ouch. Wrist surgery has left me numb for a week. Now that I can type, I do so in short spurts for the next two weeks.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
why I am not posting too much lately...
ouch. Wrist surgery has left me numb for a week. Now that I can type, I do so in short spurts for the next two weeks.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Crying in my beer
The blogger freeroll is over. Or it must be by now. I was unable to bring myself to watch the ending. I was devastated. Nearly 2500 entries and I played damn solid poker. I did not win any races all night because I never had to get in one. I got my money in ahead every time. I missed one pot for 10% of my stack because I called an all-in from a short stack with KJ and lost to his AQ. Other than that, I made one big weak questionable fold.
A player who was tight, raises big and another player gets all-in with him. He flips over JJ and wins to double up. He is suddenly more aggressive. I have AKs in the BB and when I raise it, he comes over the top all-in for ½ my stack. At this point in the tournament, I am DOUBLE average (Q of 2) and have PLENTY of chips and time. I make a very weak fold putting him on a BIG pair. He then starts going hog wild with the all in and about 30 minutes later is taken down by a QQ. He had 72o. Did he use his image to bully me off a potentially huge hand? Maybe, but I think it was a solid decision. Don't eat the peppered beef.
Then I go card dead. Fast forward to 125 left and I am stealing enough to survive. I play 56s in the BB and ESCAPE from the LP player who flopped a nut flush. I am freakin’ Houdini on that hand. But for the first time in the tournament, I am below average.
I may be on the ropes, but it gets worse as I am moved to a monster table that at one point has Absinthe, studio glyphic, Bill Rini, and is brutal. I make my way to 95th and can see a chance to squeak across the line drawn at 54. My Q is low, my M is brutal, but I have yet to make a large mistake in over 2 hours. After folding what was 7 hands in a row with a 2 in them, I get a gift. QQ in LP. Frank goes all in, but only has 1600 chips. Glyphic goes all-in and I have to assume that that since we both have about the same size stack (he was slightly larger) and our M is SO low, that he can do this with Any pair or big Ace. I feel I am good here and make the call to see his beautiful 66. The flop has not 1 but 2 aces, but I don’t care about the 1600 anymore, I need glyphic’s chips (and he needs mine). A 6 on the turn and IGHN and glyphic goes on to cash (I assume). I could not even speak. I walked away from the computer and spent the rest of the evening with the kids.
I thought it would effect me for quite some time, but despite the disappointment. DISSAPOINTMENT!!! !#$&(@#$@#$^ I am ok now. Anyways, despite the disappointment, I played some mean poker baby. And for that I can be proud
or content
or I take some solace. F**K.
Well, I refuse to feel sorry for myself anyways. 94th. Not much of a trophy eh? Biggestron set the tempo days earlier when he said “I am going to chip up early or go home early. I don’t want to bubble a freeroll.” Indeed. That was my goal too. But sometime after that first hand was dealt, I knew I was going to play like it was the freakin’ world series.
Mark my words (please don’t), ONE OF THESE DAYS I AM GOING TO WIN SOMETHING. And not in Moneymaker fashion either (not that there is anything wrong with that). By playing a mean game of poker and getting a break at the end.
I may not post for a few days as I need to get some wrist surgery. (Typing accident. No, really!) But you can rest assured that I am gathering thoughts and I’ll be back. Oh, you can count on that. I’ll be back. CURSE YOU POKER STARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...
p.s. I hope glyphic won it.
A player who was tight, raises big and another player gets all-in with him. He flips over JJ and wins to double up. He is suddenly more aggressive. I have AKs in the BB and when I raise it, he comes over the top all-in for ½ my stack. At this point in the tournament, I am DOUBLE average (Q of 2) and have PLENTY of chips and time. I make a very weak fold putting him on a BIG pair. He then starts going hog wild with the all in and about 30 minutes later is taken down by a QQ. He had 72o. Did he use his image to bully me off a potentially huge hand? Maybe, but I think it was a solid decision. Don't eat the peppered beef.
Then I go card dead. Fast forward to 125 left and I am stealing enough to survive. I play 56s in the BB and ESCAPE from the LP player who flopped a nut flush. I am freakin’ Houdini on that hand. But for the first time in the tournament, I am below average.
I may be on the ropes, but it gets worse as I am moved to a monster table that at one point has Absinthe, studio glyphic, Bill Rini, and is brutal. I make my way to 95th and can see a chance to squeak across the line drawn at 54. My Q is low, my M is brutal, but I have yet to make a large mistake in over 2 hours. After folding what was 7 hands in a row with a 2 in them, I get a gift. QQ in LP. Frank goes all in, but only has 1600 chips. Glyphic goes all-in and I have to assume that that since we both have about the same size stack (he was slightly larger) and our M is SO low, that he can do this with Any pair or big Ace. I feel I am good here and make the call to see his beautiful 66. The flop has not 1 but 2 aces, but I don’t care about the 1600 anymore, I need glyphic’s chips (and he needs mine). A 6 on the turn and IGHN and glyphic goes on to cash (I assume). I could not even speak. I walked away from the computer and spent the rest of the evening with the kids.
I thought it would effect me for quite some time, but despite the disappointment. DISSAPOINTMENT!!! !#$&(@#$@#$^ I am ok now. Anyways, despite the disappointment, I played some mean poker baby. And for that I can be proud
or content
or I take some solace. F**K.
Well, I refuse to feel sorry for myself anyways. 94th. Not much of a trophy eh? Biggestron set the tempo days earlier when he said “I am going to chip up early or go home early. I don’t want to bubble a freeroll.” Indeed. That was my goal too. But sometime after that first hand was dealt, I knew I was going to play like it was the freakin’ world series.
Mark my words (please don’t), ONE OF THESE DAYS I AM GOING TO WIN SOMETHING. And not in Moneymaker fashion either (not that there is anything wrong with that). By playing a mean game of poker and getting a break at the end.
I may not post for a few days as I need to get some wrist surgery. (Typing accident. No, really!) But you can rest assured that I am gathering thoughts and I’ll be back. Oh, you can count on that. I’ll be back. CURSE YOU POKER STARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...
p.s. I hope glyphic won it.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Once again on the precipice
So, I played a 3 table MTT last night with an interesting twist. Up to ONE reuby in levels 1 and 2, then an add-on after level 2.
As usual, based on the fact that the add-on was the full 10k in chips at half the price, the mathematically correct thing to do (usually) is play very tight, finish even a bit above 10k and take the 10k add-on. Survival. In this case, however, you would also like to double up once or twice at no risk if you can.
I flopped 2 pair twice and took down small pots. I flopped sets twice and played them strong, only to chase away action. It may have been overkill, but I had decide to play strong on any flop I hit.
Let's review the rules:
1. Don’t eat the peppered beef (no calling all-ins in early levels)
2. Table tight, play loose. Table loose play tight. This table was loose pre-flop , tight post flop. So, I was tight pre-flop and looser post flop.
3. Don't plays drawing hands our of position.
4. When in doubt, tight
5. If you are FTA (first to act), raise or fold. I broke this rule about 4 times, and had to fold pre-flop about 4 times. like getting your hand slapped.
6. Its ok to fold to a raise. I got away from a big one this way. and was correct.
7. Don’t get caught with crumbs. (Don’t get caught with nothing but a draw)
8. watch stacks
9. watch patterns
10 find pressure points
11. big pots are for big hands
12. Gauge bets to drive out other hands or take advantage of worse hands.
13. Never stab at the dark (aka no dark tunnel bets)
14. Don't underbet a hit flop.
This is, for me, mechanically correct poker. And its how I played last night. And its how I bubbled.
I think the BIG difference from playing mechanically correct and playing creatively is not playing 85o pre-flop. Its letting a lesser hand see a turn card. Sometimes even a river card at the right price (for them). I NEVER did this. In fact I took very few chances at all. Each time I flopped a big hand, I hope someone had caught SOMETHING. ANYTHING. But each time, I was alone with my big hand, unwilling to give anyone any rope.
I played correct, but uninspired poker.
I did, however, get to witness first hand a "pressure player" that operated under the doubleas (see link) formula. I have a much better grasp of this now. "It's about relative stack sizes, not pot sizes", he told me. I think its starting to sink in.
I also got to congratulate Motown's own "ballgame" who final tabled the stars big event last week for $50k. Wow.
I remember something from my stand up days. The more thoroughly you have memorized your act, the more freedom you have to deviate from the path. Because you always can get back to your act at any time smoothly. Poker is the same way. Now that I have the base set of my rules established, I can begin to play more creatively.
Biggest change I wish to make: I wish to SLOW DOWN and think after a flop and decide “what is the best amount to bet here” instead of applying a formula or 1/3, ½ or pot.
As usual, based on the fact that the add-on was the full 10k in chips at half the price, the mathematically correct thing to do (usually) is play very tight, finish even a bit above 10k and take the 10k add-on. Survival. In this case, however, you would also like to double up once or twice at no risk if you can.
I flopped 2 pair twice and took down small pots. I flopped sets twice and played them strong, only to chase away action. It may have been overkill, but I had decide to play strong on any flop I hit.
Let's review the rules:
1. Don’t eat the peppered beef (no calling all-ins in early levels)
2. Table tight, play loose. Table loose play tight. This table was loose pre-flop , tight post flop. So, I was tight pre-flop and looser post flop.
3. Don't plays drawing hands our of position.
4. When in doubt, tight
5. If you are FTA (first to act), raise or fold. I broke this rule about 4 times, and had to fold pre-flop about 4 times. like getting your hand slapped.
6. Its ok to fold to a raise. I got away from a big one this way. and was correct.
7. Don’t get caught with crumbs. (Don’t get caught with nothing but a draw)
8. watch stacks
9. watch patterns
10 find pressure points
11. big pots are for big hands
12. Gauge bets to drive out other hands or take advantage of worse hands.
13. Never stab at the dark (aka no dark tunnel bets)
14. Don't underbet a hit flop.
This is, for me, mechanically correct poker. And its how I played last night. And its how I bubbled.
