Tuesday, January 31, 2006

$ Watch

Tuesday AM - $109.51

I stick with the 9 player 5$ sng, where I seem to place more often than I don't. It's slow going, but I am building my stack back up to where I can branch out.

Sunday, January 29, 2006

$ watch

Sunday AM - $92.26

I played a bunch of 5$ tourneys and did a little better than break even. Then I played .25/.50 limit and got rivered to death for about 15$. It's so hard to walk away from a table of people who'll play damn near any two cards, but after they rivered me the sixth time, I didn't reload and went to bed.

Lost two 9 player 5$ tourneys (6th among some tight players, 5th among some goofballs) - $81.26

Saturday, January 28, 2006

DIPO tipping point on the flop

Here's some useful stuff to add to King Yao's formula.

On the flop, if there are X big bets, you need Y number of outs as a break-even to call one bet as the presumed underdog.

2 Big Bets: just better than 9 outs
(Good Number = 2 * 9 * 2 = 36
( Bad Number = 48-9= 39)

3 Big Bets: 7 outs
(Good number = 7 * 3 *2 = 42)
(Bad Number = 48-7 = 41)

4 Big Bets: 5.5 outs
(Good Number = 4 * 5.5 * 2 = 44)
(Bad Number = 48-5.5 = 42.5)

5 Big Bets: 4.5 outs
(Good Number = 5 * 4.5 * 2 = 45)
(Bad Number = 48-4.5= 43.5)

6 Big Bets: 4 outs
(Good Number = 6 * 4 * 2 = 48 )
(Bad Number = 48-4 = 44)

Cashwatch

$104.36 - 4th out of 9 in a 5$ sng, lost $1 at the .25/.50.

He shoots, he scores!

Check out this sequence of events. Notice that our M's are all low, so it's tough to back down with a pair or even a decent draw.

*********** # 98 **************
PokerStars Game #3778805918: Tournament #18762811, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) -
2006/01/27 - 23:45:14 (ET)
Table '18762811 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 4: The Mike83 (1510 in chips)
Seat 6: mwright3030 (5690 in chips)
Seat 7: JetroFly (11180 in chips)
Seat 8: FrankNagaiJr (8620 in chips)
The Mike83: posts the ante 50
mwright3030: posts the ante 50
JetroFly: posts the ante 50
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 50
JetroFly: posts small blind 300
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [8h Jd]
FrankNagaiJr said, "$$$"
The Mike83: raises 860 to 1460 and is all-in

FNJ This was a pot-odds problem. My opponent showed Kc 7d when I called.
Pre-flop I'm only the 41.76% dog.

mwright3030: folds
JetroFly: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 860
*** FLOP *** [Kd 5h 5d]

Now I'm the 4.24% dog
*** TURN *** [Kd 5h 5d] [2d]

But wait, now I'm only the 18% dog!
*** RIVER *** [Kd 5h 5d 2d] [Ad]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [8h Jd] (a flush, Ace high)
The Mike83: shows [Kc 7d] (a flush, Ace high - lower cards)

He shoots, he scores!

*********** # 99 **************
PokerStars Game #3778813745: Tournament #18762811, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) -
2006/01/27 - 23:45:54 (ET)
Table '18762811 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 6: mwright3030 (5640 in chips)
Seat 7: JetroFly (10830 in chips)
Seat 8: FrankNagaiJr (10530 in chips)
mwright3030: posts the ante 50
JetroFly: posts the ante 50
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 50
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 300
mwright3030: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ad 5c]
JetroFly: calls 600
FrankNagaiJr: calls 300
mwright3030: checks
*** FLOP *** [7s 4d 6d]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 1200

FNJ - Yes, it was cheeky to bet the draw, but I had a hard time putting him on this hand since he voluntarily limped from the button. I guess he planned to make a positional bluff.

mwright3030: folds
JetroFly: raises 1800 to 3000
FrankNagaiJr: raises 6880 to 9880 and is all-in
JetroFly: calls 6880
FrankNagaiJr said, "ouch nh"

FNJ - He has just shown 3d 5h for the nut straight right now. I have a decent draw match his straight. I am currently the 3.43% dog to win, 28.28% to tie


*** TURN *** [7s 4d 6d] [7d]
Now I am 15.91% to win, 13.64% to tie.

*** RIVER *** [7s 4d 6d 7d] [2d]

He shoots, he scores!
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Ad 5c] (a flush, Ace high)
JetroFly: shows [3d 5h] (a flush, Seven high)
FrankNagaiJr collected 21710 from pot



*********** # 101 **************
PokerStars Game #3778834898: Tournament #18762811, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) -
2006/01/27 - 23:47:44 (ET)
Table '18762811 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 6: mwright3030 (5040 in chips)
Seat 7: JetroFly (900 in chips)
Seat 8: FrankNagaiJr (21060 in chips)
mwright3030: posts the ante 50
JetroFly: posts the ante 50
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 50
JetroFly: posts small blind 300
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [9s 2d]
mwright3030: folds
JetroFly: raises 250 to 850 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 250

A pot odds problem. He shows Jc 7d . I am the 34.05% dog
*** FLOP *** [Td Ad 8c]

I am the 12.83% dog
*** TURN *** [Td Ad 8c] [7h]
I am the 15.91% dog

*** RIVER *** [Td Ad 8c 7h] [Js]

He shoots, he scores!
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JetroFly: shows [7d Jc] (two pair, Jacks and Sevens)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [9s 2d] (a straight, Seven to Jack)

Friday, January 27, 2006

$ Update

Now up to $109.86.

I just played and won an 18 player 5$ tourney in which I spent the first 80 hands waiting for cards. (None came) Then I got agressive in the final 7, stealing lots of blinds, and getting three consecutive suck-outs of other players to go from 7th of 7th to 1st of 5. The freight train never lost speed after that. I'd better get the suck outs and post them because they were hilarious.

DIPO Again

Dealer: Velketor posts small blind $0.10
Dealer: J. Gilbert posts big blind $0.25
Dealer: kibby5 calls $0.25
Dealer: sputtnikk calls $0.25
Dealer: FrankNagaiJr calls $0.25
Dealer: Velketor raises $0.25 to $0.50
Dealer: kibby5 calls $0.25
Dealer: sputtnikk calls $0.25
Dealer: FrankNagaiJr calls $0.25
Dealer: Dealing Flop: [6s 7d 3s]

FNJ - Four large bets in the pot on the flop, and I have 6 outs. (inside draw or trips)

Dealer: Velketor bets $0.25
Dealer: kibby5 calls $0.25
Dealer: sputtnikk calls $0.25

FNJ - Good number - 6 * 10.5 (5.5 large bets) = 60
Bad Number = 47-6 = 41

A clear call

Dealer: FrankNagaiJr calls $0.25
Dealer: Dealing Turn: [7h]
Dealer: Velketor bets $0.50
Dealer: kibby5 raises $0.50 to $1

FNJ Good Nuumber = 6 outs time 8.5 = 50
Bad Number = 2 * 40 = 80

A clear fold, especially since there is a pair of 7s on the board, so my trips may no longer be outs.
Dealer: sputtnikk folds
Dealer: FrankNagaiJr folds

DIPO Exercise 1

Just reading the King Yao book. Tough to do the math on the fly, so I'll slow it down here. I folded without the math.

Dealer: ericfrance posts small blind $0.10
Dealer: Mojasmom posts big blind $0.25
Dealer: Dealing Hole Cards
Dealer: SooperGloo raises $0.25 to $0.50
Dealer: Barney847 folds
Dealer: bluesartist calls $0.50
Dealer: WHO'S J.C. folds
Dealer: Gotcha83 folds
Dealer: Luk-75 folds
Dealer: Solyscope folds
Dealer: FrankNagaiJr calls $0.50
Dealer: ericfrance calls $0.40
Dealer: Mojasmom calls $0.25
Dealer: Dealing Flop: [7s 8s 6c]
FNJ - There are now 5 big bets in the pot. Do I have pot odds?
Presuming 6 outs and one small bet, and that I'm not drawing against a straight
Good Number =6 * 10 = 60
Bad Number = 47-6= 43
I MAY have outs.

Dealer: ericfrance checks
Dealer: Mojasmom checks
Dealer: SooperGloo bets $0.25
Dealer: bluesartist raises $0.25 to $0.50

FNJ - Adjust my outs to 3 on the possibility that there may be a straight or trips, adjust the bad number since I now have to call two bets.

Good number = 3 * 13= 39
Bad Number = 2* 43 = 86
This is is a clear fold

Dealer: FrankNagaiJr folds

PS: Pokertards balance watch: $80.41. I won a 9 player 5 buck sng, and did well at the .25/50 table also.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Oh that irksome river

I'm playing cheap-o limit last night, being good about waiting for decent starters.

I get 7-7 late position, nobody in the pot; I raise.

Only caller is the BB.

