Could not post Thursday due to TILT

Any post from Thursday would have been a chronological list of bad beats and nothing more. When you play $7 SnGs, I guess you have to expect that KK is going to go down to 34. That is just the way it is...

But I made my mind up after coming back from Vegas to change 4 things in my game. And these are not minor adjustments by any stretch of the imagination.

1. Don't be afraid to get your money in fast. If you are ahead, you are ahead. No one is going to see a free river or even a cheap river ever again. If you in a hand with me and you are going to see a river card, either you're way ahead or I am going for the stack and you called. I used to say I like to control the pot size, but I think it a misnomer. I think it was an excuse to protect my stack. Now, I want to apply that pressure point on the turn.
2. I am using more math and less 'lay downs'. You give me 3-1 pre-flop and I am calling with 2 napkins. I dont care how big the blinds are. If I have the odds to call, chances are pretty darn good I am going to call. period. I find I just dont play enough hands when I try to only play premium hands. Thanks Gus Hansen! (Read his book!)
   
3. And this is a big one. At a live table, I am discarding my Columbo persona. Or at least modifying it. I find when I get to be my semi-obnoxious self who can banter, talk, and otherwise talk through hands out load, I make better decisions. And I have more fun playing. And I miss having fun playing. The blogger game at the IP where I would call any Falstaff bet with a decree of "Monkey Chips!!!" made me remember this is a game and we play games for stress relief, not to induce further stress into our lives.
4. Before I left for Vegas, players generally have the following opinion of me: "Not aggressive enough". No one is going to be able to say that about me anymore... Mark my words...

So last night, fresh from a BRUTAL black and blue beating at the FT tables Wednesday, I came to the Friday night game with 2 full magazine clips of ammo. I had a goal too. Playing for first instead of the money. After all, this was not a league game, it was a 3 table MTT. No points, just paid top 4.

From the early stages, I was living up to my rules. But it really kicked in after the first break where I started boarding on obnoxious. I had powned Scott our host this night, and at one point when he started to bet, I called all-in before he could even finish his bet. It saved him 1000 chips, but it was worth it. The message was clear. "Dont play hands with me unless all the chips are going in". Otherwise, I was stealing, re-raising with rag hands, etc.

There was one very interesting hand that cost me a pile of chips that I still marvel at (not with Scott).
EP raises 4xBB. Obviously with a hand. I call with 66. The flop is QQ8. He bets and I re-raise. My logic is that he really has to think now. He cant call the reraise with any non-pair, and he would have to think about it with any pair less AA (where he could not get away due to the magical allure of Aces.) Without even thinking, he goes all-in. I fold, surprised my pressure did not even make him think. I was especially surprised he did not take time to think when he showed his TT. That made me muse, boy howdy. Still, I like my play here. Most hands are in trouble against that re-raise.

Cutting to the chase, at the final table I am average stacked, but by the time we get to the money, I have the big stack and wield it accordingly. Once we got to 6 handed, I would raise with anything I could get my hands on, like T7s. If a short stack shoved, I would be forced to call. I was about 50-50 in these, but when I lost, I lost... When I won, I broke a player.

And when we were heads up, I think I had an advantage in that I seemed to understand where I was at heads-up and was willing to pay big pots with any edge. The math went just enough in my favor to take down the first place prize.

Long live Aggro-columbo

For the love of all that is poker

Can I have a hand stand up? (In the voice of "Chandler" from "Friends") "Can I GET my money in anymore ahead?!"

My post Vegas run continues with flopped straights and dominating hands going down in flames. My online bankroll is suddenly at risk for the first time in 3 years, but I am playing decent. (or so my "donkey head" thinks)

There was a very interesting hand last night that I was going to use for a OMM, but think I want the discussion instead. Fuel raises pre-flop and I feel compelled to see a flop (out of position) with 77.

The flop is 456, (I check) and Fuel makes his famous OBV (overbet for value) of 2x pot. Calling puts 1/3 of my chips in the pot, but the blinds are still low (level 2?). I cant see folding here, can you? I mean an overpair with an OESD? I figure he could have ATbC (any two big cards) and thus two overs or a pair. But in either case, the OESD is a good redraw, right? I figure there is some play left here and I can still continue the MTT with 2/3 of my chips, so I call instead of shove.

The turn is a 3 and I make the straight. The money all goes in and I win the pot.

Did I play the hand poorly? Why?

Movie Review, The Grand

Todays review, the straight to video contestant "The Grand". If you liked Best in Show, then you may like this one too. Same style, albeit without some of the brilliance of character actors. Instead, there is a big cast of comics. and lots of poker cameos.

You'll quickly realize that almost all 6 of the final table players are a combination of two famous poker players. This makes the banter and personalities fun for fans of poker players.

The movie is uneven and practically plotless, but still invokes chuckles that come out of the characterizations. David Cross cracked me up in a hand against the unabomber.

Overall its worth a watch for nothing more than this line:

"Let me tell you how the internet screwed up poker. ok? When a guy sucks out on you on the river, on the internet, you can't take the guy out into the parking lot and you can not break his fucking knees."

-enjoy

Just how -EV is Rockband?

Well, I was willing to give up my seasons tickets to the Detroit Lions this year. Now for many of you, that seems like a no brainer. But to a ticket holder of FIFTEEN years with seats in row 21, it was NOT an easy decision.

Nevertheless, I gave up my $1800 / pr seats and blew the money on Rock Band!

"All of it??" you ask?

The low-down:

I had no X-Box 360. Needed the one with the big HD: $500
Rockband : $170
Drum Pads: $20 (after market gum pads to help with the noise)
Foot Petal : $20 (after market foot petal, to avoid the breaking problems)
DLC (download content point) to date : $80
Second Guiter : $30
I had a microphone stand, but since the microphone is strangely fat I needed a special clip :$12
Beer : Lots of beer. LOTS. $140 (yes, really)
Guitar Strum mod from Bytearts.com, $20
I bought a Tamborine and a Cow bell. Its too funny playing "Dont fear the Reaper" actually WITH MORE COWBELL! $30

so, just about $1k.

My buddy Neal built a drum kit out of REAL DRUMS to replace the Chinese made plastic craptacular drums that come with the game. Since we play at my house, he has been hauling them over every Friday. So, he offered to build me a set also, if I pay for the parts. OMG, where is my checkbook!!!!? $300

The guys a fakeplasticrock.com reviewed the American DJ LED light bar which is SOUND ACTIVATED and works GREAT with Rockband. $200.

Drum stool : $40
I even bought a guitar stand for the guitar for $10 bucks.
and a couple of LONG USB extension cables: $10

And yes, we have ALREADY crushed the endless setlist on Medium. We are playing on hard now and are up to 850k in fans. Next weekend we may eclipse the 1mil fan mark. (geek-y)

Worth that much??? Let's test:

Lions: 8 home games (although you PAY for 10). 4 hours of entertainment (if you don't mind losing) = 32 hours of entertainment for $1800 bucks.

Lets just ASSUME I will be spending another $150 this year on DLC (more songs damn you!) which brings the expense equal to $1800. That is a HELL of a lot for a video game! or is it?

Hours and INCREDIBLE fun, not only on Friday nights but with FAMILY. The ENTIRE family. My 7 year old sings! Its like the bloody partridge family. (why no partridge family songs?)

Hours logged to date: over 75! Even if I BROKE my hand playing guitar at 100 hours. That would be $18/hr. A movie is like $6/hr. An mp3 is $1 for 3 minutes. I can safely expect 300 hours of entertainment from this, which would bring it down to movie price.

4 player, not sitting and cheering (what little their was), and family fun. I never thought I would buy a xbox 360, as I don't play many video games any more (well, I have a mame cabinet. Don't you?) and I certainly would not have expected this type of expense at my age. But who else can drop $200 on a LED light board just for immersion?!

Overall, I think I can live with my decision...

ok, ok

So I have not posted since the debacle that was my big tournament weekend. But I have made a decision. Columbo is dead, Long live Aggro-Columbo.

Enemy to all who would check the turn. Pushing reads where I even THINK I am ahead. Conservation calling on the turn for me is over. OVER.

So many river cards have killed me as a 4-1 favorite. From now on, you wanna see a river? Good luck. Either I already folded, or you are going to have to call a BIG bet.

This may seem like I am expounding the obvious. But For me, Houdini when it comes to not getting trapped, its a 180degree turn.

More crushed dreams

Well, my TOC chance at full tilt just ended. The turning point was when waffles moved all-in and I called with KK. He flips over AK and the Ace on the flop sealed my fate. I still had a small stack, but had to push with anything and ran my AJ into AK. (not enough chips to even fold).

I finished 12th in a difficult field and with the exception of the throw away at the end, got my money in good every freakin time. (like that matters)

Mega-tilt right now... Dont know how I am going to be able to take the Bodog Tuesday rollercoaster finale. I am hungry, mentally shot, and utterly disappointed with the entire 3 days in Vegas (cards wise).

did I tell you I had a nice session yesterday? No big profits. just maybe 1/2 buy-in, which was impressive considering my cards. Lady sits down. First hand AcKc, flops nut flush, other lady PILES her money in on every street with TP. TWO, yes 2 hands later, she is dealt KK and stakes AQ when a Queen flops. She is there 3 hands, and up 2 full buy-ins.

I dont know why I play this game. I should stick to Rockband.

I always said, I am not a lucky person. Fair enough.

More work interviews, meetings, fund raising, and other chaos on Monday. Where is this life going anyway?

Feh (WSOP event#9 recap)

Event #9 in the WSOP has come and mostly gone. Just under 1300 runners, down to 70 at end of day1. For someone in there first WSOP event, I have to say it was very non intimidating. I had no pros at my tables and I did not feel out gunned at any time. I was surprised at the stacks, however, as 3000 chips is considerable less than it is online where you get twice the number of hands per hour. In reality, it was down right few.

After level 1, I had added 500 chips and into level 2 added about 500 chips. With $4k, I got 1000 in pre-flop with two black Aces against a loose caller, which I was very happy about, only to see a flop of KdQdJd and the caller move all in with a flopped straight, afraid of an Ad. Just like that, I am back to 3000. Bad news Aces cracked, good news, he leaped for the endgame when he was way ahead. Now, this same player goes on a tear. I mean a TEAR. He starts hitting every flop and accumulating chips. Showdowns confirm his lack of bluffing. As his stack grows to about 8000, he starts getting more and more bold in being the first to raise.

