If you play enough times you might just find a decent starting hand in the first hand of a cheap single table tourney:
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Jc Jh]
And you might just limp as 3rd to act, since there always seems to be one person at these events who will raise Q8o, K2s, or even 92o.
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Jc Jh]
beefcutlet: calls 20
xinxa: folds
FrankNagaiJr: calls 20
And miracle of miracles, nobody raises on the first hand....
thatsenuff: folds
Hershamboy: folds
NVDobson: folds
trawr: calls 20
mik18: calls 10
ZORG1969: checks
And you might just catch a perfect flop for a cheap table where there always seems to be someobody who loves weak aces
*** FLOP *** [Js 4s Ad]
And if you make a micro-bet, certainly somebody will give you a little bit of action for your nutty set with their weak ace.
*** FLOP *** [Js 4s Ad]
mik18: checks
ZORG1969: checks
beefcutlet: checks
FrankNagaiJr: bets 40
trawr: folds
mik18: folds
ZORG1969: folds
beefcutlet: folds
FrankNagaiJr collected 100 from pot
FrankNagaiJr: doesn't show hand
D'oh!
But I did go on to win the dang thing, so it all works out.
*********** # 173 **************
PokerStars Game #6003216021: Tournament #30402737, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level X
(400/800) - 2006/08/21 - 19:36:03 (ET)
Table '30402737 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 3: ZORG1969 (6030 in chips)
Seat 6: FrankNagaiJr (7470 in chips)
ZORG1969: posts the ante 50
FrankNagaiJr: posts the ante 50
FrankNagaiJr: posts small blind 400
ZORG1969: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to FrankNagaiJr [Ks Kc]
FrankNagaiJr: calls 400
ZORG1969: raises 800 to 1600
FrankNagaiJr: raises 1600 to 3200
ZORG1969: calls 1600
*** FLOP *** [Qs 4s 7h]
ZORG1969: bets 2780 and is all-in
FrankNagaiJr: calls 2780
*** TURN *** [Qs 4s 7h] [4h]
*** RIVER *** [Qs 4s 7h 4h] [Ah]
FrankNagaiJr said, "gg"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ZORG1969: shows [Qc Js] (two pair, Queens and Fours)
FrankNagaiJr: shows [Ks Kc] (two pair, Kings and Fours)
FrankNagaiJr collected 12060 from pot
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Sunday, August 20, 2006
COCC Visit #2
I went for the second time to the CO card club, and it was quite similar to my first visit.
Tourney #1 - I couldn't seem to get any hands at a table of Calling Stations, so I saw a lot of flops and folded. On my penultimate hand, I had second pair on an A-7-x rainbow board and 3 of us checked the flop, I bet half my remaining stack and a CS calls. I didn't bet the river because she turned over the Ace, of course. I pushed from the button w/Q6o, and the BB has QJ. I'm out.
Cash Interlude 1 - Not a CS table, the 1/2, but occasionally beatable. I limp K8s early position, and BB raises to 5, which I call. I flop second pair and we both check, then a King turns and I figure I'm ahead of AK or AA, and that KK would have bet the non-ace flop in preference to giving away a freebie. We both check, and the river is another 8 for my full house. He bets 20, I reraise all-in, and he calls with his aces, for whatever masochistic reason. Not many other exciting hands that I was involved in, but lots of cheap flops, and I occasionally buy a pot.
Tourney #2 - I'm at a table with at least four people who haven't a clue, but I fail to get cards much, and I see a lot of flops, and get close to the felt in level 3 when I call a raise w/AKs, miss, and fold after checking the flop and turn with 3 tens on the board. Don turnsover ATo. Then I have a nice turnaround as follows:
Blinds 100/200 - I have 1000 left.
UTG all-in 6 way w/KTo, no calls.
BB 45o, two limpers and I flop the straight draw, everybody checks, and I turn the straight. The guy on my right bets and I reraise all-in and he calls with a pair of 6s, ace kicker. (These folks LOVE Axo)
And I get up to 4500 before the 200/400 level, where I make a 4bb raise w/AQo, get a call from a total CS, we check it down, and she bets 500 on the river, and I call to see ATo, which flopped a pair.
Then I make a raise of half my stack w/ATs, get a call, an ace flops, and he puts me all-in, and I call to see AQo take my remaining chips.
Cash interlude 2 - Uneventful, except the same 20 year old kid who last put me all-in when I had rockets, raises me when I have QQ and I go all in. He calls with 79s, and rivers the inside straight to win.
Tourney #1 - I couldn't seem to get any hands at a table of Calling Stations, so I saw a lot of flops and folded. On my penultimate hand, I had second pair on an A-7-x rainbow board and 3 of us checked the flop, I bet half my remaining stack and a CS calls. I didn't bet the river because she turned over the Ace, of course. I pushed from the button w/Q6o, and the BB has QJ. I'm out.
Cash Interlude 1 - Not a CS table, the 1/2, but occasionally beatable. I limp K8s early position, and BB raises to 5, which I call. I flop second pair and we both check, then a King turns and I figure I'm ahead of AK or AA, and that KK would have bet the non-ace flop in preference to giving away a freebie. We both check, and the river is another 8 for my full house. He bets 20, I reraise all-in, and he calls with his aces, for whatever masochistic reason. Not many other exciting hands that I was involved in, but lots of cheap flops, and I occasionally buy a pot.
Tourney #2 - I'm at a table with at least four people who haven't a clue, but I fail to get cards much, and I see a lot of flops, and get close to the felt in level 3 when I call a raise w/AKs, miss, and fold after checking the flop and turn with 3 tens on the board. Don turnsover ATo. Then I have a nice turnaround as follows:
Blinds 100/200 - I have 1000 left.
UTG all-in 6 way w/KTo, no calls.
BB 45o, two limpers and I flop the straight draw, everybody checks, and I turn the straight. The guy on my right bets and I reraise all-in and he calls with a pair of 6s, ace kicker. (These folks LOVE Axo)
And I get up to 4500 before the 200/400 level, where I make a 4bb raise w/AQo, get a call from a total CS, we check it down, and she bets 500 on the river, and I call to see ATo, which flopped a pair.
Then I make a raise of half my stack w/ATs, get a call, an ace flops, and he puts me all-in, and I call to see AQo take my remaining chips.
Cash interlude 2 - Uneventful, except the same 20 year old kid who last put me all-in when I had rockets, raises me when I have QQ and I go all in. He calls with 79s, and rivers the inside straight to win.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Mistakes on that big hand in the big tourney
I've had 24 hours to reflect, and can see a number of specific mistakes I made in the hand where I made the big laydown to the bluff the guy was kind enough to show me.