Flop: 456 rainbow
I bet, he calls
Turn 8!!!
I bet, he calls
River 7 :-(

He turns over J4o. I guess I can be happy he didn't have 94o.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

More on-line

I drove to Manassas tonight for the cash game. They were gone. I had dinner and came back for on-line.

1st $1 tourney - 25th out of 45. I only played maybe 7 hands total, and one won tiny pot. I was at 5M when my pocket TT clashed with pocket JJ. I lost.

.10/.20 limit - buy in at 5$. Leave 40 minutes later with $6.10, which recovers my tourney entry fee. It was a tedious session with crappy starters. I only saw maybe 14% of the flops.

Closing balance $52.61.

45 Player Tourney - Some hands

Here's the tourney where I did well, but did not necessarily play well. Let's take a look at the specifics:

Hand 5 - I catch AKo on the button. I call 3BB
I don't catch the flop, and there's a lot of action. I go away quietly.

Hand 7 - I limp QTs to open in mid-position and call a 3BB raise from the SB.
I miss the flop and walk away.
Perhaps I should have raised or folded?

Hand 8 - I fold ATo late position to a 3BB raise.
Good job. The folds are often more important than the calls.

Hand 9 - Let's get some chips!

********** # 9 **************
PokerStars Game #3734031534: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/01/23
- 19:18:08 (ET)
Table '18543310 3' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Pokerlovinan (2920 in chips)
Seat 2: ronzo11 (940 in chips)
Seat 4: MusicMomma (1350 in chips)
Seat 5: fluffyllamas (3680 in chips)
Seat 6: FrankNagaiJr (1150 in chips)
Seat 7: Dupont#24#1 (2100 in chips)
Seat 8: Lulu999 (720 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (1600 in chips)
ronzo11: posts small blind 10
MusicMomma: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Th Tc]
fluffyllamas: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 60 to 80
Dupont#24#1: folds
Lulu999: calls 80
letsgo_yanks: folds
Pokerlovinan: folds
ronzo11: folds
MusicMomma: folds
*** FLOP *** [2c Kc 4h]

FNJ - There is currently 190 in the pot. I ask a question to see where I stand. If Lulu came over the top at this point, I would have gone away.

FrankNagaiJr: bets 120
Lulu999: calls 120

*** TURN *** [2c Kc 4h] [Td]
FNJ - Lulu may still be on a flush draw, so I can't give a free card. If I give Lulu 3 to 1 odds on his flush, I may collect a few more chips. This result was even better of course.

FrankNagaiJr: bets 240
Lulu999: raises 240 to 480
FrankNagaiJr: raises 240 to 720
Lulu999: calls 40 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [2c Kc 4h Td] [6h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Th Tc] (three of a kind, Tens)
Lulu999: shows [Qs Kh] (a pair of Kings)
FrankNagaiJr collected 1470 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***

Hand 10 - Speculative suited connectors pays, for a change. I limp in 98s utg (this was not an agressive table at all yet), catch my flush draw on the flop and make the semi-bluff. I hit on the turn and my opponent folds.

Hand 14 - This is the sort of hand where you hope there's a donk who thinks top pair, weak kicker is good enough. Heaven help me if the player had trips.

*********** # 14 **************
PokerStars Game #3734082022: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) -
2006/01/23 - 19:22:34 (ET)
Table '18543310 3' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Pokerlovinan (2830 in chips)
Seat 2: ronzo11 (900 in chips)
Seat 4: MusicMomma (1885 in chips)
Seat 5: fluffyllamas (3890 in chips)
Seat 6: FrankNagaiJr (2065 in chips)
Seat 7: Dupont#24#1 (1980 in chips)
Seat 8: dmbryanusmc (920 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (1450 in chips)
dmbryanusmc: posts small blind 15
letsgo_yanks: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Qh Kd]
Pokerlovinan: calls 30
ronzo11: folds
MusicMomma: folds
fluffyllamas: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 30
Dupont#24#1: calls 30
dmbryanusmc: folds
letsgo_yanks: checks
*** FLOP *** [8s Qc Kh]
FNJ - an ideal flop. Nobody has a flush draw, although there may be an outside straight draw present. I can't believe anybody was limping KK or QQ, but 88 is a possibility, so I'm prepared to let this go if I have to.

letsgo_yanks: checks
Pokerlovinan: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 90
Dupont#24#1: raises 90 to 180
letsgo_yanks: folds
Dupont#24#1 said, "11th"
Pokerlovinan: calls 180
FrankNagaiJr: raises 480 to 660

FNJ - Yes, a little over the top, but with two players I felt one of them would come along for the ride, and maybe the straight draw would go away. If one of them came back over the top, it would be tough to let this go, but I might have.
Dupont#24#1: calls 480
Pokerlovinan: folds
*** TURN *** [8s Qc Kh] [7d]
FNJ - I think I chose this bet size based on the agression I had seen from this player before. Another player might possibly interpret a huge bet as weakness, not strength. I was thrilled to see somebody else go all-in with top pair for a change.

FrankNagaiJr: bets 750
Dupont#24#1: raises 540 to 1290 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 540
*** RIVER *** [8s Qc Kh 7d] [5c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Qh Kd] (two pair, Kings and Queens)
Dupont#24#1: shows [Tc Ks] (a pair of Kings)
FrankNagaiJr collected 4215 from pot

Hand 15 - I limp 99, catch my set on the flop with five other players in the pot, and nobody calls my 2/3 pot bet with two hearts and a queen on board. No suck outs at least.

Hand 19 - Limp KQs utg, nobody raises. I miss the flop, and get out.

Hand 22 - KQo late position, and I fold to a 2BB raise. I'm proud of that laydown, as it shows there's hope for me yet. The subsequent action lead to an all-in showdown pre-flop with 88 v AQs.

Hand 26 - 66 and I let it go from the pre-flop action.

Hand 27 - I caught a perfect BB hand flop and gave out a free card on the flop expecting a steal, didn't like the turn but bet it anyhow and gave it up on the river to the reraise as I didn't like the flush or the 89 for a straight. I suppose I could have 'kept him honest' for a little bit more, but I had seen enough.

*********** # 27 **************
PokerStars Game #3734236481: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) -
2006/01/23 - 19:36:06 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: BrothaBurger (1420 in chips)
Seat 2: machine29 (2170 in chips)
Seat 5: BluEyedKen1 (1015 in chips)
Seat 6: copain1 (1795 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (4450 in chips)
Seat 8: Bertskvc (2555 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (2295 in chips)
copain1: posts small blind 25
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [4s 6c]
Bertskvc: folds
letsgo_yanks: calls 50
BrothaBurger: folds
machine29: calls 50
BluEyedKen1: calls 50
copain1: calls 25
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [6d Tc 6h]
copain1: checks
FrankNagaiJr: checks
letsgo_yanks: checks
machine29: checks
BluEyedKen1: checks
*** TURN *** [6d Tc 6h] [7h]
copain1: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 100
letsgo_yanks: folds
machine29: calls 100
BluEyedKen1: calls 100
copain1: folds
*** RIVER *** [6d Tc 6h 7h] [Ah]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 150
machine29: raises 250 to 400
BluEyedKen1: folds
FrankNagaiJr: folds
machine29 collected 850 from pot

Hand 28 - In retrospect, this river bet was bigger than it needed to be, since the chasers had missed their flushes. I should have milked the straight with a smaller bet.

*********** # 28 **************
PokerStars Game #3734248886: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) -
2006/01/23 - 19:37:11 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: BrothaBurger (1420 in chips)
Seat 2: machine29 (2720 in chips)
Seat 5: BluEyedKen1 (865 in chips)
Seat 6: copain1 (1745 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (4150 in chips)
Seat 8: Bertskvc (2555 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (2245 in chips)
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 25
Bertskvc: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ts Jc]
letsgo_yanks: folds
BrothaBurger: folds
machine29: folds
BluEyedKen1: calls 50
copain1: calls 50
FrankNagaiJr: calls 25
Bertskvc: checks
*** FLOP *** [Qs 3d 9h]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 100
Mad_Mike43 is connected
Bertskvc: folds
BluEyedKen1: calls 100
copain1: calls 100
*** TURN *** [Qs 3d 9h] [Kd]
santucci[1] is connected
FrankNagaiJr: bets 150
BluEyedKen1: calls 150
copain1: calls 150
*** RIVER *** [Qs 3d 9h Kd] [8h]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 550
BluEyedKen1: folds
copain1: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 950 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

Hand 30 - Limp 66, miss the flop, get out. That cost me just over 2% of my stack.

Hand 32 - I thoroughly misplay 99. I'm a big enough stack that it doesn't cripple me.


