Ho-hum a 10-high straigh flush

Last night at 180 player $4.40 I played 6c 9c in the SB at the 10/100 level after 2 others had already limped in. I flopped the inside draw to the straight flush, which is 12 outs. As first to act I lead bet the flop, and I lead bet the river for the same amount without improving. A couple players stayed with me, and my magic 7c came on the river. I bet double the amount of my lead bet and was fortunate to get one caller. The caller must not have had the ace-high flush, or else it was a decsent player.

Reprint - Poker Stars Goal

My current balance on Tards is 332.65, most of which is from 11$ sngs, and an occasional PLO8 cash table. I have been playing 180 player 4$ games and losing money there, but I think I am improving my tourney game with those. I'm reprinting the goals I set a while back. Looks like I might get past 400 if I keep up my streak on the 11$ sngs, and then I can consider the 20$ sngs.

REPRINT

1) Stick with the $5.50 tables till I get to $200.
2) When I pass 200, play the $11 tables till I'm either back down to 150, or up to 400.
3) Evey time I get past 500, do a little cashout rather than squander it.
4) Accumulate frequent player points, and use those to chase the pipe dream of playing in a major event.

Blinds and Straddles

At casinos I like to keep my table lively, so I'll occasionally go into manic mode. At least once a night, I'll make a big deal about playing my blind cards blind, betting the flop blind, and looking on the turn when I get action, all the while yakking it up.

Last night at Gold Strike I did this once, asserting I had aces, and I called a small raise, and a bet on the flop blind. He bet into me on the turn and I looked, and I had AT, and there was an ace on the board, so I reraised. He was incredulous and called, and we both checked the river. Turned out he rivered two pair with his QJo, but I was indeed ahead when I called on the flop, and when I looked and reraised.

Last hand of the evening I'm UTG, and so I decide to straddle, and I make a big deal about what I've got, and at least 3 callers. and I make a quarter-pot bet and get only one caller. The flop is A23, and now I'm joking that I've changed my mind and I've got 45. He bets into me, and I look, and this time is AKo, and I reraise again. He calls, and I check the turn blind, and he checks two. The river was a king, and a pair of aces was good anyhow.

Usually this tactic doesn't produce immediate results like this. It usually just loosens the table, if I'm lucky, but a money-loser in the short term.

Tunica Miss - Gold Strike

I liked the card room a lot, but the buffet was better at the Grand Casino.

Played 90 minutes of Omaha Hi/Lo, 3-6, at the only card room that has it regularly, started out hot and won a few pots, then kept missing monster draws both ways and switched back to 1-2 no limit.

The 1-2 NL has a min buy-in of 100, no maximum, which means that it's dangerous compared to LA. The first table I sat down at (for about 10 hands), half the table had at least 600 in front of them. After I swapped out tables to a newly created table, everybody had 200 or less, which was more comfortable for me.

I was both catching hands and running some decent bluffs, so all-in all it was a good session. NL 1-2 where everybody limps is nice in that I can play a lot of tricky trash, but it also means that when my trash hits, I might not get any action. There was one young lady in particular where I bet a made hand on the river that she refused to call, then I bluffed her off of two rivers with busted draws in fairly short order. In one case I was holding a busted 4-6 straight draw, so it was damn near impossible that she didn't have me beat. It was fun.

Met a guy named Michael from a small town outside of Little Rock. He had been in a car accident two years prior, burned 55% of his body, lost his girlfriend in the accident, and spent 10 months in the hospital after the accident. He was in Tunica with his new girlfriend from across the country who he met through an on-line support group for burn victims. She had also lost her boyfriend in a car accident. Nice guy.

Tunica Missisisip - Grand Casino

Played the 4-8 for two hours, and walked away with 12.5 big bets, so it was a fine session. The guy two seats to my right raised any hand he played, and he seemed to play any face card, no matter what it was partner with. This meant I generally had to tighten up a lot, so I mostly collected on playable big blinds, (two decent pots) and Aces (they held, and he did me a favor by raising so I could 3 bet pre-flop), and other wise tossed lots of mediocre limpers that would have been playable if he hadn't change my pot odds. I left five minutes after he did, as there were too many competent players at the table at that point.

Loved the buffet. Great ribs and southern/soul food.

Nobody told me that Tunica was a baby vegas! A whole bunch of poker options here.

N'erk Tourney June 9th

I should have played tight and tighter. As it was, I raised 3BB once UTG and got no callers, and pushed UTG twice and got no callers, all three times with hands where I preferred NOT to see a flop, so that was alright.

I called a 3BB raise in BB w/A7s, and the flop came Axx all of a different suit, and I tossed my top pair based on having a weak ace, and none of the suit. The dude (Clay) flips over his pair of kings with one of the suit and asks for a rabbit hunt, and he hit his flush. So, it was an incorrect fold on my part, but a fortuitous one.

I won the very first hand (about 4BB of the first level) and otherwise did not take down any pot in which I saw a flop. Bummer evening. I tossed mountains of trash pre-flop.

A night of heartbreak on 'tards

I allowed myself one more 180 player tourney, and I tripled up early with a flush draw to the nuts three way. Sure, it was a risk, but I figure a body needs decent chips to do anything in this tourney, otherwise you'll get blinded out too soon. The other two all-ins were top split pair and a set, so I got lucky. Then I played reasonably well, making some decent moves and staying out of trouble for quite a while, till I pulled another all-in on a flush draw on a 334 board two-way in a raised pot. I was drawing to Ace-Queen with no pair yet, and my opponent was drawing to king-eight flush with no pair yet. That means he had six outs in two cards, and I was roughtly the 75 percent fave here. He rivers his king, and if I had won I would have been the chip leader among 70 remaining players, but instead I move on.

Then I'm in a 45 player sit'n'go, where I get involved in few hands, and eventually find myself pushing QTo from early position at 5M. The person who calls me has AQo and enough chips to look me up. The first four cards are A-Q-T (ouch!) and then another Ace to mean that my two remaining outs are now gone.

Guess I'll go back to the single tables if I'm killing time tonight.

Overs versus pair and runner-runner flush draw

Playing a 4$ 180 player on tards, and a mediocre chip stack about 4 levels in. I had just won a hand with a large pair without a showdown, and caught JJ and made a bigger raise (5BB) with this lesser pair.

The flop is a rainbow 892, and I had just observed the one player I was up against push pre-flop with a pair of 8s for no particular reason, as his M was reasonable. I had a feeling that he probably didn't have trips, and would call my all-in on my overpair with as weak as ace-high.

I was correct, he called with second split pair and a runner-runner flush draw, making me the 75 percent fave with all my chips in the middle.

His runner-runner hit. D'uh.

Bicycle LA - cash

Haven't blogged, too busy playing, but must record a beautiful hot streak last night.

Arrived Bicycle LA last night around 9, and played O8 for 45 minutes while I ate dinner, then switched to the 40 max buy in 1/2 NLHE, and had an amazing run of cards, and walked away with almost five buy ins as follows.

Limp 35s (fonzie cards) with five other people and I flop an outside straight draw, which I bet to goose the pot, three people come along. I hit my straight on the turn, and one player comes along for twice that bet. I hit a straight flush on the river, but the last player won't come along for 20 more, and I don't show. I'm getting so jaded about small straight flushes these days.

Limp 77 and call a 5BB raise from the big stack at the table, and we're heads up. I flop my set (making up for the hundreds of sets I didn't catch over the last week.) and he bets into me, and I meekly call. On the turn, I'm first to act, and he's already pushing all of his chips into the middle. Thanks to the 3-5 hand, I've got him covered. He doesn't show what he raised with.

I raise 3BB from the BB into six limpers with AQs, and get four callers and flop a flush draw, and I give a free card. Nobody bets. Turn doesn't help me, and the guy on my right bets 1/4 pot, which I and one other player call. The river is an Ace, and so I call the bet of the guy on my right, and a pair of aces beats his K9 which had paired the king on the turn.

There were a few other hands, but these were the big money winners. It was a great feeling to have such a nice rush in a short time after having such a bad financial run in Vegas and Scottsdale.

Good Times at the Sahara Vegas - Part 1

I joined my social group buddies for a couple tournaments at the Sahara Vegas. I would give these 42 w/20 rebuys a strong recommendation, because they're very social, and the players all seem to take their poker seriously, and most of them love to kibbitz between hands, which makes the time go faster. I played two of them and bubbled at the final table both times, once on a bad beat, the other on a stupid decision on my part. But let's talk about the good stuff first.

One good read follows another

During the first two levels, I watched one player limp many consecutive pots, possibly as many as six, and he was buying orphan pots, and occasionally he would even show an unlikely winning hand, but he clearly could not have decent starting cards every time, and he clearly could not have matched the board nearly as often as he was limping and betting. While I found it annoying, I was powerless to do anything but watch him accumulate chips from all of us without ever getting into trouble.

Then he limps into my BB from early position, and by this time everyone else seemed to feat him, so it was folded all the way to me. I look at my cards, Q3s, and confidently push my chips to the middle and wait. (I had been very tight till this point.) He folds after pretending to make an agonizing decision, but it was clear to me that he possibly couldn't have called in this situation. I would possibly have made the same move heads up pre-flop with even worse cards.

Exactly one trip around the table later, he limps on my BB, and another player also limps. I am suspicious, and check my reasonable cards. I flop second pair, he bets, and the third player calls. I fold. As I suspected, when the hand was over, he turned over pocket aces to win a big pot, which he had clearly limped in the hopes that I would pull the exact same move twice.

Brief Vegas Report

Rio - When it's not hosting the WSOP, their poster room is 'okay', but not worth a special trip.

Gold Coast Tourney - Oddball structure - Limit for the first 3 20 minute levels, and then it goes no limit. I got knocked out during the NL portion when my QQ ran into another player's KK. I had played with the guy, an older guy, for an hour plus, so I should have been capable of knowing I was beat on the flop when he pushed, so that was a donk play on my part.

NOBODY handy has O8 :-(

Bellagio - Cheapest limit is 4-8, I played for an hour or two and was four big bets behinds. That's the price I paid for getting to ogle Doyle Brunson, Jennifer Harman and Barry Greenstein in the glass room. I had a perfect view. It was neat.

Ballys - I sat down to NL, and got two monsters in my first two hands, so I got to double up quickly.

I also ran a couple of good bluffs, one limit, one NL as follows:

Limit Bellagio
Four players see the flop, and I'm last to act on a one-suit flop. I bet into the flop with nothing of the suit and only get one caller. He checks non-suited turn, and so do I. He checks the non-suited river, and I bet it, and he agonizes for about 20 seconds, complains out loud, and folds his hand, which he says was a queen high busted draw. I had a ten-high busted draw.

Ballys' No Limit
I'm just off my hot streak of cards, and I limp Ax suited, and flop a four flush, which I pot-sized bet into a field of four as last to act. I get two callers. The turn has no flush, and they both check to me, and I make a double sized bet compared to the prior bet, and they both fold to my ace high.