When you play 6max, this is a big warning sign. You can't just play for chips, you have to do some table control. You cant avoid it. I start making stands by coming over the top. This guy's pattern was to go into the tank, count out the chip, then fold. I had seen him do it 5 previous times, so I felt he did not like to get played back at. I did this to him twice and each time he backed off.

Despite getting those AA chips back, I still only have about $4k in chips and the avg is now 6k after the break. I open UtG with AT and this guy calls from the button (he did this ALOT). My opening requirements had been decent each time, so I might even get credit for a bigger hand.
Flop is AK3. Without hesitation, I move all in, knowing its the right move.

1. I am probably ahead and a smaller bet is too risky. The pot is already 2k.
2. I am establishing that he should not just "try to see flops with me" every time and instead save that for the other 4 players.
3. In the off chance he has AJ, the move might get him to lay it down (50/50)
4. If I dont win this hand, I have only 2k in chips and on life support.
5. If he thinks I am bluffing and calls with a K, I will double up.
   

He goes in to the tank, counts his chips like he always does, gets ready to fold and then out of the blue says, "I am only behind AQ". (wouldn't you be behind AK too?). He calls with AJ and IGHN.

So frustrating this trip. Even in cash games, 3 TOP SETS all 3 down in flames to flushes, 3 pocket Aces, all down in flames. Even so I am up in cash games (if you dont count drunk monkey chips at the IP at 2am playing 2-4 HORSE. weeeeeeeeee)

Some just went to the Caesars mega stack $330 and I am going to skip that just because of the FT tomorrow at 2pm local (megastacks are 2 day events). But I am SURE I will get in some good play tonight at the MGM.

Twitter is on the ropes

Major part of their infrastructure is down, including IM updating. I have a twitter updater on my blog, but that is days behind too. They need to get their act together.

In the meantime, you'll have to sign-up with twitter to follow me (ltcolumbo). I'll update at each break.

BBT3 - The final insult

Pays 20 places, Columbo = 21st...

And I have nothing to blame but my May play, which has resulted in zero final tables. ARGH.

I feel so stupid now. And now I can take that to Event 9. Gez.

The Power of Pairs Compells You!

The Power of Pairs Compells You!
The Power of Pairs Compells You!
The Power of Pairs Compells You!

In the big game last night I dug myself a hole in scenario #1, but I still think I like the play...

Scenario #1:
A MP raises like 4.5x and I figure its QQ or near there. I call with JT hearts.

Flop is Jack high with 2 hearts. He makes what appears to be a probe bet, but I am not buying it. I decide to call here.

The turn is a black Ace. This is both good and bad. If my read is correct, this is a scare card for him. But I have not made a flush.

He checks and I realize I can steal this right here. He is worried about the Ace. AJ is in my probable holdings here as is Ax for that matter. Especially AK, AQ as I think they would have peeled off another card. So I put in a pot size bet (now almost half my chips are in).

He calls with KK and I do not hit the flush.

Do you think I played this poorly? Did he make a great call based on information or a "I cant fold Kings" call?

Scenario #2. My Q is .75 and its been a struggle all night. I have had to play perfect just to get this was and win a race AQ vs. 88. the MP who has been low-profile at the table, puts in the 4-5x raise. I am thinking "decent hand here". I have JJ on the button. I figure the blinds to fold, so I wonder if I raise or call. I am worried that I although I can put him on a pair, I cant put him on a particular pair. Is it TT? QQ? I am not sure. I decide that my post flop position gives calling and edge and thus I make the call. Blinds fold.

Flop is 9 high (2 clubs). MP bets out POT and I have 2x pot left. If I fold, my Q is .5 and with 40% of the field left, I am having a real hard time folding an overpair here. The Power of Pairs Compells You! On the other hand, my gut tells me that the probable holding from the MP is QQ. The Power of Pairs Compells You!

Is this a shove or a fold? The Power of Pairs Compells You!

The silver lining...

I am back to playing well. How can I tell? I have TWO bad beats from last nights two tournaments. BOTH time I caught a set running into a MADE flush or straight, and the board pairing the river. So be it. But in some great early play, I got away from a couple of good hands that would have sent me home vs. a set.

Here is a great hand to follow:

I get A3 in the BB and call a 2x BB range from MP as did the SB.

Flop 245 with 2 hearts. Against 3 opponents, cant play this slow. SB bets out!
I raise. Pot.
Now the MP shoves all-in! What could he have?
and the SB CALLS!!! What could HE have?
I cant fold here, I have to be ahead, right?!

SB has Presto for top SET. He is expecting AK (TPTK) vs. Aces-up.
MP has a BETTER hand then me! He has A3 (flopped straight) with hearts for the nut flush redraw. I am hoping for a split of the sets money.
But the turn and river come A...A...

In the other hand, I call a min-raise from the blind with Jh8h with 17 players left. Its the big stack and I am second, but I MUST defend the BB at lesat to the flop against 2x.

The flop is 832 with 2 hearts. I have top pair and the flush redraw. I bet 1/2 pot and get a min-re-reaise. I HAVE TO CALL HERE EVEN THOUGH I KNOW SUSPECT ACES.
The turn is the Ace of hearts and I have a flush! (I think he now has a set!)
All the money gets in and the river pairs. I dont know about you, but I think the big stack got very lucky playing with fire.

Despite punching my laptop monitor, I was most happy with the results. I escaped when I was behind and got my money in good. Everytime. I needed that a week before my event.


In other news, I have to miss the Mookie tonight for a "function". I play on "twittering" from Vegas, feel free to "follow me". ID "ltcolumbo".

The downside of aggression

I have been much more aggressive lately. The upside is picking up a lot of small pots. The downside is getting in a situation where you dont want to fold and you end up losing a pot with second best hand. Even worse, because of the aggressive tendancies, you find it harder to escape a hand.

NOTE: I did not say that its harder to KNOW when to escape, just that its harder to do it.

Last night may be a bad example because all three big pots I lost, I had what I thought was a great flop and in all three cases my opponent had trips or a set.

But in 1 case, I has getting 5-1 to hit a river flush. But it was half my remaining stack. I reluctantly made the mathmatically correct call, even though I would normally fold here.

In another case, I KNEW I was behind, but called down with second best hand "in case I was wrong and I was being played back at".

I need to take both my new aggression and my houdini skills out at the table. I have got to blend the styles and stop being 100% mathmatical and get back to the strategic metagame aspects. Lots of aggression is certainly better in cash games and shorthanded games IMHO.

I leanred a new game last night!

Here's what we did. We each went down to the busiest street nearby. (We chose the famous 8 mile.) Now, each player ties a blindfold over their eyes and the players shut their mouths and listen. When they think there is no traffic coming, they run across the street. When everyone gets to the other side (or doesn't), you repeat until there is one "runner" left. I came in 13th with only a bruised sternum. What did we call this game?

Omaha H/L No Limit.

I think Omaha Limit and O8B limit are two of my better games. It's where good Houdini skills can take you deep. But with Omaha no limit you need to "run like Astin" to win.
Too bad I run like "Fuel".

Even in the bodonkey last night, my exit was accompanied by a chat window "sorry" from the Ace-Rag army. I even flopped two pair, but as Drizz knows, sometimes the Ace-Rag army will not be denied.

Still, like a fool returns to his folly, I will see you all tonight at the Mookie.

A fistful of chips

Talk about a situation where you dont take your own bloody advice. I always warn players to be very weary of large river bets. Unless your in extenuating circumstances, it is just rarely a bluff when a 3 bullets are fired. Not only did I call a big river bet, but I called it from FUEL! He is not going to run a 3 bullet bluff in level 2. Just not gonna happen. Yet, I called what could only be called, "a fish value bet". And I bit hard.

In a way, I am glad it happened. Here I am going to play in a WSOP event and I obviously needed a reminder of "top ten stupid things fish do".

1. Call big river bet in early rounds
   
2. limp short handed
3. talk to Waffles in the chat window (always -EV)
4. call out of position
5. betting for no reason
6. folding when you are getting odds to call
7. being unable to fold aces
8. over-playing AJ
9. not watching stack sizes before betting
10. shoving BFOV* with TP. (*wrongly obviously)

As Elmer Fudd once said to Daffy Duck
"More Briefing?" - Elmer
(sigh) "More Briefing." -Daffy

ONE is the lonliest number...

Back to Back Columbo they'll call me I reckon. Back to back 1 point finishes in the BBT3. ONE freaking point. Last night was O8BLimit, one of my better games until the blinds take over. As true to form, when the blinds were reaonable, I was at one point FIRST in chips. When the blinds get HIGH, I found myself in some tough spots. And not just the classic AA234xx, where x=Fuck-Brick! but some really genuine tough spots.

You have Kh8hAd3c and the flop is Th9h3d. Someone bets out. You are NOT going to hit low, you could hit high but would it be the best? and with the level so high, calling is 10% of your stack here.

Here is another classic. 5678 in the BB and the flop is 578 rainbow. Can you really call a bet here? You already LOST low, and you're not exactly a favorite on high also.

Letting these go got me to 25th, where are following them down would have had me out sooner. But again, with the blinds so high, I feel my play was taken away. I thought I was playing well and I consider O8B-limit to be my second best game after NLHE. (due to the heavy math involved I think).

In this post, I am going to quote Jennifer Tilly!

Really. WPT Ladies Night, post knockout interview. "I just didn't get the cards".

Last night in the Mookie, I started off pretty well, but from just before the break until... ohhh... lets say I threw the laptop at the wall, I got 94o. Pretty much for the complete "the antes have started" levels. 94o.

You can say what you want about stealing and surviving and re-stealing, but in an hour of 94o, you are going down.

I just have to chalk this one up to variance. But I did score a single BBT3 point for folding to 25th.

running bad or running wild?

I am still running well in the first half of tournaments and falling apart in the 20%-40% fields size range. As I review the process, I am seeing too many turns where I have to let go of the hand in the latter stages of the tournament. Time to either ratchet that down or take down those pots.

WSOP event #9 3 weeks out.

