I played in the first big Main Event Seat giveaway on Poker Stars last Sunday. 8021 players for 233 seats.
I started out pretty well. I was never below my starting stack and was slowly chipping up without any show downs. Unfortunately I got no action at all when I picked up AA, KK, or even QQ.
Eventually I went broke when the blinds got high and I reraised my 10 BB stack with AK and ran into pocket Kings. No Ace for me and I finished in 2101st place.
Next Sunday is the Full Tilt 150 seat guarantee that I won last year. Over the last month, Full Tilt has definitely been a luckier site for me, as I have basically run through 75% of my bankroll on Poker Stars but have been steadily increasing my balance on Full Tilt.
My big concern is that even if I win a seat, I may not be able to get my money off the site to pay for the entry. The Department of Justice froze $33 Million of poker players money at a couple of big banks including Wells Fargo and Alliance Arizona bank. They are trying to claim it is their right under the wire Act of 61 but this is the first time the DOJ has gone after poker players. Usually they have targeted the sports betting sites.
I put in a request for a withdrawal on Full Tilt and they mentioned that it may take 15-20 business days for the money to show in my account. When I tried to make a deposit on Poker Stars I had to use a new payment processor called Click2Pay. Somehow they actually got the money from my Visa card. That hasn't happened since the old Party Poker days.
Last night I planned out my satellite strategy to enter the big tournament on Sunday. I found the $109 satellite is running at 7:45 PM every night this week, so that looked like a good value since they were guaranteeing 5 seats in each one.
Luckily (or perhaps skillfully) I won my seat in my first attempt. Once again, I was amazed at the stupidity of the play on the bubble. Here is the best example:
There are 8 players left for 7 spots. sassybtch2 has 22,445 in chips which is twice the amount of the next closest player. Everyone else is stuck between 11 and 15 BB with the blinds being 250-500 with 50 ante. sassybtch2 has been very active playing nearly 60% of his hands.
I don't think sassy's strategy was optimal when he was a medium stack, but he worked up to the chip leader so now I think being active is ok if you are smart about it. Just raise preflop to steal the blinds or take a stab at the flop. If you encounter resistance then let it go and protect your chips. He is virtually guaranteed a seat if he just sits out, so there is no need to push marginal hands.
Jpeters9 has 8415 in chips in the hijack seat. He open raises to 2,300. sassy calls from the cutoff like he had done a bunch of times in the last 20 minutes. He could have literally any two cards. Everyone else folds.
There is 5,750 in the pot and the flop is Ah 3c Js. Jpeters9 makes a weak bet of 1500 and sassy min raises to 3000. Jpeters9 reraises all in for 6,115. sassybtch2 is priced in to call and he does.
So what two hands do you think these players would have? I am initially thinking that Jpeters should have at a minimum Ace-King or Ace-Queen. The flop was played horrible because the small bet is just begging to be raised. If you have a good hand, especially against the big stack who is obviously looking to make thin calls to try and bust someone, bet all in and get paid.
Instead Jpeters9 rolls over As 7d and sassy btch has Jc Ts. What the hell? The best part was the turn was a Ten and Jpeters was eliminated.
I had picked up Aces under the gun earlier in the final table. I had raised and sassy had called. The flop was 9-T-J with two suits. I check folded. I picked up AQo in early position and raised. An equal sized stack reraised all in quickly. I folded without a second thought. You have to play hands that you have a much better chance of winning than the chances of just folding your way into a seat. My hands were too risky and my patience paid off.
I really wish Full Tilt or Poker Stars would just run "double up" or "triple up" sit and gos where they are run like a satellite. I could make so much money.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Live Blogging $650 PokerStars Main Event Qualifier
The tournament starts at 3:00 PM. At least 25 seats to the Main Event of the World Series of Poker will be awarded.
I am warming up by playing 2 tables of 1-2 No Limit and getting cold decked. I hope I get the bad beats out of my system before the big one starts.
Start of Tournament:
No problem making the guarantees. It looks like there will be around 45 seats up for grabs.
Blinds 10-20 and start with 3k in chips.
66 in small blind. I call with 2 other players. I lead at small flop and win small pot.
AJo on button. I call a middle pos raise from slimshaggy. Flop has a Js-5s-3c. He checks and I bet 100 to take it down. 3,120 in chips now.
I just checked Poker Tracker and I am down $185 in the cash game. I cut back to one table while I play the tournament and blog. I think I am playing well, I just need to have a little luck on my side to make it back.
9s7s in small blind. I call with 5 others. Flop is A-T-3. I check fold.
6d6c in cutoff. Broomcorn09 limps in early position. I raise to $80. Everyone folds and Broomcorn09 calls. 190 in the pot. Flop is Qh-8c-3h. Broom donk bets 80. I raise to 220 and win the pot. I have found when the play is deep, that these donk bets tend to be weak and I can play position to win these pots. Chips to 3,240. Blinds now up to 15-30.
7hTd in cutoff. michellefox limps from early position and it folds to me. I have already seen her limp with crap. I raise to isolate, but Tight Mind in the button calls behind me. Flop is 5d-Js-3c. I take a stab at it and get raised. Down to 2,925.
I pick up 44 in middle position. I open raise to 90. Two players call behind me and the BB comes along as well. The flop is T-2-2. I check and there is a bet and call behind me. I hate my hand so I let it go.
98o on button. I call a raise from slimshaggy and the BB comes along as well. Flop is 3s-Tc-Kc. Checked to slim and he cbets 150. I decide to float it and call. Turn is an Ace and slimshaggy bets again. That is not a good card for me because if he was bluffing before, he just hit the Ace. If he's not bluffing, I'm pretty sure he's ready to go with the hand. I fold.
I call another raise with KQs in a multi way pot. The flop misses me entirely and I let it go. Down to 2,335 in chips. Blinds are 20-40.
Blinds up to 25-50. I am at 2,355. slimshaggy looks to be a good player. I saw him play position and make a good bluff.
Total prize pool looks to be $581,175. That equals 48 seats. I hope I pick up a hand soon.
5h4d on button. It's folded to me and the small blind is sitting out. I raise to 150. superowl99 calls. Flop is 8c-7h-3s. He checks and I check. Turn is 2d. He checks and I semibluff my double gutter at bet 200. He calls. The river is 6s. I make my straight but it's far from the nuts. superowl99 leads into me for 300. I call and he shows Jc9c for a busted straight draw. I climb back up to 2,955.
We are at the first break. 953 players and 809 are still alive. There will be 48 prize packages, 49th-63rd get their money back, and 64th gets $345. So I need to make the final 9 tables out of the 90 tables that are currently running.
I gotta say I am not too pleased with my table draw. There is only one soft seat that I have picked out. I have a guy who likes to call my raises directly to my left. Blinds when we get back will be 30-60.
JcTc in BB. superowl99 limps utg + 1and mikeschmike raises in early position to 240. I reluctantly call and superowl comes along. Flop is Jh-Th-6d. I check to go for check raise. My plan is foiled as it gets checked through. The turn is a 2 and I lead for 500. They both fold. Stack back up to 3,435.
Just got moved to a new table. I pick up A8o in the cutoff. I raise and take the blinds.
4:25 PM - Blinds up to 40-80. 757 players left. Average stack is 3,776 and I have 3,465.
AKo and I raise and win blinds.
QJs in sb. It's folded to me and I raise to 240. BB calls. Flop is A-7-7. I make a bet of 320 and he folds.
JdJc on button. There is a min raise and a call before it gets to me. I screw up and just call. Flop is Qs-2d-3d. Cutoff who called initial raise makes it 540 and I fold like a girl. I should have reraised big since neither stack could eliminate me.
Blinds up to 50-100 with 10 ante.
5d7d. I limp after two others and more come for the ride. Flop is 8d Jc Kc. Short stack goes broke when he flops top two against demonseed14's set of 8's. I fold and miss all the fun.