*********** # 32 **************
PokerStars Game #3734292787: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) -
2006/01/23 - 19:41:02 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: BrothaBurger (1695 in chips)
Seat 2: machine29 (1620 in chips)
Seat 3: Mad_Mike43 (3081 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (5856 in chips)
Seat 5: BluEyedKen1 (565 in chips)
Seat 6: copain1 (1545 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (4700 in chips)
Seat 8: Bertskvc (3555 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (2145 in chips)
machine29: posts small blind 50
Mad_Mike43: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [9s 9d]
santucci[1]: calls 100
BluEyedKen1: folds
copain1: calls 100
FrankNagaiJr: calls 100
Bertskvc: calls 100
letsgo_yanks: folds
BrothaBurger: folds
machine29: calls 50
Mad_Mike43: checks
*** FLOP *** [Qc 8d 6d]
machine29: checks
Mad_Mike43: checks
santucci[1]: checks
copain1: bets 100
FrankNagaiJr: raises 200 to 300
Bertskvc: folds
machine29: folds
Mad_Mike43: calls 300
santucci[1]: folds
copain1: calls 200
*** TURN *** [Qc 8d 6d] [8c]
Mad_Mike43: checks
copain1: checks
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** RIVER *** [Qc 8d 6d 8c] [4h]
Mad_Mike43: bets 100
copain1: calls 100
FrankNagaiJr: calls 100
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Mad_Mike43: shows [5h 7s] (a straight, Four to Eight)
copain1: mucks hand
FrankNagaiJr: mucks hand
Mad_Mike43 collected 1800 from pot

Hand 35 - I fold TJs utg. On a bad card night I would have raise with these.

Hand 36 - A BB bluff on a crappy looking flop pays off.

*********** # 36 **************
PokerStars Game #3734339731: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) -
2006/01/23 - 19:45:04 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: machine29 (1520 in chips)
Seat 3: Mad_Mike43 (4081 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (6556 in chips)
Seat 5: BluEyedKen1 (415 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 6: copain1 (845 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (4200 in chips)
Seat 8: Bertskvc (5100 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (2045 in chips)
copain1: posts small blind 50
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [9c 2s]
Bertskvc: calls 100
letsgo_yanks: folds
machine29: folds
Mad_Mike43: folds
santucci[1]: calls 100
BluEyedKen1: folds
copain1: calls 50
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [4d 8s 3c]
copain1: checks
FrankNagaiJr: checks
Bertskvc: checks
santucci[1]: checks
*** TURN *** [4d 8s 3c] [5s]
copain1: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 200
Bertskvc: folds
santucci[1]: calls 200
copain1: folds
*** RIVER *** [4d 8s 3c 5s] [9d]
BluEyedKen1 is connected
FrankNagaiJr: bets 100
BluEyedKen1 has returned
santucci[1]: folds

FNJ - Must have been a busted draw?
FrankNagaiJr collected 800 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***

Hand 41 - a UTG isolation raise that didn't turn out as expected.
*********** # 41 **************
PokerStars Game #3734389707: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) -
2006/01/23 - 19:49:18 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 2: machine29 (1320 in chips)
Seat 3: Mad_Mike43 (3881 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (6456 in chips)
Seat 5: BluEyedKen1 (315 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (4650 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (3140 in chips)
santucci[1]: posts small blind 75
BluEyedKen1: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [9d Ah]
FrankNagaiJr: raises 300 to 450
letsgo_yanks: folds
machine29: folds
Mad_Mike43: folds
santucci[1]: folds
BluEyedKen1: calls 165 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [5s 6d 6s]
FrankNagaiJr said, "ow nice hand"
*** TURN *** [5s 6d 6s] [Js]
*** RIVER *** [5s 6d 6s Js] [5d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BluEyedKen1: shows [9h 9c] (two pair, Nines and Sixes)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [9d Ah] (two pair, Sixes and Fives)
BluEyedKen1 collected 705 from pot

Hand 42 - This player was tight and solid. If he had been slow-playing AA, I wonder if he would have called or gotten away?
*********** # 42 **************
PokerStars Game #3734398499: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) -
2006/01/23 - 19:50:03 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 2: machine29 (1320 in chips)
Seat 3: Mad_Mike43 (3881 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (6381 in chips)
Seat 5: BluEyedKen1 (705 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (4335 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (3140 in chips)
BluEyedKen1: posts small blind 75
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Qh 9d]
letsgo_yanks: calls 150
machine29: folds
Mad_Mike43: folds
santucci[1]: folds
BluEyedKen1: folds
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [5h 5s 9s]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 300
letsgo_yanks: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 375 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

Hand 43 - I fold Q4 suited from the SB when nobody else limps in. Good fold!

Hand 44 - I fold KQos on the button after 1 late limper. I felt I could wait for better moments. As it was, the flop and turn did miss me.

Hand 45 - I call a limper w/AKos, so three of us see the flop. BB bets 2/3 of the pot on a two-suited T93 board, and I fold. If he had QJ, catching a K was disastrous for me. If he had a pair, I wasn't getting pot odds to stick around. I suppose I could have been more agressive pre-flop, but I didn't want to push the table too much too soon.

Hand 48 - I played this next hand pretty agressively, but I had seen enough of this player to figure them for a drawing hand, or maybe even ace high only. As it was, he was drawing to an inside straight and an overcard, so I wasn't far off the mark.


*********** # 48 **************
PokerStars Game #3734442622: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) -
2006/01/23 - 19:53:47 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 2: machine29 (1170 in chips)
Seat 3: Mad_Mike43 (3731 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (5601 in chips)
Seat 5: BluEyedKen1 (1410 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (4335 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (3515 in chips)
BluEyedKen1: posts small blind 75
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Td 7s]
letsgo_yanks: folds
machine29: folds
Mad_Mike43: folds
santucci[1]: calls 150
BluEyedKen1: calls 75
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [3c 7c 6h]
BluEyedKen1: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 300
santucci[1]: calls 300
BluEyedKen1: folds
*** TURN *** [3c 7c 6h] [9h]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 300
santucci[1]: calls 300
*** RIVER *** [3c 7c 6h 9h] [Js]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 300
santucci[1]: calls 300
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Td 7s] (a pair of Sevens)
santucci[1]: shows [Jc Tc] (a pair of Jacks)
santucci[1] collected 2250 from pot

Hand 49 - I catch AA after a large raise, and I don't put them in, but instead triple their raise. Turns out I'm against QQ that doesn't catch trips, and I knock them out of the tourney and build my stack to 8070, more than double the next biggest stack at this table.

Hand 51 - I buy a pot for 3BB from mid-position w/55.

Hand 52 - I catch 55 again, and throw it away. Again, I don't want to push the table too hard too soon, and I know I won't get pot odds to limp in for my set. As it is, the button raises 2BB and buys the pot.

Hand 53 - I catch 66 early position, and throw 'em away. Same reason.

Hand 56 - I catch A9o in the SB, raise 1BB to open, BB Folds.

Hand 57 - A8o on the button, 3BB to open, SB and BB fold.

Hand 63 - I push second pair from the BB into a tight player, who folds.

*********** # 63 **************
PokerStars Game #3734556154: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) -
2006/01/23 - 20:03:19 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: jeansebas (3055 in chips)
Seat 2: carmstar (2970 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: santucci[1] (4955 in chips)
Seat 5: BluEyedKen1 (2302 in chips)
Seat 6: fluffyllamas (4384 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (8295 in chips)
Seat 8: TM818 (4104 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (4435 in chips)
fluffyllamas: posts small blind 100
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [5s Td]
TM818: folds
letsgo_yanks: calls 200
jeansebas: folds
carmstar: folds
santucci[1]: folds
BluEyedKen1: folds
fluffyllamas: folds
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [3d 7d 5h]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 200
letsgo_yanks: calls 200
*** TURN *** [3d 7d 5h] [4s]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 400
letsgo_yanks: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 900 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

Hand 64 - I limp 33 from SB two-handed, and the flop comes A75 rainbow. I fold to a pot-sized bet.

Hand 69 - I fold QTos from utg. Good fold!

Hand 70 - A6 suited in the BBB. one limper, one 3BB raise, and I'm gone. No need to risk my stack here as I'm still 2 to 1 chip leader at the table. I was getting pot odds to call, but not with the limper left to declare.

Hand 71 - From SB I open raise 1BB w/J5o, which the BB folds to.

Hand 73 - I catch KK and raise 3BB. The button has clearly had enough of me and raises to all-in with 1/4 of my stack size. That's a no brainer call. The AJos catches two pair on the flop, and I fail to catch trips. I am now #2 in chips at the table, with two players nipping at my heels.

Hand 75 - I fold TJo utg. Nice fold!

Hand 78 - I steal from the SB again, this time w/K5o.

Hand 79 - I button steal w/A7o against a tight SB and BB. I figure if they ever come over the top, I'll lay it down, but in the meantime, let's get some chips.

Hand 86 - I had seen this player limping too much, and showing down way too many dubious cards, so I wasn't surprised at this outcome:

*********** # 86 **************
PokerStars Game #3734762668: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) -
2006/01/23 - 20:20:19 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: jeansebas (4235 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (7519 in chips)
Seat 6: fluffyllamas (7623 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (6240 in chips)
Seat 8: TM818 (3554 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (2359 in chips)
letsgo_yanks: posts small blind 100
jeansebas: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ah Jh]
santucci[1]: calls 200
fluffyllamas: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 400 to 600
TM818: folds
letsgo_yanks: folds
jeansebas: folds
santucci[1]: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 850 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

Hand 89 - With A8os, I raise a limper 3BB who's been generally tight. I miss the flop, he bets and I go away. I'll post it only because I think it influenced hand 90 somehow. Check them both out.