ARRRRRRRRR!

alas, I dont live in SF

The wheels come off the bus

In the riverchasers last night, I was playing particularly well. I even recovered and avoided tilt when an A6 made a one card flush on my AT and took 25% of my stack. But with 28 people left, I was 5th and chips and confident that I could win this one. I came in 19th. What the heck happened? Lets look:

We are at 250/500/25. I have about $14k in chips.
For you Harrington players, M is only about 12 even though Q is about 1.75
For you Hansen players: ante ratio is 5:1 and the table is often 7 handed.

My hands are very uneven and I am managing to steal or pick up a hand about once a rotation, which is only treading water. A poor run of cards and I fluctuate between $12.5k and $14k for a few rotations. Meanwhile blinds are 400/800/100 (ante ratio 4:1)
My M (and everyone else's) plummets to 7 despite being 2nd in chips at the table.

Critical hand #1:
Full Tilt Poker Game #6342141040: Riverchasers Online Tour (48006329), Table 8 - 400/800 Ante 100 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:37:50 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 1: lightning36 (6,293)
Seat 2: OMGitsPokerFool (15,090)
Seat 3: twoblackaces (5,955)
Seat 6: gorilla_rc24 (9,242)
Seat 8: wwonka69 (18,632)
Seat 9: columbo (13,060)
antes 100
OMGitsPokerFool posts the small blind of 400
twoblackaces posts the big blind of 800
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [2c 2h]
gorilla_rc24 folds
wwonka69 folds
columbo raises to 2,400 <= must raise ANY chance you get 6 handed now.
lightning36 folds
OMGitsPokerFool raises to 14,990, and is all in
twoblackaces folds
columbo has 15 seconds left to act

I am getting poor odds here. Its another 12.5k to win 18k. 3:1 pot odds? is it really this close? But 22 is an easily dominated hand by any pair and is 50/50 at best.

columbo folds
Uncalled bet of 12,590 returned to OMGitsPokerFool
OMGitsPokerFool mucks
OMGitsPokerFool wins the pot (6,200)

I now have 10.5k, just a hair above avg.

The VERY NEXT HAND:

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342148677: Riverchasers Online Tour (48006329), Table 8 - 400/800 Ante 100 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:38:27 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 1: lightning36 (6,193)
Seat 2: OMGitsPokerFool (18,790)
Seat 3: twoblackaces (5,055)
Seat 6: gorilla_rc24 (9,142)
Seat 8: wwonka69 (18,532)
Seat 9: columbo (10,560)
antes 100
twoblackaces posts the small blind of 400
gorilla_rc24 posts the big blind of 800
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [9h As]
wwonka69 folds
columbo raises to 3,200 <= I know its A9o from EP, but we are SIX handed, high blinds, high antes, and its not an awful steal hand.

lightning36 raises to 6,093, and is all in
OMGitsPokerFool folds
twoblackaces folds
gorilla_rc24 folds

This is an EASY call. 3k to win 10k. Unless he has a dominating Ace, I am in a must call situation at these odds.

columbo calls 2,893
lightning36 shows [Qc Ac]
columbo shows [9h As]

ARGH.

*** FLOP *** [8c Qh 9s]
*** TURN *** [8c Qh 9s] [Ah]
*** RIVER *** [8c Qh 9s Ah] [3s]
lightning36 shows two pair, Aces and Queens
columbo shows two pair, Aces and Nines
lightning36 wins the pot (13,986) with two pair, Aces and Queens

I am now the short stack for the tournament at $4.4k
I start shoving, but only get up to $5.1k when I finally get a pair.

Based on M, blinds just went up, and stack size, I will have to shove here regardless of action... (we are now at 18 players)

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342204944: Riverchasers Online Tour (48006329), Table 8 - 500/1000 Ante 125 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:43:05 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 1: lightning36 (11,586)
Seat 2: OMGitsPokerFool (18,890)
Seat 3: twoblackaces (6,155)
Seat 4: Mattazuma (13,329)
Seat 5: RaisingCayne (25,875)
Seat 6: gorilla_rc24 (9,442)
Seat 7: scottc25 (6,035)
Seat 8: wwonka69 (17,032)
Seat 9: columbo (5,167)
columbo antes 125
columbo posts the small blind of 500
lightning36 posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #8

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [7d 7s]
OMGitsPokerFool folds
twoblackaces folds
Mattazuma folds
RaisingCayne folds
gorilla_rc24 raises to 9,317, and is all in
scottc25 folds
wwonka69 folds
columbo calls 4,542, and is all in
lightning36 calls 8,317 <= huh?

gorilla_rc24 shows [4d Ad]
columbo shows [7d 7s]
lightning36 shows [Qd As] <= HUH?! This makes little sense to me. TWO all-ins and too early to panic, but you call with AQo?

*** FLOP *** [9h 8s 4s]
*** TURN *** [9h 8s 4s] [5h]
*** RIVER *** [9h 8s 4s 5h] [Ac]
gorilla_rc24 shows two pair, Aces and Fours
lightning36 shows a pair of Aces
gorilla_rc24 wins the main pot (16,251) with two pair, Aces and Fours
columbo stands up

And just like that, 5th to 18th.

You're missing the point

Please read the Astin hand again. If you have to, imagine the tight table and sit down with some chips (like only $1000).

Now, listen carefully. The mistakes are on the turn and the river, not the pre-flop and flop. Did you hear that everyone?!

"so columbo, your defending the min-raise and the check".

YES. YES I AM.

1. What is the PURPOSE of the RAISE?
2. Do I want ZERO callers with AA? (are you kidding me?)
3. Does it really look like I am behind on the flop?
4. What level are we in?

I played the turn and river poorly. Ok, that is an understatement. A big one. That river call is unconscionable. hee-freakin-haw there.

Astin!? (why I outta...)

He gets AA TWICE in 1 rotation, but then *I* get ACES!!!

Full Tilt Poker Game #6328617452: The Mookie (42846026), Table 6 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:16:08 ET - 2008/05/07
Seat 1: columbo (1,645)
Seat 2: VinNay (1,355), is sitting out
Seat 3: AgSweep (1,540)
Seat 4: Astin (3,125)
Seat 5: emptyman (1,365), is sitting out
Seat 6: Tony Eusebio (1,580)
Seat 7: muhctim (1,370)
Seat 8: NYRambler (1,345)
Seat 9: pushmonkey72 (3,090)
emptyman posts the small blind of 20
Tony Eusebio posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Ad Ac]
muhctim has 15 seconds left to act
muhctim folds
NYRambler folds
pushmonkey72 folds
columbo raises to 80
VinNay folds
AgSweep folds
Astin calls 80
emptyman folds
Tony Eusebio folds


*** FLOP *** [Js 9d 7s]
columbo checks
Astin checks

I decide that I need to let him catch up or he'll just fold. mah-hah-ha-ha-ha

*** TURN *** [Js 9d 7s] [Kd]
columbo bets 120
Astin raises to 440
columbo calls 320

So, Astin has a King? Awesome.
CALL?! What are you columbo, an idiot? Unless he has QT, you just gave him a free river to beat you? WTF?

*** RIVER *** [Js 9d 7s Kd] [3c]
columbo checks
Astin bets 680
columbo calls 680

Um, uh-oh. That is a big river bet considering my stack size. Did he have KJ? K9?

*** SHOW DOWN ***
Astin shows [Ts Qh] a straight, King high
columbo mucks
Astin wins the pot (2,460) with a straight, King high

oh, the pain. My so called mistake on the turn was irrelevant. Only Astin can flop perfect vs. AA and of course, instantly hit his draw.

was that a really bad board to give a free card on or was I just cold decked by the king of deck warmers?

football quotes on Razz

"When you throw the ball, 3 things can happen. And two of them are bad." Well, the same can be said for Razz. "When you play a hand in Razz, 3 things can happen. And two of them are bad."

1. You brick on 4th
2. You end up with 4 low cards (and often multiple pairs)
3. your opponent folds

I have come to the conclusion that seeing a showdown in Razz is -EV. Either get your opponent to fold or Brace For The Pain.

In WSOP news, I mailed off my check today for event #9, but realized that the weekend of the blogger gathering is ALSO the BBT3 TOC. Oh no!

Frapper

Freaky Dream Flashback

Surreal. I had that dream where you are late for class and you haven't been there all year because you didn't even know you had the class. And maybe there is a final today? and yada-yada? Well, I had that dream only it was the WSOP. and I missed my event, and all of Las Vegas actually looked like an indoor mall. You know, like the one if Return of the Living Dead.

So what does all this mean? Who cares. But it is interesting that although I haven't spent a minute on thinking about it when Im awake, my subconsciouos is tell me... You are not practicing enough.

Rollercoaster... of luv...

Roloercoaster, woo hoo hoo-hoo-hoo. What a ride the Mooke was last night.

I have been frustrated lately by two things. Not winning hands on the flop, and finishing poorly late in the tournament. What I mean by the latter is that many times this month I have been in the top 5 in chips, only to miss the money. Heck, even miss the points (top 25%). How can it go south so quickly?

My first adjustment is to the early game. I have 3 mojitos and decide I will only raise "pot" pre-flop (typically 3.5x BB) and when I decide to proceed post-flop, I will bet POT, and not look for value.

For the second part, my plan was to get some decent freaking cards for once. Both will work out nicely.

Follow along, if you dare!!!

Won an early hand with 87o when I flopped to pair
Lost around 200 chips checking out flops (including 55) and having to relesae.
so still around start size...

Then I will call an all-in from a shorty with KT only to see AK. I have a measly 799 chips left.

Win the blines twice in a row, which leads into being dealt 77 in UTG+1. Luck truck raises UTG and I re-raise all in. He calls with AQ and misses. I am healthy again.

I lose some small pots seeing flops then get KK in Utg+1, I raise POT and get a call from Fuel. But he folds to my post flop pot bet.

Lost of small pots won and lost...
And then its AK on the button. When its folded around to me I raise and it looks like a steal. cmitch gtes his money in with AQ and I double up.

I lose 700 chips when my QQ sees and Ace flop and folds...
spend some time winning and losing pots under 1000 chips. Lost of AJ and small pairs.

Weird hand where UTG and UTG+1 linp. I raise to 1000 with AQ and when I bet the flop, my caller (Bayne) folds.

Now I go on a TEAR. but a negative one! Losing the next 22 hands that I put money in the pot. 22! blinds are 150/300 and but I have 7000 in chips. I get aggro with 66 and pick up a decent pot.

