1 for 3, but tearing my hair out.

Mookie (event 3 of 27) and there are 117 players. More tables than I like in a tournament, but I leap in.

50 left, I am just about average.

Then, I catch AQ with an AK, I bluff Waffles off a hand with HAMMER, I catch KQ with my AQ and I played a pocket pair of queens vs. someone who just over played AJ and suddenly...

36 left, I am FIRST in chips, and have a 10k lead over 3rd place.

24 left, I am about 3rd or 2nd in chips.

Between 24 and 18 (payouts begin at 18), I went totally card dead. And when I did try to make a play, mdeium stacks who I expected to play tight would just push. It was a painful run of not even being able to defend blinds with 43, T2, etc vs. 4xBB pre-flops. I also got into trouble with a hammer hand.

I had about 8 hammers, played 7 of them, and won 4 of them (3 pre-flop).

We reach the money and I am now AVERAGE with like 22k. UGH. But it gets worse. The blinds are now 1k/2k with antes. So a majority of the players have an M of less than 10.

I lose (release) a hand and fold my blinds and now I have 16k.
Its folded around to me on the button and I have Ac3c. The blinds are now 1.5k/3k. So what is the point of raising to 9k (3xBB) and being pot committed anyways? So, I push (knowing that whenever I do this, the BB wakes up with AK). This time, the SB goes into the tank and finally calls with QQ. IGHN 15th.

I did cash though, gathered points, and even took third in the Dookie RAZZ without memorizing a single folded card (and really barely paying attention at all). Razz is fun, but you need to practice it. You can't just "play" razz.

so, I have points. Big deal. The TOC is the goal, and anything short of a victory in an given event is going to be dissapointing.

starting 0 for 2

Now, there are 27 events in the BBT2, but I have started out 0 for 2. Why, I wonder?

If we are to believe the posts in the community for the last couple of days, its simple. I play too many hands. This might be true. It certainly has been my achillies heal when I reach the final 3 of a table. But as a matter of rote?

Hmmm, I spend some time thinking through my hands recently, and as I see where I lost the most chips, it was betting the flop or the turn with nothing, and having to fold to someone playing back at me, or betting on the river. Its not that I PLAY too many hands, but that I CONTINUE to play the hand.

At least that is my theory going into #3 tonight in the Mookie.

Bubble, Bubble, O8 Trouble

It was Pot Limit O8B Friday night (yes, I know that is normally a limit game). In order to play correctly, you could only limp for the first 2-3 levels, but after that you would have to commit to a hand with a raise coming in. I make it to the final table by playing only 4 hand to the turn.

With 8 left, I come in with 4567 for a raise, trying to isolate an EP limper from early-mid position. I get 2 callers. The flop is 778. I bet pot. The MP player comes over the top for pot and the LP players gets all in. WTF? But after stopping to think, this was east to figure out. I have top set and I am against an A2 for low and the flush draw (two clubs on the board) for high. I am currently the best hand and I have 1/3 of my chips in there already. I figure I am stuck calling. In retrospect, I think I would incorrectly fold here many times... The turn and river came to high spade cards and I scooped the pot. I was finally an average stack size at about 40k,

With 6 left, I have 2355 and get in cheap from the BB. But when the flop comes down A38 I am thinking I might be able to just take this one. I raise it POT, or 9k and this is a 1/4 of my stack. The opponent in the middle position (the MP from the above hand), re-raises pot. I got big problems now. I have the SECOND nut low and a measly 55 for high. Its unlikely my high hand will improve. I spend a long minute thinking about this. I look over and my opponent's pulse is so high, I can see it in his neck. I RARELY make reads on phyisical reactions, but since I thought I needed to fold anyway, that clinched it.

After that, I got brutally cold decked. So much more painful in O8B than in hold-em. Everytime I would come in for a raise, I would get a couple of callers and the flop would hit them like it was everyone's birthday but mine. I lost 4 hands this way, and eventually went out as the bubble boy in 5th.

Wanna see an easy fold with a big hand?

With QQ in the BB, the UtG with a big stack makes a raise. So why the EASY fold?



Because 16th is a good as first. See you in the Big Game Sunday!

What is the opposite of a bad beat?

Last night in the Hoy, an amazing thing happened. Something I had never experienced before. And it resulted in a long overdue cash.

It started early, when my pocket Jacks flopped QUADS in level II. It was hard extracting chips from KOD on this one, but I manage to get about 1/3 of my stack in there by the river and got a call.

There I am at the end of level 2 with 3700 chips (you start with 3k). Usually, I have played 3 hammers by now...

Instead, I played QT in the SB vs. the BB. The flop is Q93. Since he only had 2200 or so, I decide he may actually have Q with a WEAKER kicker. When the money goes in, I am right... and wrong. He had Q3 and flopped two pair. I should have let it go, but now I am short-stacked at 870 chips.

Then I went on a heater. 3 or 4 pockets pairs, all played VERY aggressively got me up to just shy of 3k.

But here is where it got interesting. I flopped a set vs. a flush draw... and when the money went in, the flush draw did not get there. I have now doubled up!

I am sitting at around 5.5k and it happens again. Its easier to punish the flush draw this time since I have a bigger stack. The money all goes in and the flush DOES NOT HIT!

Wait a second. I dodged TWO flush draws?! TWO in a ROW?

Its at this point I make a really huge decision. EP make it 4xBB to go. AlCantHang, sensing what I read as a willingness to "race or win the EP money" pushes all in. It comes around to me with QQ. Now I would normally ALWAYS fold here. ALWAYS. But lately, I have identified this as a LEAK in my game. I would fold to two all-ins even when getting the right odds. So this time, I had to think. I click the "TIME" button and start to work it out. If I am right and Al has a dominated hand like JJ, I might be able to push EP out of the pot by pushing all-in and showing that much strength. He should fold any Ace-rag or medium pair. He probably calls with AK, but maybe not? My hand might look even bigger than QQ to him. I am getting a pure 2-1 here and if I am 40% to win... I remember a line I read from "Rizen" at PokerStars, "I will take a chance in some spots if I think winning the hand will put me in a position to win the tournament." I take the leap of faith and push.
Now, the EP player thinks for a few seconds and I figure I am gold. Then he calls with KK. He was wondering (correctly) if I had AA. I was disappointed that he had KK, but ironically elated that I read the hand correctly. I think he WOULD have folded any hand there except KK or AA. And Al flipped over an underpair like TT or JJ. It did not dawn on me at that moment, but the KK had to dodge double the normal outs, and Al and I each had a 20% chance to win the pot over the KK. And wouldn't you know that all those bad runs in the last month came back to me and the poker gods bestowed upon me the Mississippi Queen (Queen on the river). I win a Huge pot, put myself in a position to win it all, and had 25% of the chips in play with only 2 tables left.

My short stack play was good, my cards decent, and by the time I made the final I had managed to do something that is harder than winning a big stack, and that is keeping a big stack. I did not go loose-aggressive, but rather still picked what hands I wanted to tagle in. I observed MANY TIMES that the behavior that GETS you the big stack turns around and DONKS off the big stack. So, I nurtured it.

With 4 players left, I noticed (not at first, but as we played on), that the players tightened up for the cash. I used this time to be sneaky and steal smaller pots, using my big stack as an implied threat. Eventually, someone went out and it wasn't me. The final battle couldn't be better. It was Bayne, Gary GCOX and myself. and I had position on my nemesis Bayne. I was looking forward to the challenge now...

I lost a big hand to Bayne and kicked myself for not remembering the notes I had on him. I made a call when I knew he was strong. Stupid. But I clawed and stole my way back. But my karma ran out and Gary COLD DECKED US BOTH. I came SO close to knocking him out and taking a commanding lead, when he hit his 2 outer on the river. Then, he hit another longshot to knock out Bayne. Heads up, he would outkick me on every hand. We are HEADS-UP mind you, and its QT vs. Q9, A8 vs. AQ, etc. He just kept getting the dominating hand. Fuel mocked my aggression with A8 head up, but as a 3-1 chip dog, can you fold A8 as the money escalates pre-flop? Maybe. But in the moment, I could not...

And there is is. Before the Hoy started, I actually said to myself, "You are going to win the Hoy tonight". Not exactly accurate, but I'll take it.