Arrived - sleep-deprived

I got to the hotel Rio at 12PM local time, and then i couldn't sleep, and went looking for a game. There were only four live tables at the Rio, offering 2/5NL and 4/8 limit, both of which were a little too steep for a sleep-deprivation playing session. The neighboring casino is the Gold Coast, which is very old-school vegas, and they offered 2/4 limit and 4/8 limit with a half kill.

The play was generally atrocious and profitable. I walked away with 10BB in the course of about 90 minutes of play, and I was tipping on every hand. I think I have time to fit in a cheap tournament before the conference starts....

Off to Vegas Tonight

1) I'm there on business. Schmoozing and learning come first.
2) I have a fixed bankroll in my wallet. Must find soft tables within my financial comfort zone.
3) I'll allow myself one ATM withdrawal max if I blow that.
4) I plan to play a few tourneys with reasonable blind structures. The 20 minute structures of the single tables at foxwoods were too damn fast for me.

I have no idea if I'll blog this stuff before I get back or not.

Enough about you, let's talk about me.

I won a 27 player LO8 live tourney on Saturday night, which I'm very proud of, since I've been working a lot on my O8 game, and it really paid off. I didn't take notes, and can't mentally recreate many hands right now, because I was very 'in the moment' at the game.

I do remember that I won the tourney with 29 of hearts for a flush, and 23 for the lock low with an ace on the board.

I also remember a crucial hand at the final 6 players where I started with A33X and raised from early position, got two callers, and I flopped trips with two low cards on the flop, and I bet them all the way down, both callers stayed through the turn, and one of them even kept me honest on the river, and there was no possible low and my trips held, which gave me the healthy stack I needed to be choosy about my starting hands during the final phase.

The level of play was varied, with at least half the field having a reasonable understanding of O8, and the other half using hold'em logic plus luckboxing to survive. There weren't any luckboxes at the final table that I recall. (except me.) You could tell the hold'em-only players because they would frequently stay to the river with the third or fourth best hand, while those with more O8 clarity had frequently tossed a better hand than what they had stuck around with. That's always frustrating, but sooner or later, fourth-best hand always comes back to haunt you.

Critiquing Somebody Else's (NYCNative) PLO8 Play - Part 4

I'm going to really speed through the remaining hands.

Dialogue - Looks like your opponent was trying to tilt you by calling you a donk, and you were throwing it right back at him. Didn't you know that the poker professionals always come to the $5.50 sngs in their free time and give lessons?

Hand 51 - I like your play here. You cannot slow play flopped trips with two cards to a low out there, and you play it fast, like you should, putting extra pressure on the turn when a low doesn't fall.
(blinds are 75/150)
Dealt to NYCNative [9d 5c 9s 6h]
*** FLOP *** [5h 2d 9h]
NYCNative: bets 300
Wauzzz: calls 300
*** TURN *** [5h 2d 9h] [Ts]

Hand 55 - Pot purchase preflop with a playable hand. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [6s Jh As 9c]

Hand 58 - A limp with playable cards, to change gears, and a purchase on the flop with some nice draws. Okay.

Dealt to NYCNative [5s Ac 8s 6d]
*** FLOP *** [4s As 7s]

Hand 60 - A perfect flopped high-end straight, and a decent candidate for slow-play since there were already three lows on the flop. Okay. If your opponent had an ace, I'm sure the river steamed him to no end.

Dealt to NYCNative [8h 6c 2h 5d]
*** FLOP *** [3s 4d 7c]
NYCNative: checks
MightyBug: checks
*** TURN *** [3s 4d 7c] [Js]
NYCNative: bets 375
MightyBug: calls 375
*** RIVER *** [3s 4d 7c Js] [Ah]
NYCNative: bets 1125

Player #3 goes out around this time, and it takes you about 25 hands heads-up to best your critic.

Other than a few hands early on, I can't really fault your play.

Critiquing Somebody Else's (NYCNative) PLO8 Play - Part 3

Moving on from hand 21.

Hand 22 - You raise and buy the flop on a wrap draw. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [Ad 6s 8d 7s]
*** FLOP *** [5h 5s 9h]

Hand 23 - Free flop in BB, you check it down and buy it with trips on the river. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [4d Kc 7c 6s]
*** RIVER *** [9s 6h 9d 3c] [6d]

Hand 24 - In SB, you reraise with this hand, and call the smaller stacks' all in.
Dealt to NYCNative [5c 4s 4c Ac]
I prefer to see a flop before committing the chips, since your stack is only four times as big, and if you double him up, all of a sudden you've let him get a threatening stack. Of course, if you played it that way, you might have given it up on the flop.

*** RIVER *** [9h 9d 7h 2h] [8s]
NYCNative: shows [5c 4s 4c Ac] (HI: two pair, Nines and Fours; LO:
8,7,4,2,A)
MightyBug: shows [4d 3s Ks Kh] (HI: two pair, Kings and Nines; LO:
8,7,4,3,2)
MightyBug collected 2435 from pot
NYCNative collected 2435 from pot

Hand 25 - You buy it pre-flop with this hand. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [5c Qc 7h Ah]

Hand 26 - A clear fold,which you do.
Dealt to NYCNative [8d 3h Kd 6c]

Hand 27 - You get a free ride in the BB
Dealt to NYCNative [8d 3h Kd 6c]

Hand 28 - An SB Limp at 25/50 blinds, a nice flop, and you buy it on the turn presumably counting on the low redraw if you're called. Good.
Dealt to NYCNative [5d 8h 7s 2d]
*** TURN *** [Qs As 6d] [Ac]

Hand 29 - a clear fold, which you do.
Dealt to NYCNative [4s 7s Kc 9h]

Hand 30 - a first-position limp with two-suited and a possible low. You toss top pair when the board pairs on the turn. Fine.
Dealt to NYCNative [7d Kh 9d 2h]
*** TURN *** [6d 9s 3c] [3s]

Hand 31 - In BB, you flop two pair, bet the flop and buy it on the turn. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [Ks 2d 5d 7c]
*** TURN *** [2c Kh 3s] [6c]

Blind are now 50/100

Hand 33 - You try to buy it pre-flop with a pair of kings and a weak low draw, and get called by a weak hand, checking it down to lose to a weak two pair. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [Ks 6d 5d Kd]
*** RIVER *** [Th Ad Jh 5s] [2d]
MightyBug: shows [7h 9h Ac 5c] (HI: two pair, Aces and Fives)
NYCNative: shows [Ks 6d 5d Kd] (HI: a pair of Kings)

Chip stacks are now:
Seat 1: Wauzzz (2440 in chips)
Seat 2: NYCNative (7070 in chips)
Seat 3: Jsleezey (1305 in chips)
Seat 6: MightyBug (2685 in chips)

JSleezey should start to get desperate soon. Try not to get sucked into sub-par hands when JS starts pushing with mediocre hands.

Hand 34 - you buy it pre-flop with a strong high hand. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [Tc Qc Td Ac]

Hand 35 - You are in the bb, and see the flop for free with
Dealt to NYCNative [Tc Qc Td Ac]
In this hand, I don't like your opponents play and think they should have represented the straight and bet the pot on the river, but maybe you've established a table image of somebody who can't be bluffed, or he was giving you credit for A2.


*** FLOP *** [3s 4d Qd]
NYCNative: checks
MightyBug: bets 200
NYCNative: calls 200
*** TURN *** [3s 4d Qd] [6s]
NYCNative: checks
MightyBug: checks
*** RIVER *** [3s 4d Qd 6s] [5c]
NYCNative: checks
MightyBug: bets 200
NYCNative: calls 200

MightyBug: shows [5s Th Ad 8d] (HI: a pair of Fives; LO: 6,5,4,3,A)
NYCNative: shows [Qs 8s Js As] (HI: a pair of Queens; LO: 8,5,4,3,A)

Hand 36 - You limp this reasonable hand from SB against the short stack in BB and one other player. Sensibly, you check it down with a pair of tens and no low.
Dealt to NYCNative [Qc Ac 7h Td]

Hand 37 - Nice fold
Dealt to NYCNative [Qh 2d 9c 6h]

Hand 38 - You limp this nice low draw/wrap draw hand from 1st position, totally miss the flop and fold on the turn with nothing. Sensible.
Dealt to NYCNative [Qh 2d 9c 6h]

Hand 39 - A free ride in the BB
Dealt to NYCNative [Jd Qd 4d 2s]

Hand 40 - A raise with three to a wheel and a high card, no resistance. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [Ks 2h 4s 5d]

Hand 41 - A raise with a high pair, and a dangler. No resistance. Okay. That's two consecutive pre-flop purchases.

Hand 42 - It was time to fold, before the peasants rise up, and you fold.
Dealt to NYCNative [Qs 7c 4d 5c]

hand 43 - You get a free ride in the BB with playable cards. you've put the fear in the peasants.
Dealt to NYCNative [3d Ac 9h 4s]

Hand 44- You call a bump raise in SB, and then fold to what is clearly becoming an all-in hand between the two smallest stacks. A very reasonable move. Unless the ace falls, you're behind on the low and your high is weak, and the action indicates that one, if not two of the aces are accounted for.
Dealt to NYCNative [3d 2c Qs 6c]

Hand 45 - A limp with a marginal, playable hand, a favorable flop and you buy it on the turn with a qualified low and a draw to a straight on a flushy board. Fine.
Dealt to NYCNative [4s 4c Jc 3h]
*** TURN *** [5c 8s 6s] [As]

I like that you've changed gears from very agressive to limpy limperson. This should keep them guessing.

Hand 46 - I don't like this first position limp. You've got three disparate high cards, a dangler, no low draw, and you're blocking your own (second-best) flush. You toss two-pair on the river, which is why you shouldn't have played this hand in the first place. You specifically wanted both a Q and a J to fall or a boat, right?
Dealt to NYCNative [2d Td Kd 9h]

Hand 47 - A free ride in BB with a very powerful two-way hand, which you flash.
Dealt to NYCNative [9d Ah Ad 9s]

Hand 48 - You SB limp a playable set of cards, make a boat on the river, but your opponent's A2 was a lock low on the turn, so he calls you down to chop. Okay.
Dealt to NYCNative [8h 3h 6d 7c]

Hand 49 - The SB is all-in and you raise with a high-only hand to push out the BB. Okay. Your empty side pot was worth more than the main pot.
Your opponent starts to critique you on this play, but you were correct here.
Dealt to NYCNative [Th Kc Ah Ks]

hand 50 - You toss something marginal in first position. Good.
Dealt to NYCNative [Td Qs 3h 4d]

To be continued. Not sure when.

A healthy exchange of ideas

The guy being critiqued responded, and I respond:

Item 1:

FNJ - Attempt to buy this pot four-way with a weak low and an inside straight draw was insane.

NYC NATIVE - That wasn't my intent. I wouldn't make a small bet to buy the pot. I had the chip lead and the flop might not have helped anyone so I made a feeler bet. Sometimes I take it down there, sometimes I get called and get a "free" turn and reevaluate. If I get resistance, I am beat and I fold.

Maybe this is better done with one opponent rather than two...

FNJ - Your logic makes sense in hold'em. It very easy for four players to miss a flop in hold'em. In Omaha, especially hi/lo, at least one player of the four will have something worth keeping you honest with.