1) Reaction Time. This was a big tell on my part. I play much more internet tourneys than I do live, so I need to practice this more. As Harrington says, if you have to, count to ten before making your action, but don't be so quick to move. My pre-flop raise, flop reraise and turn check were nearly instantaneous, and this certainly telegraphed my intentions.
2) Reflection time. Also as Harrington says, I've put in quite a bit of money and time into the tourney, the least I could have done is taken more than a minute to figure out my best moves on the turn and river. There were some clues that I didn't take into account.
3) Missed Clue #1 - Stack size. This guy had a huge stack. Did he get it by consistently winning big hands, or was he agressive in nature? Given the two hands I'd seen, he was clearly agressive in nature, so there was a reasonable chance he was pushing a bluff.
4) Missed Clue #2 - Stack size again. I'm a medium size stack, which is the stack that is most easily bluffed. Another reason for him to consider pulling a bluff.
5) Missed Clue #3 - My table image. I had the notebook going (I was taking notes on scrap paper anyhow.) To any thinking player, this implies that I'm probably not a calling station, so one more reason to consider a bluff.
I knew I wasn't ready for the WSOP, and apparently I'm not quite ready for a 500$ tourney either. The first table made me think I was doing well, but then I came across somebody playing at the level that I wish to play at, and it's clear I'm not there yet. I will most likely wait a year before playing any more tourneys at that stake, unless I continue crushing the lower stakes tourneys. Ponzi scheme.
1) Reaction Time. This was a big tell on my part. I play much more internet tourneys than I do live, so I need to practice this more. As Harrington says, if you have to, count to ten before making your action, but don't be so quick to move. My pre-flop raise, flop reraise and turn check were nearly instantaneous, and this certainly telegraphed my intentions.
2) Reflection time. Also as Harrington says, I've put in quite a bit of money and time into the tourney, the least I could have done is taken more than a minute to figure out my best moves on the turn and river. There were some clues that I didn't take into account.
3) Missed Clue #1 - Stack size. This guy had a huge stack. Did he get it by consistently winning big hands, or was he agressive in nature? Given the two hands I'd seen, he was clearly agressive in nature, so there was a reasonable chance he was pushing a bluff.
4) Missed Clue #2 - Stack size again. I'm a medium size stack, which is the stack that is most easily bluffed. Another reason for him to consider pulling a bluff.
5) Missed Clue #3 - My table image. I had the notebook going (I was taking notes on scrap paper anyhow.) To any thinking player, this implies that I'm probably not a calling station, so one more reason to consider a bluff.
I knew I wasn't ready for the WSOP, and apparently I'm not quite ready for a 500$ tourney either. The first table made me think I was doing well, but then I came across somebody playing at the level that I wish to play at, and it's clear I'm not there yet. I will most likely wait a year before playing any more tourneys at that stake, unless I continue crushing the lower stakes tourneys. Ponzi scheme.
Monday, August 07, 2006
My Big Tourney
While I usually play very low stakes tourneys, I decided to give myself a shot at a higher buy-in yesterday. $330 at the Gold Strike, 90 players, 40 minute blinds.
Level 1 - blinds 25/25 - 600 in chips.
Started out slow but solid at my first table, there's nobody who's very agressive, but a couple of people playing way too many hands, cheaply.
Hand 13 - I make a 4BB early pos steal and get shot down by a loosy goosy who calls with Kd 8d and hits the flop well. I'm down to 5375.
Hand 16 - I call a raise to 125 in the BB w/ 7c 8c and flop the nut straight and check. When I 1/3 pot bet the turn, the initial raiser and the caller both fold :-( Chips=5625.
Hand 23 is the last hand for the level. My chip stack is still 5626.
Level 2 - Blinds 25/50
Hand 25 - I didn't write down the specifics, but I think I limped cheaply and bought the pot four way with second pair. Chips 6575.
Hand 39 - No notes, but I raise in the SB, and drop down to 5450.
Hand 41 - I call a raise to 225 by a very loose seat 8 who is called by seat 9, and I have pocket 3s. I know that if I hit, I can collect beautifully from these two. Seat 4 raises to 1225, Seat 5 calls, Seat 8 calls, Seat 9 calls, so there is now 5200 in the pot and 1000 for me to call w/33 and close the action. I've got the chips to do it, so I call and miss the flop. Chip count 4225.
Hand 41 - Last hand of level 2, chip count 4225.
Level 3 - Blinds 50/100
Hand 42 - I call a raise to 400 in the BB and miss. Chip count 3825
Hand 43 - I make a loose call and hit a straight on a flush board. I call down the agressor, who bets a lot of stuff, but knows what he's doing, and we show the same one-card straight. Chips 4025.
Hand 49 - In the BB I flop second pair, and bet 1/2 pot into 3 players, no callers. Chip count 4275.
Hand 56 - I raise 88 into the red-hatted CS in seat 9, and he calls. I make a continuation bet that he calls on an AQx board, no surprise, but it doesn't mean he has anything. We both check the turn, and he bets the river (a 2) about 1/3 of pot. I call with my 88 on this board with 3 overs, and he has a pair of 2s. Chip count 5150.
Hand 63 - I raise to 500 w/77 in steal position, and the flop is K8x with two callers, and I bet the pot on the flop. Seat 7 calls for all-in with an 8 and is getting up to walk away when I tell him he's ahead. He turns two pair, and I spike my set on the river. Chip count at the end of level 3 is 7450. Lucky.
Level 4 - Blinds 100/200 Chip count 7450
Hand 65 - I button limp in w/7d 8d and call a raise to 1000 from the BB and flop a runner-runner draw to straight or flush, and the raiser does not bet the flop. The turn gives me a straight flush draw, and the raiser goes all-in for another 2000, and I call. He's got a weak ace, and I turn the straight flush, 6 to 10. Chip count 11,150.
Hand 69 - I get into a dream situation w/89o against a CS where I flop trips, and he makes a weaker boat on the river, so I get another several thousand chips. Too busy to count and note, but about 15K in chips.
Hand 70, I call AKo and the player to my left pushes all-in for 3000, I call and am happy to see KTo in his hand. The ten hits, the ace doesn't. Chip count is now 12, 625.
Hand 74 - Up against the red-hatted CS in seat 9 again. I call his river bet when I river a small pair. He made a pair of aces on the turn that he didn't bet, and had aces up when he bet. That was virtually the only value bet I saw him make. Chip count 11,525.