On the personal front, I have been ill as of late. I have badly swollen glands and ear and sinus pressure. Its been with me for over a month now. Its like a ear infection, or a flu but without other tell-tale symptoms. No fever, and blood tests show nothing more than I eat too much meat. Doctors can't figure out what is wrong... Sort of has me on edge. I only bring it up as I wonder if that affects my play? It certainly affects my mental and physical states.

IT RETURNS TO FEED!

FEED! FEED on the chips of the DEAD MONEY. Its the Battle of the Bloggers II, Attack of the zombie stacks!!! Coming soon!!!!



Tournaments participating :

Tournament: Mondays at the Hoy
When: Every Monday. 10pm ET
Game: NLHE Deepstack
Buyin: $24+2
Password: hammer

Tournament: The Mookie
When: Every Wednesday. 10pm ET
Game: NLHE Deepstack
Buyin: $10+1
Password: vegas1

Tournament: Riverchasers Online Poker Tour
When: Every Thursday. 21:00 ET
Game: NLHE Deepstack
Buyin: $10+1
Password: Riverchasers

Tournament: The Big Game (monthly)
10/21/2007 @ 9:30pm
$69 + $6
pw: donkey

I will make sure the GOOGLE calendar (link on upper right) is up to date!

PS Blogger freeroll

What an incredibly boring tournament write up this will be, despite finishing 142nd out of over 1300. No big amazing hands. I did turn quads once early and played it for value, but really lots of stealing, getting the most out of middle pairs and finally with the blinds killing us, had to play for it all with 99. Got called by AK and lost the race... badly.

No real big decisions, no amazing plays. I did make a continuation bet with AK once and got popped. I thought about the re-steal, but since pre-flop stealing was going so well, I let it go.

When ever I hit a flop hard, I got usually just the minimal value out of it. Set on a flush board, set with no callers, etc. My opponents just never had anything. I made one big move, when with the Ac, I represented a flush on a 3 club flop by using a check-raise. Not really the stuff you show on tv, eh?

Best hand all night, JJ (twice) and TT(3 times). Only a couple of AK hands in there somewhere. But I had a good run of usable hands, AJ, KJ, 55, etc.

In these big freerolls, I like to hang around average, trying to get one of those amazing hands where someone pushes you their stack with the second best hand. Never happened. And without that, you just cant win these big field events. When I went out, for example, the chip leader had $250k and the average was $80k. (I had around 80k, lost two hands in a row taking me to 50k and going out on the 99 race).

Thoughts and TT

As I reflect on my results lately, I have noticed that I am going out more and more with a lesser pair. Somewhere along the line, whilst increasing my aggression, I forgot the old adage, "A pair is just a pair".

But upon reflection, I wish to illustrate examples using my favorite hand to hate, TT. (yes, I know most people say JJ. If it helps, use that hand).

There are 3 phases to a tournament. The deep stack, shallow blinds stage is stage 1. (NOTE: Not all tournaments have this stage!) In this stage, you are taking flops from late position and the blinds, or with a pair, in the hopes of hitting a flop hard. Others play these hands to win small pots at tight tables by getting hands that missed flopping big to just fold. To me, its easy to play TT here. You play it like a baby pair. If you raise and win the blinds, who cares really? If you isolate, would you risk big chips on most flops? doubtful. Just see a flop like you would with 55.

Stage 2 is the middle stages, or accumulation stages. You are looking to get money in with the best hand. TT is a terrible hand to play now. Hate it. But in these middle stages, aggression accumulates chips. You need to be willing to find that leverage point where someone cant call you with their holding unless you are BADLY beat. Its the art of the dance. Jab, Jab, dodge, Jab, repeat. And when someone gets their money in, they are behing you. You can not go out on TT vs. JJ here. You just cant. If you do, its probably your fault. But at the same time, your goal is to get JJ to fold. So reading the flop and your opponent are paramount.

Stage 3 is the final tables stages, where players tighten up their game and TT can be played aggressively. If you run TT from LP into JJ, that sucks and its going to cost you a mint, expecially on a 9 high flop. So hard to escape here.

Now, I want to digrgess into a little Jamie Gold. When Moneymaker won the WSOP, he changed it forever. It brought the concept of "the bigger the field, the more aggressive you must be to win" to light, and it has proven out. Many of the bad players run into each other and every time one of them doubles up. By the end, one of the bad players has a mountain of chips. And that's the aggressive players. The aggressive players are trying to get at those chips, while avoiding the very good players. Often times their egos, based on their past won hands, prevent them from avoiding each other.

Jamie once again changed how a player can look at a big field. He is not aggressive in the sense he tries to push players off of hands on the flop or turn. No, he is more like a turret, always swinging around looking for a better position to aim from. He will often call a flop bet and even a turn bet as a known dog, just to see if he can line a player in the crosshairs on the river. You saw him hit a lot of hands in the WSOP, which made him look lucky. But on High Stakes Poker, you have seen him run some of the most amazing bluffs using this "turret" style.

Instead of trying to "bet to get information", he is using your control of the pot size to determine his informaation. He doesnt need to "buy information" as much. And his calls give away no further information in this style. When an aggressive players just calls, he gives away much more.

How would Jamie probably play TT in the middle stages? I suspect in most cases, he is calling any flop bet and any turn bet. Then either making a large pressure bet on the river, or simply making a 3rd call. He might even make the river call KNOWING he is beat, just so everyone understands, he is going to call you down.

Now when you are in a pot with him and you are thinking about bluffing... you have to think twice. and MANY aggressivce players bluff ALOT. So he has an advantage in the big field.

And that advantage, like all other advantages, is enjoyed as long as its in the minority. If everyone started trying it, it would fail.

Now, to tie it all back to ME. I am getting too wreckless in stage 2. I am busting out of trournaments getting AT in Vs. AK and TT vs. JJ. There is just not excuse for it. I have to control my behavior every hand. Every hand. I must be in full thought mode every hand. Not "hoping" I am ahead and made a brilliant read. If you dont fold a winning hand at all during stage 2, you are probably being wreckless. I cant even recall the last time I folded a winning hand in stage 2.

Ride on the Rollercoaster

The biggest swings I have EVER experienced were last night.

Pocket Aces in level 1, flopped QUAD ACES. And I got the other guy to bet all 3 streets. I never showed after I popped him on the river.

I am playing very well and have moved my 5k to about 12k. Then, with AA, the flop if J99 and catch a guy overplaying TPTK. He moves all in and I call and double... OOOOFFF. Two outer. I am CRIPPLED.

I spend the next HOUR grinding out little steals and small pots. I manage to get up to about 8.5k and it folds around to the Button, who makes it 2500 to go. The SB folds and I look at AQ. I have not been defending my blinds enough tonight, and the button can do this with many hands behind AQ. I move all in. After a short delay, the button says "I have to call" and turns over KK. An ace on the flop and the button goes balistic about being sucked out on and what I bad play I made and that I "know he only plays premium cards". But I dont see how I am supposed to be scared of a button raise with AQ in the BB. So now I am back right?

We push chips around the final table, but the blinds are high and we dont see alot of flops. But this hand, the cut off min-raises, the button calls and I call from the BB with J9s. The flop is J92 and I am finally going to return to the chip leader position. The cut off moves all in! The button CALLS. So, I stop the action and ask for the chips to be pulled in and the side pot made, because I want the Button to call when I move in. I want her to know she is committed. So, I move all in and she calls. The cut-off had a top pair (KJ), the button had J2 two pair, and I had top two with Jacks and 9s. The King comes on the river (again, the 3 outer) and again I lose a big hand. But I am not broke, because of the side pot.

Next I get my AQ in against AK and win?! So, I have chips again, but the blinds are high. There are 8 left and I need to be aggressive to win. I am playing to win, not to cash. I still need chips, despite being just above avg.

Now, I make a FATAL mistake. I telegraph my hand. The Utg raises to 3x and I look down at TT in the BB. I call time and its obvious I am making a decision to call or raise. I call, the flop comes 9 high and I move all in. Because he puts me on a middle pair, he calls with JJ. That tell cost me alot of money and hopefully taught me a lesson.

I then raised in EP with 33 (dangerour) and only the button calls. The flop was 662. I move all in and he calls with QQ. Ugh, decked in the face. I am out 8th. When there were 9 left, I had an above average stack size for a brief time. That was tough to take.

