Finally, an update

Well, life is in chaos. But change brings growth and that is what learning is all about. Maybe its the change of scenery, or perhaps its my internal growth, but my way of viewing hands has changed.

I have a new job, and at the executive level times are tough, so I embrace it rather than grouse. I have a 40 min commute. Average to some, but the longest of my career. In addition, I walked into a 120m company with the tech infrastructure of the 1980s. Really, you think I am joking, but alas I am not. The CEO uses AOL email still. You cant make this stuff up.

As for reading, I picked up a book called The 33 Strategies of War, by the author of my favorite book of all time, the 48 Laws of Power. If you have ever read Sun Tzu, you immediately take away that most battles are won before they begin. The equivalent in poker is playing hands and knowing your stuff. But so many players are decent and well prepared now, it just is not enough of an edge. If you read the 33 Strategies of War, the biggest thing you take away is that the best generals could improvise against the grain. i.e. come up with strategies on the fly that were based on exploiting tenancies. If you are a big NFL fan (and I mean an X's and O's guy, not that fantasy crap) you know that tenancies and weaknesses are exploitable.

All this comes to a point. I am changing my style a bit moving forward. I am going to play a bit more aggressive and play about 5% more hands. And I am going to use those hands to attempt to exploit my opponents and keep them on the defense. This, is paramount to today's game. Watching the WSOP on ESPN (too many all-in preflop hands on TV) simply confirms this. You need to be able to "run more plays" to get ahead.

I played the ante-up 5 card single draw tournament Wednesday night and made the final table. I like this game, but there are no "simple bluffs". If you are going to bluff in single draw, you really have to set it up pre-draw. For Example, if you have a strong image, you can draw two after a raise from position and know you are probably going to take down the pot better when the player who drew 3 checks. Even though you have nada. On the other hand, if you have a lame image, they will assume you have held onto your Ace kicker (very lame). I saw at least TWO players doing that. Wow. In the end, its hard to fold a dealt 2 pair pre-flop when the blinds are high. I had to once, and was crippled and then not a few hands later could not (no chips) and again was shown trips (pre-flop).

This Saturday, I have a deep stack $200 live game with a field of about 100. Should be a good one. Last time I went out early when a guy boated on the river, and I didn't fold. Lame. But I'll play better this time.

Terrible MTT session

3 tournaments, zero success. Why? I think its lack of concentration more than anything. If I am going to play, it has to be with the eye of the tiger, not the apathy of a koala.

Poker Anecdote

Last night I am playing at league night. I have bled off 20% of my stack missing flops. I hit zero of them. So, folds around to the button and "villain" makes a raise. I also noted he played his last 4 buttons or so (but I am not sure). I look down at Ac7c, so I call. I have already decided on a course of action for my hand if I hit an Ace.

Flop is 8cAdJh. I decide that I will check raise the c-bet. The c-bet comes for maybe 1500 and I come over the top for 7k all in. Now, that is a big bet, but he calls with TPTK. I figure that a bigger Ace here (but not AK) may fold. Tough call, but certainly reasonable. The turn is a 7 and I win the hand from behind. Not that I am proud of my play here, but now I feel like I have to defend it because this guy is pissed.

Even after a short discussion, he says something under his breath. With strangers I would let that go, but not in a league. I bring it back up. His logic is that he "never plays marginal hands, and thus cant have just a Jack there." He solicits confirming opinions from another player at the table. No way this guy would make a button raise with a hand like KJ or QJ. Fine. Ok.

As usual with this kind of story, fast forward maybe an hour at the most. Folded around to him on the button and he raises. I decide to CALL in the SB with KQo. I have this hand in the blinds because of the trouble it can cause. You could argue for a raise since the antes kicked in, but perhaps this guy has AK again. Ok, so the BB calls and we end up going to the river since no one can beat the pocket pair of 77 from the BB. He shows JsQs!! The EXACT hand he states he NEVER plays.

Moral of the story: Phil Hellmuth is a genius. Really. By going on a tirade, people give you credit for tighter play. Try it!