Item 2

FNJ - You now have a very healthy chip stack. You should tighten up for a while at this blind level, and let the shorties duke it out unless you've got premium starters.

NYCNative - And what exactly is wrong with bullying the table a little bit?

FNJ - Again, your logic makes more sense in hold'em. Even with premium holdings, you're rarely better than a 60% fave against any kind of hand. To bully with hands where you probably won't be a favorite is especially risky, since somebody with A2xx will materialize, and then you're crossing your fingers to get HALF the pot without a particularly strong high draw.

Item 3:

NYCNative - I just wanted to defend my blinds with the kind of hand that could flop a monster *and* get paid off. I was holding 2h 5h 5d 6d. If an Ace flops, I could be in line for the low. If I flop a set, I can break stubborn Aces. If I hit the straight, that's good too. Plus as the chip leader, I can mix it up a little bit.

FNJ - If you hold 23 and an ace flops, you're golden. but if you hold 25 and an ace flops, it's just as likely the raiser is holding A23, A24, or even A34, so there's still a lot of ways to be second best low even with your coveted ace. And even is you flop trips, they are weak trips which could easily be bested. Good PLO8 players understand that pocket aces are much more powerful pre-flop than post-flop, and are more willing to toss them than hold'em players.

Yes, you can mix it up as the chip leader, but you can also wait for better starters, and surrender an occasional BB at this level, rather than doubling somebody up by getting sucked into playing a poor hand.

Critiquing Somebody Else's (NYCNative) PLO8 Play - Part 2

I'm re-analyzing hand 10 to start, because when I re-read the blog, I misread the hand.Ooops, never mind, you did have a boat on the flop. I was pretty tired last night.

FNJ - Hand 11 - Doesn't look as bad this morning as it did last night. Let's look at the pre-flop EV of this hand with the cards face up. See how you (first hand) are in 3rd place pre-flop? That's because you are only looking at half the pot if there is any kind of qualified low. Two aces with one suited is limpable, but I like to have at least an 8 in my hand before I get agressive with something like this.

As 9c Ad Qd 37270 101964 269358 5670 0 0 0 0.192
Ac 2c Kd Qh 66194 86758 284564 5670 156591 25848 7875 0.384
6s 3d Ah Th 43448 103124 273071 797 68484 139374 7875 0.270
Js Jh 5h 2h 37167 79313 297516 163 0 126060 0 0.155

FNJ - In the pre-flop betting sequence, your isolation raise would have made sense if there weren't two players who already called the first raise. It's much more likely in PLO8 that if they call one raise, a big re-raise is NOT likely to push them out. For this reason, I like a call better. If the board contains any two wheel cards, you should get the hell out cheaply.

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to NYCNative [9c Ad Qd As]
pokersnail has timed out
pokersnail: folds
pokersnail is sitting out
MightyBug: folds
upcountryboy: raises 75 to 105
barkley05: calls 105
corkylp: calls 105
Wauzzz: folds
NYCNative: raises 465 to 570
Jsleezey: folds
RTBaLLa: folds
upcountryboy: calls 65 and is all-in
barkley05: calls 465
corkylp: calls 465

FNJ - Let's check out your EV on the flop now. There are no lows possible, and you've got the nut flush draw, so you're now the clear favorite here, although your top pair was possibly behind to two pair at this point. If anybody held something like A2QJ, you were behind, but too late to worry about that.

*** FLOP *** [9d Kc Td]
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
As 9c Ad Qd 268 268 248 12 0 0 0 0.519
Ac 2c Kd Qh 128 128 388 12 0 0 0 0.253
6s 3d Ah Th 106 106 421 1 0 0 0 0.201
Js Jh 5h 2h 14 14 514 0 0 0 0 0.027

*** TURN *** [9d Kc Td] [Qc]
*** RIVER *** [9d Kc Td Qc] [9s]

FNJ - You were behind on the turn, of course,and had the diamonds, aces, queens and nines as outs. It was a reasonable assumption that the aces were accounted for given the pre-flop action. I'm okay with your post-flop play, but not crazy about your pre-flop play here.

*********** # 12 **************
PokerStars Game #4997021257: Tournament #25073790, $5.00+$0.50 Omaha Hi/Lo
Pot Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/05/20 - 15:37:31 (ET)
Table '25073790 1' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: Wauzzz (2830 in chips)
Seat 2: NYCNative (5385 in chips)
Seat 3: Jsleezey (1425 in chips)
Seat 4: RTBaLLa (600 in chips)
Seat 5: pokersnail (1600 in chips)
Seat 6: MightyBug (1660 in chips)

FNJ - You now have a very healthy chip stack. You should tighten up for a while at this blind level, and let the shorties duke it out unless you've got premium starters. Let's see if you do just that.

FNJ - Hand 12 - Nope, you keep pushing it. Three to a wheel without a suited ace is limpable, but it's a very dangerous hand to get agressive with. I don't like your play here, and would call this a luckbox result.

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to NYCNative [Ah 5c 7s 4s]
MightyBug: calls 30
Wauzzz: folds
NYCNative: raises 105 to 135
Jsleezey: folds
RTBaLLa: calls 120
pokersnail: folds
MightyBug: calls 105

*** FLOP *** [3d 3s 3c]
Checks all around
*** TURN *** [3d 3s 3c] [6h]
checks all around
*** RIVER *** [3d 3s 3c 6h] [2c]
FNJ - And the luckbox successfully buys the pot with a pot-sized bet on the strength of the nut low. Nice result despite the poor pre-flop play.


FNJ - Hand 13 - I hate this call from early position. You are drawing to a weak low, and a weak high, and crossing your fingers for a miracle. Toss this hand. Of course, you flop a very sweet but unlikely flop, and river the miracle card to buy the pot.

Dealt to NYCNative [Jc 5c 6s 3s]
*** RIVER *** [9h 2h As 8c] [4c]

FNJ - Hand 14 - Nice fold.
Dealt to NYCNative [Kh 5s 6h 5d]

FNJ - Hand 15 - You raise the pot with one limper in and he folds. This was a great hand to do this with.
Dealt to NYCNative [8c 7h 2s As]

FNJ - Hand 16 - You toss this hand in response to an early raise. I trust you also would have tossed it with a suited king.
Dealt to NYCNative [5d Ks 7h Jd]

FNJ - Hand 17 - you raise to open, a much smaller stack goes in, and you call to win with two pair, no qualified low. I'm totally okay with your play here.
Dealt to NYCNative [5d As 2c Jd]

Check out the chip counts at this point. Steady as she goes.
Seat 1: Wauzzz (2665 in chips)
Seat 2: NYCNative (6475 in chips)
Seat 3: Jsleezey (1430 in chips)
Seat 5: pokersnail (1525 in chips)
Seat 6: MightyBug (1405 in chips)

FNJ - Hand 18 - I think you could wait for even better hands with blinds still at 25/50. The blinds are not really worth stealing yet, and your hand is average at best. As it is, you luckbox out when your opponents very nice low hand is double-counterfeited.
Dealt to NYCNative [8s Td Ac Qs]
*** RIVER *** [Js As 7d 7c] [2d]
pokersnail: shows [2c Ad 9c 3s] (HI: two pair, Aces and Sevens)
NYCNative: shows [8s Td Ac Qs] (HI: two pair, Aces and Sevens - Queen
kicker)
NYCNative collected 3100 from pot

Check out these chip counts now:
Seat 1: Wauzzz (2665 in chips)
Seat 2: NYCNative (8050 in chips)
Seat 3: Jsleezey (1430 in chips)
Seat 6: MightyBug (1355 in chips)

Don't get a speeding ticket!

FNJ - Hand 19 - A fine fold in the big blind to an early position raise.
Dealt to NYCNative [Kc 3h 6s 7h]

FNJ - Hand 20 - I really dislike your call in the SB to an early position raise. This is a trouble hand, and you luckbox this one in a big way.
Dealt to NYCNative [2h 5h 5d 6d]
MightyBug: raises 100 to 150
Wauzzz: folds
Wauzzz is sitting out
NYCNative: calls 125
Jsleezey: folds
*** RIVER *** [8d 7s 8s Td] [9c]
And you both check it down to the river, and you didn't bet the river as first to act with a straight, presumaby due to the boat? Unless he raised w/A2T8, I don't see much chance of a boat here.

FNJ - Hand 21 - Your first speeding ticket comes here. I really dislike your raise, even short-handed.
Dealt to NYCNative [Tc 9c As Qh]
Wauzzz: folds
NYCNative: raises 125 to 175
Jsleezey: folds
MightyBug: calls 125


FNJ - I'm also not crazy about betting the pot on a straight draw with no possible low here. It comes back to haunt you.
*** FLOP *** [8h 8d 7d]
MightyBug: checks
Wauzzz has returned
NYCNative: bets 375
MightyBug: calls 375


FNJ - Yes, your call was obligatory despite the obvious flush, and that's the problem with starting out with trouble hands.
*** TURN *** [8h 8d 7d] [Jd]
MightyBug: bets 730 and is all-in
NYCNative: calls 730
*** RIVER *** [8h 8d 7d Jd] [Kc]

MightyBug: shows [Ad 9d 3d Jh] (HI: a flush, Ace high)
NYCNative: shows [Tc 9c As Qh] (HI: a straight, Seven to Jack)
MightyBug collected 2585 from pot

I think that if you had been showing down better hands, mighty bug might have tossed A3 preflop, but you've shown such crappy hands so far, he figured correctly that Ace-three would probably do just fine.

To be continued. Here's our chip count.
Seat 1: Wauzzz (2640 in chips)
Seat 2: NYCNative (6920 in chips)
Seat 3: Jsleezey (1355 in chips)
Seat 6: MightyBug (2585 in chips)

Critiquing Somebody Else's (NYCNative) PLO8 Play - Part 1

Here's my critique of a buddy's PLO8 tourney that he won.

FNJ - Hand 1 - A very playable starter, nut low draw with counterfeit countermeasure. Hero calls 3 BB in SB, four players see the flop
Dealt to NYCNative [2s 6d Kd Ad]
*** FLOP *** [2d 9d Tc]
FNJ - Not a perfect flop, but tenable.
NYCNative: checks
RTBaLLa: bets 120
pokersnail: folds
barkley05: folds
NYCNative: calls 120
FNJ - You've called w/3 to 1 odds for the scooop draw with 8 outs of 45. Not ridiculous, I guess
*** TURN *** [2d 9d Tc] [8c]
NYCNative: checks
RTBaLLa: bets 500
NYCNative: calls 500
FNJ - I think this call on the other hand, was questionable. Your low draw is weak here, and your opponent presumably has you beat right now.
*** RIVER *** [2d 9d Tc 8c] [4d]
NYCNative: bets 820 and is all-in
RTBaLLa: folds
RTBaLLa said, "had the nuts the whole way until that diamond..... gotta
fold"
NYCNative collected 1500 from pot
FNJ - One of 8 nice cards, and apparently, your opponent had a weak or non-existent low. Now you're the chip leader. Yay.