I now REPEAT my tear, including not 1 but two big pots. The first is with AQ in UtG+1. I make it $1250 (blinds are 200/400) and I call a push for $3600 (2200 more). KK takes half my stack.

The next hand, I GET KK. I push and the SB (LJ?) calls with A9s and make a runner-runner flush.

I have only $1500 chips with I am stuck inthe the 200/400/50 Big blind for a 1/3 of my chips. DESPITE that, I get a walk.

I pick up a few chips with a re-steal with A5. sweet. But I am 19th out of 19th with 18 getting paid.

Folede to me on the button, so I push with KJo. 44 calls, but I flop and K and double up.

I have 5k in chips with I get KK on the button. folded around to me and when I raise, no action.

I push from EP with AQ (short handed) and get a button call from an even shorter stack. THEY have KK and I am back to 2250.

I lose a couple of pots and I have only $1350 left.
This time, AQ comes through and Bayne doubles me up with his AJ call.

I bide my time with about $3500 chips until I get AA in LP. I simply shove and get no action. bummer. Blinds were 400/800 with 100 ante, so what other bet can I make?

I steal with KJ. I 6k (below avg) when I get AJ in the SB. The button makes a move on the blinds and I re-raise all-in. He calls with AT and I double up.

We are nearing the end and steals are covering for the pre-flop folds. and then a monster pot.

We are 6 handed down to the final 2 tables. I have 14k in cutoff. Its foleded to me, and I raise $4400 (1/3 of my stack) with A6o. Drizz shoves for $8800 total and I feel I am stuck calling. Ironically, Drizz had a pair (88) vs. the Ace-Rag army. Which once again, vanquishes him.

AJ on the buttona and a big stack of chips allows me to call a push from the hijack and I have his QJ dominated. One more to the rail.

Few more smaller pots and its off to the final table. I pick off a steal attempt with AK and send 83o to the rail. There are now SIX left, and I am second in chips.

lucko limps and LJ shoves all in for like 20k. I wake up on the button with AA and win a HUGE pots and we are down to 5. Not only that, I am now tied for the chip lead.

About 5 minutes later, the EXACT scenario. Only BiggestRon now pushes raises with KK and I wake up with AA on the button. I re-reaise but he is not folding KK and gets his money in. Board is all numbers and we are down to 4. I am now the chip leader.

We are down to 3 when I try to rail the short stack by calling his shove with A2o. He had QQ. Lame call AND I doubled him up.

After Lucko dispenses with him, we are heads up.

I cant even describe what happened. Every time we see a flop, Lucko hits it. Every time. I get so frustrated that I decide to steal a pot on a 34Q flop. Of course, he has AQ. Even the last hand, I shove with A3, he flips A7. Luckilly for me we both already had a TOC seat. Because I got spanked heads-up. It was tough to watch.


I try to eliminate

I was Waffled!!!

After some early success in the Big Game, I went card dead for almost an hour...

Maybe that is why I was unable to even contemplate being behind here:
Full Tilt Poker Game #6204674670: Blogger Big Game (41741004), Table 5 - 80/160 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:05:43 ET - 2008/04/27
Seat 1: iam23skidoo (3,039)
Seat 2: NumbBono (3,252)
Seat 3: SirFWALGMan (7,803)
Seat 4: cmitch (5,370)
Seat 5: ck31 (2,065)
Seat 7: BuddyDank (7,860)
Seat 8: UpForPoker (3,282)
Seat 9: columbo (4,277)
NumbBono posts the small blind of 80
SirFWALGMan posts the big blind of 160
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [9c 8c]
cmitch folds
ck31 folds
BuddyDank folds
UpForPoker folds
columbo calls 160 iam23skidoo folds
NumbBono folds
SirFWALGMan checks

*** FLOP *** [3c Kd 2c]
SirFWALGMan checks
columbo bets 160
SirFWALGMan calls 160

*** TURN *** [3c Kd 2c] [6c]
SirFWALGMan checks
columbo bets 320
SirFWALGMan calls 320

*** RIVER *** [3c Kd 2c 6c] [6d]
SirFWALGMan checks
columbo bets 800
SirFWALGMan calls 800

*** SHOW DOWN ***
columbo shows [9c 8c] a flush, Nine high
SirFWALGMan shows [Qc 4c] a flush, Queen high
SirFWALGMan wins the pot (2,960) with a flush, Queen high
SirFWALGMan: yay

Should I have played this differently after the flop?

The Definition of Irony

Its Riverchasers MTT and my hands blow. I re-steal my way to like 6700 chips. Never with anything but air. Then, I catch a stack overplaying KK pre-flop and get him all-in and I am sitting in the late position with AA. My first real hand of the night...

CRACK

I cant remember a game recently where I played better. wah!! Now with half the players gone, I am no longer 8th, but short stack under the start stack size.

I must admit though, I am happy. I mean, I played well. And sometimes that's all you can do.

But I am not out yet... I start stealing my way back... slowly but steady...

I win a race from the SB and I am back to 17th/30... (KQ vs. 66 button raise, I push here from the SB) still below average though.

A hammer drop takes me to 14th... still below avg with 23 left.

I again get my money in ahead in a battle. I LP raise with AcTc and get a BB re-raise. I decide this is it and push to see the BB show JQ? Cool

CRACK everything as he flops TRIPs and turns a BOAT. The best 23rd place of 72 I ever played.

Texas Hold'em

When some older people hear the word poker, they may simply think of the game 7 Card Stud as it used to be the most popular form of poker for decades. However, when newer generations hear the word poker, they most likely think of the game that began in the smoky bars of Texas – namely Texas Hold’em poker.

This is because the game originating from the lone star state has flew past 7 Card Stud to quickly become the most popular form of poker played today. Yes, Texas Hold’em is the most widely played variation by far and it has been aided greatly by its TV exposure. You see back in the early 2000’s, a small group of people believed that they could be successful by filling television time slots with Texas Hold’em. Of course there were many skeptics at the time as people thought watching cards on TV would be extremely boring to people.

These skeptics also thought that it would be difficult to find sponsors to back Texas Hold’em poker as there weren’t really many pre-set personalities already in place for people to identify with. After all, Texas Hold’em was more of a cult-type game before it exploded onto TV and none of the stars were really mainstream in anyway.

But nevertheless, marketers and business owners alike took a big leap of faith and decided to start broadcasting poker on television. The results were a smashing success which helped lead to the game grow in many unexpected ways.

Now, it’s hard to find an area where at least some people aren’t avid Texas Hold’em poker players and it’s even harder to find people who don’t know some of the major stars like Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth. If you don’t know about Texas Hold’em poker, then you should definitely start catching up on it!

more interesting results

no TV, just radio while playing. and no open web pages... Got railed in Skillz when I pushed in HA/Omaha PLO round with AA and the nut flush redraw on the flop. A set called me and it held.

But in the bodog, I finished 4th, moving me up from 13th to 10th for the series.

Interesting results so far.

better play, but no results

played well in the Hoy, but eventually with 20 left, lost back to back races to the same player. AK vs TT and AQ vs 77. Both times I had the Ax and got called on a pre-flop push. And just like that you go from 8th to the rail.

But I only got my money in behind once all night... So concentration is not over rated so far.

Time, Time, Time, what has become of me?

I don't know where to begin. There are times that I see the light, and others where I simply am staring at tomorrow. So begins this weeks experiment in self. Anti-Time Mgt. That's right. Chucking my normal task and interrupt driven round robin method in favor of one that forces choice through de-evolution. Mark Mothersbaugh would be proud.

This week, in conjunction with my kids school's self pronounced "TV turn-off week". I am also turning off the idiot, time wasting distractions I love so much as an Dr. Frankenstein like experiment to focus on the items that will improve my life.

No easy task.

So gone this week is
* surfing the web
* responding to email as soon as it comes in. (I am shooting for 4 times a day)
* working on trivial tasks
* TV shows

What I will indulge in:
* Poker - but only without TV on
* Music
* family activities (without the email)
* a modicum of research

We'll see how it goes. But it does mean one thing for my game. I am going to be overly focused on my hands this week. Good? Bad? time will tell...

I consider this my self-hypnotic adderall.

6max insanity - outplaying yourself...

I am playing for about 15 minutes, when this hand comes up.
Folded to hero in the SB with A7. Call
BB checks

Flop is AT8 rainbow. I bet pot, he calls.
Turn is a 2. I bet pot, he calls.
River is a 3. I shove....

He calls with what range here? Well, since I DISGUISED my Ace, he can call with Any Ace Rag and think he is ahead, right?

And that is exactly what happened. I get A7 in the SB, he has A9 in the BB.

I am not a big complainer, but man have I been cold decked this week at ring games. Running 2 pair or TPTK in to SETS and other second best hands like the above.

I have been felted TWICE in the last 2 weeks. ARGH!

What is it about 6max that makes me think I HAVE to play like an aggro?!

My neglected blog

or is it my neglected game. I was listening way too much to the aggro feedback. So what's the downside of aggro? Walking into sets. Which I have done ALOT this week. 2 pair, TPTK, what have you. I was discarding the best part of my game lately, being freaking Houdini and escaping from bad spots.

So, its back to being columbo. And you know what? I dont fear those insane 6max tales any longer. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Not aggro enough

The head of my poker satellite club shook his head at me when I turned in my registration for the 6max NLHE event in June. "You're not aggressive enough for that game".

My response was related to avoiding a donkey push field in NLHE while getting in more post-flop play. That and you have to play much more patient in a 3 table MTT, when you are rewarded for every single elimination before you...

But he does have a point. I am not big on re-stealing out of position and practically never re-re-steal. Will I get eaten alive?!

As for my most interesting hand on Saturday, look at this...

3 table MTT, about 14 left.
Blinds are a whopping 800/1600 and I have about 20k. I am 4th in chips at the table (I think). The utg+1, who raises with every decent hand he gets and is known as one of the most aggro players in the group, make yet another raise, but this time makes it 8k (not 6k). Interesting. (He has me covered)

Now, there have been two hands of note at this table. TT and AQ. TT has lost everytime and many jokes made about it. I put him on the following range based on the over range, TT-KK, AK, AQ.

I have AK on the button... You can NOT call here. You can not get a THIRD of your chips in to see just 3 cards as he will shove on almost any flop (certainly one without and Ace).

