My friends and I had a poker game 90 minutes away at someone's apartment and three of us decided to carpoo in a tiny car. The other non-driver and I decided to hit a freeroll to see who got shotgun. The first person eliminated would have to sit in the back. (Note: Piles of crap had to be shoved aside to make room for anybody in the back seat of this car)
So I sat in the back on the drive up. 90 minutes. It sucked. I stared getting car sick by the end.
We agreed that the first of us eliminated from the home game would have to sit in the back on the way back.
The home game had three tables. My table was weak (which is good). People didn't know what they were doing, and would do no-no's like picking up their cards and making unintentional string bets. Much of the table limped in on every hand.
Much of the shuffling sucked too.
I never corrected these errors though, as I didn't want to embarrass anybody into playing more conservative.
I did make several corrections like "No she actually won that. See, she has a full house" though, as I thought I had an ethical duty to do that.
That was the first game I ever played where I never showed a hand.
The driver and I were about even at the break, but the friend I had the seating arrangement bet with wasn't doing well. He had a guy on his left who kept calling his raises, and would end up winning with garbage. Basically my friend crippled himself by not tightening up enough against a calling machine.
After break, after bailing out of a hand where my A/K didn't connect and my bluff was re-raised (by pocket Queens I was told) I looked up and saw my friend sitting off to the side drinking his punishment beer. Beautiful! It was a relief to know I had the front seat on the way home.
For the record, when we play poker we don't drink. But after the game, while waiting for our friends to finish, we drink beer we brought. Said beer is the cheap and nasty kind, as the beer shouldn't be enjoyed too much. We call this "punishment beer." "Loser beer" is acceptable as well.
I never really caught many cards. I had A/J twice, which both failed to connect with the clop but I won anyway. I had 10/10 which was my big winner after bluffing a guy off a monster pot. I also had an A/K which cost me a lot of chips when I made a continuation bet on rag-filled flop and was re-raised. One other time I was the big blind with something like 9/6 and flopped two pair.
I think my ring games affected my play too much. I probably should have been more aggressive.
I was in the middle of the pack when we were down to two tables. The blinds kept doubling, so it started to become a crap shoot. I had an average stack, which means that I had enough chips for three rounds.
I had an Ace and I thought about shoving all-in but I decided against it. Everyone folded to the big blind. Doh!
I had another Ace the next hand and though about shoving again, but decided not to. Everyone folded to the big blind again. Doh!
The next hand I had K/Q, so I shoved all-in, and was called by two players. Doh! One ended up making a straight, one made a flush, and I made nothing. Since they both had me covered and were playing against each other to the river I never had to turn my hand up. When I saw I lost I just mucked the cards.
The guy who invited us, the friend who drove, ended up winning the whole thing. Good for him.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Hit the 9:00 Railbirds freeroll. It was on PokerStars.
Again, I put my full effort into it.
My only regret was calling a guy's hand and making the call anyway. I even asked him if he had A/Q before calling with my A/J after he shoved all-in after a A/2/6 flop. I had better than 3/1 on my money to call, but still.
Other than that I'm fine with my play.
1,671 players
1st break I was 150/556 with $6k and an average stack of $4.5k.
2nd break I was 2/140 with $66k and an average stack of $18k.
3rd break I was 16/23 with $60k and an average stack of $109k.
Blinds at that point were 4k/8k with $400 antes, which gave me an M of less than 4.
I ended up shoving all-in with Q/9 into an unraised pot and losing to someone who had 10/10, knocking me out in 23'rd place for $.90.
It was the right move for the situation.
Again, I put my full effort into it.
My only regret was calling a guy's hand and making the call anyway. I even asked him if he had A/Q before calling with my A/J after he shoved all-in after a A/2/6 flop. I had better than 3/1 on my money to call, but still.
Other than that I'm fine with my play.
1,671 players
1st break I was 150/556 with $6k and an average stack of $4.5k.
2nd break I was 2/140 with $66k and an average stack of $18k.
3rd break I was 16/23 with $60k and an average stack of $109k.
Blinds at that point were 4k/8k with $400 antes, which gave me an M of less than 4.
I ended up shoving all-in with Q/9 into an unraised pot and losing to someone who had 10/10, knocking me out in 23'rd place for $.90.
It was the right move for the situation.
Laak & Eslami Vs Machine
The human resistance to the domination of the machine hoard was victorious.
I'm sure this is just a temporary setback for our future computer overlords.
A good rundown here.
I'm sure this is just a temporary setback for our future computer overlords.
A good rundown here.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Birds Part Deux
Played my second Railbirds NLHE freeroll.
Okay, technically I was in another last night, but I wanted to go to bed so I was all-in with any decent cards so I could bust out early.
Tonight I finished 183 out of 1,712.
I could have folded my way to the money, but I don't play for the minimum payout.
Final hand, I had an M of 8 with over 8k chips.
I made a 2k raise with 10/10.
The table leader (big blind) called.
Flop was 5/4/7 with two spades.
He checked.
I shoved all-in. He called with K/6.
He hit the K on the turn, busting me.
Dang.
Had I shoved all-in pre-flop, the correct move, he'd probably have folded.
The game, like yesterdays, was really soft. Very few continuation bets. My continuation bets almost always paid off.
Last night I had one suck out, which would have only cost 1/4 of my chips. Tonight I don't think I sucked out against anybody. I played the odds, bullied the weak, and trapped the aggressive.
I had a hot streak in the beginning and a dray streak after the first hour.
That is, I had 7,000 at the first break and 8,900 at the second break. (The average stack at the second break was 13k at the second break.)
Okay, technically I was in another last night, but I wanted to go to bed so I was all-in with any decent cards so I could bust out early.
Tonight I finished 183 out of 1,712.
I could have folded my way to the money, but I don't play for the minimum payout.
Final hand, I had an M of 8 with over 8k chips.
I made a 2k raise with 10/10.
The table leader (big blind) called.
Flop was 5/4/7 with two spades.
He checked.
I shoved all-in. He called with K/6.
He hit the K on the turn, busting me.
Dang.
Had I shoved all-in pre-flop, the correct move, he'd probably have folded.
The game, like yesterdays, was really soft. Very few continuation bets. My continuation bets almost always paid off.
Last night I had one suck out, which would have only cost 1/4 of my chips. Tonight I don't think I sucked out against anybody. I played the odds, bullied the weak, and trapped the aggressive.
I had a hot streak in the beginning and a dray streak after the first hour.
That is, I had 7,000 at the first break and 8,900 at the second break. (The average stack at the second break was 13k at the second break.)
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Railbirds.com
If you want some good freerolls, try signing up for Railbirds.com and making some posts in their forums. They have daily $200 freerolls which are very nice.
I played a Railbirds 5 card draw freeroll on Poker Stars. I'd never played 5 card draw online before, so there was a big leaning curve. Most winning hands are "two pair."
I didn't totally embarrass myself, finishing 898/1,336.
This afternoon I hit my first No Limit Texas Hold'em Railbirds tournament.
Thiry minutes in I disconnected. When I finally reconnected I had a countdown asking if I should fold/call/raise... with A/A. It turned out well.
1,558 entries. $200 in prize money. Pays to 150-something place I think. Winner gets $43.
48 minutes in I was 1/695 with 19k. Average stack was 3.4k.
1st break I was in 4/550 with 19k, average was 4k, and largest 25k.
2nd break I was 6/171 with 42k, average was 14k, and largest was 72k.
2:42 in I was 2/118 with 63k, average was 20k, and largest was 83k.
3rd break I was 45/61 with 21k, average was 38k, and largest was 122k.
3:31 in I was 11/47 with 63k, average was 49k, and largest was 219k.
Then I disconnected for over 12 minutes with 77.5k (11th place with 31 remaining)
When I got back on I had 44.6k remaining, (17th place with 18 remaining).
4:10 in I was knocked out in 17th place.
Payoff was $.82.
Two more places and I'd have made $1.19.
Of course, the cheapest sit & go on FT is $1 + $.25 (yuck), and the cheapest table games are $.05/$.10 with a minimum $2 buy-in.
I played a Railbirds 5 card draw freeroll on Poker Stars. I'd never played 5 card draw online before, so there was a big leaning curve. Most winning hands are "two pair."
I didn't totally embarrass myself, finishing 898/1,336.
This afternoon I hit my first No Limit Texas Hold'em Railbirds tournament.
Thiry minutes in I disconnected. When I finally reconnected I had a countdown asking if I should fold/call/raise... with A/A. It turned out well.
