How does one play an O8B tournament

Ok, I thought Hold'em could be a crap shoot, but O8B with escalating blinds structure will be the death of me. Has anyone written a good article about this?

I played good O8B last night for a while, then the blinds started moving up. Suddenly, I realize I am two lost pots from done. I got rivered (from scoop to 1/2 the pot) TWICE, then rivered twice after that for scoops from half. IGHN.

How does one just shove in O8B? In the immortal words of Jerry Seinfeld, "Who are these people?"

A Giant amoung Men...

I played in a home game Friday night, which sort of borke down to a very aggressive player host who is used to rolling over people, and his victims, mainly family and friends (at least in this case).

Little small buy-in two table MTT and I go out FIRST when I flop a straight and I get RAISED. Ok, let me guess... Flush draw? Well, I cant fold with 1/3 of my stack in there and the best hand, so I shove my chips in and watch the diamond fall on the river.

Normally, I would leave at this point, but if this was the play, I figured I would stick around and play the "bust-out cash game", which often is short-handed. Smart decision. I won four times my buy-in in just 90 minutes. Here was the absolute best hand:

I already have double my buy-in in front of me, and since its short handed, I am playing almost ATC. I call a min-raise from the BB with J5o. (I think we are 5 handed). The UtG made the min-raise, the player to his left calls, two folds and then my call...

Flop is the miracle JJ5. And now the best part. UtG makes a bet of about 1/2 the pot, maybe more. The second player RAISES! And me with the immortal nuts. I smooth call and so does UtG. I am sure that the UtG has an overpair of QQ, KK or AA and that the other player has a Jack. And in this rare instance, I am going to walk TWO dogs and try to break them both!

Turn is the 8 and maybe, just maybe the other player has J8. I mean, its possible right? HA! I am not looking for monsters lurking in the closet. I am in fully-engaged extraction mode. UtG now makes a BIG bet and the other players now CALLS. It's time to slam the door. I raise enough that the UtG will have to go all in, but I dont want to push in case the other Jack wants to call. Now, I know if the board pairs the 8 I have to split, but its just too much of an off chance.

UtG goes all in and I am SURE he has aces. the other player folds. I say, "I call. I have a boat". And the guy with Aces says "Already?". (and much to my credit, I did not crack a smile). But he was upset as the J5o I played registered in his brain. I think the play by him with the min-raise with AA short-handed was ok, but how are you NOT scared of two raisers post-flop on a paired board. The AA folding was an easy escape in my book.

The most amazing part was the the other guy? What do you think he had? JT maybe? AJ maybe? Nope, he was BLUFFING. OMG. He couldn't even beat a the board. I must be a good actor. He thought I was making a play at the pot.

So, now a second chance SnG starts and its same thing all over again. Only this time the flush does not crack my made straight. With 4 left, I am second in chips but determined to wait out the short stack who is tired, tipsy, and not as good as his believes he is at this moment in time. He finally goes out and with 3 left its so late I propose a terrible chop for the 3rd place player just to see if they will bite. They dont. Good for her. So, we play it out. I just call with an Ace in the SB vs. the BB giant stack and the flop is 6A6. I check. Nor the reason I check is that the last time we played a hand, I checked, he bet, I meekly folded. So, I figure he is primed to bet here. But, he suspects something and checks. Ugh.
The turn is a 9 and I bet. He RAISES all-in?! And Since I put him on 9s and 6s now, I call. He had 99 in the hole and made a miracle boat on the turn. I cash third and drive home, with a total of over 150% profit. Not bad.

EVENTS!

The google link to the right is a great way to track blogger events. I added the old one from Byron and added all the latest events... and now (drumroll)....

Fraser goes down!

Police investigating a report of a severed head in a parking lot have concluded that a man used an innovative method to end his own life.

According to the authorities, the man tied one end of a rope to a tree and then looped the other end around his own neck. Then he drove off in a car, which caused the rope to slice through his neck and cut off his head, which flew out the back of the car. Police found a suicide note inside the car.

And here now is the poker equivalent. Take a monster stack lead into the final table and finish 6th?!

Here is how I severed my own head:

Tight, tight play from the table, including me. But as I watched people pick off blinds (especially mine), I would try to time a steal. I went 0 for 5. ZERO. Just re-steals and re-raises and me with air...

Al and Jade double up, whilst I bleed and esacpe second best hands.

Full Tilt Poker Game #2930725821: Riverchasers Online Poker Tour (22093219), Table 6 - 800/1600 Ante 200 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:04:06 ET - 2007/07/13
Seat 1: BuddyDank (19,565)
Seat 2: -o-LuckTruck-o- (10,805)
Seat 3: Blinders (27,188)
Seat 4: kazor (6,874)
Seat 5: tmcmenamin1 (9,790)
Seat 6: columbo (16,597)
Seat 7: AlCantHang (31,115)
Seat 8: jade2002 (37,066)
antes 200
columbo posts the small blind of 800
AlCantHang posts the big blind of 1,600
The button is in seat #5

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [? ?]
jade2002 folds
BuddyDank folds
-o-LuckTruck-o- raises to 10,605, and is all in
Blinders calls 10,605
kazor folds
AlCantHang: captiain overbet
tmcmenamin1 folds
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo has requested TIME
columbo: dammit blinders
Blinders: yuor priced in
columbo folds <= I am still thinking about this fold...
What CAN I call with here? I have 16k in chips, its 800 lost to fold.

Could you make this call with JJ? KK? How about AKs?

AlCantHang folds
-o-LuckTruck-o- shows [As Tc]
Blinders shows [Qc Qh]
*** FLOP *** [7h 9s Kd]
*** TURN *** [7h 9s Kd] [Jh]
*** RIVER *** [7h 9s Kd Jh] [2h]
-o-LuckTruck-o- shows Ace King high
Blinders shows a pair of Queens
Blinders wins the pot (25,210) with a pair of Queens
-o-LuckTruck-o- stands up

(I had AKs) Am I tilting now? Maybe...
This makes me the short stack when Seat 4 and seat 5 go out and pop the money bubble for me.

and then Frashier goes down...

Full Tilt Poker Game #2930790848: Riverchasers Online Poker Tour (22093219), Table 6 - 800/1600 Ante 200 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:10:34 ET - 2007/07/13
Seat 1: BuddyDank (20,039)
Seat 3: Blinders (41,793)
Seat 5: tmcmenamin1 (21,790)
Seat 6: columbo (12,797)
Seat 7: AlCantHang (25,915)
Seat 8: jade2002 (36,666)
antes 200
columbo posts the small blind of 800 <==again, the SB is my nemesis. Learn something columbo!

AlCantHang posts the big blind of 1,600
The button is in seat #5

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Js 7s]
jade2002 folds
BuddyDank folds
Blinders folds
tmcmenamin1 folds
columbo calls 800
AlCantHang has 15 seconds left to act
AlCantHang checks

hey, free flop! alright!
*** FLOP *** [6c 9s 6s]
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
I have An over and a live scare card, plus a flush draw. I figure Al either missed the flop (66%) or hit a pair (30%) that would require him to make a big bet if I check.

columbo bets 10,997, and is all in <== I think this is a good move. COMMENTS?

AlCantHang calls 10,997
columbo shows [Js 7s]
AlCantHang shows [Th 6d] TRIPS? ARGH

But I am only a 2-1 dog!!

*** TURN *** [6c 9s 6s] [6h]
*** RIVER *** [6c 9s 6s 6h] [Kd]
columbo shows three of a kind, Sixes
AlCantHang shows four of a kind, Sixes
AlCantHang wins the pot (26,394) with four of a kind, Sixes
columbo stands up
IGHN. Bubble casher.

best mookie finish ever

This was a VERY interesting hand and here it is in grave detail...

17 left in the mookie and I am about 10th-ish here... I was FIFTH, but had to release a hand and escape..

With a round costing 1350 with antes, my M is 6-7, but my Q is about 1.0 +/- 0.1

Full Tilt Poker Game #2921499396: The Mookie - Arrgh Matey (22098113), Table 6 - 300/600 Ante 75 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:25:16 ET - 2007/07/12

Seat 1: GCox25 (11,078)
Seat 2: weak_player (7,246)
Seat 3: jeciimd (8,745)
Seat 4: willwonka (9,854)
Seat 5: riggstad (7,665)
Seat 6: Astin (19,119)
Seat 7: IslandBum1 (8,147)
Seat 8: columbo (8,398)
Seat 9: HighOnPoker (20,305)

antes 75
IslandBum1 posts the small blind of 300
columbo posts the big blind of 600
The button is in seat #6

folded around to Astin.
Astin raises to 2,400 <==Button Raise
IslandBum1 folds
columbo calls 1,800 with [? ?]

*** FLOP *** [2h 7s 4s]
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo bets 5,923, and is all in

Do I look strong here or weak?

AI programmer wanted

I am looking for a programmer interested in AI to work with on a project. I have an theory that I have been playing around with for quite some time. Its an AI algorithm based on "Trinary-state Pattern Recognition".

I find poker a perfect test of the algoritm because it requires to use of partial information and the same situation can have multiple results. (I am NOT writng a bot, nor would that work as I am spending ZERO time trying to hide the fact that its AI and it will not initiate actions, but rather "sit over your shoulder and learn").

If the theory were to hold, then the only paymount would be accolades and resume fodder, but goodd stuff if this is your cup of tea.

I have no idea of time invovled as I have not actually written code in a decade, so only the developer could do an estimate. I would prefer to work with someone I have met or once removed.

Please let me know if you or someone you know is interested.

I don't suck!?