Shove or Fold?!

Token games are so soft its frightening

A simple 2 table MTT and its still early. WE have doubled up to $3300 in chips, and so has the BB. We are currently 8 handed.


*** HOLE CARDS ***
UtG folds and it comes to us
Dealt to columbo [9h Td]
columbo calls 80
So, I call. Sue me. I know that if the blinds were higher, I would be throwing money away. And I know that I just limped with a drawing hand from out of position. But the table has been passive pre-flop and I expect to see a flop at a reasonable cost.

MP, cutoff, and button all fold
SB calls 40
BB raises to 200

Ok, so as expected, someone raised. But now the price is $200 and its lower than if I would have made the 3xBB raise from EP to $240. And I am going to get action with my 9T. Now I can either win a big pot or lose a small pot.

columbo calls 120
SB folds

*** FLOP *** [4d 9d Tc]
BB bets 200
columbo value raises to 640
BB calls 440

*** TURN *** [4d 9d Tc] [Ad]
BB checks as expected and I figure no matter what we bet here, he will fold. The pot is about 1700 (half a stack) so I value bet about $580

columbo bets 580
BB calls 580
*** RIVER *** [4d 9d Tc Ad] [3h]
BB bets 250

How can he possibly bet here?

columbo calls 250
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Jogador shows [Js Jd] a pair of Jacks
columbo shows [9h Td] two pair, Tens and Nines

Now later in the same game…

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Ad Jh]
utg+1 calls 80
columbo checks from BB

*** FLOP *** [6h 3h 7h]
columbo bets 80 (will he stand the all heart board?)
utg+1 calls 80 (yup)

*** TURN *** [6h 3h 7h] [4h]
columbo bets 160 <= I gots a flush, but does he?
Utg+1 raises to 320 <= ugh, probably.
columbo calls 160

*** RIVER *** [6h 3h 7h 4h] [6c]
columbo checks (3 hearts better than mine)
utg+1 bets 400
columbo calls 400 (his bet is a trip to value town and I am stuck)

*** SHOW DOWN ***
Utg+1 shows [Tc Ts] two pair, Tens and Sixes
columbo shows [Ad Jh] a flush, Jack high
columbo wins the pot (1,800) with a flush, Jack high

OMG!

Oh How the Mighty Have Fallen...

Two years ago, I turned down a Director level job at a big Detroit firm to stick with my high tech job in Computer and Asset Mgt. I took a promotion and became the VP of Global IT for 200m dollar company. I was making great money, had all my debt paid off, and had more than 25% equity in my home. I found myself easily coping with the responsibility and was able to measure and determine that I am good at what I do. And I was having fun... including poker. (And I stuck by my guns and did not play in the WSOP since I did not satellite my way into an event.)

But now its 2008 and my company was bought last year. This did not go well for me as I immediately did not mesh with the bug company IT executives who all came from Peoplesoft/Oracle. (A point I do not apologize for as they continue to run a poor IT department.) As I made the final table at the winter blogger table, I was officially laid-off. But, I still had my health, my home and a bright future due to an incredible resume of experiences and my recent track record of proven success... right? right?

well, if only...

My Michigan home has lost 25% of its value in the last 9 months. (A new record and the leading decline state in the nation!)

My health is not bad, but I did have to have lymph-nodes removed from my neck due to chronic pain due to unknown causes that continue to be unknown after 3 doctors. (Still, could be much worse). So, I am sore for the next few weeks.

My job prospects are WAY lower than expected. I remember telling Paul a year ago, "You couldn't afford me." At the time, it was accurate. But despite great references, successes and even solid management skills, the best I can do is small companies. Some can only afford to pay me consulting fees, others can hire me but are cash flow concerned to the point of having daily meetings on sales. I have designed entire back office infrastructures for companies, know cutting edge agile and sass software development, and ran an IT shop so efficiently, that it ran below 3% of gross revenues! Yet, I can't find a mgt position?! HUH?!

And my poker game in the last 3 weeks has reflected the above in too many ways...

But I can take some solace in events:

Although my house is low, I have a decent mortgage payment so I don't expect to "go under" and I could "hold" it even if I move.

Although my health is not stellar, I am not diagnosed with anything serious and neither is anyone in my family. Despite the lack of root-cause, I expect I am past the worst of it.

I am at the top of my game, work wise and I still expect to land something in IT executive mgt eventually. How long is the question. and where.

and I have some money saved. Enough to get by for a year if I had to. Its not alot, but its a heck of alot more than some people have.

When we hit hard times, we compare them to where we WERE, not were we could be. And maybe that is the lesson for today...

I may not have won a tournament (or even cashed) in 3 weeks, but I know I am still better than I was 2 years ago... By far! And I satellited into the $1500 6max in June, so its blogger-ific.

And when I was laid off 6 years ago, I had zero savings and some debt.

But saving money just to watch others blow it and all end up at the same place is
Sorta like playing solid at a table with Scott Fischman.

I am not sure why I am even writing this, as its very a-typical for me to discuss non-poker related topics. Maybe I just need to write it so I can better absorb it. Maybe its in the hopes of hearing some good news. Maybe I cant help it somehow. And despite the tone of this post, I am always an Optimist when it comes to the future.

Who knows? A year from now I could have a new job, and a new home in a new city and be far better off. It's good to have a goal... But for now, all I can do is spin the wheels...

Lost at Sea

When you run bad, you find fault in everything. You play too many hands, you're playing too few hands, you just read that hand wrong, you're folding too much.

But I am not sure how you win if you can's have KK hold up vs and under-pair and your AK loses 3 out of 3 times. I can't just "run well" like SF.

But as bleak as it sounds, it cant be all bad running since I haven't done well in 3 straight weeks.

The truth is I can't put my finger on it, but I think I am playing much too passive. When you are not hitting flops, then you have to steal. And when that isn't enough, maybe a bit wreckless.

But I know one thing, changing nothing changes nothing.

Thank goodness that's over

Despite a great start in BBT3, the last 3 weeks has been frustrating. I am going over it via notes and posts, but it seems that I am trying hard to accumulate chips and its the death of me. I may have to post some hands, but first, I think I need to sit back and think...

I got my token, I got my Orange Crush

That's right, I am taking a night off from Rock Band to play the Blogger Big Game tonight! (I am getting my token as I type!) (oops, nevermind, already won it.)

In other interesting news, my old roomate who spent years writing for Letterman and Conan, is now a blogger with bartoons.blogspot.com

Take a look, I think it's hilarious!

Frustrated

Ok, so I had variance coming after wining the Hoy. But gez, I have been crippled in FOUR tournaments out of 6 since, getting my money in way ahead. I know, I know, play not results. But I dread flying to vegas, signing up, plunking down my $1500 (despite the fact I won my way in) and then watching someone get all there money in with a pair and hitting a set on the river to send me home.

I should stop thinking about these things and take my loses like a man instead of some whiny blogger. But its alot easier to dismiss $10-$25 than it is to watch $1500 go out the window...

6MAX - A tale of two hands...

PokerStars Game #16204648757: Tournament #81587897, $50+$5 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2008/03/23 - 23:03:18 (ET)
Table '81587897 6' 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: TorcidaST (1915 in chips)
Seat 2: sagar111 (9370 in chips)
Seat 3: RoadkingOz (3337 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (1503 in chips)
Seat 5: hdspoker (1825 in chips)
Seat 6: Arvid2k7 (3050 in chips)
RoadkingOz: posts small blind 50
Columbo777: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [3h 3d]
hdspoker: folds
Arvid2k7: folds
TorcidaST: calls 100
sagar111: raises 400 to 500
RoadkingOz: folds
Columbo777: raises 1003 to 1503 and is all-in
TorcidaST: calls 1403
sagar111: calls 1003
*** FLOP *** [3c 2h Kd]
TorcidaST: bets 412 and is all-in
sagar111: calls 412
*** TURN *** [3c 2h Kd] [Kc]
*** RIVER *** [3c 2h Kd Kc] [4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TorcidaST: shows [Td Jc] (a pair of Kings)
sagar111: shows [Js Ac] (a pair of Kings - Ace kicker)
sagar111 collected 824 from side pot
Columbo777: shows [3h 3d] (a full house, Threes full of Kings)
Columbo777 collected 4559 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5383 Main pot 4559. Side pot 824. | Rake 0
Board [3c 2h Kd Kc 4s]
Seat 1: TorcidaST showed [Td Jc] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 2: sagar111 (button) showed [Js Ac] and won (824) with a pair of Kings
Seat 3: RoadkingOz (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: Columbo777 (big blind) showed [3h 3d] and won (4559) with a full house, Threes full of Kings
Seat 5: hdspoker folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Arvid2k7 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I was seeing alot of players willing to stack-off with AJ or JTs. I catch a big break here and triple up.

After some boring folding, I am an average stack with 60 left...

PokerStars Game #16205135851: Tournament #81587897, $50+$5 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2008/03/23 - 23:27:02 (ET)
Table '81587897 6' 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Devin Thomas (3215 in chips)
Seat 2: sagar111 (5735 in chips)
Seat 3: RoadkingOz (6156 in chips)
Seat 4: Columbo777 (4559 in chips)
Seat 5: hdspoker (4750 in chips)
Seat 6: Arvid2k7 (2100 in chips)
RoadkingOz: posts small blind 75
Columbo777: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [6d 6c]
hdspoker: folds
Arvid2k7: raises 300 to 450 (3x)
Devin Thomas: calls 450 -- probably AJ again, :)
sagar111: folds
RoadkingOz: folds
Columbo777: raises 1200 to 1650 shut it down or stop N go...
Arvid2k7: folds
Devin Thomas: calls 1200 - AK maybe?
*** FLOP *** [Qc Jd 7s]
Columbo777: bets 2909 and is all-in
Devin Thomas: calls 1565 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [Qc Jd 7s] [3d]
*** RIVER *** [Qc Jd 7s 3d] [9d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Columbo777: shows [6d 6c] (a pair of Sixes)
Devin Thomas: shows [Js As] (a pair of Jacks)
Devin Thomas collected 6955 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6955 | Rake 0
Board [Qc Jd 7s 3d 9d]
Seat 1: Devin Thomas showed [Js As] and won (6955) with a pair of Jacks
Seat 2: sagar111 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: RoadkingOz (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: Columbo777 (big blind) showed [6d 6c] and lost with a pair of Sixes
Seat 5: hdspoker folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Arvid2k7 folded before Flop

I was right the first time. These guys are willing to call big pre-flops with AJ.