1,558 entries. $200 in prize money. Pays to 150-something place I think. Winner gets $43.
48 minutes in I was 1/695 with 19k. Average stack was 3.4k.
1st break I was in 4/550 with 19k, average was 4k, and largest 25k.
2nd break I was 6/171 with 42k, average was 14k, and largest was 72k.
2:42 in I was 2/118 with 63k, average was 20k, and largest was 83k.
3rd break I was 45/61 with 21k, average was 38k, and largest was 122k.
3:31 in I was 11/47 with 63k, average was 49k, and largest was 219k.
Then I disconnected for over 12 minutes with 77.5k (11th place with 31 remaining)
When I got back on I had 44.6k remaining, (17th place with 18 remaining).
4:10 in I was knocked out in 17th place.
Payoff was $.82.
Two more places and I'd have made $1.19.
Of course, the cheapest sit & go on FT is $1 + $.25 (yuck), and the cheapest table games are $.05/$.10 with a minimum $2 buy-in.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
No blog freeroll for me
I went to my in-law's to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday instead of playing in the Pokerstars blogger freeroll thingy.
No biggie. No real disappointment. I wouldn't have been able to play my best anyway, as there would have been too many distractions going on.
I had a little success moving up in stakes on Pokerstars, but got creamed while playing dumb so I'm taking a break. I didn't play at all last night. Instead I rearranged my music and cleaned up my computer.
No biggie. No real disappointment. I wouldn't have been able to play my best anyway, as there would have been too many distractions going on.
I had a little success moving up in stakes on Pokerstars, but got creamed while playing dumb so I'm taking a break. I didn't play at all last night. Instead I rearranged my music and cleaned up my computer.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Pokerstars tournament
I've been a regular on Pokerstars for quite awhile now. I decided to hit the blogger freeroll.
Will I do well? Probably not, but it should be fun.
At least it will give me more to talk about.
Will I do well? Probably not, but it should be fun.
At least it will give me more to talk about.
I'll have guests coming over that evening, so if I'm still in it when they arrive I guess we can sit around and watch me try to win my way to glory.
I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!
This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.
Registration code: 8062047
Joe Hachem
Aug 31, 2007
I watched Joe Hachem play some HU (heads up) matches on Pokerstars.
I watched him lose the first heads up match.
Then he played another... it lasted two hands!
PokerStars Game #11800404072: Tournament #59887385, $110+$5 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2007/08/31 - 20:45:49 (ET)
Table '59887385 1' 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: JoeHachem (1400 in chips)
Seat 2: GARBANZITO (1600 in chips)
GARBANZITO: posts small blind 10
JoeHachem: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
GARBANZITO: raises 20 to 40
JoeHachem: calls 20
*** FLOP *** [4s Qc 7c]
JoeHachem: checks
GARBANZITO: checks
*** TURN *** [4s Qc 7c] [6d]
JoeHachem: checks
GARBANZITO: bets 80
JoeHachem: raises 140 to 220
GARBANZITO: raises 480 to 700
JoeHachem: raises 660 to 1360 and is all-in
GARBANZITO: calls 660
*** RIVER *** [4s Qc 7c 6d] [Ad]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JoeHachem: shows [8h Th] (high card Ace)
GARBANZITO: shows [4d Qd] (two pair, Queens and Fours)
GARBANZITO collected 2800 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2800 | Rake 0
Board [4s Qc 7c 6d Ad]
Seat 1: JoeHachem (big blind) showed [8h Th] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 2: GARBANZITO (button) (small blind) showed [4d Qd] and won (2800) with two pair, Queens and Fours
I watched Joe Hachem play some HU (heads up) matches on Pokerstars.
I watched him lose the first heads up match.
Then he played another... it lasted two hands!
PokerStars Game #11800404072: Tournament #59887385, $110+$5 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2007/08/31 - 20:45:49 (ET)
Table '59887385 1' 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: JoeHachem (1400 in chips)
Seat 2: GARBANZITO (1600 in chips)
GARBANZITO: posts small blind 10
JoeHachem: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
GARBANZITO: raises 20 to 40
JoeHachem: calls 20
*** FLOP *** [4s Qc 7c]
JoeHachem: checks
GARBANZITO: checks
*** TURN *** [4s Qc 7c] [6d]
JoeHachem: checks
GARBANZITO: bets 80
JoeHachem: raises 140 to 220
GARBANZITO: raises 480 to 700
JoeHachem: raises 660 to 1360 and is all-in
GARBANZITO: calls 660
*** RIVER *** [4s Qc 7c 6d] [Ad]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JoeHachem: shows [8h Th] (high card Ace)
GARBANZITO: shows [4d Qd] (two pair, Queens and Fours)
GARBANZITO collected 2800 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2800 | Rake 0
Board [4s Qc 7c 6d Ad]
Seat 1: JoeHachem (big blind) showed [8h Th] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 2: GARBANZITO (button) (small blind) showed [4d Qd] and won (2800) with two pair, Queens and Fours
Someone learns a lesson:
brooklyncyc: posts small blind $0.01
SvgePenguin: posts big blind $0.02
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SvgePenguin [As 2d]
Vittgenstein: folds
Sneakers: folds
Yoda: folds
Phishphunk1: calls $0.02
Mercedes CH: calls $0.02
cbruponone: folds
brooklyncyc: folds
SvgePenguin: checks
*** FLOP *** [8d Qs 8s]
SvgePenguin: checks
Phishphunk1: checks
Mercedes CH: checks
*** TURN *** [8d Qs 8s] [7s]
SvgePenguin: checks
Phishphunk1: checks
R@y1980 joins the table at seat #4
Mercedes CH: checks
*** RIVER *** [8d Q s 8s 7s] [Ks]
SvgePenguin: bets $0.05
Phishphunk1: raises $0.17 to $0.22
Mercedes CH: folds
SvgePenguin: raises $0.33 to $0.55
Phishphunk1: calls $0.33
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SvgePenguin: shows [As 2d] (a flush, Ace high)
Phishphunk1: shows [5s Js] (a flush, King high)
SvgePenguin collected $1.12 from pot
Then the guy started bitching at me about me being a "river rat."
Ha ha ha ha! His complaints were the icing on the cake! ...that he gave me.
brooklyncyc: posts small blind $0.01
SvgePenguin: posts big blind $0.02
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SvgePenguin [As 2d]
Vittgenstein: folds
Sneakers: folds
Yoda: folds
Phishphunk1: calls $0.02
Mercedes CH: calls $0.02
cbruponone: folds
brooklyncyc: folds
SvgePenguin: checks
*** FLOP *** [8d Qs 8s]
SvgePenguin: checks
Phishphunk1: checks
Mercedes CH: checks
*** TURN *** [8d Qs 8s] [7s]
SvgePenguin: checks
Phishphunk1: checks
R@y1980 joins the table at seat #4
Mercedes CH: checks
*** RIVER *** [8d Q s 8s 7s] [Ks]
SvgePenguin: bets $0.05
Phishphunk1: raises $0.17 to $0.22
Mercedes CH: folds
SvgePenguin: raises $0.33 to $0.55
Phishphunk1: calls $0.33
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SvgePenguin: shows [As 2d] (a flush, Ace high)
Phishphunk1: shows [5s Js] (a flush, King high)
SvgePenguin collected $1.12 from pot
Then the guy started bitching at me about me being a "river rat."
Ha ha ha ha! His complaints were the icing on the cake! ...that he gave me.
Hand of hands
Most of the table left so I was heads up with this guy.
How's this for a hand?
Ha ha!
I wasn't able to milk him for anything post flop though, so the joke was on me I guess.
Here's another:
How's this for a hand?
Ha ha!
I wasn't able to milk him for anything post flop though, so the joke was on me I guess.
Here's another:
Aug 10, 2007
Sometimes aggression pays:
This was in a freeroll. I was at a table where everybody except myself and one other player were sitting out.
This was in a freeroll. I was at a table where everybody except myself and one other player were sitting out.
Dumbest call ever?
Aug. 9, 2007
Here's a hand that scared me, then left me with confusion:
Dealt to SvgePenguin [As 8c]
treework: folds
Da_Bear1: folds
bruiser73: folds
321704686: folds
SvgePenguin: raises 400 to 500
Farin321: folds
freespirit96: folds
Dr Bling1: folds
VITAMIN QUE: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [Ac 5h Kh]
VITAMIN QUE: checks
SvgePenguin: bets 500
VITAMIN QUE: calls 500
*** TURN *** [Ac 5h Kh] [Kc]
VITAMIN QUE: checks
SvgePenguin: bets 1000
VITAMIN QUE: raises 1900 to 2900
SvgePenguin: raises 13980 to 16880 and is all-in
VITAMIN QUE: calls 10280 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [Ac 5h Kh Kc] [Ts]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
VITAMIN QUE: shows [Td Qh] (two pair, Kings and Tens)
SvgePenguin: shows [As 8c] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
SvgePenguin collected 28410 from pot
Dr Bling1 said, "??"