I think the BIG difference from playing mechanically correct and playing creatively is not playing 85o pre-flop. Its letting a lesser hand see a turn card. Sometimes even a river card at the right price (for them). I NEVER did this. In fact I took very few chances at all. Each time I flopped a big hand, I hope someone had caught SOMETHING. ANYTHING. But each time, I was alone with my big hand, unwilling to give anyone any rope.
I played correct, but uninspired poker.
I did, however, get to witness first hand a "pressure player" that operated under the doubleas (see link) formula. I have a much better grasp of this now. "It's about relative stack sizes, not pot sizes", he told me. I think its starting to sink in.
I also got to congratulate Motown's own "ballgame" who final tabled the stars big event last week for $50k. Wow.
I remember something from my stand up days. The more thoroughly you have memorized your act, the more freedom you have to deviate from the path. Because you always can get back to your act at any time smoothly. Poker is the same way. Now that I have the base set of my rules established, I can begin to play more creatively.
Biggest change I wish to make: I wish to SLOW DOWN and think after a flop and decide “what is the best amount to bet here” instead of applying a formula or 1/3, ½ or pot.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
NL tournament Strategy from 1995 vs. 2006
To recap strategy from a DECADE ago:
Rule 1: Play only very good starting hands. (group 1 from EP, group 1-2 from other positions)
Rule 2: If you are the first one in, enter with a raise. (in early levels, raise preflop 5%-10% instead of 3xBB and post-flop make the raise % of stack instead of % of pot)
Rule 3: If there are other callers in before you, raise if you have a large pocket pair, otherwise call. (and by large pocket pair, the rules was QQ or better. Or if you’re TJ, KK or better. You did not CALL and all-in pre-flop with JJ).
Rule 4: Use caution in responding to a raise.
Rule 5: When you hit a flop you like, bet big and raise big. (you need to accumulate chips and because you are playing fewer hands, you need the hands you play to pay off)
Rule 6: When you hit a good draw, bluff if the conditions are right. Call only if the one-card draw odds are correct. (i.e. semi-bluff on the FLOP not the turn and give it up if the turn is a blank and the new odds are against you.)
Rule 7: Late in the tournament, fight for the blinds with big cards.
Rule 8: Treat your last few chips as though they were precious, because they are. (Note that using the modern day comparison, we are talking an M<2 or a Q of .1)
What is different a decade later?
Rule 1: Playing tight is a great way to go, but the fields are SO large now that waiting for group 1 hands creates a “slippery slope of Q”. Meaning that you win just enough hands to “chase average”. If your Q is always below 1, its going to be harder to get to the money in a large field of over 500. Something unheard of in 1995.
Adjustment: Play speculative hands from LP in the hopes of hitting a big hand or a big draw. You will need to push marginal advantages if you wish to accumulate chips against 1000+ players. You also need to get away from these hands quickly when you are up against tight players.
Rule 2: Players today are less likely to play for a big raise pre-flop in level 1 to win 3xBB chips. If the starting stack is 1500 and the blinds are 10/20 and you make it 75-150 to go, you may get no action at a tight table. (Interesting point though is that you would quickly find out just who is loose and who is tight.) If you flop MP or better, you are now going to follow up with not 200 (2/3 pot sized bet if you have 1 caller), but more like 400 (which is 30% of the remaining stack size). That is big pressure to try to apply at level 1. Many times this works out of the gate and you can get some chips. And many other times VERY LOOSE players call you and draw on you.
Adjustment: You must mentally tag which players will lay down hands and which will NOT and play your hand accordingly. Of course, if you correctly tag a loose player and flop TP and he calls you down while making 2 pair on the turn, you are going broke, but so be it.
Rule 3: Not much change here. Don’t play baby pairs up front, call from late.
Adjustment: I think we add suited connectors in late position, especially if they contain a 9 or a Ten.
Rule 4: This is still true in 1-2 or 2-5 NLHE live cash games in Vegas.
Adjustment: Not everyone is a fish. Despite the LOADS of bad play out there, I think you need to respect this rule. What was one of Steve Dannenmann’s rules? “It is only a small mistake to fold to a raise”.
Rule 5: The classic tight aggressive. Play few hands and when you hit make others calls as a dog. Too bad too many players are now “loose pre-flop, tight post flop”. This means that it’s less common to isolate to one opponent pre-flop.
Adjustment: Playing the speculative hands from late position adjusts for some of this in terms of expected EV, but you also must be able to figure out if you are behind vs. someone who just “feels” pot committed. Pros do this very well. You must do it well too.
Rule 6: As the tournament progresses, this gets more and more applicable. But I rarely bluff at all in the first half of a tournament. If it’s a 180, I wait until 90 or so are gone. At that point, the remaining players feel vested in the tournament and stop throwing chips around like water.
Rule 7: Late in the tournament, fight for the blinds with big cards. As good today as it was then. BUT, in today’s large fields, there are always loose players who accumulate large chips stacks by playing lots of hands and getting luckier than the other loose players playing lots of hands. When you run into that stack in the late stage, you need to up your base steal hand requirements from any 2 to something viable. That way, when he makes a big re-reaise with broadway, you can crush him.
Rule 8: I think the modern day equivalent of this is to understand your M and Q in relation to the field size. If your Q<.5 (even doubling up wont get you to average), you need to think about pushing very marginal edges. You can’t fold your way to the money in these large fields, nor can you double up just to live for another hour. That hour still won’t get you to the Promised Land.
Rule 1: Play only very good starting hands. (group 1 from EP, group 1-2 from other positions)
Rule 2: If you are the first one in, enter with a raise. (in early levels, raise preflop 5%-10% instead of 3xBB and post-flop make the raise % of stack instead of % of pot)
Rule 3: If there are other callers in before you, raise if you have a large pocket pair, otherwise call. (and by large pocket pair, the rules was QQ or better. Or if you’re TJ, KK or better. You did not CALL and all-in pre-flop with JJ).
Rule 4: Use caution in responding to a raise.
Rule 5: When you hit a flop you like, bet big and raise big. (you need to accumulate chips and because you are playing fewer hands, you need the hands you play to pay off)
Rule 6: When you hit a good draw, bluff if the conditions are right. Call only if the one-card draw odds are correct. (i.e. semi-bluff on the FLOP not the turn and give it up if the turn is a blank and the new odds are against you.)
Rule 7: Late in the tournament, fight for the blinds with big cards.
Rule 8: Treat your last few chips as though they were precious, because they are. (Note that using the modern day comparison, we are talking an M<2 or a Q of .1)
What is different a decade later?
Rule 1: Playing tight is a great way to go, but the fields are SO large now that waiting for group 1 hands creates a “slippery slope of Q”. Meaning that you win just enough hands to “chase average”. If your Q is always below 1, its going to be harder to get to the money in a large field of over 500. Something unheard of in 1995.
Adjustment: Play speculative hands from LP in the hopes of hitting a big hand or a big draw. You will need to push marginal advantages if you wish to accumulate chips against 1000+ players. You also need to get away from these hands quickly when you are up against tight players.
Rule 2: Players today are less likely to play for a big raise pre-flop in level 1 to win 3xBB chips. If the starting stack is 1500 and the blinds are 10/20 and you make it 75-150 to go, you may get no action at a tight table. (Interesting point though is that you would quickly find out just who is loose and who is tight.) If you flop MP or better, you are now going to follow up with not 200 (2/3 pot sized bet if you have 1 caller), but more like 400 (which is 30% of the remaining stack size). That is big pressure to try to apply at level 1. Many times this works out of the gate and you can get some chips. And many other times VERY LOOSE players call you and draw on you.
Adjustment: You must mentally tag which players will lay down hands and which will NOT and play your hand accordingly. Of course, if you correctly tag a loose player and flop TP and he calls you down while making 2 pair on the turn, you are going broke, but so be it.
Rule 3: Not much change here. Don’t play baby pairs up front, call from late.
Adjustment: I think we add suited connectors in late position, especially if they contain a 9 or a Ten.
Rule 4: This is still true in 1-2 or 2-5 NLHE live cash games in Vegas.
Adjustment: Not everyone is a fish. Despite the LOADS of bad play out there, I think you need to respect this rule. What was one of Steve Dannenmann’s rules? “It is only a small mistake to fold to a raise”.
Rule 5: The classic tight aggressive. Play few hands and when you hit make others calls as a dog. Too bad too many players are now “loose pre-flop, tight post flop”. This means that it’s less common to isolate to one opponent pre-flop.
Adjustment: Playing the speculative hands from late position adjusts for some of this in terms of expected EV, but you also must be able to figure out if you are behind vs. someone who just “feels” pot committed. Pros do this very well. You must do it well too.
Rule 6: As the tournament progresses, this gets more and more applicable. But I rarely bluff at all in the first half of a tournament. If it’s a 180, I wait until 90 or so are gone. At that point, the remaining players feel vested in the tournament and stop throwing chips around like water.
Rule 7: Late in the tournament, fight for the blinds with big cards. As good today as it was then. BUT, in today’s large fields, there are always loose players who accumulate large chips stacks by playing lots of hands and getting luckier than the other loose players playing lots of hands. When you run into that stack in the late stage, you need to up your base steal hand requirements from any 2 to something viable. That way, when he makes a big re-reaise with broadway, you can crush him.
Rule 8: I think the modern day equivalent of this is to understand your M and Q in relation to the field size. If your Q<.5 (even doubling up wont get you to average), you need to think about pushing very marginal edges. You can’t fold your way to the money in these large fields, nor can you double up just to live for another hour. That hour still won’t get you to the Promised Land.
Monday, June 12, 2006
shame and redemption
Full Tilt does not have IP subnet blocking, so Mrs. Columbo challenged me to join her in a HORSE SnG. I said sure, figuring I could half pay attention and still do ok. As I watched net copies of SNL Celebrity Jeopardy, I bubbled twice. Lame of me to play without being fully engaged. So, last night I signed up for a FT HORSE SNG and fully engaged myself. I finished 2nd. Better.
I am concentrating on two events right now:
the $4-180 (20 table) MTT at Stars (when I have 3 hours)
[ROI since starting last week: 550%, 1cash/3)
and the FT HORSE $5 SNG. (when I dont have 3 hours)
[ROI since starting last week: -20% 1cash/3)
I am hoping for some P-HORSE at the WPBT, so I have been playing play money Pineapple at paradise poker for practice. I(s the P in P-HORSE high-low P or just high?)