*********** # 89 **************
PokerStars Game #3734782158: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) -
2006/01/23 - 20:21:55 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: jeansebas (2960 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (8294 in chips)
Seat 6: fluffyllamas (8198 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (6815 in chips)
Seat 8: TM818 (3479 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (1784 in chips)

fluffyllamas: posts small blind 100
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ac 8d]
TM818: folds
letsgo_yanks: folds
jeansebas: folds
santucci[1]: folds
fluffyllamas: calls 100
FrankNagaiJr: raises 400 to 600
fluffyllamas: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [Ts Js 3c]
fluffyllamas: bets 600
FrankNagaiJr: folds
fluffyllamas collected 1350 from pot
fluffyllamas: doesn't show hand


*********** # 90 **************
PokerStars Game #3734791933: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) -
2006/01/23 - 20:22:43 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: jeansebas (2935 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (8269 in chips)
Seat 6: fluffyllamas (8923 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (6190 in chips)
Seat 8: TM818 (3454 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (1759 in chips)

FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 200
TM818: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [9c Tc]
letsgo_yanks: folds
jeansebas: folds
santucci[1]: folds
fluffyllamas: calls 400
FrankNagaiJr: calls 200
TM818: checks
*** FLOP *** [9d 7d 6s]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 800
TM818: folds
fluffyllamas: raises 800 to 1600
FrankNagaiJr: raises 4165 to 5765 and is all-in
fluffyllamas: calls 4165
*** TURN *** [9d 7d 6s] [Kc]
*** RIVER *** [9d 7d 6s Kc] [4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [9c Tc] (a pair of Nines)
fluffyllamas: shows [8d 8s] (a pair of Eights)
FrankNagaiJr collected 12880 from pot

Hand 91- I'm chip leader at the table again. I throw away A5os to celebrate. Nice fold.

Hand 93 - AA again. I raise 4BB to open, no takers.

Hand 94 - I call a much smaller stacks' all-in w/KQo. His ace catches. I'm still big stack.

Hand 95- I call a much smaller stacks all-in w/A9o. His suited KJ goes flush to my two pair. I'm still big stack.

Hand 96 - I fold AJos in the BB to a stack 2/3 my size. I figure this isn't the moment for a showdown, I can wait.

Hand 97 - Q7s, I make a 2BB steal (blinds are now 200/400 w/25 antes) with no resistance.

Hand 101 - I'm in the BB w/A9s with an agressive player limping in the short. I miss the flop and call his 1/2 pot bet, and fold to his turn bet when I feel like I'm only drawing to an ace. This player was so agressive he may have been betting into me with worse than Ace high, but I decided to wait for a better moment.

Hand 103 - I catch QQ, the same player in 101 limps, and calls my 4BB raise. The flop comes AJ2, and I bet the half-pot, as I feel this one may have small pockets, or may just be waiting for weakness. He folds.

Hand 107 - I'm catching cards like crazy. The guy I knock out here is the same one in hands 101 & 103. In the showdown, he confirmed to me what I had thought - his bets were pure agression, not backed by cards at all. I felt that if I waited for cards, I could put him out eventually.


*********** # 107 **************
PokerStars Game #3734918350: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) -
2006/01/23 - 20:33:11 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: jeansebas (1695 in chips)
Seat 4: santucci[1] (5451 in chips)
Seat 6: fluffyllamas (4031 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (13500 in chips)
Seat 8: TM818 (392 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (6461 in chips)
fluffyllamas: posts small blind 300
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ks Kd]
TM818: folds
letsgo_yanks: folds
jeansebas: folds
santucci[1]: raises 1200 to 1800
fluffyllamas: raises 2181 to 3981 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: raises 9469 to 13450 and is all-in
santucci[1]: folds
*** FLOP *** [7h 9s Jd]
*** TURN *** [7h 9s Jd] [Ac]
*** RIVER *** [7h 9s Jd Ac] [Jc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
fluffyllamas: shows [Ts Qs] (a pair of Jacks)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Ks Kd] (two pair, Kings and Jacks)

Hand 108 - I catch 88 and fold them rather than get involved in an all-in scuffle with a player who's been super-tight.

Hand 111 - This player is tight. Check this hand out.
*********** # 111 **************
PokerStars Game #3734945521: Tournament #18543310, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) -
2006/01/23 - 20:35:24 (ET)
Table '18543310 5' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: jeansebas (2037 in chips)
Seat 2: Bertskvc (5713 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: santucci[1] (5051 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (18781 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (5661 in chips)
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 300
letsgo_yanks: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Th 8d]
jeansebas: folds
Bertskvc: calls 600
santucci[1]: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 300
letsgo_yanks: checks
*** FLOP *** [9h 8c Tc]
phoraces is connected
FrankNagaiJr: bets 1200
letsgo_yanks: folds
Bertskvc: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 2050 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand


Hand 113 - Buy a pot w/ATo

Hand 114 - I raise w/AKs, a short stack goes in w/AQ and fails to suck out on me. Yay. With this player eliminated, the remaining players are in the money.

At this point, check out the chip ratio:

Seat 2: Bertskvc (4513 in chips)
Seat 3: pacaro (14181 in chips)
Seat 5: phoraces (11791 in chips)
Seat 6: ESADAOY (4866 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (24758 in chips)
Seat 8: Moti G (2930 in chips)
Seat 9: letsgo_yanks (4461 in chips)

When we get down to two-handed, I have a 4 to 1 chip lead, but that's only two double ups for my opponent to win. He doubles up on two pair, plays agressively, and knocks me out with two pair. The final hand was #175.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

on-line war, part 2

starting balance: $52.46

I briefly consider playing a huge $3.30 tourney, and then decide against. Back to the 45 player $1.20 tourneys.

First Game - 8th out of 45 (bubble boy)

Cash Game .10/.20 Limit - Start with 5$ play
40 minutes of play and I'm down a dime.
Up $1.55 at 45 minutes of play - then play a dime turbo tourney

I finish in 2671st out of 2895 place when AA beats my top pair on the fourth hand. I could have folded but, it was only a dime.

I'm a donk at these cheapo thousand player plus tourneys. Oh well.

Closing balance $52.71 and I'm off to bed early.

Monday, January 23, 2006

One dollah 45 man tourneys

Game 1 - 30th out of 45. My KK loses to the BB's A7s, which flops the nut flush. Not realizing that I'm drawing dead to the second best flush, I end up all-in. D'oh!

Game 2- 2nd out of 45! I may go back and blog this tourney because I learned a lot, through making some good folds, and through making some stupid plays that I really shouldn't try. Fortunately, the cards came through for me. Watch this space for details.

Moneywatch: $52.46 - Goal is $120.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

On-line saga

A few months ago, I put in $120 into the on-line site I currently play at. As of January 1st, I had built it up to $500 through winning small tourneys and in low-limit circle games. Since then I got a little cocky, played higher limits ring games and bigger tourneys, and for the first time since joining, I'm below my original buy-in, and desperately trying to get back to break-even. It's more about pride than money at this point.

Last night I played a 45 player tourney and bubbled, so I'm now at about $80. You can expect to see me at the $5 tourneys and .50/$1 limit games until I get it back to the black.

Smoke Free

The local game at the bingo parlor went smoke free Jan 1, which made for much more pleasant playing. I lasted down to 10 players and busted out w/KK v AQs. I was the 67.68% fave to win, so I felt pretty good about having all my chips in the pot until the flop gave AQ the nut flush, then I was less than 3% to win. I failed to suck out at that point.

I was involved in very few hands that game, and doing okay. Let's see:

* First hand AQos - I make a bump raise, and buy the pot on a nothing flop
* Third stage: AJos - I Limp with two others, the flop is J94 rainbow. I somehow manage to get all my chips in the middle by the river, at which point the board is J9447 or something, and my opponent can't beat two pair.
* Fourth Stage - I raise a clownfish with 77, and a smaller player goes in for 2 more chips. I make the obligatory call, and suck out on QQ by hitting my seven. (This player was on a bad streak, having been sucked out on as the favorite tw
ice in the last five hands.)
* Fourth stage - I'm at 7M and make a UTG all-in w/ATos and get no callers
* Fourth stage - exactly one hand later I get the KK, and go all-in to imitate maniac clownfish behavior. I get my desired caller, but not the desired result.

Friday, January 20, 2006

'nother straight flush today

At the cheapo limit tables I limp Qh Th, and flop a straight, with four cards to a straight flush. I hit my SF card on the river. I have no reason to lie about this.

Other than that I've either been playing crappy poker, been on a dry spell, or both. I played the 180 player tourney last night and survived to number 45, and my percentages showed that i had seen only 12% of the flops, which either means I'm too picky, or the cards were too crappy. I ended up going out on a blind steal where I only had 5BB in chips and it had folded to me on the button with A2os, and on my all-in steal attempt I find AKs in the SB. Seems like that's been poker in a nutshell for the last week or so.