What a roller-coaster ride.

Forsaken!

I am being punished by the poker deities...

First, I am playing excellent poker in the Hoy, when a 5 outer knocks me out instead of putting me in second.

Then, I play a $50 4 table MTT in Eugene OR (Oregon has VERY interesting poker laws) and these players were not great. They played way too many hands and called far too loosely. A beginner at the table, would get paid off every time she hit a flop. Every time. Me? In 2.5 hours, I had ATo and 33. That was it. finally with 12 left I saw 99 and shoved. got 2 callers with A9 and then AT called the A9. Gez. It held up and I made the final table, but quickly went out when my best ATs hand ran into both AQ and AK 8 handed. OMG.

"Make some plays" you say? Other than hitting middle pair in level 1, I did not hit a single flop all night. I know many people SAY that and are exaggerating. I am not. I missed 8 levels of flops. Not so much as a draw or bottom pair. I had never seen anything like it.

So, time to burn a effigy of a wicker man or something, or I will just have to start hitting myself in the head.

So apparently, in Oregon, you can form a poker-club. So a couple of hole in the strip-mall clubs opened around the OU campus. They charge a monthly (or daily) membership fee, and are allowed to run tournaments and 1-2 NL. $4/day membership, $4/hr for the seat at the table. Or in my case, $5 tournament fee with daily fee included, $45 into the prize pool. 34 players, first was $700. I was 8th I think for zed. But when I travel to Oregon, I can play cards, so its not all bad.

Freeroll!

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 5684019

Finding your voice

Back in the days of my youth, I was working my way through college and performing stand-up comedy on the weekends. There were always discussions about who was getting their break and who had early success. But there was one constant in most of the success stories; the performer had "found their voice". It was the act of personifying your point of view, without the filter and ancillary thoughts that muck it up. And being able to make it amusing in some fashion. That's why a lot of comics can turn actor, but few actors can take up stand-up comedy.

Like in poker, we experiment with numerous styles and often adapt a style that matches the performer/player we wish to most be like. Emulation. But eventually that sheds like a skin as we become our own persona. That may be occurring for me at this very moment.

I always tried to emulate the Columbo persona. The outward mannerisms of a bumbling stooge, while being keenly observant and able to see the significant in the seeming insignificant. I don't do chip tricks at the table, I don't try to explain or justify what someone might view as a donkey move. I simply let them assume I have no idea what I am doing. It can be amazing effective in a card room.

But is it who I am? As the skin starts to shed, I no longer see that character in that form. I don't exemplify that style anymore. Lately, I have been more willing to go broke, to bubble or to take a chance, than to tight my way towards the end and try to get lucky. I talk more at the table, even going as far to talk through my opponents hands out loud. and I understand the stages and sizes or tournaments and their impact on my play more than ever before.

In the past, on the bubble (literally 1 from the money) I would be unwilling to call an all-in with TT from a tight player. And the guy on my left even said as much. It was obvious he has been at the other table most of tonight. "Not anymore" I told him. And when I raised pre-flop with 66 and another player came over the top, I called. He had KJ and it turns out he did not notice I had bet. Assuming I was the BB, he pushed from the button with 2 face cards. Not a bad play, but against an UtG limper 2 from the money, I don't think we would have done it (and neither did he) if he understood I had put in 40% of my chips already. He flopped a K and I turned the set. And later, 1 from the money, when a shorter stack moved all in, and I KNEW he would have a big ace or a big pair here, I call with TT hoping the see A9, but expecting AJ. He had A9. I knew it was proper to call here, but in the past, it would have been very difficult for me.

So what does all this rambling mean? What am I doing now?

Its not so different. I am still making decisions based on understanding the situation instead of trying to get weak players to be into my solid hands. But now I am not trying to "craft" a persona. I am more true to myself. I am trying to create situations where I understand where I am at in the hand. I wont fold on every missed flop anymore and I wont try to trap every time I hit the flop. I am much more situational and steady. Establishing a solid "baseline" image, understanding what each of my actions project, and the establishing what I can when I need to.

Sometimes I want to play "harder". I have a guy on my left who I know is taking down flops when he misses everything by being very TAG. And I try to get into situations with him where I know I have an edge. But when I can't, I can't and I don't try to force the scenario. Its like in football, take what the defense will give you.

I am also not afraid of betting. I like to play small-ball as much as possible, but when you get afraid to lose chips, sometimes you bet to infrequently. I have been breaking out of the habit lately, understanding the value of betting for value pre-flop and other such mathematical edges.

As I am trying to make the leap to the next level, I make note of some things:

• I am keenly observant of "situations" and try to read that much more than "players". This comes from online play and from trying to emulate Columbo for so long.
• Many players play common situations incorrectly, and you can exploit this far more than you can "getting a read" on their hand by staring at them or looking for tells.
• I don't try every hand to put my opponent on a hand and then exploit what I think he is holding. I need to do this MORE. I figure that there is about 1 time per table that you will need to win a hand by getting a player to fold a good holding when you are way behind. But you should be TRYING to practice this every hand, whether your in the hand or not.
• I need to continue to improve my post flop and turn play.
• I still find myself in the middle stages of a large MTT not "keeping up with average". This still bothers me as its hard to accumulate chips at a full table without seeing flops and risking chips. I think I play too tight in these stages and I give up on hands too soon.

I am also continuing to study the mixed games as this improves overall play.

I applaud what biggestron is trying to do with his new virtual goal bankroll and I am contemplating a similar strategy. And I want to get to Vegas a day in early in December if it means I can play in a HORSE tournament down at Binions. (I bubble last trip)

Last night, 18 people came out to the tiki lounge for NLHE and I took down 1st. Sure, I played good early. Very good in fact. But it was the willingness to make a stand and not fold the 66 and TT hands on the bubble, and those hands holding up, that made all the difference between 5th and first.

Don't be afraid to make the correct move because you are unwilling to put your tournament at risk. That is what I learned in the last 3 weeks, and I am practicing what I preach. (Also note this caused me to bubble out the 3 tournaments prior to last night, so its not all roses.)

Played him like a violin

In the mookie last night, its the third hand of the tournament. Surflexus makes a raise and I call from the BB with 77. We are deep stacked at 3000 chips to start.

Flop is 79J ALL HEARTS. I make a pot size bet of 130 and he raises to like 550. I know my set is vulnerable, but does he have 1 heart or two? I call here because its early and I have this chips to call here.

Turn is a beautiful 9. I have the love boat. I check, as this is the best way to represent a draw who did not like that card. He bets about 500 and I have to think about calling or raising. Which will get his chips into the pot? What does he have?

As I think about it, he must have an overpair with a heart. I figure it may even be AA. If I am correct, I need to raise here to get his chips in. Ok, how much. If I raise the minimum to 1000, then I have 800 behind and he has half his chips left if he folds. I estimate he cant fold aces and if I bet this amount, he is likely to push. If I push, he might just escape. I raise the minimum and he pushes on cue.

Click the link below to see the exciting conclusion...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsNIUHkwC-s

when you go head-hunting, take a BIG gun

My foray into the 26k Sunday...

[an hour passes]

At the first break. Only interesting hand to this point is an AK. Utg limps and I am Utg+1. I raise it up and it folds around the Utg who moves all-in. The old limp re-raise with AA. But for some reason that I cant explain, I don’t put him on AA/KK So I call and see his QQ.
I win the race with an Ace on the flop. I played a few other hands, but none make it to the turn. At the break, my Q is just under 1. My M is about 19-20 at the next level.


First hand after the break

Gave about 550 back bluffing with KQ on a ragged flop, heads up, with a player checking. After I made the continuation bet, he check-raised me all-in and I insta folded.
5365 in chips now, avg 3300


Lots of folding… Lots more folding…
4800 and avg now.

Then, I raise pre-flop Utg to 2.5xBB with KQ and the big stack calls. He is drawing and accidentally hits a pair on the river.
The very next hand, I flop TP and have to fold to an all-in who obviously had a middle pair like 88 which just became an over-pair.
On the ropes at 3300 (avg 5400)




Folded. Correct?




Its all going in…
Picked up the blinds and the limper chips…
Not good enough… its slipping away…




This doesn’t work out for me… he re-raises all in from the back… its almost over.



Antes started, no time to waste.