Stats for columbo in the Battle of the Bloggers
Rank based on PROFIT: 19th of 315 (2 better than me played only the Big Game AND made final table)
Events played: 24

Some other fun stats not in the above metrics:

Number of Mookie events played: 8
Number of Mookie events that I even made the first break, much less the points: 0

Number of Monday at the Hoy events played: 9
Rank of "money won 2007" in the Hoy for 2007: 3rd! (as of a week ago)

Profit on FullTilt for 2007, -$150 (wtf?)

Beware the Trips

I went broke TWICE last night playing poker, both times with trips. (And I doubled up with them once). I did notice something that maybe I haven't noticed in the past. When you have trips and someone Pushes into you, they likely have an overpair and are about to go broke. When you have trips and you might have kicker problems, the push wont come until after you look committed. Interesting, huh? As you think about this, it seems more and more obvious that "of course" its that way...

I have also noted that when you have JT and iht trips on the flop or turn, you OFTEN will be surprised by KJ or AJ (or KT/AT if trip tens). I am not saying to play trips scared, but I am saying that if your M>20, you had better be prepared to get away from trips in the right situation. Still, it will be hard.

WPBT event #7

Subject: Re: private tourney setup (WPBT) request

Hello,

Thank you for your e-mail and tournament request. I have created your
private HORSE tournament as you requested in your e-mail below and it is
open for registration at this time. In order to locate your tournament,
click the "Private" tab in the tournament lobby.

Tournament #22093715 (7/22/07 21:00ET)

Your tournament has been created as a double stack tournament with 3000
starting chips, if you wish to update it to a single stack tournament or
require any changes to be made to your tournament structure, do not
hesitate to reply to this e-mail.

NOTE: See earlier post on how to join the WPBT...

quick updates

It's WSOP main event time, so if I post too much, you'll miss out on the great updates from Dr. Pauly. Don't do that!

I joined the Pokersluts Tour V for the next 6 sundays, once again taking me to 3 weekly online games (hoy and mookie).

The WPBT Event #7 HORSE will be 7/22...

BBT ends with a bang

Well, I played in my first "Blogger Big Game" last night, since it was the last event in the BBT series. I consider it a tad expensive for my online bankroll, but I certainly like the competition.

I had more volatility than i expected in this high level game. I had to get away from a middle pair with flush redraw because the other player pushed on the turn. Then worked it back to starting size.

Then I pushed the hammer into a player on a stone cold bluff, only to be shown a SET of Tens and losing half my stack. The very next hand, *I* am dealt Tens, flop a set, and double up against QQ to be back at starting stack size. Online poker is rigged.

I work it up to about 25% over start stack size, when this happens. Folded to me in MP and I have QJo. I decide to limp since the table was tight the last few hands. The button MIN-RAISES and I am the only caller. The flop is all undercards with two clubs and we both check. The turn is a Q. He bets. I raise, he calls. River is the 3rd club and we both check. He has AQ and now I am just below start stack size.

10 minutes later, I am in MP. UtG limp. I have KK and make it 3xBB. The player to my left, who has just a few more chips than me, raises it 3x my bet. This is almost 1/2 my stack to call. The blinds and the UtG fold. I have a reasonable expectation here of the following:

He has AK and he is going to call as a big dog.
He has QQ or JJ and he is going to call as a big dog.
He has AA and has me crushed.
He has the hammer and will fold to any push.

I reason that since my Q<1, that I am totally justified in disregarding AA and trying to get his stack in there.

I am also reasonably sure than if I push, he will call. I really think he has AK and I am a 4-1. If I KNOW he has AK, could I possibly fold? I mean, I am a 4-1 favorite and I believe if I ever folded KK to AK, then I would have to quit playing poker because I had become a tit-mouse.

I push, he calls with AK. Ace on the flop and IGHN.

I think I will play the big game again...

Saint Bayne

Not unlike a grease stain on a wall that looks like Elvis, railbirds and players alike last night were witness to a very rare event. The canonization of Saint Bayne.

His ascension completed at approximately 1:10am, as he won the "Monday at the Hoy" tournament, which culminated in a unanimous vote of poker playing cardinals, hereto anointing Bayne, The Patron Saint of Card Racks.

As if auditioning for the part, Saint Bayne took great pride in stealing my blinds with some of his more marginal hands such as AJ, AQ, AK, JJ and AA. When he saw a flop, he had much better cards. Top Pair became almost a sign of the devil, which Bayne would vanquish with a simple flick of the wrist.

At the final table, almost as if on cue, the table glowed and so did Saint Bayne, winning each and every hand he touched. The players, unable to muster any more resistance, watched in awe as we were dismissed one by one.

So let it be know, that today is Saint Bayne day. 6/26. Mark it on the most paper of calendars, lest we forget to bring the pope-mobile to Vegas in December for his emminence.

Oh yeah, I came in third.

What’s a precipice?

I played in the "riverchasers" 3 table HORSE MTT yesterday. Get a load of this:

After the first hour, I was chip leader.

After the second hour, I was LAST (second to last?) and down to a VERY short stack. Basically, any hand I play, I am committed to.

At the final table I was the CHIP LEADER with 8 left (pays 4).

I bubbled and went out 5th?!

What the heck is wrong with me? How does one go from Chip Leader, to LAST, to Leader, to bubble??!!!

Am I any better at all? or just suddenly more volatile?

strange days

The Hoy last night:
Pocket Kings FOUR times...
Won 3 races, all of which sent a player to the rail...
Had an Average stack with 20 left (just in the points)...

I LIMP with a small pocket pair.
LP players bets 3xBB (which is pretty big now). I have about 10xBB total (despite being avg stack).
I figure that the limp, all-in may look like aces and if I get called I am probably a slight favorite. I push 44 into what turns out to be AK.
Flop is AKx and IGHN.

Was I foolish and impatient or was it just my time? I noticed in reflecting on my play, that I dont think I see enough flops and instead rely on odds when the blinds are large. Good or bad?

Taking Stock and Kicking Ass

After playing with the bloggers for a weekend, I had to admit somethings to myself. The hardest was that I am not as good as I SHOULD be after 3 years of being a wanna-be.

1. I dont read hands well! I read SITUATIONS well, but not hands. I am going to start recording hands as I play them and write down what I think my opponent has on every street.

2. Because of #1, I am too risk adverse on the turn with lowers my EV. I need to use the turn for PRESSURE.

3. I still struggle with calling raises with marginal cards despite being in position. After the first raise goes in, I tighten up considerably. This is ok in a tournament, but foolish in a cash game where people are raising up with A5s.

4. I am not aggro at a loser table. BUT I FIXED THAT MONDAY. I walked over the bridge to the TI, plocked down $60 for the 10pm tourney and chopped with the other 2 remaining players when the blinds got too high for sanity. I was SUPER-AGGRO all night, until the bubble, where I watch the short stacks committ suicide...

I have a new goal... and its nasty... (cue eye of the tiger?)

WPBT Recap

Another WPBT party draws to a close and what a fun weekend it was. So much to say, lets just start talking.

I flew in Friday and made the $250 HORSE down at Binions. 224 entries was a bit too high for my normal sweet spot. I played very well through level 11, but never could get very far above an average stack size. I was reading the newspaper on the plane and I noted that some new tennis star won a match and they wrote that she had only 11 unforced errors. I thought to myself, what a great way to measure your success in HORSE! So at the end of level 11, I had only 3 unforced errors, and 1 forced error. (I consider an unforced error one where you simply make a mistake with a hand. An unforced error is anything where you are better off taking the action, such as calling with a draw on the river because you have pot odds, and then you miss and have to muck.) So I am playing very well. But now the levels start to really move up and everyone's M drops significantly. You basically have 2 showdowns with an average stack. I ended up stuck with an O8B hand where I was cheated for High on the turn, then cheated for Low on the river and made a crying call which was at the time $4k of my $26-$2k-$2k-$4k stack. Ends up I make a lower aces up and second nut low to nuts. I lose half my stack and suddenly its the dinner break. Level 13 is razz and I get in short stacked with 3 to low only to end up with a boat to finish me off. I finished 38th out of 224, 14 places out of the money.

Then, it was off to the MGM mixed games. but the MGM could not get the table going at first, so it was drinks and greets at the bar. Attendence was much lower (40 people) this summer, but that meant I got to meet every single person this time, which I really enjoyed. They did eventually get our HORSE 3-6 going, where we all bought in for 200 chips. 20 minutes later the casino manager came by and they were out of blue chips now and had to buy some back! priceless. The game broke up just before 3am.

Saturday was the tourney where I finihsed out of the money, but in the points. Pauly did a nice write-up on Tao of Poker. In the end, Mrs. Spaceman was crowned champion, besting Grubette.

The Poker Room manager treated us as if we were an annoyance on his otherwise fulfilling life, and the Orleans will probably never see a blogger (or any of its readers I hope) every again. Say what you will about vegas and poker, but in 3 years and 6 tournaments, the IP was HANDS DOWN the best and most customer friendly to the blogger community and they deserve to host our tournament in December. Volunteers to help arrange it are being sought.

Saturday night was poker with the bloggers where I had to play at a 1-2 table featuring the all-star lineup of Hoy, Blinders, Miami Don, CrackinAces, Likaris, penerii, and statickling and still look like I knew what I was doing. One hand made the OMM for next week. I held my own, until the end of the night, when a civilian filling an empty seat, flopped a set on my overpair on only his 3rd hand and I lost my stack. (I heard Miami Don releaved him of his new stack before the bloggers left.)

Sunday was the private HORSE tournament at the IP, which due to a mistake on My part, I missed and had to watch. Again, the IP not only did that for the pokersluts crew, they that evening they dealt us mixed games including some awesoime rounds of budagi and triple draw until 2 am.