SvgePenguin said, "What's with that call???"
Here's a hand that scared me, then left me with confusion:
Dealt to SvgePenguin [As 8c]
treework: folds
Da_Bear1: folds
bruiser73: folds
321704686: folds
SvgePenguin: raises 400 to 500
Farin321: folds
freespirit96: folds
Dr Bling1: folds
VITAMIN QUE: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [Ac 5h Kh]
VITAMIN QUE: checks
SvgePenguin: bets 500
VITAMIN QUE: calls 500
*** TURN *** [Ac 5h Kh] [Kc]
VITAMIN QUE: checks
SvgePenguin: bets 1000
VITAMIN QUE: raises 1900 to 2900
SvgePenguin: raises 13980 to 16880 and is all-in
VITAMIN QUE: calls 10280 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [Ac 5h Kh Kc] [Ts]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
VITAMIN QUE: shows [Td Qh] (two pair, Kings and Tens)
SvgePenguin: shows [As 8c] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
SvgePenguin collected 28410 from pot
Dr Bling1 said, "??"
SvgePenguin said, "What's with that call???"
July 26, 2007
I was a railbird for a Joe Hachem heads up match.
Hit2hit shoved all-in on the turn.
Poor guy.
Here I am after finally getting a hand after a long cold streak in a freeroll tournament.
I was all-in pre-flop. Whah! Whah! Whah!
Oh well.
Since I'm bratting anyway, how about this hand? (It's another Pokerstars freeroll) How could I not call an all-in on the river? Before the river hit I was chanting "Ace or club! Ace or club!"
Hit2hit shoved all-in on the turn.
Poor guy.
Here I am after finally getting a hand after a long cold streak in a freeroll tournament.
I was all-in pre-flop. Whah! Whah! Whah!
Oh well.
Since I'm bratting anyway, how about this hand? (It's another Pokerstars freeroll) How could I not call an all-in on the river? Before the river hit I was chanting "Ace or club! Ace or club!"
July 23, 2007
Back in July I watched Negreanu's first games on Pokerstars. Previously he played on FullContactPoker, but during the WSoP he switched to Pokerstars, which is my preferred site.
I felt bad for Negreanu at first. Every game he went to would be *full* of onlookers, many of whom would try to chat it up with Negreanu. I think Daniel tried too hard to be nice to the chatters. I'm sure it affected his game.
I copied the following chat because I thought it was interesting. I cut off the comment at the end, so I had to go back and type it in. I don't remember who said it, but it made me laugh.
I felt bad for Negreanu at first. Every game he went to would be *full* of onlookers, many of whom would try to chat it up with Negreanu. I think Daniel tried too hard to be nice to the chatters. I'm sure it affected his game.
I copied the following chat because I thought it was interesting. I cut off the comment at the end, so I had to go back and type it in. I don't remember who said it, but it made me laugh.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Poker
Long time no post. I've been pokering more than ever. I'll post some of old emails in a bit.
Last night I got brutalized. I lost around 300 BB's, much of it due to making a *stupid* play with K/K. If I'd have shoved all-in pre-flop I'd be fine with losing it. But the flop was A/Q/Q and someone shoved all-in. Yeah, I had better than 3/1 odds to call, but I should have folded. I just couldn't get off the hand.
I played two tables at once and I'm not sure if it hurt me. It was my biggest loss in months.
Eventually I made 50bb's back at one table, then quit the second after a small come back there (the table had gone cold).
Then I hit a new table and managed to make 150 BB's there. So I didn't totally tank, and I'm up overall since yesterday morning.
Two hands I had fun with.
#1 A guy with a The Matrix avatar had $1.01 left and shoved all-in. Someone called.
I wrote, "Someone with a Matric avatar bet 101? How can he possibly lose?"
He won... of course. I mean, that's like calling "H4X0rZ's" 1337 bet in a tournament. You just don't do it.
(BTW, he had K/J so I made note of his aggression)
#2 With more than $2 to his name, I checked as BB with A/2.
The flop was A/A/Q, and I checked.
He shoved all-in.
I called.
The other cards were rags. The Matix guy had 6/7, a stone cold bluff.
The table had a good laugh at that.
Last night I got brutalized. I lost around 300 BB's, much of it due to making a *stupid* play with K/K. If I'd have shoved all-in pre-flop I'd be fine with losing it. But the flop was A/Q/Q and someone shoved all-in. Yeah, I had better than 3/1 odds to call, but I should have folded. I just couldn't get off the hand.
I played two tables at once and I'm not sure if it hurt me. It was my biggest loss in months.
Eventually I made 50bb's back at one table, then quit the second after a small come back there (the table had gone cold).
Then I hit a new table and managed to make 150 BB's there. So I didn't totally tank, and I'm up overall since yesterday morning.
Two hands I had fun with.
#1 A guy with a The Matrix avatar had $1.01 left and shoved all-in. Someone called.
I wrote, "Someone with a Matric avatar bet 101? How can he possibly lose?"
He won... of course. I mean, that's like calling "H4X0rZ's" 1337 bet in a tournament. You just don't do it.
(BTW, he had K/J so I made note of his aggression)
#2 With more than $2 to his name, I checked as BB with A/2.
The flop was A/A/Q, and I checked.
He shoved all-in.
I called.
The other cards were rags. The Matix guy had 6/7, a stone cold bluff.
The table had a good laugh at that.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Man Vs Machine
Phil Laak is going to play poker against a computer... again.
Last night I watched Negreanu play Hold'em, then switch to Stud Hi/Lo on Pokerstars. He made a few thousand.
In that second pic, Daniel had been leading out. In this pic, Daniel bet $100. AffleckKGB raised another $200 and Daniel folded. He had what, 7-to-1 odds. He must have had junk in the hole.
I also watched Barry Greenstein.
I'm pretty sure Barry was all-in pre-flop with this hand, which confused me. But I guess it worked out for him. I was jumping around games, so maybe Barry suspect that he was being bullied and took a stand? I don't know.
One guy asked Barry to play heads up, but only offered to play for $1k. During the course of the conversation Barry won a lot more than that. By the time I quit watching Barry was up to over 8K in chips. I just don't see how it would ever be in Greenstein's bests interest to play a long heads up game when the table game are so lucrative. But Barry was really nice about turning him down:
I also watched Greg "Fossilman" Raymer play Omaha:
All the pros I saw were winners. And they all seemed to fill the table with players. I think that a lot of people pop in so they can say, "I played with..." to their friends. Heck, I thought the same thing.
Last night I watched Negreanu play Hold'em, then switch to Stud Hi/Lo on Pokerstars. He made a few thousand.
In that second pic, Daniel had been leading out. In this pic, Daniel bet $100. AffleckKGB raised another $200 and Daniel folded. He had what, 7-to-1 odds. He must have had junk in the hole.
I also watched Barry Greenstein.
I'm pretty sure Barry was all-in pre-flop with this hand, which confused me. But I guess it worked out for him. I was jumping around games, so maybe Barry suspect that he was being bullied and took a stand? I don't know.
One guy asked Barry to play heads up, but only offered to play for $1k. During the course of the conversation Barry won a lot more than that. By the time I quit watching Barry was up to over 8K in chips. I just don't see how it would ever be in Greenstein's bests interest to play a long heads up game when the table game are so lucrative. But Barry was really nice about turning him down:
I also watched Greg "Fossilman" Raymer play Omaha:
All the pros I saw were winners. And they all seemed to fill the table with players. I think that a lot of people pop in so they can say, "I played with..." to their friends. Heck, I thought the same thing.
Friday, June 29, 2007
All the right moves
Every time I bust out I second guess my move. Even going all-in pre-flop, short stacked with pocket Queens I'd think, "If I'd had just limped in, when A/K on the flop I might have bailed and saved doubled or tripled up a few hands later," even though I *know* that I made the proper move (IE, the move with the best results over the long term).
I've been reading Harrington on Hold'em Volume II: The Endgame and it's really improved the way I view my short stack game. I highly recommend that you get a copy if you haven't read it yet (but be sure to read Volume I first). As conservative as "Action Dan" Harrington is, he advocates making big do-or-die moves while you still have enough chips to scare people off. That is, if you wait too long for a great hand to double up with you'll get a lot more callers, reducing your chances of staying in the game. Also, since you have fewer chips to bet with the rewards are slimmer.