7d8d in middle position. I open raise and win the blinds.
AcAh under the gun. I raise to 300. It's folded around to DikHurtz in BB who calls. Flop is all low cards. I bet 520 and he folds. Up to 3,915 in chips now.
Blinds 60-120 ante 15. I pick up TT on button. I open raise to 360 and win the blinds.
89o in middle late position. I open raise and win the blinds. 4,180 in chips. My personal high but still 500 below chip average.
5s4d on button. I open raise and Scoobysmurf reraises to 800 in the small blind. I am priced in to call so I do. Flop misses and I fold to his c-bet. Down to 3,120 in chips.
QJo in middle position. I raise and win the blinds.
QcJc in early position. I open raise and get called by Scooby right behind me. Flop is As-7s-3h. I make a c-bet of 635 and take it down. Back up to 4050 in chips.
I made it to the second break. 3,915 in chips. 541 players left with average stack at 5,284.
Blinds are 75-150 with 20 ante. 4h4d in cutoff. stpauli111 raises to 445 under the gun. demonseed14 calls and I call. The BB comes as well. Flop is 9c-4s-6c. stpauli leads out for 715 into a 2035 pot. My first instinct is to raise buy I will have to go all in with my stack size. I decide to call. Everyone else folds. The turn is the case 4 of clubs!!!!. stpauli pushes all in and I snap call for all my chips. He rolls over KcQh and I win a $8705 pot!!
CASH GAME ALERT
I have crawled back to up $20 after stacking a bad player with a set of 5's. I am suddenly running well.
Back to the tournament....
7s9c in cutoff. I open raise and get called by button and and Big Blind. Flop is a whiff and I decide to save my chips. Button bets and takes it down.
4h4c in middle position. I call an early raise to 450. I get squeezed by KingKnig on button and have to fold. So much for my rush.
Sitting on 7,340 in chips. Blinds up to 100-200 with 25 ante.
As8h on BB. It's folded around to the button elipse who raises to 600. I defend and reraise to 2000. He calls. Ugh! Flop is Ac 5c 4s. I ponder for a bit. I decide to bet 2,200 and fold to an all in raise. He thinks for a long time and finally folds. I am up to 9,570.
AcKc on button. elipse open raises to 600 again from late position. I don't feel like flipping with AK so I just call. The blinds fold. The flop is 3c 9h 3h and it goes check-check. Turn is a 6s. elipse bets a small and I call hoping for a free showdown. The river is the 5c and he bets 800 and I decide he is trying to slow play something and I fold.
KsQd in cutoff. Blinds are up to 125-250 with 30 ante. I open raise to 750 and Scoobysmurf calls behind me on the button. I have him covered in chips. Flop is 6s 4s 4d. I make a c-bet of 1,200 and he folds. Chips at 9,625.
QhJh in small blind. yell4UT limps in middle position. It's folded to me and I decide to raise to 1k. He reraises me to 2,500. I decide to play it safe and fold. He shows AA.
A little while later, he raises to 1000 under the gun. I pick up AKo in late position and move all in. He folds.
KTo I open raise and win the blinds. Chips at 10,335 now.
I am having ribs while I play. They are delicious. Thanks wifey.
Ah9d in BB. The small stack demonseed moves all in from the cutoff for 740. I call and he rolls over QQ. I don't hit the Ace and give him some chips.
Blinds are 150-300 with 40 ante. I have 9,305 in chips.
4d3s on button. I open raise and get shoved on buy sb, then the BB shoves over him. I fold. SB had 55 and BB had 88.
Very next hand, the bigstack DikHurtz limps for 300 and I raise to 1200 with AJo. yell4UT then pushes all in for 3,591. DikHurtz folds and I have to call 2300 innto a 5671 pot. I have the odds but I don't want to be that low in chips. I fold. Down to 6,315 in chips.
261 players left. Average stack is 10,954.
AhTh under the gun. I raise to 900. Folded to DikHurtz who pushes all in on me. I fold again. Dammit!!!!
Good thing we just hit the break. Next level is 200-400 with 50 ante. It might be push/fold time.
I am at 4,525 in chips with the blinds at 200-400 with 50 ante.
KcJc in middle position. All in. No callers. Stack to 5,425.
I've been moved to a new table.
5s7s in cutoff. All in. No callers. Stack at 5,575. In 9 minutes we lost 43 players! Down to 217.
Blinds up again to 250-500 with 60 ante. I got to give it to PokerStars. Their structure is great. Now if the random number generator would just give me some cards.
AJo under the gun. All in and I win the blinds. Stack is 6085 after paying the BB.
Ks7h on button. I open raise all in and win the blinds. $6,945 in chips.
Very next hand I pick up Aces. A big stack makes it 1200 to go. I min raise to 2500. He shoves all in and I call. He shows pocket Kings. C'mon baby! Flop is Ks Th 5s. FUCK!!!! Turn is 8c and River is 8 of spades and I am out in 194th place. That hand would have put me at 15,180 and in decent shape.
;KASDNF;QO'EFHQE;OEWHFQOE';HE AAAHHHHHHH
I'll have to try again next week.
I am warming up by playing 2 tables of 1-2 No Limit and getting cold decked. I hope I get the bad beats out of my system before the big one starts.
Start of Tournament:
No problem making the guarantees. It looks like there will be around 45 seats up for grabs.
Blinds 10-20 and start with 3k in chips.
66 in small blind. I call with 2 other players. I lead at small flop and win small pot.
AJo on button. I call a middle pos raise from slimshaggy. Flop has a Js-5s-3c. He checks and I bet 100 to take it down. 3,120 in chips now.
I just checked Poker Tracker and I am down $185 in the cash game. I cut back to one table while I play the tournament and blog. I think I am playing well, I just need to have a little luck on my side to make it back.
9s7s in small blind. I call with 5 others. Flop is A-T-3. I check fold.
6d6c in cutoff. Broomcorn09 limps in early position. I raise to $80. Everyone folds and Broomcorn09 calls. 190 in the pot. Flop is Qh-8c-3h. Broom donk bets 80. I raise to 220 and win the pot. I have found when the play is deep, that these donk bets tend to be weak and I can play position to win these pots. Chips to 3,240. Blinds now up to 15-30.
7hTd in cutoff. michellefox limps from early position and it folds to me. I have already seen her limp with crap. I raise to isolate, but Tight Mind in the button calls behind me. Flop is 5d-Js-3c. I take a stab at it and get raised. Down to 2,925.
I pick up 44 in middle position. I open raise to 90. Two players call behind me and the BB comes along as well. The flop is T-2-2. I check and there is a bet and call behind me. I hate my hand so I let it go.
98o on button. I call a raise from slimshaggy and the BB comes along as well. Flop is 3s-Tc-Kc. Checked to slim and he cbets 150. I decide to float it and call. Turn is an Ace and slimshaggy bets again. That is not a good card for me because if he was bluffing before, he just hit the Ace. If he's not bluffing, I'm pretty sure he's ready to go with the hand. I fold.
I call another raise with KQs in a multi way pot. The flop misses me entirely and I let it go. Down to 2,335 in chips. Blinds are 20-40.
Blinds up to 25-50. I am at 2,355. slimshaggy looks to be a good player. I saw him play position and make a good bluff.
Total prize pool looks to be $581,175. That equals 48 seats. I hope I pick up a hand soon.
5h4d on button. It's folded to me and the small blind is sitting out. I raise to 150. superowl99 calls. Flop is 8c-7h-3s. He checks and I check. Turn is 2d. He checks and I semibluff my double gutter at bet 200. He calls. The river is 6s. I make my straight but it's far from the nuts. superowl99 leads into me for 300. I call and he shows Jc9c for a busted straight draw. I climb back up to 2,955.
