K!!! The turn is a blank, but I bet knowing that if I did, he would just call. And he did! The river was the 5 and now it was just a question of selling it. I checked as if I was giving up. He bet a token $200. I raised it up to $1k. He should have folded here without question, but he had taken the bait and he just was not good enough to even see it. He went all in and it was over.
I went from 80 chips to the winner at the most FISH-TASTIC table I had ever been at. Pocket 22s to the river as a caller? Not knocking out the short stacks? Doubling up players with marginal cards? 4 all-ins on a single hand with only one premium holding?
Surprisingly, despite the completely unrealistic charade I just participated in, it actually did give me a much needed boost. I need to concentrate… concentrate… Maybe what Paul Phillips said about ADD medication has some truth to it (it helps you play better). Me, I am not going to go that way. I need to find some sort of OCD ritual to help. I am thinking about Captain Cain and his two steel stress balls. I discovered that I had 3 chips in my left hand and was just grinding them together. Over and over. Music seems to help also as it calms the brain and helps it think in mathematical terms.
Oh, I am signed up for the Charlie tournament. You should be too!
WPBT "Charlie" Tournament
6PM EST Sunday July 17th
PokerStars... Check under the Private Tournamnet Tab
$20 - every penny goes to charity
1st prize is ZERO dollars. You're not playing for the cash, but rather the prestige. Don't forget to bring extra hammers!
I got myself into a $1 tournament with 1000 players. $1500 in chips to start. Within 2 hands, someone was at $4900. Within one rotation (9 hands), 70 players were out. I decided right there to get it out of my system and was going to go all in on the first draw in encountered. I got a caller (of course) and missed it.
Now that I had gotten that out of my system, I sat down to a single table SnG . I did not focus on any particular strategy, just concentration and focus. Everyone starts with $1500 in chips. I watched and waited. I got dealt a good hand in KQ and raised from position. I couple of limpers called and saw a King high flop. When they checked, I bet out. One folded and the other called. With get this, 22. First of all, how do you call a preflop raise from out of position with 22? Then, how do you continue the hand after the flop, out of position, to a better with a K on the board?! Well, I made 2 pair and he RIVERED the 2 for a set. I was truly shocked and lost half my stack.
Then I had another window open and when I went back to the table, I must have clicked exactly where the fold button was. I folded AA preflop. That is one way not to get Aces cracked!
A player goes broke to the loose player on my right and I am not going out first!
Then, I waited again and got KQo. I raised and got one caller. The flop is KQ5 and he makes a bet. I raise right there in case he has AK or a draw. Either way, I want his money in now. He re-raises me all-in and all I need to fear is 55. I call He turns 55. I have 80 chips left. 80. I wait two hands and go all in with a decent hand. FOUR limpers call the extra ten and then the player on my right raises all in to isolate. THIS IS A BIG MISTAKE IN MY OPINION. He is only going to pick up 300 chips and he is already the chip leader (but a loose one). Second, he does it with A6o which is ridiculous. And three, he MIMIMIZES the chance of eliminating me in a SnG. Plus, he creates all this dead money that now helps only me if out outdraw him. And I do. Not surprising. With just and Ace he is only a 3 to 2 favorite.
I now have 300+ chips and get to fold my 83o blind. I once again get KQ and go all in and get called by the other short stack, Mr. 22. He flips over ATs. Fair enough. But I WIN the race and now have 700 chips. When he goes out on the next hand, I am STILL the short stack 7 handed, but have a chance.
I start folding a lot and suddenly everyone just loses it. I am in the BB and a MP raises to 2xBB. The next player reraises to 4xBB. The next player re-re-raises to 10xBB and the guy on my right (Mr. loose) goes all-in. I like this move if he has a big hand, and its stupid if he doesn’t. I fold so I can watch the fireworks. ALL THREE CALL?!!??! How can this BAD of a play even happen? The first guy? Then the second guy after 2 all ins? Then the THRID guy based on what? Hopes and dreams? The guy on my right with the original all-in shows KK and the rest show hands that I would have folded BEFORE the all-in. Ax suited, ATo, 44. Insane. I watch not a single player improve and KK takes it.
I am now a 5 handed table. I am still the short stack and Mr loose has $10k. But the other 2 players are now afraid to get involved in big hands. I avoid any hands where the big stack plays, and out play the others after the flop. One guy (the bird) was taking long with every decision. I suspected multi-table play and would pick off his calls with re-raises. But since he was tight, he did not go out next. Then I notice that the second place guy has stopped playing completely. He was Post and Folded. Fast forward a few hands and I have ground the bird and the other player out of it with my post flop play and the Post and Fold guy just took third.
I then avoid the big stack until Mr. Post is gone. I am now head up and a dog of $10k to $2k. But he has no idea what to do now. He can’t be a LAG heads up and he is way ahead. He seems lost. He would only play decent cards and hit flops. I started raising every hand. I bet every flop. He folded a lot. Sure he took down a big hand, but that only confirmed that he was doing the right thing. I would fold any major confrontation, even if I thought he was bluffing, because he was giving up too much equity in his other folds. I worked my way up to equal stacks. Then I continued to wait. I coiled up like a viper. I knew he was quick to fold, so I needed to hit a draw to break him. Now that the stacks were equal, I felt I could manipulate him into letting me draw when the situation came up. Finally I had 78 and the flop was K67. I hoped he had a K or he would fold to any bet. But I could not check as the alarms would go off. So I bet like I did every hand. He Called!! He had the K!!! The turn is a blank, but I bet knowing that if I did, he would just call. And he did! The river was the 5 and now it was just a question of selling it. I checked as if I was giving up. He bet a token $200. I raised it up to $1k. He should have folded here without question, but he had taken the bait and he just was not good enough to even see it. He went all in and it was over.
I went from 80 chips to the winner at the most FISH-TASTIC table I had ever been at. Pocket 22s to the river as a caller? Not knocking out the short stacks? Doubling up players with marginal cards? 4 all-ins on a single hand with only one premium holding?
Surprisingly, despite the completely unrealistic charade I just participated in, it actually did give me a much needed boost. I need to concentrate… concentrate… Maybe what Paul Phillips said about ADD medication has some truth to it (it helps you play better). Me, I am not going to go that way. I need to find some sort of OCD ritual to help. I am thinking about Captain Cain and his two steel stress balls. I discovered that I had 3 chips in my left hand and was just grinding them together. Over and over. Music seems to help also as it calms the brain and helps it think in mathematical terms.
Oh, I am signed up for the Charlie tournament. You should be too!
WPBT "Charlie" Tournament
6PM EST Sunday July 17th
PokerStars... Check under the Private Tournamnet Tab
$20 - every penny goes to charity
1st prize is ZERO dollars. You're not playing for the cash, but rather the prestige. Don't forget to bring extra hammers!
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Barrel night revisited
I am now suspecting that I just plain played too many hands because I thought I was so cool and could roll over everyone. I figured since I took notes, I better well freaking use them.
Level
Fold,F, BB, SB (limp), Fold, Fold, fold, fold fold, BB, SB limp stab and fold, fold, fold, win hand.
Ok, level 1 very tight and up 25 chips
Level 2
Fold, BB, SB call a 2xBB raise and then fold, button play A8o and hit two pair, cutoff A8o again - make a play at the pot and get chased out. MP limp with SC, fold to raise due to lack of players, fold, raise from UTG but fold to big reraise, BB raised up by SB and folded junk, SB play and win vs. BB only.
hmmm, a little more volitility but ended the level even at 125 again.
Fold, try a steal from cutoff and the BB pops me, fold, fold, FOLD AQo to an ALL IN (turns out to be 44), play A9o from UTG and lose to a river pair.
Ok, these last two hand show the making of a possible meltdown. First of all, having AQo and folding to an all-in of the short stack because you are afraid to race. YET the M was so low, it was CORRECT to race here. Weak tight fold, THEN to go from 6 to 8 handed and then raise from UtG with A9o? Then to bet the Q77 flop? Why did he call?
fold, fold, won hand from cutoff, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, utg A4o FOLD, BB fold BLo to a raise, SB limp, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, unsuited 1gap fold, fold, lost SB race vs short stack KK, all in SB with 35s vs Ax and hit the 3, fold, fold.
I am now on the button and action has folded to me. Even though I have 76 chips, I raise it the minimum making it 32 to go. This often was resulting in blinds folding. Not this time. The BB called and put me all in on the flop. I have A4o and force myself to fold. Why I am not sure, as with 44 chips left I end up all in on T9o against a big pair and am out.
Well, it doesn't look like I played as many hands as I thought. But when you only have 100 chips and the amateurs are at the table, its best not to stab at pots and try steals. I have learned this lesson before, and learned it AGAIN in the cash game afterwards. People like to chase. They see a bluff in every hand. Better in these shallow stack tournaments to play 1 to 2 big hands a level and try to just finish up. When your ahead, you get action. When you are bluffing, you get action. Most folds are on the turn. So, why not use that?
This was a VERY painful lesson. I have not yet recovered from the shock...
Level
Fold,F, BB, SB (limp), Fold, Fold, fold, fold fold, BB, SB limp stab and fold, fold, fold, win hand.