Hand 75 - I raise w/AQo, miss and go away quietly multi-way. Chip count 10,925.
Hand 76 - Last hand for this table, which is a bummer as I felt I had very accurate reads on everybody.
Hand 77 - I am now in seat 10 of a new table.
Hand 78 - This is the hand that put me on tilt.
S9 calls 200, I raise to 1000 w/AKo and only s9 calls.
Flop xh Kc xh.
s9 bets 1000 (1/2 pot) , I raise to 3000, s9 calls.
The call smelled like a chase call, so I'm leary when the turn is an Ah,
I have two pair so a boat draw if I'm behind.
s9 Checks, I check.
Turn X (no boat for me) and S9 puts me all-in, he's got twice my stack.
I fold after a moment or two, and he flips 4c 6c and tells me that he put me on AK.
Fuck! That's some good play on his part, and I'm wondering how I could have played that differently. I'm now on tilt going forward, with the guy who put me on tilt on my immediate right. That's not so good.
Chip count is now 6950.
Hand 81 - Blinds up to 150/300 w/25 antes.
Hand 82 - I limp AKo utg, hoping to trap the trapper in the BB, who likes to raise frequently, from what I've seen in the last few hands. the SB goes all-in for 2500 in chips, BB folds, and I call. She turns over AJo and fails to suck out. Chip count back up to 8875, but I'm still on tilt.
Hand 98 - I haven't been involved in any further hands at this very agressive table, especially my nemesis in seat 9, who has turned over QQ, KK, AK and a few other hands, as well as been obliged to show a blind steal w/Q7o. He's got a huge stack.
End of level 4, blinds go up to 200/400 with 50 antes.
Hand 102 - This is where my tilt truly kicks in. I've got 7M and catch Ad Jd utg and push. A player has KK and insta calls for 80% of my stack and I'm down to 2M.
Hand 103, I'm in BB and I'm happy to see 8s 9s, and I call seat 9s raise. Seat 9 turns over aces, and I fail to suck out.
Fuck!
Level 1 - blinds 25/25 - 600 in chips.
Started out slow but solid at my first table, there's nobody who's very agressive, but a couple of people playing way too many hands, cheaply.
Hand 13 - I make a 4BB early pos steal and get shot down by a loosy goosy who calls with Kd 8d and hits the flop well. I'm down to 5375.
Hand 16 - I call a raise to 125 in the BB w/ 7c 8c and flop the nut straight and check. When I 1/3 pot bet the turn, the initial raiser and the caller both fold :-( Chips=5625.
Hand 23 is the last hand for the level. My chip stack is still 5626.
Level 2 - Blinds 25/50
Hand 25 - I didn't write down the specifics, but I think I limped cheaply and bought the pot four way with second pair. Chips 6575.
Hand 39 - No notes, but I raise in the SB, and drop down to 5450.
Hand 41 - I call a raise to 225 by a very loose seat 8 who is called by seat 9, and I have pocket 3s. I know that if I hit, I can collect beautifully from these two. Seat 4 raises to 1225, Seat 5 calls, Seat 8 calls, Seat 9 calls, so there is now 5200 in the pot and 1000 for me to call w/33 and close the action. I've got the chips to do it, so I call and miss the flop. Chip count 4225.
Hand 41 - Last hand of level 2, chip count 4225.
Level 3 - Blinds 50/100
Hand 42 - I call a raise to 400 in the BB and miss. Chip count 3825
Hand 43 - I make a loose call and hit a straight on a flush board. I call down the agressor, who bets a lot of stuff, but knows what he's doing, and we show the same one-card straight. Chips 4025.
Hand 49 - In the BB I flop second pair, and bet 1/2 pot into 3 players, no callers. Chip count 4275.
Hand 56 - I raise 88 into the red-hatted CS in seat 9, and he calls. I make a continuation bet that he calls on an AQx board, no surprise, but it doesn't mean he has anything. We both check the turn, and he bets the river (a 2) about 1/3 of pot. I call with my 88 on this board with 3 overs, and he has a pair of 2s. Chip count 5150.
Hand 63 - I raise to 500 w/77 in steal position, and the flop is K8x with two callers, and I bet the pot on the flop. Seat 7 calls for all-in with an 8 and is getting up to walk away when I tell him he's ahead. He turns two pair, and I spike my set on the river. Chip count at the end of level 3 is 7450. Lucky.
Level 4 - Blinds 100/200 Chip count 7450
Hand 65 - I button limp in w/7d 8d and call a raise to 1000 from the BB and flop a runner-runner draw to straight or flush, and the raiser does not bet the flop. The turn gives me a straight flush draw, and the raiser goes all-in for another 2000, and I call. He's got a weak ace, and I turn the straight flush, 6 to 10. Chip count 11,150.
Hand 69 - I get into a dream situation w/89o against a CS where I flop trips, and he makes a weaker boat on the river, so I get another several thousand chips. Too busy to count and note, but about 15K in chips.
Hand 70, I call AKo and the player to my left pushes all-in for 3000, I call and am happy to see KTo in his hand. The ten hits, the ace doesn't. Chip count is now 12, 625.
Hand 74 - Up against the red-hatted CS in seat 9 again. I call his river bet when I river a small pair. He made a pair of aces on the turn that he didn't bet, and had aces up when he bet. That was virtually the only value bet I saw him make. Chip count 11,525.
Hand 75 - I raise w/AQo, miss and go away quietly multi-way. Chip count 10,925.
Hand 76 - Last hand for this table, which is a bummer as I felt I had very accurate reads on everybody.
Hand 77 - I am now in seat 10 of a new table.
Hand 78 - This is the hand that put me on tilt.
S9 calls 200, I raise to 1000 w/AKo and only s9 calls.
Flop xh Kc xh.
s9 bets 1000 (1/2 pot) , I raise to 3000, s9 calls.
The call smelled like a chase call, so I'm leary when the turn is an Ah,
I have two pair so a boat draw if I'm behind.
s9 Checks, I check.
Turn X (no boat for me) and S9 puts me all-in, he's got twice my stack.
I fold after a moment or two, and he flips 4c 6c and tells me that he put me on AK.
Fuck! That's some good play on his part, and I'm wondering how I could have played that differently. I'm now on tilt going forward, with the guy who put me on tilt on my immediate right. That's not so good.
Chip count is now 6950.
Hand 81 - Blinds up to 150/300 w/25 antes.