FNJ Hand 2 - a reasonable fold. However, as chip leader you could also have called cheaply, and if an Ace hit, attempted to buy the pot betting into the unlikely nut low. Of course, there were five folds in front of you, so the pot was negligible.
Dealt to NYCNative [3c 7s Qh 2h]

FNJ Hand 3 - A reasonable limp, you flop top pair and check it down to lose to two pair. sensible.
Dealt to NYCNative [As 8s 9c 5d]

FNJ Hand 4 - Same concept as hand 2. You miss the flop, check it down, and toss it on the river with no part of the trips on the board. Sensible.
Dealt to NYCNative [7h 3d 8s 2d]

FNJ - Hand 5 - I don't like this starter that you limped with from fourth position. You are at a high risk for a second best flush, and a weak low, either of which can only cost you chips. I prefer tossing.
Dealt to NYCNative [Jd Kd 7d As]

FNJ - This is where this hand gets into trouble. Attempt to buy this pot four-way with a weak low and an inside straight draw was insane. Good fold on the reraise.

*** FLOP *** [4h 3h 6s]
MightyBug: checks
upcountryboy: checks
NYCNative: bets 60
RTBaLLa: calls 60
MightyBug: raises 80 to 140
upcountryboy: folds
NYCNative: folds
RTBaLLa: calls 80

FNJ - Hand 6 - Reasonable fold as third to act at a full table. Playable short-handed.
Dealt to NYCNative [8s 3h 5s Td]

FNJ - Hand 7 - I'm not crazy about this limp. If you flop trip sevens, you're still probably behind by the river if not sooner. Your flush draw and low draws are also likely money losers.
Dealt to NYCNative [2d 7d 5s 7c]
NYCNative: calls 20
** FLOP *** [Js 8c 2s]
And you fold to a pot-sized bet. Good fold.

FNJ - Hand 8, you are still chip leader. This is a reasonable limp, but there are arguments for folding it as well, as your low is very weak with no third low draw, and you are blocking your own flush draw. You check it down with five in the pot, which is logical since you didn't hit.
Dealt to NYCNative [Qs 9h 6d Ah]

FNJ - Hand 9 - Good Fold
Dealt to NYCNative [2c Kc 5h 9c]

FNJ - Hand 10 - a reasonable SB limp @15/30 blinds, hoping for a miracle flop with two limpers already in the pot. You flop the miracle and take the pot with no resistance.
Dealt to NYCNative [Kc Qs 4d 3s]
*** FLOP *** [3c 3d Kh]

I'll continue with hand 11, your first luckbox hand, in another posting. Going to bed now.

Was this slowplay justifiable?

On-line and live, I see AA slow-played poorly, in a fashion that comes back to haunt the slow-player, and I have no sympathy for cracked slow-played aces. Having said that, check out the circumstance in this single table tourney.

*********** # 31 **************
PokerStars Game #4997209828: Tournament #25074570, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) -
2006/05/20 - 15:57:01 (ET)
Table '25074570 1' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 4: LittleBeauty (2815 in chips)
Seat 5: FrankNagaiJr (1965 in chips)
Seat 6: Hank01 (1850 in chips)
Seat 8: ll sLiNk ll (3950 in chips)
Seat 9: Snafu58 (2920 in chips)
LittleBeauty: posts small blind 25
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ah Ac]

FNJ - You can see there are five of us left, and I am now the short stack, but I do have room to breathe for at least two more levels. I have just been given an early x-mas present of AA in the BB. How can I extract the max dollars?

Hank01: folds
ll sLiNk ll: raises 100 to 150

FNJ - This is good news, because this player has made more than a statistically reasonable share of 3BB raises, so he could have damn near anything, but I will give him credit for having something playable.

Snafu58: folds
LittleBeauty: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 100

FNJ - No sense tipping off my hand yet. If I reraise, he might actually think I've got something and go away, since I've been very passive about my blinds so far, but he might interpret this as my way of standing up to the thief.

*** FLOP *** [Td 7s 8c]

FNJ - This flop could be called mildly dangerous. If he raised w/J9, TT, 77, 88 I am toast, but let's give him a little more rope if he's simply trying to buy it.

FrankNagaiJr: checks
ll sLiNk ll: bets 150
FrankNagaiJr: calls 150
*** TURN *** [Td 7s 8c] [5c]
FrankNagaiJr: checks
ll sLiNk ll: bets 400

FNJ - The turn was innocuous, I cannot believe he improved on it, unless he had 55 and hit his miracle. However, I'd like to figure out where he's at, and possibly get all of my chips in the middle if I'm still ahead.

FrankNagaiJr: raises 500 to 900
ll sLiNk ll: calls 500

FNJ - If he had been slow-playing ME, then I would have expected an all-in raise here, and I could have walked away with 900 in chips if I chose to fold. I liked his call, which says he's either very patient, or can't tell what I've got.

*** RIVER *** [Td 7s 8c 5c] [4c]

FNJ - Another innocuous card. There are now 2125 chips in the pot, so if he's got a pair, it's an almost obligatory call. If I'm beat, I got what I deserved.

FrankNagaiJr: bets 765 and is all-in
ll sLiNk ll: calls 765
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Ah Ac] (a pair of Aces)
ll sLiNk ll: shows [Ts Jd] (a pair of Tens)
FrankNagaiJr collected 3955 from pot
ll sLiNk ll said, "very nice play sir"
FrankNagaiJr said, "ty"
FrankNagaiJr said, "I was hoping you wouldn't two pair on me :-)"
ll sLiNk ll said, "i figured you were slowokayin me"
FrankNagaiJr said, "guilty as charged"

Roundup

I was in Nashville for 3 days. Pretty place, nice strolls around town, no poker except in the hotel. I'm doing okay at the 11$ STTs, but no spectacular. I'm starting to see more clearly where is the fine line between tilty/tired play, and reasonable play for an STT.

I went to the Armory last night and bled for two hours at 3/6 limit. I occasionally caught small pokets and small suited connectors, but missed every damn flop all night long. The single hand I collected on was pocket 9s, where I raised preflop, chasing away nobody, then the board helped nobody, so my 9s held.

Playing the LO8 tourney tonight. I hope I haven't put too much pressure on my own self, since I've got a swelled head when it comes to O8. I'm in Vegas Monday night.

A stupid way to play KK

I'm on the button with 1490 in chips, second hand of a 9 player on-line SNG w/KK, there are two limpers.

I raise to 6BB, and the first limper calls, all others fold, there is about 250 in the pot.

Flop 236 rainbow, and I bet the pot, and get a call.

Turn is a 5, and I go all-in. He insta-calls and turns over A5s for the unlikely, against pot-odds inside-straight draw that fills.

In retrospect, once he called my pot-sized flop bet, I could have reasonably limited his range of hands as follows:

1) High pocket pair (AA, QQ, JJ)
2) Trips
3) Unlikely straight draw
4) A total donk bluff

In most of the reasonable instances, I'm behind. I should have slowed down a lot after that initial call. It's tough to lay down KK, but there are times....

Key Hands 180 Player $4 - second place

Hand 1 - A Donk Play pays off

*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #4937729405: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20)
- 2006/05/14 - 22:07:40 (ET)
Table '24760448 17' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (1500 in chips)
Dylanmann: posts small blind 10
Grip'nRip: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Th Kc]
FrankNagaiJr: calls 20
randomfrost: raises 60 to 80
Dylanmann: calls 70
Grip'nRip: calls 60
FrankNagaiJr: calls 60
*** FLOP *** [8d Ks As]
Dylanmann: checks
Grip'nRip: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 150
randomfrost: folds
fishm0nger [observer] said, "rank random"
Dylanmann: folds
Grip'nRip: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 320 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***


Hand 2 - A real hand, but no more profit than the donk hand

*********** # 2 **************
PokerStars Game #4937755022: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20)
- 2006/05/14 - 22:09:41 (ET)
Table '24760448 17' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (1740 in chips)
Grip'nRip: posts small blind 10
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ac Ah]
aznthavi: raises 80 to 100
FrankNagaiJr: calls 80
*** FLOP *** [2c 2s Kc]
FrankNagaiJr: checks
aznthavi: bets 60
FrankNagaiJr: raises 200 to 260
aznthavi: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 330 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

My chipstack is now a healthy 1910. I can breathe for a few hands.

Hand 7 - Fishing and a nice little suckout. Note the misplay of the person who flopped trips and tried to slowplay it multi-way.

*********** # 7 **************
PokerStars Game #4937812178: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20)
- 2006/05/14 - 22:14:13 (ET)
Table '24760448 17' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (1900 in chips)
jvc1: posts small blind 10
yesiam4: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [4s 4c]
Dylanmann: calls 20
FrankNagaiJr: calls 20
aznthavi: calls 20
jvc1: calls 10
yesiam4: checks
*** FLOP *** [Th Tc Qc]
jvc1: checks
yesiam4: checks
Dylanmann: checks
FrankNagaiJr: checks
aznthavi: checks
*** TURN *** [Th Tc Qc] [4d]
jvc1: checks
yesiam4: checks
Dylanmann: bets 100
FrankNagaiJr: calls 100
aznthavi: folds
jvc1: folds
yesiam4: folds
*** RIVER *** [Th Tc Qc 4d] [Kh]
Dylanmann: bets 320
FrankNagaiJr: calls 320
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dylanmann: shows [9h Td] (three of a kind, Tens)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [4s 4c] (a full house, Fours full of Tens)
FrankNagaiJr collected 940 from pot

My chip stack is now a very healthy 2400

Hand 10 - I raise 5BB W/AQo in early position, two callers, null flop. I give it up. Chipstack = 2300

Hand 18 - KK, and pokerstars freezes up and auto-folds me. My internet connection was fine.

Hand 19 - TT and I reraise a guy with half my chip count. He calls, turns over 77 and fails to suck out. My chip count is 3085

Hand 25 - I toss 75o early position and the flop is 775. Bummer.

Hand 26 - Here is a typical example of the level of play in the early stages of a 180 tourney. I was very lucky that the third guy came along for the ride with a crappy hand.

*********** # 26 **************
PokerStars Game #4938166033: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level III
(25/50) - 2006/05/14 - 22:40:54 (ET)
Table '24760448 2' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: ovationdude (810 in chips)
Seat 2: CAPTIN SEXXY (4595 in chips)
Seat 3: mattyman2 (2640 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (3085 in chips)
Seat 5: BroadwayJoe1 (3195 in chips)
Seat 6: redwbase (5022 in chips)
Seat 7: CONRAD118 (1755 in chips)
Seat 8: onevbdeal (955 in chips)
Seat 9: poortom1313 (525 in chips)
mattyman2: posts small blind 25
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Jh Js]
CONRAD118: calls 50
poortom1313: raises 475 to 525 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: raises 2560 to 3085 and is all-in
CONRAD118: calls 1705 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [7c Kc 3c]
*** TURN *** [7c Kc 3c] [Td]
*** RIVER *** [7c Kc 3c Td] [8c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Jh Js] (a pair of Jacks)
CONRAD118: shows [8h As] (a pair of Eights)
FrankNagaiJr collected 2460 from side pot
poortom1313: shows [Ac 8d] (a flush, Ace high)
poortom1313 collected 1600 from main pot

Hand 37 - Another example of the calling stations you can find in the early stages. I assumed I was beat once my continuation bet was called.