Ok, level 1 very tight and up 25 chips
Level 2
Fold, BB, SB call a 2xBB raise and then fold, button play A8o and hit two pair, cutoff A8o again - make a play at the pot and get chased out. MP limp with SC, fold to raise due to lack of players, fold, raise from UTG but fold to big reraise, BB raised up by SB and folded junk, SB play and win vs. BB only.
hmmm, a little more volitility but ended the level even at 125 again.
Fold, try a steal from cutoff and the BB pops me, fold, fold, FOLD AQo to an ALL IN (turns out to be 44), play A9o from UTG and lose to a river pair.
Ok, these last two hand show the making of a possible meltdown. First of all, having AQo and folding to an all-in of the short stack because you are afraid to race. YET the M was so low, it was CORRECT to race here. Weak tight fold, THEN to go from 6 to 8 handed and then raise from UtG with A9o? Then to bet the Q77 flop? Why did he call?
fold, fold, won hand from cutoff, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, utg A4o FOLD, BB fold BLo to a raise, SB limp, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, unsuited 1gap fold, fold, lost SB race vs short stack KK, all in SB with 35s vs Ax and hit the 3, fold, fold.
I am now on the button and action has folded to me. Even though I have 76 chips, I raise it the minimum making it 32 to go. This often was resulting in blinds folding. Not this time. The BB called and put me all in on the flop. I have A4o and force myself to fold. Why I am not sure, as with 44 chips left I end up all in on T9o against a big pair and am out.
Well, it doesn't look like I played as many hands as I thought. But when you only have 100 chips and the amateurs are at the table, its best not to stab at pots and try steals. I have learned this lesson before, and learned it AGAIN in the cash game afterwards. People like to chase. They see a bluff in every hand. Better in these shallow stack tournaments to play 1 to 2 big hands a level and try to just finish up. When your ahead, you get action. When you are bluffing, you get action. Most folds are on the turn. So, why not use that?
This was a VERY painful lesson. I have not yet recovered from the shock...
Wednesday is your night in the barrel
If you know the joke, then you know how I feel this morning. I sat down in a low competition $40 tournament. The stacks were shallow at 100 chips apeice and the blinds were 1/2 then 2/4 for 25 mintues apeice. Out table was 7 handed. They were tighter than they should of been post flop. I get up to 125 by the end of level on, just by not doing anything stupid. In level 2, I make a laydown when the SB goes all in on a flop of 679. I had ATo. But I get it back and at the end of level 2 I still have 125.
Level 3 and the blinds are now 4/8. At 125 chips (about average), my M is less than 20 already! I try a blind steal from the cutoff and get popped by the BB. He is not a bluffer, so I fold.
I bleed through level 3 not able to do anything. I get invovled in another hand I need to let go. I have about 80 left. I am in the BB, but the button goes all in for his last 42. If I lose this race, I would be crippled so I pass even though I have AQo. Probably a weak tight laydown, but I am sure he has a pocket pair. He shows 44. Still, could I make this laydown with an M of 8???
Back to 8 handed and I lose another hand as I blow one. I have A9o and limp from UTG. The BB checks. On a board of Q77 I make a big bet. He calls. Now I am afraid he had a 7. The turn is yet another Queen. He checks and I check. THAT was my mistake. I should have reacted to the check and gone all in. But I played it causiously. The river is a 9 and we both check. He turns over 89. UGH.
I manage to win a hand with A8o when I am aggressive after the flop. I am at 85 chips when we go to level 5 (5/10).
Now with a M of less than 6, I am ready to gamble. Almost like a bell chiming, I suddenly go card dead. BLo, BLo, 69, 83, 73o, BLo, BLo, BLo, I even had to fold my blinds (with an M of 6!) because I had either 82 or 73. I make a desperate push with junk in the BB and double up, hitting a 3 on the river. I have 85 chips, but then get caught on a steal and have to fold to an all in with junk. Finally, I am forced all in again in the BB with 78s and run into KK.
I feel violated.
But what is WORSE is what happens in the side game.
Its .5/1 NLHE with a $20 max buy in. I bleed off $20 when lloyd, the king of calling with ANY pair, actually has a hand with 2 pair. I rebuy, and flop a straight. I let him catch on the turn and get all his chips in. He RIVERS a BOAT. WTF? I get up to leave, but then buy in for my last $17. I then have 2 straights and 2 overpairs hold up for $80 bucks. I am feeling great, until donkey girl sits down. I did not know she would draw to ANY flush. I know that now. A lot of good that does me. She chases down my flopped set with her flush draw, even though I put all her money in the pot to do it. I lost $25 right there. She then LOST it all to another guy on a BLUFF with AK on a Q high board. WTF? I probably tilted after that, because I left AT A LOSS. Are you kidding me? How bad must I be at this point?
I am feeling mighty low at this point. Can I really be THIS BAD after studying and practicing for over a year?
Level 3 and the blinds are now 4/8. At 125 chips (about average), my M is less than 20 already! I try a blind steal from the cutoff and get popped by the BB. He is not a bluffer, so I fold.
I bleed through level 3 not able to do anything. I get invovled in another hand I need to let go. I have about 80 left. I am in the BB, but the button goes all in for his last 42. If I lose this race, I would be crippled so I pass even though I have AQo. Probably a weak tight laydown, but I am sure he has a pocket pair. He shows 44. Still, could I make this laydown with an M of 8???
Back to 8 handed and I lose another hand as I blow one. I have A9o and limp from UTG. The BB checks. On a board of Q77 I make a big bet. He calls. Now I am afraid he had a 7. The turn is yet another Queen. He checks and I check. THAT was my mistake. I should have reacted to the check and gone all in. But I played it causiously. The river is a 9 and we both check. He turns over 89. UGH.
I manage to win a hand with A8o when I am aggressive after the flop. I am at 85 chips when we go to level 5 (5/10).
Now with a M of less than 6, I am ready to gamble. Almost like a bell chiming, I suddenly go card dead. BLo, BLo, 69, 83, 73o, BLo, BLo, BLo, I even had to fold my blinds (with an M of 6!) because I had either 82 or 73. I make a desperate push with junk in the BB and double up, hitting a 3 on the river. I have 85 chips, but then get caught on a steal and have to fold to an all in with junk. Finally, I am forced all in again in the BB with 78s and run into KK.
I feel violated.
But what is WORSE is what happens in the side game.
Its .5/1 NLHE with a $20 max buy in. I bleed off $20 when lloyd, the king of calling with ANY pair, actually has a hand with 2 pair. I rebuy, and flop a straight. I let him catch on the turn and get all his chips in. He RIVERS a BOAT. WTF? I get up to leave, but then buy in for my last $17. I then have 2 straights and 2 overpairs hold up for $80 bucks. I am feeling great, until donkey girl sits down. I did not know she would draw to ANY flush. I know that now. A lot of good that does me. She chases down my flopped set with her flush draw, even though I put all her money in the pot to do it. I lost $25 right there. She then LOST it all to another guy on a BLUFF with AK on a Q high board. WTF? I probably tilted after that, because I left AT A LOSS. Are you kidding me? How bad must I be at this point?
I am feeling mighty low at this point. Can I really be THIS BAD after studying and practicing for over a year?
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Psychiatric help -- 5 cents please!
Today's nickel lesson series*
Decide what hands are playable based on your table position, image, the action before you, and what you would come in for BEFORE you look at your cards. I have noticed recently that a few pros do this. Now that I know what to look for, I can see this when someone does it on TV (go back and watch the Tuan brothers).
This accomplishes two things:
1. You won't play a hand you can't play profitably at this point.
2. You won't have any tells when you look at your cards. AA looks just like JTo when you have predetermined your play options.
3. You will use position to determine action more often than you would otherwise.
I cringe everytime I see a player looking at QTo and THEN deciding to make a move or play the hand from MP with only 1 caller in the pot. Again, Predetermine your minimum standard to play the hand, then look at your cards.
*nickel lessons are easy to do exercises that help you (and me) learn "soft" poker skills.
Decide what hands are playable based on your table position, image, the action before you, and what you would come in for BEFORE you look at your cards. I have noticed recently that a few pros do this. Now that I know what to look for, I can see this when someone does it on TV (go back and watch the Tuan brothers).
This accomplishes two things:
1. You won't play a hand you can't play profitably at this point.
2. You won't have any tells when you look at your cards. AA looks just like JTo when you have predetermined your play options.
3. You will use position to determine action more often than you would otherwise.
I cringe everytime I see a player looking at QTo and THEN deciding to make a move or play the hand from MP with only 1 caller in the pot. Again, Predetermine your minimum standard to play the hand, then look at your cards.
*nickel lessons are easy to do exercises that help you (and me) learn "soft" poker skills.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Sunday's simpleton blunder
I should know better.. and I do. But sometimes you take a chance because you are folding soooo much.
1 table SnG, one player out.
50/100 (Limit) -- Seat 9 is the button
Seat 1: shep0987 (1095)
Seat 2: worthy777 (615) Not terrible, but have not taken a hand YET.
Seat 3: ScottyMU (1030)
Seat 4: fiskers712 (735)
Seat 5: TSully420 (570)
Seat 6: CadillacManC (1760)
Seat 7: softdraw2 (760)
Seat 9: nicks054 (475)
Seat 10: boo10111 (960)
boo10111 posts small blind (25)
shep0987 posts big blind (50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Jh, Ts ]
worthy777 calls (50) Dangerous risk to assume I’ll get 4 callers and no raise from UTG. But I did it, so there. Figured I’d do it for deception value. But that argument does not hold water unless I raised. If I made a mistake in this hand, it was right here. You don’t want to play a drawing hand out of position in NL when your at a final table (or single table SnG).