Hand 82 - I limp AKo utg, hoping to trap the trapper in the BB, who likes to raise frequently, from what I've seen in the last few hands. the SB goes all-in for 2500 in chips, BB folds, and I call. She turns over AJo and fails to suck out. Chip count back up to 8875, but I'm still on tilt.
Hand 98 - I haven't been involved in any further hands at this very agressive table, especially my nemesis in seat 9, who has turned over QQ, KK, AK and a few other hands, as well as been obliged to show a blind steal w/Q7o. He's got a huge stack.
End of level 4, blinds go up to 200/400 with 50 antes.
Hand 102 - This is where my tilt truly kicks in. I've got 7M and catch Ad Jd utg and push. A player has KK and insta calls for 80% of my stack and I'm down to 2M.
Hand 103, I'm in BB and I'm happy to see 8s 9s, and I call seat 9s raise. Seat 9 turns over aces, and I fail to suck out.
Fuck!
Friday, August 04, 2006
New Link
Preacher's rant fest just made my list of Links. Bishop is off since he hasn't posted for a year. If I know you and you've got a blog, send me the link.
Or in the words of Preach:
Look right, Monkeys.
Or in the words of Preach:
Look right, Monkeys.
It's a Plateau
I've hit a plateuu on the learning curve. I feel like I can generally beat the low-stakes limit games (with cards of course) and I'm no longer shy about playing low-stakes no-limit, and I'm generally happy with my tournament record so far.
However, it doesn't feel like I'm learning as much about poker, or about my own game these days. When I sit at a table for 45 minutes, I generally feel like I've got a read on most of the playing styles at the table, but that doesn't always put me in a good position to capitalize on it.
Let's set some specific goals and see what happens.
On-Line, my current balance is 78$, and I think I should be able to grow it, but I don't seem to do so. Here's the game plan:
Current balance till 120: Only play the 1.20$ 45 player tourneys. Nothing bigger or more expensive. If killing time, play cash at ultra low stakes. (never risking more than 3$ at a throw.
120 - 200: Allow the $5.50 single table tourneys and 45 player tourneys into the mix. Risk no more cash than 10$ at a throw.
Let's not dream about what happens when I get past 200 till I get much closer.
Tournament Play: I should be very picky about what tourneys I play going forward. No more crap shoot tourneys, but only those where the blind structure allows for solid play to be rewarded. If this means paying extra, so be it.
Cash Games: I think I'm ready to move to 6-12 limit, and should stick to 1-2 NLHE. For NLHE, I must become a little more daring and a little less tight.
However, it doesn't feel like I'm learning as much about poker, or about my own game these days. When I sit at a table for 45 minutes, I generally feel like I've got a read on most of the playing styles at the table, but that doesn't always put me in a good position to capitalize on it.
Let's set some specific goals and see what happens.
On-Line, my current balance is 78$, and I think I should be able to grow it, but I don't seem to do so. Here's the game plan:
Current balance till 120: Only play the 1.20$ 45 player tourneys. Nothing bigger or more expensive. If killing time, play cash at ultra low stakes. (never risking more than 3$ at a throw.
120 - 200: Allow the $5.50 single table tourneys and 45 player tourneys into the mix. Risk no more cash than 10$ at a throw.
Let's not dream about what happens when I get past 200 till I get much closer.
Tournament Play: I should be very picky about what tourneys I play going forward. No more crap shoot tourneys, but only those where the blind structure allows for solid play to be rewarded. If this means paying extra, so be it.
Cash Games: I think I'm ready to move to 6-12 limit, and should stick to 1-2 NLHE. For NLHE, I must become a little more daring and a little less tight.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Almost a week without poker???
I left town Thursday night, and yesterday (one week later) I got so desperate that I played on-line poker for 2$ an hour at the internet shop. I no longer have the shakes. I was fourth in a sit n go because this one guy pushed almost any high card and beat my AJo with his KQs.
This coming Tuesday I´ll be here for almost 24 hours:
http://www.aviationclubdefrance.com/poker_uk.html
I hope I won´t get my butt kicked, but we gotta give it a shot in any case.
This coming Tuesday I´ll be here for almost 24 hours:
http://www.aviationclubdefrance.com/poker_uk.html
I hope I won´t get my butt kicked, but we gotta give it a shot in any case.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Hello from Spain
No poker to relate today, but I did put in 20 hours plus of casino last weekend between Tunica, and Mt. Pleasant Michigan, which is smokey, and poorly managed, but at least has competent dealers and plenty of fishy players. I moved up to the 6-12 table for the first time, and found the play to be almost as bad as the 3-6 table. I left about two big bets to the good, but overall I lost money playing in Michigan. If I hadn´t bankrolled my nephew in exchange for a cut, I would have been way behind, but the 19'year'old kid, after minimal instruction, proceeded to go on a tear and triple his buy in over 5 hours.
I don´t expect any poker updates for at least a week. Hanging out at the in-laws, and there´s no poker around here.
I don´t expect any poker updates for at least a week. Hanging out at the in-laws, and there´s no poker around here.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Profitable overnighter in Tunica
Had a 6:30 am flight out of Memphis, so instead of dealing with an attempted night of half-sleep, I played poker all night after an 11 hour shift of work.
First two hours were 7 stud 1-5 spread at the Horseshoe. It was my first ever profitable session (9 bucks) but I owe most of my profit to one hand were I chased with a pair of queens and caught my trips on 7th street to beat the other guys rolled-up fourst. Not my finest moment. Otherwise I tried to play sensible and not chase without odds.
Then I played a 5 hour 1-2 NLHE session at the Gold Strike with a very friendly crew. Everybody was funning it up, and I was the only one not drinking. I doubled my buy-in and would have done even better if I hadn't been rivered twice on biggish two-way hands where I was way ahead on the turn and betting heavy to protect. The two players respectively called my big turn bets with an under pair to my top pair, and with an inside straight draw, and they both hit. One checked to me in the hopes that I would bet, and I didn't. The other made a pot-sized bet, and I stated that I'd credit him w/AJ for a straight and I folded, and he exposed J9 for the low straight.
My play was very ABC all night long, with a random supply of bluffs at orphan pots, but I never got myself in trouble with the bluffs, and I didn't catch a single monster hand, except for a pair of aces heads up where I put in 1/4 of my stack preflop, half my stack on the flop heads-up, and the remainder on the river, and he only had a pair of jacks at that point.