*********** # 37 **************
PokerStars Game #4938396991: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV
(50/100) - 2006/05/14 - 22:58:21 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: cgcaja (2510 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (3465 in chips)
Hipnotyk: posts small blind 50
Kabe_68: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ah Kd]
01Dave01: calls 100
FrankNagaiJr: raises 400 to 500
cgcaja: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [9c Jc Th]
birdmanNY has returned
cgcaja: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 500
cgcaja: calls 500
*** TURN *** [9c Jc Th] [4d]
cgcaja: checks
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** RIVER *** [9c Jc Th 4d] [3s]
cgcaja: checks
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
cgcaja: shows [Kh 6h] (high card King)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Ah Kd] (high card Ace)
FrankNagaiJr collected 2250 from pot

Chip count is now 4715, still very healthy.

Hand 62 - I've been tight for a while, and my raise gets a little respect.

*********** # 62 **************
PokerStars Game #4938854583: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI
(100/200) - 2006/05/14 - 23:33:55 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: AceKQJT (2150 in chips)
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (7720 in chips)
Seat 3: 01Dave01 (4375 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (4015 in chips)
Seat 5: Bradz24 (25637 in chips)
Seat 6: NoPlayNoPay (7004 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (8255 in chips)
Seat 8: evilmaker (1415 in chips)
Seat 9: SandbergFan (3285 in chips)
evilmaker: posts small blind 100
SandbergFan: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ah Kh]
01Dave01: calls 200
FrankNagaiJr: raises 600 to 800
GoldenRic: calls 800
01Dave01: calls 600
*** FLOP *** [Ks 8h Qh]
01Dave01: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 1000
GoldenRic: folds
01Dave01: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 2700 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

My chip count is now 5915, which is nowhere near the table big stack of 25K by a luck box to my left who likes to limp any two cards.

Hand 68 - I'm dealth KQo on the button and fold to a 3BB raise. The raiser was GoldenRic, who I picked as a decent player whose raises should be respect. He went on to take third in the tourney. The flop was K38, but if he had big slick, I was in a world of trouble.

Hand 79 - A coin flip against a smaller stack goes well.

*********** # 79 **************
PokerStars Game #4939039008: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII
(100/200) - 2006/05/14 - 23:49:24 (ET)
Table '24760448 1' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: RaSeC (2853 in chips)
Seat 2: thx4theloot (28033 in chips)
Seat 5: Laeelin (7855 in chips)
Seat 6: coyotte (1830 in chips)
Seat 7: FrankNagaiJr (4798 in chips)
Seat 8: jdespertt (9420 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: dcviperboy (6083 in chips)
thx4theloot: posts small blind 100
Laeelin: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Kc Ac]
FrankNagaiJr: raises 600 to 800
coyotte: calls 600
*** FLOP *** [Ks 5c 3c]
coyotte: bets 1005 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 1005
*** TURN *** [Ks 5c 3c] [Kh]
FrankNagaiJr said, "gg"
*** RIVER *** [Ks 5c 3c Kh] [Jc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
coyotte: shows [9s 9h] (two pair, Kings and Nines)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Kc Ac] (a flush, Ace high)
FrankNagaiJr collected 4085 from pot

My chip stack is now 7053, which is mediocre for the table I'm at. Luckbox is still at 21K

Hand 80 - I raise 4BB w/QQ and get two callers. The flop is J52 with two hearts, and my half-pot continuation bet gets no callers. Chip stack is 8953.

Hand 83 - Note the questionable call I make here. This player had been playing any two cards, and making lots of scary looking bets. I figured this was a good opportunity to double up or go to bed.

*********** # 83 **************
PokerStars Game #4939090093: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII
(100/200) - 2006/05/14 - 23:53:49 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (10040 in chips)
Seat 3: jdespertt (8420 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (10478 in chips)
Seat 5: Bradz24 (19877 in chips)
Seat 6: NoPlayNoPay (7304 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (9805 in chips)
Seat 8: evilmaker (2320 in chips)
Bradz24: posts small blind 100
NoPlayNoPay: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ts Tc]
FrankNagaiJr: raises 600 to 800
Bradz24: calls 700
NoPlayNoPay: folds
*** FLOP *** [5h Kd Kh]
Bradz24: bets 19052 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 9653 and is all-in
Bradz24 said, "nh"
*** TURN *** [5h Kd Kh] [8s]
*** RIVER *** [5h Kd Kh 8s] [Jc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Bradz24: shows [8c 5c] (two pair, Kings and Eights)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Ts Tc] (two pair, Kings and Tens)
FrankNagaiJr said, "ty"
FrankNagaiJr collected 21281 from pot

My chipstack is now 21281, I have effectively traded stacks with the luckbox.

Hand 92 - I luckbox a little, and publicly advertise that I will raise with mediocre holdings.


*********** # 92 **************
PokerStars Game #4939184044: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII
(200/400) - 2006/05/15 - 00:02:10 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: JDub8601 (7361 in chips)
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (16580 in chips)
Seat 3: jdespertt (7550 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (20281 in chips)
Seat 5: Bradz24 (10124 in chips)
Seat 6: NoPlayNoPay (5879 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (7555 in chips)
Seat 8: bpsnok (17114 in chips)
Seat 9: Image3D (10124 in chips)
bpsnok: posts small blind 200
Image3D: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Jd Qs]
FrankNagaiJr: raises 400 to 800
NoPlayNoPay: calls 800
*** FLOP *** [7d Kc 3c]
FrankNagaiJr: checks
NoPlayNoPay: checks
*** TURN *** [7d Kc 3c] [2s]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 400
NoPlayNoPay: calls 400
*** RIVER *** [7d Kc 3c 2s] [Qd]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 400
NoPlayNoPay: calls 400
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Jd Qs] (a pair of Queens)
NoPlayNoPay: mucks hand
FrankNagaiJr collected 4025 from pot


Hand 111 - I may have been bluffed out here. If so, this was a nice bluff.
*********** # 111 **************
PokerStars Game #4939411102: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level IX
(300/600) - 2006/05/15 - 00:23:07 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (21663 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (20906 in chips)
Seat 5: Bradz24 (8795 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (6555 in chips)
Seat 8: bpsnok (12014 in chips)
Seat 9: Image3D (21299 in chips)
xTerminator2: posts small blind 300
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Kh Ad]
xTerminator2: calls 300
FrankNagaiJr: raises 1200 to 1800
xTerminator2: calls 1200
*** FLOP *** [9s 6c 8h]
xTerminator2: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 3000
xTerminator2: calls 3000
*** TURN *** [9s 6c 8h] [7h]
xTerminator2: bets 1200
FrankNagaiJr: folds
xTerminator2 collected 9900 from pot
xTerminator2: doesn't show hand

Hand 125 - Maybe my raise with QJ earlier, and my laydown in hand 111 paid off?
*********** # 125 **************
PokerStars Game #4939531690: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level X
(400/800) - 2006/05/15 - 00:34:56 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Toni_K (18930 in chips)
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (25763 in chips)
Seat 3: dcviperboy (14832 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (13606 in chips)
Seat 6: jvc1 (20309 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (10355 in chips)
Seat 8: bpsnok (9514 in chips)
Seat 9: Image3D (18499 in chips)
dcviperboy: posts small blind 400
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Qh Qs]
xTerminator2: calls 800
dcviperboy: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 1600 to 2400
xTerminator2: calls 1600
*** FLOP *** [7c 9h 4s]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 3200
xTerminator2: raises 3200 to 6400
FrankNagaiJr: raises 4756 to 11156 and is all-in
xTerminator2: calls 4756
*** TURN *** [7c 9h 4s] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [7c 9h 4s 8h] [As]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Qh Qs] (a pair of Queens)
xTerminator2: shows [9s Ts] (a pair of Nines)
FrankNagaiJr collected 27912 from pot


Hand 127 - I steal from the button w/KQo and a 3BB raise.

Hand 135 - I steal from the cutff w/ATo and a 3BB raise.

Hand 139 - I toss 33 in the BB from an early 3BB raise by GoldenRic. I've got a decent stack, but he's got enough to take a chunk of it if I get involved and lose.

Hand 148 - I steal from button w/K8o. 2BB. (blinds are now 600/1200)

Hand 152 - I toss KQo utg.

Hand 159 - I really don't see how this player didn't fold on the turn, but so be it. Pot odds?

*********** # 159 **************
PokerStars Game #4939776375: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XI
(600/1200) - 2006/05/15 - 01:00:41 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Toni_K (49655 in chips)
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (15832 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (29437 in chips)
Seat 6: jvc1 (14854 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (16460 in chips)
Seat 9: Image3D (12595 in chips)
xTerminator2: posts small blind 600
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [9h Th]
Image3D: calls 1200
xTerminator2: calls 600
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [9d Js Kd]
xTerminator2: bets 1200
FrankNagaiJr: calls 1200
Image3D: calls 1200
*** TURN *** [9d Js Kd] [5c]
xTerminator2: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 2400
Image3D: calls 2400
xTerminator2: folds
*** RIVER *** [9d Js Kd 5c] [Ac]
FrankNagaiJr: checks
Image3D: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [9h Th] (a pair of Nines)
Image3D: shows [Tc Ts] (a pair of Tens)
Image3D collected 12450 from pot

I have just advertised my willingness to be agressive with third pair. Will it pay?


Hand 164 - I utg raise w/JTs and get no callers.

Hand 172 - I toss 33 to the table captains early position 4BB raise. He had made a large number of uncontested 4BB raises, so this might have been a good place to make a stand, but I don't like 33 so much.

Hand 175 - Sometimes a reraise answers your questions. There is no way I could have been ahead on the turn, unless this guy was brain dead or was looking into my soul.

*********** # 175 **************
PokerStars Game #4939864580: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XII
(800/1600) - 2006/05/15 - 01:10:39 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Toni_K (54105 in chips)
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (12932 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (23062 in chips)
Seat 6: jvc1 (8629 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (40105 in chips)
xTerminator2: posts small blind 800
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 1600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [5s 7h]
jvc1: folds
GoldenRic: folds
Toni_K: folds
xTerminator2: calls 800
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [3h 7d 9d]
xTerminator2: bets 1600
FrankNagaiJr: raises 3200 to 4800
xTerminator2: calls 3200
*** TURN *** [3h 7d 9d] [3d]
xTerminator2: bets 3200
FrankNagaiJr: folds
xTerminator2 collected 13175 from pot
xTerminator2: doesn't show hand

Hand 176 - I finally stand up to the table captain. Believe it or not, he turns into the little professor after this hand, and lectures me for several hands about how bad my play was. I felt that after losing the prior hand, I needed to double up soon or be in trouble, and I knew that I couldn't be any worse than a coin flip with this all-in.