ScottyMU folds.
fiskers712 calls (50)
TSully420 folds.
CadillacManC folds.
softdraw2 folds.
nicks054 folds.
boo10111 raises (75) to 100 See?
shep0987 calls (50)
worthy777 calls (50) Well, I am getting the right odds to call… now.
fiskers712 calls (50)
$350 pot
** Dealing Flop ** : [ Qd, Kh, Jd ] Bottom pair and a st8 draw.
boo10111 bets (50)
shep0987 calls (50)
worthy777 raises (100) to 100 lets see if anyone has two pair or a bad kicker.
fiskers712 folds.
boo10111 raises (100) to 150 Well, I have AK (or so I assume)
shep0987 folds.
worthy777 raises (100) to 200 Are you sure I did not flop something better than TPTK?
boo10111 calls (50) ok, lets see the turn then.
$850 pot
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 4h ] ROCK.
boo10111 bets (100) I am not afraid
worthy777 calls (100) I am calling on odds only. (9.5 to 1)
** Dealing River ** : [ Qc ] Two pair, not bad. Beats TPTK.
boo10111 bets (100)
worthy777 calls (100) again, call the single river bet in limit.
** Summary **
Main Pot: 1250
Board: [ Qd Kh Jd 4h Qc ]
shep0987 balance 945, lost 150 (folded)
worthy777 balance 115, lost 500 [ Jh Ts ] [ two pairs, queens and jacks -- Kh,Qd,Qc,Jh,Jd ]
boo10111 balance 1710, bet 500, collected 1250, net +750 [ Ac Ad ] [ two pairs, aces and queens -- Ac,Ad,Kh,Qd,Qc ]
OUCH That read of AK instead of AA did not really cost me anything because I called down the two bets on the turn and river. What cost me a lot was playing that hand in the first place.
comments?
1 table SnG, one player out.
50/100 (Limit) -- Seat 9 is the button
Seat 1: shep0987 (1095)
Seat 2: worthy777 (615) Not terrible, but have not taken a hand YET.
Seat 3: ScottyMU (1030)
Seat 4: fiskers712 (735)
Seat 5: TSully420 (570)
Seat 6: CadillacManC (1760)
Seat 7: softdraw2 (760)
Seat 9: nicks054 (475)
Seat 10: boo10111 (960)
boo10111 posts small blind (25)
shep0987 posts big blind (50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Jh, Ts ]
worthy777 calls (50) Dangerous risk to assume I’ll get 4 callers and no raise from UTG. But I did it, so there. Figured I’d do it for deception value. But that argument does not hold water unless I raised. If I made a mistake in this hand, it was right here. You don’t want to play a drawing hand out of position in NL when your at a final table (or single table SnG).
ScottyMU folds.
fiskers712 calls (50)
TSully420 folds.
CadillacManC folds.
softdraw2 folds.
nicks054 folds.
boo10111 raises (75) to 100 See?
shep0987 calls (50)
worthy777 calls (50) Well, I am getting the right odds to call… now.
fiskers712 calls (50)
$350 pot
** Dealing Flop ** : [ Qd, Kh, Jd ] Bottom pair and a st8 draw.
boo10111 bets (50)
shep0987 calls (50)
worthy777 raises (100) to 100 lets see if anyone has two pair or a bad kicker.
fiskers712 folds.
boo10111 raises (100) to 150 Well, I have AK (or so I assume)
shep0987 folds.
worthy777 raises (100) to 200 Are you sure I did not flop something better than TPTK?
boo10111 calls (50) ok, lets see the turn then.
$850 pot
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 4h ] ROCK.
boo10111 bets (100) I am not afraid
worthy777 calls (100) I am calling on odds only. (9.5 to 1)
** Dealing River ** : [ Qc ] Two pair, not bad. Beats TPTK.
boo10111 bets (100)
worthy777 calls (100) again, call the single river bet in limit.
** Summary **
Main Pot: 1250
Board: [ Qd Kh Jd 4h Qc ]
shep0987 balance 945, lost 150 (folded)
worthy777 balance 115, lost 500 [ Jh Ts ] [ two pairs, queens and jacks -- Kh,Qd,Qc,Jh,Jd ]
boo10111 balance 1710, bet 500, collected 1250, net +750 [ Ac Ad ] [ two pairs, aces and queens -- Ac,Ad,Kh,Qd,Qc ]
OUCH That read of AK instead of AA did not really cost me anything because I called down the two bets on the turn and river. What cost me a lot was playing that hand in the first place.
comments?
schrödinger's cat
The postulate:
We admit the world is indeterminate. We admit that electrons have fuzzy edges. When one collides, it may bounce one way. It may bounce the other.
Schrödinger said that if that's the case, let's seal a cat, a geiger counter, a fragment of radioactive material, and a bottle of poison gas into a box for one hour. There's a 50-50 chance that radioactive decay will trigger the geiger
counter, activate a mechanism that breaks the bottle, and poison the cat. He asks if we'll find a live cat or a dead one when we open the box. (MacGeyver apparently designed the steel case with Rube Goldberg.)
That sounds like the famous "Lady or the Tiger" scenario, but it's much more complex. The man who has to open either of two doors knows a lady (reward) is behind one and a tiger (death) is behind the other. He doesn't know which door leads to the tiger, but the answer is knowable (and finite). But Radioactive decay occurs on the level of indeterminancy. No knowledge of the system inside the box will ever let you predict the fate of Schrödinger's Cat. Whether it lives or dies is absolutely unknowable -- until you open the box.
My Comments:
But is all this important in life? The world is a environment of partial information. And poker is one of the best examples of this. Entrenched firmly between statistics and pattern recognition, there are clues to make the proper determination. i.e. to know what's in the case without opening it (the equivalent of your opponent turning over his cards). Unfortunately for a player learning the game, this is genius IQ level stuff. I can happily boast an above average (only on a technicality), but in terms of the above scenarios, I can be compared to a bowl of soggy oatmeal. So now you know why so many math wizards play poker and why some many of the great players have been playing 20 years.
"But what about these 23 year old poker wiz kids?" you ask. Well, the brain is especially adept at absorbing pattern recognition in the young adult stages of life. It is not surprising that by being agressive and thus increasing volatility in hands, combined with better pattern recognition of when to bet and when not to bet of the avergae wannabe, one of these guys propells himself to the top of a tournament ladder in a mushroom cloud like fashion.
So what do we learn from all of this? Precious little. Maybe we can take stock in the fact that because of all of this, many players (fish) will open the case numerous times just to see that cat and pay off your hands.
If we take on the role of a painter and decide to paint a portrait of the case, we can't help but infuse the picture with unintentded or intended impressions. When we do this, the other players (the viewers of the painting) are picking up on those impressions and comparing them to their own painting. Now maybe you can see how a non-math wizard can tilt the odds in their favor. Assuming the other players appriciate art.
When I run down patterns in my mind, I take the Lt. Columbno approach. "there just one thing that still bothers me..." is the famous line Columbo mutters after he leaves a room and suddenly turns around. If nothing seems out of the ordinary, then I take the play at face value. Betting and raises is strength, checking is weak. When something is out of place, then maybe you can gleem a peek into what's behind the door, the lady or the tiger.
"Why not just kill the cat before you put it in the case?" - GoGo in Kill Bill.
See also the blog that started me on this line of thinking and recently player knocked out of the WSOP, Wil Weaton at http://www.wilwheaton.net
We admit the world is indeterminate. We admit that electrons have fuzzy edges. When one collides, it may bounce one way. It may bounce the other.
Schrödinger said that if that's the case, let's seal a cat, a geiger counter, a fragment of radioactive material, and a bottle of poison gas into a box for one hour. There's a 50-50 chance that radioactive decay will trigger the geiger
counter, activate a mechanism that breaks the bottle, and poison the cat. He asks if we'll find a live cat or a dead one when we open the box. (MacGeyver apparently designed the steel case with Rube Goldberg.)
That sounds like the famous "Lady or the Tiger" scenario, but it's much more complex. The man who has to open either of two doors knows a lady (reward) is behind one and a tiger (death) is behind the other. He doesn't know which door leads to the tiger, but the answer is knowable (and finite). But Radioactive decay occurs on the level of indeterminancy. No knowledge of the system inside the box will ever let you predict the fate of Schrödinger's Cat. Whether it lives or dies is absolutely unknowable -- until you open the box.
My Comments:
But is all this important in life? The world is a environment of partial information. And poker is one of the best examples of this. Entrenched firmly between statistics and pattern recognition, there are clues to make the proper determination. i.e. to know what's in the case without opening it (the equivalent of your opponent turning over his cards). Unfortunately for a player learning the game, this is genius IQ level stuff. I can happily boast an above average (only on a technicality), but in terms of the above scenarios, I can be compared to a bowl of soggy oatmeal. So now you know why so many math wizards play poker and why some many of the great players have been playing 20 years.