My stud 8OB is better than my 7 card stud, but I took a sick beat when my 76543 failed to take EITHER the high (someone made a flush) NOR the low (lost to, get this, 76542). I refused to play that holding weak. Still, I finished 2nd overall and the winner of the SnG was the 76542 guy. Weird.
My WPBT strategy plan so far: Dont play any hands with the luckbox or STB.
I am concentrating on two events right now:
the $4-180 (20 table) MTT at Stars (when I have 3 hours)
[ROI since starting last week: 550%, 1cash/3)
and the FT HORSE $5 SNG. (when I dont have 3 hours)
[ROI since starting last week: -20% 1cash/3)
I am hoping for some P-HORSE at the WPBT, so I have been playing play money Pineapple at paradise poker for practice. I(s the P in P-HORSE high-low P or just high?)
My stud 8OB is better than my 7 card stud, but I took a sick beat when my 76543 failed to take EITHER the high (someone made a flush) NOR the low (lost to, get this, 76542). I refused to play that holding weak. Still, I finished 2nd overall and the winner of the SnG was the 76542 guy. Weird.
My WPBT strategy plan so far: Dont play any hands with the luckbox or STB.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
How does one donk off $30 bucks with the guys?
Ed's birthday was yesterday and we needed a fun activity that included cigars, gambling, yelling and about $30. So what do you think we played for 5 hours?!
It was quite a treat to come across something of that nature. It was like the first time you played poker. So fun, but you have no idea what you are doing. SO much fun!
It was quite a treat to come across something of that nature. It was like the first time you played poker. So fun, but you have no idea what you are doing. SO much fun!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
catching up
had to leave on business RIGHT AFTER the HORSE game. How does one lose at limit at LEVEL 1 - during the H?!
1. run into the luckbox(tm) on hand #1 (I'm talking about you CJ!)
2. Next hand, run TP into an overpair.
3. Next hand, have your aces cracked.
That's right, I lost $1250 of my $1500 in the "H" in level 1. I suck.
Ok, now for something I did WELL. A great decision...
the 180 $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100)
JSFARM: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Kc Kd]
mgpferreira: folds
rod-macedo: calls 100
gill36: calls 100
blauman32: folds
Columbo777: raises 300 to 400
Dominator197: folds
FLYBOYS: folds
hotpoppa: folds
JSFARM: calls 300
rod-macedo: folds
gill36: calls 300
*** FLOP *** [Td Jd 3h]
JSFARM: bets 500
gill36: folds
Columbo777: raises 500 to 1000
JSFARM: calls 500 <=drawing?!
*** TURN *** [Td Jd 3h] [9c] <=oh no!
JSFARM: bets 1685 and is all-in
[columbo goes into the tank!]
Columbo777: calls 1685
*** RIVER *** [Td Jd 3h 9c] [5c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JSFARM: shows [Qc Ad] (broken draw)
Columbo777: shows [Kc Kd] (a pair of Kings)
I was hard to put him on KQ when I had two of them. It was also impossible to put him on 78. No, I figured him for QJ and a bluff... well, eventually I did.
And the side effect of making a good decision? momentum!
Buy-In: $4.00/$0.40 180 players
Dear Columbo777,
You finished the tournament in 3rd place.
You earned 126.13 tournament leader points in this tournament.
1. run into the luckbox(tm) on hand #1 (I'm talking about you CJ!)
2. Next hand, run TP into an overpair.
3. Next hand, have your aces cracked.
That's right, I lost $1250 of my $1500 in the "H" in level 1. I suck.
Ok, now for something I did WELL. A great decision...
the 180 $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100)
JSFARM: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Kc Kd]
mgpferreira: folds
rod-macedo: calls 100
gill36: calls 100
blauman32: folds
Columbo777: raises 300 to 400
Dominator197: folds
FLYBOYS: folds
hotpoppa: folds
JSFARM: calls 300
rod-macedo: folds
gill36: calls 300
*** FLOP *** [Td Jd 3h]
JSFARM: bets 500
gill36: folds
Columbo777: raises 500 to 1000
JSFARM: calls 500 <=drawing?!
*** TURN *** [Td Jd 3h] [9c] <=oh no!
JSFARM: bets 1685 and is all-in
[columbo goes into the tank!]
Columbo777: calls 1685
*** RIVER *** [Td Jd 3h 9c] [5c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JSFARM: shows [Qc Ad] (broken draw)
Columbo777: shows [Kc Kd] (a pair of Kings)
I was hard to put him on KQ when I had two of them. It was also impossible to put him on 78. No, I figured him for QJ and a bluff... well, eventually I did.
And the side effect of making a good decision? momentum!
Buy-In: $4.00/$0.40 180 players
Dear Columbo777,
You finished the tournament in 3rd place.
You earned 126.13 tournament leader points in this tournament.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
home game movie moment
Gets down to what it's all about, doesn't it? Making the wrong move at the right time. And I did. I became more bold in the second half as the blinds escalated and my chip stack did not. Each time I made a move with my entire stack I either got the fold I wanted (like TT vs KQ) or won the showdown. Now we are 5 handed, just before merging to the final table and I have A9d. The MP (a good player) min raises. fold to me and I think for a minute. I decide to call from the SB. The BB folds. The flop is A89. I check knowing that no one is going to credit me with an Ace here so I play it cool. The MP bets 1/2 pot. I come over the top. He quickly calls with his set of Aces, thinking I must have a straight draw. IGHN.
I noted that I took too many stabs at pots in levels 3-6 where I left myself exposed THREE times to a check -raise or a bet over the top. My one attempt to play a pot away from someone was aborted. The players were agressive post flop, almost to a fault, and I adjust to play with the grain instead of against it. BAD, but fixable.
I noted that I took too many stabs at pots in levels 3-6 where I left myself exposed THREE times to a check -raise or a bet over the top. My one attempt to play a pot away from someone was aborted. The players were agressive post flop, almost to a fault, and I adjust to play with the grain instead of against it. BAD, but fixable.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Thursday, June 01, 2006
a tale of 2 evenings
It's night number two for the 180 SnG at stars. Last night, I finished a dissapointing 24th, tonight a dissapointing 30th. But in baseball terms:
2 runs
2 mistakes
0 major errors
Which was not good enough to win.
Run #1 was when I called a raise pre-flop with Q9s. I was 4 flushing on the flop and I make a 1/2 pot bet in the hopes of disguising the draw. He comes over the top for twice that. Can you see where he made a mistake? He gave me odd to call that. (the raise was not big enough). BUT, we BOTH know that I am on the draw now. So when the turn is a non-flush card, I can attempt to continue the charade or check. I have a feeling that either way my money is going in and so is his. I check hoping he will make a mistake somehow and not put me all in. But in reality, his RAISE on the flop made the pot big enough that his all in on the river (or more to the point, putting ME all in) have given me 4-1 odds AND folding leaves me with a Q of .3 I CAN NOT see how he expects me to fold. The river is the flush card and I hit the break back at average.
I am about average after losing with AK and winning with AA. But after that, I tried only THREE "moves", they all failed. The last one is an old story. Folded around to you in the SB and you have KJ so you raise your shortish stack all-in and the BB calls with AK. "That's the third time this week"
So, I continue to soldier on. I did make a nice pot steal with middle pair once. And I did not make any MAJOR stupid moves. But I did make a dark tunnel bet with AK and I did overplay a hand. I had alot of BLOw hands (big-little offsuit) to contend with.
In the end, I was not aggressive enough to chip up where I needed to be at the bubble. I know to gear up at that point, but the chip leader was on my left and that really hinders your ability to steal. No excuses, but it was a tough challenge. I need to continue this crusade.
2 runs
2 mistakes
0 major errors
Which was not good enough to win.
Run #1 was when I called a raise pre-flop with Q9s. I was 4 flushing on the flop and I make a 1/2 pot bet in the hopes of disguising the draw. He comes over the top for twice that. Can you see where he made a mistake? He gave me odd to call that. (the raise was not big enough). BUT, we BOTH know that I am on the draw now. So when the turn is a non-flush card, I can attempt to continue the charade or check. I have a feeling that either way my money is going in and so is his. I check hoping he will make a mistake somehow and not put me all in. But in reality, his RAISE on the flop made the pot big enough that his all in on the river (or more to the point, putting ME all in) have given me 4-1 odds AND folding leaves me with a Q of .3 I CAN NOT see how he expects me to fold. The river is the flush card and I hit the break back at average.
I am about average after losing with AK and winning with AA. But after that, I tried only THREE "moves", they all failed. The last one is an old story. Folded around to you in the SB and you have KJ so you raise your shortish stack all-in and the BB calls with AK. "That's the third time this week"
So, I continue to soldier on. I did make a nice pot steal with middle pair once. And I did not make any MAJOR stupid moves. But I did make a dark tunnel bet with AK and I did overplay a hand. I had alot of BLOw hands (big-little offsuit) to contend with.
In the end, I was not aggressive enough to chip up where I needed to be at the bubble. I know to gear up at that point, but the chip leader was on my left and that really hinders your ability to steal. No excuses, but it was a tough challenge. I need to continue this crusade.
wot's, uh, the deal?
PS is running the 20 tables (180 players) $4s again! To me, this the BEST talent test for the money.
Last nights adventure was definetely a wake up call for me.
In level 1, I make a bad play. I made a push in level 1 (already a bad idea), but then checked the turn and so did the opponent. Had I put in a good bet there, he would have folded what turned out to be a 4 outer. He hit it on the river. And he bet. AND I called it. IF I WAS GOING TO CALL A RIVER BET, THEN I SHOULD HAVE MADE A TURN BET INSTEAD. Not only am I down half my chips, I did this in level 1 where you start in a position where you need to ACCUMULATE chips.
5 minutes later I double up back to the starting stack size. But I COULD have been chipped up. Instead I am "chasing average" (what I call it when Q<1) all the way to the break. At the break, the average is like 4000 and I have like 1800. I figure its a few more hands and I am out. BUT, I am making GOOD decisions now and about 90 players have eliminated themselves.