I folded this? But I need to get lucky!
About 20-25 from the money. I change my focus from winning to cashing…



3395 at second break. 146th of 191, pays 180. 11 left to the money. Chips at point 181 = 1500. So I am twice the bubble boy.



Are you freaking kidding me?

I am bubble-boy... FREAK!

Hello, I must be going!

A 10 minute mookie for me last night. 50 players. Early on, I am playing A8 on a flop of T97. He bets, I call. The turn is the 6 and I figure we are going to split or he has 2 pair. He bets, I raise, he calls. River is another T. I check, he bets 870 (a pot size bet) and calling seems mandatory. After all, what are the odds that he has Quads? Oh, he has Quads.

So, 1/3 of my chips left and I flop TPTK and convince a OESD to call my all-in. Hits it on the river. IGHN. QED.

Railbirds are Go!

I was going to go watch TV as I have been under the weather this week. But I decide to sneak in a Sit N go. I have been toying with the idea of recording and posting the video, and inviting advice. So as a practice, I am ina quiet room narrating my play aloud as I go. I opt to cronicle it in screens and comments as I often see other bloggers do. I am not sure of the value here though, as this Sit N Go almost played itself. I don’t think I had a single “go into the tank” moment…


so without further adeu, "A Sit N Go in 20 meaningful hands"

Sit N Go. EARLY hand, 1 player out already in level 1.



I took most of clock here, figuring I had 4 tens, 3 aces, 3 kings and the remaining 8 or so hearts. In the end, I just could not fold to a Q or Jack here. And one out for a straight flush (cool). I figure I am a favorite if he does not have a set. And only a slight dog if he does (if at all).

I make the call and see KcJc.
Turn 7c (ugh)
River Td


And I double up early. Why did it take me so long to call? Because I have some innate desire not to play big pots in level 1. Even when I am the favorite. Sad really. But I got past it here. Note: if I did not have the flush draw and just the straight draw to the Ten and the probable clean overs for 10 outs twice or 40%, I would have folded in level 1 of a SnG.








Nice flop. Limped in. Flopped a straight. Won a small pot here when I at least got him to call a raise here of double his bet. He checked the turn, I bet $190 trying for a call, but he folds.






I raised after this shot… he folded. I think he calls with a nine, don’t you?

Down to 7 handed… then 6… I have not yet made the adjustment to smaller table, biding my time. I get dealt two red aces, and get no callers for my 4xBB bet.




Here I decide to put him all in. He calls… My raise discouraged the BB from being in there with us.


Tens hold! Ok! Now were cooking.






More dangerous than it seems at first. When they all check, I bet 100. The BB calls. What does he have? Q?
I make a marginal call when he bets 300 on the turn…




Jackpot.
He makes a large river bet of $1500 and I decide to call. If I had more time to I should have raised for value here. That was a possible mistake. But I hate betting into a river where the river card would have made the OESD draw complete like it would here with 89.
Note that he was betting with bottom pair and an over. I bet this guy does not make the money. Why would he try that into me? Tight image? Or bad play on his part?



No action. Did I bet too soon?



Even though I bluff to steal a small pot in order to show, I decide not to show it afterwards. I decide to keep my tight image intact. I am the chip leader, no need to rush…



In the BB no less! I wonder if I can entice…



>No need! He shoved on A3o. That was easy… 4 left…

I raise with any Ace now… I get a walk in the BB. They are weary of the big stack.
I fold some hands just to fold them.. Marginal ones like Kx even.

I concentrate on maybe knocking out a player.



I call. He has AQ. Ugh.
The table is getting bolder now…



Will he call 500?! He raises! I throw up in my mouth and make a crying call to see the Ace of hearts. But I need to make this call here.





Big bet to get the pot and run… I raise pre-flop so he can put me on a Q too.
Eeking my way back to the forefront.



Walked the hammer?! Oh no!














Call or raise? A few weeks ago, I might have just called here. What was wrong with me?!

RAISE to 900!

They all fold.








99 gets no action on the very next hand. Even though I thought I had a recent image as a bully.

Another played knocked out. Now we are in the money. Raise with AJo but get no action. So I raise with 97o. That works too. I have about a 40% chip advantage over the other 2 and suddenly they get their money all –in. One ace-x out kicks the other and sends him packing.

Now its Good news/bad news
Good news: we are Heads up
Bad news: I am behind 5.5k to 7.6k (not such bad news. whenever I enter the final 2 and he hasn't got a better than 2-1 chip advantage, I am fine.)




Hands 17a and 17b: the river giveth...

I put together a good story on this hand to take it here. I played it like I was making value bets with a 7, then make a more aggressive bet on the turn.

But then, "the river taketh away" as I lost it right back to a rivered flush.





He calls a bigish bet on the turn and then bets 1200 on the river?! (siren goes off)
I actually fold this now. I had to based on his track record. Really.
In retrospect, this is probably the best hand I played. (and I lost)
Columbo777: raises 200 to 400
s234sd: calls 200
Pot is 800

*** FLOP *** [5d Ts 7h]
s234sd: checks
Columbo777: bets 400 (1/2 the pot)
s234sd: calls 400
Pot is 1600

*** TURN *** [5d Ts 7h] [6d]
s234sd: checks
Columbo777: bets 800 (1/2 the pot again)
s234sd: calls 800
pot is 3200

*** RIVER *** [5d Ts 7h 6d] [Qs]
s234sd: bets 1200
Columbo777: folds (no crying call this time)

I fold here because he was only betting on the later streets with made hands the entire game. 6 made the OESD, but AT or KT would also be a decent holding here (and QT is even plausible).
But its that lead bet on the river that seemed more of a value bet afraid of me checking, than a value bet. Too much to be a blocking bet…




Go time…
Turns out he had Q9 for Top Pair… Heh!
Now I am the chip leader…
Now the pressure comes to him…

I start raising every single hand.



Until its over…

Overall a decent run of cards. I wonder about that

WPBT #9, NL Deep Stack

Next Event
What: WPBT Event #9, NL-DS
When: Sept 25th - Tuesday
Time: 9:30pm EST
Where: Full Tilt
How Much: $24 or token
Restrictions: Bloggers only, please.

Please pimp...

What the deal with winning?

Its so hard to understand it. Playing in a 20 table MTT, I think statistaically, I am going to get my money in bad at least once. In this tournament, I got my money in bad twice. The first of which crippled me. After that I "chased average" for over an hour before 22 held up vs. JJ and AT to triple me up. (To be fair, I got the money in first, and got 2 unexpected callers.) From there, I kept getting big stacks to call me from behind. Sometime WAY behind. Why? At one point, there were 14 left and I was 3rd.

But alas, I got caught up in a hand where I felt I had to blow the escape pod. I lost a good amount of chips, and limped into the final table. But even so, I had 20k and the chip leader on 55k. The blinds are 500/1000/50 and surprisingly, a push with AT was called by the BB (who had just 1000 invested) for 22k with 86o. Why he takes this risk I don't know, but an 8 seals my fate at 9th. Again, called from behind by a bigger stack.

I cant for the life of me think to why a player in 3rd or 4th would take this risk at the final table as the caller. 40% of their chips on the chance of getting lucky as a dog. I understand KOD theory that he thinks I might be panicked, but he is a dog to almost any holding here (even a steal) and is far from a panic situation. Not mad, just surprised.

In non-poker news (NFL) news:

The Lions go 2-0. But the story behind the story is how the Vikings were even in this game. It's 10-0 and the Vikings look awful. On 3rd and short, they AGAIN decide to pass and throw a ball that bounces at the receivers feet and into his hands. Inexplicably, the ref calls a completion. The Vikings, in a heads-up move to defeat instant replay, simply run up to the line and spike the ball. In doing so, they take away any challenge that the Lions can make and render the instant replay a non-factor.

Obviously this was
a) Not the intent of instant replay. Its not supposed to be a trick, like bouncing a pass off a ref. It was to fix bad calls. Certainly not to insure them.

and more importantly,

b) this is NOT the intended purpose of the quick-spike. That rule was put in to make game ending drives more exciting while protecting the QB against an unnecessary hit because they had to get out of the pockek to to throw the ball away to stop the clock. It was NOT meant to be a defeat of instant replay!!! Shame on you Vikings.

Someone in the NFL rules committee needs to fix this. You should not be able to spike the ball to avoid a red flag.