It feels comforting to get confirmation that you made the right decision.
If you read my last post you'll see that when I went out I had around 300 (325 I think) in chips with 40/80 blinds. That gave me an "M" (your M is basically the number of rounds you can see before being blinded out) of about 2.5, clearly in Harrington's "Red Zone." I was first to act with King/Ten at a full 9-player table, and I went all-in pre-flop.
This evening I flipped back through around 20 example hands to see if I could drum up a similiar hand, and came upon this beauty:
His examples are taken from real hands that people have played, and the results are the actual results (sometimes good, sometimes bad). My situation was almost identical to his, but my results were very different. Two people called, one with an Ace that hit the flop and ended up winning the pot.
I think I got the two calls because I had gone all-in about a dozen hands earlier with 8/8, and nobody looked me up. I think the first guy called with A/4 because he wasn't going to put up with me going all-in again, and the other caller was the most aggressive guy at the table and called just to help knock me out. Earlier he'd called someone's 400'ish all-in even though he only had 10/8 off-suit, declaring "I have nothing but I'll make the call to knock you out." He lost that hand. But he never did reveal his hand when he knocked me out, so he may have had some legitimate drawing hand. Knowing him it was probably something like middle connectors.
I've been reading Harrington on Hold'em Volume II: The Endgame and it's really improved the way I view my short stack game. I highly recommend that you get a copy if you haven't read it yet (but be sure to read Volume I first). As conservative as "Action Dan" Harrington is, he advocates making big do-or-die moves while you still have enough chips to scare people off. That is, if you wait too long for a great hand to double up with you'll get a lot more callers, reducing your chances of staying in the game. Also, since you have fewer chips to bet with the rewards are slimmer.
It feels comforting to get confirmation that you made the right decision.
If you read my last post you'll see that when I went out I had around 300 (325 I think) in chips with 40/80 blinds. That gave me an "M" (your M is basically the number of rounds you can see before being blinded out) of about 2.5, clearly in Harrington's "Red Zone." I was first to act with King/Ten at a full 9-player table, and I went all-in pre-flop.
This evening I flipped back through around 20 example hands to see if I could drum up a similiar hand, and came upon this beauty:
His examples are taken from real hands that people have played, and the results are the actual results (sometimes good, sometimes bad). My situation was almost identical to his, but my results were very different. Two people called, one with an Ace that hit the flop and ended up winning the pot.
I think I got the two calls because I had gone all-in about a dozen hands earlier with 8/8, and nobody looked me up. I think the first guy called with A/4 because he wasn't going to put up with me going all-in again, and the other caller was the most aggressive guy at the table and called just to help knock me out. Earlier he'd called someone's 400'ish all-in even though he only had 10/8 off-suit, declaring "I have nothing but I'll make the call to knock you out." He lost that hand. But he never did reveal his hand when he knocked me out, so he may have had some legitimate drawing hand. Knowing him it was probably something like middle connectors.
Tournament results
All week I've been obnoxiously confident about doing well at the tournament.
Of course, out of the three of us who carpooled out there I was the first one eliminated. During the break my buddy asked me how I was going to win now that I was eliminated.
I told him it would be tough, but I would still be a winner for the night, and that I'd write a book on coming back from elimination to win the tournament. (Positive thinking to the extreme)
A few minutes later they drew raffle tickets and sure enough they drew my number ...88! My buddy had ...89 and another person nearby had ...87. Ha ha!
I won $48! Victory!
And I took their tickets as trophies since I had to turn mine in:
The torn Kc (King of clubs) is from another drawing they had. They spread a deck out face up, and you choose a card. They tear it, give you half, and throw the other half in the lot. At the break a torn card from the lot and the person with the other half gets half the money ($26) while the other half goes to the non-profit organization running the event.
This was the first time I'd bought a card. They drew 8d. I told my friend that the announcer should have started off by saying "It's a diamond..." to give 1/4 of the audience a quick thrill. Maybe I should mention that the the guy who does the drawing?
I heard a few "I was close" comments after the drawing, which stuck in my head. How can anybody know that they were close?
Those drawings are pretty much reliant on the butterfly effect. Picking 7d or 9d when 8d is drawn is only the illusion of being close. The only thing that matters is where the guy threw your ticket/card in relationship to the position of every other ticket/card deposited or yet to be deposited. Plus there's all the events that lead up to how the lot is drawn. Maybe if you spent a few more seconds choosing your cards the man would have adjusted his feet with impatience and dropped the card a few inches left, making it the winner.
That is, getting #...88 or picking 8d has nothing to do with those cards being the winner. It was the moment that they were bought in relationship to all other events that made them the winners. So the idea of being close because your number or card looked the same is ridiculous.
The two buddies I carpooled with were short stack, and even though one tripled up they were eliminated a short time later. I was home by 10:30.
As for my play, I did pretty good, but I should have done a lot better.
I wasn't paying attention the first couple hands. I don't really fault myself for that. I was just getting warmed up, and I was the dealer on hand #2. It wasn't until hand #3 that I started studying the players.
I received a ton of Jack/rag cards all night (several J/7's and J/9's), but I did have some playable hands. I had A/K twice, once chasing someone off a flop we both missed, and the other time getting chased off a flop that I *think* we both missed, but it wasn't worth going broke over.
I remember limping in with 5/5 after several other limps, and being chased off when the small blind made a large raise.
As the big blind with one limper I checked with 8/3. I watched my opponent and he made the classic "I missed the flop" tell. Then I looked down and saw the flop was Q/J/9. The blinds were 40/80, with 200 in, so I made a 100 raise. He called.
The flop was a 7, and I made a big mistake by just checking. He checked.
The river was a 3, pairing my 3. Very weak but I made another bet of 200. He called and showed me A/7. Doh!
If I had continued my aggression, representing the Queen, I am sure he would have folded. But I let my "getting beat by A/A when I knew he missed the flop" beat last time scare me off.
Had I been more aggressive I wouldn't have lost the 380 from my stack, and would have ended the hand at least 220 richer. That's pretty substantial, considering that we start with 1,000 in chips.
Eventually I ended up with around 250 in chips (40/80 blinds) and went all-in with 8/8, winning just the blinds.
Not too long after that I went all-in with K/10 and was called by the two players with the biggest chip stacks. Ugh! The best player checked in the dark, to show that he just wanted to check all the way to eliminate me.
They both checked every hand, and the good guy won when his A/4 paired an Ace on the flop.
I went out swinging. I made my all-in while I still had enough chips to discourage a call, and I'd have been a coin flip against most calling hands. It just didn't work out.
So be it.
Of course, out of the three of us who carpooled out there I was the first one eliminated. During the break my buddy asked me how I was going to win now that I was eliminated.
I told him it would be tough, but I would still be a winner for the night, and that I'd write a book on coming back from elimination to win the tournament. (Positive thinking to the extreme)
A few minutes later they drew raffle tickets and sure enough they drew my number ...88! My buddy had ...89 and another person nearby had ...87. Ha ha!
I won $48! Victory!
And I took their tickets as trophies since I had to turn mine in:
The torn Kc (King of clubs) is from another drawing they had. They spread a deck out face up, and you choose a card. They tear it, give you half, and throw the other half in the lot. At the break a torn card from the lot and the person with the other half gets half the money ($26) while the other half goes to the non-profit organization running the event.
This was the first time I'd bought a card. They drew 8d. I told my friend that the announcer should have started off by saying "It's a diamond..." to give 1/4 of the audience a quick thrill. Maybe I should mention that the the guy who does the drawing?
I heard a few "I was close" comments after the drawing, which stuck in my head. How can anybody know that they were close?
Those drawings are pretty much reliant on the butterfly effect. Picking 7d or 9d when 8d is drawn is only the illusion of being close. The only thing that matters is where the guy threw your ticket/card in relationship to the position of every other ticket/card deposited or yet to be deposited. Plus there's all the events that lead up to how the lot is drawn. Maybe if you spent a few more seconds choosing your cards the man would have adjusted his feet with impatience and dropped the card a few inches left, making it the winner.
That is, getting #...88 or picking 8d has nothing to do with those cards being the winner. It was the moment that they were bought in relationship to all other events that made them the winners. So the idea of being close because your number or card looked the same is ridiculous.
The two buddies I carpooled with were short stack, and even though one tripled up they were eliminated a short time later. I was home by 10:30.