There are now 60 players left and I am 27th in chips.
There are now 50 players left and I am SEVENTH in chips!
There are now 40 players left and I am 5th in chips!
With 24 or so players left (18 pay), I am in the top 10. And then I bubbled. How did it happen? Was it bad luck? Was it suckouts? HARDLY. I played BAD.
How does one play so good and then SELF DISTRUCT?! Let me tell you!
Let's skip the hand analysis and skip to the BASIC breakdowns that directly contributed to my downfall. Since I was a big stack, I should AVOID confrontation with the ONLY OTHER BIG STACK at my table! Worse yet, HE was in position! When that flop came and I bet out and he called. I got suspicious. Why, because I watched him numerous times call on the flop and raise on the turn to steal a pot. And yet, I made the flop bet with a weak holding, which he called. Then I made a STRONG turn bet which he came over the top of. I had to fold. POOR PLAY.
Then I COMPOUNDED my mistake by trying the same trick he used on me on another player. He also took my chips. And suddenly, I was in RED (M=5) territory again. TERRIBLE PLAY. It pains me to see that after years of this, I can still be such a train wreck.
I need to train. I am back at the 180s until I can produce results.
Last nights adventure was definetely a wake up call for me.
In level 1, I make a bad play. I made a push in level 1 (already a bad idea), but then checked the turn and so did the opponent. Had I put in a good bet there, he would have folded what turned out to be a 4 outer. He hit it on the river. And he bet. AND I called it. IF I WAS GOING TO CALL A RIVER BET, THEN I SHOULD HAVE MADE A TURN BET INSTEAD. Not only am I down half my chips, I did this in level 1 where you start in a position where you need to ACCUMULATE chips.
5 minutes later I double up back to the starting stack size. But I COULD have been chipped up. Instead I am "chasing average" (what I call it when Q<1) all the way to the break. At the break, the average is like 4000 and I have like 1800. I figure its a few more hands and I am out. BUT, I am making GOOD decisions now and about 90 players have eliminated themselves.
There are now 60 players left and I am 27th in chips.
There are now 50 players left and I am SEVENTH in chips!
There are now 40 players left and I am 5th in chips!
With 24 or so players left (18 pay), I am in the top 10. And then I bubbled. How did it happen? Was it bad luck? Was it suckouts? HARDLY. I played BAD.
How does one play so good and then SELF DISTRUCT?! Let me tell you!
Let's skip the hand analysis and skip to the BASIC breakdowns that directly contributed to my downfall. Since I was a big stack, I should AVOID confrontation with the ONLY OTHER BIG STACK at my table! Worse yet, HE was in position! When that flop came and I bet out and he called. I got suspicious. Why, because I watched him numerous times call on the flop and raise on the turn to steal a pot. And yet, I made the flop bet with a weak holding, which he called. Then I made a STRONG turn bet which he came over the top of. I had to fold. POOR PLAY.
Then I COMPOUNDED my mistake by trying the same trick he used on me on another player. He also took my chips. And suddenly, I was in RED (M=5) territory again. TERRIBLE PLAY. It pains me to see that after years of this, I can still be such a train wreck.
I need to train. I am back at the 180s until I can produce results.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Vegas on Business (a rambling and some poker)
This entry has been re-titled in my mind no less than 6 times. Read into that what you will.
Vegas Business Trip Report
What are the Pros and Cons of staying off the strip? Price is what I expected the answer to be. But I sorta found the exception to the rule. I stayed at the RIO, which is on strip, but only if you take the shuttle over the highway. Which means you need to be back by 1am. Since I am here on business, this has not been a problem. But otherwise, not good.
The RIO is all-suites which means the rooms are twice as large than say, the Paris, but also cost exactly twice as much.
It’s nice because the pool has a sandy beach, but they also charge $18 for a large Pina Colada. That’s a big number for something that is held in a plastic cup.
My room air conditioning is barely keeping up, while the hallways are a refrigeration unit at 65 degrees. The weirdness of Vegas. (note: later in the day, the hotel will lost power for a good hour. I wonder if its related to keeping cavernous hallways at 65 degrees?)
#1 Tip for Vegas, ALWAYS get a player card. It makes check in so much more pleasant.
Tip for Vegas #2: Find the nearest coffee (such as starbucks). Its too hard to locate them in the morning when you need them. The RIO has two Starbucks and a 3rd coffee and pastry stand.
Tip for Vegas #3: Bring your own cigars. The cigar booths are typically out of the way places with high prices. Counter to the trend, the RIO had one by the front desk. Not counter to the trend, cigars were expensive.
I stayed on the 11th floor with a strip view. If you are not here on business, get a strip view. How? Use your gold card to check in and be VERY NICE to the check in clerk. Especially if they are new and their supervisor is helping them learn the ropes.
The RIO shuttles run to Harrah’s where the monorail is and to Caesars Palace. But its 5-10 wait for the shuttle and a 5-10 minute ride. It add up when the temperature is over 90.
Card rooms:
The RIO poker room (not where the WSOP will be obviously) is very small and their lowest NLHE game was 2-5. I am very bankroll driven, so I always look for a 1-2 game.
After business concluded on day #1, we had a wonderful dinner at the RIO steakhouse. Tremendous . My previous trips to Vegas have been very anti-climactic in the food area. Not this time. Go for the expense restaurants or stick to subway. The “inexpensive fare” restaurants are so bad, its almost a crime. I swear that at the imperial palace burger place someone should be sued over what they call edible.
I took the shuttle to Harrah’s and since they had a 1-2 NLHE game, sat down. I had maybe a 5 minute wait (if that). Nice room, sequestered off (which I prefer).
I am playing for about an hour, but never had a hand better than AJ or TT. I held my own but was coming up about even. I have a rule when playing live NLHE 1-2. If there are more than 3 players in the pot, don’t bet or call bets bigger than ½ pot with anything less than 2 pair. So, I rarely get into trouble with these types of tables.
They start their evening tournament (which I decided to skip) which had but nine players (resulting in a SnG for their tournament.)
Some players from each of the 1-2 tables went over to the SnG and the rest collapsed into our table. The guy on my left was a regular since the dealer knew him by name (alex). Here now is the second hand after he sat down.
I raise it up to 10 with ATs from EP and he calls. No other players.
The flop is AT6 with 2 clubs. I have flopped top two and all worries about being out kicked are gone. I am just concerned with the 2 clubs.
I decide to play this aggressively, because I expect he will pay me off with Ax, hopefully A6. I bet $25 into the pot of $23 (defend against the flush) and he raises $25. With top two pair I figured him for a flush draw semi-bluff with a pair or Ax (hopefully A6, but more probably AK).
I decide since I will have committed 50% of my stack if I call, and he has a big stack, I need him to leave that flush draw on the table and fold if he has just the draw. I push my remaining stack in and he calls. He turns over 66 for the set. Its not often you flop top 2 vs. a set in a cash game. I am not sure I could escape based on our stack sizes.
I buy back in for a second buy-in. I spend the next hour+ working it back. Just solid play, taking opportunities, not getting greedy. I have gotten 90% of it back.
Meanwhile an interesting hand comes up that I was not in. The flop is AAx with two players. The out of position player postures and says “I am trying to figure out if my Kings are good.” He then checks. The other player takes the bait and bets the flop. The “kings” smooth call. “kings” now check the turn and the other buy gets, again the smooth call. The river is x and this time the “kings” bet. The other player folds. “kings” turns over Ax for a boat.
The boat player cashes out and leaves. Classic.
For 10 minutes I fold. Solid play.
I now find AcJc in MP. Two early players have limped in and I pop it to 5xBB. I get the original limper and the SB to call.
The flop is Ad7c6s
SB checks, I bet 35, hoping to get a AJ to fold if there is one). The first limper folds, but the SB calls after thinking about folding for about 15 seconds.
The turn 5c and I have picked up the nut flush draw. SB checks, I bet 35. He check-raises all-in. (Its 100 more or the remaining 50% of the starting stack on this hand). I go into the think tank. This is not a tournament I say to myself, I feel like I a supposed to make this call. I doubt the club helped him, and I think he is trying to grab the pot from me. I don’t consider the 5 a worry card. Still, something is wrong. But, I call figuring I have the flush redraw. He has 89. (he made a straight on the turn)
I look for the club. The last card is a red K. All my work flushed down the toilet.
I always leave the table when I make a bad decision. Sort of self imposed imprisonment. I review the hand over and over in my head…
mistakes:
1. Didn’t I eat the Peppered beef? I called an all-in (check raise no less) with less than two pair.
2. Check raise, heck any re-raise at this table. In retrospect, I realize I did not see a single re-raise at this table where the player did not have a big hand. (this goes for my 2 pair vs. set hand also)
3. I did not completely think out big decision because I don't play live enough. I am not even sure that the check-raise registered. No, that is hiding the truth. The check raise did NOT register at all. I felt the pressure to respond because everyone was waiting. In a home game, I would have made them wait.
4. I Did not really address the turn card. When a turn card comes, you have to evaluate its impact on the value of the hands. It greatly diminished mine. Why did I think A8 vs. 89?? Because of the call on the flop? I figured A weak kicker. The check raise should have said I was wrong.
5. Counted my redraw as too many outs. Sure it was 8 or 9 outs, but I was still a DOG to get there. I was getting 3-1 ish on a 4.5-1 draw (assuming I cant win with 2 pair or its even more). This was the fatal clincher and a psychology lesson in one. In a CASH GAME, it’s HARDER to lay down a draw to the nuts.
Worst of all, I realize the next day that this was a similar mistake I made last December at Excalibur!!! I had a guy pull a straight out on 4th street and did not re-evaluate my holding and paid it off. (Although I did not have a redraw in that situation. That’s what really screwed me up here, the re-draw.)
If I hit the club, I am up $200 for the night and think I am king of the table. But I have never been what you would call “lucky”.
"walking back to Dallas" as TJ would say. Went broke from behind. Embarrassed and defeated I went to bed.