More Thoughts

Got my ass out of the office this week and rode my new bike to the grocery store. I had watched the WSOP coverage the night before, and as I recalled the information I was amazed at how few interesting hands there were. I mean, most played themselves. Very boring. Even the occasion bluff seemed well timed and a good spot for it. I even followed Jean-Robert Bellande's bluff logic as he bet 3 streets into trips I think. Happens.

I am disappointed that the Lions are already on their back-up QB. I guess the NFL is not like poker. No injury substitutions.

Playing the 6-max $22k today. I like the format. You see more "stab bluffs" that have to be countered, and players show more patterns in 6-max.

Job? yeah, yeah, let me finish Mass Effect 2 first. ok, seriously, two jobs with 3rd interviews this week. People afraid of making a mistake I presume.

I still like MSFT for a buy and hold. The revenue stream from xbox live is so good, that PS3 and Wii were forced to add those services. That and they print money like IBM does as of late. Equities = gambol

Thoughts and Notes

Job hunting has been "fun", but I am glad its coming to a close.  I have 3 or so viable ones in the final stages, plus a couple of backups in the pipeline.  Overall, I expect to be working and saying goodbye to the daily $42k sometime in the next 30 days.

I'll miss that daily practice, albeit at the $24 level.  I decided that my future play will be at the next level or higher ($69+) from now on.   This is a big change (moving up levels), but in forays into the higher levels, things have gone relatively well.

In other thoughts...


I wanted to play at an online casino so I looked up online casinos and found http://www.casino.org/us/ as a site that lists a few.  Should be an interesting site to watch going forward.

Its interesting that Harrah's has not surfaced in DC as of yet, but I am expecting it soon after the election.
I expect some sort of online poker in the US, but you must be a US owned and operated Brick and Mortar casino to get a license.  This will all but crush the offshore entities for about a year as they scramble to find a way to land a beachhead.

Really? THRID (sic) best hand here???

Full Tilt Poker Game #23732823713: $8K Super Stack (Early Antes)
Seat 1: columbo (5,370)
Seat 2: digit67 (2,808)
Seat 3: kampi 08 (8,858)
Seat 4: chrispy2005 (2,466)
Seat 5: xiiviix (6,569)
Seat 6: COUNT TRON (3,988)
Seat 7: Reebak (9,213)
Seat 8: DomeMish (8,670)
Seat 9: EvalEvan66 (4,475)

everyone antes 10
columbo posts the small blind of 40
digit67 posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #9

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [7s 5s]
chrispy2005: wp?
kampi 08 folds
chrispy2005 raises to 200
xiiviix calls 200
COUNT TRON folds
Reebak folds
DomeMish calls 200
EvalEvan66 folds
columbo calls 160  (why not?)
digit67 calls 120

*** FLOP *** [3s 8s 4s]
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo checks - decide to check-raise all-in here with the super draw...
digit67 bets 1,090
chrispy2005 folds
xiiviix raises to 6,359, and is all in
DomeMish folds
columbo calls 5,160, and is all in
digit67 calls 1,508, and is all in
xiiviix shows [Ks Qs]
columbo shows [7s 5s]
digit67 shows [As 8c]
Uncalled bet of 1,199 returned to xiiviix

*** TURN *** [3s 8s 4s] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [3s 8s 4s 9s] [Kd]
xiiviix shows a flush, King high
columbo shows a flush, Nine high
xiiviix wins the side pot (5,124) with a flush, King high
digit67 shows a flush, Ace high
digit67 wins the main pot (8,884) with a flush, Ace high

*** SUMMARY ***
Seat 1: columbo (small blind) showed [7s 5s] and lost with a flush, Nine high
Seat 2: digit67 (big blind) showed [As 8c] and won (8,884) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 5: xiiviix showed [Ks Qs] and won (5,124) with a flush, King high

How I LOATHE the Button Straddle

Why?  Let me spell it out.  It takes any game and forces it to play 1 level higher, without the stacks.  For example, in a 1-2 game the button straddle is $5.  So, you are playing a $2-$5 game, but the buy-in is only $200 max.  So, you are forced to play a bigger game against stacks that have accumulated at the table with only 40 BB. 

Yes, that REALLY bothers me.  It changes the game in that the table play is looser, but most of the time the loose play is unjustified.  Worse, if you are not getting cards, you bleed chips relatively quickly.