Is it me, or do players loosen up way more in 6 max because they think they are supposed to? And can I even DEFEND making a stand there with 66 just because I saw a modicum of dead money? Probably not.

Someone pull the drill-bit out of my head. I be learnin'

My BBT3 badge of courage

Brought to you by theOnline Poker Room FullTilt Poker and theDead Money Poker Blog byAlCantHang

Is AL the man or what?

A strategy reminder

I played in a satellite on Sunday and sucked it hard. But it wasn't tactics that made the difference, it was strategy. The hands I played, I played as well as can be expected. But in some ways, the regularly scheduled events spoil us.

Imagine you are in a field of 500 and the top 150 get satellite seats. Easy pickings, right? Well, did you remember that you start with 1500 chips and its a turbo? I didn't. Or better said, I didn't pay it any mind. A big mistake.

What should be the strategy going into a shallow stack turbo? Top 10 hands. There is no room to get fancy, maneuver post-flop with suited connectors, etc. You have $1500 in chips and you're dealt 98s. Are you going to call $200 chips here to see a flop? If so, you're playing like a hope-a-tron. Deeper stacks, maybe. Not a turbo, maybe. Deep stacks and not a turbo? Now we are talking.

Back to the 98s. What do you do now when the flop is K93 (not your suit) and its up to you. You gonna bet? If he bets 100, you going to call? Do you see your stack shrinkling like someone is pouring acid on a stack of pancakes?

"So using your logic, if I am in a short stack turbo satellite and I dont get a top 10 hand in the first 3 levels, I am just going to lose and that's that?!"

Yup. Probably. But you'll always have the ATC push (first in only) at about $800 chips. Ironically, once you get to level 3 and its $100/$200, $800 had better be from late position.

Good luck chip-hunter.

Tonight is YOUR night in the barrel

Did not matter HOW i got my money in ahead in the this weeks Mookie, the result was the same. I ended the hand behind. Lost 3 big pots where I got my money in good, the second one of which broke my back. But it happens and I have to take my beats like everyone else. So, look out tomorrow, I got some variance comin' my way!

PLOw me!

I finished 5th last night in the skillz PLO tournament. Again, having to defend a hand against a disgruntled holder of AA. I never get that. Big pairs in Omaha not holding up? Who would have thought?! To me, having AA in Omaha is like having AK in NLHE. You need to IMPROVE.

Anyways, I always struggled in PLO to determine starting ranges (same with Stud-7 hi only). I look back over the hand histories and the real story is that I played too FEW hands and paid to much in blinds/antes. I don't make that mistake now.

In this tournament, calling a pre-flop raise with 678T was not only justified, but essential. PLO is a game of peek and dive. Peek at a flop, dive out of the way of the scrapnel after it comes.

And worse, when you do flop a straight on this hand and the pre-flop guy was "moving to build a pot", I often disregard 2 suits on the board as "dangerous". The real story is not the AA pre-flop raise, but he unjustified call to the river with it. That board screamed "crack" at the top of its lungs as far as I could see.

I twice got my money in good and lost, once complete with a flush draw, OESD draw and 2 pair to boot. The ultimate drawing flop in PLO. I lost half my stack. haha.

But I was really happy overall because for the first time in a long time (if ever), I played PLO without making a huge and fatal mistake.

Donk's paradise redux

Still with an average stack the almost exact same scenario comes into play, only this time I have JJ...

I have 13k. UtG pushes in his 5k stack. Button with 6k shoves.

You have JJ. Is THIS a call or fold? How does this compare with the AK?

Donk's paradise

Last night was the weekly 6max NL (Monday's at the Hoy) and I had an interesting tale unfold. I was playing pretty well and ran my stack from 3k up to 18k. Normally, this would put my squarely in first, but last night it was only good enough for third. As a matter of fact, the chip leader, lucko, had OVER twice my stack. There are maybe 22 players left and the points/cash start at 10... The stage is set...

Astin with about $4500 pushes from UtG. He is a short stack and the average stack is about 12k*, so this is just any pair. Let's estimate 66.

*lucko has made the average stack disproportionally higher for everyone else but him.

The button, with only about $5500 pushes his stack in, lets estimate AQ.

Why? Because we have AhKh in the BB.

Argurments for calling:
1. The sheer numberof times that the BB waking up with AK has knocked ME out of a tournament with a short stack.
2. Luck-o can't be caught up to without another infusion of chips.
3. I am getting 2-1 on my money with big slick.
4. If I LOSE the hand, I still have 500 chips above an average stack, far from out.

Arguments for folding:
1. I HATE taking any Ax hand all-in pot pre-flop against multiple opponents.
2. It's possible one of them has a top 3 hand, ruining my odds.
3. I am 3rd in chips and have been playing pretty well, especially post flop this evening. Why get my money in pre-flop and have to pray?

In the end, due to the luck-o factor, I called. Astin had 66, button has AK. No paint comes at all and Astin triples up and the button goes home.

I would lose one other 3 way pot on the way to the button and eventually go out 12th when luck-o wakes up with... Yup, AK.

So, I broke my rule of never calling 2 all-ins without a premium pair. Should I have folded or was I just a victim of a "donk's paradise"?

the afterMATH

In the blogger skillz game, I learned on thing. My STUD game is WEAK. Somehow I just dont play enough hands. So, I am really soliciting advice here. What is you starting range of hands in STUD? I like to start with either a pair, 3 connected cards or 3 suited cards or 3 broadway cards. But by 5th street, if I have a "single pair below the door card of a raiser", I am typically folding. If I had a draw hand and dont improve on 4th or 5th, I fold. And I wont play with any hand below these when someone completes. So, this is causing me to bleed to death. What should I do?

At the Mookie, I had to lay down middle pair to a re-raise. With the stacks back at 1500, I was now working with 900 chips and chased average for an hour before losing back to back races and going out midway.

On Thursday, I' d love to tell you some great story, but in reality I was playing rock-band with the kids and missed the start. lame. Damn that's addicting.

So, next week its time to come out guns blazing... see you then.

Oh, by the way. I set up a myspace page for "columbo" at
myspace.com/oneminutemystery which is also lame.
-=-

As promised - for Pureprophet

Alan asked to see this hand after he folded. So, here it is an my logic…

Full Tilt Poker Game #5493553082: Mondays at the Hoy (41405249), Table 15 - 800/1600 Ante 200 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:06:04 ET - 2008/03/04
Seat 1: pureprophet (90,117)
Seat 4: Breeze81 (18,105)
Seat 5: bayne_s (31,390)
Seat 6: columbo (46,963)
Everyone ntes 200
columbo posts the small blind of 800
pureprophet posts the big blind of 1,600
The button is in seat #5

Ok, There are 4 at our table and maybe 9 left. I have a healthy stack, but not enough to coast. I am playing to win not cash (note: this is RARE for me, I usually play to cash high and not worry about first.)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [2d 2c]
Breeze81 folds
bayne_s folds
columbo calls 800

I know a lot of people would raise or fold here, but I prefer small-ball, If I raise and he-reraises, the pot is 3 times as large than if I am just prepared to call a 3x raise from the ONLY remaining player. NOTE: This is NOT a popular way to play, I know that. But I will not attempt to convince you my style is better than any “book” style.

pureprophet raises to 3,200
columbo calls 1,600

There was NO thought put into the call as I prepared for the raise in advance.
Pot is 7200 and is still escapable… for either of us. This is important to me.

*** FLOP *** [Th 3d 4h]
This flop rules. I mean, when you are on 22 and you DON’T flop a set, wouldn’t you want THIS flop? Even when I bet, how can he put me on even a range of hands near 22?

columbo bets 7,200
This POT size bet attempt to show that I flopped either TP or have a pair 55-99.

pureprophet has 15 seconds left to act <= probably thinking the same thing, but is worried about a bluff because the flop is so bad. But, the bet is BIG so he is wary of coming over the top. He suspects he might be ahead, so he calls.

pureprophet calls 7,200

Pot is about 21k

Now since he calls here, I do NOT smell a trap. I now suspect he has A-rag, something like K3, or even presto.

*** TURN *** [Th 3d 4h] [4c]

The four pairs the board and I want to make a bet that looks like the I am worried about a flush sucking out on me, Plus, the turn is the pressure point when he smooth calls the turn. If I am not afraid and his hand is marginal, psychologically his choice is brutal.

But I am willing to move in here. I mean even though I could fold and still have chips, I push to send a message. “I want your chips”.

columbo bets 36,363, and is all in

He likes is hand or suspicious, but only a hope-a-tron calls here unless I have a reputation for bluffing, which I don’t.

pureprophet has requested TIME
pureprophet folds

Uncalled bet of 36,363 returned to columbo
columbo wins the pot (21,600)

Was I bluffing with the best hand or did Alan lay down a pair? Only he knows.

Thoughts after a modicum of sleep

First of all, thanks to everyone who rail-birded me and left a "Fuck you Scott Fischman" shout-out comment last night. Unlike many other tournaments that really are just a couple of big decisions, this one was a struggle for dominance the entire route.

Featured in the run:

• TWO future One Minute Mystery hands.


• A hand so tough, that Schulman asked for the Hand History after the match... (I'll post it later tonight in its entirety.)


• 3 hands where I was pedaling a monster, just to see it reduced to a danger hand on the river due to a board pair or 3 suit card.


• Some of the best reads I ever made, catching a player with second best hand.

I could on and on for hours, but I am not Hoyazo. (haha). But I will say this...

I think I know why I WON this instead of just cashing. Here is my take on that:

• The matra really did help. I know it sounded like a joke, but things like that keep you "in the moment". Yelling that mantra keep me engaged and excited when a 3+ hours event can have your interest and focus phasing in and out.


• I had light background noise. Usually this is an unimportant DVD (last week it was old Benny Hill discs), but last night it was Mrs. Columbo cleaning out her closet for the first time in 6 years and making little comments. I'll compare myself (ever so briefly) to John Lennon there who wrote songs with the TV on, Radio on, and reading the newspaper all at once. This is far better than silence for me.