I'm going to a live game tonight with human beings. Wish me luck.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Yet another straight flush, Flopped for a change

Honest, I have no reason to lie about this. Maybe I get so many because I'm so likely to play suited connectors, and stick around to the river when I have a nice draw?

Cheap ring game on PS last night, there's a maniac to my right, and I call a raise

5h 6h

Flop comes

7h 8h 9h

Maniac bets once, I call, and the maniac FOLDS the turn rather than checking it down.

I had a losing session, but at least I got another SF.

Monday, January 09, 2006

Monte Carlo Satellite Summary

Still thinkin' about yesterday's big tourney. That's a nice blind structure for on-line, and it gives a better feel for what 3 hour blinds at a live tourney must be like.

Here's a grab bag of hands.

FNJ - Hand 23 Example of how tight the table was. I also got freebies with 36os, so I won't bitch too much about this.

PokerStars Game #3572378140: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/01/08
- 14:20:03 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Erniee96 (3780 in chips)
Seat 2: $-ER!C-$ (1420 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 3: LiqGen (680 in chips)
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (1960 in chips)
Seat 5: n_e_to_do (1460 in chips)
Seat 6: monstro (2740 in chips)
Seat 7: ShonkyTonk (2190 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (1560 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (1710 in chips)
tioalberto: posts small blind 10
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [As Ad]
Erniee96: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
LiqGen: folds
Bob Shaftoe: folds
n_e_to_do: folds
monstro: folds
ShonkyTonk: folds
tioalberto: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 20 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (big blind) collected (20)

FNJ - Hand 70, This player and I had been equally tight, and at the same table the whole time. It took me 40 seconds to make the decision to fold this one.

*********** # 70 **************
PokerStars Game #3572745586: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) -
2006/01/08 - 14:58:06 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Erniee96 (4685 in chips)
Seat 2: $-ER!C-$ (2450 in chips)
Seat 3: Dimetrias (1200 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (2755 in chips)
Seat 5: n_e_to_do (920 in chips)
Seat 6: monstro (3215 in chips)
Seat 7: Boomer89 (3812 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (1975 in chips)
$-ER!C-$: posts small blind 15
Dimetrias: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ks Ah]
Bob Shaftoe: folds
n_e_to_do: folds
monstro: folds
Boomer89: folds
tioalberto: raises 30 to 60
FrankNagaiJr: raises 90 to 150
Erniee96: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
Dimetrias: folds
tioalberto: calls 90

FNJ - OK, a bump raise and just a call, he could have virtually anything. As tight as he's been playing it's tough to tell.

*** FLOP *** [Th Ad Jd]
tioalberto: bets 120
FrankNagaiJr: calls 120

FNJ - A probe bet, less than half the pot, giving him the opportunity to reraise or fold. He chooses neither.

*** TURN *** [Th Ad Jd] [6s]
tioalberto: bets 1230 and is all-in

FNJ - If it had been one of the agressive players, I would have called, but this player had given up lots of missed flops, and been generally inactive. The hands that beat my lone pair right now include

AT
KQ
66
A6s

and a few less likely holdings, but I didn't like having only a Queen redraw if I was behind. I fold and leave it behind.

FrankNagaiJr: folds
tioalberto collected 585 from pot
tioalberto: doesn't show hand

FNJ - Hand 76 I get the BB with 32os, and no callers :-)

FNJ - Hand 77 in which I catch a blind thief who had been way too active. Pity he didn't have a weak ace:


*********** # 77 **************
PokerStars Game #3572840522: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) -
2006/01/08 - 15:07:51 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: Erniee96 (4685 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: $-ER!C-$ (2750 in chips)
Seat 3: Dimetrias (1155 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (2680 in chips)
Seat 5: n_e_to_do (950 in chips)
Seat 6: monstro (3235 in chips)
Seat 7: Boomer89 (3737 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (1590 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (1730 in chips)
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 25
Erniee96: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [9s As]
$-ER!C-$: folds
Dimetrias: folds
Bob Shaftoe: folds
n_e_to_do: folds
monstro: folds
Boomer89: raises 100 to 150
tioalberto: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 125
Erniee96: folds
*** FLOP *** [9c Ah 8c]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 150
Boomer89: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 350 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***


FNJ - Hand 89 - This one shows two things:
1) It was a tight table
2) I had been playing so infrequently that my raises were respected.

I threw in this steal just in case I get a real hand later.
*********** # 89 **************
PokerStars Game #3572934089: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) -
2006/01/08 - 15:17:25 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Erniee96 (6560 in chips)
Seat 2: $-ER!C-$ (3850 in chips)
Seat 3: Dimetrias (1030 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (830 in chips)
Seat 6: monstro (3160 in chips)
Seat 7: Boomer89 (3712 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (1515 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (1855 in chips)
Dimetrias: posts small blind 25
Bob Shaftoe: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [2s Ks]
monstro: folds
Boomer89: folds
tioalberto: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 150 to 200
Erniee96: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
Dimetrias: folds
Bob Shaftoe: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 125 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

FNJ - Hand 90 - TioAlberto (the one I made the big fold to) shows that he's even tighter and more feared, stealing the blinds with a 1BB raise from 2nd to act.

FNJ - Hand 92 - I throw away 33 utg, rather than limp and fold to a raise, or risk looking like I'm stealing too often.

FNJ - Hand 102 - I have played 101 hands tightly, and only slightly grown my stack. My perfect moment comes along, in which the table bully tries to over-the-top me. Given his table play, I would have gone all-in with as low as JJ. Any lower, and I probably would not reraise unless I was sure this was a steal.


Note that this table bully actually makes it to the final table, which surprised me, since he couldn't possibly have the cards he represented with his bluffs all the time.

*********** # 102 **************
PokerStars Game #3573004001: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) -
2006/01/08 - 15:24:30 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Erniee96 (6710 in chips)
Seat 2: $-ER!C-$ (4325 in chips)
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (1785 in chips)
Seat 5: nascar108 (3218 in chips)
Seat 6: monstro (3010 in chips)
Seat 7: Boomer89 (3137 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (1010 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (1780 in chips)
tioalberto: posts small blind 25
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [As Ah]
Erniee96: folds
$-ER!C-$: raises 300 to 350
Bob Shaftoe: folds
nascar108: folds
monstro: folds
Boomer89: folds
tioalberto: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 400 to 750
$-ER!C-$: raises 3575 to 4325 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 1030 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [Qs 3d Js]
*** TURN *** [Qs 3d Js] [Jc]
*** RIVER *** [Qs 3d Js Jc] [Td]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [As Ah] (two pair, Aces and Jacks)
$-ER!C-$: shows [8c 8d] (two pair, Jacks and Eights)
FrankNagaiJr said, "nh"
FrankNagaiJr collected 3585 from pot
$-ER!C-$ said, "u2"

FNJ - Hand 123 - I've continued as tight as I was before the double up, but this player, very active, felt that his blinds were not to be trifled with. He asks me a question on the flop, and I answer him in the affirmative. I could have called his reraise and fished for more chips, but I saw two possible draws on the board and preferred to end the hand immediately. As it was, I increased my stack by 33% without seeing the river.

*********** # 123 **************
PokerStars Game #3573158948: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) -
2006/01/08 - 15:40:02 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Erniee96 (5410 in chips)
Seat 2: $-ER!C-$ (4740 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 3: Holly Drive (3504 in chips)
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (2615 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 5: nascar108 (3643 in chips)
Seat 7: Boomer89 (2887 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (2220 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (3035 in chips)
nascar108: posts small blind 50
Boomer89: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Kd Ks]
tioalberto: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 200 to 300
Erniee96: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
Holly Drive: folds
Bob Shaftoe: folds
nascar108: folds
nike1833 is connected
Boomer89: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [Qc Td 4d]
Boomer89: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 400
Boomer89: raises 600 to 1000
Bob Shaftoe has returned
FrankNagaiJr: raises 1735 to 2735 and is all-in
Boomer89: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 2650 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

FNJ - Hand 152 - I've continued playing tightly. I blog this hand in another blog entry, but here it is.

*********** # 152 **************
PokerStars Game #3573393247: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) -
2006/01/08 - 16:03:15 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Erniee96 (2444 in chips)
Seat 2: $-ER!C-$ (4290 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 3: fastmotoguy (6132 in chips)
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (3243 in chips)
Seat 5: nascar108 (2228 in chips)
Seat 6: nike1833 (11172 in chips)
Seat 7: Boomer89 (3124 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (3590 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (3685 in chips)
tioalberto: posts small blind 50
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ts 7c]
Erniee96: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
fastmotoguy: calls 100
Bob Shaftoe: folds
nascar108: folds
nike1833: calls 100
Boomer89: calls 100
tioalberto: calls 50
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [Td 7s Qs]
tioalberto: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 500
fastmotoguy: folds
nike1833: raises 500 to 1000
Boomer89: folds
tioalberto: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 2585 to 3585 and is all-in
nike1833: calls 2585
*** TURN *** [Td 7s Qs] [Tc]
*** RIVER *** [Td 7s Qs Tc] [3s]
fastmotoguy said, "i foled Q J"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Ts 7c] (a full house, Tens full of Sevens)
nike1833: shows [Qh Js] (two pair, Queens and Tens)
FrankNagaiJr collected 7670 from pot
FrankNagaiJr said, "nice fold fast ;-)"
*** SUMMARY ***

FNJ
- Hand 157. I buy the blinds from third position with 88, so I've clearly still got a tight image.