Here is a scenario.  You see some flop (at $5-$10 each) and miss EVERYONE and have to refill even though you have NOT LOST A HAND.  The stack to your left is $800 and ALWAYS button straddles and often raises it.  So, a new girl on his left limps.  I look down at 88 and its a perfect place to see a 4-5 handed flop.  I limp too.  The button makes it $20 to go and then the UTG girl, who is being tricky with QQ, re-pops to $45. 

She only has $120 behind and this button guy is probably going to call pre-flop, but who can be sure.  Do I want to play for $45 with 88 in a $1-$2 game??? No, of course not.  I am WAY behind and I would need to win a pot of $400 to have justified the call.  She only has $120.  And if I miss the flop, which I will 7 out of 8 times, I just called off 9 BB in a losing effort. 

The flop was A8X.  Figures. 

But my point is that the people building big stacks (and another guy was stuck $400 before he won a pot and started to build a stack) are doing it getting their money in with total disregard for EV. 

Conclusion: Its a donk-fest only you dont have the usual edge you would at said fest.  Your best bet is to build a stack fast, but if you keep getting "see a flop hands", you had better hit a few of them.

Poker and Football (NFL that is)

Why do I love football so much?  Because I am constantly amazed at the Xs and Os of it. The coaches and their game plans and the scheming are riveting to me. 

I approach poker tournaments like an NFL coach.  I have a game plan based on the structure and then call plays based on the situation.  This is probably why I am a tournament player vs. a cash player.  I put the situations first and try "reads" on a player second.  (I do the reverse if playing cash).

So, I was sort of bemused last night when a comment was made about my play style.  We have 12 players, so it becomes an extended SnG.  Short-handed, then full table, then returning to short handed.  I for one love short-handed play in this situation.  But apparently someone had been stat-hunting and made a comment that I am not aggro enough to be good short-handed.  I found that intriguing.  (I still think being aggressive at 6-max is over-rated.)

In a 6-max tournament, you really have to open up your starting hands and fight a bit harder for pots.  But I am not a believer that you simple change out your game-plan styles for 6-max.  That's debatable I know.  But in a 12 person home-game, there is no comparison to a full field 6-max tournament.

My game plan for this more SnG situation is simple.  (Nods to Jen Harman here).  No Limit is a game of trapping.  With big stacks and big fields, you are trapping post-flop.  In a smaller field with smaller stacks, I am more likely to utilize the Phil Hellmuth method of trapping.  Pre-flop raises, laydowns to re-raises, until you cultivate situation where you think you have gotten an edge pre-flop. 

Sure, at one point with 5 or 6 left (this hand will be OMM e107) I had to lay down what turned out to be the best hand (although I still outlasted that player to get to the chop at the end).  But more often, I was trying to play big pots with my big hands pre-flop.

To me, in a big field AK is a drawing hand.  In a shorter stack or smaller field short-handed, AK is a TRAPPING hand (and sometimes AQ for that matter). 

Sure, even in 6-max I treat UTG as UTG (nods to Lee Childs), but usually I am playing hands I might discard at a full table (AJ, the Cosenza, etc.).  And I will "float" more, but I am still not going to be stupid and bluff off large amounts of chips under the guise of aggression. 

Lions News: status of the 3 year plan

Why did the Lions trade for a DE last night?

Take a look at this diagram.  The Lions are on a 3 years plan, and a competent one.  I was critical at first, because I always felt you built from the defense up.  But in the pass-happy NFL, you have to build from the QB first.  So year 1 they assess their offense and grab their QB.  The use "talent fill-ins" on defense, determining their targets.

Year 2: they finalize their offensive based on year 1 weaknesses (Calvin being triple teamed was a big indicator) and fix the TRENCHES.  That is right, the priority was the TRENCHES.  Solidified LG.   Two BIG MASSIVE impact DT.  And SITUATIONAL DEs.  Speed rushers AND edge containment guys. 

2011: The "back 7" will be finalized.  Everyone there this year, with the exception of Delmas, is competing for a 2011 job.  This includes the CB trades, Peterson, and the new crop of discarded safeties from other teams. 