• I did not have an enitre level of "card death". You dont need to be Astin and get big pocket pairs slapping you in the face, but you need at least something to play in a level. I had a reasonable set of card. (Is it just me or is it much harder to be card dead in 6-max?)


• Someone made a HUGE mistake against me in the middle rounds. After losing a big hand when my KK got cracked by AQ for half my chips... I drop from first in chips to tied around 10th. And I am tied with the person who took my chips. Now, you have all these chips and you flop a flush draw with 2 overs. You make a pot size bet and your opponent (the only player to have you covered) comes over the top. Do you call? Really? A couple of people argued that you HAD to call. I am in the opposite camp (as were many others). I dont see how you can call and keep your sanity. Why risk your TWICE average stack fighting a battle that YOU DONT NEED TO WIN. I can see it from both sides, but I still rather have the set than the draw, which is what I had. So the overs are no good and the flush draw doesn't get there, and I get ALL my chips BACK from this player! That was HUGE. HUGE(addendum: In the guise of disclosure, I did NOT have the set. As a matter of fact I had NOTHING BUT AIR and hit a pair on the river. but my POINT was there is no way my opponent can put me on less than TPTK here, more likely a set.)


• I had enough chips at the final table to continue to play MY STYLE. I was playing with a couple of guys who were decent, but were not a familiar with "small-ball". I really got away with playing a style that usually I have to abandon towards the end. Purephophet I think new this and would try to keep me honest.


• Not defending my blinds was costing me chips... BUT I used that to my advantage at times. I am a poor defender of my blinds. Pureprophet, Pushmonkey, and zeroluck were stealing from me more than I like, but I took it like a man. Why? There are 2 schools on this, the Phil's. Ivy defends like he has a monster every time. Hellmuth takes his lumps and sets up future plays. I follow the latter (because I suck at the Ivy method). When I forced a player to play a bigger pot, I had the best of it.


• At the end, Heads Up with Zeroluck he would just pound me. Not only would he bluff on flops, he would rub it in by showing his garbage. I rarely did the re-steal, confused by the aggressive play coming from the new guy. Instead, to my detriment at first, I played dodge-and-parry looking for openings. But my experience recognizing patterns came more and more into play as I extended the duel. Sure I was laying down hands where my bottom pair was ahead… but there were just enough times where the trap was a crushing blow.

I find it incredibly ironic that last year I LED in money taken from the Hoy, yet never once finished first. (A testiment to both the good and the bad of my style of play.) But by playing a little more for first and taking on a marginal amount of additional risk, I finally cracked that glass. Now when I reach a final table, I can stop obsessing about "here comes another second place". And that is worth alot more to me than the prize money.

Fuck You Scott Fischman

I won the fucking Hoy! Finally. 105 runners and I took it down. FINALLY. The monkey is off my back.

So what's with the title? Well, after the Sunday game, Everytime I won a big hand in the Hoy I yelled "Fuck you Scott Fischman". It works! He should write a book!

BBT3 kicks off with a bang

I played in my home game series on Saturday and since I had my seat all but wrapped up, I tried to be more loose. I sucked at it. I passed and opportunity to test AK with my 88 and yet what else can I want? If I decide to play loose and I am afraid to re-raise with 88, call it a night.

So when BBT3 kicked off, I took my lessons from Saturday and a good run of early cards to take a big early chip lead to 25k. It would never eclipse that. But what really surprised me was when I noticed a player moving up quickly to 9k in chips. It was Scott Fischman. Ugh.

Later, he moved to my table. As a matter of fact, at one point the 4 chip leaders were all at the same table. But what was more interesting was that Scott was employing the Surflexus strategy of 'taking on all comers'. He would even call a raise then a shove with T6o! and somehow come out on top. It was unexplainable... really.

I ended up finishing in the bottom of the money, 18th. Sad when you think about the early mountain of chips.

I am not a hack!

Is it the economy? is it the frequency of events? whatever it is, I had to endure not one, but two tirades last night when I won a big pot from behind. And listen guys, calling players you play with EVERY DAY retards is not good form.

Look, I might not be Phil Helluth, but I THINK about what I do. I might not do what YOU would, but that is supposed to be ok. Isnt it?

I have $4k in chips and the avg is $5k. Let me emphasize this, my Q is less than 1 and shorty stack is less than .5 of my stack. If my Q is greater than 1 and his stack is greater than half my stack, I tend to fold here. But NEITHER is true. Now I find myself looking for the TIME button, but the lame interface doesnt have one. In the end, I figure that even though 66 is probably a simple race here, I'll take it. I DECIDED that. I do not and will not just push with 66 everyday. As a matter of fact, it is freakin rare. So, I call. And guess what? He had QQ. And guess what, I turned a 6. IT HAPPENS.

Much later on, I make a huge mistake. The blinds are high and I limp UtG with JsQs. This is a BAD play. I know this. As the the players fold I am actually talking to myself outloud, telling myself what a BAD play that was and I wish I could go back and fold. It was a bad play. The button calls. Now I make a decision. I will try to pretend I linped UtG with a monster like AA or KK. The flop comes Ten high with 2 spades! This is a good flop for me! I can represent my overpair and if I get called I have the flush draw. I make the big bet, he comes over the top and I am stuck getting over 3:1 on a 2:1 flush draw. I call and hit the flush on the river.

Was JsQs UtG a +EV play? No. But if I NEVER play non-premium hands from EP, I am predictable. Maybe that is just an excuse, but when that flop came, the value of my hand increases dramatically. If the flop was bad, I simply continue to yell at myself for being stupid and fold. That's poker. Stop yelling at me.

Dont get me wrong, I LIKE a good critique. A constructive comment that speaks to game improvement. Fuel used to rub me the wrong way, but I now really appreciate his comments for what they are worth. And if I ask a question about it, he will answer it. What more could we ask for? We are bloggers. We should be interested in helping ourselves as a collective group get better. Right?

Anyway, enough of being defensive. I took 5th last night, and I'll be the first to say that I didn't play good enough to win. Ironically, I went out when I flopped TP and he turned a set. Did I mention that "it happens"?

I need comments here people

so it turns out that Surflexus won the Mookie last night. I played at his table most of the night and I can say that his strategy was so counter to mine, I am still trying to adsorb it. Please help me.

1. Dont be afraid to play big pots, screw controlling pot size.
2. If a player moves all-in and you have him covered, you can call with ATC.

Now surflexus has won more Mookie events than any other player, so there must be something to this. Can someone please shed some light and put this in context for me before my freaking head explodes?!

Strong Start, weak finish

So I started the Mookie by taking a race. VERY RARE for me, but I got the impression that I was facing JJ,QQ and I had AK. Normally a fold for me at normal starting stacks, the $1500 starting stack in the Mookie made me take the volatility. I doubled up and went on to add even more chips to take an early chip lead.

As the tournament went on, I was doing fine. But with 2 tables left, I ended up in a very strange place. With 12 left, I was the short stack at my table despite having a bigger stack than every single player at the other table. I have never had that happen on the bubble before and it’s a difficult position to be in. If I push at my table, I am very likely to be called. If I fold at my table, I will not make the final table. In the end, 5 handed, I pushed with 66 from UtG+1 and the giant stack on my left woke up with JJ. C’est la vie.

Mookie Pimpage

Since Mookie may be my new homeboy by September, I figure I need to pimp the Wednesday night mainstay, the Mookie. I play in it, shouldn't you?



Plus, where else do you get a live show with your poker game? http://www.buddydank.com/radio/bdr2/

ITS COMING RIGHT AT US!!!!

and no one is safe! Lock up the children. Turn off your phones. Its the event to end all poker events. Forget about your TV. Forget about your evenings. Say goodbye to your friends and family. Its just you, the computer, and god-willing, -beer.

No excuses. No Mercy. Hammers and Dead money everywhere. Oh the humanity.

Still think poker is a skill game? Well, get what's coming to you in the BBT3!!!!

side effects may include nausea, headaches, ranting, suckouts, hives, loss of hearing, loss of sanity, loss of bankroll. See a physician as necessary. erections lasting more than 24 hours are not human. beware bayne and astin. read the labels for full disclosures.

Dude, I got Rock Band

Well, aa friend of mine brought over Rock Band for us to play in the big theater room. OMG. I can remember maybe 5 geek events where I was up past 4am.

• Ali Baba and the 40 Theives on the Atari 800.
• Carmageddon "Fox and Hound" multiplayer mode
• Quake II running the "superhero" and "action quake" mods
• An afternoon of Red Line and Giants
• A long session of Unreal Tournament III

and now Rock Band. Who knew that Kareoke could be turned into a fun event?!

I have a video of 4 guys over 4o "performing" Gimme Shelter. (just like the real band)

Anyway, I never though pretending to play instruments could be more fun that actually playing them. But I should have know that. After all, console Baseball is far superior to actually playing Baseball.

Harrington and AQ

I was readying Harrington Vol 3 today and I was particularly focused for an hour on 3 pages. The AQ hand. Now, I consider myself a Harrington disciple. If this was a chop-socky movie, I would address him as "master". So imagine my confusion when I read this scenario and disagreed with his take on it.

Its a field of 400 and the top 10% get paid. There are 50 players left, so its 10 to the bubble. The blinds are 400/800 and the stacks vary from $4800 to $18000. You the $4800 stack.

The UtG player raises to $1800 (3xBB) which is standard since the ante's have not started yet. Folds to you in the 7 hole with AQo. The player folds and Harrington chastises him for his "mistake".

Now I am not one to challange the masters at their own game, but it really bothered me. In the last few weeks, I am sure I would fold AQ here. Anicdotal evidence would show me going on to cash in all of those situations. What am I missing?

Here is my theory, and its important heading into our WSOP season. This may be a situation where its correct to fold online, but push at a table. Why?

Three reasons:

1. There is far less respect at an online table. Player are more willing to make calls here online. Therefore, you have less fold equity on your push over the top of $3k.
2. You play more hands / hour online and therefore can wait longer for a situation you like better, such as getting into the pot first.
3. The ante has not started and the player has the biggest stack at the table, so I expect his range to be narrow here. Narrow enough that he knows he is calling my push when he bets here. I expect a pair or AK/AQ from the UtG here. I cant see AJ here with him expecting to have to fold to a reraise and 8 others to get past.