FNJ - Hand 160 - This player made a mistake. If he felt he had the best hand on the turn, his reraise should have been bigger, don't you think? Pity he didn't take the bait on my nut flush.

*********** # 160 **************
PokerStars Game #3573507156: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) -
2006/01/08 - 16:14:36 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: cowboywaylon (1890 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 3: fastmotoguy (5882 in chips)
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (3618 in chips)
Seat 5: nascar108 (1203 in chips)
Seat 6: nike1833 (7187 in chips)
Seat 7: Boomer89 (4924 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (3465 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (7795 in chips)
tioalberto: posts small blind 75
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [7d Ad]
cowboywaylon: folds
fastmotoguy: folds
Bob Shaftoe: raises 300 to 450
nascar108: folds
nike1833: folds
Boomer89: folds
tioalberto: folds
cowboywaylon is connected
cowboywaylon has returned
FrankNagaiJr: calls 300
*** FLOP *** [3c 2d 6c]
FrankNagaiJr: checks
Bob Shaftoe: checks
*** TURN *** [3c 2d 6c] [Kd]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 300
Bob Shaftoe: raises 300 to 600
FrankNagaiJr: calls 300
*** RIVER *** [3c 2d 6c Kd] [Jd]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 600
Bob Shaftoe: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 2175 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

FNJ - Hand 169 - I think I should have reraised pre-flop to see where I was. It was tough to lay these down, but given a number of factors, I had to believe I was beaten.


*********** # 169 **************
PokerStars Game #3573571748: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) -
2006/01/08 - 16:20:57 (ET)
Table '17272491 10' Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: holdmhigh707 (6065 in chips)
Seat 3: fastmotoguy (5582 in chips)
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (2043 in chips)
Seat 5: nascar108 (1016 in chips)
Seat 6: nike1833 (7562 in chips)
Seat 7: Boomer89 (8314 in chips)
Seat 8: tioalberto (3802 in chips)
Seat 9: FrankNagaiJr (7945 in chips)
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 75
holdmhigh707: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Tc Th]
fastmotoguy: folds
Bob Shaftoe: folds
nascar108: folds
nike1833: raises 300 to 450
Boomer89: folds
tioalberto: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 375
holdmhigh707: folds
*** FLOP *** [Jh 8h 3d]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 450
nike1833: raises 750 to 1200
FrankNagaiJr: folds
nike1833 collected 1950 from pot
nike1833: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***

FNJ - Hand 207 - This player has been way too active. I was expecting him to fold to my reraise pre-flop, but this result was pretty good too.

*********** # 207 **************
PokerStars Game #3573862523: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) -
2006/01/08 - 16:48:15 (ET)
Table '17272491 8' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: LUCKY FLOP 5 (11790 in chips)
Seat 2: Dimetrias (13027 in chips)
Seat 3: $-ER!C-$ (9938 in chips)
Seat 4: Bob Shaftoe (4219 in chips)
Seat 5: scotstom (15848 in chips)
Seat 6: FrankNagaiJr (5554 in chips)
Seat 7: Podiman (3990 in chips)
Seat 8: Oldjohn (2524 in chips)
Seat 9: Micky147 (4894 in chips)
Dimetrias: posts small blind 100
$-ER!C-$: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Jd Qd]
Bob Shaftoe: raises 400 to 600
scotstom: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 600 to 1200
Podiman: folds
Oldjohn: folds
Micky147: folds
LUCKY FLOP 5: folds
Dimetrias: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
Bob Shaftoe: calls 600
*** FLOP *** [6d 5c 4d]
Bob Shaftoe: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 4354 and is all-in
Bob Shaftoe: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 2700 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***

FNJ - Hand 223 - A pot odds problem, followed by a little all-in moxie. We are down to 3 tables, I think.
*********** # 223 **************
PokerStars Game #3574010675: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) -
2006/01/08 - 17:02:03 (ET)
Table '17272491 8' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: LUCKY FLOP 5 (11190 in chips)
Seat 2: Dimetrias (14946 in chips)
Seat 3: $-ER!C-$ (18812 in chips)
Seat 4: mccowand (9176 in chips)
Seat 5: scotstom (15658 in chips)
Seat 6: FrankNagaiJr (5354 in chips)
Seat 7: GoBlue_U (8775 in chips)
Seat 8: whitehat (20454 in chips)
Seat 9: ykurtz (16541 in chips)
scotstom: posts small blind 100
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [8d 9d]
GoBlue_U: folds
whitehat: folds
ykurtz: raises 400 to 600
LUCKY FLOP 5: folds
Dimetrias: calls 600
$-ER!C-$: calls 600
mccowand: folds
scotstom: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [3c 7h 6s]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 4754 and is all-in
ykurtz: folds
Dimetrias: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 2500 from pot
$-ER!C-$ said, "nice bet"
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand
FrankNagaiJr said, "ty"


FNJ - Hand 229. This player had been very active to the point where his raises were losing any meaning at all. I was surprised to see that he had a 45% chance, but very nervous to put my tournament life into this coin flip after 6 hours of play.

*********** # 229 **************
PokerStars Game #3574069415: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) -
2006/01/08 - 17:07:34 (ET)
Table '17272491 8' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: LUCKY FLOP 5 (8490 in chips)
Seat 2: Dimetrias (15546 in chips)
Seat 3: $-ER!C-$ (29588 in chips)
Seat 5: scotstom (14958 in chips)
Seat 6: FrankNagaiJr (7454 in chips)
Seat 7: GoBlue_U (8075 in chips)
Seat 8: whitehat (21654 in chips)
Seat 9: ykurtz (15141 in chips)
Dimetrias: posts small blind 100
$-ER!C-$: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Js Jh]
scotstom: raises 400 to 600
FrankNagaiJr: raises 600 to 1200
GoBlue_U: folds
whitehat: folds
ykurtz: folds
LUCKY FLOP 5: folds
Dimetrias: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
scotstom: raises 4200 to 5400
FrankNagaiJr: raises 2054 to 7454 and is all-in
scotstom: calls 2054
*** FLOP *** [8s Kd 7c]
*** TURN *** [8s Kd 7c] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [8s Kd 7c 8h] [4s]
FrankNagaiJr said, "nh"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
scotstom: shows [Ad Qs] (a pair of Eights)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Js Jh] (two pair, Jacks and Eights)
FrankNagaiJr collected 15208 from pot
FrankNagaiJr said, "thump thum heart"

FNJ - Hand 245 - I'm one of 16 players, and this player had been tight, tight, tight. I hope I remember this hand, and learn from it in future big tourneys. It pretty much took me out of contention, since it brought me down to 5M.

*********** # 245 **************
PokerStars Game #3574285188: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) -
2006/01/08 - 17:28:08 (ET)
Table '17272491 8' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: LUCKY FLOP 5 (8590 in chips)
Seat 2: Dimetrias (29571 in chips)
Seat 3: $-ER!C-$ (23501 in chips)
Seat 5: scotstom (4429 in chips)
Seat 6: FrankNagaiJr (12833 in chips)
Seat 7: GoBlue_U (10800 in chips)
Seat 8: asuna_11 (9746 in chips)
Seat 9: ykurtz (29432 in chips)
LUCKY FLOP 5: posts the ante 25
Dimetrias: posts the ante 25
$-ER!C-$: posts the ante 25
scotstom: posts the ante 25
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 25
GoBlue_U: posts the ante 25
asuna_11: posts the ante 25
ykurtz: posts the ante 25
$-ER!C-$: posts small blind 100
scotstom: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Jc Ah]
FrankNagaiJr: calls 200
GoBlue_U: raises 200 to 400
asuna_11: folds
ykurtz: folds
LUCKY FLOP 5: folds
Dimetrias: folds
$-ER!C-$: calls 300
scotstom: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [Jh Kc Jd]
$-ER!C-$: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 600
GoBlue_U: calls 600
$-ER!C-$: folds
*** TURN *** [Jh Kc Jd] [Qs]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 1600
GoBlue_U: calls 1600
*** RIVER *** [Jh Kc Jd Qs] [7h]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 2200
GoBlue_U: raises 5975 to 8175 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 5975
*** SHOW DOWN ***
GoBlue_U: shows [Kd Kh] (a full house, Kings full of Jacks)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Jc Ah] (three of a kind, Jacks)
GoBlue_U collected 22350 from pot
asuna_11 said, "nh"
FrankNagaiJr said, "nh"
$-ER!C-$ said, "well played"