The next night, I have a wonderful dinner at the China Griil at Mandalay. Afterwards, it is off to play again. Mandalay no longer spreads 1-2, only 2-5 in low NLHE. So we took the train to the castle. They had 1-3, which would normally qualify. But after last nights sting, I wondered over to MGM instead. And let’s face it, it’s an easy thing to do. MGM runs an excellent card room. They will post games based on interest, they process the wait quickly, and they have lots of dealers. (I have not played at the big rooms at Bellagio or Wynn).
I come in after the button and as is my habit, decide to wait for the BB so I can watch the table. Twice in one rotation I see a raised flop called by 5, checked around on the flop and the turn, and someone stab at the river only to get no resistance. These guys are not bullies or bluffers it seems.
10 or so hands in, I realize I have seen zero flops. Here come my blinds AGAIN.
There are 4 callers and I look down to see AJo in the SB. This is absolutely the hardest position to play this hand from. I do know, however, not to raise with AJo from the SB. I reluctantly pay the extra ½ bet and see the flop figuring I am going to have to fold unless I get a strong flop.
Flop JT6 rainbow. Nice, strong flop for me. The UtG limper makes it 10, there is a caller and back to me in the SB. I raise it to 35 (25 more). Without even a delay he puts me all in.
I go into the tank again, only this time I take a good 2 minutes. The dealer was accommodating. After much thought fold. My read was that he limped with AA waiting for the re-raise pre-flop that never came. After the flop, he led out to build a pot and when I showed strength, went for the stack. If I had a set, he would be broke right now. Neither of us showed, but since he had not done that and did not do it since, I feel I was exactly right. So even though I lost $35, I felt pretty good about my play. It was very similar to last night’s hand where I called, but this time I escaped.
10 minutes later I have about $90 in front of me.
I am UtG and look down at two Jacks. Another difficult hand, but I am going to play it. I decide to raise to 10 UtG with JJ. This might have been a bit light for this table, but if I bet 15, the only caller is AA or KK or QQ. I want worse hands to call and better hands to give me a chance to out-flop them. UtG+1, a nice older lady who played too many hands pre-flop, calls. The Button then raises to 25. I actually think for a moment about folding. Then reason and rational return to my brain and I call as does the old lady.
The flop is 68J 2 diamonds. FINALLY, I have a big hand. And top set no less. It seems obvious that in a cash game I check here. If they have something I get extra money in the pot, if they don’t I give them a chance to catch up as a BIG dog. I check and the other two check after me. The old lady probably has zero. (I really expected the button to bet here and he does not. Curious that he did not make a continuation bet. Ax?) pot is $78. I have about $55 left in front of me.
The turn is a Q. I quickly notice that I cant check. I wish to “bid” up the pot and allow the other two to make a mistake. Maybe 1 of them just made two pair or top pair with that Q. I bet 25, hoping the old lady will stay. She does not. The button, however, says “I’ll donate” and calls. I expect that because of that comment he has an 8, maybe even 78. (I have a about 30 left)
His call was with AK and he was drawing to a 4 outer. He mistakenly thought his overcards were good as he put me on AJ (or so I expect).
River is a T and the stack gets pushed the other way. All I can do is get up and walk away. My 3rd buy in is gone.
If I am all in on the flop, I bet 40 instead of 25. But I expect to be way ahead on this flop (and I am!). That would chase away hands that are big dogs. I feel I played this hand well and just did not get the results. I should win this showdown 11 of 12 times.
I don’t know if I can take playing again. Instead, I will go to the corporate event and see Richard Jeni for free. Having been in stand-up in the past, and having seen Richard work, there are few better. There are maybe 6 comics I would go see. He is one of them. (I wrote this before I ran into Richard in the hallway.)
Vegas Business Trip Report
What are the Pros and Cons of staying off the strip? Price is what I expected the answer to be. But I sorta found the exception to the rule. I stayed at the RIO, which is on strip, but only if you take the shuttle over the highway. Which means you need to be back by 1am. Since I am here on business, this has not been a problem. But otherwise, not good.
The RIO is all-suites which means the rooms are twice as large than say, the Paris, but also cost exactly twice as much.
It’s nice because the pool has a sandy beach, but they also charge $18 for a large Pina Colada. That’s a big number for something that is held in a plastic cup.
My room air conditioning is barely keeping up, while the hallways are a refrigeration unit at 65 degrees. The weirdness of Vegas. (note: later in the day, the hotel will lost power for a good hour. I wonder if its related to keeping cavernous hallways at 65 degrees?)
#1 Tip for Vegas, ALWAYS get a player card. It makes check in so much more pleasant.
Tip for Vegas #2: Find the nearest coffee (such as starbucks). Its too hard to locate them in the morning when you need them. The RIO has two Starbucks and a 3rd coffee and pastry stand.
Tip for Vegas #3: Bring your own cigars. The cigar booths are typically out of the way places with high prices. Counter to the trend, the RIO had one by the front desk. Not counter to the trend, cigars were expensive.
I stayed on the 11th floor with a strip view. If you are not here on business, get a strip view. How? Use your gold card to check in and be VERY NICE to the check in clerk. Especially if they are new and their supervisor is helping them learn the ropes.
The RIO shuttles run to Harrah’s where the monorail is and to Caesars Palace. But its 5-10 wait for the shuttle and a 5-10 minute ride. It add up when the temperature is over 90.
Card rooms:
The RIO poker room (not where the WSOP will be obviously) is very small and their lowest NLHE game was 2-5. I am very bankroll driven, so I always look for a 1-2 game.
After business concluded on day #1, we had a wonderful dinner at the RIO steakhouse. Tremendous . My previous trips to Vegas have been very anti-climactic in the food area. Not this time. Go for the expense restaurants or stick to subway. The “inexpensive fare” restaurants are so bad, its almost a crime. I swear that at the imperial palace burger place someone should be sued over what they call edible.
I took the shuttle to Harrah’s and since they had a 1-2 NLHE game, sat down. I had maybe a 5 minute wait (if that). Nice room, sequestered off (which I prefer).
I am playing for about an hour, but never had a hand better than AJ or TT. I held my own but was coming up about even. I have a rule when playing live NLHE 1-2. If there are more than 3 players in the pot, don’t bet or call bets bigger than ½ pot with anything less than 2 pair. So, I rarely get into trouble with these types of tables.
They start their evening tournament (which I decided to skip) which had but nine players (resulting in a SnG for their tournament.)
Some players from each of the 1-2 tables went over to the SnG and the rest collapsed into our table. The guy on my left was a regular since the dealer knew him by name (alex). Here now is the second hand after he sat down.
I raise it up to 10 with ATs from EP and he calls. No other players.
The flop is AT6 with 2 clubs. I have flopped top two and all worries about being out kicked are gone. I am just concerned with the 2 clubs.
I decide to play this aggressively, because I expect he will pay me off with Ax, hopefully A6. I bet $25 into the pot of $23 (defend against the flush) and he raises $25. With top two pair I figured him for a flush draw semi-bluff with a pair or Ax (hopefully A6, but more probably AK).
I decide since I will have committed 50% of my stack if I call, and he has a big stack, I need him to leave that flush draw on the table and fold if he has just the draw. I push my remaining stack in and he calls. He turns over 66 for the set. Its not often you flop top 2 vs. a set in a cash game. I am not sure I could escape based on our stack sizes.
I buy back in for a second buy-in. I spend the next hour+ working it back. Just solid play, taking opportunities, not getting greedy. I have gotten 90% of it back.
Meanwhile an interesting hand comes up that I was not in. The flop is AAx with two players. The out of position player postures and says “I am trying to figure out if my Kings are good.” He then checks. The other player takes the bait and bets the flop. The “kings” smooth call. “kings” now check the turn and the other buy gets, again the smooth call. The river is x and this time the “kings” bet. The other player folds. “kings” turns over Ax for a boat.
The boat player cashes out and leaves. Classic.
For 10 minutes I fold. Solid play.
I now find AcJc in MP. Two early players have limped in and I pop it to 5xBB. I get the original limper and the SB to call.
The flop is Ad7c6s
SB checks, I bet 35, hoping to get a AJ to fold if there is one). The first limper folds, but the SB calls after thinking about folding for about 15 seconds.
The turn 5c and I have picked up the nut flush draw. SB checks, I bet 35. He check-raises all-in. (Its 100 more or the remaining 50% of the starting stack on this hand). I go into the think tank. This is not a tournament I say to myself, I feel like I a supposed to make this call. I doubt the club helped him, and I think he is trying to grab the pot from me. I don’t consider the 5 a worry card. Still, something is wrong. But, I call figuring I have the flush redraw. He has 89. (he made a straight on the turn)
I look for the club. The last card is a red K. All my work flushed down the toilet.
I always leave the table when I make a bad decision. Sort of self imposed imprisonment. I review the hand over and over in my head…
mistakes:
1. Didn’t I eat the Peppered beef? I called an all-in (check raise no less) with less than two pair.
2. Check raise, heck any re-raise at this table. In retrospect, I realize I did not see a single re-raise at this table where the player did not have a big hand. (this goes for my 2 pair vs. set hand also)
3. I did not completely think out big decision because I don't play live enough. I am not even sure that the check-raise registered. No, that is hiding the truth. The check raise did NOT register at all. I felt the pressure to respond because everyone was waiting. In a home game, I would have made them wait.
4. I Did not really address the turn card. When a turn card comes, you have to evaluate its impact on the value of the hands. It greatly diminished mine. Why did I think A8 vs. 89?? Because of the call on the flop? I figured A weak kicker. The check raise should have said I was wrong.
5. Counted my redraw as too many outs. Sure it was 8 or 9 outs, but I was still a DOG to get there. I was getting 3-1 ish on a 4.5-1 draw (assuming I cant win with 2 pair or its even more). This was the fatal clincher and a psychology lesson in one. In a CASH GAME, it’s HARDER to lay down a draw to the nuts.
Worst of all, I realize the next day that this was a similar mistake I made last December at Excalibur!!! I had a guy pull a straight out on 4th street and did not re-evaluate my holding and paid it off. (Although I did not have a redraw in that situation. That’s what really screwed me up here, the re-draw.)
If I hit the club, I am up $200 for the night and think I am king of the table. But I have never been what you would call “lucky”.
"walking back to Dallas" as TJ would say. Went broke from behind. Embarrassed and defeated I went to bed.