As for my play, I did pretty good, but I should have done a lot better.
I wasn't paying attention the first couple hands. I don't really fault myself for that. I was just getting warmed up, and I was the dealer on hand #2. It wasn't until hand #3 that I started studying the players.
I received a ton of Jack/rag cards all night (several J/7's and J/9's), but I did have some playable hands. I had A/K twice, once chasing someone off a flop we both missed, and the other time getting chased off a flop that I *think* we both missed, but it wasn't worth going broke over.
I remember limping in with 5/5 after several other limps, and being chased off when the small blind made a large raise.
As the big blind with one limper I checked with 8/3. I watched my opponent and he made the classic "I missed the flop" tell. Then I looked down and saw the flop was Q/J/9. The blinds were 40/80, with 200 in, so I made a 100 raise. He called.
The flop was a 7, and I made a big mistake by just checking. He checked.
The river was a 3, pairing my 3. Very weak but I made another bet of 200. He called and showed me A/7. Doh!
If I had continued my aggression, representing the Queen, I am sure he would have folded. But I let my "getting beat by A/A when I knew he missed the flop" beat last time scare me off.
Had I been more aggressive I wouldn't have lost the 380 from my stack, and would have ended the hand at least 220 richer. That's pretty substantial, considering that we start with 1,000 in chips.
Eventually I ended up with around 250 in chips (40/80 blinds) and went all-in with 8/8, winning just the blinds.
Not too long after that I went all-in with K/10 and was called by the two players with the biggest chip stacks. Ugh! The best player checked in the dark, to show that he just wanted to check all the way to eliminate me.
They both checked every hand, and the good guy won when his A/4 paired an Ace on the flop.
I went out swinging. I made my all-in while I still had enough chips to discourage a call, and I'd have been a coin flip against most calling hands. It just didn't work out.
So be it.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Pre-Poker
I've been going through my pre-game ritual this week. No red meat, minimal junk food, smaller portions, and no alcohol. I honestly think I play better when I'm a little hungry. I don't know why that is. Maybe food makes me lethargic, or lack of food puts me into predatory mode?
In fact, I haven't had an alcoholic beverage in over a week. Of course, that's not all by my choosing. Normally I'd start consciously not drinking on Sunday or Monday. I probably had a beer last Monday or Tuesday, but I know I didn't any Wednesday or Thursday. Friday I would have had one with dinner (we ate at Ruby Tuesday) but we were staying in a dry county, so there was no alcohol available. We were in the dry county until Sunday afternoon, and by the time I got home Sunday night all I wanted to do was go online and meet my 100,000 goal. I was playing serious poker then, and I will not mix alcohol with serious poker.
Serious poker = Me doing everything I can to win. I actively look for holes in people's games spot tells, study betting patterns, give off fake tells, calculate percentages/odds/outs, etc.
Play poker = Social poker, where winning isn't the goal. I tend to just play my cards, and tend to gamble a lot more. Basically I become just an average schlub at the table, only my goal is to break even. Usually after playing like a schlub most of the night I'll change gears into serious-mode in an attempt at breaking even. If I'm playing for free chips online though, I tend to just kamikaze myself in do-or-die situations to double-up.
I haven't played a single hand of poker since Sunday night. I don't have a steadfast rule against playing before a tournament, but I'd like to abstain from playing serious poker. That is, I don't want to put a lot of effort into a game, making me care about the results, as I think it could effect my mindset. I don't want to be dealt "A/Q" and think to myself, "Maybe I shouldn't raise because the last six times I had Ace/paint" the wrong paint showed up on the flop. I mean, I know I'd still make the right play, but I don't want to question it due to some silly misguided notion of bad luck.
I also think that playing serious poker drains my batteries, especially if variance throws me a dry spell. I want to hit the game with a full tank of gas, optimistic and eager to take the lead and do my best. If I hit the game a little bored of poker my attention will wane, and that's not good. I'd like to pay attention as much as I can, as long as I can.
..not 110%. That's impossible.
In fact, I haven't had an alcoholic beverage in over a week. Of course, that's not all by my choosing. Normally I'd start consciously not drinking on Sunday or Monday. I probably had a beer last Monday or Tuesday, but I know I didn't any Wednesday or Thursday. Friday I would have had one with dinner (we ate at Ruby Tuesday) but we were staying in a dry county, so there was no alcohol available. We were in the dry county until Sunday afternoon, and by the time I got home Sunday night all I wanted to do was go online and meet my 100,000 goal. I was playing serious poker then, and I will not mix alcohol with serious poker.
Serious poker = Me doing everything I can to win. I actively look for holes in people's games spot tells, study betting patterns, give off fake tells, calculate percentages/odds/outs, etc.
Play poker = Social poker, where winning isn't the goal. I tend to just play my cards, and tend to gamble a lot more. Basically I become just an average schlub at the table, only my goal is to break even. Usually after playing like a schlub most of the night I'll change gears into serious-mode in an attempt at breaking even. If I'm playing for free chips online though, I tend to just kamikaze myself in do-or-die situations to double-up.
I haven't played a single hand of poker since Sunday night. I don't have a steadfast rule against playing before a tournament, but I'd like to abstain from playing serious poker. That is, I don't want to put a lot of effort into a game, making me care about the results, as I think it could effect my mindset. I don't want to be dealt "A/Q" and think to myself, "Maybe I shouldn't raise because the last six times I had Ace/paint" the wrong paint showed up on the flop. I mean, I know I'd still make the right play, but I don't want to question it due to some silly misguided notion of bad luck.
I also think that playing serious poker drains my batteries, especially if variance throws me a dry spell. I want to hit the game with a full tank of gas, optimistic and eager to take the lead and do my best. If I hit the game a little bored of poker my attention will wane, and that's not good. I'd like to pay attention as much as I can, as long as I can.
..not 110%. That's impossible.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
The law school dropout's poker blog
I've been reading through The law school dropout poker blog archive, and find it pretty interesting. It's nice to follow his long term ups and downs. I'm barely a year through it right now, but will probably read through the entire thing.
I got the law school dropout link from Raze's post in the 2+2 forum.
I got to the 2+2 forums because of they guy who runs PlusEV.net (a poker comic) recommended going there in his forum.
It's funny how links lead to other links. I remember visiting cruel.com daily to find funny links. Cruel.com linked to ActsOfGord.com, a brilliant of account of one game rental store owner's dealings with dumb and/or obnoxious customers.
ActsOfGord.com linked to WilWheaton.net. Wheaton went to my high school (he left before I started going there), and I was sort of liked Star Trek & Stand By Me so I read it, and enjoyed it. Well, Wil linked to Fark.com and I've been visiting that website just about every day for the past six or so years.
A poker bud emailed me this interesting hand. Obviously he made the correct decision, but given the information I'm not sure that I would have. All said and done I'd only be 50% sure that he was bluffing.
--------------------------------------------------------------
That said, the big moment for me was when the
tournament was down to five people. I had become a
sizable chip leader. One of the regular players,
"R," called the big blind, and my "Uncle K" (the
small blind), my cousin's boyfriend (the big blind)
and I stayed in to see the flop. I had pocket 4s.
After the flop — something like J-8-5 rainbow —
"R" went all-in. I was hoping someone else would
call.
"Uncle K" folded. My cousin's boyfriend folded. I looked
at my stack. I looked at what it would take to call
(about 1/3 of my stack), and then I looked at "R."
For some reason, he picked up his cards, looked at the
flop and looked at his cards again. Something in that
look told me he didn't have anything on the flop. I
thought he's got a face card or an ace, but he doesn't
have a pair.
I decided my pocket 4s were the best hand still
playing, so I called him (a few people have told me
pot odds would dictate folding; I never tried to do
the math). "R" turned over K-6 (or some other
rag). He didn't hit his pair and I added to my growing
stack.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Now compare that to how I went out at my last live tournament:
Mid-way through the tournament I was big blind and had 10/4. One lady with twice the big blind went all-in, one guy who had been playing way too many pots (personally busting out two people in the first round, and a third a short time later!) limped in, so I called.
The flop was K/Q/4. I watched the "plays too many pots but wins" guy and he had the classic "I didn't connect with that flop" tell. Regardless, he put me all-in. I called, and he showed pocket Aces.
Doh!
I made the call primarily because I didn't want to work to get my chips back (I was bored with the game), and because I figured there was a 40% chance that he was bluffing with A/rag. 40% was fine for me to gamble with. Had I cared a little more I'd never have called unless I was was 55% sure that it was a bluff.