It seems worth stating that the Lions aspire to 8-8 this year.  7-9 will be disappointing, based on their plan.  9-7 would be something to be ecstatic about as it confirms that the moves to date have had a huge impact.  But rest assured, the Lions will be interesting instead of the doormat of the NFC North.

Poker's Prisoners Dilemma

You have 8500 in chips and are dealt KK in the BB. The level is 100/200 (antes start next level). With 3 limpers at 200 each, deciding what size raise took me a second thought. In the end, I voted for 1000 (not 1200). First limper folds, second (BUTTON) calls, third folds.

Ok, so the pot is $2500 and you have $7500 behind. Assuming that an Ace does not flop, you are going to lead out a good percentage of the time. The lead would be anywhere from $1000 to $2500 depending on the flop. Standard would be about $1500-$1800.

The flop comes 78Q with 2 spades (My kings are red). My opponent can have a wide range, but based on the limp call on the button, I am going to have trouble putting him on a hand. After thinking that only a Q will call, I decide to bet only $1000. This is light, but in a home game, c-bets and turn bets often fall into bad habits of "same size as last bet" traps, and I figured it would look like that.

After betting the $1k, my opponent raises to $3k. Here now is the dilemma:

You have a strong holding vs. a wide range at an early level. BUT, you have $2k in

Here is my criteria for a fold:
1. Did my opponent take control of a hand? If so, why
2. Did my opponent reach the tipping point first?

In this case, he took control of the hand and yet I cant see him trying to "take it away" on this flop. Especially for that much of his stack. He also reached the tipping point first. Based on criteria, I should have seriously considered a fold. Yet because of stack size, I did not.

I really am thinking about this hard...

It's time to post again

I took a surprise break from the grind for a week or two as my day job evaporated. Sure, I hired on knowing the goal was to sell the company, so I should chalk it up as another victory. But financials were disappointing in this market, and thus this IT executive is looking again. Hopefully, another growth company that needs scalability, technology, operation expertise, and above all needs a guy like me.

Job hunting can be mentally taxing (certainly isn't physically) and so I am very cognizant of my brain and moods at a given moment.

When I finally did sit down yesterday and play the $42k, I notice things again that I take for granted. Specifically, the period of a tournament where 50% of the field is gone until the 15% mark. This is where the M starts to grind away and the deep stacks portion of the tournament is coming to a close. You may have more than average when this begins, but if you play passive, you will be a short stack or flame-out at the 15% - 10% mark. It's the tipping point of an MTT and is only relevant in large fields, but online its a must have skill.

I am trying to work on skills that really work in this range. You cant force too much action, but you cant just "wait for hands" either.

VERY apprehensive about playing right now... (job bad beat)

I am apprehensive about playing right now due to the fact that I am looking for a new job. And let's face it, 90% of poker (past the amateur levels) is concentration and deep thought. In the face of such uncertainty, I think it would be severely -EV to sit down and try to concentrate. I can just picture the recent chain of events (all out of my control) leaking into the silence and mood-tilting me.

I have been in IT and technology a long time. I got so good at it, that my last 3 companies were all purchased! I made considerable contributions to the bottom line and in customer satisfaction ratings, so I am in some ways a victim of my own success.

I am hoping that all that success translates to opportunity, but its a tough market. I would also like to say a public thanks for the people that have taken some time to refer me to others in their network. I am amazed at the generosity and kindness that can come from people you only get to see occasionally.

more to come...

What to do?

4 tables left in the $42k and the level is 4k/8k/1k and you are dealt 99 in the BB.
EP raises it to $18k. You have about $185k as does the EP raiser.

DEFEND?

$42k play as of late

I am playing well until the antes reach 50, then instead of ramping up the aggro, I bleed chips. This is probably the hardest part of any tournament, playing at a full table when you cant wait for good situations. Perhaps I should practice by playing 6-max cash?

In other news, I really, really want to change from donkaments to shootouts moving forward, but suddenly there are fewer choices for shootouts on the online sites. Why is that?

Lost Vegas!