And now, its time to pack it in and return to our otherwise pedestrian lives. The WSOP is going on all around me here in Las Vegas, but I never even stepped foot in the RIO as I was having too much fun. Maybe next year...

Celebrate Good Times, come on!

For those of you who didn’t realize, yesterday was “Hit a flush against Columbo” day. If you were in the Bay area last night, I hope you enjoyed your FREAKING CELEBRATION!!


...Off to Vegas in the morning. Next stop, Binions $250 HORSE.

Quick Exit

Well, I went out in the Hoy last night in 2 hands. I played not a single hand in level 1 and was getting antsy. I was determined NOT to piss away chips early. But its level two and I even fold KJo UTG. Next round I get QdJd utg and do a raise just to play a hand. I get just the BB caller. (oops). The flop is 2dKdAc. The BB checks, I bet 2/3 pot as a continuation and BB min raises. I got trapped. Obvious, but I call as I have odds still. But the turn is a K pairing the board and he bets 1/2 pot. Despite a paired boarded and slightly less than the odds needed, I call suspicious that he has a K, got lucky and I will break him if a diamond comes or a Ten. Instead a black nine comes and he checks. I check back, knowing its a second trap and he shows AK. I am out 1/2 my stack. He played it well.

Second hand it folded around to me in the SB and I look at KQs. I rause and the BB puts me all in. I have to call and he has A5s. And Ace right out the door send me home.

But why did I chase that flush?

1. lack of concentration. My mind was miles away.
2. I was playing alot of HORSE lately and limit mentality might have been in play. i.e. not risk adverse enough.

Shopping and WPBT7 banner

In preperation for yet another business trip (which bookends the summer classic), I went clothes shopping. I usually HATE it, but this time it was almost magical. I walked into the store and it was as if someone had said, "hey, all that stuff YOU like but was never in vogue?? Well, now its all you baby!" Everything that I thought was always cool is now cool. (How long can THAT possible last!?)

Despite the good time, I had to rush back for riverchasers. Why? because you need to be in the top twenty and its not weighted for # of events played. If it was, I would be in. But having missed a good dozen or so, I am like 27th. So, I need to play today.

I would propose a new point structure for next time... Weighted as long as you play 1/2 the events, with token points for being in the top half, points for the final table, points for cashing and bonus points for winning. Weighted by # of events played.

BUT, I am not complaining!!! This has been a GREAT effort by AlCantHang to even do it! Awesome.


and now... a banner

who loves money? (i do, i do!)

It's that time again... Time for the donkye-fest know as the
2007 World Series of Poker

Are you going?
Are you just going to play the NLHE $1500?

Reckless at the Mookie

Last night I played in the Mookie. I always fare poorly in the Mookie, and I am never sure why. First hand I get JJ on an Ace flop and then another similar hand and I am down to 750 (start with 1500). Its level 1!!

So, I start to TAG my way back. I make it to about 1500, never higher. Now there are like 50 left and I still have about 1500. Once my Q approaches .5, I expond the philosophy of seeking volitility to catch up. And that I did. I would get in drawing situations and instead of pushing to pressure a fold, I would entice the opponent to put my all-in on the come. Or, I would go all-in on any hit flop.

Now there are 32 left (31 get points, 7 cash) and I and in 32nd place. I double up on a flush draw and now am 3rd from last. I go on a mini-rush, push-monkeying my way up the ladder as players were folding pre-flop to my aggr-mania. Despite getting AA,KK and QQ in the BB, all three were folded around to me and I took the dissapointing "walks".

Again, I double up and now climb to the middle of the pack. I continue agression, pushing players off of hands post flop despite having nothing but a gut-shot. Pre-flop, I am re-raising or raising big with any hand I decide to play. I tried really hard to protray a maniac image, but either I would get moved or players who knew me better would not fall for the "image reset".

As the blinds grew, my aggr-steals pushed me as high as 3rd place. Then, I went totally card dead, getting long runs of hands with a duck in them.

Here is the final scenario:
13 players left, 7 cash... I am 8th... blinds are high enough that everyone but the chip leader has an M of 9-11... First into the pot is often an all-in bet, that is not called.

And I get AKo in the BB. Now, with the BB and the antes, 10% of my stack is in already.

QUESTION: Is there ANY situation where you fold this hand???

Question 2: you are psychic and can see your opponents cards... or at least know what you are dealing with.

UTG raise (big pair not AA or KK), Button goes all in. (PAIR not AA or KK)
They both have about the same stack size as you... (they are in 7th and 9th currently) Do you push KNOWING that the UTG will call and it will be JJ vs. 66 vs. your AK???

If I win this hand, I cash... If I lose it, I am out...

WPBT FAQ?

What is the WPBT?

World Poker Blogger Tour

How do I become a member?

Have a poker blog for longer than 1 post!

What are the benefits of being a member?

Precious few! BUT, the WPBT holds a monthly poker event and maintains a leaderboard for those events. And best of all, two of the events (one summer, one winter) are held live in Las Vegas. There is ZERO cost to membership other than the occasional (for some very occasional, you know who you are) post! Once a member, always a member.

What is going on in Vegas?

You need to read a past trip reports from attendees to do it justice.

What's going on at the Summer Vegas WPBT POKER-WISE then?

Well, Falstaff and I are going to play the $250 HORSE at Binions on Friday. (Please join us!) Friday night is mixed game chaos at the MGM card corral. The summer event on Saturday is a private NLHE tournament at the Orleans.

Where can I get more information?

Not sure there is any! But try the links at the right to the WPBT leaderboard, which can take you to the WPBT online events calendar (featuring the weekly events The Mookie and The Hoy at Full Tilt). There is also the "Battle of the Bloggers" leadboard maintained by AlCan'tHang. The rest you pick up as you go. Like a MMORPG only for poker bloggers.

Can I make any money being a blogger?
Are you kidding? Bloggers make tens of dollars every year!

Traveler's Dilemma

Read this:

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleId=7750A576-E7F2-99DF-3824E0B1C2540D47

Now think about no limit poker. IF this article is correct, players will always bet the wrong amount at all but the higest level of competition. And even then they might.

What does this mean?

I means that betting the "correct" amount can be enough to outplay our field. Wow. I was hard on myself last night in the Hoy because I bet POT everytime I hit top pair in an effort to avoid variance and players catching up. But do I need to except the fact that I did not maximize my return?

Seven Random Things about Columbo

I have seen some threads, but missed the challenge post. As usual, I'll guess at the mission and wing it. If someone tagged me, I would not necessarily know it. Consider this a preemptive strike.

Seven Random Things about Columbo:

1. I have been strip searched at the border. The story is an actually quite a long one, that I was committed to the written word for a magazine article. I dont plan on typing it again.

2. I have a published, big box board game (Link at right) called "Bootleggers". It's surprisingly good.

3. I was a poser. That's right. I would trek down from suburbia, leaving the confines of my upper middle class home to go to the city and see the Dead Kennedy's.

4. I did stand-up comedy for nearly 10 years. And I got paid to do it. Really. Hello? Is this thing on?

5. I love a good cartoon. Not just the adult stuff either. If its witty and original, I'll watch it. I have an extensive collection of the old Mel Blanc classics.

6. I was once suspended from college for a week for exploiting a backdoor on the mainframe that moved all my jobs to the top of the queue. The queue that I called the "wait of death". I guess that somewhere, in a government warehouse, in an FBI filing cabinet, is my "permanent record" that consists primarily of this list.

7. I don't really believe in luck. Varience, sure. Not luck. "Right place, right time?" No, not really. Just varience.

out-smarted myself

Player in MP raises to 4xBB. Cutoff calls, button calls. I look down at 33 in the SB.

BUT, the BB had his hands over his cards and the UtG says "raise". Action returns to me and I am looking at a pot with two raises, out of position, with a baby pair. I can no longer call and look for a set, I have to fold. There may be a made all-in rush after the re-raise at low limits.

Not ony did the players all CALL, the set would have hit and held up...

What did the RE-RAISER have? AJs. No wonder I did not want to leave the table.

Theory: low limit and paired boards

Theory: good players make alot of money on paired boards at low limits.

WHY?

1. Low Limit players put on blinders that the board pairing can negatively affect them. On a board of QQ3, the QJ will ALWAYS pay off the KQ or AQ. Always. (Lots of kicker problems at low limits)

2. Players will bet into made boats and not slow down if they have a straight or flush!

3. Players will call big bets with overcards when heads up, assuming that their opponent is bluffing or has a lesser 2 pair.

4. Players will play any card with an Ace and yet still bet when the ace hits on a dangerous board. (Never mind the kicker issues!)

5. There is no long term +EV to bluffing at the low limits, but there is a +EV to being perceived as loose. Players will continue to repeat the mistakes above over and over again!

Paired boards are fun! BUT, remember. When you bet into a paired board, the resulting information you get from your opponents reaction is LESS accurate. Why? Because he may play back at you THINKING he has the better hand.

The Hoy lets me down 5 times.

I was down to under 800 chips, but battled back for 3 hours to BUBBLE the hoy at 6th. A heartbreaker as I was in 3rd with 8 left. I played ok, but never got "lucky". Its funny, but I won everyhand where I got in ahead, and lost every hand where I got in behind. No suckouts, no beats. Is that the perfect formula for a bubble? All races resulted in the pair winning also. RIGGED.

I got my money in behind 5 times and lost them all...

Flop-Trap Poker

Ok, here is the "jist" of my trip to Vegas.

One night down $120, next night up $160. So, I ended up $40. But why the wild fluxuations? I played JUST flop-trap poker.