The next night, I have a wonderful dinner at the China Griil at Mandalay. Afterwards, it is off to play again. Mandalay no longer spreads 1-2, only 2-5 in low NLHE. So we took the train to the castle. They had 1-3, which would normally qualify. But after last nights sting, I wondered over to MGM instead. And let’s face it, it’s an easy thing to do. MGM runs an excellent card room. They will post games based on interest, they process the wait quickly, and they have lots of dealers. (I have not played at the big rooms at Bellagio or Wynn).
I come in after the button and as is my habit, decide to wait for the BB so I can watch the table. Twice in one rotation I see a raised flop called by 5, checked around on the flop and the turn, and someone stab at the river only to get no resistance. These guys are not bullies or bluffers it seems.
10 or so hands in, I realize I have seen zero flops. Here come my blinds AGAIN.
There are 4 callers and I look down to see AJo in the SB. This is absolutely the hardest position to play this hand from. I do know, however, not to raise with AJo from the SB. I reluctantly pay the extra ½ bet and see the flop figuring I am going to have to fold unless I get a strong flop.
Flop JT6 rainbow. Nice, strong flop for me. The UtG limper makes it 10, there is a caller and back to me in the SB. I raise it to 35 (25 more). Without even a delay he puts me all in.
I go into the tank again, only this time I take a good 2 minutes. The dealer was accommodating. After much thought fold. My read was that he limped with AA waiting for the re-raise pre-flop that never came. After the flop, he led out to build a pot and when I showed strength, went for the stack. If I had a set, he would be broke right now. Neither of us showed, but since he had not done that and did not do it since, I feel I was exactly right. So even though I lost $35, I felt pretty good about my play. It was very similar to last night’s hand where I called, but this time I escaped.
10 minutes later I have about $90 in front of me.
I am UtG and look down at two Jacks. Another difficult hand, but I am going to play it. I decide to raise to 10 UtG with JJ. This might have been a bit light for this table, but if I bet 15, the only caller is AA or KK or QQ. I want worse hands to call and better hands to give me a chance to out-flop them. UtG+1, a nice older lady who played too many hands pre-flop, calls. The Button then raises to 25. I actually think for a moment about folding. Then reason and rational return to my brain and I call as does the old lady.
The flop is 68J 2 diamonds. FINALLY, I have a big hand. And top set no less. It seems obvious that in a cash game I check here. If they have something I get extra money in the pot, if they don’t I give them a chance to catch up as a BIG dog. I check and the other two check after me. The old lady probably has zero. (I really expected the button to bet here and he does not. Curious that he did not make a continuation bet. Ax?) pot is $78. I have about $55 left in front of me.
The turn is a Q. I quickly notice that I cant check. I wish to “bid” up the pot and allow the other two to make a mistake. Maybe 1 of them just made two pair or top pair with that Q. I bet 25, hoping the old lady will stay. She does not. The button, however, says “I’ll donate” and calls. I expect that because of that comment he has an 8, maybe even 78. (I have a about 30 left)
His call was with AK and he was drawing to a 4 outer. He mistakenly thought his overcards were good as he put me on AJ (or so I expect).
River is a T and the stack gets pushed the other way. All I can do is get up and walk away. My 3rd buy in is gone.
If I am all in on the flop, I bet 40 instead of 25. But I expect to be way ahead on this flop (and I am!). That would chase away hands that are big dogs. I feel I played this hand well and just did not get the results. I should win this showdown 11 of 12 times.
I don’t know if I can take playing again. Instead, I will go to the corporate event and see Richard Jeni for free. Having been in stand-up in the past, and having seen Richard work, there are few better. There are maybe 6 comics I would go see. He is one of them. (I wrote this before I ran into Richard in the hallway.)
Warning: Non-poker related post (rare for me)
So in the last 24 hours, I have corresponded with / run into two very interesting people.
I have often traded tv shows with people on tape and DVD. I love rare stuff, especially from Japan, or shows I loved as a kid but would like to see again. Sometimes you get lucky, like with Columbo, and they come out on DVD. I hear Brisco County is coming out this summer (via the Bruce Campbell web site). Other times you need to be more createive. (see my lists at www.eifco.org/tapetrade)
So I end up trading my copy of "It's your move" to a guy in Austrailia. Nice guy and a big fan of the show like me. (the show stared Jason Bateman as a kid who was the ultimate scammer. The writers created Married with Children after this show.)
This Aussie kid is such a big fan in fact, that he somehow TRACKS DOWN one of the child actors from the show (Eli). I get an email telling me that he wants a copy of the show. There is no way I could charge this guy or ask for a trade, so I simple ask him for a story about working on the show instead. And he wrote me one. Now that was a fair trade. I really enjoyed hearing about the back stage antics, and how auditioning was and how much his parents hated the idea. So funny. So, I am sending him of DVDs of his own show. How cool is that?
So, I am walking back to my hotel room and who do I run into but comedic genius Richard Jeni. (The BEST of the "no sitcom yet" comics in America). I met Richard about 12 years ago at Comedy Castle back when I did stand up. He did not remember me (nor should he), but he was very personable and asked me about what I did now for a living and even asked some more in-depth questions about it. So after the brief conversation, I sort of switch sides of the hallway (from his right to his left) so he can continue talking to the other guy he was walking with. But he says, "what was that? switching sides?" I said "I was shifting over to another location so that you would not feel obligated to keep talking to me." He thought that was funny. "First of all that isnt going to work. and second, I dont mind at all. But it was polite of you." Funny how some people are genuinely approachable and don't do it just for the act of doing it. We talked about how he used to drive the staff crazy by doing 180 minutes instead of 90 (he doesnt do that anymore) and his gigs at the comedy castle (positive, although now its meadbowbrook, a concert venue). He is performing tonight as a special treat to the attendees of this confernce, so I get to see his show.
All in all, A blue ribbon day. Oh by the way, I am on Vegas in business. I will have a long poker post about Vegas when I return. Long and detailed.
This weekend its camping. Memorial Day camping. Up in the great white north (well upper michigan at least). 3 days with no electronics. Wish me Good Luck.
I have often traded tv shows with people on tape and DVD. I love rare stuff, especially from Japan, or shows I loved as a kid but would like to see again. Sometimes you get lucky, like with Columbo, and they come out on DVD. I hear Brisco County is coming out this summer (via the Bruce Campbell web site). Other times you need to be more createive. (see my lists at www.eifco.org/tapetrade)
So I end up trading my copy of "It's your move" to a guy in Austrailia. Nice guy and a big fan of the show like me. (the show stared Jason Bateman as a kid who was the ultimate scammer. The writers created Married with Children after this show.)
This Aussie kid is such a big fan in fact, that he somehow TRACKS DOWN one of the child actors from the show (Eli). I get an email telling me that he wants a copy of the show. There is no way I could charge this guy or ask for a trade, so I simple ask him for a story about working on the show instead. And he wrote me one. Now that was a fair trade. I really enjoyed hearing about the back stage antics, and how auditioning was and how much his parents hated the idea. So funny. So, I am sending him of DVDs of his own show. How cool is that?
So, I am walking back to my hotel room and who do I run into but comedic genius Richard Jeni. (The BEST of the "no sitcom yet" comics in America). I met Richard about 12 years ago at Comedy Castle back when I did stand up. He did not remember me (nor should he), but he was very personable and asked me about what I did now for a living and even asked some more in-depth questions about it. So after the brief conversation, I sort of switch sides of the hallway (from his right to his left) so he can continue talking to the other guy he was walking with. But he says, "what was that? switching sides?" I said "I was shifting over to another location so that you would not feel obligated to keep talking to me." He thought that was funny. "First of all that isnt going to work. and second, I dont mind at all. But it was polite of you." Funny how some people are genuinely approachable and don't do it just for the act of doing it. We talked about how he used to drive the staff crazy by doing 180 minutes instead of 90 (he doesnt do that anymore) and his gigs at the comedy castle (positive, although now its meadbowbrook, a concert venue). He is performing tonight as a special treat to the attendees of this confernce, so I get to see his show.
All in all, A blue ribbon day. Oh by the way, I am on Vegas in business. I will have a long poker post about Vegas when I return. Long and detailed.
This weekend its camping. Memorial Day camping. Up in the great white north (well upper michigan at least). 3 days with no electronics. Wish me Good Luck.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Blogger Freeroll A stars
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: 7330476
Friday, May 19, 2006
The concept of BIDDING on a hand
A very similar concept has also been discussed on 2+2 as "The Pot Philosophy" and by Mike Caro as the "value of a hand". This is my take on the topic.
What is one thing Phil Ivey does better than any other player? In my opinion, its that he evaluates the "value" of his situation before he looks at his cards. He takes a quick survey of the table and thinks about the faces and the moves that came before him. He may even think about something related to an overall opportunity that may or may not fit this hand. Then he looks at his cards for the first time.
There are huge advantages in this somewhat long and boring discipline. He never gives off a tell related to hand interest. He has already decided what hands are playable given the current circumstances. If he is going to bluff, he may have already decided to do so before he looks at his cards.
The current situation has a value (stack sizes, position, level, tilting playing in the pot, etc). This is called SITUATIONAL VALUE. Then you look at your hand and THAT has a value. Let’s call that HAND VALUE for obvious reasons. Then you look at the POT SIZE and THAT has a value, especially post flop. That is the RETURN VALUE.
(Let's not talk about future-value as that is for the advanced only. I understand it, but can't use it effectively yet as I don’t compete at that level yet. FUTURE VALUE is making a certain play to set up the opposite move later on. You ONLY should do this when it will work, which is a very distinct set of circumstances.)
It is now, with the action to us, that we are going to BID. It doesn't matter if it’s a call or a raise; I am still assessing whether of not the potential RETURN VALUE of the hand outweighs the risk of being involved in the hand. In addition, we are deciding the value in being in this hand vs. the risk / reward paradigm.