Transperancy and suck-age Part V (4th hour)

(12) Easy shove, bad luck

Full Tilt Poker Game #21829287690: $42,000 Guarantee (168285862), Table 143 - 500/1000 Ante 125 Seat 2: Toni_Jensen (8,461)
Seat 3: poil76 (61,025)
Seat 4: columbo (5,757)
Seat 5: Just4fun_Kara (26,870)
Seat 6: bigcon-cret (74,508)
Seat 7: buldos (12,269)
Seat 8: Jazzinitup (68,081)
Seat 9: Gosha1966 (26,824)
antes 125
poil76 posts the small blind of 500
columbo posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #2

Just4fun_Kara folds
bigcon-cret folds
buldos folds
Jazzinitup raises to 2,345
Gosha1966 folds
Toni_Jensen folds
poil76 folds

 *** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Th Ts]
 columbo raises to 5,632, and is all in

Jazzinitup calls 3,287
 which still tells me nothing in that he is going to call any shove here.

columbo shows [Th Ts]
Jazzinitup shows [Ad Ah]
*** FLOP *** [5h 2d 8c]
*** TURN *** [5h 2d 8c] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [5h 2d 8c 8h] [6h]
columbo shows two pair, Tens and Eights
Jazzinitup shows two pair, Aces and Eights
Jazzinitup wins the pot (12,764) with two pair, Aces and Eights

Out 193rd, pays 189.  A true bubble-boy!


So, played well or played poorly?

Transperancy and suck-age Part IV (4th hour)

(#11) UTG makes it 1800 and there is an all-in caller.  I have 67o in BB and tank, but eventually fold.  AQ vs. KT and the flop comes 6 high.  turn and river blanks.  Was that really the spot?

It was 1000 to call 4000 but the money would be lost without hitting the flop vs. 2 players. 

Man, I am going to be thinking about this for a while.

Comments?

Transperancy and suck-age Part III (3rd hour)

Fold AJo in the SB vs.UtG 3x raise.  He had Ac7c?!  Makes Flush (vs. shorty all-in caller)??  WTF Bulgaria??

(8) A tough hand with middling pairs.  Unless you hit the flop!
Full Tilt Poker Game #21828063281: $42,000 Guarantee (168285862), Table 40 - 150/300 Ante 25
Seat 1: columbo (10,182)
Seat 2: W24W73 (16,350)
Seat 3: rubin-bg (10,393)
Seat 4: p4tricio (2,858)
Seat 5: Thorodor (4,720)
Seat 6: SirRui (9,841)
Seat 7: nicklas87 (7,610)
Seat 8: SKRUB-ALF (6,165)
Seat 9: Sgtlion (4,685)
everyone antes 25
The button is in seat #8
W24W73 folds
rubin-bg folds
p4tricio folds
Thorodor folds
SirRui raises to 700
nicklas87 folds
SKRUB-ALF folds
Sgtlion folds


*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [8c 8h]
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo calls 400
*** FLOP *** [8d 2s Qc]
columbo checks
SirRui bets 1,200
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo calls 1,200
*** TURN *** [8d 2s Qc] [6d]
columbo checks  (not sure this was a good idea, he will check behind many, many hands.  But if he has zed, then its ok)
SirRui checks
*** RIVER *** [8d 2s Qc 6d] [Qh]
columbo bets 1,900
SirRui has 15 seconds left to act
SirRui has requested TIME
SirRui calls 1,900
*** SHOW DOWN ***
columbo shows [8c 8h] a full house, Eights full of Queens
Seat 6: SirRui mucked [Td Ah] - a pair of Queens

OMG! Handed me $1900 in chips on a HERO CALL!  Thanks!

Raise to 1k with AhQh in cutoff, no callers.  (200/400/50)

(9) Sat stunned with 55 (folded to me) in MP and decided to just call.  Cutoff with only 1800 shoves.  SB re-shoves for 5k and I fold it.   AT vs. AK re-shove.  K on river.  I would have called the 1800 I think.   So, all's w4ll that ends w4ll. 

I have $12.7k and avg is 12.8k.  There are 370 left 1/2 way through the 3rd hour.  We have had 9 or our hands of excitement so far...  We are at the 20% left marker and here is where mistakes become fatal...
also of note that M is just 10 here, and thus there is not any room for small-ball.  We are coming at pots with guns blazing and with control only.