But at a big money brick and mortar tournament, coming over the top here for $3k more carries much more weight in my opinion. You have fewer hands so AQ goes up in value, aggression is far better in table play and is an established formula, and there is more folding respect at a table, especially in big money tournament where you are willing to re-raise on the button. At a table, I might see AJ or a 66 do this expecting to gte past 8 players or simply get called.

This remains a big debate for me in my head and I continue to argue for the fold here. But I certainly see some situations where shoving is correct.

the mookie has my number

I have been thinking in terms of situations of late, and a common one is "big hands early, then card death". Last night in the Mookie, I flopped DQB Kings to add a chunk to my stack, then doubled up on a flopped straight. So I am at $3500 while the average is still $1800.

Fast forward an HOUR. I am at $3200 with the avergage stack at $3200. Y-ouch. When I did have hands strong enough to play, I was more often than not faced with a bad situation. either the stakes were too large pre-flop with EP raisers, or I would move with 77 in MP and an LP would "play it away from me". Now in my defense, when I had 44 and the UtG at a full table suddenly raises 4xBB, I can safely discard my 44 from MP. And when my 77 sees a flop of AKx (where x<>7), and I am out of position, I am going to have to give up this hand if he is betting. And he was.

Even after the blinds passed me by, the 88 hand remained the apex of my cards whose summary can be stated as 88,77,44, and KJo. In the end, I just could not overcome that. Force to make a move, my A6 from MP ran smack into JJ in the next seat. There were many hands where I was unable to play because of pre-flop action, and everytime someone had a big hand.

This is the toughest of situations, as there really is no answer for a bad run of cards for over an hour. Especially when stealing isn't attractive due to the big hands being shown. Nevertheless, the tournament continues to replay in my head. I keep looking for an angle...

6max NLHE observations

6-max NLHE update
ok, here are my anecdotal observations. These are debatable factoids, and your milage may vary.

1. In 6-max, you are forced into defending your blinds more... Although, I don't seem to have adjusted my criteria for defense much...

2. In 6-max, trap hands such as AJ become must-play hands.

3. Just because you are short handed, that is no excuse to play "loose". You still need to make solid decisions.

4. controlling the pot size is MORE important than in a full ring because players are more willing to "make a move" on you and if the pot size is wrong, you might make a bigger mistake than you normally would.

Comments from the 6-max gallery?


MTT news
I again finished 2nd last night in a MTT. That's back to back second places. I am the KING of second place, dog. yo. How proudly can you beat your chest saying, "I can finish second in anything you got"? But it does make me a more consistent casher, because I play to the money FIRST, then to win. But even that is not 100% true. Last night, 9 in the money, but scewed to the top 5. There are 6 left and I have AQ on the button. UtG makes a raise, and at this point could be a steal as likely as a hand. And if it is a hand, any Ace-rag is likely. So, what do I do with AQ in the situation? I fold it. Yup. I had already taken one race with AK vs. 77 and lost and I considered that my lost opportunity to race to the finish. So I went into McMighty-Tighty mode and watched the others self distruct all into the same stack of chips. At the end I was almost and 8-1 dog, but was one of the last 2 standing. This style is obviously not for everyone!

Personal news
It looks more and more likely that I am off to Austin. Who are the austin bloggers?! Shout-outs please!!

what is success?

In the words of the shoalin monks, "learning something means applying it". In their world, you did not learn kung fu just to learn it. You learned it to use it. Even if that was sparing over actual conflict. Poker is the same in that regard. If you read poker books and don’t play, that is obviously silly. But if you play the same stakes the same way over and over again, you are not really applying your experience, are you?


I have been playing 6max-NLHE cash lately and its killing me. My results are in the tank, and my bankroll is hurting, despite playing decently. What does my suffering teach me, Grasshopper? Suffering is life? Hardly. Many people skate through life avoiding suffering. No, I like to think that I am carving new patterns into my brain to be used in the pattern recognition exercise we call poker.


As human beings and not machines, we need to create the concept of the "finite" for our brains to comprehend something. So we think in terms of our experiences. There is nothing wrong with this until we run into people who exploit this, and then the circle of life starts anew. Are you following any of this? Me neither. But I think it illustrates another point. Things can be as complex or as simple as we wish.


For me, Tournaments are simpler than cash games. Why? Simply because there is a set of constraints around a tournament that do not exist in a cash game. (escalating blinds change the phase of the game, while going broke adds a finale to an otherwise singular transaction.) And its the constraints of a tournament I have learned to exploit. It is VERY rare for me to have to resort to 3 levels of thinking in a tournament, as motivations are harder to disguise. Plus, I have added a series of criteria that I use to evaluate the truth of a players actions. The biggest is "pot size".


Controlling the size of the pot is paramount in tournament play. (its probably important in cash too, but I am still working that out.) When a player is willing to play a big pot, he is committing to a course of action. (This does NOT mean he isn't bluffing!!) And because of stack sizes, blinds/antes, and the finality of going broke, the context of this behavior has larger significance.


In creating a big pot, we are signaling to the other player that we are willing to clash. maybe its because we have a strong hand, maybe a strong draw, maybe we are willing to put our opponent on a hand and believe we can force him out. Whatever the case, we are gearing up for battle. And when the war can be won or lost in a single battle, this is significant. We create pressure, cause for concern, and a fight or flight scenario for our opponent. And because of this, you would be surprised the number of times last night I folded AQ to a raise, but stole with 53o.


And even though I am still forming the theories that will help me be a better cash game player, I will stop worrying that I am destroying my MTT game. Last night, I took second in the Hoy. I played decent heads up, but just could not get any traction. I think the head up lasted a good 30 minutes. I started with a 2-1 chip deficit, and after a long battle, escaped alive when my TP ran into 2pair. But that left me with a 5-1 chip deficit and despite getting a good chunk back, eventually ran into the dreaded AA.


So I am now trying to compartmentalize 3 years of poker into a few months of preperation for the 6max NLHE WSOP event. Step 1 is to stop the bleeding. I continue to stare at the screen in disbelieve at times... As for yesterday's post, I simply walked away until the following day. And had a bad session anyways.


But if there is one thing I have going for me, its persistence. I have stopped acting like a moron (and took the doctors advice to "stop doing that!") I have played the OUU scenario much better. But most of all, my Houdini skills are coming back to me and I am able to escape from TPTK or AQ pre-flop.

Continue to spar...

How do I go on?

I am playing well today and have doubled my buy in despite getting stubborn one hand with 66 and seeing KK at the showdown. As I am reviewing the hand for mistakes, I get AA and make a raise. The limper shoves and I call to see his monumental QTs. I lose that hand and the very next hand I get JJ. This time the button shoves and I call to see his AJ. I lose that hand and just like that I am felted. Now here is my question:

I am playing well today, but I dont feel I can continue. Not because I am afraid of bad luck, but rather I dont see how I can not be tilted at this point.

Is anyone out there good enough to play past this? is so, can you explain how you manage?

Doctor, Doctor. It hurts when I do this.

Well, I figured out why I cant finish a tournament in the last few weeks. And its not mind blowing knowledge. Here's this thing about how I play NLHE. I like to control the pot size above all else. When I make a port size re-raise and a player then comes over the top, and I call with TPTK, I lose. 90% of the time. So why am I calling 90% of the time instead of 10%?



Me: Doctor, it hurts when I do this.

Doc: "Well stop doing that!"



I have driven myself to the edge of oblivian with TPTK calls. This must be the intermediate poker player's equivalent of the moron test. And I spent the last 3 weeks failing. Not jsut failing, but last night, TALKING MYSELF into calling! If that don't beat all!

In my mind, getting away from second best hand IS the key to MTTs that are 5 tables or less.

This makes OUU look like a joke

I've been mulling over the OUU (over under under) dilema for weeks now. How do you play TT when the flop is Q63? Ok, now let's talk about our worst nightmare. Far worse than OUU.

Its TP vs. a push.

No, really.

Think about how many times players go broke in a tournament. There are two major scenarios.

1. Player is willing to push on a draw/ play against the draw
2. Player is caught with second best hand.

Number 1 we all know like the back of our hands. Let's skip that for now.

Number 2, however, is another matter. Take this scenario:

You're moving right along in a tournament and you have an above average stack. But the field is large and you still need to accumulate chips. You call an EP raise with AKs and watch the flop come down with an Ace. Your opponent now bets pot. You re-raise, 3x his raise. Calling this would be half his stack now. He comes over the top all-in.

So, how do you as a thinking player, deal with this situation? How many times will you go broke here if you called every time? Would you be better off folding everytime?

What is the most profitable play here?

Why is this important?!??! Listen. The WSOP is coming up. If you are going to play in a big field event, you have to expect that you are going to be in situations where you are challenged for all your chips and you have Top Pair. And you have to assume in SOME of those cases you are behind. What process are you going to go through?

When its ok to play like a wuss-bag

Last night, I finished 5th in my WSOP home game league. This pretty much wraps up a seat in a $1500 event in June. In order to place 5th, I had to do the following multiple times:

• Fold hands with equity to avoid a race for all my chipe (AK vs. pairs, AJ vs. AJ, etc)
• Listen to people chastize me for my last OMM where I recommend folding QQ to guarantee second place.
• Fold every hand from early position
• Steal only when necessary
• fold the best hand to a tilting over the top all-in which ruined a chance to eliminate a player stuck in the hand.

At one juncture, with about 14 left, I correctly identified a KOD moment, when a button all-in from a short stack (about half my stack), figured to be a small pair of Ax. I had AQ and in a larger field would have insta-called. But because my goal was 7th or better, I folded my blind and watched him flash AJ. UGH. But that is my game. I want to have some edge when I play a big pot. I hate pre-flop all-ins, especially races.

Despite my seemingly tenderfooting around, I really was only eliminated when a fake-steal with AK and a shorter stack, created a mandatory call from a large stack with 44. This is what I wanted as it was my best way to accumulate chips with the blinds at 20% of my stack. But alas, AK gets no help and I had to settle for 5th.

In cash game news, I continue to play exclusively 6maxNLHE. My results are more eratic than an EKG on a monkey trying to open a plastic banana. But I still think its my best chance for a cash in a $1500 event. Anyone disagree? I do think that the $1500 HORSE would be the most FUN event to play, but I cant fool myself into thinking that Limit-HE and Stud8 would not eventually sink me. When it comes to HORSE, I find I just plain fold to much. Not a problem in 6NLHE.