The Lions go on to win anyway, despite 5 turnovers and a starting QB who only played 2 quarters. The Vikings looked awful. Just awful.

talk about hating local card rooms

In response to players who complain that they raise to $10 at the $1-$2 NL local card room tables, and get 5 callers. Especially with big pairs.

1. If you go all-in with AA, and someone calls with KK, he has made a mistake. We can all understand this. But you can not win 100% when AA vs. KK. It just cant happen. But you'll probably take the chance everytime your given it. which you did. Once and a while, statistically, you HAVE to lose.

2. Who says it IS correct to raise with a big pair at every table you play it. What makes a good player is not just understanding the math, but understanding how to adjust to a table. I often play the 1-2 tables when I travel to San Jose. Some tables are tight, some are loose. Some are redonkulous. When they are, I am coming in for a smaller raise with AA and making that same raise with 78s.

3. MANY low limit tables are loose-tight. Very loose pre-flop and then tight post flop. There is
a good justification for this. Its because players cant let go of big pairs. So when they flop 2 pair or a draw, they may win a very large hand while only risking a small amount. If you dont understand this, you end up raising to $12 with KK and getting 4 callers... and losing. If 4 players take the flop with you, you had better be able to understand where your big pair is at.

4. Last week, I played AT vs. a perpetual button raiser/caller. The flop is 67Q rainbow. I check and he uncharicteristically checks. The turn is a T putting a second heart on the board. I make a pot size bet, he calls. The river is a 3 (non-heart). I think I am in trouble here and I check. He bets 1/2 the pot and I make the crying call to see 45 hearts. He checked the missed flop, picked up a big draw on the turn and decided to call it even though the odds were a bit light. I lost probably the minimum I could. and there were other ways to play the hand, for sure. But that darn river straight is hard to dodge. So be it. He was not a donkey, just 2 hands clashing and only 1 can win. I like to think I will win more of those than lose, but if I am wrong, I am a losing player.

I guess what I am trying to say is, understand the table you are at and adjust away from A-B-C poker. And its ok to lose some hands you would win at a tighter table.

WPBT SEPT - NLHE DS*

Its back to basics, with a NLHE-DS at Full Tilt. Banners and such to follow. I wanted to get this out WAY in advance this time!!!

In order to minimaize conflicts, we are going for a Tuesday night at 9:30 pm EST start. This avoids football and weekend committments. I would plan on the 25th, as that is 10 days away.

Last chance for comments...

Yet Another Cliche'

I have been experimenting as of late, with a much more aggressive style. I have 4 results, twice squeaked inside the bubble, once was the bubble, and then that old cliche'...

I ran Kings into Aces. But really, in a FREEROLL, with 8 left and I am the shorty, is it correct to fold KK in any situation pre-flop? I doubt it.

Tonight I will play in a tournament with a strange front-loaded structure. 110 chips, blinds start at 1/2 and creep up to 5/10, then go bonkers. So, you need to accumulate chips fast. Even at the 3/6 level, you really needed to have doubled up already. This is a strucutre where Q matters very little. You need to get chips fast and race ahead. Should prove interesting the way I have been playing.

Thoughts on reading players and situations:
Early in a tournament, I usually retreat from aggression because the pots are small enough to give up and the players are making big bets to get paid off, not to bluff.

In the End Stages, I read situation and players pretty well.

In the MIDDLE STAGES, I am completely lost in large fields. I mean, its all about the pot size. I cant see how you can win big pots and accumulate chips in these stages unless 1 oo 2 things happen:
1. You are betting with a big draw and it hits. (You have to be betting BEFORE you make the hand).
2. Some idiot will call a push with second best hand.

If you have neither of the above 2, you have to be a freakin maniac pushing players out of mid-sized pots to get chips.

The bigger the field, the harder the reads.

Am I missing something simple here?

Other random NFL thoughts:

I am SO happy that the guy on Buffalo that went down with the spinal may be recovering. The latest word has shifted from pessimistic to optimistic. Thank goodness. No one deserves that.

Pats Picking Signs? Duh. But continuing using a photograpaher, when you almost got caught twice before? Just dumb.

A quick one, while he's away

Man, did I go out fast in the Hoy last night. 3 table MTT and I am playing tiger-style this week, chipping up about 15% and then...


excuse my poor memory...
Raise with ATs. Hoy calls in BB. Flop is Qxx with 2 clubs. Hoy bets, I call.

At this point, I figure he might have missed...

Turn is an ACE. of clubs.
I Hoy checks, I bet, Hoy puts in big raise. about 60% of his stack. I figure him now for a Queen and a club, or an ace and a club.

I needed to call time here and think that if Hoy DID have and Ace, I would be behind his probable holdings. But instead, I quickly pushed so he would think I made the best hand.

I had him really worried I made the flush, but he still called with top two (AQ) no club. Nice call.

I think I get away with this if Hoy has 30% of his stack in there, or it is much later in the tournament when someone feels "time vested". But here, I should have seen this call.

This game is tough. It didn't help that my dish was acting up and I was missing the game. But that is really an excuse. And we dont need excuses, just lessons.

Lesson learned: Early, players are not time vested and will not fold a hand when over 40% of their chips are in.

Welcome to Bizarro Detroit

Where U of M is 0-2 and...

Lions win... on the road!!! to start the season!!


and I think I crushed the picks in the Hoy pick-em league... But I took both the underdogs for Monday night.

who do you want to be today?

who do you want to be?
who dp you want tto be today, do you wanna be just someone on TV?
just like somebody on TV!

Friday night I played a 20 table MTT and a 5 table MTT online... I have been playing too tight lately and decided I was playing for chips. I was going to work on chip accumulation and taking volatility. I squeeked inside the bubble on each, giving myself a chance, but coming up short.

Last night was league night month 2. I had a lousy month 1 outing and needed to place in the top 8 this week (30 players). I am taking flops early, trying to outplay opponents, but missed alot of flops and worked my 10000 down to 8500 when we were down to 16.

I lose a battle to a short stack when I decide to push pre-flop with TT and the limper calls and hits his King on the turn. Had I run stop-n-go, I could have pushed him out on the flop. I have about 6k left. (Note: I really like the Stop-N-Go heads up where statistically, players miss the flop 2/3rds of the time)

Then this hand... Much frustration and unable to get good cards, I make a late position steal raise with 63o. The BB, a solid player capable of making a big laydown, goes into the tank. He is also short stacked, even worse than me at 3k. Eventually, he calls and takes the flop.
The flop is AA9. I figure there are only 2 dangerous hands and I am ahead of everything else. Ax 99. (He took too long for AK). ANY other hand, and he is force to fold to a push. With 2 big aces on the flop, the only holding I fear is 99. I put him all in and him calls with the 99. Argh.

I am crippled down to 3k. I go reckless and am moving in any chance I get. I boldly declare I am coming with any Ace, pair or just 2 paint. After about 3 rotations of this, I have chipped back to nearly 9k! (Q of .5).

I even take a flop against the much tighter Scott, who raises pre-flop with what I expect is a decent pair. I call with KQs and the flop is K-high. When he pushes, I go with my original read and make the call. He had QQ and was crippled. He was shocked I made that call. I was shocked he played what amounts to middle pair, that fast. It was a dangerous play, much more dangerous than my taking the flop. Especially with my current image.

I continue this short stack recklessness as we go short-handed, threatening to make anyone who calls play for it all. Someone finally calls me, and I not only am ahead, but it holds. No one has noticed, but I move to the final table with 18k in chips. Q of .75

From here, I am again aggressive when I play a hand, but much more selective now that I am at a full table again. Although I am the short stack the ENTIRE time at the final table, I survive. I am practically dodging bullets, as I make 3 pre-flop laydowns with big hands. All three I would have been behind or a dog. A couple of times I am "willing to die" to win a hand, and get the other guy to fold.

I play well, am conscious of position, and kill off a short stack. I have nearly 40k with 5 left (pays 4). Stacks at the table range from 40k to 80k, with 2 players (1 is me) with 40k. The other previous short stack who killed me with 99 is now about 65k in chips.

LOTS of stealing now, and not much re-stealing. Most steals are legit and I have slowed way down. But after 3 rotations, I am reluctant to bleed to death. I post the BB of 4k (go time) and it folds around to the button who bets 10k. I want to play against this guy for 3 reasons.