So how do we decide what the BID should be? In high level terms, its like any other auction bid. Do we value to pot more than we value our current bid? If so, that is evidence to proceed. Do we think that our bid is the winning bid? Is that our intent? Poker is unique in that the pot has its own marketing program. As it gets larger, it advertises as such. So do we wish to make the pot more attractive, or do we wish to make our bid vs. its current value? If we make a pot size bet to protect top pair, that is a beginner move. If we make a 3/4 pot bet because we believe that our TP is probably good, but the texture of the board is luke warm so we need to protect it, then this is a more advanced play. But if we make the same 3/4 pot bet because we assess the value of the pot and our assessed value of the hand and think that we don't desire a showdown here based on value of the hand vs. our goals, we BID 3/4 pot to see if the other player will BID more or FOLD. We have made a more advanced play now despite making the same bet. We chose 3/4 of the pot because based on what we were willing to bid on the hand, we have to determine if we are going to win it right here and if we did win it right here, did we PAY the right price.
If we value this POT more for strategic reasons, we may adjust our bid UP. If we value this POT for return on investment reasons, we may bid LESS and accept more long term risk for less short term risk. (A dangerous business in NLHE, but not as much so in Omaha).
The chips you invest are gone once they are in the pot. At any given time, you are going to BID on the pot, knowing that you lose your bid chips whether or not you win the auction. The closer you BID is to the PERFECT value bid at that time, the better you are playing.
You need to make this calculation. Some do it by instinct, some by feel, some by math. But you are making a BID decision. Are you making good ones? If you can't think about poker in these terms, how can you expect to beat players who do?
What is one thing Phil Ivey does better than any other player? In my opinion, its that he evaluates the "value" of his situation before he looks at his cards. He takes a quick survey of the table and thinks about the faces and the moves that came before him. He may even think about something related to an overall opportunity that may or may not fit this hand. Then he looks at his cards for the first time.
There are huge advantages in this somewhat long and boring discipline. He never gives off a tell related to hand interest. He has already decided what hands are playable given the current circumstances. If he is going to bluff, he may have already decided to do so before he looks at his cards.
The current situation has a value (stack sizes, position, level, tilting playing in the pot, etc). This is called SITUATIONAL VALUE. Then you look at your hand and THAT has a value. Let’s call that HAND VALUE for obvious reasons. Then you look at the POT SIZE and THAT has a value, especially post flop. That is the RETURN VALUE.
(Let's not talk about future-value as that is for the advanced only. I understand it, but can't use it effectively yet as I don’t compete at that level yet. FUTURE VALUE is making a certain play to set up the opposite move later on. You ONLY should do this when it will work, which is a very distinct set of circumstances.)
It is now, with the action to us, that we are going to BID. It doesn't matter if it’s a call or a raise; I am still assessing whether of not the potential RETURN VALUE of the hand outweighs the risk of being involved in the hand. In addition, we are deciding the value in being in this hand vs. the risk / reward paradigm.
So how do we decide what the BID should be? In high level terms, its like any other auction bid. Do we value to pot more than we value our current bid? If so, that is evidence to proceed. Do we think that our bid is the winning bid? Is that our intent? Poker is unique in that the pot has its own marketing program. As it gets larger, it advertises as such. So do we wish to make the pot more attractive, or do we wish to make our bid vs. its current value? If we make a pot size bet to protect top pair, that is a beginner move. If we make a 3/4 pot bet because we believe that our TP is probably good, but the texture of the board is luke warm so we need to protect it, then this is a more advanced play. But if we make the same 3/4 pot bet because we assess the value of the pot and our assessed value of the hand and think that we don't desire a showdown here based on value of the hand vs. our goals, we BID 3/4 pot to see if the other player will BID more or FOLD. We have made a more advanced play now despite making the same bet. We chose 3/4 of the pot because based on what we were willing to bid on the hand, we have to determine if we are going to win it right here and if we did win it right here, did we PAY the right price.
If we value this POT more for strategic reasons, we may adjust our bid UP. If we value this POT for return on investment reasons, we may bid LESS and accept more long term risk for less short term risk. (A dangerous business in NLHE, but not as much so in Omaha).
The chips you invest are gone once they are in the pot. At any given time, you are going to BID on the pot, knowing that you lose your bid chips whether or not you win the auction. The closer you BID is to the PERFECT value bid at that time, the better you are playing.
You need to make this calculation. Some do it by instinct, some by feel, some by math. But you are making a BID decision. Are you making good ones? If you can't think about poker in these terms, how can you expect to beat players who do?
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Your got Questions? We got Answers!
Questions courtesy of http://www.tripjax.com/
1. What is the biggest mistake people make at a NL table?
Playing. Poker is -EV.
Secondly, they don't control the size of the pot properly. They win only when others make bigger mistakes than their own.
2. What is the biggest mistake people make at a Limit table?
Pretneding that limit is anything other than a math game.
3. Why do you play poker?
I have been a game player since I was a kid. Computer games, war games, parlor games, even road rallies, but not games of chance. To this day, I have no taste for table games. But poker is a battle of wits without a huge learning curve in explaining the rules. I would have just as much fun if I did not play for money (assuming everyone else took it seriously).
4. If you weren't playing poker, what would you be doing?
Some other battle of wits. Before I found poker, I hosted a weekly game night on Saturdays. We also drank alot of Mai Tais. I even have a published board game under my belt. ("Bootleggers" is available at Barnes and Noble this fall.)
5. What is your favorite poker book and why?
Harrington's book on NLHE. Far and away the easiest system to understand and implement. After that, I like "the 48 laws of power". I mean, lets face it. When *I* watch survivor, I fast forward through those stupid competitions and just watch the politics. Now that is riviting.
6. Who is your favorite poker player and why?
Phil Hellmuth. He isn't afraid of expressing his frustrations which I consider ammusing.
7. Which poker player do you dislike the most and why?
Annie Duke. Because I met her. Nuff said.
8. Do your coworkers know about your blog?
Few if any.
9. What is the most you have won in a cash game or MTT (both live and online)?
I won a nice $600+ purse once in a local $40 tournamnet.
10. What is the most you have lost in a cash game or in one day total (both live and online)?
$200 at the castle at the winter WPBT. The guy on my left was lying in wait and I got caught with second nuts, TWICE. My loses never had previously nor since have ever gone into 3 digits.
11. Who was your first poker blog read?
It was the Lord Admiral poker podcast!!!
12. What satisfies you more, your aces holding up for a big pot or a bluff working for a big pot?
Neither. I like a well plaid hand. Period. One where I correctly work out if I am ahead or behind and make the correct move.
Ok, that is bullshit. Its a big bluff baby!
13. Why do you blog?
I have always been a closet writer. Comes from my years in comdey (improv and standup). But I feel that immersion in something is good for the brain. Helps it commit to learning things... and stuff.
14. Do you read blogs from an RSS reader like bloglines or do you visit each blog?
RSS only. No time for browsing. I got a life. -Ok, I have a job.
15. Would you rather play poker for a living than do what you currently do for a living?
I think if I played for a living, all the fun would be drained out of it. I enjoy it as a hobby.
16. Do you wear a tin foil hat on occasion?
I am not superstitious, but I did once exercise my suck-out demons with a sacrifice.
17. If you had to pin it down to one specific trait, what does a great poker player have (or do) that separates them from an average player?
"They know where they are at." (Mike Madasow)
I think in terms of Brain attributes, they are adept at "complex pattern recognition".
18. Is Drizz the coolest person on the planet for naming his baby Vegas?
I hope so. They might have said that decades ago about the Hiltons.
19. What is your primary poker goal and are you close to accomplishing it?
I am always on the cusp of achieving my goal. To become a consistent whining (sic) player.
20. What is your primary online site and why?
Poker Stars. I feel it offers the highest level of competition.
21. What site do you dislike and why?
Party. There are too many to list.
1. What is the biggest mistake people make at a NL table?
Playing. Poker is -EV.
Secondly, they don't control the size of the pot properly. They win only when others make bigger mistakes than their own.
2. What is the biggest mistake people make at a Limit table?
Pretneding that limit is anything other than a math game.
3. Why do you play poker?
I have been a game player since I was a kid. Computer games, war games, parlor games, even road rallies, but not games of chance. To this day, I have no taste for table games. But poker is a battle of wits without a huge learning curve in explaining the rules. I would have just as much fun if I did not play for money (assuming everyone else took it seriously).
4. If you weren't playing poker, what would you be doing?
Some other battle of wits. Before I found poker, I hosted a weekly game night on Saturdays. We also drank alot of Mai Tais. I even have a published board game under my belt. ("Bootleggers" is available at Barnes and Noble this fall.)
5. What is your favorite poker book and why?
Harrington's book on NLHE. Far and away the easiest system to understand and implement. After that, I like "the 48 laws of power". I mean, lets face it. When *I* watch survivor, I fast forward through those stupid competitions and just watch the politics. Now that is riviting.
6. Who is your favorite poker player and why?
Phil Hellmuth. He isn't afraid of expressing his frustrations which I consider ammusing.
7. Which poker player do you dislike the most and why?
Annie Duke. Because I met her. Nuff said.
8. Do your coworkers know about your blog?
Few if any.
9. What is the most you have won in a cash game or MTT (both live and online)?
I won a nice $600+ purse once in a local $40 tournamnet.
10. What is the most you have lost in a cash game or in one day total (both live and online)?
$200 at the castle at the winter WPBT. The guy on my left was lying in wait and I got caught with second nuts, TWICE. My loses never had previously nor since have ever gone into 3 digits.
11. Who was your first poker blog read?
It was the Lord Admiral poker podcast!!!
12. What satisfies you more, your aces holding up for a big pot or a bluff working for a big pot?
Neither. I like a well plaid hand. Period. One where I correctly work out if I am ahead or behind and make the correct move.
Ok, that is bullshit. Its a big bluff baby!
13. Why do you blog?
I have always been a closet writer. Comes from my years in comdey (improv and standup). But I feel that immersion in something is good for the brain. Helps it commit to learning things... and stuff.
14. Do you read blogs from an RSS reader like bloglines or do you visit each blog?
RSS only. No time for browsing. I got a life. -Ok, I have a job.
15. Would you rather play poker for a living than do what you currently do for a living?
I think if I played for a living, all the fun would be drained out of it. I enjoy it as a hobby.
16. Do you wear a tin foil hat on occasion?
I am not superstitious, but I did once exercise my suck-out demons with a sacrifice.