We are at the first break. 953 players and 809 are still alive. There will be 48 prize packages, 49th-63rd get their money back, and 64th gets $345. So I need to make the final 9 tables out of the 90 tables that are currently running.
I gotta say I am not too pleased with my table draw. There is only one soft seat that I have picked out. I have a guy who likes to call my raises directly to my left. Blinds when we get back will be 30-60.
JcTc in BB. superowl99 limps utg + 1and mikeschmike raises in early position to 240. I reluctantly call and superowl comes along. Flop is Jh-Th-6d. I check to go for check raise. My plan is foiled as it gets checked through. The turn is a 2 and I lead for 500. They both fold. Stack back up to 3,435.
Just got moved to a new table. I pick up A8o in the cutoff. I raise and take the blinds.
4:25 PM - Blinds up to 40-80. 757 players left. Average stack is 3,776 and I have 3,465.
AKo and I raise and win blinds.
QJs in sb. It's folded to me and I raise to 240. BB calls. Flop is A-7-7. I make a bet of 320 and he folds.
JdJc on button. There is a min raise and a call before it gets to me. I screw up and just call. Flop is Qs-2d-3d. Cutoff who called initial raise makes it 540 and I fold like a girl. I should have reraised big since neither stack could eliminate me.
Blinds up to 50-100 with 10 ante.
5d7d. I limp after two others and more come for the ride. Flop is 8d Jc Kc. Short stack goes broke when he flops top two against demonseed14's set of 8's. I fold and miss all the fun.
7d8d in middle position. I open raise and win the blinds.
AcAh under the gun. I raise to 300. It's folded around to DikHurtz in BB who calls. Flop is all low cards. I bet 520 and he folds. Up to 3,915 in chips now.
Blinds 60-120 ante 15. I pick up TT on button. I open raise to 360 and win the blinds.
89o in middle late position. I open raise and win the blinds. 4,180 in chips. My personal high but still 500 below chip average.
5s4d on button. I open raise and Scoobysmurf reraises to 800 in the small blind. I am priced in to call so I do. Flop misses and I fold to his c-bet. Down to 3,120 in chips.
QJo in middle position. I raise and win the blinds.
QcJc in early position. I open raise and get called by Scooby right behind me. Flop is As-7s-3h. I make a c-bet of 635 and take it down. Back up to 4050 in chips.
I made it to the second break. 3,915 in chips. 541 players left with average stack at 5,284.
Blinds are 75-150 with 20 ante. 4h4d in cutoff. stpauli111 raises to 445 under the gun. demonseed14 calls and I call. The BB comes as well. Flop is 9c-4s-6c. stpauli leads out for 715 into a 2035 pot. My first instinct is to raise buy I will have to go all in with my stack size. I decide to call. Everyone else folds. The turn is the case 4 of clubs!!!!. stpauli pushes all in and I snap call for all my chips. He rolls over KcQh and I win a $8705 pot!!
CASH GAME ALERT
I have crawled back to up $20 after stacking a bad player with a set of 5's. I am suddenly running well.
Back to the tournament....
7s9c in cutoff. I open raise and get called by button and and Big Blind. Flop is a whiff and I decide to save my chips. Button bets and takes it down.
4h4c in middle position. I call an early raise to 450. I get squeezed by KingKnig on button and have to fold. So much for my rush.
Sitting on 7,340 in chips. Blinds up to 100-200 with 25 ante.
As8h on BB. It's folded around to the button elipse who raises to 600. I defend and reraise to 2000. He calls. Ugh! Flop is Ac 5c 4s. I ponder for a bit. I decide to bet 2,200 and fold to an all in raise. He thinks for a long time and finally folds. I am up to 9,570.
AcKc on button. elipse open raises to 600 again from late position. I don't feel like flipping with AK so I just call. The blinds fold. The flop is 3c 9h 3h and it goes check-check. Turn is a 6s. elipse bets a small and I call hoping for a free showdown. The river is the 5c and he bets 800 and I decide he is trying to slow play something and I fold.
KsQd in cutoff. Blinds are up to 125-250 with 30 ante. I open raise to 750 and Scoobysmurf calls behind me on the button. I have him covered in chips. Flop is 6s 4s 4d. I make a c-bet of 1,200 and he folds. Chips at 9,625.
QhJh in small blind. yell4UT limps in middle position. It's folded to me and I decide to raise to 1k. He reraises me to 2,500. I decide to play it safe and fold. He shows AA.
A little while later, he raises to 1000 under the gun. I pick up AKo in late position and move all in. He folds.
KTo I open raise and win the blinds. Chips at 10,335 now.
I am having ribs while I play. They are delicious. Thanks wifey.
Ah9d in BB. The small stack demonseed moves all in from the cutoff for 740. I call and he rolls over QQ. I don't hit the Ace and give him some chips.
Blinds are 150-300 with 40 ante. I have 9,305 in chips.
4d3s on button. I open raise and get shoved on buy sb, then the BB shoves over him. I fold. SB had 55 and BB had 88.
Very next hand, the bigstack DikHurtz limps for 300 and I raise to 1200 with AJo. yell4UT then pushes all in for 3,591. DikHurtz folds and I have to call 2300 innto a 5671 pot. I have the odds but I don't want to be that low in chips. I fold. Down to 6,315 in chips.
261 players left. Average stack is 10,954.
AhTh under the gun. I raise to 900. Folded to DikHurtz who pushes all in on me. I fold again. Dammit!!!!
Good thing we just hit the break. Next level is 200-400 with 50 ante. It might be push/fold time.
I am at 4,525 in chips with the blinds at 200-400 with 50 ante.
KcJc in middle position. All in. No callers. Stack to 5,425.
I've been moved to a new table.
5s7s in cutoff. All in. No callers. Stack at 5,575. In 9 minutes we lost 43 players! Down to 217.
Blinds up again to 250-500 with 60 ante. I got to give it to PokerStars. Their structure is great. Now if the random number generator would just give me some cards.
AJo under the gun. All in and I win the blinds. Stack is 6085 after paying the BB.
Ks7h on button. I open raise all in and win the blinds. $6,945 in chips.
Very next hand I pick up Aces. A big stack makes it 1200 to go. I min raise to 2500. He shoves all in and I call. He shows pocket Kings. C'mon baby! Flop is Ks Th 5s. FUCK!!!! Turn is 8c and River is 8 of spades and I am out in 194th place. That hand would have put me at 15,180 and in decent shape.
;KASDNF;QO'EFHQE;OEWHFQOE';HE AAAHHHHHHH
I'll have to try again next week.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Satellite Madness
I have been playing quite a bit of satellites lately. I am killing the small ones and I am 0 for 1 on the big ones.
I wish that Full Tilt had some kind of exchange program for T$ because I could play the $75 satellites into their $215 weekend tournaments all the time. They get done in a little over 2 hours and I win my ticket half the time I play.
I am 2 for 3 in the $80 for the $650 Main Event Satellites on Poker Stars. I played my first big tournament last weekend.
I started out well, running my initial stack of $3000 into $4500 pretty easily. Then I got lost in a hand with Ace-King and had to lay it down after my opponent check raised my bluff on the flopafter half of my stack went in before the flop, when I whiffed. After that I went broke a few hands later, when I tried to squeeze a raiser and a caller with Ace-Queen. The caller re-raised all in. I figured he must have a low to medium pocket pair so I called hoping to win the race. Instead he flipped up Ace-King and I did not luckbox into a 3 outer.
My next attempt at qualifying for the Main Event is Sunday at 3:00 PM.
If I had a choice, I would much rather qualify on Poker Stars. Besides the seat in the Main Event, they give you a hotel room at the Palms, a free party at the night club, Supernova VIP status on their site for a year, and I think $3,000 in spending money. All Full Tilt gives you is the seat plus $2,000. You would think they would try to keep up with Poker Stars but they don't seem very concerned about it.