First two hours were 7 stud 1-5 spread at the Horseshoe. It was my first ever profitable session (9 bucks) but I owe most of my profit to one hand were I chased with a pair of queens and caught my trips on 7th street to beat the other guys rolled-up fourst. Not my finest moment. Otherwise I tried to play sensible and not chase without odds.
Then I played a 5 hour 1-2 NLHE session at the Gold Strike with a very friendly crew. Everybody was funning it up, and I was the only one not drinking. I doubled my buy-in and would have done even better if I hadn't been rivered twice on biggish two-way hands where I was way ahead on the turn and betting heavy to protect. The two players respectively called my big turn bets with an under pair to my top pair, and with an inside straight draw, and they both hit. One checked to me in the hopes that I would bet, and I didn't. The other made a pot-sized bet, and I stated that I'd credit him w/AJ for a straight and I folded, and he exposed J9 for the low straight.
My play was very ABC all night long, with a random supply of bluffs at orphan pots, but I never got myself in trouble with the bluffs, and I didn't catch a single monster hand, except for a pair of aces heads up where I put in 1/4 of my stack preflop, half my stack on the flop heads-up, and the remainder on the river, and he only had a pair of jacks at that point.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Ohio Poker Roundup (Overdose)
Finally something nice to write about. Had a three-way chop for first in a field of 36 last night at JB's place. The two other players were playing heads up well, but I had a nice rush of cards to come back from distant third place to (marginal) chip leader. I was in three all-in showdowns that night in which all my chips were at stake (AA narrowly beats K8s in which K8 has a pair, a flush draw and an outside straight draw on the turn - 19 outs!; AA v A5s and an ace flops with no flush draw; JJ v KJ with no king ruining the party) but otherwise made a lot of laydowns to ABC players, and even to frequent bluffers when I didn't want to risk my chip stack on Q-high etc. I was down to 4M before my first double-up w/AA. Both of my AAs were against LJ, who was kind enough to call my push after betting half my stack the first time, and was kind enough to put me all-in when I reraised him with a healthy stack.
It's tough to beat players who think Ace-low offsuit is a pretty good starting hand and bet accordingly, but if the blind structure gives me enough slack, sooner or later they will overestimate their strength.
Last Sunday and Monday I took my brother to a couple more games.
We played an apartment game Sunday with 7 players total, 3 of them quaffing beer and playing any two cards. One player reraised me w/32s, and when I pushed with QJo, he called and hit a wheel on the flop. I failed to runner-runner KT to win that one. Another memorable all-in I had AQo and came over the top short-handed. He calls w/A9o and hits his nine to knock me out for third place. Feh. After that we played the paper and plastic floating game, where I had a very cold run of cards, with a nut-job at the table who was clearly working through personal issues via poker. I left in disgust when he declared two misdeals in a row. That's the dealer's job, right? If I had been running a little warmer, I might not have gotten upset, but it was a decent excuse to leave.
Then we played Monday at E's tourney, special Holiday Weekend edition. It felt like a family reunion, with players I rarely run into. Preacher, OEM, the Suit and others. I played some bad, bad poker that night. Here's my excuses first, then my bad plays:
1) Physical Exhaustion - I had a log splitter that weekend, and between my brother and I, we split and stacked a four-story elm tree and a two-story elm-tree.
2) Poker overdose. My brother showed up Friday night, and we played Friday night, then I gave him some on-line pointers for a couple hours (he took first at a 45-player $1.20 tourney on Stars), then we played Saturday night at a big tourney, then Sunday I gave him pointers for a while on Stars, and we played the Apartment and the paper/plastic game. At the all-you-can-eat buffet, I had consumed all I could eat.
3) Mental exhaustion. In addition to the log splitting, I ended up working a full day Sunday on work-work, putting together some design documents that couldn't wait.
4) Nostalgia-Goofiness. Preacher was on my left, and I was funning it up instead of playing tight-agressive poker. I lost a few chips that way.
Now here's the ways I screwed up.
1) Self-defeat with pocket cowboys.
I had KK and made a position raise early on and both the SB and BB call. The flop is something like 6TJ with a flush draw, and I make a 1/2 pot bet and get two callers. The turn is another ten and I bet and get two callers. On the river Q I haven't improved, and the second player bets into me about 10% of the pot. I muck in disgust with only an overpair to the very dangerous board. I asked him a few days later what he had, and he tells me top-split pair. Whether that's true or not, I still should have made the crying call with my overpair. Again, I was in a very pessimistic frame of mind and neglected the math.
2) Self-defeat with a pocket pair when an ace flops.
My brother makes a raise in steal position, and I've been tutoring him on this so have some idea what he might be up to. I reraise with pocket nines. The flop is AJx and he makes a continuation bet, and I muck my nines face up. He shows me pocket threes. Good play bro! In retrospect, my best option would have been to push pre-flop.
3) Not paying attention to what my opponent might have. I'm goofing it up with preacher and make a steal raise with J-8o, and flop trips. I neglect the board on the turn, assuming I'm golden with my trips and an inside straight draw on the turn. When he reraises my all-in on the turn I happily call, and he's got the made straight. I fill my inside straight draw to chop, and feel like an ass for not considering that he might actually have a hand.
4) Bad timing. I'm at 2M and push from early position with KJo at the final table. There are pockets eights, tens and Aces in that order behind me with progressively bigger stacks. The aces and tens are blocking my straight draws, so it's the thinnest draw ever four-way. D'oh!
It's tough to beat players who think Ace-low offsuit is a pretty good starting hand and bet accordingly, but if the blind structure gives me enough slack, sooner or later they will overestimate their strength.
Last Sunday and Monday I took my brother to a couple more games.
We played an apartment game Sunday with 7 players total, 3 of them quaffing beer and playing any two cards. One player reraised me w/32s, and when I pushed with QJo, he called and hit a wheel on the flop. I failed to runner-runner KT to win that one. Another memorable all-in I had AQo and came over the top short-handed. He calls w/A9o and hits his nine to knock me out for third place. Feh. After that we played the paper and plastic floating game, where I had a very cold run of cards, with a nut-job at the table who was clearly working through personal issues via poker. I left in disgust when he declared two misdeals in a row. That's the dealer's job, right? If I had been running a little warmer, I might not have gotten upset, but it was a decent excuse to leave.
Then we played Monday at E's tourney, special Holiday Weekend edition. It felt like a family reunion, with players I rarely run into. Preacher, OEM, the Suit and others. I played some bad, bad poker that night. Here's my excuses first, then my bad plays:
1) Physical Exhaustion - I had a log splitter that weekend, and between my brother and I, we split and stacked a four-story elm tree and a two-story elm-tree.