What is Flop-Trap Poker? (aka small-ball)

You see as many flops as possible, draw with odds, and make big pots for big hands (and try to keep pots small otherwise).

PROS: takes advantage of other player mistakes. Can win big pots with minimal risk. Works well at low limits.

CONS: Time dependant (it takes as long as it takes). May fold otherwise winning draw hands to maniac players. Works well at low limits.


So on my trip, I hit all the CONS the first night. draws to non-but flushes were folded to 3 all ins, for example. On the second night, I made the flops and players kept betting into pots with second best hands.


I missed a huge opportunity passing on 89s from the SB for a 3xBB raise. Or did I? Isn't it -EV to call a 3xBB raise with a drawing hand which is unsuited and out of position, even if there are 3 other players???? Is it??? hmmm????

Stud 7 was last night

I was in last, then in 4th, then out. The fall from 4th was so anti-climactic. I went card dead, then had Aces up beaten TWICE. Go figure.

Results are posted (link at right) and the next event is the WPBT summer classic (or online make-up event at the SAME time).

Vegas Baby, Yeah!

I will do a trip recap later, but in the meantime...

Despite repetition, my favorite things to do in vegas:

1. Get drunk at the german beer hall(across from hard rock)

2. The MGM card room is the best. Play some "flop-trap" poker.

3. Lounge around at the Casa Fuete cigar cafe (have a mojito) in the forum shops.

4. The two person showers in the ceasar hotel rooms.

5. Did I mention that Dicks Last Resort (the shame of Chicago) AND Trader Vics (tiki drinks served in a carved out pinapple!) are opening this year?

6. Sushi is awesome

7. Gam-boooooling with bloggers at a 1-2 table.

8. Texting blog entires from vegas (with no spel checin!)

9. Walking the strip in the heat

10. Sitting by a pool for 8 freaking hours having drinks, meals and service poolside. Frequent dips should not be missed.

11. Elvis Sightings.

Losing, but not sucking

put raiser on mid pair, put him all in with 99. He calls with 55.

Put raiser on AJ/AT, put him all in with AQ, he calls with AJ.

Put raiser on steal with two paint cards, put him all in with 88, calls with KJo.


what do all these hands have in common? They knocked me out of tournaments last night...

even Raise it up with AA, caller with AT, SPLIT! not my night, yet I played well and read well. Oh well. Live poker game tomorrow. Hope the bad luck is drained out now...

Mookie Kryptonite

What is it with me and my arch-nemesis, the wednesday night mookie? I had 3 playable hands in the first 50. I finally doubled up to average on hand 55 or so. Again, card dead for a LONG time and we get to the point where I cant just sit around. I raise in MP with 8d5d just to steal and the button and BB call my 3xBB raise. The flop is 753 rainbow and I like this flop. I bet half the pot, the button folds and the BB pushes. I have a Q of .9 going into the hand and now I am down to .5 if I fold. It looks like and over pair, but it could also be an AK bluff. I make the call, because I just dont see have less than a starting stack size after the first break already occurred. He shows his set of 3s and IGHN.

Oh, I KNOW this is a bad call. But I still dont think you can blame me for making it.

I played SIX hands the entire tournament.

Columbo in Vegas, one night only

That's right, I have a business layover and just wanted to know if anyone will be playing this Saturday night at the low limit tables. I LOVE that late night Ceasar's tournament at 11pm. Do they run it on weekends?

Tournament Strategy Question

Note: the following is not a TACTICS question, but a STRATEGY question.

Let me set the stage...

There are around 24 people left in the Hoy. I have had a below average stack size ALL NIGHT. I keep seeing flops with 78 or 9T and missing by a mile, but this time I flop 59K rainbow and have a gutshot. The ahead player badly underbets the pot, I am guessing because he had a big flop like a set and did not want to chase everyone out. But the 6 comes on the turn and I have the nuts. This time I met a bet to insure a healthy pot and he calls. The pot is now huge, and he is screwed. He somehow escapes the value bet on the river, marking the turn call as a BAD mistake.

I am now at 12k in chips and the average is $7500. I am third in chips, the leader has $20k. There are now 20 left. When this happens...

Blinds are 100/200 with 50 ante

I am in the BB with JJ. Folded around to button (stack size $4500 and the loser of the above hand) who makes is $1000 to go. SB. raises all-in to $5500.

Now, I have a 20% overlay in the button, because if I call here, I dont see how he calls. So, I feel he is going to fold. I also am assuming based on play that the range of hands for the SB here is as low as AJ. (I put him on AQ/AK).

If I THINK its a race, and I THINK the button will fold, do I call this?





Well, I did. The Button DOES fold and the SB turns over AQs. KNOWING THAT, do you like the result?



I LOST the race, and eventually lost back-to-back races to Iggy to put me out 12th.

Did I screw up royally, or was I looking to get where I wanted to be, which was in the money (pays 6 places) and just run into some bad luck?

slow week

Not much to say after quick exits from the WWdN and the Mookie this week, in the latter again running KK into AA on a J high flop. In the WWdN I ran TPTK Jack into QQ. I used to beat myself up over these things, but I have come to realize that when you are starting with 1500 in chips and there are 100 players, ending level 1 at 1600 can only make TJ Cloutier smile. The rest of us are disappointed. I just find it difficult to fold away and over pair or TPTK in the early levels once I have 1/3 of my stack committed. I got away once, but now with 900-1000 chips, you need to be very aggressive. I became a self declared push-monkey and ironically did quite well.

I was running on the treadmill when my jukebox decided to shuffle up this song.

Forgotten songs of the 80s: Peek-a-Boo, Siouxsie & The Banshees. Here is a band that was formed when Sioxsie Sue, William Broad (Billy Idol) and others went to a Sex Pistols concert and realized "anyone can put together a band". Many years later, after a decent but not a financial blockbuster career, they produced this unique and catchy toon for the MTV generation. The song was sung over the instrumental track being played backwards, after the band played the song backwards. The end results is thus forward, but with an eerie not-quite-right feel to it. It only hit #53 at the time of release, but is considered a new wave classic.

Tournament Strategy in Motion

I said I would do this, and here it is. A detailed Synopsis of my cash last night. You already saw hand #1... Now a look at the rest of the important hands:

II. I am short-stacked with 1/2 the starting stack size. (I bled a bit after hand #1). I now have an opportunity to pick up 500 chips simple with a push and the hope that I am not running into KK or AA. But the upside is to increase my stack size by a third. And it works.



III. I now finally get a big hand in KK and put in a re-raise preflop which is called by Hoyazo. Trouble? The flop is very friendly for a big pair and Hoyazo pushes. I am actually suspicious based on this and assume my KK is good. I did not count on running into AA. NOTE: This is almost the exact same scenario as in hand one, only this time I CALL the bet. And I am WRONG again.

But this time... I hit my 12-1 shot.



Here is a hammer raise. This will be one of the SEVEN hammers I get over the course of the tournament.




IV. The next hand is a weird case where I was the first raise into the pot and was called by a dominating hand out of position. When the flop hits me hard, the AK is flying into trouble fast. Based on the flop and my weaker stack, he thinks I have victim written on my face and pushes me all-in. Needless to say, I call and for the first time, have a decent stack size.




V. Here is a hand where AA limps from EP looking for a raise to allow him to re-raise. Another player limps and instead of what I would normally do with the hammer, I simply check. (I want to play this like I hit the flop.) Expecting to bluff, the flop rains down like a box of hammers hitting me HARD. AA cracked and I double up.



VI (x3). As the tournament rages on, I have an Q of about 1.5 and I make some blind steals with hands like AQ. Nothing to write home about...

But I am also playing INSANELY tight if I am not first in. For Example, I FOLD AQs on the button to a raise (full table), I fold 88 UtG (16 players left now), and fold 22 to a short stack all-in from UTG because I am only in Mid position.

I am also not defending my blinds. A by product of this is that I am keenly aware that with 16 left, people are watching each other. I believe that people think that they can steal from me. I think Miami Don tries just that. He is first in from the cut-off and pushes all in. He has about 25% of my stack. I have A7. In the past 3 rotations I folded to every push and I am worried about the table running over me. I decide I need to show that I will make this call to the others at my table. I call and Don is aghast. He cant believe I called an all-in with A7o. But reasons are reasons. Plus, I think he WAS making a move with any Ace. I knew it would be a close decision.



VII. When there are 14 people left, even though you are 7 handed, don't get into kicker problems... This was a much more difficult decision than its looks like here, because he is better every street and I am calling...



VIII (x3). Continuing with the theme of being overly tight with 12 left, I would take call raises with AK, but fold if I missed the flop. Which happened all 3 times. Why? Because it was the GIANT stack at the table betting. But I could win a big pot if I hit it.



I just never hit a flop with AK late in the tournament.

IX. 12 left, 6 handed and I tangle with TAG Iggy. He is capable of some complex moves, especially sensing and raising into weakness...

from the SB he makes a min raise, which I call with 74o.
The flop is 7J8 with 2 hearts. He bets, I call.
turn is a 6d. He bets, I call.
River is a 4s (so no flush) and he pushes all in.

IF you believe he might have had a OESD, that is one of the cards that makes the hand.

I go into the tank, but eventually fold.

I would like to list this as a great decisions, but in actuality, no decisions on my part occurred. I folded out of a hand on the bubble (2 left to cash) and 3 players got all in. Lucky for me, the biggest stack won and just like that I cashed. Having made really only 9 decisions the entire tournament.



X. Turns out the difference between 6th and 4th was that someone did not pick up on a potential mistake I made. I saw a flop from the SB with JT and the flop was Jh2hAs. checks all around and the turn is the 4s. Now I bet and the other player folds. I am willing to bet that many of you would have put me on the J. You probably could push me off of this hand...