I wish that Full Tilt had some kind of exchange program for T$ because I could play the $75 satellites into their $215 weekend tournaments all the time. They get done in a little over 2 hours and I win my ticket half the time I play.
I am 2 for 3 in the $80 for the $650 Main Event Satellites on Poker Stars. I played my first big tournament last weekend.
I started out well, running my initial stack of $3000 into $4500 pretty easily. Then I got lost in a hand with Ace-King and had to lay it down after my opponent check raised my bluff on the flopafter half of my stack went in before the flop, when I whiffed. After that I went broke a few hands later, when I tried to squeeze a raiser and a caller with Ace-Queen. The caller re-raised all in. I figured he must have a low to medium pocket pair so I called hoping to win the race. Instead he flipped up Ace-King and I did not luckbox into a 3 outer.
My next attempt at qualifying for the Main Event is Sunday at 3:00 PM.
If I had a choice, I would much rather qualify on Poker Stars. Besides the seat in the Main Event, they give you a hotel room at the Palms, a free party at the night club, Supernova VIP status on their site for a year, and I think $3,000 in spending money. All Full Tilt gives you is the seat plus $2,000. You would think they would try to keep up with Poker Stars but they don't seem very concerned about it.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Consistent Money Maker
I have been playing a $55 satellite to the $215 Sunday tournament on Full Tilt. They run it every night at 7:40 PM and it usually only gets 50 or so players. The players are donktastic and they have no idea on satellite strategy.
I have not been keeping track, but I believe I have been cashing in at least half of the tournaments I have played in.
It's no secret, but the main game plan in these tournaments is to accumulate chips early and then when it gets down to the bubble, tighten up. If they are giving away 10 seats and there are 12-13 players left, there is no reason to play a hand if you have a medium or large size stack. Just sit back and let the others blow themselves up.
It is also important to not let yourself get blinded down so low, that you lose your fold equity. If you are down to 8-10 Big Blinds and it is near the end, it is pretty easy to push all in in the right spots and not get called. After all, a majority of the other players are playing super tight, waiting to get their seat.
I had been meaning to write this post for a few days. Of course after I think about it, I play in a tournament last night and bust out early. I don't think it was too bad of a play since I had the second nuts. The board read 7d-9d-6s and I had 78o. The BB checked and I bet. The BB and one other player called. The turn was a 2c. It was checked around. The river was a 10h giving me a straight. The big blind led out and I just called, then the last player raised all in. The BB folded and it was up to me. It just seemed so unlikely that someone would have J-8 there. Then I thought it might be suited, that would make sense. But I have seen so many bad plays that I felt it was worth it to call. My opponent turned over the Jd8d and IGHN.
Before I got started I had fired up a game of 1-2 No Limit on Full Tilt. My very first hand in the BB I picked up pocket Aces. Middle position raises and late position reraises. I put in the 3rd raise and the initial player moves all in. The other player folds and I snap call. He has two Kings. My Aces hold up and I am immediately up $224. I believe that is the first time I have ever done that.
Unfortunately I was not enough of a Jack Ass to hit and run after one hand so I did lose some of it back. In spite of the set back in the tournament, I finished the night up $144 so it was another successful session.
I have not been keeping track, but I believe I have been cashing in at least half of the tournaments I have played in.
It's no secret, but the main game plan in these tournaments is to accumulate chips early and then when it gets down to the bubble, tighten up. If they are giving away 10 seats and there are 12-13 players left, there is no reason to play a hand if you have a medium or large size stack. Just sit back and let the others blow themselves up.
It is also important to not let yourself get blinded down so low, that you lose your fold equity. If you are down to 8-10 Big Blinds and it is near the end, it is pretty easy to push all in in the right spots and not get called. After all, a majority of the other players are playing super tight, waiting to get their seat.
I had been meaning to write this post for a few days. Of course after I think about it, I play in a tournament last night and bust out early. I don't think it was too bad of a play since I had the second nuts. The board read 7d-9d-6s and I had 78o. The BB checked and I bet. The BB and one other player called. The turn was a 2c. It was checked around. The river was a 10h giving me a straight. The big blind led out and I just called, then the last player raised all in. The BB folded and it was up to me. It just seemed so unlikely that someone would have J-8 there. Then I thought it might be suited, that would make sense. But I have seen so many bad plays that I felt it was worth it to call. My opponent turned over the Jd8d and IGHN.
Before I got started I had fired up a game of 1-2 No Limit on Full Tilt. My very first hand in the BB I picked up pocket Aces. Middle position raises and late position reraises. I put in the 3rd raise and the initial player moves all in. The other player folds and I snap call. He has two Kings. My Aces hold up and I am immediately up $224. I believe that is the first time I have ever done that.
Unfortunately I was not enough of a Jack Ass to hit and run after one hand so I did lose some of it back. In spite of the set back in the tournament, I finished the night up $144 so it was another successful session.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Dream Dealer WSOP Satellite
My friend Jeff and his Dream Dealers tried to organize a satellite to send a couple of players to the World Series. His original dream was to get enough players at $200 a player to give away a Main Event seat. I did not have as high of hopes, but we did manage to get enough players to give away two $1500 packages.
We started with 18 players at two tables, $2000 in chips and 5-10 starting blinds. The levels were 25 minutes long. This may seem like a decent amount of play, but with players taking the game seriously there were a lot of long pondering decisions so we were only playing around 10 hands per level.
I started out well by winning the very first hand with King-Jack when I flopped a Jack and rivered a King. I did not get paid off on the river, but it was a decent $400 pot.
After that, there was a whole lot of missing flops and folding. Then I tried a silly bluff and gave away half my chips.
I had 66 in late position. I limped in with 3 others and saw a flop of 9-10-J. It was checked around and I checked behind. The turn was a Queen. The early player led out and the other two players folded. I had a feeling that I still had the best hand, but there were so many cards that could come on the river that would scare me, that I didn't know what to do.
I came up with the idea to raise him small and that way I could probably get to a free showdown at the river. I made the raise and he called me fairly quickly. This told me he did not have the straight. The river was another blank. My opponent checked. So I get the "free showdown", but instead of checking, I decide that I want to follow through and bluff again. I make another bet of about half the pot and he calls me down with J-T for two pair.
It may sound like I'm being results oriented when I say this was a bad bluff, but it really was.
So I sat on my 20 BB short stack for a while and studied the rest of the table. Eventually we hit the end of the rebuy period and I took the add on for another $2,000 in chips. The chip leader, David, was playing a lot of hands and was getting pretty lucky. I knew that if I could pick up a good hand that he was somebody that I would have to value bet hard, because he was willing to call a lot of chips with hands as bad as second pair.
Eventually I picked up pocket 3's under the gun. I limped and hoped everyone else would do the same. My wish was granted as 3 others came along for the ride. The flop was A-8-3. I checked and David bet 500. I had about 2500 left in my stack and I figured the best way to get all my money in the pot would be to min raise on the flop and then put the rest in on the turn. I raise to 1000 but David does me a favor and puts me all in. I snap call and David shows 8-3 suited. He had flopped bottom two pair and I had somehow hit the only other 3 in the deck to get my dominating hand.
I dodged his 2 outs and doubled up. I won a couple of small pots and was really starting to roll. I had 9,500 in chips with the blinds at 200-400.
Then I picked up Ace-King in the small blind. A decent player limped and David came along. I raised to 1,200. The decent player called and David folded. $3,200 in the pot and the flop was 8-9-3. I make the continuation bet of $1,500 and my opponent moves all in for $3,800. So it's $2,300 more to call in a $8,500 pot. I am getting 3.7 to 1 to make the call. If I make it and lose, I am down to 4,400 in chips which is still kind of playable, but the blinds will go to 300-600 in a few hands.
If my Aces and Kings are clean outs then I have 6 outs with 39 cards that do not help. According to the odds I have a 23% chance to win. The problem is that I could also be drawing dead if he has a set of 3', 8's, or 9's. I laid it down which I am still not sure if that was wise. He showed me pocket 2's. Good play on his part.