2) Poker overdose. My brother showed up Friday night, and we played Friday night, then I gave him some on-line pointers for a couple hours (he took first at a 45-player $1.20 tourney on Stars), then we played Saturday night at a big tourney, then Sunday I gave him pointers for a while on Stars, and we played the Apartment and the paper/plastic game. At the all-you-can-eat buffet, I had consumed all I could eat.
3) Mental exhaustion. In addition to the log splitting, I ended up working a full day Sunday on work-work, putting together some design documents that couldn't wait.
4) Nostalgia-Goofiness. Preacher was on my left, and I was funning it up instead of playing tight-agressive poker. I lost a few chips that way.
Now here's the ways I screwed up.
1) Self-defeat with pocket cowboys.
I had KK and made a position raise early on and both the SB and BB call. The flop is something like 6TJ with a flush draw, and I make a 1/2 pot bet and get two callers. The turn is another ten and I bet and get two callers. On the river Q I haven't improved, and the second player bets into me about 10% of the pot. I muck in disgust with only an overpair to the very dangerous board. I asked him a few days later what he had, and he tells me top-split pair. Whether that's true or not, I still should have made the crying call with my overpair. Again, I was in a very pessimistic frame of mind and neglected the math.
2) Self-defeat with a pocket pair when an ace flops.
My brother makes a raise in steal position, and I've been tutoring him on this so have some idea what he might be up to. I reraise with pocket nines. The flop is AJx and he makes a continuation bet, and I muck my nines face up. He shows me pocket threes. Good play bro! In retrospect, my best option would have been to push pre-flop.
3) Not paying attention to what my opponent might have. I'm goofing it up with preacher and make a steal raise with J-8o, and flop trips. I neglect the board on the turn, assuming I'm golden with my trips and an inside straight draw on the turn. When he reraises my all-in on the turn I happily call, and he's got the made straight. I fill my inside straight draw to chop, and feel like an ass for not considering that he might actually have a hand.
4) Bad timing. I'm at 2M and push from early position with KJo at the final table. There are pockets eights, tens and Aces in that order behind me with progressively bigger stacks. The aces and tens are blocking my straight draws, so it's the thinnest draw ever four-way. D'oh!
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Charity Tourney July 1
Went to a charity tourney last night with my brother and made it one past the bubble, getting my buy-back plus 10$. If I had bought the add-on, I would have been behind 10$.
I had a really hot run of cards at a table of very readable players, and only slowed down when I had three decent hands broken in short order. My AA v QQ and 66 lost to a six on the flop for a quarter of my stack. My AQ in the BB found AK in the SB and didn't improve for a quarter of my stack, and there was one other hand I got slaughtered on in similar circumstances. I was all-in w/K3 suited in desperation, and came up against 44 who flopped the set. I was already walking away when somebody said 'hey, you rivered a straight!' Then I was able to bully, slow-play and somehow find my way back to 4M when we got to the final table.
First hand at the final table I'm UTG w/JJ with 25K in chips, and blinds are 2K, 4K. I make a raise to 15K and a player halfway down puts me all in. There is now 46K in the pot and it costs me my last 10K, so I'm getting 4 to 1 odds. Even if I'm behind, it's reasonable odds, and I certainly don't have enough chips left to play if I fold, so I push my last chips and he turns over KK. Somebody else says they mucked a jack, so I've got one out, and it doesn't come.
There are 3 larger pocket pairs than JJ, and each has a 1/221 chance, and eight players yet to act with cards, so the chance of my being that far behind was 24/221, or just under 11%. I'd play that hand in that chip count and position the same way every time.
I had a really hot run of cards at a table of very readable players, and only slowed down when I had three decent hands broken in short order. My AA v QQ and 66 lost to a six on the flop for a quarter of my stack. My AQ in the BB found AK in the SB and didn't improve for a quarter of my stack, and there was one other hand I got slaughtered on in similar circumstances. I was all-in w/K3 suited in desperation, and came up against 44 who flopped the set. I was already walking away when somebody said 'hey, you rivered a straight!' Then I was able to bully, slow-play and somehow find my way back to 4M when we got to the final table.
First hand at the final table I'm UTG w/JJ with 25K in chips, and blinds are 2K, 4K. I make a raise to 15K and a player halfway down puts me all in. There is now 46K in the pot and it costs me my last 10K, so I'm getting 4 to 1 odds. Even if I'm behind, it's reasonable odds, and I certainly don't have enough chips left to play if I fold, so I push my last chips and he turns over KK. Somebody else says they mucked a jack, so I've got one out, and it doesn't come.
There are 3 larger pocket pairs than JJ, and each has a 1/221 chance, and eight players yet to act with cards, so the chance of my being that far behind was 24/221, or just under 11%. I'd play that hand in that chip count and position the same way every time.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Crazy Omaha
Went to the paper and plastic game last night with my visiting brother, and tried my luck at the 3-6 high-only omaha. Luck held, and I did very well, taking down pots with hands as weak as a set of sixes and even chopping a pot with two pair.
The betting structure was crazy. Let's see if I can explain it.
1) The button is the only poster, and can post anthing between 3 and 6.
2) The button states whether all are dealt 3, 4 or 5 cards. Omaha rules apply no matter how many cards.
3) On a kill pot, 6-12, any better can raise by 12 pre-flop or on the flop. They can also raise or bet by any amount between 6 and 12 as they see fit. (spread)
4) Action starts pre-flop one to the left of the button. On the flop action starts two to the left. Then three. Then four.
5) No checking on any street. Bet or fold only.
Starting to see this? It was wild.
The betting structure was crazy. Let's see if I can explain it.
1) The button is the only poster, and can post anthing between 3 and 6.
2) The button states whether all are dealt 3, 4 or 5 cards. Omaha rules apply no matter how many cards.
3) On a kill pot, 6-12, any better can raise by 12 pre-flop or on the flop. They can also raise or bet by any amount between 6 and 12 as they see fit. (spread)
4) Action starts pre-flop one to the left of the button. On the flop action starts two to the left. Then three. Then four.
5) No checking on any street. Bet or fold only.