IX. Then end. 4 handed and I defend my BB with 2dT2 against the UTG min raise. The flop comes 238 rainbow and if I think he has two big cards, I might try something here. Noticing that I am also the short stack now, I decide to try and steal it with bottom pair and push. He calls with QQ and IGHN 4th.

So there it is, a Hoy in 9 decisions. In order to win, I probably would have had to make 9 more. Most of the hard ones are at the end...

the big dilema

Mondays at the Hoy (17511686), Table 6 - FIRST HAND!!!

The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Jc Js]
sellthekids folds
ScottMc folds
UpForPoker folds
columbo raises to 60
hoyazo folds
TFG folds
tasit folds
Mike_Maloney raises to 150
PirateLawyer folds
columbo calls 90 (danger? reraise...)

*** FLOP *** [3c 5d 4d]
Mike_Maloney bets 275 (almost POT)
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo raises to 888 (Big raise)
Mike_Maloney: hmm
Mike_Maloney has 15 seconds left to act
Mike_Maloney raises to 2,850, and is all in

CAN YOU CALL HERE?!

'Poker is a game of luck' argument

Everyone who plays poker more than one time understands what is meant by this statement. But when it comes to carving out exemptions for the Online Gambling Act based on SKILL, it seems the wrong battle is being fought.

I dont understand why anyone would try to label poker as a game of skill when money is being wagered. I just dont get that. Its like arguing the non-existence of God with a catholic priest. You can make all the arguments you want, but you cant "win".

I believe a better way to address the issue politically is to carve out exemptions where money is wagered amongst players instead of against the house.

This makes 3 important distinctions:
1. The provider (online poker site) is providing a SERVICE (poker) for which they take a FEE (rake). (This makes is similar to an online RPG world, which is a multi-BILLION dollar business now)

2. This scenario is far easier to regulate (just ask any telecommunications company forced to pay Gore's Internet tax). Fees are a percentage of taxation. Companies would have to pay that transaction fee for US players. No execptions.

3. The fears of money laundering are diminished (but not entirely mitigated) while making many voters happy.

Obviously, the compromise bill would have to artificially cap the amount you could deposit in a single year (the "I lost my house" protection act argument), but that is a small price to pay to re-open the doors to online poker.

Most important of all, it avoids trying to "win an argument of opinions" and instead steers everyone towards a "dont ask dont tell" scenario where we dont have to determine if "pokrt is a skill" for everyone to be happy.

WPBT updates!

Ok, originally we had the Spring Classic penciled in for July. Adjusting
for the June dates, the events come as follows:

MAY - STUD 7 (5/27)
JUNE - THE SUMMER CLASSIC (NLHE) (6/9)
JULY- HORSE (most probably 7/22 or 7/29)

The STUD 7 will be held on May 27th at 9pm EST. (I added the event to the
WPBT calendar biggestron hosts. My apologies for not doing this for event
#3)

Byron has been very busy with his new job, but the link on the right takes you right to the standings and is up to date!

NOTE: If you can not attend the spring classic event, there will be a
make-up event on Full Tilt only for players who do not travel to Vegas for
the gathering. This way, you could still gather points if you are unable to
attend.
(Note: PLEASE do not sign up for both.)

I will try to schedule them at the same time!

I am really struggling...

To get to the next level. I THINK I know what I need to do, which is concentrate on observation of opponents so that when I get in a hand, I am no longer just playing a math game. I need to translate my opponent's actions to "what he is thinking and why", which in turn should allow me to make better moves...

Knowing I need to do this, however, has not been enough. The long stretches of non-action often conflicts with this focus...

we got the beat

Played in the riverchasers last night and had a hand in level 1 that would have made hoy smile.

Utg raises to 4xBB
Middle Position caller
Get to me in the SB with AA.
I make a slightly less than pot size bet meant to get ONE of them to fold. About 25% of my stack.
Utg AFTER A LONG DELAY, CALLS
MP folds

What do you read that the UTG has?
I read KK (maybe QQ) and he is afraid of an ACE flop.

The flop comes down J high

Now, I want his entire stack, BUT I want him to:
a) think he is ahead
b) think that I am going to call if he goes all in.

So, I make a continuation bet to make it look like I have a hand like... AJo!!!!

Sure enough, he pushes and I call and take down...

Oops. King on the turn. IGHN.

Dissapointed? yes and no. I REALLY enjoyed a hand where I felt like I played it perfectly and manipulated opponents to do what I wanted.

its been quite a week

Where do I start?!

A trip to Silicon Valley on work revealed that my new HQ is a scant 10 minutes from the Bay101 card room. I did NOT get a chance to get there my first visit to San Jose, but I intend to on the next trip. Expect a trip report...

The NFL draft took place this weekend and I am already sick of hearing about Randy Moss. Again. The LIONS continued into year 5 of their 2 year plan to

A: Install the West Coast Office
B: Get two dangerous receivers on the field
C: Be a tough team
D: Win more than 8 lousy games.

They have completely scrapped step A, as it turns out that A and C are not compatible. As for B, it took 4 draft picks to get two receivers. If first you dont succeed, pick again...

After a difficult couple of weeks struggling with weak play and poor finishes, I final tabled the HOY last night. I lost two big hands and was down to 859 chips and was VERY TILT-Y. I pushed three or four times and doubled up twice to get back to 3000 and a stacking stack size. From there, the chips slowly drifted my way as I hid in the wake of the Goat, who was the monster chip leader, two to my left. I played in pots he didn't and rode the wake up to the final table. At the end, it was him and I, and he had a big lead. I closed the gap and then my QQ ran into his AA on a ragged board and it was over. 2nd place. But, a good finish.

IF I really want to improve my game, I will do what HOYAZO does and go back and analyze my hands from last night and see why I did well instead of donk'n. But this morning, I have to get to work and the kids computer is busted and the lawn is not cut (continue infinitim).

Wow do I suck

TWO limit tournaments this evening, both with me finishing in the bottom half. I feel REAL bad abou the LHE in the WPBT because at one point I was the chip leader. But my inability to play uber tight, combined getting caught on a big draw and it resulting in nothing, did me in. I cant really flog myself about the RAZZ though, I was at one point dealt paint or a pair like 20 hands in a row. I just anted myself to death...

Still, a BIG wake up call for what I feel has become a BIG leak in my game. Not folding enough hands...

The new phonebook's here! the new phonebooks here!

Be somebody!

quick hand summary

Decent but not great player on my left at the 1-3 table.

I am on the button and raise it to 10. SB on my left reraises to 35 and the lone limper folds...

If he is playing AK out of position, I might punish him badly. If its JJ, I am so dead. I call to see the flop.

Flop is 677
He bets 35. You have about 90 behind.
Call? Raise? Fold? Me I called.

Turn was a 3 and he bets 35 again.
I get very suspicious. Why?

Well, if you have JJ, don't you go for me stack here knowing I am either behind or drawing?!

I consider a turn bet that is the same size as a flop bets, head up, a significant sign of worry. I think I am good here.
I push all in and he calls with 2 overs, the AK. The river is a 9 and I take about 120 off him with TT.

Embrace your inner donkey

Off to the MGM, where the local blooger contingency came out to host my inner donkey friday night. I was joinwd by "weak (player)", "sin city carmen", and "miami don". I especially would like to thank them for lowering themselves to 1/2 for my bankroll.

I was slowing gaining ground and was up about 50 when on a strange hand with 5s4s I flop a 4 on a very ragged board and 2 spades. I am ahead? When the river comes the 3rd spade and I check raise just 20 more for value. He seems very worried, and evantually calls... With the Q-high flush. Ouch. I was also dealt 23 seven times in one hour. ugh.

down 33 for the shortish session. Carmen, however, took about a full double up from the table...

Carmen went home, don stayed, and weak and I went to dinner. sushi at the Orleans. Great food and conversation, but weak ordered something that wasnt on the menu. Neither of us noticed until the bill came. That one item was 1/3 the bill. ouch.

we are tired, so we say "let's just play and hour at ceasars1/3 and then pack it in." Easier said then done. Friday was "give you money away to anyone with a f*cking brain in their heads" night. xomg.

Lady who pushes all in with KK after the board has an ace and 3 spades. And get called by a WORSE hand??!! nice play mame, sir.

and that was just to two players to our left!! there were two south american gents who NEVER knew where they were at in a hand. A young 20 something girl who had the basics, but would pay off any value bets. Oh, and my favorite. A limper from utg dressed like a body builder guy in hollywood. I raise from LP with two red aces (weapons of mass destruction! Drink!) to like 5xBB. He re-raises to 100 ?? 100 to win 15? Nice play sir. I actually say " I haven't played a hand in three rotations, and when I raise and you reraise me??". And I push in. He says "you got aces don't you" and I smile and say, "it doesn't really matter does it, its only 33 more". And sure enough he throws it in!! And I make 150 at a 1/3 table on the only hand I play in that 1/2 hour. Gez.

I LOVE buying in short. I stole the idea from Chris Furgeson. Buy in short and no one gets odd to draw on you AND they'll pay off your big hands because they feel like you are not a threat to their stack. Then, when you double up. You have as many chips as them AND they are all intimiated.