This left me pretty short when the blinds went up. I eventually moved all in from the cutoff with K-8. The same player who beat me with the pocket 2's was in the big blind. He hemmed and hawed for a minute and muttered how bad this call would be. He finally made it with J-9. Wow that's horrible! I tried to put the karma in my favor by also betting my last 3 tip chips, but he came over the top of me with $10 in tip chips. The top card in the window of the flop was a Jack and I could not spike the King. I was out in 8th place.
The good news is that Jeff set up this tournament so that the two people that end up going to Vegas will have to split 25% of their winnings with the other losers from the tournament. That means there is an extremely small chance that I might win some of my money back. We'll see if they actually go to Vegas.
We started with 18 players at two tables, $2000 in chips and 5-10 starting blinds. The levels were 25 minutes long. This may seem like a decent amount of play, but with players taking the game seriously there were a lot of long pondering decisions so we were only playing around 10 hands per level.
I started out well by winning the very first hand with King-Jack when I flopped a Jack and rivered a King. I did not get paid off on the river, but it was a decent $400 pot.
After that, there was a whole lot of missing flops and folding. Then I tried a silly bluff and gave away half my chips.
I had 66 in late position. I limped in with 3 others and saw a flop of 9-10-J. It was checked around and I checked behind. The turn was a Queen. The early player led out and the other two players folded. I had a feeling that I still had the best hand, but there were so many cards that could come on the river that would scare me, that I didn't know what to do.
I came up with the idea to raise him small and that way I could probably get to a free showdown at the river. I made the raise and he called me fairly quickly. This told me he did not have the straight. The river was another blank. My opponent checked. So I get the "free showdown", but instead of checking, I decide that I want to follow through and bluff again. I make another bet of about half the pot and he calls me down with J-T for two pair.
It may sound like I'm being results oriented when I say this was a bad bluff, but it really was.
So I sat on my 20 BB short stack for a while and studied the rest of the table. Eventually we hit the end of the rebuy period and I took the add on for another $2,000 in chips. The chip leader, David, was playing a lot of hands and was getting pretty lucky. I knew that if I could pick up a good hand that he was somebody that I would have to value bet hard, because he was willing to call a lot of chips with hands as bad as second pair.
Eventually I picked up pocket 3's under the gun. I limped and hoped everyone else would do the same. My wish was granted as 3 others came along for the ride. The flop was A-8-3. I checked and David bet 500. I had about 2500 left in my stack and I figured the best way to get all my money in the pot would be to min raise on the flop and then put the rest in on the turn. I raise to 1000 but David does me a favor and puts me all in. I snap call and David shows 8-3 suited. He had flopped bottom two pair and I had somehow hit the only other 3 in the deck to get my dominating hand.
I dodged his 2 outs and doubled up. I won a couple of small pots and was really starting to roll. I had 9,500 in chips with the blinds at 200-400.
Then I picked up Ace-King in the small blind. A decent player limped and David came along. I raised to 1,200. The decent player called and David folded. $3,200 in the pot and the flop was 8-9-3. I make the continuation bet of $1,500 and my opponent moves all in for $3,800. So it's $2,300 more to call in a $8,500 pot. I am getting 3.7 to 1 to make the call. If I make it and lose, I am down to 4,400 in chips which is still kind of playable, but the blinds will go to 300-600 in a few hands.
If my Aces and Kings are clean outs then I have 6 outs with 39 cards that do not help. According to the odds I have a 23% chance to win. The problem is that I could also be drawing dead if he has a set of 3', 8's, or 9's. I laid it down which I am still not sure if that was wise. He showed me pocket 2's. Good play on his part.
This left me pretty short when the blinds went up. I eventually moved all in from the cutoff with K-8. The same player who beat me with the pocket 2's was in the big blind. He hemmed and hawed for a minute and muttered how bad this call would be. He finally made it with J-9. Wow that's horrible! I tried to put the karma in my favor by also betting my last 3 tip chips, but he came over the top of me with $10 in tip chips. The top card in the window of the flop was a Jack and I could not spike the King. I was out in 8th place.
The good news is that Jeff set up this tournament so that the two people that end up going to Vegas will have to split 25% of their winnings with the other losers from the tournament. That means there is an extremely small chance that I might win some of my money back. We'll see if they actually go to Vegas.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Winning it all Back
I ran much better last night online. Here are some of the highlights.
Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Seat 1: CarlHaris ($356.85) -
Seat 2: PokherButt007 ($197) -
Seat 3: Luffy-san ($41)
Seat 4: Jordan Morgan ($239.75)
Seat 5: TsirhCitna ($264.90)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 ($287.70) -
PRE-FLOP:
CarlHaris posts small blind $1
PokherButt007 posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: Poker_Bully1
FOLD Luffy-san
RAISE Jordan Morgan ($7) Yes I am playing with a Full Tilt Red Pro. It was also an Educational table so I thought he may be trying to make a video. Then I looked in the lobby and saw he was playing 12 tables so no video, he's trying to make money.
FOLD TsirhCitna
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($7) I want to see a flop in position so no reraise.
FOLD CarlHaris
FOLD PokherButt007
FLOP:
Pot: $17
BET Jordan Morgan ($11)
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($11) Not a great flop for me, but I'm sure Jordan is continuation betting against me around 90% of the time. I may still have the best hand so I call.
TURN:
Pot: $39
CHECK Jordan Morgan
BET Poker_Bully1 ($24) Jordan shows weakness. Plus it is easy to make this look like I called the flop with Jack-Ten and now I have the straight. I turn my pocket tens into a bluff and take down the pot.
FOLD Jordan Morgan
UNCALLED Poker_Bully1 ($24)
MUCK Poker_Bully1
Poker_Bully1 collected $37.05 from main pot
SUMMARY:
Total pot: $39 Rake: $1.95
Final Board:
Seat 1: CarlHaris small blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1)
Seat 2: PokherButt007 big blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2)
Seat 3: Luffy-san didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 4: Jordan Morgan folded on the Turn - Net Gain/Loss: ($-18)
Seat 5: TsirhCitna didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 button collected 37.05, mucked - Net Gain/Loss: ($19.05)
Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Seat 1: CarlHaris ($355.85) -
Seat 2: PokherButt007 ($195) -
Seat 3: Luffy-san ($41) -
Seat 4: Jordan Morgan ($221.75)
Seat 5: TsirhCitna ($264.90)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 ($306.75)
PRE-FLOP:
PokherButt007 posts small blind $1
Luffy-san posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: Poker_Bully1
FOLD Jordan Morgan
FOLD TsirhCitna
RAISE Poker_Bully1 ($7)
RAISE CarlHaris ($21)
FOLD PokherButt007
FOLD Luffy-san
RAISE Poker_Bully1 ($50)
RAISE CarlHaris ($355.85) I actually considered folding here because this player had solid stats and I had not seen him get out of line. I used some of my time bank and mustered up the courage to call.
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($256.75)
UNCALLED CarlHaris ($49.10)
FLOP:
Pot: $616.5
TURN:
Pot: $616.5
RIVER:
Pot: $616.5
SHOWDOWN:
CarlHaris:
WHAT THE F*** IS HE DOING? Thanks for the gift.
Poker_Bully1:
Poker_Bully1 collected $613.5 from main pot with two pair, Kings and Twos
SUMMARY:
Total pot: $616 Rake: $3
Final Board:
Seat 1: CarlHaris button showed [9c Qc] and lost with a pair of Twos - Net Gain/Loss: ($-306.75)
Seat 2: PokherButt007 small blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1)
Seat 3: Luffy-san big blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2)
Seat 4: Jordan Morgan didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 5: TsirhCitna didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 showed [Kd Kh] and won 613.50 with two pair, Kings and Twos - Net Gain/Loss: ($306.75)
Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
I finished the quick session up $430 for one of my best online cash sessions ever.
Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Seat 1: CarlHaris ($356.85) -
Seat 2: PokherButt007 ($197) -
Seat 3: Luffy-san ($41)
Seat 4: Jordan Morgan ($239.75)
Seat 5: TsirhCitna ($264.90)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 ($287.70) -
PRE-FLOP:
CarlHaris posts small blind $1
PokherButt007 posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: Poker_Bully1
FOLD Luffy-san
RAISE Jordan Morgan ($7) Yes I am playing with a Full Tilt Red Pro. It was also an Educational table so I thought he may be trying to make a video. Then I looked in the lobby and saw he was playing 12 tables so no video, he's trying to make money.
FOLD TsirhCitna
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($7) I want to see a flop in position so no reraise.
FOLD CarlHaris
FOLD PokherButt007
FLOP:
Pot: $17
BET Jordan Morgan ($11)
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($11) Not a great flop for me, but I'm sure Jordan is continuation betting against me around 90% of the time. I may still have the best hand so I call.
TURN:
Pot: $39
CHECK Jordan Morgan
BET Poker_Bully1 ($24) Jordan shows weakness. Plus it is easy to make this look like I called the flop with Jack-Ten and now I have the straight. I turn my pocket tens into a bluff and take down the pot.
FOLD Jordan Morgan
UNCALLED Poker_Bully1 ($24)
MUCK Poker_Bully1
Poker_Bully1 collected $37.05 from main pot
SUMMARY:
Total pot: $39 Rake: $1.95
Final Board:
Seat 1: CarlHaris small blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1)
Seat 2: PokherButt007 big blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2)
Seat 3: Luffy-san didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 4: Jordan Morgan folded on the Turn - Net Gain/Loss: ($-18)
Seat 5: TsirhCitna didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 button collected 37.05, mucked - Net Gain/Loss: ($19.05)
Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Seat 1: CarlHaris ($355.85) -
Seat 2: PokherButt007 ($195) -
Seat 3: Luffy-san ($41) -
Seat 4: Jordan Morgan ($221.75)
Seat 5: TsirhCitna ($264.90)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 ($306.75)
PRE-FLOP:
PokherButt007 posts small blind $1
Luffy-san posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: Poker_Bully1
FOLD Jordan Morgan
FOLD TsirhCitna
RAISE Poker_Bully1 ($7)
RAISE CarlHaris ($21)
FOLD PokherButt007
FOLD Luffy-san
RAISE Poker_Bully1 ($50)
RAISE CarlHaris ($355.85) I actually considered folding here because this player had solid stats and I had not seen him get out of line. I used some of my time bank and mustered up the courage to call.
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($256.75)
UNCALLED CarlHaris ($49.10)
FLOP:
Pot: $616.5
TURN:
Pot: $616.5
RIVER:
Pot: $616.5
SHOWDOWN:
CarlHaris:
WHAT THE F*** IS HE DOING? Thanks for the gift.Poker_Bully1:
Poker_Bully1 collected $613.5 from main pot with two pair, Kings and Twos
SUMMARY:
Total pot: $616 Rake: $3
Final Board:
Seat 1: CarlHaris button showed [9c Qc] and lost with a pair of Twos - Net Gain/Loss: ($-306.75)
Seat 2: PokherButt007 small blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1)
Seat 3: Luffy-san big blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2)
Seat 4: Jordan Morgan didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 5: TsirhCitna didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 showed [Kd Kh] and won 613.50 with two pair, Kings and Twos - Net Gain/Loss: ($306.75)
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I finished the quick session up $430 for one of my best online cash sessions ever.
Lots of Losses
The downswing started on Thursday last week when I stopped in Casino Arizona after work and played some 3-6 limit poker with Kory. I gave Kory my book on Small Stakes Hold’em by Ed Miller and David Sklansky to borrow. Kory is fired up after reading some of the concepts and is trying to apply them to his game. I am happy to come along and offer any guidance that I can.
I liked the table that we ended up at, but I was not running well. The main pot that got me steaming a little was a strange one.
I limped under the gun with a suited Ace. A bunch of people called including an old man on my left and a middle aged gentleman on my right. I flopped the nut heart flush. I don’t remember the exact cards since it was a few days ago, but I remember that they were between 5-10 so there were straight possibilities out there. Since there were so many players in the pot, I figured I would check and see how many players would like to come along before I make a decision on raising.
The old man bet and 3 others called including myself. The turn brought another heart. Again in an effort to disguise my hand, I checked. The betting was the same. Now this old guy was pretty passive, so the straight flush possibility was already in my head. After all it was a little strange that 3 players were still in the hand with 4 of the same suit on the board.
The river was the 5th heart and now it put a 4 to a straight flush on the board. Now I am really worried about the straight flush. I figure I’ll check call. I check and the old man re-checks his cards, and then hesitates for about 15 seconds. While he is thinking, he subtly moves his right hand up and down in a checking motion. The player on my right (button) thinks he checks and goes to turn over his hand. I also pick up my cards but do not show them, when the old man exclaims that he did not check. The dealer asks if we want to call the floor. Me and the button both agree to let it slide. The old man now bets and the button calls.
I’m not afraid of the button call because I saw he had the Queen of Hearts so I know I have him beat. I think to myself that the only reason the old man would think so long was that he had a non-nut flush and was wondering if he should save his money. I convince myself that I am right and put in a raise. The old man immediately re-raises. The button realizes he’s beat and folds and I make the crying call. The old man ran a Hollywood angle shoot on me and I fell for it.
I took a break to go to the ATM and while I was up, I decided to put my name on the list for the new 1-2 max 500 game. I was called to the game about 15 minutes later and left Kory on his own to fight the old man.
This was one of the few times that I followed my system in limit hold-em where I got up after losing a buy in and changed tables. I think when I am losing, my table image becomes very bad and players are willing to chase more hands against me because they feel like I am on a losing streak and they will get lucky. It often becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In order to win any of my money back in limit poker, I need to be able to run a successful semi-bluff once in a while to pick up a pot or two while I wait for a strong hand to get paid off.
Instead of switching limit tables, though I went to the new No Limit game. I immediately ran into what I think was pocket Aces after I reraised him with AQ suited. He reraised the minimum which forced me to call. The flop missed me and he made a 1/3 size of the pot bet, seemingly begging me for a call. I let it go and the two players on my right were nice enough to let me now that he was the tightest player at the table.
I was also amused that of the nine players in the game, I think there was only one player older than me. I think a couple of the players were not even 21 yet. I think you are allowed to gamble at 18 or 19 on the Indian Casinos but I am not sure about that. After that brief set back, I broke even for the rest of the session.
Sunday was a home tournament day. Jeff and his Dream Dealers were hosting a game at a house in McCormick Ranch. The original buy in was to be $150 but he was not generating enough interest. He lowered it to $100 and he managed to wrangle up 12 players.
There were some familiar faces from Jeff’s previous tournaments, but the one semi-celebrity was Kevin O’Donnell. Kevin has won over $1,000,000 in large buy in poker tournaments over the years and finished 21st in World Series of Poker Main Event in 2006. He seemed like a nice guy and was taking the game pretty seriously. This is never good news.
We started with 1000 chips and the blinds were 5-10. The levels were to last 25 minutes but there were some slight modifications along the way. We originally started 11 handed until the last player showed up about 10 minutes into the first level.
I was going to try and play fast and aggressive since it looked like the blinds would come up pretty fast. I did some bluffing from the button and I won some small pots and lost some others.
