Movie Review, The Grand

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

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

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

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

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

-enjoy

Just how -EV is Rockband?

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

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

"All of it??" you ask?

The low-down:

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

so, just about $1k.

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

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

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

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

Worth that much??? Let's test:

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

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

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

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

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

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

ok, ok

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

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

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

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

More crushed dreams

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Feh (WSOP event#9 recap)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Twitter is on the ropes

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

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

BBT3 - The final insult

Pays 20 places, Columbo = 21st...

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

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

The Power of Pairs Compells You!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The silver lining...

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

Here is a great hand to follow:

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

The downside of aggression

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

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

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

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

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

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

I leanred a new game last night!

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

Omaha H/L No Limit.

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

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

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

A fistful of chips

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

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

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

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

ONE is the lonliest number...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

running bad or running wild?

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

WSOP event #9 3 weeks out.

ARRRRRRRRR!

alas, I dont live in SF

The wheels come off the bus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The VERY NEXT HAND:

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

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

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

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

ARGH.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And just like that, 5th to 18th.

You're missing the point

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

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

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

YES. YES I AM.

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

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

Astin!? (why I outta...)

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

football quotes on Razz

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

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

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

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