Starting to see this? It was wild.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Up and Down in Hollywood
Had a really bad limit session on Sunday, starting at Gold Strike Tunica, moving over to Hollywood Tunica. Hollywood was the toughest to bear, since I was clearly at a very soft table where I would have collected a decent pot with any winning hand. I bled slowly for the first three to four hours, then I'm afraid I loosened up, and made more calls on the flop against long shots, so I was then bleeding twice as fast. In the space of 8 hours, I may have taken in three decent pots, and three tiny pots, which seems like a statistical anomaly. The guy in the 3 seat was taking up the slack, seemingly doing no wrong, playing at least 60 percent of his hands, and winning at least half of the hands he seemed to be in. It was very demoralizing, but I did put in my hours to play the 'free roll' on Tuesday night.
So I come back for the free roll, which has the following chip structure:
Entry and 1000 chips - Free with 10 hours of playing time at their casino.
Add on 5000 Chips at start - $20
Add on 10,000 Chips after the fourth level - $40
As you can see the add-ons are pretty obligatory.
In the first four levels, I pick up a couple of small pots, very few playable hands. I did get some very accurate reads on my table mates, who could be bluffed, who would pay me off when I had a hand, and who would defend their blinds. I was down to 6M at the break, and buying the 10K in chips brought me up to 15M.
Then I had a QQ v QQ confrontation. No flush, but we got some limping chips. I pushed in SB w/A9s when a much smaller stack had pushed from mid-position, and BB folds and it's A2s I'm against. Board pairs and we chop. I also pushed against the same player in the same circumstance w/T9o one round later to flop a pair and beat 88. Then I get QQ to beat 33 and double up, and KK to double up when a flush draw pushes on the flop and fails to make their flush. We're down to the final table and I'm a chip leader.
Most of the final table was either very short stacked and/or very predictable. The one loose cannon pushes JJ against AA and wins to become chip leader, which means that I've got some work to do to win this. We're down to four, and the second time one of the low stacks survives an all-in and suggests a four-way chop, I agree, and the other low stack agrees. The loose cannon isn't happy to do so as he's got my by 2 to 1, and everybody else by 3 to 1 or better, but states that he doesn't want to be the jerk, and agrees.
I should also mention bluffing success frequency. I think I made five bluffs or semi-bluffs during the tourney and got away with three of them. The ones I didn't get away with were against the loose cannon.
The prize was about a hundred more than I bled through on Sunday, the overall net was about 50 bucks (add-ons $60) for 14 hours of play. Whoo-hoo!
So I come back for the free roll, which has the following chip structure:
Entry and 1000 chips - Free with 10 hours of playing time at their casino.
Add on 5000 Chips at start - $20
Add on 10,000 Chips after the fourth level - $40
As you can see the add-ons are pretty obligatory.
In the first four levels, I pick up a couple of small pots, very few playable hands. I did get some very accurate reads on my table mates, who could be bluffed, who would pay me off when I had a hand, and who would defend their blinds. I was down to 6M at the break, and buying the 10K in chips brought me up to 15M.
Then I had a QQ v QQ confrontation. No flush, but we got some limping chips. I pushed in SB w/A9s when a much smaller stack had pushed from mid-position, and BB folds and it's A2s I'm against. Board pairs and we chop. I also pushed against the same player in the same circumstance w/T9o one round later to flop a pair and beat 88. Then I get QQ to beat 33 and double up, and KK to double up when a flush draw pushes on the flop and fails to make their flush. We're down to the final table and I'm a chip leader.
Most of the final table was either very short stacked and/or very predictable. The one loose cannon pushes JJ against AA and wins to become chip leader, which means that I've got some work to do to win this. We're down to four, and the second time one of the low stacks survives an all-in and suggests a four-way chop, I agree, and the other low stack agrees. The loose cannon isn't happy to do so as he's got my by 2 to 1, and everybody else by 3 to 1 or better, but states that he doesn't want to be the jerk, and agrees.
I should also mention bluffing success frequency. I think I made five bluffs or semi-bluffs during the tourney and got away with three of them. The ones I didn't get away with were against the loose cannon.
The prize was about a hundred more than I bled through on Sunday, the overall net was about 50 bucks (add-ons $60) for 14 hours of play. Whoo-hoo!
Sunday, June 25, 2006
RM's tourney Dublin
We had a major tourney for our social group on June 24th, with a field of close to 70 players, starting at 4:30 PM and playing till the wee hours of the morning. I went as a player/dealer and felt like I did neither well, but still managed to make it to the final table, just barely in the money. I really enjoyed the tourney, and was pleasantly surprised to make it as far as I did in the mental state I was in (perma-tilt).
I don't have time to blog right now, but here's some themes if I did.
* SB v BB situation late game with a min-raise (killbuck discussion)
* All-in v BB late game with KTo in BB's hands (other discussion)
* Railbird etiquette (don't sit AT the table please, and don't talk with the players)
* Some bad decisions I made
(Calling an all-in w/KJo rather than folding or coming over the top)
(Not pushing A9o in a textbook Harrington scenario as the button with no action before me)
* Some good decisions I made that paid off
(staying with 22 four way after limping, being raised, and closing the betting)
* Some good decisions I made that didn't pay off
(calling a frequent all-inner w/AQ, and losing to KJ)
* Tilty behavior on my part
(misstating my chip count in an all-in situation)
* Why I was on tilt
(one player at my first table was having an astounding/unbelievable run of cards, and I had to lay down on two consecutive heads up flops. I had never played with him before and couldn't tell if we was in my head or actually getting cards.)
* Big all-in hands for me
(v Bishop to survive, v Jeff to survive w/79s, v DAB w/66 to lose to QJo and get knocked out)
I don't have time to blog right now, but here's some themes if I did.
* SB v BB situation late game with a min-raise (killbuck discussion)
* All-in v BB late game with KTo in BB's hands (other discussion)
* Railbird etiquette (don't sit AT the table please, and don't talk with the players)
* Some bad decisions I made
(Calling an all-in w/KJo rather than folding or coming over the top)
(Not pushing A9o in a textbook Harrington scenario as the button with no action before me)
* Some good decisions I made that paid off
(staying with 22 four way after limping, being raised, and closing the betting)
* Some good decisions I made that didn't pay off
(calling a frequent all-inner w/AQ, and losing to KJ)
* Tilty behavior on my part
(misstating my chip count in an all-in situation)
* Why I was on tilt
(one player at my first table was having an astounding/unbelievable run of cards, and I had to lay down on two consecutive heads up flops. I had never played with him before and couldn't tell if we was in my head or actually getting cards.)