I got the law school dropout link from Raze's post in the 2+2 forum.
I got to the 2+2 forums because of they guy who runs PlusEV.net (a poker comic) recommended going there in his forum.
It's funny how links lead to other links. I remember visiting cruel.com daily to find funny links. Cruel.com linked to ActsOfGord.com, a brilliant of account of one game rental store owner's dealings with dumb and/or obnoxious customers.
ActsOfGord.com linked to WilWheaton.net. Wheaton went to my high school (he left before I started going there), and I was sort of liked Star Trek & Stand By Me so I read it, and enjoyed it. Well, Wil linked to Fark.com and I've been visiting that website just about every day for the past six or so years.
A poker bud emailed me this interesting hand. Obviously he made the correct decision, but given the information I'm not sure that I would have. All said and done I'd only be 50% sure that he was bluffing.
--------------------------------------------------------------
That said, the big moment for me was when the
tournament was down to five people. I had become a
sizable chip leader. One of the regular players,
"R," called the big blind, and my "Uncle K" (the
small blind), my cousin's boyfriend (the big blind)
and I stayed in to see the flop. I had pocket 4s.
After the flop — something like J-8-5 rainbow —
"R" went all-in. I was hoping someone else would
call.
"Uncle K" folded. My cousin's boyfriend folded. I looked
at my stack. I looked at what it would take to call
(about 1/3 of my stack), and then I looked at "R."
For some reason, he picked up his cards, looked at the
flop and looked at his cards again. Something in that
look told me he didn't have anything on the flop. I
thought he's got a face card or an ace, but he doesn't
have a pair.
I decided my pocket 4s were the best hand still
playing, so I called him (a few people have told me
pot odds would dictate folding; I never tried to do
the math). "R" turned over K-6 (or some other
rag). He didn't hit his pair and I added to my growing
stack.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Now compare that to how I went out at my last live tournament:
Mid-way through the tournament I was big blind and had 10/4. One lady with twice the big blind went all-in, one guy who had been playing way too many pots (personally busting out two people in the first round, and a third a short time later!) limped in, so I called.
The flop was K/Q/4. I watched the "plays too many pots but wins" guy and he had the classic "I didn't connect with that flop" tell. Regardless, he put me all-in. I called, and he showed pocket Aces.
Doh!
I made the call primarily because I didn't want to work to get my chips back (I was bored with the game), and because I figured there was a 40% chance that he was bluffing with A/rag. 40% was fine for me to gamble with. Had I cared a little more I'd never have called unless I was was 55% sure that it was a bluff.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Sunaday! Sunday! Sunday!
On Wednesday or Thursday, the last time I was on Full Tilt, I think I had around 74k, well on my way to hitting my 100k goal. I spent Friday night, all day Saturday, and most of today out of town with my wife.
I helped her run her art booth. During the slow times I studied Dan Harrington on Hold'em Volume II. I read the thing like a textbook before a final exam. I read one example/chapter at a time, slowly, making sure I understand the nuances. I only continue when I feel that I can give the next chapter/example my full concentration. So if I'm bored (so my attention will wane) or feel that I'll be distracted I will not continue reading.
When I got home this evening my mother-in-law dropped off our 4 year old, and when she fell asleep I started playing Full Tilt. I noticed that when my daughter is awake I don't do nearly as well. I can pretty much only concentrate enough to play my cards, not the players.
I started playing two 10/20 table games. I had to rebuy in one, but finished the other at around 2,400. I think I ended up with 1,500 in the game I rebought in.
The game was slow, but I was pretty sure that I wouldn't donk-off my chips so I entered the 100/200 table games.
Like I said, I think I started with about 74k and probably had around 75k going in to the 100/200 games. Both tables were really tight. I slow played a few hands, but still didn't get a lot of action.
Quads and nobody called my small bet on the river.
The very next hand...
Min bet with trips and the schmucks all bailed.
The most anybody put in this game was a 2,400 all-in a donkey made, and I called with my A/Q suited. He had K/Q off, and failed to hit his King. Somehow he failed to his a straight too. Weird.
The games were really tight, so I to make occasional, well-timed bluffs. I didn't win any monster pots but made a steady profit throughout the games.
But did I make enough to hit my 100k goal?
Now, after I took that screencap I quit one game, and played another until just before I'd have to post a big blind. I folded about five hands in a row. Of course, the last hand I had A/J suited and had to bail after investing around 2k and getting re-raised. I'm glad I folded, because both the two remaining players had the pair of Jack I flopped beat with a Kings. So now I'm down to 101k. But I just had to be above 100k at any point, and I was (and still am) so... VICTORY!
Oh yeah... I just wanted to say that Dan Harrington's book is awesome. It started out with stuff I already knew, but now... wow.
I can't wait for the poker game this Thursday. If I don't get the final table I'll be disappointed.
I helped her run her art booth. During the slow times I studied Dan Harrington on Hold'em Volume II. I read the thing like a textbook before a final exam. I read one example/chapter at a time, slowly, making sure I understand the nuances. I only continue when I feel that I can give the next chapter/example my full concentration. So if I'm bored (so my attention will wane) or feel that I'll be distracted I will not continue reading.
When I got home this evening my mother-in-law dropped off our 4 year old, and when she fell asleep I started playing Full Tilt. I noticed that when my daughter is awake I don't do nearly as well. I can pretty much only concentrate enough to play my cards, not the players.
I started playing two 10/20 table games. I had to rebuy in one, but finished the other at around 2,400. I think I ended up with 1,500 in the game I rebought in.
The game was slow, but I was pretty sure that I wouldn't donk-off my chips so I entered the 100/200 table games.
Like I said, I think I started with about 74k and probably had around 75k going in to the 100/200 games. Both tables were really tight. I slow played a few hands, but still didn't get a lot of action.
Quads and nobody called my small bet on the river.
The very next hand...
Min bet with trips and the schmucks all bailed.
The most anybody put in this game was a 2,400 all-in a donkey made, and I called with my A/Q suited. He had K/Q off, and failed to hit his King. Somehow he failed to his a straight too. Weird.
The games were really tight, so I to make occasional, well-timed bluffs. I didn't win any monster pots but made a steady profit throughout the games.
But did I make enough to hit my 100k goal?
Now, after I took that screencap I quit one game, and played another until just before I'd have to post a big blind. I folded about five hands in a row. Of course, the last hand I had A/J suited and had to bail after investing around 2k and getting re-raised. I'm glad I folded, because both the two remaining players had the pair of Jack I flopped beat with a Kings. So now I'm down to 101k. But I just had to be above 100k at any point, and I was (and still am) so... VICTORY!
Oh yeah... I just wanted to say that Dan Harrington's book is awesome. It started out with stuff I already knew, but now... wow.
I can't wait for the poker game this Thursday. If I don't get the final table I'll be disappointed.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Full Tilt emails
Here's some emails I sent a bud. I mostly send them so I can look back at what I was doing.
I made a deal with myself that I wouldn't play the cash tournament unless I could get my Full Tilt account to 100,000 chips. Much of this deals with my attempts to hit the 100k mark.
May 21
This is a pretty hand.
Not a great Omaha hand, but it sure is pretty.
After that Omaha game I hit a 9 player Hold'em sit & go. I had pocket
Q/9 in 3 of the first 4 hands. I ended up getting second place, but
that was due to a couple suck outs on my part.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 11
Blew 30-something thousand, my entire stack, on Full Tilt this evening.
Pocket aces getting cracked by a flush on the river, straight on the
turn getting beat by a bigger straight on the river, and there were
two other big beats that ended with river flushes but I forget the
details. Anyway, the people did *not* have the odds to chase their
flushes, but did, and I paid the price.
I worked my 1,000 welfare chips back up to 11k I think. So I'm not in
terrible position.
Went home last night and played.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 13
Got back to 12k from 0.
I can't say that I earned it, as there was a lot of luck involved.
In the attached photo I was all-in after the flop, with a couple callers.
My flush blindness continues. I was too busy thinking "I bet I get
cracked by another straight."
Then all I could think of is "I know someone has a 10".
Then I saw the 10.
Then I got the chips! Sweet!
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 15
Up to 37k now on Full Tilt.
I just wanted to get up to 20k, but things worked out well.
I'm attaching my biggest hand of the night. Things worked out perfect.
I played a smart game, not getting myself in too much trouble. Not a
single pocket pair in the 1:45 minutes I played. I ended up folding
my best hand A/Q suited pre-flop to a bunch of all-ins, but
occasionally I'd draw to some nice hands.