"But what about these 23 year old poker wiz kids?" you ask. Well, the brain is especially adept at absorbing pattern recognition in the young adult stages of life. It is not surprising that by being agressive and thus increasing volatility in hands, combined with better pattern recognition of when to bet and when not to bet of the avergae wannabe, one of these guys propells himself to the top of a tournament ladder in a mushroom cloud like fashion.
So what do we learn from all of this? Precious little. Maybe we can take stock in the fact that because of all of this, many players (fish) will open the case numerous times just to see that cat and pay off your hands.
If we take on the role of a painter and decide to paint a portrait of the case, we can't help but infuse the picture with unintentded or intended impressions. When we do this, the other players (the viewers of the painting) are picking up on those impressions and comparing them to their own painting. Now maybe you can see how a non-math wizard can tilt the odds in their favor. Assuming the other players appriciate art.
When I run down patterns in my mind, I take the Lt. Columbno approach. "there just one thing that still bothers me..." is the famous line Columbo mutters after he leaves a room and suddenly turns around. If nothing seems out of the ordinary, then I take the play at face value. Betting and raises is strength, checking is weak. When something is out of place, then maybe you can gleem a peek into what's behind the door, the lady or the tiger.
"Why not just kill the cat before you put it in the case?" - GoGo in Kill Bill.
See also the blog that started me on this line of thinking and recently player knocked out of the WSOP, Wil Weaton at http://www.wilwheaton.net
SnG stranger...
Should I know your name? Did we meet some time ago? -Grace Slick
Limit game - but we are in level 7 and the blinds are HIGH and the table is 8 handed so money is tight.
Qd9d in the SB. 4 people limp, so I call with odds, even though I had to throw in more valuable money. You could EASILY make a claim here that when the blinds are this high a percentage of your stack, you STOP playing drawing hands entirely. But the odds were so attractive, and it was 1/2 a bet. I mean, the BB is going to play there hand no matter what, right?
6 players see a flop of AdTdTc. I check, a MP bets, everyone else folds back to me and I call on the come. Turn is a rag, I check (I only want to pay one bet here), he bets, I call. River is the 2d. I check, he bets, I check raise figuring I have the best hand. He thinks, he raises. At this point, it makes no differene. In limit, you never fold the river to one bet. So, I call.
He flips over AT for a flopped full house. It was so rare to see this that I had forgotten why you don't chase a flush on a paired board. But with the blinds being 20% of your stack, is it realistic to get away from a hand? (And by the way... what was he THINKING about? There was NO need to think there.)
Limit game - but we are in level 7 and the blinds are HIGH and the table is 8 handed so money is tight.
Qd9d in the SB. 4 people limp, so I call with odds, even though I had to throw in more valuable money. You could EASILY make a claim here that when the blinds are this high a percentage of your stack, you STOP playing drawing hands entirely. But the odds were so attractive, and it was 1/2 a bet. I mean, the BB is going to play there hand no matter what, right?
6 players see a flop of AdTdTc. I check, a MP bets, everyone else folds back to me and I call on the come. Turn is a rag, I check (I only want to pay one bet here), he bets, I call. River is the 2d. I check, he bets, I check raise figuring I have the best hand. He thinks, he raises. At this point, it makes no differene. In limit, you never fold the river to one bet. So, I call.
He flips over AT for a flopped full house. It was so rare to see this that I had forgotten why you don't chase a flush on a paired board. But with the blinds being 20% of your stack, is it realistic to get away from a hand? (And by the way... what was he THINKING about? There was NO need to think there.)
Saturday, July 09, 2005
hands from last night
Here is a hand or two from that tournament. What I did in in the comments.
The real game started here. until here, it was just playing solid survival poker.
Level:5 Blinds (50/100) -
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 7 (still 3 tables playing)
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $1160 )
Seat 2: pouncequick ( $1075 )
Seat 3: EdHollawood ( $575 )
Seat 4: jimnastic111 ( $1090 )
Seat 6: worthy777 ( $3140 )
Seat 7: IrishuLuckMN ( $570 )
Seat 8: DPHANSON ( $2110 )
Level:5
Blinds (50/100)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ 5s 4h ]
jimnastic111 folds.
worthy777 raises [200].
IrishuLuckMN is all-In [570]
DPHANSON folds.
MadCapt folds.
pouncequick folds.
EdHollawood folds.
worthy777: dang
MadCapt: i know
worthy777: i think I have to call...
worthy777: with crap
MadCapt: i wanted to bite also
I HAVE to call here because I am getting the proper odds to call. Even though I think I am WAY behind. Turns out is was A vs. 5 and connector. He is a clear favorite, about 65% ish?
Your time bank will become active in less than 20 seconds. If you do not want it to be used, please act now.
worthy777 calls [370].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 2d, 6d, 5h ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 6h ]
** Dealing River ** [ Ts ]
worthy777 shows [ 5s, 4h ] two pairs, sixes and fives.
And when I hit the 5, its over.
IrishuLuckMN shows [ 4c, Ac ] a pair of sixes.
worthy777 wins 1290 chips from the main pot with two pairs, sixes and fives.
Player IrishuLuckMN finished in 21 place
sry
odds
This puts me in a very positive position, one I played well. There always seems to be a pivot point in each tournament, where you win a hand and because of it, start to play better. In this tournament, it was this hand.
NL Hold'em level:6 Blinds (75/150)
Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 9
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $860 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $4760 )
Seat 3: levchik ( $985 )
Seat 4: roguehavok ( $835 )
Seat 5: alexa06169 ( $2245 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $790 )
Seat 7: BrandyWine0 ( $2730 )
Seat 8: draben ( $1075 )
Seat 10: Legend1964 ( $1165 )
Level:6
Blinds (75/150)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ 7c 7s ]
Legend1964 folds.
MadCapt folds.
worthy777 raises [300].
levchik folds.
roguehavok has been reconnected and has 20 seconds to act.
roguehavok folds.
alexa06169 calls [300].
Dutbomb is all-In [790]
BrandyWine0 folds.
hey worthy77 kiss my white a s s
draben folds.
call un homo
Your time bank will become active in less than 20 seconds. If you do not want it to be used, please act now.
worthy777 will be using his time bank for this hand.
worthy777 folds.
alexa06169 calls [490].
** Dealing Flop ** [ Qc, 5s, 2s ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Qd ]
** Dealing River ** [ 7h ]
alexa06169 shows [ 9h, 9s ] two pairs, queens and nines.
Dutbomb shows [ As, Ac ] two pairs, aces and queens.
Dutbomb wins 2105 chips from the main pot with two pairs, aces and queens.
nh
All players are on break for 5 minutes
NLD Worth
I folded because of the squeeze. I did not want to gamble against 2 players with middle pairs.
NL Hold'em Level:8 Blinds (150/300)
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $2270 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $5037 )
Seat 5: alexa06169 ( $730 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $1105 )
Seat 8: draben ( $3333 )
Seat 10: Legend1964 ( $365 )
Level:8
Blinds (150/300)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Kc 9s ]
Dutbomb folds.
draben folds.
Legend1964 folds.
MadCapt folds.
worthy777 raises [450].
Latrojr: gonzo.
alexa06169 is all-In [430]
worthy777 calls [130].
** Dealing Flop ** [ Qs, 3s, 4s ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Ts ]
** Dealing River ** [ 9c ]
worthy777 shows [ Kc, 9s ] a flush, queen high.
alexa06169 shows [ 9d, 8s ] a flush, queen high.
worthy777 wins 1460 chips from the main pot with a flush, queen high with nine kicker.
Player alexa06169 finished in 11 place
3333 that's a gucher
alexa06169 has left the table.
Level 8
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 9
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $1670 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $5112 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $3000 )
Seat 8: draben ( $2883 )
Seat 3: jimnastic111 ( $4040 )
Seat 4: BrandyWine0 ( $3095 )
Seat 5: jfrazierva ( $3045 )
Seat 7: DPHANSON ( $435 )
Seat 9: jweava76 ( $6720 )
Level:8
Blinds (150/300)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Ac Jd ]
BrandyWine0 folds.
jfrazierva folds.
Dutbomb folds.
DPHANSON is all-In [435]
draben folds.
jweava76 folds.
MadCapt folds.
worthy777 raises [585]. Note that I was smart enough here to raise and isolate...
jimnastic111 folds.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 2s, 2c, 9h ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Js ]
** Dealing River ** [ 5s ]
worthy777 shows [ Ac, Jd ] two pairs, jacks and twos.
DPHANSON shows [ 9c, Tc ] two pairs, nines and twos.
worthy777 wins 300 chips from side pot #1 with two pairs, jacks and twos.
worthy777 wins 1170 chips from the main pot with two pairs, jacks and twos.
Player DPHANSON finished in 9 place
DPHANSON has left the table.
Level:9 Blinds (200/400)
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 8
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $1670 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $6447 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $3000 )
Seat 8: draben ( $2883 )
Seat 3: jimnastic111 ( $3540 )
Seat 4: BrandyWine0 ( $2695 )
Seat 5: jfrazierva ( $3045 )
Seat 9: jweava76 ( $6720 )
Level:9
Blinds (200/400)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Jc Td ]
Dutbomb folds.
draben folds.
jweava76 folds.
MadCapt calls [400].
worthy777 calls [400]. rare limp
jimnastic111 folds.
BrandyWine0 folds.
jfrazierva checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ Tc, Qh, Js ]
jfrazierva bets [400].