I did get the worst of one though. A Limper. I raise to 15 with AK. Limper calls (he did this alot). Flop is KQT and I bet 50. He reraises all in to 300. Now I can fold away 1/2 my profit or call my entire stack and see if he is bluffing. And although this guy was not good, he wasn't an idiot like the others. He could have KQ, or even AJ. AND he can't expect to get called here by anything but a giant hand. Weak puts him on a set like QQ, me two pair. I fold to fight another day. "never go broke on TPTK".

but after I cash out, we talk. He had KJ and was pushing with TP and the OESD. Hmm. ok, now I can see that. Guess I need more practice reading hands. even so, with my Ace outs cheated, i was only about 60% there.

we reluctently got up and left, all that pretty money still floating around the table.

wah wah wee wah
what a table

Tilt-a-whirl

Ceasars 11pm tournament. $70 buy in. 2500 in chips. 30 minute levels. 70-80n players. PERFECT. I buy my seat early...

The VERY first hand, some dufus raises and I call with a pair of 99. 9 out of the door and he bets off his ENTIRE 2500 to me. FIRST HAND! All I had to do was keep calling!

after the double up, gave hundreds back on back to back baby pocket pairs...
then a I make a BIG proflop raise (350) which is picked off by a rock and I am down to 4300 from 5000. But still, doing very well and feeling good.

Table starts to elicit a personality. To my left, decent player nothing special, next a regular who like to say "wow" when players call his raises. to his left, a TV type. Hat, sunglasses, stiff as a statue. But his play is VERY amateurish as he simply goes all in whenever he has a hand. Kinda funny actually. Next guy total ROCK. Next guy is a unknown still. next to him is an INVISIBLE girl. Rarely played, and when she did she was behind. And finally, to my right, the calling station who might be playing his first live tournament. I am NOT one to pick up tells, but this guy had a freaking LED sign with the strength of a given hand...

Now on with the show.

50/100 level 1 is only half over. Utg limps. TV guy raises to 500. Utg says "wow".
folds around to me with KK. I stand up to look at TV guys stack (he has 1100 more) and UtG says "and you still have to worry about me." "no, not really." Have I given enough indication of my hand strength to TV guy and Wow guy yet? I make it 1600 and wow guy reluctantly folds. TV guy INSTA-CALLS (no thought at all and everyone noticed that). with JJ. Nice call sir.

J hits set and I go from chip leader in the toutnament to like 2300.

I hit a set of 5s and get calling station to stick with me with nothing but middle pair by making value bets. 2950 end level 1 (70plus).

DESPITE being up for the level, I cant let go of the fact that I was rolling over the table, firmly extablished as table captain, and TV donk ruins it with his suckout.

Level 2

I then lost 900 when flopped flush draw and gut shot resulted in pain

Wow guy raises 3x (his standard) to $300
I am the only caller in the BB with KsJs. I know I might be dominated, but I was willing to see what flopped. Pot is $650

KhJh on a board of board Qh 9h blank
wow guy bet 400, easy call with such a strong draw. Heck I could RAISE here but I sense he hit the flop and was not going away.

turn is a blank and he bets 400 which is clearly a MISTAKE on his part. It carrys the odds over from the last bet and makes this an easy call.

a 8 non-heart on the river forces my to give up the hand, but he checks and shows the 2 pair on the flop.

2500 and back to starting stack size.

I am on the buttom and TV guy limps. I raise with KJ from the button to $600 and he just says all-in. Who does this to a me when he HAS to expect me to call? An idiot or AA, KK, QQ, AK. and all of those hands as expecially poision right now. I am forced to fold. But now I am very tilt-y.

The VERY NEXT HAND, I raise again and wow guy makes a comment. I say "have to play correctly despite being once-bitten."

This time the SB says "all in" and I look at what is now only $1600 left if a fold. I cant MENTALLY get past the fact that I would only have 1600 chips if I fold and I titl call. He Shows AA

one blind left. win a hand.
2.5 blinds left

I make a comment about pushing again. TV guy limps. Rock, raises up to 700. I call with everything (about 700). TV guy RAISES ALL in.

now, JJ is all in Vs two donks who send their entire stacks to the pot AK vs AQ. and TV guy is the AQ. well played sir. AK hits a KING ON THE RIVER and a wonderful start is flushed down the toilet to tilt and donks.

Ighn??! I had to walk the halls for 30 minutes before retiring...

SO many ways to go broke

Select your spot to go broke:

Lost $150 playing 1-3. I did not play perfect, but never did I miss so many flops when playing tight aggr. Even with JJ, the flop would be A88 and both opponents hit.

I could not hit the side of a barn with KQ. or ANYTHING for that matter. Made so many second best hands, I felt like Bill Fillmath.

Then this gem comes up: Select you "going broke" point:

Somewhat loose but overbetting the pot player joins the game.
First raise I make in 20 hands. He re-raises like 4 times the pot. I fold KQo.

Few hands later, he make is $10 UtG.

I look down at AcKc.

Call or rasie? I have position, and a shorter stack. I expect all my money can go in here. But you could be worried. Why? Because you have not made the best hand all night.

Flop 8T6 with 2 clubs. Now you have a nut flush draw and 2 overs vs. an over aggressive player. He bets... Going broke YET?

Turn is a King. Now you have TP AND the flush draw? Gone broke yet?
I am playing this strong here... But...

The board pairs the ten on the river. He shows TT and felts me and IGHN-DQB. Argh.

TOPIC CHANGE
On a "hoy-type" related note:

what's with the whiney bitches who complain that there is not enough money in the pots and yet they are playing 1-3? Want big pots? Go play 10-20 NL. There, big pots. Now shut the frack up.

I am crushering the local online game

PokerStars Tournament #47426788, No Limit Hold'em
13 players
Tournament started - 2007/04/11 - 21:00:00 (ET)

Dear Columbo777,

You finished the tournament in 1st place.

Congratulations!
Thank you for participating.

And its a league, with a bonus payout at the end structure. Which rocks, because I am opening up a big lead. (I was first heading into this one)

But on the flip side:
I feel awful that I am letting Al down (http://www.alcanthang.com/poker/). I am on his "blogger team" and I once again had a VERY early Mookie exit when AQ ran into AK on a flop that had an A. A THRID opponent folded AQ after the flop with the EP bet POT (all in) and I was behind him to act on the flop. TOTAL DONK MOVE BY ME?

The quiet man

So last night I played in a 1 table SNG at MGM. I know right away its a donk fest. You start with only 1000 chips and 25/50 blinds, so you can't play a hand you not committed to. FIRST hand, lady raises to 200 utg and the tatoo man on the button raises all in after a look at one card. She folds AKs!!?? And surrenders 20 percent of her stack. He shows ATs.

And now its time to play our newest game show, "what's worse?"

Ok contestants, question number 1:
What's worse?
Folding AKs in that situation
Or.
SHOWING the laydown??!!

fast forward and tihs donk and his buddy have both doubled up, the latter getting his money in behind. I am card DEAD... I Now have like 550 and call from the SB with T4o in an unraised pot. I flop TP and throw my chips in. All fold. I now have 750...

meantime the blinds are now 100/200 6 handed and this comes up:

UtG raises to $600. I look down at KK. Now here's the problem. The BB (posted 200) only have 500 left. Can he fold? probably...

But I go all in with my hand, and the BB calls.

UtG: raiser AJo. (AJo and QQ were automatic all in bets at this table)
BB CALLS with J8s.

Can I blame him? I GUESS NOT, but I am dissapointed.

flop has and 8, river is a Jack and J8s triples up vs. KK and AJ and IGHN.

I just dont have the mojo...

Congratulations are in order

News direct from Dr. Pauly (link at right):

"I'm the newest feature writer for ESPN.com. Yes, it's true. Andrew Feldman hired me to cover the 2007 WSOP for ESPN.com. I have huge shoes to fill... following in the footsteps of legendary sportswriter Steve Rosenbloom who provided the content for ESPN last summer. "

Live from Vegas

Interesting times at the low limit NLHE tables last night. I was at a table with about4 - 5 decent players. 2 incredibly Tight players, and these two rotating chairs. And when these players would rotate out, they would ask for a table change! "Our tables had no action", they would say. yet, I had doubled my stack through solid play. These players were looking to "felt" someone. One guy, as he left, said "its stupid waiting for a set over set hand".

Sure enough, later in the evening, some guy lost his huge stack when his bottom set lost to middle set.

BUT, that was one hand. One. The rest of the time, the action was like a final table and quite frankly I wasn't afraid to say so. "I like the competition. I dont play for the money." To me, this was a blast. Of course, I think I was better than most of them, but could I get away from bottom set?

The Bad Bad day

So right after point bubbling the riverchasers, I had to transition into the worst day every. This Saturday, I had my basement flood a scant 5 minutes before in-laws came over to afternoon Easter festivities (on a saturday?), which all occurred on the DAY that my company is officially swallowed by giant bureaucratic company.

Dun-dun-DUN!!!

2 techs working on the interconnect bridge, 16 people on the check-in call.

SIXTEEN?! How many people need a status update that quickly?!

So then, after spending FOUR hours mopping up water... And $250 bucks for the plumber to run a 50 ft snake line under the house... And after cleaning up after a group of people who apparently like popcorn enough to carry it around, but not enough for a majority of it to actually reach their mouths…

I am going to see the MIDNIGHT FREAKING showing of GRINDHOUSE!!! I am even going to sneak beers in like a high school punk!!! And laugh as I do it!

Next week it’s off to Vegas on what the wife refers to a “business”. (She adds the quotes). A week of work by day, cards by night… (I already sent in the OMM to ante-up!)

The riverchasers implosion was so interesting that it may be a OMM, so I have decided not to post it…

WPBT update on event #6 (Vegas) revised

Here is what I am going to do for the WPBT points on event 6...

As last year, the Vegas live events are top 25% in the points.

For those who DO NOT ATTEND, there will be a online version, limited to non-vegas participants only, also scoring just the top 25%.

This seems about as fair as can be...

Note: if you ATTEND the vegas WPBT weekend, you are NOT eligable for the online tournament, even if you oversleep in a drunken stupor...