FNJ
- Hand 248 - At least I didn't have to wait too long to 'double up or die'

*********** # 248 **************
PokerStars Game #3574314979: Tournament #17272491, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) -
2006/01/08 - 17:30:59 (ET)
Table '17272491 8' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: LUCKY FLOP 5 (8515 in chips)
Seat 2: Dimetrias (29496 in chips)
Seat 3: $-ER!C-$ (23526 in chips)
Seat 5: scotstom (4054 in chips)
Seat 6: FrankNagaiJr (2183 in chips)
Seat 7: GoBlue_U (22100 in chips)
Seat 8: asuna_11 (9671 in chips)
Seat 9: ykurtz (29357 in chips)
LUCKY FLOP 5: posts the ante 25
Dimetrias: posts the ante 25
$-ER!C-$: posts the ante 25
scotstom: posts the ante 25
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 25
GoBlue_U: posts the ante 25
asuna_11: posts the ante 25
ykurtz: posts the ante 25
GoBlue_U: posts small blind 100
asuna_11: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Js Qs]
ykurtz: folds
LUCKY FLOP 5: folds
Dimetrias: folds
$-ER!C-$: folds
scotstom: raises 600 to 800
FrankNagaiJr: raises 1358 to 2158 and is all-in
GoBlue_U: folds
asuna_11: folds
scotstom: calls 1358
*** FLOP *** [3c 2d 9d]
*** TURN *** [3c 2d 9d] [7h]
*** RIVER *** [3c 2d 9d 7h] [5s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
scotstom: shows [Ad 5c] (a pair of Fives)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Js Qs] (high card Queen)
FrankNagaiJr said, "gg"
scotstom collected 4816 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***

bottom two pair vs (top pair & runner-runner straight draw)

This was one of my early double up hands. I'd like to see what the odds were now that the dust had settled.

4 limpers, I'm in BB w/T7os
(This has been a tight-ish table, far from the typical on-line game)

Flop QT7 - two suited
I make a potsized bet, and get reraised by one player

After much consideration, I figure he's either got top pair or a strong draw, and I must be ahead either way. I figured he would raise w/QQ or TT, and he was also in good position for an isolation raise on the early limpers w/77 (one of the two early limpers was playing very agressively).

I give him the all-in question, and he says yes, and flips QJos.

T7 is the 69.70% favorite
QJ is the 30.30 underdog

I make my boat, and he fails to make a bigger boat to settle the argument

Let's do the math of the other hands I had put him on.

T7 vs KJ
I am the 67.17% fave

T7 vs 89 with a flush draw
Actually I'm still the 52.52% favorite

T7 vs a high card AQ flush draw
Now I am the 48.18% underdog, but I was still getting appropriate pot odds for this move.

T7 vs nightmate 77
My two outer is 9.09% chance to hit

T7 vs an oddly limped QQ
Only runner runner 10s or 7s can save me 0.20%
Again, absolutely he couldn't have limped QQ in this context.

T7 vs limped TT
I need runner-runner queens for a tie, or runner runner 7s to win.
0.10% to win
0.30 to tie

But again, the only nightmare hand I could reasonably put him on was 77, and this player had been agressive enough that I felt he would have raised on any pocket pair.

Sunday, January 08, 2006

(a pair, flush draw, inside straigh draw) vs AA

UTG limps in, I'm in the BB w/ Td 7d

Flop
7h 8d Jd

I now have a pair, a flush draw and an inside straight draw, so I bet the pot, and the limper comes over the top. I figure I'm ahead, so I go all-in. He flips over AA.

But look at all the outs!

I was the 53.13% fave when I went all-in. My other option was calling his reraise, but I felt that if I hit, I'd get no action, and if I failed to hit, I'd have to pay even more to see the river.

The turn didn't help, so I was now the 36.36% underdog. River didn't help either.

BTW - The guy who knocked me out of the Monte Carlo roll made it to 3rd place. I definitely learned a big lesson at that game. It was the final two tables and I had watched this guy play tight for at least 40 hands, and I had bet the flop and river with trips and he wasn't going away. I should have taken that as a sign of something. I only hope I'll remember this at the next big tourney.

PS #17272491

Sunday 2PM EST. Look for me.

2nd stage - 1960 in chips 41 out of 129 avg 1790 chips
end of 2nd stage - 1705 in chips, 59 out of 104, avg 2221
I have seen the flop 8 out of 72 times, and made one steal, one semi-bluff, and one big laydown to an all-in with a pair of aces on the flop and king kicker
Start of 4th stage - 3035 in chips, 30 out of 75, avg 3080
I doubled up with AA
End of 4th Stage - 7570 in chips, 11 out of 52, avg 4442
I failed to hit a couple pot odds problems, and doubled up w/T7os from the big blind with five limpers when I hit the flop.
early 5th stage (100/200) 5054 in chips, 18 out of 29, avg 7965

3rd break, entering 7th stage (100/200 & 25)14,108 in chips, 8 out of 16, avg stack 14437

7th stage eliminate as #15 out of 154.

I had a decent atack (15K) and I limped AJos utg and there was a 1BB raise, and one other caller. I call.
Flop JJK
I bet the same bet I got reraised on the prior two hands I'd played at that table and get one calle.
Turn Q
I bet again, get called again.
River Blank
I bet again, and get an all-in reraise from a tight-ish player. I should have smelled a rat, but didn't and called to see KK, his boat beating my trips.

Dumbass. If I had folded at the all-in, I still had 15M or more, and was still in the hunt.

Two hands later, with 5M, I go all-in w/QJs, and lose to A5os.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Old Cycles Hand Analysis

A social group members asks if he played this hand correctly. Let's analyze this NL tourney hand at the third level:

PokerStars Game #3556888835: Tournament #17650011, Hold'em No Limit -
Level III (25/50) - 2006/01/07 - 00:30:36 (ET)
Table '17650011 1' Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: jefrock21 (2285 in chips)
Seat 2: 05_riverman (1690 in chips)
Seat 3: CurrlyMoe (1055 in chips)
Seat 4: oldcycles (1245 in chips)
Seat 5: mdl1971 (1125 in chips)
Seat 6: Noles4life (1350 in chips)
Seat 7: jmndcrl (475 in chips)
Seat 8: GPBaby (2560 in chips)
Seat 9: Montana High (1715 in chips)
Montana High: posts small blind 25
jefrock21: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to oldcycles [4h 4d]
05_riverman: folds
CurrlyMoe: folds
oldcycles: calls 50
mdl1971: raises 50 to 100
Noles4life: folds
jmndcrl: folds
GPBaby: calls 100
Montana High: calls 75
jefrock21: calls 50
oldcycles: calls 50

FNJ - You're 7.5 to 1 to hit trips, limped in cheap hoping for pot odds. When it comes back to you you're getting 7 to 1 odds to call, so it wasn't a ridiculous call. If md1 had raise to 3 or 4BB, you wouldn't be getting the odds you require to make this call at a tight table. Of course, on-line if you hit trips, you have a decent chance of collecting somebody's all-in bet if they've got two pair.

The pot is now 400 in chips, and you've got 1145 in your stack. I'm not crazy about being the low stack compared to the other three in the pot and rolling the dice like this. Limping pockets is a better play when you can better afford to miss and throw them away.


*** FLOP *** [Ts Qh 4c]
Montana High: checks
jefrock21: bets 50
oldcycles: raises 250 to 300
mdl1971: calls 300
GPBaby: folds
Montana High: folds
jefrock21: calls 250

FNJ - Jefrock had been doing probe bets on good hands or on every flop he sees? I like your raise of 3/4 of the pot, although you could certainly be facing an outside straight draw (KJ) with a possible runner-runner flush draw. If such a draw exists, with 31.5% on 8 outs in two cards, you are still offering them reasonable odds on the draw. 750 to 250 is 33% bet for the microbetter, and the other people have a 750 to 300 shot, which is still not ridiculous for the outside draw.

Of course, had you been paying attention to the other hands MD1 raised with? If he bets 2BB on pocket pairs, such as TT or QQ, you may already be facing a one-outer against higher trips.

*** TURN *** [Ts Qh 4c] [6d]
jefrock21: checks
oldcycles: bets 845 and is all-in
mdl1971: calls 725 and is all-in
jefrock21: calls 845

FNJ -A blank, and you've gone all-in? I think an all-in smells of desperation, but you were the low stack and you actually did want callers if you were in the lead, which you were. If you're in the lead in the hand and low-stacked at the table, you want to triple up if at all possible.


*** RIVER *** [Ts Qh 4c 6d] [Jc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jefrock21: shows [Qd 7d] (a pair of Queens)
oldcycles: shows [4h 4d] (three of a kind, Fours)
oldcycles collected 240 from side pot
mdl1971: shows [As Kd] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
mdl1971 collected 3575 from main pot

And Md1 did a bump raise with big slick off, and stayed for two cards with the inside draw. You played this right and got sucked out. What if everybody played correctly all the time? That would actually be worse, because when you hit your trips and bet them on the flop, everybody folds, and you didn't collect 7.5 to 1 for playing 44, so you should be happy to get these callers despite the suckouts.