* Big all-in hands for me
(v Bishop to survive, v Jeff to survive w/79s, v DAB w/66 to lose to QJo and get knocked out)
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Local Tourney June 23
Played at a 20$ tourney that is only 5 minutes from my home, which is a refreshingly short drive. The next closest, the N'erk tourney is more like 12 minutes, and has a bizarre blind structure at a steep price.
There were 13 of us playing basement poker. I mostly sat tight, since there were very few raises respected all night. At a minimum, seemed like the SB and BB would call with damn near anything. This meant I got to observe other people playing, some well, some atrociously.
Had pocket aces early and managed to collect without incident, and I busted a guy with my Ac Qc after he called me with AJo and couldn't let it go on an AKQ flop. In other games, I would have expected him to have AK, and so I had a big relief on the river when a queen fell. Comical that I didn't require the extra card. Generally, I needed cards to win a pot since somebody was always calling down with second pair, sometimes even ace high on a busted draw. There were a couple players whose raises were respected by the group, which was also funny since one of them was raising pre-flop and betting into pots with a frequency well outside of any reasonable card distribution.
After nursing my short stack well, (I doubled up once on KJo after pushing on a J-high flop), I got knocked out when my AKo met AQs all-in pre-flop. That was after 3 hours of play with four of us remaining out of 13.
Then I played cash for a little while. I enjoyed the tourney, but I don't think I can play ultra-low cash games anymore. (There was a single blind of 0.25 to win.) There's no buzz in it for me.
There were 13 of us playing basement poker. I mostly sat tight, since there were very few raises respected all night. At a minimum, seemed like the SB and BB would call with damn near anything. This meant I got to observe other people playing, some well, some atrociously.
Had pocket aces early and managed to collect without incident, and I busted a guy with my Ac Qc after he called me with AJo and couldn't let it go on an AKQ flop. In other games, I would have expected him to have AK, and so I had a big relief on the river when a queen fell. Comical that I didn't require the extra card. Generally, I needed cards to win a pot since somebody was always calling down with second pair, sometimes even ace high on a busted draw. There were a couple players whose raises were respected by the group, which was also funny since one of them was raising pre-flop and betting into pots with a frequency well outside of any reasonable card distribution.
After nursing my short stack well, (I doubled up once on KJo after pushing on a J-high flop), I got knocked out when my AKo met AQs all-in pre-flop. That was after 3 hours of play with four of us remaining out of 13.
Then I played cash for a little while. I enjoyed the tourney, but I don't think I can play ultra-low cash games anymore. (There was a single blind of 0.25 to win.) There's no buzz in it for me.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Tunica Miss Updates
I've been too busy driving to the casino and playing to deal with blogging. Here's highlights for the last week.
Sunday - Hit the Gold Strike, which was smokier than I remembered (not a smoking room, but very much adjacent to the smokers), and they had easily 15 full tables going. I played NLHE 1/2 while ordering eating dinner, and lost a big chunk to guy who hit his set on the turn to beat my aces. I was not as observant as I needed to be, and I could have saved a bunch of money on his river bet if I was at all alert. Note to self - play LIMIT while ordering and eating dinner, so mistakes don't cost so much. (They bring in free bar food for tips, by the way.)
Then I switched to LO8, and it was the bummer table of all bummer tables. Everybody knew each other, and everybody sat and waited for A23, so there were very few big pots to fight over, and nobody lively enough to break the boredom. I love O8, but a tight/dull table is unbearable.
Tuesday - Hit Sam's Town looking for a tourney, but misread the flier, so I went next door to Hollywood, found a soft 3-6 table and stuck around. The toughest part of limit is when you can't hit a hand at a soft table. I went out 10 bucks ahead after 4 hours of play. Their buffet was 'okay' but the best so far is still the Grand Casino.
Wednesday - Went to the Hollywood again to accumulate table hours for a 60$
'freeroll' tourney next Tuesday. There was a drunk who was slurring his speech on my right who was still playing limit reasonably well, and making money chasing his flushes. There were two very soft players who left 20 minutes after I sat down before I could get their money in circulation. The minute the drunk left, I left as well. I went out ahead 10 bucks.
Then I went next door to Sam's Town for some 1/2 NLHE. I lost my first buy-in early when I called a raise w/Qh Jc in position, and flopped the high straight on a one-suit flop (hearts). The same guy who raised had shown down Ah Kh three hands earliers, so I felt he was on a high pair with a heart draw, and that he didn't already have the flush. That was my thinking when I pushed on the no-heart turn, and he insta-called w/Ah Kh. It took me a couple hours to get to profitable, but I shucked and jived, stole a lot of small orphan pots, and found a couple of spots to double up or collect big.
Sunday - Hit the Gold Strike, which was smokier than I remembered (not a smoking room, but very much adjacent to the smokers), and they had easily 15 full tables going. I played NLHE 1/2 while ordering eating dinner, and lost a big chunk to guy who hit his set on the turn to beat my aces. I was not as observant as I needed to be, and I could have saved a bunch of money on his river bet if I was at all alert. Note to self - play LIMIT while ordering and eating dinner, so mistakes don't cost so much. (They bring in free bar food for tips, by the way.)
Then I switched to LO8, and it was the bummer table of all bummer tables. Everybody knew each other, and everybody sat and waited for A23, so there were very few big pots to fight over, and nobody lively enough to break the boredom. I love O8, but a tight/dull table is unbearable.
Tuesday - Hit Sam's Town looking for a tourney, but misread the flier, so I went next door to Hollywood, found a soft 3-6 table and stuck around. The toughest part of limit is when you can't hit a hand at a soft table. I went out 10 bucks ahead after 4 hours of play. Their buffet was 'okay' but the best so far is still the Grand Casino.
Wednesday - Went to the Hollywood again to accumulate table hours for a 60$
'freeroll' tourney next Tuesday. There was a drunk who was slurring his speech on my right who was still playing limit reasonably well, and making money chasing his flushes. There were two very soft players who left 20 minutes after I sat down before I could get their money in circulation. The minute the drunk left, I left as well. I went out ahead 10 bucks.
Then I went next door to Sam's Town for some 1/2 NLHE. I lost my first buy-in early when I called a raise w/Qh Jc in position, and flopped the high straight on a one-suit flop (hearts). The same guy who raised had shown down Ah Kh three hands earliers, so I felt he was on a high pair with a heart draw, and that he didn't already have the flush. That was my thinking when I pushed on the no-heart turn, and he insta-called w/Ah Kh. It took me a couple hours to get to profitable, but I shucked and jived, stole a lot of small orphan pots, and found a couple of spots to double up or collect big.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
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.
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.
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.
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