Folded to me in Hijack and I raise to 1250 with AQo.  No Callers.

FOLD KQo in MP when player on right open shoves with $4200.  My position is too early.  He gets called by the button with TT but turns a set.  Lucky him.  (I would have flopped TP). 
Meanwhile average has crept up to $16k as players flame out.  Level moves up to 300/600/75.

Fold BB of 75o to shove.  Hardly worth noting except that I am bleeding chips and not seeing many hands.

(10) I get to see a discount flop (4 players) from SB with Jh9h and flop heart draw (KcTh3h).  I check-call a min bet of 600 and then the turn is an Ad.  I check and LP OBV SHOVES 15K!?  He hit the Ace.  Crap.  I fold.  $10k left.  (Would you have shoved the flop?)


Table move.  Q=0.5

Open-Fold KJo in Hijack as its a weak hand to shove with, and I have no play with my short stack.   Its a new table, so I dont know who would call my shove (player on Button has $71k).  Same goes for A9s UtG+1.  (4th hand at new table).  Two players get it all in pre-flop with marginal hands.  A9 would not have won though.

UGH.  Fold 54o in BB vs. UTG raiser.  Fold 24o in SB to UTG+1 raiser.  M=M-1.  241 left.

Blinds move to 400/800/100 and I am looking for ATC to shove in a good spot.  Still fold A9o when UTG makes it 3x.  UTG+1 3 bets and SB 4bets!   (Ak, AK, QQ)  A9o no good at all.  225 left. Cards suck.  Spots suck.  Cant find a crack anywhere.

End of hour 3.  I have 8k, Avg is just under 22k with 219 left. 
We are just going to have to get some chips.

Transperancy and suck-age Part 2 (2nd hour)

First hand back, AK in BB.  Cutoff makes it 240 (3x).  I re-raise to 600.  He folds.

Hmmm, I fold 4h5h from UtG+2 when UtG+1 makes it 3x.   Awfully conservative, but with 5 more players with position, it would be wishful thinking that I could call here.  And I am not raising.  So I fold.  So does everyone else.  Oh dear.

Hmmm, rotation later UtG limps, so I limp behind (UtG+1) with with 88.  Flop is 24T so I bet 200 into 350 after UTG and BB checks.  Re-raised all-in for 540 by BB and UTG limper folds.  Must call.  He has Q4 for middle pair and I win a pot but I can hardly call this an interesting hand.

Flop bottom pair in the BB vs. single limper.  He c-bets 100 into 350, so I  check-call.   But when he bets 300 on turn, I check-fold.  Again, very conservative.  (the next hand, 2 players go broke at the table AK,AQ,JJ pile their money in pre-flop with the AQ CALLING the other 2 all-ins!)

Folded to me in cutoff and I fold A9o.  Meh.  No good can come of it at 50/100.
I also fold AJo UtG+1, without apologies. 
 But...
(Interesting Hand #6) When I get AJo in the BB and that guy from the last hand (when I flop bottom pair with 23) makes it 3x, I reraise him this time.  Oops, he calls.  Flop is Q38 with 2 hearts and I check, he also checks.  Turn is a 7 (non-heart).  I lead out for 900 (into 1700) and he folds!  Phew. (AJ also?  AK?  middling pair?  Who can say?)  I had to bet to win, vs. getting a better hand to fold rule.

Hmmm, fold 33 to a raise of 480 (I have 5700) in Hijack because I think its a bad spot and too many chips.  Cutoff makes it 1200.  Nice fold me.

Make it 3x with AQs UtG, no callers.

Same guy on my right raises AGAIN and I fold 66, Cutoff AGAIN re-raises (all-in) and this time he calls.  He had ATs and the cutoff KK. Lame.

Easy Fold KJ UtG.

(#7) Cutoff raises to 565, I re-raise from SB to 1700,  Cutoff thinks and shoves with QhJh???  Hope-a-tron!  Snap-call with AA holds up.

Get frisky with my image and raise from MP (First in)  to 500 with 7c8c and all folds.  300 chips for me.

Call Button min-raise from BB with KdTd.  Flop is Ah6h9d.  I check, he bets 400 and I sit and think.  But fold. -400 chips for me.