My highlight was pulling off a great bluff against a player named Keith. Keith has won a few of Jeff’s events and is a pretty good player. I open raised with 4c5c on the button and Keith called in the small blind. The flop was 6h-7d-Jh. Keith checked and I made a continuation bet of 70% of the pot. He made a quick call. The turn was a King of clubs. He checked again, and this time I had about a pot sized bet left in my stack. Since two of my straight outs might be dirty with flush draw out there, I wanted to end the hand now. Plus I felt like he was drawing and I might be able to get him off his hand. I pushed all in. Keith looked very pained. I thought he was going to call when he started doing math in his head. Then he looked directly at me and asked if I had a “made” hand. I responded, “yes, absolutely.” He bought it and folded. Of course I had to show him the bluff and the whole table hooted and hollered.
I lost some of those chips right back, and then I picked up ATo. I raised and the BB who had a big stack min raised me. It was the last hand before the break and the blinds were about to double. I felt like this was my chance to get some utility back so I pushed all in. He called me with 77. I hit a ten on the flop and had doubled up.
I took the $1,000 add on and had about $2,500 in chips going into the 50-100 level. There were 9 players left and the top three were getting paid. First place would be $1,100. I mainly folded for the first level at the final table and then the blinds went up to 100-200.
Now I am getting short and a few others at the table were starting to make the all in preflop moves. Finally at UTG+1 I pick up AKo. Jeff limped under the gun and I pushed all in for $2,400. A short stack of 800 called and then Kevin O’Donnell started complaining. “I know he’s got Jacks. I can’t beat Jacks. That’s the only hand he would do that with.” He talked himself into calling with pocket tens. The short stack had AQ so one of my outs was gone. We ran out the board and I missed everything. Kevin even spiked a ten on the river for an extra twist of the knife.
If I win that hand I knock out two players including the best one at the table and I have a good stack to work with. Instead I am out in 9th place. Kevin went on the chop the final prize with Keith after playing for a half hour heads up.
So after losing $220 in the tournament, I was feeling very unsatisfied. After my family went to bed, I decided to play some 1-2 NL on Full Tilt and try and make it back. This turned out to be a bad idea as well. Here were a few hands to relive.
Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Seat 1: Tweelingen ($285.45) -
Seat 2: Poker_Bully1 ($202)
Seat 3: count_to_ten ($80)
Seat 4: artofniza ($323.20)
Seat 5: jolohu ($252.95) -
Seat 6: YukDaDuke ($200) -
PRE-FLOP:
YukDaDuke posts small blind $1
Tweelingen posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: Poker_Bully1
RAISE Poker_Bully1 ($9)
CALL count_to_ten ($7)
FOLD artofniza
CALL jolohu ($9)
FOLD YukDaDuke
CALL Tweelingen ($7)
Tweelingen was playing with a VPIP of 32% and raising 21% of the time so he was a little loose and aggressive.
FLOP:
Pot: $35
CHECK Tweelingen
BET Poker_Bully1 ($37) Build the pot and try to protect in case someone has the naked Ace of clubs
CALL count_to_ten ($37)
FOLD jolohu
RAISE Tweelingen ($276.45) Uh, oh. Now the big raise makes me think he has the flush but it's small and he's trying to protect.
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($156)
CALL count_to_ten ($34)
UNCALLED Tweelingen ($83.45)
TURN:
Pot: $492
RIVER:
Pot: $492
SHOWDOWN:
Tweelingen:
Horrible read by me. Nothing like getting over $200 into the pot drawing practically dead
Poker_Bully1:
count_to_ten:
Tweelingen collected $244 from side pot 1 with a flush, Ace highTweelingen collected $247 from main pot with a flush, Ace high
SUMMARY:
Total pot: $494Main pot: $250
Side pot: $244
Rake: $3
Final Board:
Seat 1: Tweelingen big blind showed [Ac 7c] and won 491 with a flush, Ace high - Net Gain/Loss: ($289)
Seat 2: Poker_Bully1 showed [Kc Kh] and lost with two pair, Kings and Fours - Net Gain/Loss: ($-202)
Seat 3: count_to_ten showed [Jd 6d] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Fours - Net Gain/Loss: ($-78)
Seat 4: artofniza didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 5: jolohu button folded on the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-9)
Seat 6: YukDaDuke small blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1)
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Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Seat 1: artofniza ($643.30)
Seat 2: WHYME STILL ($274)
Seat 3: FSobotka ($37) -
Seat 4: Shabooz ($101.70) -
Seat 5: Upay4myM6 ($114.70) -
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 ($333.25)
PRE-FLOP:
Shabooz posts small blind $1
Upay4myM6 posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: Poker_Bully1
RAISE Poker_Bully1 ($7)
FOLD artofniza
CALL WHYME STILL ($7)
FOLD FSobotka
CALL Shabooz ($6)
FOLD Upay4myM6
FLOP:
Pot: $23
CHECK Shabooz
BET Poker_Bully1 ($14)
RAISE WHYME STILL ($46) This player was playing pretty solid for the session. I don't think he called my raise with 4-7 or 2-4 so I put him on an over pair or a flush draw
FOLD Shabooz
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($32) No sense in raising since it may fold hands worse than mine.
TURN:
Pot: $115
BET Poker_Bully1 ($68) Now I can really make him pay to draw.
CALL WHYME STILL ($68)
RIVER:
Pot: $251
CHECK Poker_Bully1 And he gets there. I convince myself that there is a chance he's bluffing, since that's the only hand I can beat. Wrong again.
BET WHYME STILL ($153)
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($153)
SHOWDOWN:
WHYME STILL:
MUCK Poker_Bully1
WHYME STILL collected $554 from main pot with a flush, King high
SUMMARY:
Total pot: $557 Rake: $3
Final Board:
Seat 1: artofniza didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 2: WHYME STILL showed [Jc Qc] and won 554 with a flush, King high - Net Gain/Loss: ($280)
Seat 3: FSobotka button didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 4: Shabooz small blind folded on the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-7)
Seat 5: Upay4myM6 big blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 mucked [3h 3s] - three of a kind, Threes - Net Gain/Loss: ($-274)
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I liked the table that we ended up at, but I was not running well. The main pot that got me steaming a little was a strange one.
I limped under the gun with a suited Ace. A bunch of people called including an old man on my left and a middle aged gentleman on my right. I flopped the nut heart flush. I don’t remember the exact cards since it was a few days ago, but I remember that they were between 5-10 so there were straight possibilities out there. Since there were so many players in the pot, I figured I would check and see how many players would like to come along before I make a decision on raising.
The old man bet and 3 others called including myself. The turn brought another heart. Again in an effort to disguise my hand, I checked. The betting was the same. Now this old guy was pretty passive, so the straight flush possibility was already in my head. After all it was a little strange that 3 players were still in the hand with 4 of the same suit on the board.
The river was the 5th heart and now it put a 4 to a straight flush on the board. Now I am really worried about the straight flush. I figure I’ll check call. I check and the old man re-checks his cards, and then hesitates for about 15 seconds. While he is thinking, he subtly moves his right hand up and down in a checking motion. The player on my right (button) thinks he checks and goes to turn over his hand. I also pick up my cards but do not show them, when the old man exclaims that he did not check. The dealer asks if we want to call the floor. Me and the button both agree to let it slide. The old man now bets and the button calls.
I’m not afraid of the button call because I saw he had the Queen of Hearts so I know I have him beat. I think to myself that the only reason the old man would think so long was that he had a non-nut flush and was wondering if he should save his money. I convince myself that I am right and put in a raise. The old man immediately re-raises. The button realizes he’s beat and folds and I make the crying call. The old man ran a Hollywood angle shoot on me and I fell for it.
I took a break to go to the ATM and while I was up, I decided to put my name on the list for the new 1-2 max 500 game. I was called to the game about 15 minutes later and left Kory on his own to fight the old man.