We have a free preview of ESPN classic. I just finished watching the
end of the 2003 WSoP (Moneymaker) and am watching the 2004 now.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 16
I played on Full Tilt this morning, two tables, maybe 40 minutes.
I'm up to 71k now.
I've been playing well, though I did gamble in my first hand on the
second table, going all-in pre-flop with A/K suited. A guy called
with A/T and hit his ten on the flop, though, I hit my flush on the
turn.
I like going all-in with a great hand when I first join a table, as
people think I'm an all-in-idiot and are apt to call just to look me
up.
I'm pretty sure that when I hit 100k, having met the "100k or no
tournament obligation" I imposed on myself, I'll go into spew mode and
blow all the chips.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 16
Got back on. Bad beat my way down to around 50k before getting it up to 85k.
Then I got aces, and got squashed all-in pre-flop.
I had both of them covered, but it really hurt my chip stack.
Anyway, I'm at 71k, again. I figured I'd quit while I was even.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 18
Played Full Tilt, didn't concentrate, and blew all my chips.
Once I put my 4-year-old daughter to bed I could concentrate, and worked my 1k starter up to 23k.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 21
Have a 6:00 apt at work.
On Full Tilt now.
Kicking much ass.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 22
I played two 5/10 tables and reloaded my $1k twice on each. But I ended up getting close to breaking even by the end.
Then I moved up to the 100/200 tables. I just couldn't get a hand. Lots of hands I'd make an opening 1,200 bet with (A/J suited) that would be worthless after a lousy flop followed by some bit bets and raises.
One time I got an Ace high flush, only to be beat by a guy who managed to get a straight flush.
Another time someone called my A/K 1,200 bet with 6/4, with an K/6/4 flop... and he was smart enough not to bet enough to chase me off.
Anyway, I was about to quit when I hit a hot streak. First I felted three people, then a couple hands later I felted a couple more.
After that I the good people feared me and I could actually steal some pots.
I said "last hand" and folded crap after someone raised on the river, but stayed to see what hand I'd get... A/K. Doh! Looks like I'd be playing one more hand.
So I bet, got top pair, and ended up losing to trips. It was only an 6k or 8k loss I think, but I wish I'd left when I said I would have.
I made a deal with myself that I wouldn't play the cash tournament unless I could get my Full Tilt account to 100,000 chips. Much of this deals with my attempts to hit the 100k mark.
May 21
This is a pretty hand.
Not a great Omaha hand, but it sure is pretty.
After that Omaha game I hit a 9 player Hold'em sit & go. I had pocket
Q/9 in 3 of the first 4 hands. I ended up getting second place, but
that was due to a couple suck outs on my part.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 11
Blew 30-something thousand, my entire stack, on Full Tilt this evening.
Pocket aces getting cracked by a flush on the river, straight on the
turn getting beat by a bigger straight on the river, and there were
two other big beats that ended with river flushes but I forget the
details. Anyway, the people did *not* have the odds to chase their
flushes, but did, and I paid the price.
I worked my 1,000 welfare chips back up to 11k I think. So I'm not in
terrible position.
Went home last night and played.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 13
Got back to 12k from 0.
I can't say that I earned it, as there was a lot of luck involved.
In the attached photo I was all-in after the flop, with a couple callers.
My flush blindness continues. I was too busy thinking "I bet I get
cracked by another straight."
Then all I could think of is "I know someone has a 10".
Then I saw the 10.
Then I got the chips! Sweet!
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 15
Up to 37k now on Full Tilt.
I just wanted to get up to 20k, but things worked out well.
I'm attaching my biggest hand of the night. Things worked out perfect.
I played a smart game, not getting myself in too much trouble. Not a
single pocket pair in the 1:45 minutes I played. I ended up folding
my best hand A/Q suited pre-flop to a bunch of all-ins, but
occasionally I'd draw to some nice hands.
We have a free preview of ESPN classic. I just finished watching the
end of the 2003 WSoP (Moneymaker) and am watching the 2004 now.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 16
I played on Full Tilt this morning, two tables, maybe 40 minutes.
I'm up to 71k now.
I've been playing well, though I did gamble in my first hand on the
second table, going all-in pre-flop with A/K suited. A guy called
with A/T and hit his ten on the flop, though, I hit my flush on the
turn.
I like going all-in with a great hand when I first join a table, as
people think I'm an all-in-idiot and are apt to call just to look me
up.
I'm pretty sure that when I hit 100k, having met the "100k or no
tournament obligation" I imposed on myself, I'll go into spew mode and
blow all the chips.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 16
Got back on. Bad beat my way down to around 50k before getting it up to 85k.
Then I got aces, and got squashed all-in pre-flop.
I had both of them covered, but it really hurt my chip stack.
Anyway, I'm at 71k, again. I figured I'd quit while I was even.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 18
Played Full Tilt, didn't concentrate, and blew all my chips.
Once I put my 4-year-old daughter to bed I could concentrate, and worked my 1k starter up to 23k.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 21
Have a 6:00 apt at work.
On Full Tilt now.
Kicking much ass.
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 22
I played two 5/10 tables and reloaded my $1k twice on each. But I ended up getting close to breaking even by the end.
Then I moved up to the 100/200 tables. I just couldn't get a hand. Lots of hands I'd make an opening 1,200 bet with (A/J suited) that would be worthless after a lousy flop followed by some bit bets and raises.
One time I got an Ace high flush, only to be beat by a guy who managed to get a straight flush.
Another time someone called my A/K 1,200 bet with 6/4, with an K/6/4 flop... and he was smart enough not to bet enough to chase me off.
Anyway, I was about to quit when I hit a hot streak. First I felted three people, then a couple hands later I felted a couple more.
After that I the good people feared me and I could actually steal some pots.
I said "last hand" and folded crap after someone raised on the river, but stayed to see what hand I'd get... A/K. Doh! Looks like I'd be playing one more hand.
So I bet, got top pair, and ended up losing to trips. It was only an 6k or 8k loss I think, but I wish I'd left when I said I would have.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Full Tilt'ing again
I haven't played online in awhile.
Yesterday I decided that I shouldn't be hitting the real game unless I'm crushing the free Full Tilt tables. I was up over 100k with this account at one point but I've been slowly using money with it for quite awhile now.
I was down to just over 4,000 when I started this evening, and worked that up to 32k.
I got my first big hand Q/Q, and raised to 1,000 when three people limped in before me. The guy on my left called, then a short stack raised all-in, then someone else raised all-in. I had both of these people covered (side por city) so I went all-in myself to encourage the guy on my left (who had me covered) to fold. He called.
Then I saw their cards. What where they thinking?
Okay, maybe the guy on my left thought I was stealing, but the next guy responding to two people out of position putting in 1k apiece by going all-in with 2/2? Insane!
And then guy #3 reacting to all that action by going all in with just A/T????
Then the last guy calling all that insane action with an A/2?
Ugh!
At least justice prevailed and neither the one remaining 2 nor the two remaining Aces showed up, giving me the entire pot. Sweet!
Yesterday I decided that I shouldn't be hitting the real game unless I'm crushing the free Full Tilt tables. I was up over 100k with this account at one point but I've been slowly using money with it for quite awhile now.
I was down to just over 4,000 when I started this evening, and worked that up to 32k.
I got my first big hand Q/Q, and raised to 1,000 when three people limped in before me. The guy on my left called, then a short stack raised all-in, then someone else raised all-in. I had both of these people covered (side por city) so I went all-in myself to encourage the guy on my left (who had me covered) to fold. He called.
Then I saw their cards. What where they thinking?
Okay, maybe the guy on my left thought I was stealing, but the next guy responding to two people out of position putting in 1k apiece by going all-in with 2/2? Insane!
And then guy #3 reacting to all that action by going all in with just A/T????
Then the last guy calling all that insane action with an A/2?
Ugh!
At least justice prevailed and neither the one remaining 2 nor the two remaining Aces showed up, giving me the entire pot. Sweet!
Friday, June 1, 2007
99 players last night
Well, last night was a bust for me.
I just couldn't get psyched up for the game. Even when I was doing pretty well at the first break, I just wasn't in the mood.
I had average cards. My biggest pocket pair was 3/3, but at least I'd get suited connectors and occasional Ace/junk suited and stuff like that. I think my best hand was an A/T that I folded to big action (the guy had pocket Aces), so I never got a great hand, but at least it wasn't a garbage-fest.
The table was weak, lost of people limping so I could afford to prospect, and it usually paid off. I won several hands by noticing when people missed the flop and betting accordingly.