MadCapt calls [400].
worthy777 is all-In [6047]
jfrazierva is all-In [2245]
MadCapt folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ Ac ]
** Dealing River ** [ 9s ]
jfrazierva shows [ 9d, 3s ] a pair of nines.
worthy777 shows [ Jc, Td ] two pairs, jacks and tens.
worthy777 wins 3402 chips from side pot #1 with two pairs, jacks and tens.
worthy777 wins 7090 chips from the main pot with two pairs, jacks and tens.
Player jfrazierva finished in 8 place
jfrazierva has left the table.
sometimes people just panic?
Level:9 Blinds (200/400)
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 7
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $270 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $10692 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $2600 )
Seat 8: draben ( $2683 )
Seat 3: jimnastic111 ( $3540 )
Seat 4: BrandyWine0 ( $2095 )
Seat 9: jweava76 ( $8120 )
Level:9
Blinds (200/400)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ 7h 8h ]
draben folds.
jweava76 folds.
MadCapt is all-In [270]
worthy777 calls [400].
jimnastic111 calls [400].
BrandyWine0 folds.
Dutbomb checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 9c, 8c, 8s ]
Dutbomb checks.
worthy777 bets [400].
jimnastic111 calls [400].
Dutbomb is all-In [2200]
worthy777 raises [3600].
jimnastic111 folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ 6d ]
** Dealing River ** [ 4h ]
worthy777 shows [ 7h, 8h ] three of a kind, eights.
Dutbomb shows [ Kh, 9d ] two pairs, nines and eights.
MadCapt shows [ Ac, Ah ] two pairs, aces and eights.
worthy777 wins 1800 chips from side pot #2 with three of a kind, eights.
worthy777 wins 5190 chips from side pot #1 with three of a kind, eights.
worthy777 wins 1280 chips from the main pot with three of a kind, eights.
Player MadCapt finished in 7 place
Player Dutbomb finished in 6 place
g luck guys
MadCapt has left the table.
Dutbomb has left the table.
Game #2333042275 starts.
and sometimes when you are behind, knowing EXACTLY what cards you opponent has allows you to get lucky.
Level:9 Blinds (200/400)
Seat 8 is the button
Total number of players : 5
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $13762 )
Seat 8: draben ( $2283 )
Seat 3: jimnastic111 ( $3540 )
Seat 4: BrandyWine0 ( $2495 )
Seat 9: jweava76 ( $7920 )
Trny:13767884 Level:9
Blinds (200/400)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Ac Qc ]
jimnastic111 folds.
BrandyWine0 folds.
draben folds.
jweava76 raises [600].
worthy777 raises [1200].
jweava76 raises [1600]. He has AK or a pair
worthy777 calls [800].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 2h, 8d, 7d ]
jweava76 bets [800]. For sure now, AK
worthy777 calls [800]. I am going to call here and try to play it away from him on the turn.
** Dealing Turn ** [ Qs ] JOY!
jweava76 bets [1000]. Dark tunnel bet here!
worthy777 is all-In [10562]
jweava76 is all-In [3720] What is he thinking here?
** Dealing River ** [ Th ]
jweava76 shows [ Ad, Kc ] high card ace.
worthy777 shows [ Ac, Qc ] a pair of queens.
worthy777 wins 5842 chips from side pot #1 with a pair of queens.
worthy777 wins 15840 chips from the main pot with a pair of queens.
Player jweava76 finished in 5 place and received $15
jweava76 has left the table.
The Small Blind left the table. The Dealer button remains in place.
I was so far ahead after breaking the player in second place, I coasted to victory. HE made a large mistake here and that was tangling with the ONLY stack left that could break him.
The real game started here. until here, it was just playing solid survival poker.
Level:5 Blinds (50/100) -
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 7 (still 3 tables playing)
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $1160 )
Seat 2: pouncequick ( $1075 )
Seat 3: EdHollawood ( $575 )
Seat 4: jimnastic111 ( $1090 )
Seat 6: worthy777 ( $3140 )
Seat 7: IrishuLuckMN ( $570 )
Seat 8: DPHANSON ( $2110 )
Level:5
Blinds (50/100)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ 5s 4h ]
jimnastic111 folds.
worthy777 raises [200].
IrishuLuckMN is all-In [570]
DPHANSON folds.
MadCapt folds.
pouncequick folds.
EdHollawood folds.
worthy777: dang
MadCapt: i know
worthy777: i think I have to call...
worthy777: with crap
MadCapt: i wanted to bite also
I HAVE to call here because I am getting the proper odds to call. Even though I think I am WAY behind. Turns out is was A vs. 5 and connector. He is a clear favorite, about 65% ish?
Your time bank will become active in less than 20 seconds. If you do not want it to be used, please act now.
worthy777 calls [370].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 2d, 6d, 5h ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 6h ]
** Dealing River ** [ Ts ]
worthy777 shows [ 5s, 4h ] two pairs, sixes and fives.
And when I hit the 5, its over.
IrishuLuckMN shows [ 4c, Ac ] a pair of sixes.
worthy777 wins 1290 chips from the main pot with two pairs, sixes and fives.
Player IrishuLuckMN finished in 21 place
sry
odds
This puts me in a very positive position, one I played well. There always seems to be a pivot point in each tournament, where you win a hand and because of it, start to play better. In this tournament, it was this hand.
NL Hold'em level:6 Blinds (75/150)
Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 9
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $860 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $4760 )
Seat 3: levchik ( $985 )
Seat 4: roguehavok ( $835 )
Seat 5: alexa06169 ( $2245 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $790 )
Seat 7: BrandyWine0 ( $2730 )
Seat 8: draben ( $1075 )
Seat 10: Legend1964 ( $1165 )
Level:6
Blinds (75/150)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ 7c 7s ]
Legend1964 folds.
MadCapt folds.
worthy777 raises [300].
levchik folds.
roguehavok has been reconnected and has 20 seconds to act.
roguehavok folds.
alexa06169 calls [300].
Dutbomb is all-In [790]
BrandyWine0 folds.
hey worthy77 kiss my white a s s
draben folds.
call un homo
Your time bank will become active in less than 20 seconds. If you do not want it to be used, please act now.
worthy777 will be using his time bank for this hand.
worthy777 folds.
alexa06169 calls [490].
** Dealing Flop ** [ Qc, 5s, 2s ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Qd ]
** Dealing River ** [ 7h ]
alexa06169 shows [ 9h, 9s ] two pairs, queens and nines.
Dutbomb shows [ As, Ac ] two pairs, aces and queens.
Dutbomb wins 2105 chips from the main pot with two pairs, aces and queens.
nh
All players are on break for 5 minutes
NLD Worth
I folded because of the squeeze. I did not want to gamble against 2 players with middle pairs.
NL Hold'em Level:8 Blinds (150/300)
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $2270 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $5037 )
Seat 5: alexa06169 ( $730 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $1105 )
Seat 8: draben ( $3333 )
Seat 10: Legend1964 ( $365 )
Level:8
Blinds (150/300)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Kc 9s ]
Dutbomb folds.
draben folds.
Legend1964 folds.
MadCapt folds.
worthy777 raises [450].
Latrojr: gonzo.
alexa06169 is all-In [430]
worthy777 calls [130].
** Dealing Flop ** [ Qs, 3s, 4s ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Ts ]
** Dealing River ** [ 9c ]
worthy777 shows [ Kc, 9s ] a flush, queen high.
alexa06169 shows [ 9d, 8s ] a flush, queen high.
worthy777 wins 1460 chips from the main pot with a flush, queen high with nine kicker.
Player alexa06169 finished in 11 place
3333 that's a gucher
alexa06169 has left the table.
Level 8
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 9
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $1670 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $5112 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $3000 )
Seat 8: draben ( $2883 )
Seat 3: jimnastic111 ( $4040 )
Seat 4: BrandyWine0 ( $3095 )
Seat 5: jfrazierva ( $3045 )
Seat 7: DPHANSON ( $435 )
Seat 9: jweava76 ( $6720 )
Level:8
Blinds (150/300)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Ac Jd ]
BrandyWine0 folds.
jfrazierva folds.
Dutbomb folds.
DPHANSON is all-In [435]
draben folds.
jweava76 folds.
MadCapt folds.
worthy777 raises [585]. Note that I was smart enough here to raise and isolate...
jimnastic111 folds.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 2s, 2c, 9h ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Js ]
** Dealing River ** [ 5s ]
worthy777 shows [ Ac, Jd ] two pairs, jacks and twos.
DPHANSON shows [ 9c, Tc ] two pairs, nines and twos.
worthy777 wins 300 chips from side pot #1 with two pairs, jacks and twos.
worthy777 wins 1170 chips from the main pot with two pairs, jacks and twos.
Player DPHANSON finished in 9 place
DPHANSON has left the table.
Level:9 Blinds (200/400)
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 8
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $1670 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $6447 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $3000 )
Seat 8: draben ( $2883 )
Seat 3: jimnastic111 ( $3540 )
Seat 4: BrandyWine0 ( $2695 )
Seat 5: jfrazierva ( $3045 )
Seat 9: jweava76 ( $6720 )
Level:9
Blinds (200/400)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Jc Td ]
Dutbomb folds.
draben folds.
jweava76 folds.