1. when he is in position, he ALWAYS bets when its checked to him. I can use that.
2. He probably has an Ace.
3. I look down at JJ.

Now, with him putting 25% of his stack in, I expect he calls if I push. I once again wish to go to my play-book for the stop n go and hope for an non-ace flop. I make the call and then flop comes Ten high, with 3 spades. There is no way he can call a big bet, but I check to allow him to bet again before I spring the trap. He bets 10k, I push, he insta-calls with A8 of spades. oops. I bubble.

Still, a sound performance. 5th, when with 19 left, I was the short stack.

High Stakes Poker Returns

The comment this year "Not in the Grid", referring to the Phil Hellmuth & his imaginary chart of 1 degree of seperation personal contacts, got me thinking about my favorite poker expressions (other than the Hammer, of course).

• Hope-a-Tron (also from HSP)
• Donkey-Draw (Drawing to a straight or flush which will only use 1 of your hole cards)
• weeeeeeeeeee!
• A-x is GOLD! (most sarcastic bloggers)
• Crushered (being totally dominated with a hand like QTo) I miss this one.
• The Ace-Rag Army! (Drizz nickname for donks)
• DQB!

and of course

• K-O-D

more 1-2 play

I did not want to let that last session bother me, so back I went. Won two FULL buy-in by being patient, and slightly loose pre-flop, TAG post flop. Finally, someone noticed (or thought he noticed) that I never played a big pot without a big hand, but I showed him the Kh on a K77T 3 heart board and he was conviced I bluffed. I had KT. But I convinced him I bluffed out his Ah with a river bet. Ha. Sometimes the illusion of bluffing is even better than the bluff itself.

tiny setback

Ended last nights session down 1/4 of a buy-in. Now, this seems like normal variance execpt I played for like 3 hours. So, this was very dissappointing.

The scenario was a difficult one. Many regulars playing, the girlfriend of one who could not fold, calling large pre-flop raises with no concern for starting hands, often calling flop bets regardless of the flop. How do you adjust? Me, I usually try to see more flops from position, take more flops with connectors, and be prepared to fold big pairs on the turn if players are not going away.

Which is exactly what happened. The results were killing me though. In 3 hours, I flopped an OESD ONCE, and someone over bet the pot. I hit a couple of flush draws, but raked only medium size pots. And my Kings (once) and Jacks (twice). Lots 2/3. One time the Jacks were an overpair to the board and held. The Kings flop had no ace, yet I bet pot and got not one but two callers. The turn put out the straight card, and I was able to escape what was a one card straight draw versus 2 pair (or so he says). The river gave "girlfriend" the one card straight. But here was the MO for her: If she decided to play a hand. She would call ANY size bet and call it all the way down. Great opportunity to just gut her, but I never got the opportunity. I made money on my big hands, but in the end, it was calling the limps with connectors and missing so many times that bled off my chips.

I have seen other players that when they encounter this type of table, start raising everyhand to reduce the field and modify the playing style of the table. Everytime I have personally experienced this, two things happen:
1. The table DOES change to a tighter pre-flop table with less limpers and callers.
2. The guy doing all the raising loses a ton of money.

So, what's a player to do at this type table other than wait for cards?

more 1-2 cash games

Well, went down a buy-in, then worked my second buy-in to 4 buy-ins. Then left with 3 buy-ins for a profit of 1 buy-in. But here was the biggest hand of interest...

UtG limps. MP limps, I limp with 8d7d, BB checks. Flop is 699. UtG bets 2xBB again. MP calls, I decide to call, BB folds.

Turn is the T. UtG checks, MP bets $20, I call. UtG moves all-in for $110. MP goes into the tank...

[FLASHBACK to 15 minutes ago]
EP moves all-in for $75 on a flush board. tank guy (again in MP) goes all-in with 2 pair, I call with a Ten flush. Original raiser shows 9 flush. River is blank and I rake a BIG pot.
[END FLASHBACK]

He moves all-in and has about $100 in chips. Now its decision time for me. 9T has me beat with a boat. But, 98 or 97 are very plausible hands, which I am ahead of. Could they both have a 9?! That is certainly the best case. But if one of them does not, what does he have? T8? T7? TT? JJ? JT? so hard to put someone on the second hand...

I call. UtG ALSO has 87 for the straight. Tank guy called off his stack AGAIN with 2 pair as a 5-1 dog. River is a 10 and I lose a buy-in of profit.

Las Vegas part 2, cash games

Up two and 1/2 buy-ins in 2.5 hours?! Hey, this is easy.

Well, the details are more reflective of the truth. Played a bit tights, and my big hands got action and held up. I play SLAG (slightly loose aggressive) so when I hit a hand, it just looks like I came in to the pot and am playing top or middle pair. But you would think SOMEONE would notice I never play a bit pot without a big hand? NOPE.

Unlike in the Ceasar's tournament, I have pocket KK twice (once each 1 session) and both times I got a call on my raise and no ace flopped. One guy even ran me down with TP.

But now my dilemma of the week. Not once, but TWICE I flopped a set on a all suited board and I had none of that suit*. AA and the flop is AcTc3c. Or a set of sevens on an all heart board. (*Obviously if its an all suited board, and you flop a set, you CANT have one of that suit, but just wanted to be clear). Both times I was either heads-up or 2 opponents at the most. How do you like to play this situation?

In one case the turn and river came JJ. He thought I had a Jack and was bluffing and hit runner-runner :) I was ahead the entire time.

I don't put a ton of credence in that whole "try to get a tell, or stare at someone for information" type stuff. I like to attribute players with a style and a set of behaviors and then work backwards to what they hold. Just what works for me. But on an all-suit board, players do strange things that are wiggity-wack.

WPBT
Speaking of that, I think it may be time to fold the monthly WPBT game. Either that, or convert it to Holdém only. Attendance has been dismal and the junkets to Las Vegas are the only anchor event anyways. Anyone agree?

What does one need to do to win a vegas tournament

Apparently, have a plan, execute it and play well just is not good enough.

I am in Vegas for 1 day, and I arrive early enough to enter my favorite tournament, the Ceasars $150 7pm. I like this one for 3 reasons:

1. Vegas tournament under $200
2. usually 5 tables or less (tonight was 4) [this is a sweet spot for me, 3 is even better]
3. lots of chips. Especially at 7pm where its 5000 to start.

In levels 1 and 2 (each 40 minutes), I play SLIP poker. Slightly Loose, flops In Position. I missed all 10 I played in the first 80 minutes, but just as level 2 was ending, I checked with the Hammer in the BB and the flop was 7 high. Nice thing here is that when you bet, someone thinks they should call with 2 overs. The turn was the 2 and I bet again. Everyone went away and I entered the break even at 5200.

Now, this is what is cool about this tournament. The blinds go up AND Ante's are introduced. You should shift to SLAG poker now (Slightly Loose AGressive) and steal alot more. I was the only player at the table who adjusted. At the end of level 3, I had chipped up with 7k without even getting a caller, just steals. I know the image I must have now, and I am ready to exploit it. Of course, only 1 or 2 players were paying enough attention to notice. Both would play in the following hands.

Now, the guy 2 to my left, is a big talker, drinker and card player. He knows what I am doing and has let me steal his small blind twice now. This time, it gets to me on the button with KK and I know exactly what to do. I make a quick splash raise of the exact amount I made all the steal raises with knowing he will raise with an Ace thinking steal. I hope he gets an Ace. I luck out and he pops me to 2700. I have him covered by about 1100 and I say "all-in". He INSTA-CALLS with AQ?! Ace comes RIGHT OUT THE DOOR. damn. I lose 6k.

I have 1100 left and I raise all-in with K9s and get no callers. I proclaim "get used to that", and do this 3 more times in 10 hands.. I continue to make big raises until I have chipped up to almost 4k. I decide I am going to slow down now and use a big hand to trap someone with my image. I even limp in the SB knowing I will get poped and have to fold, just to show everyone I am slowing down. Less than a rotation later... Sure enough, I raise with AKs and the SB thinks he can re-steal and goes all-in. I know he is weak and slightly desperate and insta-call to see his 9hTh. (remember, I am still a short stack at shy of 4k., I cant fold AKs here.)