Of Kings and Queens and Guillotines

MATH at FT was visited last night by the dogs of war. 47 players. I personally saw pocket kings lose 4 out fo 5 times, and not once to AA. As a matter of records, only once to even Ax. Most of the other times it was back door trips, one card straights, etc. As I had screamed to the poker gods that Mistree Varience pwned me earlier, I was the recipient of one of those Suckouts.

I meandered through the tournament until I hit the points bubble and was about to go out when my steal raise with QTo ran into KK in the blind. I sucked out and was back to just above average. From that point on, I played solid poker again, making the final table. Despite being down almost 8 to 1 in chips, by the time the $ money bubble popped, I had closed it to 4 to 1. After what seemed an eternity, I worked my hands to chip leader with 4 left when QQ held up vs AK (of all the luck).

I tried too hard to crack a short stack and ran into his monster trap and that began my fall from grace. I bled for a while, than tried pressure. Both lost me chips and I went out as I came into the final 4, in a firey blaze.

Last nights MATH was the first of the new sactioned events for http://bloggerpokerchallenge.blogspot.com/

and those points for a 4th place finish should serve me well...

Hit me with your rhythm stick

HIT ME HIT ME HIT ME

I have OFFICIALLY joined the "BAD BEAT SO BAD I HAD TO SCREAM CLUB"

I limp with Ac8c from Utg and FLOP the nut flush against 5 callers. I check, and it goes around to the button who pushes all in with nothing but a pair of sevens. The board is 2c3cJc. And he pushes with two RED sevens. I call AND SO DOES ANOTHER GUY?! The other guy is ALREADY DRAWING DEAD with nothing but overs?!
The guy with 77...get this. TURN is a 7 (set), river is a 2 (boat).

I have 1/3 of my stack left and 2 hands later I push all in with JJ and get called by the SAME GUY with Ad5d and he makes a flush.

Somewhere, variance owes me a freakin blow job.

Next WPBT event

for NLHE, I am looking at April 29th... I will post a confirmation soon.

Maybe its not me?

"Don't be so Freudian. of course its you!" - Gestalt

I have been frustrated lately in my lack of cashes, especially in my blogger events. But I did notice one thing last night. The level of play in the blogger events is notable higher than typical events.

For example, I am playing in a local online series. There are about 21 regulars, and I am first in points after 7 events, cashing 3 times (only pays 3 places). The level of play is averge and decisions are not mind boggling.

I did push with an OESD and flush draw with one card to come, got called by two pair, and hit the straight, but other than that one hand, my money went in ahead every time. I took a devistating hit when I flopped a straight and a set rivered a boat on me with one card to come, but I battled back from last to end up second.

Now, here is my question/observation of the week:

How do you play a league tournament different from a MTT?

Here is my answer:
You locate the top 10 point players. Then you give yourself a "last longer" challenge with them. So, when/where you would normally "take a chance which could help you win the tournament, but if you lose it you are crippled" move, instead you check your standings in relation to the other 10 point leaders. If you are well in the running against them, you pass on the chance for now. If you are behind them sigificantly in this current MTT, then you take the chance.

thoughts?

Alot of this will get put to the test with the annoucement of...

http://bloggerpokerchallenge.blogspot.com

How often does THIS occur?

I am at the final table of the MATH last night. Waffles is a freaking jauggernaught and has 1/2 the chips in play. I was in 3rd, but fell to 4th after having to let go of a hand. We have had numerous rotations with everyone "dancing in and out" very well.

Suddenly, I get AA in the SB AND its folded around to me. Hoyazo is in the BB, fresh off his WSOP qualifier win. He is 2nd or 3rd in chips. Maybe 20% more than me. I dont want to waste this opportunity, so I decide to show weakness and limp, hoping that Hoy will try to punish me. He thinks about it (he delays all his decisions online) and checks.

The flop is like K83 with two clubs. I make a weak lead on purpose, trying to rope him in. He raises, but only to about 40% of my stack. I think for a minute deciding the best way to get his chips and opt for the push. He calls with...
KK

That's right, AA in the SB and KK in the BB and no raises! MOST flops and Hoy goes broke with an overpair, but in this case he is the recipient of a 20% varience and IGHN.

WPBT summer tournament update!

From the desk of Falstaff...

The dates are locked in, the room block is made, all that awaits is you, baby!

When - June 6 - 11

Where - The Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas

Who - Poker Bloggers, significant others, insignificant others and
random degenerates

Why - Because it's been months since we've all ambushed the hapless
tourists at a poker table and drank ourselves into insensibility

How - however you can get there, planes, trains and automobiles!

Anyway, all that bullshit aside, the Orleans has a block of rooms for
us held until May 6th. There are 50 rooms as part of the block and the
rates are as follows.

Wednesday - $60
Thursday - $60
Friday - $110
Saturday - $110
Sunday - $65

There is the typical $5 resort fee on top of this, plus taxes and
probably a disclaimer fee that the hotel it not responsible to any
damage you may do to yourself or your liver if you try to go
shot-for-shot with Al (that last bit's a joke, they won't charge extra
for drunkenness).

It will be a couple of days before they are ready to accept
reservations as part of the block, but should be good to go by Friday.
Annette in group sales was my rep and she was very helpful. I'll be
playing a bit of the cruise director as we go along and plan a few
informal get-togethers for later in the weekend, and of course, there
will be mixed games at the MGM on Friday night.

See you this summer!

Falstaff

Next WPBT event(#4)

...Will be Limit Hold'em. No bots please. Details to follow...

Poker Weekend Recap

My home game ended up being a single table SnG. I had made it a goal to spend less time on "cards" and more time on "people". Still, I let Rich run a BIG bluff on me. I am the big stack and looking to avoid races. I notice that he looked at his chips BEFORE looking at his cards. This is a tell that someone is going to run a bluff on you. And DESPITE seeing this, I folded TT on a flop of 763 to his all-in. Sad really, but I was so sure that I was going to have better opportunities. HA, that was just LAME!!!

Two rotations later, I got even with 88 when he raised and then pre-flop I pushed and dared him to call and he stood down.

The funny part was when Rich was down to the felt and got his money in behind against me 3 time and caught up all 3 times. He made a wheel against another player when he was all-in behind also. Now we make the final 3 and I run a huge bluff vs. Mark. Mark, despite not having ANYTHING insists on calling me down. I am aghast, yet beaten. How did I misread that one?!

Then Rich and Mark get heads up and Rich CANT POST ENOUGH FOR THE BB. He wins FIVE races in a row and takes the top seat. His luck that evening was unbeatable and unequivocally the best run of luck I ever saw.

Sunday was the WPBT Event #3, RAZZ!
I consider myself a decent Razz player and quickly was 5th in the field of 21. But after a couple of brutal hands, found myself playing uber-tight just trying to fold into the points! I made it when Drizz caught a second best 8765 vs 8764 and I squeaked in at 8th. The hands I lost, I was ahead until 5th. Just like RAZZ should be.

Sort of the Tetris of poker... nothing but falling bricks.

WPBT event #3 this Sunday

Does anyone have the hotel information for the Spring 07 tournament in Vegas? Where are we staying? Any rates or such? (I know its June 6-10). That Saturday is also the $1500 NLHE event.

I CaNt cOnCeNtRaTe!

I cant sit still, I cant think straight, and I am "seemingly" dealt K-Q-J2s every other hand. I cant just leave the screen alone and play.

I need advice!

QUESTION: What do you do before an online tournament starts to focus?!

Omaha lament?

I figure I just lack the concentration right now to play good poker. I played O8B last night and spent more time having fun than actually making good decision. I made a HUGE amateur mistake in O8B last night. I pushed on the river with nut low. DONK. What the hell I am thinking? GEZ. Why in the world would I do that? I used to do that stupid stuff in hold'em back when I first started playing. Just lame.

Here is a VERY interesting question though. Here is a hand I am NOT in.

A player in O8B, on a board of like K975 and two spades has 4 pairs. He has a hand that matchses the board. The single opponent across the table bet pot on the flop and now bets pot on the turn putting the 4 pair guy all in. Now, if a low gets there, he can only take half the pot. And unless the board pairs, I dont think he wins high either. But any board card pairing gives him the scoop nuts.

Do you call for all your chips here with 4 pair? Its 8 outs and the pot is huge. and 1/2 your stack is already in. (I KNOW, ignore the fact that you should not even be in the pot with this hand.) What do you do?

Me, I am really not sure what is correct. Drizz, you out there?

Addendum:
I cant see how I am better than a 5 to 1 dog to scoop, and anything else I lose both. Was it hope-a-tron gambling, or I am missing something important?

It is to laugh

I finally won a race! I figured I must have broken a a bad run, but it still did not help me win. I might have not stolen as much as I should of, but I eventually went down 5 handed, all stacks weak, blind getting up there, and the AQ loses to 99. So be it. Cant fold every hand. Although it seems like it.

I have got to figure out how to be more aggressive 5 handed without donking off my chips...

Take me down to the suckout city

where the board is clean and the river is pretty...

OMG! I was worried about how I was playing lately, but last night was a testiment to the fact that sometimes its just not going to be your night.

I lost 4 of 4 races and it did not matter if I was the pair or the over cards, the other player was going to see a beautiful board. In the Mookie, I lost 3 races in the span of 10 minutes. The first two against short stacks and by the third, I was the short stack. In my league night game (Detroit local #344) I played back from 18th of 20th to finish 7th. I got a raise from the button on what looked like a 1/2 steal, 1/2 legit hand. I push knowing he cant call with a small pair but he surprises me and calls with 66. I have the big overs and IGHN. The only race I played in the entire tournament, including when I was the short stack.