MadCapt calls [400].
worthy777 calls [400]. rare limp
jimnastic111 folds.
BrandyWine0 folds.
jfrazierva checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ Tc, Qh, Js ]
jfrazierva bets [400].
MadCapt calls [400].
worthy777 is all-In [6047]
jfrazierva is all-In [2245]
MadCapt folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ Ac ]
** Dealing River ** [ 9s ]
jfrazierva shows [ 9d, 3s ] a pair of nines.
worthy777 shows [ Jc, Td ] two pairs, jacks and tens.
worthy777 wins 3402 chips from side pot #1 with two pairs, jacks and tens.
worthy777 wins 7090 chips from the main pot with two pairs, jacks and tens.
Player jfrazierva finished in 8 place
jfrazierva has left the table.
sometimes people just panic?
Level:9 Blinds (200/400)
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 7
Seat 1: MadCapt ( $270 )
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $10692 )
Seat 6: Dutbomb ( $2600 )
Seat 8: draben ( $2683 )
Seat 3: jimnastic111 ( $3540 )
Seat 4: BrandyWine0 ( $2095 )
Seat 9: jweava76 ( $8120 )
Level:9
Blinds (200/400)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ 7h 8h ]
draben folds.
jweava76 folds.
MadCapt is all-In [270]
worthy777 calls [400].
jimnastic111 calls [400].
BrandyWine0 folds.
Dutbomb checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 9c, 8c, 8s ]
Dutbomb checks.
worthy777 bets [400].
jimnastic111 calls [400].
Dutbomb is all-In [2200]
worthy777 raises [3600].
jimnastic111 folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ 6d ]
** Dealing River ** [ 4h ]
worthy777 shows [ 7h, 8h ] three of a kind, eights.
Dutbomb shows [ Kh, 9d ] two pairs, nines and eights.
MadCapt shows [ Ac, Ah ] two pairs, aces and eights.
worthy777 wins 1800 chips from side pot #2 with three of a kind, eights.
worthy777 wins 5190 chips from side pot #1 with three of a kind, eights.
worthy777 wins 1280 chips from the main pot with three of a kind, eights.
Player MadCapt finished in 7 place
Player Dutbomb finished in 6 place
g luck guys
MadCapt has left the table.
Dutbomb has left the table.
Game #2333042275 starts.
and sometimes when you are behind, knowing EXACTLY what cards you opponent has allows you to get lucky.
Level:9 Blinds (200/400)
Seat 8 is the button
Total number of players : 5
Seat 2: worthy777 ( $13762 )
Seat 8: draben ( $2283 )
Seat 3: jimnastic111 ( $3540 )
Seat 4: BrandyWine0 ( $2495 )
Seat 9: jweava76 ( $7920 )
Trny:13767884 Level:9
Blinds (200/400)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to worthy777 [ Ac Qc ]
jimnastic111 folds.
BrandyWine0 folds.
draben folds.
jweava76 raises [600].
worthy777 raises [1200].
jweava76 raises [1600]. He has AK or a pair
worthy777 calls [800].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 2h, 8d, 7d ]
jweava76 bets [800]. For sure now, AK
worthy777 calls [800]. I am going to call here and try to play it away from him on the turn.
** Dealing Turn ** [ Qs ] JOY!
jweava76 bets [1000]. Dark tunnel bet here!
worthy777 is all-In [10562]
jweava76 is all-In [3720] What is he thinking here?
** Dealing River ** [ Th ]
jweava76 shows [ Ad, Kc ] high card ace.
worthy777 shows [ Ac, Qc ] a pair of queens.
worthy777 wins 5842 chips from side pot #1 with a pair of queens.
worthy777 wins 15840 chips from the main pot with a pair of queens.
Player jweava76 finished in 5 place and received $15
jweava76 has left the table.
The Small Blind left the table. The Dealer button remains in place.
I was so far ahead after breaking the player in second place, I coasted to victory. HE made a large mistake here and that was tangling with the ONLY stack left that could break him.
Discovery
I discovered my special purpose!!! -Steve Martin in The Jerk
I am looking back at my wins over the year and noticed something. I have dominated 3 table fields. Last night I won another 3 table NL at Party. After losing everything else including ring games, a Sit N Go, and a large field tournament. I stunk them all up so bad you could smelll me through your keyboard. But I once again play a 2 or 3 table, and I win. Why?
Right now, my theory is my play style is just slanted this way. I play a strategic game with few races and little gambling. I never play BLo (big little off) not even with an Ace. I can play tight at the beginning of a large field tournament, but never seem to build up chips like looser players. In an SnG, once false move and your stack crippled. In a 3 table, you have time and money, and often play shorthanded for a while. I change gears well in those situations and I think that is why. But its only a guess.
I am looking back at my wins over the year and noticed something. I have dominated 3 table fields. Last night I won another 3 table NL at Party. After losing everything else including ring games, a Sit N Go, and a large field tournament. I stunk them all up so bad you could smelll me through your keyboard. But I once again play a 2 or 3 table, and I win. Why?
Right now, my theory is my play style is just slanted this way. I play a strategic game with few races and little gambling. I never play BLo (big little off) not even with an Ace. I can play tight at the beginning of a large field tournament, but never seem to build up chips like looser players. In an SnG, once false move and your stack crippled. In a 3 table, you have time and money, and often play shorthanded for a while. I change gears well in those situations and I think that is why. But its only a guess.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Another $1 tourney
Another lame showing about midway. Too much to take sometimes, but I was doing well (Q of 1.25) and I limped with Qc9c from the SB. The flop is 5c7c2c. Suffice it to say I ran into KcTc in the BB. Can you plan for that in a field this large? I mean, can you play a made flush weakly? No, you need to fear Ac-X where X is not a club. So I get my chips in where I think I am a big favorite and I am wrong... so be it.
Another $1 tourney
Another lame showing about midway. Too much to take sometimes, but I was doing well (Q of 1.25) and I limped with Qc9c from the SB. The flop is 5c7c2c. Suffice it to say I ran into KcTc in the BB. Can you plan for that in a field this large? I mean, can you play a made flush weakly? No, you need to fear Ac-X where X is not a club. So I get my chips in where I think I am a big favorite and I am wrong... so be it.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
But its so big!!!
I lost about $2 earlier playing lotto at the $.25/$.50 table again. The only hand I won was with AA. He folded on the flop before I could get his last $5.
But on to the big show:
$5000 new depositor freeroll tournament at PartyPoker. 1330 players, $1k for first. Start with a mere 1000 in chips. Blinds are 10/15 to start with 15 minute levels.
First hand? T6o I rarely play the first hand, much less the first rotation. I like to watch and see what the table is going to be like. I was moved to another table after ONE hand which took TEN minutes of the 15 minute level. Nice.
6c5c limped, folded to raise of $265 ?!
AdQd at UtG+1, Utg raises to $30, I make it $45. The flop is all rags and my continuation bet gets 2 callers. By the river, I got nothing but call for $15 and we all 3 split on the 2 pair with and A kicker. (35735) Raiser had AK. The other caller, A9o?
94o, 8s4s in the BB fold on flop of A23 rainbow to a pot sized bet after checking.
LEVEL II, 10/20
86o, Jd6d, Qc4c, 6c2c, Q7o, 98o limp and hit bottom pair, which folds to a pot size bet.
T6o, 93o,
KK Utg raise to $40, 884 and bet ½ pot. No caller.
K3o in BB, flop is 888 I re-raise a SB feeler bet, SB Calls, turn is a K, again reraise and he reraisees me (SB). We end up splitting.
8d2d in SB, raise 2x on button with Jd7d just to see, fold after flop to a bet. Bad timing. Too many callers because of weak raise
72o raise to $85, no callers, and I show the hammer. Excellent.
78o limp, fold
J2o, 72o again but in early position so I fold it. Too soon. Board was 42678. That’s what I deserve for folding the hammer.
Js6s, 69o
LEVEL III
And I am right where I started… I have got to loosen up or I don’t really stand a chance in a field like this…
Q9o utg and I limp, raise to $275 and I fold.
AJo in the BB, ace flops. Bet ½ pot of $180 and get reraised. I call. I pick up a spade out but the river makes a possible straight and I only have TP. He had A5 for 2 pair on the flop. A5 called a 3xBB raise? Gez. I am down to $500
8s4s, 62o, with a yellow M and a Q of .45, I am willing to risk a bet on bit cards, but need to avoid speculation hands now.
5c3c, TT raise to 4xBB and get a caller. 785 flop and I am IN. I bet and get RAISED. I win the all in against 22?!
I am back to $1200 with an M of 13 and a Q of 1. Still in the yellow and the leader has $10k
Qh5h, Qd4d, Q2o, QTo (limp), J7o utg,
A9o in the BB which I let go to a 5xBB raise from the button. He was all-in on the flop.
Jc9c (SB) and called a 2xBB raise. Folded belly buster to big post flop bet. He was in big on the turn and the caller folded.
6h9h on button with no action. Raised to 2x BB and the blinds folded.
Js7s, K7o and I am noticing a trend. Vf05 is a bully/LAG. I may make a play at him here in the future.
44 limp,
9dJd and LAG raises. I (me?) and another player call. 4d8s3d. Bet and I call. LAG reraises and I go all in on the come. They both fold. (Suspicion confirmed) $1700 now. I notice wife at $1650 at another table.