17. If you had to pin it down to one specific trait, what does a great poker player have (or do) that separates them from an average player?
"They know where they are at." (Mike Madasow)
I think in terms of Brain attributes, they are adept at "complex pattern recognition".
18. Is Drizz the coolest person on the planet for naming his baby Vegas?
I hope so. They might have said that decades ago about the Hiltons.
19. What is your primary poker goal and are you close to accomplishing it?
I am always on the cusp of achieving my goal. To become a consistent whining (sic) player.
20. What is your primary online site and why?
Poker Stars. I feel it offers the highest level of competition.
21. What site do you dislike and why?
Party. There are too many to list.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
ready, touchdown... hut,hut,hut, HIKE!
Ok, fellow amateurs, lend me your ears. The level of competition out there is getting better as more and more of the "players who saw poker on TV" get bored of losing and stop playing.
So, what are you doing to improve your game? Are you the type of player who PRACTICES poker by scrimmaging, or do you just show to play on game day? If you are not performing drills nor finding ways to practice elements of the game, then either you are already to good for it to matter or you are not getting better.
With that in mind, here are the top 3 poker drills you can practice this week. I went through a bad spell recently and went back to drills. I cashed in 2/3 of my last tournaments after running dry for weeks.
Drill #1: Make a list of top 10 rules YOU WILL NEVER BREAK. Write them down. Tape them to the monitor. Now play. DONT BREAK THE RULES.
Drill #2: Tighten up. I mean "beginner tight". You must play 12% or LESS from non-blind positions. In the SB, you MUST fold if you dont have atleast a 2-gapper. NO 3 HOLERS, not even suited. Use the extra time to WATCH the flow of the tournament or table. See how a table ebbs and flows from loose to tight. Not you, the table. Its not always about you. Now, when you see the table start to get foldy, watch THIS TABLE for where a steal would work best. BUT, do not steal. Just watch for validation.
Drill #3(my favorite) : Give yourself THREE chips. Place them next to the keyboard. Each time you bet POST FLOP with not even a pair, discard a chip. When you use up your 3 chips, you are no longer allowed to bet/push post flop without a pair. period. (you may call, but I dont recommend it). This will force you to stop pushing in early rounds from bad posiion. You will be AMAZED at how much further you go in a tournament. (for advanced players, give yourself 1 new chip each level at levels 3+).
I ASSURE you that this will improve your game. Try it and see.
ADDENDUM: Questions related to continuation bets. You may continuation bet and not discard a chip IF:
1. You were the raiser before the flop
2. You isolated to 1 opponent
Donkey challenge update: I am a donkey. 'nuff said. I play way too much for fun and thus my bankroll suffers. I think my $ at PS is down to like $90. Sad really.
So, what are you doing to improve your game? Are you the type of player who PRACTICES poker by scrimmaging, or do you just show to play on game day? If you are not performing drills nor finding ways to practice elements of the game, then either you are already to good for it to matter or you are not getting better.
With that in mind, here are the top 3 poker drills you can practice this week. I went through a bad spell recently and went back to drills. I cashed in 2/3 of my last tournaments after running dry for weeks.
Drill #1: Make a list of top 10 rules YOU WILL NEVER BREAK. Write them down. Tape them to the monitor. Now play. DONT BREAK THE RULES.
Drill #2: Tighten up. I mean "beginner tight". You must play 12% or LESS from non-blind positions. In the SB, you MUST fold if you dont have atleast a 2-gapper. NO 3 HOLERS, not even suited. Use the extra time to WATCH the flow of the tournament or table. See how a table ebbs and flows from loose to tight. Not you, the table. Its not always about you. Now, when you see the table start to get foldy, watch THIS TABLE for where a steal would work best. BUT, do not steal. Just watch for validation.
Drill #3(my favorite) : Give yourself THREE chips. Place them next to the keyboard. Each time you bet POST FLOP with not even a pair, discard a chip. When you use up your 3 chips, you are no longer allowed to bet/push post flop without a pair. period. (you may call, but I dont recommend it). This will force you to stop pushing in early rounds from bad posiion. You will be AMAZED at how much further you go in a tournament. (for advanced players, give yourself 1 new chip each level at levels 3+).
I ASSURE you that this will improve your game. Try it and see.
ADDENDUM: Questions related to continuation bets. You may continuation bet and not discard a chip IF:
1. You were the raiser before the flop
2. You isolated to 1 opponent
Donkey challenge update: I am a donkey. 'nuff said. I play way too much for fun and thus my bankroll suffers. I think my $ at PS is down to like $90. Sad really.
Monday, May 15, 2006
...so does the fool to his folly
Why do I keep playing at Poker Stars? I know its the hardest field/engine to beat consistenly! So why do I keep going back? Because I have something to prove. I just hope I figure out what the hell it is.
Mothers day was once again a knees-bent running about day. I visited so many mothers, that there has to be an offensive joke in it somewhere.
I also seem to be perpetually broke, despite making a decent living. Where does it all go? Why does it keep going? Does it have a destination in mind when it leaves?
I bubbled my last two practice sessions at the 45 player SnGs. This time I was in the top 5 most of the way, then my A8s made a steal attempt that was picked off by the BB with A3o. WTF? and... IGHN. Can't be sad though. As TJ says, "you get your money in ahead, its all you can do." Feh!
Mothers day was once again a knees-bent running about day. I visited so many mothers, that there has to be an offensive joke in it somewhere.
I also seem to be perpetually broke, despite making a decent living. Where does it all go? Why does it keep going? Does it have a destination in mind when it leaves?
I bubbled my last two practice sessions at the 45 player SnGs. This time I was in the top 5 most of the way, then my A8s made a steal attempt that was picked off by the BB with A3o. WTF? and... IGHN. Can't be sad though. As TJ says, "you get your money in ahead, its all you can do." Feh!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
I am Brian and so is my wife!
I am going to challenge two very large assumptions in EARLY ROUND NLHE tournament play.
1. You always want to be in control of the hand by betting, pushing and being generally aggressive. This forces players to REACT to you.
2. The GAP principle applies in early rounds.
A new way of thinking:
1. In the EARLY stages of a tournament (say level 1 or 2), it is much better to judge the strength of your opponents hands and make the maximum amount of money by calling players down. Too many players are too loose and too aggressive.
2. The GAP principle is INVERSE in early rounds. You want to try and hit a big hand vs. a pre-flop raiser because players are trying too hard to play big pots. If you miss, you fold. If you hit, you let him bet off his chips.
1. You always want to be in control of the hand by betting, pushing and being generally aggressive. This forces players to REACT to you.
2. The GAP principle applies in early rounds.
A new way of thinking:
1. In the EARLY stages of a tournament (say level 1 or 2), it is much better to judge the strength of your opponents hands and make the maximum amount of money by calling players down. Too many players are too loose and too aggressive.
2. The GAP principle is INVERSE in early rounds. You want to try and hit a big hand vs. a pre-flop raiser because players are trying too hard to play big pots. If you miss, you fold. If you hit, you let him bet off his chips.
Some days you just cant get rid of a bomb
That quote is from Batman the movie. Imagine being drunk in a bar, at 1:30 am, at a gaming convention, and your 19 years old and so is the drinking age. And THAT movie is playing. What a riot.
ok, so the scene is Batman running around trying to throw away a oversized, cartoon like bomb with a fuse. Each time he turns a corner, he runs into another encounter which prevents him from throwing the bomb away. Nuns, baby carriage, family, even birds! Hilarity ensues.
Last night, I played in a game of amateur players. It is an interesting setup as its a 50 player freezout NLHE, but you start with a shallow stack. 110 in chips, level starts at 1/2. This may seem like an M of 30, but if you assume that a hand will cost you about 10-20 chips to see a showdown, you can ill afford to be wrong even once. Not only that, but the tables are EIGHT handed, not 9 or 10. So you play more hands. Our table for SEVEN handed and one of the guys was playing for only his second time and another guy has a bad hand, so dealing was slow. Fewer hands, shorthanded, shallow stack, how do you play?
Well, I played simple solid. I played about 8 hands and ended up blowing the escape hatch on all of them (and correctly too!). I was behind on all 8 flops. And when I did not see a flop because am early position player raised, I would have flopped trips and the like. I could just not win a hand. Finally, I get dealt AK, flop a king and get chased down by KJ (as expected) who hit the two pair on the turn. They player would have stayed with kicker on TP, so with my stack size the way it was, I tried to keep the other two around with middle pair longer. It worked, and Looze Lloyd took down the monster pot with his Kings up.
Loose Lloyd has a VERY interesting way to play and I will put forth a very interesting set of postulates in my next post...
I am going to challenge two very large assumptions in NLHE tournament play.
ok, so the scene is Batman running around trying to throw away a oversized, cartoon like bomb with a fuse. Each time he turns a corner, he runs into another encounter which prevents him from throwing the bomb away. Nuns, baby carriage, family, even birds! Hilarity ensues.
Last night, I played in a game of amateur players. It is an interesting setup as its a 50 player freezout NLHE, but you start with a shallow stack. 110 in chips, level starts at 1/2. This may seem like an M of 30, but if you assume that a hand will cost you about 10-20 chips to see a showdown, you can ill afford to be wrong even once. Not only that, but the tables are EIGHT handed, not 9 or 10. So you play more hands. Our table for SEVEN handed and one of the guys was playing for only his second time and another guy has a bad hand, so dealing was slow. Fewer hands, shorthanded, shallow stack, how do you play?
Well, I played simple solid. I played about 8 hands and ended up blowing the escape hatch on all of them (and correctly too!). I was behind on all 8 flops. And when I did not see a flop because am early position player raised, I would have flopped trips and the like. I could just not win a hand. Finally, I get dealt AK, flop a king and get chased down by KJ (as expected) who hit the two pair on the turn. They player would have stayed with kicker on TP, so with my stack size the way it was, I tried to keep the other two around with middle pair longer. It worked, and Looze Lloyd took down the monster pot with his Kings up.
Loose Lloyd has a VERY interesting way to play and I will put forth a very interesting set of postulates in my next post...
I am going to challenge two very large assumptions in NLHE tournament play.
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