This was one of the few times that I followed my system in limit hold-em where I got up after losing a buy in and changed tables. I think when I am losing, my table image becomes very bad and players are willing to chase more hands against me because they feel like I am on a losing streak and they will get lucky. It often becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In order to win any of my money back in limit poker, I need to be able to run a successful semi-bluff once in a while to pick up a pot or two while I wait for a strong hand to get paid off.
Instead of switching limit tables, though I went to the new No Limit game. I immediately ran into what I think was pocket Aces after I reraised him with AQ suited. He reraised the minimum which forced me to call. The flop missed me and he made a 1/3 size of the pot bet, seemingly begging me for a call. I let it go and the two players on my right were nice enough to let me now that he was the tightest player at the table.
I was also amused that of the nine players in the game, I think there was only one player older than me. I think a couple of the players were not even 21 yet. I think you are allowed to gamble at 18 or 19 on the Indian Casinos but I am not sure about that. After that brief set back, I broke even for the rest of the session.
Sunday was a home tournament day. Jeff and his Dream Dealers were hosting a game at a house in McCormick Ranch. The original buy in was to be $150 but he was not generating enough interest. He lowered it to $100 and he managed to wrangle up 12 players.
There were some familiar faces from Jeff’s previous tournaments, but the one semi-celebrity was Kevin O’Donnell. Kevin has won over $1,000,000 in large buy in poker tournaments over the years and finished 21st in World Series of Poker Main Event in 2006. He seemed like a nice guy and was taking the game pretty seriously. This is never good news.
We started with 1000 chips and the blinds were 5-10. The levels were to last 25 minutes but there were some slight modifications along the way. We originally started 11 handed until the last player showed up about 10 minutes into the first level.
I was going to try and play fast and aggressive since it looked like the blinds would come up pretty fast. I did some bluffing from the button and I won some small pots and lost some others.
My highlight was pulling off a great bluff against a player named Keith. Keith has won a few of Jeff’s events and is a pretty good player. I open raised with 4c5c on the button and Keith called in the small blind. The flop was 6h-7d-Jh. Keith checked and I made a continuation bet of 70% of the pot. He made a quick call. The turn was a King of clubs. He checked again, and this time I had about a pot sized bet left in my stack. Since two of my straight outs might be dirty with flush draw out there, I wanted to end the hand now. Plus I felt like he was drawing and I might be able to get him off his hand. I pushed all in. Keith looked very pained. I thought he was going to call when he started doing math in his head. Then he looked directly at me and asked if I had a “made” hand. I responded, “yes, absolutely.” He bought it and folded. Of course I had to show him the bluff and the whole table hooted and hollered.
I lost some of those chips right back, and then I picked up ATo. I raised and the BB who had a big stack min raised me. It was the last hand before the break and the blinds were about to double. I felt like this was my chance to get some utility back so I pushed all in. He called me with 77. I hit a ten on the flop and had doubled up.
I took the $1,000 add on and had about $2,500 in chips going into the 50-100 level. There were 9 players left and the top three were getting paid. First place would be $1,100. I mainly folded for the first level at the final table and then the blinds went up to 100-200.
Now I am getting short and a few others at the table were starting to make the all in preflop moves. Finally at UTG+1 I pick up AKo. Jeff limped under the gun and I pushed all in for $2,400. A short stack of 800 called and then Kevin O’Donnell started complaining. “I know he’s got Jacks. I can’t beat Jacks. That’s the only hand he would do that with.” He talked himself into calling with pocket tens. The short stack had AQ so one of my outs was gone. We ran out the board and I missed everything. Kevin even spiked a ten on the river for an extra twist of the knife.
If I win that hand I knock out two players including the best one at the table and I have a good stack to work with. Instead I am out in 9th place. Kevin went on the chop the final prize with Keith after playing for a half hour heads up.
So after losing $220 in the tournament, I was feeling very unsatisfied. After my family went to bed, I decided to play some 1-2 NL on Full Tilt and try and make it back. This turned out to be a bad idea as well. Here were a few hands to relive.
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Seat 1: Tweelingen ($285.45) -
Seat 2: Poker_Bully1 ($202)
Seat 3: count_to_ten ($80)
Seat 4: artofniza ($323.20)
Seat 5: jolohu ($252.95) -
Seat 6: YukDaDuke ($200) -
PRE-FLOP:
YukDaDuke posts small blind $1
Tweelingen posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: Poker_Bully1
RAISE Poker_Bully1 ($9)
CALL count_to_ten ($7)
FOLD artofniza
CALL jolohu ($9)
FOLD YukDaDuke
CALL Tweelingen ($7)
Tweelingen was playing with a VPIP of 32% and raising 21% of the time so he was a little loose and aggressive.
FLOP:
Pot: $35
CHECK Tweelingen
BET Poker_Bully1 ($37) Build the pot and try to protect in case someone has the naked Ace of clubs
CALL count_to_ten ($37)
FOLD jolohu
RAISE Tweelingen ($276.45) Uh, oh. Now the big raise makes me think he has the flush but it's small and he's trying to protect.
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($156)
CALL count_to_ten ($34)
UNCALLED Tweelingen ($83.45)
TURN:
Pot: $492
RIVER:
Pot: $492
SHOWDOWN:
Tweelingen:
Horrible read by me. Nothing like getting over $200 into the pot drawing practically deadPoker_Bully1:
count_to_ten:
Tweelingen collected $244 from side pot 1 with a flush, Ace highTweelingen collected $247 from main pot with a flush, Ace high
SUMMARY:
Total pot: $494Main pot: $250
Side pot: $244
Rake: $3
Final Board:
Seat 1: Tweelingen big blind showed [Ac 7c] and won 491 with a flush, Ace high - Net Gain/Loss: ($289)
Seat 2: Poker_Bully1 showed [Kc Kh] and lost with two pair, Kings and Fours - Net Gain/Loss: ($-202)
Seat 3: count_to_ten showed [Jd 6d] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Fours - Net Gain/Loss: ($-78)
Seat 4: artofniza didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 5: jolohu button folded on the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-9)
Seat 6: YukDaDuke small blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1)
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Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners
Seat 1: artofniza ($643.30)
Seat 2: WHYME STILL ($274)
Seat 3: FSobotka ($37) -
Seat 4: Shabooz ($101.70) -
Seat 5: Upay4myM6 ($114.70) -
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 ($333.25)
PRE-FLOP:
Shabooz posts small blind $1
Upay4myM6 posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: Poker_Bully1
RAISE Poker_Bully1 ($7)
FOLD artofniza
CALL WHYME STILL ($7)
FOLD FSobotka
CALL Shabooz ($6)
FOLD Upay4myM6
FLOP:
Pot: $23
CHECK Shabooz
BET Poker_Bully1 ($14)
RAISE WHYME STILL ($46) This player was playing pretty solid for the session. I don't think he called my raise with 4-7 or 2-4 so I put him on an over pair or a flush draw
FOLD Shabooz
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($32) No sense in raising since it may fold hands worse than mine.
TURN:
Pot: $115
BET Poker_Bully1 ($68) Now I can really make him pay to draw.
CALL WHYME STILL ($68)
RIVER:
Pot: $251
CHECK Poker_Bully1 And he gets there. I convince myself that there is a chance he's bluffing, since that's the only hand I can beat. Wrong again.
BET WHYME STILL ($153)
CALL Poker_Bully1 ($153)
SHOWDOWN:
WHYME STILL:
MUCK Poker_Bully1
WHYME STILL collected $554 from main pot with a flush, King high
SUMMARY:
Total pot: $557 Rake: $3
Final Board:
Seat 1: artofniza didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 2: WHYME STILL showed [Jc Qc] and won 554 with a flush, King high - Net Gain/Loss: ($280)
Seat 3: FSobotka button didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 4: Shabooz small blind folded on the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-7)
Seat 5: Upay4myM6 big blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2)
Seat 6: Poker_Bully1 mucked [3h 3s] - three of a kind, Threes - Net Gain/Loss: ($-274)
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