Folds around to me on button and yet I still fold 5To.  Gimme a T... Gimme an I...  Gimme a G...

Battle of the blinds and I have Ac7c.   I flop TP AND 2 clubs.  He leads out for min but he only has $1800 behind?  What do I even do here?   He is WAY behind, but every card will be an over.  I just shove hoping to look like the naked flush draw.  He tanks, but eventually folds.  (Note: avg is 7.7k, so what does he lead out with here?  Napkins I assume?)

At second break, I have $10.8k, Avg is 8.3k  (Q=1.2ish)   575 of our now 1588 runners left (pays 189).

Transperancy and suck-age Part 1 (the first hour)

Ok, I have said before that the $42k is basically being right on 20 hands and not getting unlucky.  Let's put that to the test.  I will post my non-trivial hands from today and you can judge...

Level I has little action.  Made a straight and already had no action, a bet results in folds.  Not even worth discussing for 60 chips.
Ditto for TT on a flop of 9h5c4c and I bet 2/3 pot and get 3 folds.
Ditto for AQ folded to me on button, blinds fold.
Ditto for QQ from EP (all folds) and
AQ UtG (all folds).
AQ again only in BB this hand.  I call and the flop is 828 so I fold to his c-bet.  (No 3bet with AQ OOP in L1.)
AJ now in SB and folds around, I raise, BB folds.
(4 decent hands in a row, no fireworks.)


Folded to me in SB with A9, call.  Flop Ace. Bet and BB folds. 

First interesting hand (easy fold)
Full Tilt Poker Game #21826194566: $42,000 Guarantee 20/40
Seat 1: columbo (3,370)
Seat 2: ghnopin92110 (2,775), is sitting out
Seat 3: ThunderFX (1,580)
Seat 4: laksjdfh (4,935)
Seat 5: Majesticflo11 (3,000)
Seat 6: cece0123 (3,060)
Seat 7: pigcrab (2,175)
Seat 8: Fabio_Bitt (3,410)
Seat 9: liflo (3,090)
The button is in seat #2
cece0123 folds
pigcrab folds
Fabio_Bitt folds
liflo has 15 seconds left to act
liflo raises to 320
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo has requested TIME
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Kc Ac]
columbo calls 320  [Big raise to 8x here is probably QQ-AA.  With me having AK, I figure QQ]
ghnopin92110 folds
ThunderFX folds
laksjdfh folds
*** FLOP *** [8s Jd 4c]
liflo bets 2,770, and is all in
columbo folds

I am now sitting with a starting stack size after all that.

NEXT (2nd interesting hand):
Full Tilt Poker Game #21826239415: $42,000 25/50
Seat 1: columbo (3,050)
Seat 2: ghnopin92110 (2,775), is sitting out
Seat 3: ThunderFX (1,560)
Seat 4: laksjdfh (5,095)
Seat 5: Majesticflo11 (2,875)
Seat 6: cece0123 (3,085)
Seat 8: Fabio_Bitt (3,410)
Seat 9: liflo (3,370)
cece0123 posts the small blind of 25
Fabio_Bitt posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #5

fold,
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Ac Ks]
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo raises to 150
ghnopin92110 folds
ThunderFX folds
laksjdfh calls 150
Majesticflo11 folds
cece0123 has 15 seconds left to act
cece0123 calls 125
Fabio_Bitt folds

*** FLOP *** [9d 2c As]
cece0123 checks
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo bets 300  (3/5 pot)
laksjdfh calls 300  CALL?
cece0123 folds
*** TURN *** [9d 2c As] [Kd]
columbo checks  (I am hoping he tries to "take it away')
laksjdfh checks   (nope, probably a marginal ace)
*** RIVER *** [9d 2c As Kd] [Ts]
columbo bets 500  (how much will he call with an Ace?  About 1/2 port)
laksjdfh calls 500
*** SHOW DOWN ***
columbo shows [Ac Ks] two pair, Aces and Kings
laksjdfh mucks