*********** # 176 **************
PokerStars Game #4939873904: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XII
(800/1600) - 2006/05/15 - 01:11:41 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Toni_K (54030 in chips)
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (19632 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (16587 in chips)
Seat 6: jvc1 (8554 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (40030 in chips)
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 800
jvc1: posts big blind 1600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [8s Kh]
Toni_K: raises 3200 to 4800
FrankNagaiJr: raises 11712 to 16512 and is all-in
Toni_K: calls 11712
*** FLOP *** [6h Ks 3h]
*** TURN *** [6h Ks 3h] [2d]
*** RIVER *** [6h Ks 3h 2d] [6d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [8s Kh] (two pair, Kings and Sixes)
Toni_K: shows [5h 7c] (a pair of Sixes)
FrankNagaiJr collected 34999 from pot

Toni_K said, "I'll remeber that"
FrankNagaiJr said, "yes, and continue to raise w/57o? cool"
Toni_K said, "I only called because I knew you moved in with garbage"
FrankNagaiJr said, "you were correct, but my garbage was superior"

Hand 179 - I raise 3BB w/77 utg and no callers.

Toni_K said, "pretty stupid if you ask me"
FrankNagaiJr said, "thanks for the lesson"

Hand 181 - I call a 1BB raise in BB w/86o and two players. Flop is AAK and I'm gone.

Hand 183 - The little professor pushes with AJo on a 567 flop and loses to AK. He's still got plenty of chips.

Hand 194 - I've been patient. I raise 3BB w/QQ utg and get no callers. My chip stack is 36K and blinds are 1k/2K

Hand 200 - Emboldened I raise 3BB utg w/KTo, and get no callers. This compensates the QQ I guess.

Hand 201 - Cheeky BB play betting into the flush draw leads to a luckbox river. I think this player should have raised w/AQ in the SB rather than assuming he would catch and trap me.

*********** # 201 **************
PokerStars Game #4940065908: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIII
(1000/2000) - 2006/05/15 - 01:33:52 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Toni_K (27461 in chips)
Seat 2: xTerminator2 (24039 in chips)
Seat 3: FL-Hunter (62782 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (40224 in chips)
Seat 5: Bears loot (47104 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (68390 in chips)
Toni_K: posts the ante 100
FL-Hunter: posts small blind 1000
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 2000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [7s Js]
xTerminator2: calls 2000
FrankNagaiJr: checks
*** FLOP *** [4s 8s 4h]
FrankNagaiJr: checks
xTerminator2: checks
*** TURN *** [4s 8s 4h] [8c]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 2000
xTerminator2: calls 2000
*** RIVER *** [4s 8s 4h 8c] [Jc]
FrankNagaiJr: bets 2000
xTerminator2: calls 2000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [7s Js] (two pair, Jacks and Eights)
xTerminator2: shows [Qh Ad] (two pair, Eights and Fours)
FrankNagaiJr said, "nh"
FrankNagaiJr collected 13600 from pot

Hand 209 - This looked like a steal to me, so I figured I'd take the coin flip. I'm happy I did.


*********** # 209 **************
PokerStars Game #4940105651: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIII
(1000/2000) - 2006/05/15 - 01:38:57 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: FL-Hunter (152764 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (43024 in chips)
Seat 5: Bears loot (20483 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (53729 in chips)
FL-Hunter: posts small blind 1000
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 2000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Qh Ks]
FL-Hunter: raises 4000 to 6000
FrankNagaiJr: calls 4000
*** FLOP *** [8d Js Qs]
FL-Hunter: bets 146664 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 36924 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr said, "phew"
*** TURN *** [8d Js Qs] [8s]
*** RIVER *** [8d Js Qs 8s] [6h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FL-Hunter: shows [Qc 5s] (two pair, Queens and Eights)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Qh Ks] (two pair, Queens and Eights - King kicker)
FrankNagaiJr said, "no suck out, better still"
FrankNagaiJr collected 86248 from pot

Hand 210 - SB Steal w/A9s.

Hand 212 utg steal w/A5o

Hand 214 - I'm a healthy stack, so I take my chances on what looks like a coin flip to me.

*********** # 214 **************
PokerStars Game #4940121711: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIV
(1500/3000) - 2006/05/15 - 01:41:03 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: FL-Hunter (109840 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (90248 in chips)
Seat 5: Bears loot (36466 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (33446 in chips)
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 1500
Bears loot: posts big blind 3000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Kd Jc]
FrankNagaiJr: raises 6000 to 9000
Bears loot: raises 27316 to 36316 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 27316
FrankNagaiJr said, "nh"
*** FLOP *** [3d Js 8s]
*** TURN *** [3d Js 8s] [Ts]
*** RIVER *** [3d Js 8s Ts] [Kc]
FrankNagaiJr said, "gg"
GoldenRic said, "gg"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Kd Jc] (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
Bears loot: shows [7d 7h] (a pair of Sevens)
FrankNagaiJr collected 73232 from pot

Hand 217 - I steal raise 3BB w/KQs and flop two pair. I check the flop and micro-bet the turn, he folds.

Hand 221 - UTG Steal w/ TJs 3BB.

Hand 225 - Again, reraising is a good friend.
*********** # 225 **************
PokerStars Game #4940154333: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIV
(1500/3000) - 2006/05/15 - 01:45:25 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: FL-Hunter (89590 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (132864 in chips)
Seat 7: GoldenRic (47546 in chips)
FL-Hunter: posts the ante 150
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 150
GoldenRic: posts the ante 150
FL-Hunter: posts small blind 1500
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 3000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Jh Qc]
GoldenRic: folds
FL-Hunter: raises 6000 to 9000
FrankNagaiJr: calls 6000
*** FLOP *** [Th 4h Jc]
FL-Hunter: bets 6000
FrankNagaiJr: raises 12000 to 18000
FL-Hunter: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 30450 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand

Hand 226 - Third place is awarded, and we're down to heads up.

Hand 229 - This river broke my heart, but the play clearly indicated that he had a Jack.

*********** # 229 **************
PokerStars Game #4940168095: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIV
(1500/3000) - 2006/05/15 - 01:47:18 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 3: FL-Hunter (123486 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (146514 in chips)
FL-Hunter: posts the ante 150
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 150
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 1500
FL-Hunter: posts big blind 3000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [6h 6c]
FrankNagaiJr: raises 6000 to 9000
FL-Hunter: calls 6000
*** FLOP *** [Jh 6s Js]
FL-Hunter: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 6000
FL-Hunter: raises 6000 to 12000
FrankNagaiJr: calls 6000
*** TURN *** [Jh 6s Js] [7c]
FL-Hunter: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 12000
FL-Hunter: calls 12000
*** RIVER *** [Jh 6s Js 7c] [7d]
FL-Hunter: bets 90336 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr said, "Jx huh?"
FrankNagaiJr said, "you were behind"
FrankNagaiJr: folds
FL-Hunter collected 66300 from pot

Hand 230, 231 I change gears and see some cheap flops and buy the pots on the flop.

Hand 235 - Sure, I'll respect a nice reraise when I've got nothing but overs.

*********** # 235 **************
PokerStars Game #4940187782: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIV
(1500/3000) - 2006/05/15 - 01:50:02 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 3: FL-Hunter (159786 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (110214 in chips)
FL-Hunter: posts the ante 150
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 150
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 1500
FL-Hunter: posts big blind 3000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Qh Js]
FrankNagaiJr: raises 6000 to 9000
FL-Hunter: calls 6000
*** FLOP *** [9d 7h 2s]
FL-Hunter: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 9000
FL-Hunter: raises 42000 to 51000
FrankNagaiJr: folds
FL-Hunter collected 36300 from pot

Hand 237 - I raise 3BB w/T8s and get a caller. Oops! Flop 866 and I still manage to buy the pot.

Hand 240 - Note that we were both at 20M, so this didn't need to be a push fest. However, I was more than happy that he pushed when I held KK. Bummer result.

*********** # 240 **************
PokerStars Game #4940198894: Tournament #24760448, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIV
(1500/3000) - 2006/05/15 - 01:51:36 (ET)
Table '24760448 15' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: FL-Hunter (168636 in chips)
Seat 4: FrankNagaiJr (101364 in chips)
FL-Hunter: posts the ante 150
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 150
FL-Hunter: posts small blind 1500
FrankNagaiJr: posts big blind 3000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Kh Ks]
FL-Hunter: calls 1500
FrankNagaiJr: raises 9000 to 12000
FL-Hunter: raises 156486 to 168486 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 89214 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [2s 2c Ah]
FrankNagaiJr said, "nh"
*** TURN *** [2s 2c Ah] [6s]
*** RIVER *** [2s 2c Ah 6s] [5d]
FrankNagaiJr said, "gg"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Kh Ks] (two pair, Kings and Deuces)
FL-Hunter: shows [Ad Js] (two pair, Aces and Deuces)
FL-Hunter collected 202728 from pot
FL-Hunter [observer] said, "gg"

I'll take a moral victory for having the better hand pre-flop.

I didn't need to suck out much at all to make it to second in this tourney. A couple of coin flips, sure, but I was never all-in and worse than 45% to win.

Hypocrite

As soon as I said 'no more 180s', I go and play a couple of the 4$ jobs. The first one I'm knocked out in 30 minutes, with top pair versus second pair on the flop, and opponent catches two pair on river to knock me out.

Then I start another at 10:30 pm, and I just lost the heads-up moments ago. The stack rations were

Villain: 160K
Hero: 100K

And the total blinds and antes were at 5K, so I had about 20M to play with. I find KK in the BB and when villain limps, I raise 3K(BB) to 12K, and villain pushes. I have no choice but to call, and he turns over AJo. Flop is A22.

But I played a pretty good game over-all, and didn't require many suckouts to make it that far. The trick was to get a healthy stack in the first couple rounds, and then be patient.

I now have over 200 in my account, so I will graduate to the 10$ STTs, and stay there till I'm back below 150, or till I'm past 400.

$0.75 richer

Last night after the kids went to bet I played a $1.10 LO8 tourney on tards. I placed 38th out of 531 and got $1.85 for my efforts. Whoo hoo!

I have been doing very well at the $5.50 single table tourneys lately, so I think I will concentrate my efforts there. It seems like I should actually try to make some money out of the deal rather than winning some, wasting it on the 180s, and repeating the process.

Here's my new game plan.

Current Balance: $115.

1) Stick with the $5.50 tables till I get to $200.
2) When I pass 200, play the $11 tables till I'm either back down to 150, or up to 400.
3) Evey time I get past 500, do a little cashout rather than squander it.
4) Accumulate frequent player points, and use those to chase the pipe dream of playing in a major event.

Seems like a reasonable plan, if I stick to it.

Countdown to Vegas

I'll be in Vegas in 15 days for a conference. I've allotted some playing time. My California trip this week got scratched, so I'm at home.

One of my brothers had a heart-attack this weekend, and he's a lifelong smoker in his mid- forties. He's okay, but the short term memory will be a while to recover. He's been advised to give up smoking.

Greektown whining

1) It was smokey. Technically there was no smoking at the table, but since people could smoke two feet away. Wah Wah Wah.

2) I limp 68s and call a raise in 3/6 limit and flop the perfect 579 rainbow. I raise on the flop and it's down to two handed. Turn 8 and I raise and get reraised, and I call. River T, and I call the bet, he turns over JJ to river the higher straight. Wah Wah Wah.