Ah well, no grousing. I am playing better again, and got my money in good all night, so I guess that is the real message. Right? Anyone? A little help here?

Goodbye Richard, I hardly knew ye

Last weekend, comedian Richard Jeni shot himself. I don’t know how many of you are long time readers of this blog (ha), but I met Richard for the second time on one of my Vegas Trips. I was there on business, and he was hired as the closing convention entertainment. He was always my favorite comic (as my old roommate can attest) and I thought he was such a good comic that I often sight him as the reason I gave it up. “I’ll never be that good” I told myself. He was that good.

Not to retell the entire story, but I ran into him in the hall of the RIO and said hello and reintroduced myself. He was very nice and polite and when I attempted to “break off conversation” he called me out on it. It was very funny. I told him I didn’t want him to feel like he had to talk to me. And he replied, it wasn’t going to work and he didn’t mind talking to me anyways. And although I probably could have monopolized his day, I am just too reserved of a guy to initiate such a bold action. So, I talked to him another 5 minutes and went off on my way.

But one thing that now strikes me as I learn about his depression. He act used to go on and on. He did over 90 minutes at the castle one night, declaring after 60 minutes that the show was officially over, but if you wanted to stay you were welcome. I reminded him of this and he said he went for quality not quantity now. But I never thought he was funnier than when he did everything he had in him. And now he is dead. And I hate that. And now I miss the Ramones again. And on top of it all, I can’t seem to win a hand lately.

Tonight I ran QQ into KK and then in a triple shootout, went out on the second hand with KK. I got called by two donks that decided the best way to win the first table was to push all in on every hand with any pair. These pairs were 88 and JJ. Thel board? Flop 567. Turn 9. (These examples look like variance, but I assure you there has been much worse play lately on my part.) And just like that it’s like I am a n00b all over again. I am making poor decisions and donking off chips. Oh yeah, and my company was just acquired. I guess it all adds up.

But then something finally made me less depressed. My favorite Richard Jeni bit (beside the JAWS 3 routine) was his take on Vegas. “I would never want to win the jackpot at the slot machine. I am afraid that if I won that nothing else would ever matter. Everything would be anti-climactic. “Hey Richard, I heard you got married.” Yeah, but it not like that time I put a nickel in a slot machine and won a million dollars!” Richard may have committed suicide, but it was depression that killed him.

Yes, I know we all have things to be thankful for. I do too. But you can't just wave the hand of reason and make all the emotion go away. That only happens on TV.

So, now I say to myself. Stop kicking yourself and remember that you have an outlet that you enjoy, that remains challenging, and you still have to work at to get better. Having purpose helps you deal with the low spots. I wish I had a more concise and poignant ending here, but I may actually be manufacturing one. I guess that is the Catharsis of writing that helps.

Play so loose, you dont stand a chance!

Its the law of variance I guess, but more to the point the law of the donkeys. 4 table MTT, maybe 5 good players in the whole thing. But will call down with Middle Pair or better, so good luck stealing a pot. So, I bleed for a while, then double up with KK when AJ does not even CONSIDER folding pre-flop with that monster.

So, I am going to play premium hands and when I hit hard, break players. Right?

Q6 in the BB vs. 2 limpers. ok, check. Flop is 566 rainbow. I check knowing that the first limper has a pair like 88 and will bet. Sure enough, he bets and the other limper calls. I dont have many chips, so I push. This simply doubles the pot and they both have me covered. The first guy, thinking his overpair is gold? calls. The second guy, using NO LOGIC other than he had chips, also calls with A7s?!!?!? wtf? Still, awesome for me. I am going to triple up and go back into stealth mode. Turn is the 8c putting a straight draw on the board for both and now a flush draw for Ac7c. Turn is the 9c and trips is the 3rd best hand. As a matter of fact, when the 9c was the river, I did not even wait to see my fate and got up. I already knew what they had when 77 pushed all in. What a donk fest. Ugh.

In the side SnG, I won that and ended up with a slight profit for the evening. But I had to do it by playing rope-a-dope again vs. players who were very aggressive and would over bet post with middle pair. Of course, they would pay off all made hands, so it was a matter of trapping with every single hard hit flop. Took forever. The ENTIRE SnG I am questioning my passive play, especially with I layed down TT on a flop of AA9 and the EP big stack puts me all in (mostly drunk too). I fold face up and he shows his only bluff of the entire night. The advantage was that everyone saw me as an easy mark, and I took alot of chips after losing that hand. Amazing what a face up fold with the winning hand can do for an image!

How to lose at PLO (in one easy lesson)

only play premium hands, raise when you do get them, flop big draws where you are the favorite, and miss ALL OF THEM.

Just like that I am OUT of the AIPS tournament today at the mega-bottom of the field. I got my money in ahead 4 times and lost 3 of them and had to slow WAY down on the 4th since the turn and the river put a flush and a boat possilble out there against my lame trips. Turns out he had lame lower trips.

All 3 others, I simple got caught from behind (no offense to the porno movie of the same name, which it turns out is pretty good. The title song is so 80's you almost want to scream.)

I just dont want to fall into the trap of being AFRAID to raise with good hands because you are on a losing variance. I just wont fall into that trap!
.

IGGY SIGHTING!!!

He's back. Don't believe the blogfather (http://guinnessandpoker.blogspot.com/) is readying another Uberpost? Then watch this:

http://www.devilducky.com/media/58617/

(and watch what hotel they pull up at...)

nothing going right

or left. just down. I cant seem to win a frakin hand right now. Is is variance? Is it playing wrong? maybe. But I seem to be dominated WAY too much. AQ vs. KQ. or AJo flops TP but gets reraised. I call to see KJs and thus a flush draw vs TPTK. But an errand king on the river kills me, not even the flush.

It all started when I broke my code and decided to play a MMTT (mega mtt). for me that's anything over 6 tables. This was 750 players. I was so card dead, that I folded over 90% of the hands, and at level 4 had yet to see a pair or better than A9o. I finally threw all my chips in (in disgust) when I notice the avg chips stack was already at 5k and I had 1k left. I had QJ. The blinds turns over AK. The flop is AKx.

I must have called some kind of curse out. I am at a bit of a loss. I can even blow a chip lead now, being sloppy with my chips. I am not in the zone and need to find my parking space again.

I think I'm so smart, don't I?

I am so smart, S-M-R-T.

So after running well and posting as such, I have to account for the following:

DOPS: First player out. (I am still 2nd overall in the standing)
Mookie: Out half-way, but never a factor
CC's game: Was second in chips, playing well, and fell into a tiger trap.

So much for my game at a higher level?

Two things account for my flame outs. In the first two games, I think I simply played too many hands. With shallow stacks, I bled too many chips, which caused me to have to take marginal edge chances.

In CC's game, I was dealt TT in EP and raised it up to 500. Blinds are high compared to stack size, I think it was 75/150 and stacks were around 3k for the better stacks. I get called by the button. The pot is about 1200 already and the flop is J78 rainbow. I have MP AND I have a gutshot if he hit a monster. I like my hand here, especially in the case where the nuts needs one of my cards (9T). I bet 1000 and the button goes into the tank. He decides to play in and goes all-in. The pot is huge and I have about 1700 left. It doesn't take me long to call as I expect to see 99. But instead I see 9T and IGHN.

Should I really be surprised there? I was because I had a loose image and here's the thing with a loose image at the table. You expect that players will come back after you in a big pot with a marginal holding like A8 here. But the re-raise, despite giving away I might be in trouble, really came too late to adjust to. or did it? What do you think?

Smash the old adages

Hoyazo recently put up a great post on why pot odds are over rated in a tournament. It reminded me of a post that has been in my head for some time now and it seems like this is a good time to record it.

I recently have come to understand how to be a true winning player (last nights results excluded). It not about the match, the odds, the cards, or the like. Its about competing with an opponent or group of opponents with a finite set of rules, and producing better results. Note: I did NOT say "out playing them". (Does the best TV Survivor player always the winner?)

In that vein, I give you...

Things that players cling to as truth in tournaments, but are not:

Myth: If the table is tight, play loose. If the table is loose, play tight.
NO. That is cash game talk. In a tournament: When the table is loose, Trap. When the table is tight, Bully.

Myth: Take flops with marginal cards against big stacks that will pay you off on implied odds.
RARELY (this only works with deep stacks). Most tournaments, its better to AVOID the big stacks as the field shrinks.

Myth: It's all about the chip lead/accumulating chips
ONLY in big fields. In a field of 50 or less, pick on people who have to go broke to call an all-in.

Myth: Play tight, play solid starting hands.
FEH! Do not have expectations for a starting hand. Select to play a hand for a reason, which can be playing tight, playing loose, playing by the book, etc as long as it is SITUATIONAL and changeable. And dont continue with a hand when you are being just because you were ahead BEFORE the flop. If you are losing, then get away!

Myth: Use pot odds to determine whether to make a big call.
Are you kidding me? Did you read Hoyazo's post yet? Don't use pot odds to make tournament survival decisions. If your beat, your beat.

Myth: There are the 3 levels of thinking. What I have, what I put him on, what he puts me on.
Ignore that "levels of thinking" crap. You are selling. Is your opponent buying? If he is, then your hand is going to push him to a decision (see doubleas and pressure points). If he isnt, then you make your decision on whether you are ahead or behind. Simple really.

Myth: Opponents using game theory or advanced math have a statistical advantage over us.
Ha, only if you are not following the above paragraph. Those advanced theories are just alternate ways of doing the above. Being different make you less predictable, but not necessarily better.

Myth: Hoyazo is the authority on bad play.
no comment...