(3) Way ahead or Way behind?  I play this real careful then OBV.
Full Tilt Poker Game #21826330653: $42,000 Guarantee (168285862), Table 40 - 25/50
Seat 1: columbo (4,125)
Seat 2: ghnopin92110 (2,700), is sitting out
Seat 3: rollon234 (2,675)
Seat 4: laksjdfh (4,095)
Seat 5: Majesticflo11 (2,875), is sitting out
Seat 6: cece0123 (3,160)
Seat 7: medijun (866)
Seat 8: Fabio_Bitt (5,045)
Seat 9: liflo (3,545)
laksjdfh posts the small blind of 25
Majesticflo11 posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Ad As]
cece0123 folds
medijun folds
Fabio_Bitt folds
liflo calls 50
columbo raises to 200
ghnopin92110 folds
rollon234 folds
laksjdfh folds
Majesticflo11 folds
liflo calls 150
*** FLOP *** [Th Kh 4h]
liflo checks
columbo checks  (I should normally bet here, but did not)
*** TURN *** [Th Kh 4h] [Ks]
liflo bets 100
columbo calls 100  (Should raise here if I think he has just a heart, but continue to play passive because its the first hour)
*** RIVER *** [Th Kh 4h Ks] [Ah]
liflo checks
columbo has 15 seconds left to act
columbo bets 675  (or pot size bet, trying to look like a bluff, hoping he makes a crying call with a heart)
liflo folds

(4) Getting a tad more aggressive pre-lfop
Full Tilt Poker Game #21826430743: $42,000 Guarantee (168285862), Table 40 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 14:42:49 ET - 2010/06/23
Seat 1: columbo (4,425)
Seat 2: ghnopin92110 (2,625), is sitting out
Seat 3: rollon234 (2,600)
Seat 4: laksjdfh (3,990)
Seat 5: Majesticflo11 (2,740), is sitting out
Seat 6: frnckrt (3,380)
Seat 8: Fabio_Bitt (5,220)
Seat 9: liflo (4,426)
Majesticflo11 posts the small blind of 30
frnckrt posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [As Ks]
Fabio_Bitt raises to 180
liflo folds
columbo raises to 480
ghnopin92110 folds
rollon234 folds
laksjdfh folds
Majesticflo11 folds
frnckrt folds
Fabio_Bitt calls 300
*** FLOP *** [9d Jc 6h]
Fabio_Bitt checks
columbo checks  (marginally ahead or way behind)
*** TURN *** [9d Jc 6h] [Ah]
Fabio_Bitt checks
columbo bets 750  (3/4 pot)
Fabio_Bitt has 15 seconds left to act
Fabio_Bitt folds

KK UtG+1 raise to 200, no action.

(5) TT after a raise and caller
Full Tilt Poker Game #21826533333: $42,000 Guarantee (168285862), Table 40 - 30/60
Seat 1: columbo (4,995)
Seat 2: ghnopin92110 (2,565), is sitting out
Seat 3: rollon234 (2,600)
Seat 4: laksjdfh (3,930)
Seat 5: Majesticflo11 (3,040)
Seat 6: frnckrt (3,860)
Seat 7: PurpleH (2,965)
Seat 8: Fabio_Bitt (3,600)
Seat 9: liflo (4,906)
ghnopin92110 posts the small blind of 30
rollon234 posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to columbo [Td Th]
laksjdfh folds
Majesticflo11 folds
frnckrt raises to 120
PurpleH calls 120
Fabio_Bitt folds
liflo folds
columbo raises to 360
ghnopin92110 folds
rollon234 folds
frnckrt calls 240
PurpleH folds
*** FLOP *** [Kc 3d 3c]
frnckrt checks
columbo bets 550  (c-bet, hoping he does not have K)
frnckrt calls 550
*** TURN *** [Kc 3d 3c] [Jc]
frnckrt checks
columbo checks
*** RIVER *** [Kc 3d 3c Jc] [4s]
frnckrt checks

He is trying to get to showdown but he is only going to fold JJ or QQ to a big bluff.
columbo checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
columbo shows [Td Th] two pair, Tens and Threes
frnckrt shows [Qd Kd] two pair, Kings and Threes

At the first break, I have $4085, avg. is $4095 (Q=1).  There are 1078 or the original 1473 left. 
5 interesting hands so far, but also got dealt more than the usual share of playable hands.