94o, vf05 has returned to his raising ways…
Qs5s in the BB, flop has an Ace AND a King. LAG wins with A2 sooted.
ATo in Sb and make 3xBB raise. LAG CALLS of course. He check and I am suspicious with heart coming. 4 hearts are on the board, but he rivered a straight because I was afraid to push with blank-o. I see the wife just doubled up.
J5o, J2o, KJo and since I have the first action, raise to 3xBB. All fold.
K2o, Jc4c, the last three hands had no caller to the first raiser.
T9o so I limp. LAG makes it $300 from LP. Ugh. I got to get him off my left!
23o, Qc3c utg, Ah9h in the SB. Hard. I fold to a 9xBB raise pre-flop.
5c4c my favorite hand. Call from the button. A27 flop. Free card is a Jack. Fold to a big bet
Jh8h in cutoff. Raise to 2xBB. 5 players se flop of 996. Fold to weak bet with 2 still to act. They fold too.
57o,
LEVEL IV 50/100 (this puts my M way down and I cant play stupid connectors anymore)
67o, Q4o, I need to double up here people.
Qh5h, 66 raise to 3xBB. Only BB calls and I flop a set. Check, tiny bet. But he will not bite.
AJo from EP and I raise 4xBB. One caller and I flop a heart draw. I go all in and he calls with the nut flush. I am out. Still, you can’t play timid, so I can’t say I am upset. I actually made the flush too! It was just the J flush. He called my big raise preflop with Ah9h. I just don’t get these guys. A9 suited and you call a big bet just to fold after the flop MOST of the time? Not this time I guess.
But on to the big show:
$5000 new depositor freeroll tournament at PartyPoker. 1330 players, $1k for first. Start with a mere 1000 in chips. Blinds are 10/15 to start with 15 minute levels.
First hand? T6o I rarely play the first hand, much less the first rotation. I like to watch and see what the table is going to be like. I was moved to another table after ONE hand which took TEN minutes of the 15 minute level. Nice.
6c5c limped, folded to raise of $265 ?!
AdQd at UtG+1, Utg raises to $30, I make it $45. The flop is all rags and my continuation bet gets 2 callers. By the river, I got nothing but call for $15 and we all 3 split on the 2 pair with and A kicker. (35735) Raiser had AK. The other caller, A9o?
94o, 8s4s in the BB fold on flop of A23 rainbow to a pot sized bet after checking.
LEVEL II, 10/20
86o, Jd6d, Qc4c, 6c2c, Q7o, 98o limp and hit bottom pair, which folds to a pot size bet.
T6o, 93o,
KK Utg raise to $40, 884 and bet ½ pot. No caller.
K3o in BB, flop is 888 I re-raise a SB feeler bet, SB Calls, turn is a K, again reraise and he reraisees me (SB). We end up splitting.
8d2d in SB, raise 2x on button with Jd7d just to see, fold after flop to a bet. Bad timing. Too many callers because of weak raise
72o raise to $85, no callers, and I show the hammer. Excellent.
78o limp, fold
J2o, 72o again but in early position so I fold it. Too soon. Board was 42678. That’s what I deserve for folding the hammer.
Js6s, 69o
LEVEL III
And I am right where I started… I have got to loosen up or I don’t really stand a chance in a field like this…
Q9o utg and I limp, raise to $275 and I fold.
AJo in the BB, ace flops. Bet ½ pot of $180 and get reraised. I call. I pick up a spade out but the river makes a possible straight and I only have TP. He had A5 for 2 pair on the flop. A5 called a 3xBB raise? Gez. I am down to $500
8s4s, 62o, with a yellow M and a Q of .45, I am willing to risk a bet on bit cards, but need to avoid speculation hands now.
5c3c, TT raise to 4xBB and get a caller. 785 flop and I am IN. I bet and get RAISED. I win the all in against 22?!
I am back to $1200 with an M of 13 and a Q of 1. Still in the yellow and the leader has $10k
Qh5h, Qd4d, Q2o, QTo (limp), J7o utg,
A9o in the BB which I let go to a 5xBB raise from the button. He was all-in on the flop.
Jc9c (SB) and called a 2xBB raise. Folded belly buster to big post flop bet. He was in big on the turn and the caller folded.
6h9h on button with no action. Raised to 2x BB and the blinds folded.
Js7s, K7o and I am noticing a trend. Vf05 is a bully/LAG. I may make a play at him here in the future.
44 limp,
9dJd and LAG raises. I (me?) and another player call. 4d8s3d. Bet and I call. LAG reraises and I go all in on the come. They both fold. (Suspicion confirmed) $1700 now. I notice wife at $1650 at another table.
94o, vf05 has returned to his raising ways…
Qs5s in the BB, flop has an Ace AND a King. LAG wins with A2 sooted.
ATo in Sb and make 3xBB raise. LAG CALLS of course. He check and I am suspicious with heart coming. 4 hearts are on the board, but he rivered a straight because I was afraid to push with blank-o. I see the wife just doubled up.
J5o, J2o, KJo and since I have the first action, raise to 3xBB. All fold.
K2o, Jc4c, the last three hands had no caller to the first raiser.
T9o so I limp. LAG makes it $300 from LP. Ugh. I got to get him off my left!
23o, Qc3c utg, Ah9h in the SB. Hard. I fold to a 9xBB raise pre-flop.
5c4c my favorite hand. Call from the button. A27 flop. Free card is a Jack. Fold to a big bet
Jh8h in cutoff. Raise to 2xBB. 5 players se flop of 996. Fold to weak bet with 2 still to act. They fold too.
57o,
LEVEL IV 50/100 (this puts my M way down and I cant play stupid connectors anymore)
67o, Q4o, I need to double up here people.
Qh5h, 66 raise to 3xBB. Only BB calls and I flop a set. Check, tiny bet. But he will not bite.
AJo from EP and I raise 4xBB. One caller and I flop a heart draw. I go all in and he calls with the nut flush. I am out. Still, you can’t play timid, so I can’t say I am upset. I actually made the flush too! It was just the J flush. He called my big raise preflop with Ah9h. I just don’t get these guys. A9 suited and you call a big bet just to fold after the flop MOST of the time? Not this time I guess.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Trials and Tribulations
Decided to play in those “welcome to party poker” $1 lotto tourneys. There were over 200 players in both. The first one I went out at 130. I was crippled when I was out kicked on trips (89 vs J8), then with the blinds getting high, losing a big race.
The second one was hilarious. It starts with a guy who all-ins every hand. Took 3 to bust him (not me though). Next I have 33 and the flop is KK9. He calls me to the river and loses! Wtf?
People bluff off their entire stacks too! With no pair and no draws!
I actually saw a flop with QTo. You have to get in there in the early rounds or you miss out on the zombies. Not my style really, I still can not even limp with J6o.
In a half hour, 25% of the field is gone. Its just level 2! Players are throwing around chips like there’s a fire on the table and the chips somehow put it out. With all the dead money, I fall below average stack size despite not losing a single showdown. But my M is high, so I am not going to panic. I check and notice the wife is still in it too.
Now I get cold decked for a while as I watch more suicides… Even so, my Q is only .9 and the M is still high at level 3.
Then I lost with AJ vs. AQ. Did not play it well. No I have to get in there and double up. Still no panic though.
Then I flop TP and bet it, but on the turn, my lone caller goes all-in when the Ace falls. Bluff or not, its hard to make that call at PP. All-in usually means greed. Nice place to bluff though. Never be the caller with only a pair. I am now in trouble at a Q of .5. I retrospect, I should have called this in this type of tournament based on the M and Q I was left with. I got too used to playing the PP cash games.
I fold the hammer… oh the embarrassment. Wife has a Q > 1 right now.
Very cold deck and now my M is about 10. I fold 52o. Table move. Break. Wife Q of 1.5 First hand after break? T5o
Now I sit here desperate after laughing at the players. Ugh. Tried to make a move and ran into QQ. On life support, yet still fold A3o when the next hand is BB. I get 85o and then 72o. I have one rotation left…
96o, A6o… my least favorite hand, but here it seems appropriate… I can’t outdraw J7o and I am out. 104th. The wife is still going strong with a Q of 2!!
UPDATE: I thought she was going to be out after her KK ran into AA, but she worked it back up!!!
UPDATE UPDATE: she finished in the money. Ironic considering she got her ass handed to her in her first cash game today. Lost $40 of her $50 stake. She was very distraught. Wife’s winnings for the $1 tournament? $1.74
But it meant much more to her than that.
The second one was hilarious. It starts with a guy who all-ins every hand. Took 3 to bust him (not me though). Next I have 33 and the flop is KK9. He calls me to the river and loses! Wtf?
People bluff off their entire stacks too! With no pair and no draws!
I actually saw a flop with QTo. You have to get in there in the early rounds or you miss out on the zombies. Not my style really, I still can not even limp with J6o.
In a half hour, 25% of the field is gone. Its just level 2! Players are throwing around chips like there’s a fire on the table and the chips somehow put it out. With all the dead money, I fall below average stack size despite not losing a single showdown. But my M is high, so I am not going to panic. I check and notice the wife is still in it too.
Now I get cold decked for a while as I watch more suicides… Even so, my Q is only .9 and the M is still high at level 3.