The flop is T high with 2 hearts. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

I NEVER got my money in bad, never made a major mistake, and unfortunately never had a big hand hold up.

As I walked away, AQ drinking corona and spilling salt all over the table guy get up to go to the bathroom. He makes some comments about how I played well and just was unlucky. Feh.

Its just not enough to play well, you have to win as a favorite when it counts. I am sad. I walk for 6 blocks and return to my room.

WPBT Event #8 (new time)

WPBT 07 event #8
Password: wpbt72 [bloggers only please!]
Date: 8/26 (Sunday)
Time: 2 pm (Eastern/Server Time)
Buyin: $24 or token
Game: Pot Limit HO (Hold'em / Omaha Mixed)

my streak shattered

kids interupting, a blown fuse during a game, and a bee sting all contributed to my downfall. That and a hell of a lot of Qxo. where x is typically 2,3 or 4.


and then in the mookie, buddydank radio (mostly wedding music) played Simon and Garfunkel...

columbo: 50 ways to fold you aces
columbo: into the muck, chuck
Julius_Goat: just hit the ISD, lee
columbo: save the chips, chip?
columbo: dont push in your stack Jack
Julius_Goat: just drop the hamma, gramma
wwonka69: step out the back jack
Julius_Goat: it just don't pay to chase, grace
Julius_Goat: just don't try to bluff, russ
Julius_Goat: just peddle the nuts, gus


GOOD poker songs:
Cheap Sunglasses (ZZ Top)
Aces of Spades (Motorhead)


Who are the luck boxes this week to compensate for KQo, JJ and AQs (twice) as my only 4 premium hands the entire first hour?! I won 1, lost 2, and TIED one!

It was like an oragami class for me! FOLD, FOLD, and more FOLD.

ARGH... my bee sting hurts...

After the break, it was suicide. plan and simple. I got my money in AJs vs. AJs and make a flush. triple up to 1/2 the starting stack size. and two hands later run my weak ass hand into a SET. bye bye... a merciful end...

Maybe its time to move up?

I read Chad's post about the SNG tournament manager software and decided to give it a try. While I dont agree with paying $40 for a program that onyl handles Sit-N-Gos only, I was curious. I imported my garbage and did not see much that was interesting, other than I play VERY FEW S-n-Gs.

I decide to give the S-n-G world a tour of duty and played 6 of them over the last 2 days since I downloaded the software.

My results were, uhhhmmm, surprising...

WPBT Event #8

I just could not resolve my Triple Draw issue with Poker Stars in time, so we are moving to HA at Full Tilt. It should be this Sunday at a new time, 7pm (to avoid the "big game").

A tale of two Hands

Hand #1: Dealt JJ in LP at a tight cash 1-2 table. Raise from MP to 6. I raise to 18 and the blinds fold. Pot is about $40. Flop is T65 rainbow. He bets like $18 and I raise POT/All-in for another $60. He goes into the tank and get this... CALLS with 86o?!?! Um, thanks for $70 bucks?

Hand #2: 5 hours later in the Hoy. Tight 7 handed table, folded to me in MP and see JJ. Make a 2xBB raise, and everyone folds except the blinds. (Big blind is the chip leader with 4 times every one's stack size). Flop is T65 with 2 clubs. blinds check and I bet 2/3rds the pot. The chip leader simply pushes all in. Effectively betting $2000 into a $600 pot and putting me all in with an overpair. Even though I would normally fold here, I called. He shows 56s and takes me out.

I figured he was pushing with the T of clubs and maybe another club for Top pair with a flush redraw. Thus, even though it would be a very marginal call, I am a favorite. Except it wasn't TP with a draw, it was a blatant attempt to felt me. So obvious in fact, that I discounted it because of hand #1.

Funny?

Donkament

I played in my first Donkament (pw:donkarama) Friday night. For those of you who have never heard of this Donkey-Fest, its a private $1 NLHE with $1 add-on and $1 rebuys for the first HOUR. Not for the faint of heart. Went broke on HAND 1 with JJ vs. 88 and AT. All the money in pre-flop! It was not always ridiculous though, and after the break, I was 4th in chips.

But like all tournaments of this type, the trick is to SLOW DOWN and not remain a maniac. Easier said then done.

I accidentally raised instead of folding one hand, so I decided to fire TWO more barrels. Both were called. Ugh. Lost a chunk there. And Bayne cant fold middle pair to save his life? But, for maybe the first time in my entire poker life, I could actually PUT someone on middle pair and was contemplating the odds of him folding to a push (I had 77, he had AT). I NEVER push KNOWING I am behind, but suddenly, something was working that had been dormant in my brain.

Too bad it was against Bayne, who would call. But, maybe another time...

Despite being a $1, it was great rebuy experience. Highly recommended.

Oh yes... I almost forgot. B-A-Y-N-E!!!
My KJ flopped trips, only to see Bayne show his AK limp. I now have a nemesis...

NEMESIS!

Was yesterday Suckout day?

I laid down OESD to a big bet and the A of hearts on an all-heart flop to an all-in, but when the tables are turned and I flop a King high flush and go all-in, a lone Ace calls. And when I 2 pair, the flush draw calls. Both times they hit.

"I hope you had a hell of a piss Arnold!!!" - Brad Hamilton at All American Burger

WPBT Event #8

The next event is scheduled to be Triple Draw on Poker Stars. This is the only Poker Stars event of the year. It would notmally be on the 26th, but I can get that to work, so I am hoping for permission to run it on the 19th (along side the Big Game). Maybe a different start time (like 10:30pm ) would work?

Its a Token Frenzy

Time for a longer post... Many of my posts are short, to the point and devoid of comic flare. Ironic for an ex-comic, eh? But poker is no jpoking matter!

First off, let me state my opinion of the Token Frenzy. Yum. You start with $1500 in chips, and getting to about $4000 allows you to click "Sit out" and walk away. Yet, on NUMEROUS occasions, I saw stacks bigger than that getting involved with hands. This is great for you, the informed reader and donkey puncher, as you could conceivably make it simply by getting to $3000 in chips. Why? because bigger stacks actually ATTEMPT to eliminate players. Yum. They do all the work for you. Just get to twice your starting stack and wait. Pure gold.

Next, on the non-poker subject of Camping. My family LOVES camping. Freaking loves it. Because of this, I have made every attempt to enjoy camping. We bought a new trailer and it actually has a bed! What a HUGE difference this makes. Huge. I have a laptop that actually stays in the camper with its own set of campfire friendly software. The wife tries to only camp where they have wireless, although its often spotty. Its still better than being offline. Her mother has an awesome campsite in Claire, but we can never stay there since I cant even get cell coverage without driving 2 miles. I have really learned to enjoy these little trips and even played the Hoy Monday night from the campfire. All that being said, I think camping would be better in a multi-family situation. My goal for next year is to coordinate camping with other friends.

My work situation is very much in flux right now. I was a high-level person with a mid-sized company. That company being acquired, has placed me back in "middle mgt", which means "not a VP". This MAY be a setback, then again, maybe not. A re-alignment may create a situation where I am reporting to a VP, but have 6 times the reports I had at the mid-sized company. Where opportunity meets preparation... I will be ready for a promotion in 2 years at a company 20 times the size of the previous one. I can choose to be pessimistic or optimistic. I always assume I will succeed. Is that optimism, ego, or a little of both.

That being said, I have decided to break my own rule and commit now to playing in a 2008 WSOP event. I have always said that if I don't satellite in, I wont play. Well, I can afford the $1500 event, and if I don't satellite into a single event, I will plunk it down and play just for the experience and donk it up with the rest of the field. So be it. I am playing in two "leagues" this fall (second wed and second Saturday of the month) in the hopes of working the home-game satellite option also.

I look forward to the WPBT winter fest and decided to put together a flyer for 2008. Sort of a marketing flyer (tongue firmly in cheek), but I would luv to see us represent in the 2008 WSOP. There were some huge cheers during 2007 as we learned of fellow bloggers cashing. In 2008, I will once again take orders for the WPBT hats if you want one to use for the events or the WSOP itself. (I hope I can still get them at the same place. They were very cost-friendly.) I would also like to put together a Thursday night Beer-Fest at the Hoffbrau House Beer-hall across the street from Hard Rock. (Home of the 1/2 liter pilsner) Anyone?