3) I raise w/QQ and push nobody out, at least 5 others in the pot. Innocuous flop below Q, I bet and get a bunch of callers. Turn comes A, and we all check it round (I assume somebody's got an ace, so I don't bet it.) Flop is innocuous 7, and the guy to my right bets, I make the crying call, expecting a weak aced. Worse still, he flips over 57o for two pair, which says to me that I could have bet the turn and possibly pushed him out to win. Wah Wah Wah.

Other than those two bad beats, I played pretty well. As with all low-stakes limit, you mostly need cards to win big pots, and I wasn't hitting many flops. I walked away with 8BB in four hours.

N'erk Tourney May 5

Played the 50$ Nerk tonight, and made the final table, but no cash. Notable stuff:

1) Made a really bad BB call with 34s against a player I didn't take seriously. Blinds are 5/10, he raises to 20, and I call for 10 more (my stack is just under 100). I flop a pair and bet it, he calls, we both check the turn, and I hit two pair on the river and bet most of my remaining stack. He calls with the trips he flopped, and I'm very short stacked.

2) In another all-in battle in which my AQs narrowly beats KJo (xxxKA), I realize after the next hand has started that my stack is 10 light from what it should be. I state this to the table, and am told I'm too late. I'll have to watch this crowd like a hawk when my chips are in play, especially all-in situations.

3) Final hand for me I'm in BB w/210 chips including the blind, blinds are 15/30 and 3 players limp, I've got T8o. Flop is 892 rainbow, and we check it round, turn T and I've got two pair. I bet 60, get reraised to 120, and I push. He calls and turns over AT. Of course he hits his three-outer to knock me out.

Other than the hand mentioned above, which almost killed me (I quadrupled up in the SB one hand later to survive), I think I played very well. I didn't get cute with players who don't bluff, and I bet when I was ahead, got out when I wasn't getting the odds I needed to make a call. As a group, it's pretty passive play, with a handful of agressors.

on-line SNG streak continues

I took first in one PLO8 and one NL $5.50 as my last two tourneys, and in the past week, I've made the money more than 60% of my sngs.

The PLO8 was a partial fluke, starting with making a really bad all-in call with a pair of aces against a stone cold bluff on a scary board, and after that I was getting crazy good cards. Lots of decent starters, and lots of boards that matched my starters.

The NL sng streak I must credit to my ability to lay down more frequently, and to paying careful attention to who I'm up against. Frequently, I figure out who the rocks are, bluff them to keep the blinds at bay, and only go against them with a hand. (In the SNGs where I haven't placed, I've been up against luck-boxes. You've seen these players too often: they call against pot odds, go all-in against pot odds, and find their four-outer, their 7 outer, their two-outer, and occasionally they're actually ahead.)

The most recent NL sng, we were down to four-way with two rocks, myself, and a reasonably tricky/smart player, and it was clear that if tricky/smart got caught up with the rocks (or I out-tricked him....) then I could steal the rocks' blinds in perpetuity. There was a cute hand where T/S and I both turned over T9os with the made straight on the river. We were both all-in figuring we'd outsmarted top pair....

PS: $ watch - still only at $115, but I'm amused at least.

No news

I was in Cleveland for a few days this week. They don't have a casino, but I spent a lot of time on pokertards in the hotel room. Not much good news. After having made some money over the weekend, I spent most of it on the 180 player sngs. The best I did was #80 when my unsuited KQ failed to best JJ in an SB v BB blind steal situation. I had enough chips that I could have backed down when he pushed, but I felt that I was most likely facing a coin flip, which was true, and that it was a decent chance to double up my below-average stack.

Looks like I'll be in Los Angeles next week. Time permitting, I might check out the Bicycle.

Grab bag

Was in DC and then drove to NYC last week. A little bit of on-line poker only. Wiped out from the driving. (500 miles over 3 days). Then came home Friday and had a bad reaction to an allergy shot and checked myself into the ER for nasty chest pains and shortness of breath. All is okay now.

In the past 30 hours I've found time for 5 $5.50 sng's on pokertards, and took four consecutive seconds and finally a first. I feel like I'm getting much better about choosing when to be agressive and when to back down. I'm back up to $150 on tards after having been down to $90. Maybe I should stick with sngs for a while to build the account up before farting around with PLO8 and bigger tourneys.

More PLO8 Odds - High Wrap Draws

High Two-Suited Wrap hands versus one or more low hands

Two suited high wrap only a slight dog against a wheel wrap with one flush draw.
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ad Jd Kh Qh 168102 311381 188619 0 0 0 0 0.479
4s 2s Ac 3d 188619 188619 311381 0 292338 0 0 0.521

Same hands plus a donk hand with an Ace, a wheel card and a middle pair. The donk hand is actually .223 EV
Ad Jd Kh Qh 104248 212857 287143 0 0 0 0 0.317
4s 2s Ac 3d 135072 137323 361649 1028 292928 6101 2023 0.460
9c 5c 9d Ah 68742 148792 350180 1028 9603 191655 2023 0.223

If against two hands both drawing low, the wrap becomes the favorite
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ad Jd Kh Qh 160523 251893 248107 0 0 0 0 0.412
8s 2s Ac 3d 59832 109768 381094 9138 73681 39784 146408 0.299
5c 2c 4d Ah 54058 129201 361661 9138 45090 68183 146408 0.289

If both the lows have a low pair and are drawing to trips, it's much closer to even.
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ad Jd Kh Qh 139403 219976 280024 0 0 0 0 0.359
8s 2s Ac 2d 76401 122461 376936 603 161497 69192 3775 0.331
4c 3c 4d Ah 84848 156960 342437 603 94251 136814 3775 0.310

High Two-Suited Wrap draw versus a suited pair of aces. The wrap is a dog.
Omaha Hi/Low 8-or-better: 500000 sampled boards
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ad Jd Kh Qh 162079 162079 337169 752 0 0 0 0.325
As Ts Ac 9c 337169 337169 162079 752 0 0 0 0.675

Even with unsuited aces, the high wrap is still a big dog if the aces have a low draw.
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ad Jd Kh Qh 134821 190363 309637 0 0 0 0 0.325
As Ac 7d 9h 309637 309637 190363 0 220166 0 0 0.675

Blind three legged pig finds acorn!

PLO8 turbo tourney. I couldn't pass up the pot odds with a high wrap draw hand.

Seat 1: oldgezer (2914 in chips)
Seat 2: jackpotjb (2313 in chips)
Seat 3: TheRomer (2287 in chips)
Seat 4: Andromedae (4641 in chips)
Seat 5: KMFGB (3508 in chips)
Seat 6: DaHammersbro (2904 in chips)
Seat 7: gorokoch (2156 in chips)
Seat 8: FrankNagaiJr (3575 in chips)
Seat 9: pqmt (2702 in chips)

antes 25
Andromedae: posts small blind 200
KMFGB: posts big blind 400
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Jd Ad Th Qs]

DaHammersbro: raises 400 to 800
gorokoch: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 800
pqmt: raises 1877 to 2677 and is all-in
oldgezer: folds
jackpotjb is connected
jackpotjb: folds
TheRomer: folds
Andromedae: folds
KMFGB: calls 2277
DaHammersbro: calls 1877

Hmm, if I stay to see the flop, I've gotta see all five cards.

FrankNagaiJr: raises 873 to 3550 and is all-in
KMFGB: calls 806 and is all-in
DaHammersbro: calls 202 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr said, "wheee"


I'm the one below with the .104 EV. That can't be good.

cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ac Ah 6h 5h 98224 135850 240947 195 175299 71028 189 0.448
Qs Ad Jd Th 17236 44276 307893 24823 0 0 0 0.104
Js Ts Jc Tc 26762 76095 276074 24823 0 0 0 0.159
Ks 2s Kd 3d 52580 95753 281044 195 90912 58740 189 0.289

*** FLOP *** [3c 5d Qh]
My EV has skyrocketed to .112!!! (the AA is now .615 EV)

*** TURN *** [3c 5d Qh] [Qd]
I am now virtually a lock on the high, and only AA has a draw to a low.

*** RIVER *** [3c 5d Qh Qd] [Jh]
He shoots, he scores!

KMFGB: shows [Ah Ac 6h 5h] (HI: two pair, Aces and Queens)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Jd Ad Th Qs] (HI: a full house, Queens full of Jacks)
FrankNagaiJr collected 1208 from side pot-2
DaHammersbro: shows [Jc Js Ts Tc] (HI: a full house, Jacks full of Queens)
FrankNagaiJr collected 606 from side pot-1
pqmt: shows [Kd Ks 3d 2s] (HI: two pair, Kings and Queens)
FrankNagaiJr collected 11133 from main pot
No low hand qualified
FrankNagaiJr said, "wow"

PLO8 - a few all-in scenarios

I've been playing some tourney PLO8. I'd better learn a few all-in EVs.

All stats from twodimes.net

Suited Aces with no low draw versus three low cards
Aces only slightly ahead in first scenario with one decent flush draw for low
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
As Qs Ac Kc 178503 343501 156499 0 0 0 0 0.522
9c 5c Ad 2d 156499 156499 343501 0 266344 0 0 0.478

Give lows two flush draws, and they pull ahead
As Qs Ac Kc 166022 320697 179303 0 0 0 0 0.487
Ad 2d 9h 5h 179303 179303 320697 0 266411 0 0 0.513

Take away flush draws for the lows, and they plummet in value
As Qs Ac Kc 194297 373539 126461 0 0 0 0 0.568
9s 2c Ad 5h 126461 126461 373539 0 266876 0 0 0.432

Three Lows with one suited ace versus a high pair with no low draw
Lows are ahead here
Ks Qs Kc Tc 151684 307389 192611 0 0 0 0 0.459
9s Ad 2d 5h 192611 192611 307389 0 290483 0 0 0.541

Change the suits in the lows favor, and the high pair is a big dog
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ks Kc Qc Tc 141126 270743 229257 0 0 0 0 0.412
9s 5s Ad 2d 229257 229257 270743 0 290266 0 0 0.588

Here's the tourney hand that killed me a few moments ago:
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
Ks Kc 3c Qh 155960 279053 219810 1137 0 0 0 0.436
Js 2s Ad Kd 219810 219810 279053 1137 201393 0 0 0.564

I was the 56 percent fave, but the flop brought a king and my low didn't come, and three kings was good enough. Note that he was drawing to one king here. Oh well.

Jack high straight flush

Forgot to mention that I got a jack-high straight flush last Saturday in a live game with the social group. That seems to me like I've gotten a pretty high quantity of these. Still waiting for my royale.

Human Dealers (the Thong Song)

At the LO8 table at the casino on Thursday night, I had a BB hand that started out with a flopped two pair and a flush draw, and only one low card. I bet and two chasers come with me (there were at least two players who were happy to chase runner-runner lows all night long....). The turn comes high, and I bet my two pair again, and one player is making, and the nervous player acts out of turn, and the dealer, Thong, flips the river without realizing there was a player yet to act.

The river card gave me boat with no possible low, naturally. The nervous player says that the card should be burned, but the dealer calls the floor manager, and the true river is put back in the deck which is then reshuffled. Naturally, the new river is a low card, but I'm lucky to at least get half the pot, which should have rightfully been my whole pot.