Hey, last night I went all-in on a flopped straight, and one clownfish called me with an inside straight draw or runner-runner flush draw. I loved it. Of course, he hit a royal flush, but them's the breaks.

How embarrassing would it be to tell your buddies about your royal flush and you had to confess to you calling an all-in with an inside straight draw to see it?

Fancy meeting you here!

Last night I hit a handful of cheapo tourneys on Pokertards, and at my last turbo cheapo for the evening, I found myself at the table with somebody I actually know in person, Ghost from my social group.

Natch, Ghost and I were the top two spots. Ghost had to suck out two hands in a row to become the chip leader, and then had a 6 to 1 chip lead when we were two handed. If I get bored some other day, I might just blog the tourney for fun.

Chip and a Chair - Sunday 2 PM

I am in the 2 PM Monte Carlo Match tomorrow on PokerTards. Wish me luck.

At the moment there are only 120 signed up, which is a pleasant surprise, as I wondered if I would have to battle 1000 people for the MC seat. There still may be more signed up in the meantime, but even if there's 200, I feel like I'll have some chance if I bring my A game, but I'm trying not to go into daydreaming mode where I've skipped the playoffs and am already mentally at the world series.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

The T 5 Soooted Mystery

In the prior entry, I look at some donk hands, and was surprised to see Ten-Five suited doing so well, but I missed something important: Nobody else had a flush draw and nobody else had a ten.

Start doing simulations with a higher club, or a counterfeited ten, and the chances drop down to under Ten Percent in the worst of circumstances, and about 15% in many cases. That's still not zero, I guess.

On-line donkfest simulation

Since I'm playing so many donk tourneys, let's do a little statistical analysis.

First level of a 1500 chip tourney, blinds 10/20

Let's pick four random donk hands and something for ourselves

P1: 5c Tc (yes, people will limp this @20, and even call a 4BB raise with it.)
P2: Qd Jh (even donks get playable card, right?)
P3: 3s 4s (A little too low for my tastes, but...)
P4: Ah 7h (Not a donk hand, or maybe I'm a donk...)

And now let's see some probabilities if I join in the mix with some cards.

Small suited connectors - not dominated in the flush
9d 8d

P1: 19.06%
P2: 20.23%
P3: 18.86%
P4: 21.67%
ME: 20.06

Hmm, that's not a ridiculous distribution, even for suited 34, is it?

Dominated small suited
9h 8h
My hand drops to 15.49, P1 goes up to 20%, P2 goes up to 23.75%, and even P3 goes up to 20.21%. P4 also drops a point for the flush cards gone.

Low pocket pair not dominated
6s 6d

P1: 18.49%
P2: 23.70%
P3: 15.88%
P4: 22.89%
P5: 18.90

Of course, unless I hit trips I usually have to give them up unless nobody bets at the flop.

Low pocket pair dominated
5s 5d

P1: 16.34%
P2: 27.90%
P3: 15.15%
P4: 27.67%
P5: 11.59%

And my pocket pairs have become a dog. Either I hit the flop or get the heck out.

High Pocket pair not dominated
Ks Kd
P1: 17.07%
P2: 10.69%
P3: 17.40%
P4: 21.87%
ME: 32.86%

Looks like I need a healthy raise here to make some magic.

High Pocket pair dominated
Js Jd
P1: 17.16%
P2: 16.56%
P3: 18.30%
P4: 24.50%
ME: 22.31%

Hmm, T5 suited is not a ridiculous hand, is it? Of course, it's really tough to know for certain that your top pair or two pair is good, so it's probably pretty easy to lose some money when your cards hit halfway.

Tourney Chops

I'm continuing to work on my tournament chops.

Strengths: I'm getting better at reading on-line opponents through their betting patterns, paying close attention not just to show-downs, but also to betting frequency and the size of bets that don't get called, and taking copious notes on my opponents. Also, when I identify players who are not very good, I'm getting better at taking the situation seriously even when I don't take the player seriously. I won't call a raise from a clown unless the pot odds are right for a drawing hand, or I've got a hand.

Weakness: I've still got problems with the final table, when blinds are up. I get a little too anxious and push weaker hands farther than I should. That's a tricky balance to strike and something I need to work on. I've been playing lots of small (less than 100), cheap tourneys to work on this.

Here's an interesting hand in a 45 player tourney last night.

ME: Tc Js - I limp (early in the blind structure), the pot is raised to 3BB but there are five others so pot odds justify my calling the raise.

Flop: 9c Kc Qd

An ideal flop, wouldn't you say? Now if I can get rid of the flush chasers...

I bet 3/4 of the pot and get two callers

Turn: 2d

A great card! Unless somebody was staying for the runner runner flush with a King of Diamonds, that card helped nobody.

But what's this? The two other stacks (I had doubled up a few hands earlier) have both gone all-in on my 1/2 pot raise! I'm sure I've got the best hand right now, so I call them to see

P1: Kh Td
Me: Tc Js
P3: 7c 8c

And not only does player 3 (the smallest stack) hit their flush, P1 hits their miracle card to split the side pot with me:

Jc

Let's take a look at those percentages:
Pre flop
P1: 42.67%
ME: 21.83%
P3: 33.27%

I'm dominated. Glad I didn't know that.
Flop
P1: 2.66% (But a 7.42% for a tie)
ME: 59.25%
P3: 30.68%

I guess a pot-sized bet is better for chasing out the flush, huh?
P1: 4.76% chance for a tie only
ME: 76.19% to win, 4.76% for a tie.
P3: 19.05% to win.

You might question P3 going all-in on the turn, as did I. However, P3 tripled up after taking this chance, and I saw this one again at the final table. I finished third and that player was down to heads-up for taking the whole thing. I guess it was a calculated risk, as opposed to a donk move.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Idiot End of the Straight Flush

My fourth straight flush in a short period, this time I lost.

Low Limit on-line cash table, I limp in mid-position
Kc 2c

About 4 other limpers
Flop
3c 4c 5c

I make a bet to try to push away Ace of clubs

Turn
Qh

I bet the sucker again, one caller

River 6c
I get all excited about my straight flush and re-raise. I only remember that I don't have the nuts when he reraises me.

I call, he turns over Jd 7c for the high straight flush.

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Being the 58% Fave isn't enough

Here's an interesting suck out all-in battle.

7h9h
QdQc
Ks7c

You would think the 79 was a serious underdog, drawing to one card only, below everybody elses card, wouldn't you?

The percentages are:
18.4%
58.5%
23.0%

But the perfect flop comes for 79
79T rainbow
and the percentages are now:
59.1
28.3
12.6

But wait, the turn comes:
J !
And the percentages barely change even with the outside draw for QQ
64.3%
31.0%
4.8%

Sorry, I wasn't the 79, and I didn't hit my straight to recover my place in the pecking order.

Ho hum - another straight flush

Last night I was playing limit, and limped 6c7c. Well, actually, I limped, I was raised, and I three bet to see where my opponent was at. The opponent didn't cap.
I catch four to a flush on the flop, and an outside straight flush draw. The turn comes with the King of clubs, so I may possibly be behind a stronger flush draw. The river hits my nine of clubs for the straight flush, and once I figure out that I'm ahead of the Ace of clubs, I reraise on the river.

At least one person at the table questioned my three bet with 67 suited. It may not have been correct, but I think I was loosely following the recommendations in 'Small Stakes Hold 'em' by the two plus two guys. Sometimes its good to goose the pot preflop, so that if you hit, they won't want to get away when they miss the flop.

That's three straight flushes in one week. I also won a frequent player points free roll (one of ten winners) and now am entered in a free roll for entry to a European event. I'll probably be daydreaming too much about the prize to play my best, but I'll try anyhow.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

KK v AK v AQ

In a 180 player tourney, the following hand happened when we were down to 80 players.

Nine player table
Me: Kc Ks, second to act.
Blinds are 59/100, and I'm down to 2000 in chips after just losing a big pot.

I limp as second to act to open, P3, P4 fold
P5 raise to 400
P6 calls 400
Folds around to me, I reraise to all-in and I get two callers. Everybody is all in and we see:

Me: Kc Kx
P5: Ad Kh
P6: As Qd

I'm the 73 percent favorite, AK is 16.7, AQ is 10.3
Flop :T62 Rainbod
I'm the 87.2 fave, 10.5 for AK, 2.3 for AQ
Turn: Blank
I'm now the 95.2 fave

Of course, you know what hits on the river!

3 Way all-in percentages

Ts Tc 40.2%
Ac 3c 32.3%
Jd Th 27.5%

Flop
Kc 8c 5c
Now A3 is the 98% favorite JT is drawing dead.

If a Ten falls on the turn, then TT has a 21.4% chance to hit quads or a boat.