Hoyoza and Chad (KOD) recently wrote the book on stealing and playing in big field donk-fests. There two articles are better than the Full Tilt Tournament book itself. Read them and save $22 bucks.

I myself have not written a strategy post in quite some time. I think this is because I have no major epiphanies over the recent months. Just using what I learn to improve my finishes. If you would have told me in January, that I would be $7 from the money lead in the Hoy in August, I would have laughed at you. My goals for the second half of 2007? Cash in a big field tournament and learn how to win in cash games instead of playing for hours to break even. (This happens to me OFTEN.) Every trip to California now, I will play cash games after dinner until I have to go to bed. (And my heads up game needs work.)

I put a link to the poker Google calendar (which I keep updated) on the blog...
Sunday is the big-game and the occasional WPBT event
Monday is the Hoy
Tuesday is an off-night
Wednesday is the Mookie
Thursday are Ante-up games and the pokersluts tour.
Friday is the donkament.

All that in addition to FTOPS, token frenzys, the DONKEY CHALLENGE sit n Go tables, the 50/50, etc.

Big Brother comment: The "America's player" ended exactly as expected. The chaotic choices made week to week without a long range plan, results in the player being singled out as suspicious. Duh. of course, his complete lack of a subtle bone in his body certainly contributed. Even more disconcerting is that COMPLETE lack of strategy of ANY of the "houseguests". Do any of them plan more than a single move in advance?! Most are REACTIVE, and that's you lose a chip stack.

The Ante-Up podcast recently did a great episode on the WSOP bootcamps. The big take-away for the emphasis on AGGRESSION. I, for one, am SICK of hearing this tired sound byte. Can anyone even tell me what it means anymore? What does aggression mean to YOU?

Despite my words about camping, the family took their most recent trip WAY up north and I was only able to get up there 1 weekend. The rest of the time, I went on my annual fix-about, where I fix every little thing wrong with the house. I am exhausted, and I know the minute the family returns, the house will start its downward spiral again. Life is maintenance. I also wanted to go to the casino one night, but there was a 90 minute wait for a table at Motor City?! On a Tuesday night at 7pm? Ugh. I hope MGM opens on time!

I read recently, that the government asked Second Life to shut down gambling on the VIRTUAL world due to proof of real money laundering. I am not even sure how that works. (Apparently there is a $270-$1 fake to real exchange rate?!) Now, there has been an old fashioned circa 1929 bank run in Second Life. When your entire economy is gambling and virtual sex, shutting off gambling completely cripples 1/2 the economy. Ok, more like 10% since Second Life is 90% virtual night clubs, virtual sex, and the sale of advanced genitals. (yeah, really).

Good News Everyone! A distribution decision has FINALLY been made on the future Futurama episodes. One movie to be released in November of 2007, followed by 3 "movies" split up into 1/2 hour episodes with added material. Someone made a decision.

That's it for now... Thanks for visiting!

shutting up now...

remember all that belly-aching last week? HA!

I was on Machinaw Island this weekend and bought a 3 dollar horseshoe before playing in the Hoy Monday night. I set myself up around a campfire, with campsite wireless and a beer. The wireless was so bad, that I dropped in and more than a teabag. heh. teabag.

anyways...

I was emotionally wrapped up in the game too, throwing my latop onto the grass when I ran my K4 into K5 thinking I was out before the money. We chopped.

I had a couple of big pairs early and then was card dead often for 3-4 rotations at a time. It was painful. But I went into the Hoy noticing that we only started with 3 tables. There was no need to play my normal SLAG style and tightened up to a more traditional TAG style. I am not so fond of TAG because I feel you waste value pushing players off of hands when they are behind. But I often do just that when the tournament is 5 tables or less.

In the end, I got sucked out on, watched other players suck out to prevent my from the money, then sucked out to make the money. Ahh poker. Twice MM was my victim. Ironically they came after I was robbed of the #3 spot twice.

Its too bad the blinds get up there so fast that you end up shoving. But that's the way it works at 1:30am.

I could not listen to buddy radio as I could barely keep a conection link. So I missed out on a lot of distractions.

Campfire, no radio, played traditional TAG, got a tad bit of luck at the end (K8 beat KQ to pop the bubble).

A major setback

I know now why I am playing badly. I have reverted to some old habits. Here is what happens:

Player 2 to my right, who is pretty good, raises to 3xBB. He looks like he has a big hand. I wake up in the small blind with AA. After much delay, I call, but the BB surprisingly calls.

The flop is uncoordinated and with a Q. I check, BB checks, and the CUTOFF bets big. I already hemmed and hawed pre-flop, now I re-raise. The pot is big enough that I can justify all of it without the alarm bells going off. BB folds, he calls with KK. I win a BIG pot and have doubled through.

The VERY NEXT HAND. I have AQ and pop it 3xBB. The cutoff calls. The flop is KJT. Check, check.

Turn is a 7 and a second heart. Now I have to bet and bet 1000. Call.

River is a second Ten. KJT7T. check and I bet out 1500. RAISE is announced.

Now, what would you do here? Let me tell you what I THOUGHT I WOULD DO here. I would expect a re-raise here of about 2000-2500. If it was MORE than that, I would be seriously worried of a boat. That or less, I am calling and seeing what happened. I figure the player for AT. and they expect they are ahead. But if they had JT or KT, ugh.

INSTEAD of that logical move, when I hear raise, I pull a Helmuth and shove all my chips in the pot. WTF? I dont try to get a read, I dont take any time, I just ASSUME that its AT. again wtf?

I mean, as I play it out, I almost certainly call most bets here. BUT, to not wait and see what the bet is, and how it is made, and at least try to get a read, was just plain "amateur hour".

I was embarrassed and full of self-loathing. Although I was able to crawl back for a while, another chance to accumulate chips never cam my way and the blinds ate me up.

So, in order to compensate for my lame tendancies, I have to add a 5 second rule to myself. or something. Whatever I do, I cant continue to just assume that every read I make stays correct through the hand.

I read that I was ahead and I was, until the river. There is just no excuse. Amatuer hour. Sad really, that after 3 years, I can still have trouble playing back-to-back big hands.

It happens, players make hands on the river.

How much of Poker is mental?

I played a 1 table 6max SnG last night, a HORSE SnG, the Mookie and the Dookie. What did they all have in common. I did poorly in each. Heck, only a suckout propelled me to 14th in the Mookie.

This morning I am discouraged and feel as though I have no "A" game.

When this feeling comes over you, what is the best way to "reset"?

Risk Reward Scenario

I did not post this for days as I contemplated the hand and my finish Monday night. 3 table MTT of NLHE. There are SEVEN left, pays but 3. Note my stack size. I cant make the money by folding. I estimate I need to reach 24k in chips to cash. With the top 3 in chips at 15k+, my EFFECTIVE FINAL TABLE Q is .5, and that is very important to me here... Tell me what you do here...

FINAL Table - 150/300 Ante 25
Seat 1: PokerBrian322 (21,090)
Seat 2: RaisingCayne (5,230)
Seat 3: bartonf (15,524)
Seat 4: IslandBum1 (3,458)
Seat 5 [BUTTON]: hoyazo (16,770)
Seat 6 [SB]: columbo (8,580)
Seat 7:[BB}jeciimd (7,348)
PokerBrian322 antes 25

PokerBrian322 folds
RaisingCayne folds
bartonf folds
IslandBum1 folds
hoyazo has 15 seconds left to act
hoyazo raises to 1,225

Dealt to columbo [Ts Td]
Hoyazo is not know to me to be a "big stack bully", but is famous for his discussions of stealing and re-stealing. AND its folded to him on the button.

If I CALL here, its 15% of my stack and I believe I commit myself to a Stop n Go.

If I RAISE here, its still enough to matter as it would be a 4 times pot raise and 1/2 of Hoyazo's chips.

If he has a premium pair, on the button, folded around, I am dead (JJ,QQ,KK,AA). (Hoyazo has had AA twice in the last 30 minutes.) Based on sheer statistics, I'll ignore that one. If he has Ace-X, he might be afraid of a bigger Ax.
If he has AK, especially suited, he probably calls ANY bet I make, which makes the Stop N Go a better choice. On a non-Ace flop, I would be pushing, but I am SECOND to act. What if he pushed all-in on the flop before I can? Or makes a bet that commits himself? Dunno...

So, what do you want to do here?