Then I lost with AJ vs. AQ. Did not play it well. No I have to get in there and double up. Still no panic though.
Then I flop TP and bet it, but on the turn, my lone caller goes all-in when the Ace falls. Bluff or not, its hard to make that call at PP. All-in usually means greed. Nice place to bluff though. Never be the caller with only a pair. I am now in trouble at a Q of .5. I retrospect, I should have called this in this type of tournament based on the M and Q I was left with. I got too used to playing the PP cash games.
I fold the hammer… oh the embarrassment. Wife has a Q > 1 right now.
Very cold deck and now my M is about 10. I fold 52o. Table move. Break. Wife Q of 1.5 First hand after break? T5o
Now I sit here desperate after laughing at the players. Ugh. Tried to make a move and ran into QQ. On life support, yet still fold A3o when the next hand is BB. I get 85o and then 72o. I have one rotation left…
96o, A6o… my least favorite hand, but here it seems appropriate… I can’t outdraw J7o and I am out. 104th. The wife is still going strong with a Q of 2!!
UPDATE: I thought she was going to be out after her KK ran into AA, but she worked it back up!!!
UPDATE UPDATE: she finished in the money. Ironic considering she got her ass handed to her in her first cash game today. Lost $40 of her $50 stake. She was very distraught. Wife’s winnings for the $1 tournament? $1.74
But it meant much more to her than that.
I never realized it could be like this!
I can't believe that the party poker players are so bad. I never realized. Gez. I am up to $125 playing .1/.5 for $75 profit in 2 days. For comparison, I am down $40 at PS.
Sunday, July 03, 2005
The Big Bet
So my wife has been playing at PP for play money since I bought her a laptop for Christmas. At our last home game (tournament style) she beat 12 others to take first. When we went camping, we played heads up and she beat me. Insufferable.
Now she wants to play for real money. Ok. Here is the bet. We each deposit $50 in a PP account. The first player to $200 wins (or the first to go broker loses!!!)
I am off to a good start. Despite my tirade yesterday, I FINALLY had AA hold up against KK. I also tricked an AQ into getting in deep against my AK. When the flpo was A-rag-rag, I knew I had a winner (no suckout).
I tried playing the $5 SnG, but its $1 juice. I still could not resist and played 3 of them. In ALL THREE I lost my money on suckouts. Hilarious.
So far I am up to $75. No word from the wife yet...
Now she wants to play for real money. Ok. Here is the bet. We each deposit $50 in a PP account. The first player to $200 wins (or the first to go broker loses!!!)
I am off to a good start. Despite my tirade yesterday, I FINALLY had AA hold up against KK. I also tricked an AQ into getting in deep against my AK. When the flpo was A-rag-rag, I knew I had a winner (no suckout).
I tried playing the $5 SnG, but its $1 juice. I still could not resist and played 3 of them. In ALL THREE I lost my money on suckouts. Hilarious.
So far I am up to $75. No word from the wife yet...
Saturday, July 02, 2005
SUCK OUT!! SUCKOUT!! SUCKOUTSSSS!!!
Played in the $.25/.50 at PS determined to be a winner. It was a capped buyin of $50 and I played solid poker. I had learned about adjusting to the small blind tables and I was up $35 bucks. I was playing Viper style, coiled and ready to strike whenever I was ahead. I was pulling it off too... Then, it got really good. I was dealt pocket aces on the button. A couple of limpers, so I raise just 2xBB. The BB raises to $4. Wow, he has a good hand. Let's see how good. I raise to $12. He raises to $18. Well, he only had $34 and I realize right now he has Kings. JOY!! I put him all in and sure enough KK vs.AA. A 5-1 dog!!
Flop 9-J-Q (Ironically, he is only a 4 to one dog now, as he picks up 4 outs. Turn is a blank. River is a K. SUCKOUT. I finish the night up $1.10
Ironically, both times I had ACES vs. KINGS in my life, I determined that I was against Kings, got the Kings pot committed and lost BOTH TIMES. All the times I had KK vs. AA I got away from it. A lone exception was a limit game where I called it down for 2 more bets, but I knew that time too. I don't think HE knew here, he just SUCKED OUT!!! GEZ.
Next morning, I am playing Viper style with much less sucess. After about an hour, I am down $3. Then I get a good chance. Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25)
Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: Columbo777 ($22.70 in chips)
Seat 3: SpacePeople ($4.40 in chips)
Seat 4: chelseabass ($5.85 in chips)
Seat 5: Funk ($34.35 in chips)
Seat 6: Gatzoo ($9.50 in chips)
Seat 7: NAMR0N ($10.70 in chips)
Seat 9: Cerentano ($17.15 in chips)
Gatzoo: posts small blind $0.10
NAMR0N: posts big blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Ts Qd]
Cerentano: calls $0.25
Columbo777: calls $0.25
SpacePeople: calls $0.25
chelseabass: calls $0.25
Funk: folds
Gatzoo: folds
NAMR0N: checks
pot $1.35
*** FLOP *** [2s 9c Jc]
NAMR0N: checks
Cerentano: checks
Columbo777: checks
SpacePeople: bets $0.50 Probably has a J or a 9.
chelseabass: folds
NAMR0N: calls $0.50
bknot22 joins the table at seat #1
Cerentano: calls $0.50
Columbo777: calls $0.50 sure, I am drawing, but its the minimum into $2.85 and I like the implied odds. Viper style is all about implied odds.
*** TURN *** [2s 9c Jc] [Kc] JOY!!!! 3 clubs or not, I think I am the best hand here.
NAMR0N: checks
Cerentano: checks
Columbo777: bets $0.25 VALUE BET
SpacePeople: raises $0.75 to $1 ohh, definelty not the 9. For sure the Jack, probably with a club kicker.
NAMR0N: folds
Cerentano: folds
Columbo777: raises $20.95 to $21.95 and is all-in (he will call this)
SpacePeople: calls $2.65 and is all-in (yup)
*** RIVER *** [2s 9c Jc Kc] [Js]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Columbo777: shows [Ts Qd] (a straight, Nine to King)
SpacePeople: shows [Jh 2h] (a full house, Jacks full of Deuces)
SpacePeople collected $10.15 from pot
SUCKOUT. He atleast played this decent. He had J2 in the BB, flopped 2 pair. By the time he got put all in, he only had 1/2 his $5 stack left. But GEZ, what luck. He called without a club (he must have put me on a flush bluff). Hitting a 4 outer AGAIN. I end the morning down $8.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?!
Flop 9-J-Q (Ironically, he is only a 4 to one dog now, as he picks up 4 outs. Turn is a blank. River is a K. SUCKOUT. I finish the night up $1.10
Ironically, both times I had ACES vs. KINGS in my life, I determined that I was against Kings, got the Kings pot committed and lost BOTH TIMES. All the times I had KK vs. AA I got away from it. A lone exception was a limit game where I called it down for 2 more bets, but I knew that time too. I don't think HE knew here, he just SUCKED OUT!!! GEZ.
Next morning, I am playing Viper style with much less sucess. After about an hour, I am down $3. Then I get a good chance. Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25)
Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: Columbo777 ($22.70 in chips)
Seat 3: SpacePeople ($4.40 in chips)
Seat 4: chelseabass ($5.85 in chips)
Seat 5: Funk ($34.35 in chips)
Seat 6: Gatzoo ($9.50 in chips)
Seat 7: NAMR0N ($10.70 in chips)
Seat 9: Cerentano ($17.15 in chips)
Gatzoo: posts small blind $0.10
NAMR0N: posts big blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Ts Qd]
Cerentano: calls $0.25
Columbo777: calls $0.25
SpacePeople: calls $0.25
chelseabass: calls $0.25
Funk: folds
Gatzoo: folds
NAMR0N: checks
pot $1.35
*** FLOP *** [2s 9c Jc]
NAMR0N: checks
Cerentano: checks
Columbo777: checks
SpacePeople: bets $0.50 Probably has a J or a 9.
chelseabass: folds
NAMR0N: calls $0.50
bknot22 joins the table at seat #1
Cerentano: calls $0.50
Columbo777: calls $0.50 sure, I am drawing, but its the minimum into $2.85 and I like the implied odds. Viper style is all about implied odds.
*** TURN *** [2s 9c Jc] [Kc] JOY!!!! 3 clubs or not, I think I am the best hand here.
NAMR0N: checks
Cerentano: checks
Columbo777: bets $0.25 VALUE BET
SpacePeople: raises $0.75 to $1 ohh, definelty not the 9. For sure the Jack, probably with a club kicker.
NAMR0N: folds
Cerentano: folds
Columbo777: raises $20.95 to $21.95 and is all-in (he will call this)
SpacePeople: calls $2.65 and is all-in (yup)
*** RIVER *** [2s 9c Jc Kc] [Js]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Columbo777: shows [Ts Qd] (a straight, Nine to King)
SpacePeople: shows [Jh 2h] (a full house, Jacks full of Deuces)
SpacePeople collected $10.15 from pot
SUCKOUT. He atleast played this decent. He had J2 in the BB, flopped 2 pair. By the time he got put all in, he only had 1/2 his $5 stack left. But GEZ, what luck. He called without a club (he must have put me on a flush bluff). Hitting a 4 outer AGAIN. I end the morning down $8.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?!
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