I resolved to stiff the dealer, Thong, for the remainder of the evening, but I was winning so few pots that I only stiffed him maybe 5% of what he took away from me by flipping out of sequence.

Give me credit for not tilting, despite being on a losing streak for the evening.

Foxwoods LO8

Foxwoods has a zillion Hold'em tables, and they had one LO8 table. I sat down at 9PM and left the table at 4AM, occasionally getting up to pass water. Lost 13 BB in the course of 7 hours, so it wasn't a stellar session, I started with two hours of cold cards at a full table of chasers, and after that I kept playing catch-up, getting close to break even and then bleeding again.

All-in Math

Let's suppose that you're playing with a whack job who'll make huge pre-flop bets blind, and he's just made one to open the pot. The amount is 60% of your existing stack. You make the call w/KQo, since you've had a cold spell and you don't mind gambling against a random hand. Two other players call behind you, apparently also in the mood to gamble.

The flop comes AT8, so you've got an inside draw to a straight and you check praying for a free miracle. The player to your left, with a bigger stack, pushes his remaining stack in and has you covered, and the other two players fold (including the whack job). Is an inside straight (with a runner-runner flush draw) a clear fold to you?

If there is 240 percent of your stack in the pot, and with this players all-in, you can see the remaining two cards for a pot of 280 with an investment of 40. In other words, you're putting in about 14% of the existing pot to see the next two cards.

We can safely assume your opponent doesn't have trip aces, as he would have pushed. He may reasonably have two pair, trip tens or eights, but probably no worse.

Cardplayer gives odds of 16.57% to win for you against trip eights, and 19% to win against top two pair. Even though your odds are slim, if you've come this far, it is not a statistical mistake to throw your last chips into the pot.

Just be sure to leave cab fare off the table.

Book Review - Kill Phil

I originally posted this review with the social group, but apparently it will get thrown out after 30 days. I will write anything I wish to keep on the blog and link to it from the social group going forward.

Review - Kill Phil

As a frequent on-line player, I bought this not for my game, but to get into the heads of people who might buy this book.

The first 30 pages tell you why it's such a great book and how it will revolutionize poker, (calling Harrington 'Old School' along the way) and stating that the only way to beat Negreanu, Ivey and their imitators is to push when the situation warrants pushing, and to avoid playing 'Small Ball at all costs'. They state they've got the cookie cutter solution that will neutralize these players.

The next 10 pages gives you 'Kill Phil' Basic, which is a cookie recipe for when to push, and how to handle a free flop in the big blind. (Mostly fold, even with top pair)

The next 70 pages are 'Kill Phil Advanced', which is a poorly written pseudo-cookie cutter formula for taking the very beatable basic to the next level. If it were a real cookie recipe, it would read like this:

If it's raining outside, take 1.5 cups of flower and 3 Tbs of sugar, unless you've got a feeling that it might get sunny later on. If you think your oven is accurate, put it to 350 degrees, but if you have an inkling that your oven might be mis-calibrated....

In short, the Kill Phil Plus tries to make the player act like a real poker player, even venturing into 'small ball' advice that may be sensible, but is poorly written and even more poorly organized. The prose is so heavily peppered with 'however', 'except', 'if', and other ways to say 'it depends', it'll make you want to sneeze.

I don't feel threatened by the army of 'Phil-Killers' on the horizon. I'm happy to loan this book out lest another 20$ goes to waste in this world.

Book Review - Annie Duke How I .....

More poker porn. This book doesn't really know what it wants to be, and it was clearly written in a hurry to take full advantage of the hyper-popularity that poker and Annie are currently experiencing. If they took the time to edit and re-write, they might lose sales I guess.

As a poker advice book, there's a tidbit every 10 pages or so, some of which I hadn't heard before, or paid attention to at least.

As a poker tourney blow-by-blow story (The structure is almost an exact copy of 'Positively Fifth Street' except that the tourney is interspersed with her biography.), it's readable but frustrating. Sometimes the hands shown and the description of the hands don't match up, and the card suits are almost never mentioned, which takes away the depth of the hand analysis. I should also mention that the WSOP tourney that she won and gives the blow-by-blow for is Limit Hi-Lo Omaha, which might be a bummer for any one-game-only players.

As an autobiography, it's a clinical re-telling of some hard times, which is preferable to a sob-sob boo-hoo retelling of those hard times.

As prose, it's dull and poorly edited. There's nary a mot juste in the whole book.

Having said all that, it's a quick and easy read. I finished it in two nights and sent it back to the library. As a free read, I'd give it a thumbs up.

Markers

Stuff I may forget.

E - 11$ in pokertards credits
Mr Dab 15 in poker tards credits
Ice - 11$ in pokertards credits PAID

I have two books of the counts. Alvarez and McManus
Count has my 'Kill Phil'
Greyhawke has my Caro DVD

Bubbly PLO8

I played a 20$ PLO8 on pokertards recently, and made 10th out of 117, which paid 30$. I'd like to blog the whole thing, but I've been busy. Here's the hand that killed me:

*********** # 181 **************
PokerStars Game #4594945101: Tournament #22780346, Omaha Hi/Lo Pot Limit - Level XI (600/1200) -
2006/04/11
Table '22780346 12' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: moona (29968 in chips)
Seat 3: TaxiGirl71 (25274 in chips)
Seat 4: gg1954 (23159 in chips)
Seat 5: FrankNagaiJr (12974 in chips)
Seat 7: Vlorg (24595 in chips)
moona: posts small blind 600
TaxiGirl71: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [2d Ah 4d 9c]

FNJ - A decent blind stealing hands, with outs.
gg1954: folds
FrankNagaiJr: raises 3000 to 4200
Vlorg: raises 6600 to 10800

FNJ - Viorg has been selectively agressive. Could have a similar hand to mine, or a high pair with a couple lows. If I walk away now I've still got 8000 in chips, but if I can't stand up with 3 to a wheel, what hand will I wait for instead? I won't come over the top, but I won't run away.


FNJ - Twodimes.org gives me a .434 EV for this hand, so I'm a slight dog against the AAKJ. NOTE that if my two suited cards had been spades, I would have an EV of 0.475. If my Nine had been a five, my EV goes up to 0.489. If I flop a perfect wheel, my EV would go up even higher still!

moona: folds
TaxiGirl71: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 6600
*** FLOP *** [4h 8d 8c]

FNJ - Reasonable to put in my last chips with. I've got a pair, and a draw for the nut low.

FNJ - Two dimes puts my EV at .403 here.

FrankNagaiJr: bets 2174 and is all-in
Vlorg: calls 2174
*** TURN *** [4h 8d 8c] [9h]
*** RIVER *** [4h 8d 8c 9h] [As]

FNJ - D'oh!

*** SHOW DOWN ***
FrankNagaiJr: shows [2d Ah 4d 9c] (HI: two pair, Aces and Nines)
Vlorg: shows [Ad Jd Kd Ac] (HI: a full house, Aces full of Eights)
Vlorg collected 27748 from pot
No low hand qualified

Bubbly

played a 20+2/180 on tards for the first time in a few weeks, and placed 24th, 6 positions off the money, when my QQ came up against KK and I was at less than 10M.

I think I played decent poker otherwise, finding the appropriate steal opportunities during the dry spells, and was generally patient, giving up when I felt I was beat rather than tilting and pushing where it made no sense.

More PLO8

This hand broke me. 5 Limpers at the 25/50 level

Seat 1: $outhern boy (1600 in chips)
Seat 2: FrankNagaiJr (845 in chips)
Seat 3: aronharry (1705 in chips)
Seat 4: pfor (1320 in chips)
Seat 5: mobrown1257 (2680 in chips)
Seat 6: TOPHAT TWO (3495 in chips)
Seat 8: mdizzy53 (340 in chips)
Seat 9: GBuck08 (1515 in chips)

Me: Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ad 6s 2d 7h]

Flop: *** FLOP *** [7c 4d Ah]

I felt that I had a decent shot at high with two pair, and a backdoor shot at the low if I got very lucky, here so I pot-raised and then pushed, to face the following two hands:

GBuck08: raises 1215 to 1465 and is all-in
GBuck08: shows [3d Tc 2h 8c]

TOPHAT TWO: calls
TOPHAT TWO: shows [Kh Kd 3c 5s]

As you may observe, I am ahead on the high. GBuck is ahead on the low and drawing to the wheel.

The 5 or 2 kills me both ways for 6 outs against. (One of my opponents makes the wheel and I don't)
The K kills me on the high. 2 outs against.
The 3 with no other wheel card gives me the backdoor low. 2 outs for.
The A or 7 gives me the lock high. 6 outs for.

Twodimes.net gives us the following stats:

cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
6s Ad 2d 7h 50 386 280 0 55 599 12 0.336
5s 3c Kd Kh 50 164 497 5 65 595 6 0.176
Tc 8c 3d 2h 104 111 550 5 528 120 18 0.488

So one might think KK35 was the big dog here? This player hit their 2 on the river for the miracle wheel scoop.

Any thoughts from PLO8 players here? I know my raise/call wasn't sterling, but I had been pushed out of some other pots by similar re-raises by other players chasing the low only, tossing two pair to see the high taken by a single weak pair.

Straight Flush

Got a Jack-high straight flush earlier this week in a cash game. I didn't even show it to the table, since my opponent folded to my bet. Still waiting for my Royale with Cheese.

PLO8 Tourney Hand

This hand broke me. The player to my left had been limping and betting, limping and betting into my BB, and I had been checking and folding.

Omaha Hi/Lo Pot Limit - Level IV (50/100)

My hand: 8h 5d 9h 7s
Not a monster, but for two-handed SB v BB very playable. I'm actually ahead at the time of the reraise:
FrankNagaiJr: raises 200 to 300
Evil Danmo: calls 200

FLOP: Jc 7h Ts
I have a made straight, and a runner runner flush redraw, and runner-runner low-hand redraw.

Evil Danmo: bets 500
FrankNagaiJr: raises 1600 to 2100

I'd like to end it right here.

Evil Danmo: raises 145 to 2245 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 145

Evil Danmo: Qh 4d Kd Jh

I am the .678 favorite according to twodimes.net. Villain is drawing to a higher straight (9 or A with a runner-runner flush redraw. 7 outs twice.

TURN [Jc 7h Ts] [Ah]

Ouch! (Don't forget I'm now drawing to a 2, 3, 5, 6, or 8 for 1/2 the pot. That's a lotta outs!)

RIVER [Jc 7h Ts Ah] [Qd]

Can't say that I regret my decision though.

Limit Omaha Hi-Lo on PokerTards

Last night I joined a 1$ tourney on-line, and out of 450 players, and I managed to get into the top 10 ranking about an hour into it. I was at a loose table where everybody limped and they all seemed to take preflop raises personally. Of course I pre-flop raised with every A2 I saw, and eventually it paid off, tripling me up at a pretty high blind stage.

At that point there were still 250 players left, so I played for another 30 minutes at another loose table, seeing flops when I had something decent but otherwise being quiet. Then I hit a couple good hands and all of a sudden I was #2 out of 117.

I went to bed.

I woke up as #17, being paid nearly 5 times my buy-in.

No, I'm no the king of Omaha hi-lo, but it is amusing to blind out into the money.