I did have one major blunder early on, where I blew a little over 1/3 of my chip stack (costing me about 500 chips) by bluffing at a pot stupidly with bottom pair. I should have either bet more or bailed. I was sort of waiting around for something scary to hit so I could bluff at the pot, but nothing happened. I just wasted money.
My friend had some tough luck. He played A/T and the flop was A/J/10 or something like that, giving him two pair. He was put all-in and called, as the other guy turned up K/Q. My friend failed to hit one of his six outs (25%?) and was eliminated from the tournament before the break.
In retrospect, the guy could have had trips or an Ace with a Jack kicker to still dominate. But still, he had to make the call with that much already in the pot. You'd have thought that with trips or a straight he'd have slow played a bit, so the all-in seemed too aggressive. But it worked.
At one point I decided to prospect with 3/5 suited (hearts). People were limping in all-over so I figured why not?
The flop was 4/6/7 rainbow.Sweet!
I soooo wanted to check my cards to make sure that I had what I thought I had. But I didn't.
I ended up tripling up that hand when someone put me all-in with his middle pair.
That put the guy on tilt. Later he was complaining, "Maybe I should start playing 5/4?" and I corrected him, "It was 5/3. But they were suited!"
Yes, I know "but they were suited" is the classic Donkey line. That's why I said it.
That guy didn't last too much longer.
Anyway, I didn't feel the need to play during the game. I just didn't have the drive, even when I was doing well.
Mid-way through the tournament I was big blind and had 10/4. One lady with twice the big blind went all-in, one guy who had been playing way too many pots (personally busting out two people in the first round, and a third a short time later!) limped in, so I called.
The flop was K/Q/4. I watched the "plays too many pots but wins" guy and he had the classic "I didn't connect with that flop" tell. Regardless, he put me all-in. I called, and he showed pocket Aces.
Doh!
I had what, a 20% chance at hitting two pair or a full house? But the turn and river were junk, and I was eliminated.
It was actually sort of a relief to be out of the game. I was sort of phoning in my performance. I'd catch myself not paying attention, then not bother to correct my behavior.
One guy we carpooled with ended up making the final table and finishing in the money (8th place). My friend and I, after drinking our "loser beers," watched him at the final table.
Another guy I know was at the final table as well. I don't know how he finished, as we left earlier, but I'd guess he made it to 6th or 7th place. If he hit another good hand under the right conditions who knows, maybe he could have won?
I just couldn't get psyched up for the game. Even when I was doing pretty well at the first break, I just wasn't in the mood.
I had average cards. My biggest pocket pair was 3/3, but at least I'd get suited connectors and occasional Ace/junk suited and stuff like that. I think my best hand was an A/T that I folded to big action (the guy had pocket Aces), so I never got a great hand, but at least it wasn't a garbage-fest.
The table was weak, lost of people limping so I could afford to prospect, and it usually paid off. I won several hands by noticing when people missed the flop and betting accordingly.
I did have one major blunder early on, where I blew a little over 1/3 of my chip stack (costing me about 500 chips) by bluffing at a pot stupidly with bottom pair. I should have either bet more or bailed. I was sort of waiting around for something scary to hit so I could bluff at the pot, but nothing happened. I just wasted money.
My friend had some tough luck. He played A/T and the flop was A/J/10 or something like that, giving him two pair. He was put all-in and called, as the other guy turned up K/Q. My friend failed to hit one of his six outs (25%?) and was eliminated from the tournament before the break.
In retrospect, the guy could have had trips or an Ace with a Jack kicker to still dominate. But still, he had to make the call with that much already in the pot. You'd have thought that with trips or a straight he'd have slow played a bit, so the all-in seemed too aggressive. But it worked.
At one point I decided to prospect with 3/5 suited (hearts). People were limping in all-over so I figured why not?
The flop was 4/6/7 rainbow.
I soooo wanted to check my cards to make sure that I had what I thought I had. But I didn't.
I ended up tripling up that hand when someone put me all-in with his middle pair.
That put the guy on tilt. Later he was complaining, "Maybe I should start playing 5/4?" and I corrected him, "It was 5/3.
Yes, I know "but they were suited" is the classic Donkey line. That's why I said it.
That guy didn't last too much longer.
Anyway, I didn't feel the need to play during the game. I just didn't have the drive, even when I was doing well.
Mid-way through the tournament I was big blind and had 10/4. One lady with twice the big blind went all-in, one guy who had been playing way too many pots (personally busting out two people in the first round, and a third a short time later!) limped in, so I called.
The flop was K/Q/4. I watched the "plays too many pots but wins" guy and he had the classic "I didn't connect with that flop" tell. Regardless, he put me all-in. I called, and he showed pocket Aces.
Doh!
I had what, a 20% chance at hitting two pair or a full house? But the turn and river were junk, and I was eliminated.
It was actually sort of a relief to be out of the game. I was sort of phoning in my performance. I'd catch myself not paying attention, then not bother to correct my behavior.
One guy we carpooled with ended up making the final table and finishing in the money (8th place). My friend and I, after drinking our "loser beers," watched him at the final table.
Another guy I know was at the final table as well. I don't know how he finished, as we left earlier, but I'd guess he made it to 6th or 7th place. If he hit another good hand under the right conditions who knows, maybe he could have won?
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Preparing for the best game I can play
I decided late last week that I'd be playing in the 80'ish player tournament today. It looks like I'll be carpooling with two or three other people.
I've been mentally preparing myself since Sunday. My preparation involves:
1) Playing no online poker. While I don't think I'd drag my online habits into a live game (I play them differently), the main reason I abstain from online poker is to get me hungry for the game. I want to miss playing, so when I do play, I play with all of my being.
2) Read good books on poker until I get bored. I all that knowledge to be freshly filed away in my head. While re-reading Harrington on Hold'em Volume 1 this week I found a big hold that had developed in my game recently. It wasn't there when I read the book the first time, but I've progressed to a point where this error comes into play.
Basically, it's a post flop move where I get too much money in and pot commit people when my advantage isn't big enough.
When I do read I make sure to quit when I find myself getting bored or my mind wandering off. If I'm not "chewing" on what I'm reading, I put the book down and re-read that section later.
3) No alcohol. This is part of a self discipline thing that I like to put myself though. I won't drink a drop until I'm knocked out of the tournament. My diet also becomes a bit more modest as well. I don't have any set rules on food, but I do try to eat smaller portions of healthier food. I don't remember having red meat since Sunday. I had ramen for dinner last night, and a turkey sandwich earlier this week as well. I don't remember my other meals though.
4) Follow the rules. Basically, I make an effort to do things properly. I use mouthwash and floss after I brush. I (attempt to) drive (closer to) the speed limit. If make an effort to put things where they belong. I try to get to bed early, or at least at a normal time.
I have no idea what I'm going to wear tonight. My normal poker attire is a long-sleeve, nice shirt. Last time I wore a loud Hawaiian shirt, to project a different image and so that people would remember me. Image is important, and I wanted people to remember to "stay clear of that guy in the loud Hawaiian shirt." I no longer feel compelled to wear an "I'm serious" long sleeve shirt to look like I'm bringing business to the table, so I'm leaning towards the Hawaiian shirt again.
Last night I went through Caro's tells again. I didn't pick up anything new, but it was good to refresh. I missed a lot more questions in the quiz at the end, because I couldn't tell what was going on. The answer would be "Call, because she's faking like she's going to bet" and from the picture I thought her hand was faking that she was going to muck the cards. Some of those pictures are crap.
Tonight I plan on bringing a couple beers to the poker game. I won't drink them unless I get knocked out early. I'm giving every one of these games my all, and you just can't be your best if alcohol is involved.
Hopefully I won't have the chance to give the beers away, as my friends and I will all make it to the final table. But it's nice to know that I'll have something to drink if I get knocked out in the first hour and have to sit around another four hours or so until all of my companions are finished.
I must admit, I don't feel as "in the zone" as I did early this month.
I was hyped to play a great game. Mentally, I was exactly where I needed to be.
Then my poker mindset got derailed when my wife asked me to cancel the game. I played some online poker and stuff that Wednesday to scratch the itch, then that Thursday my wife called me when I got home from work and said that my bud was there to meet me, so I should go play poker. I was completely off track, but I showed up (after taking my kid fishing for a little bit) and played as well as I could with the lousy cards that I got.
I tried to get in the zone this week, but stuff just isn't falling into place. I know I'll play a proper game, but I won't be bringing the confidence I would have had last time.
I've been mentally preparing myself since Sunday. My preparation involves:
1) Playing no online poker. While I don't think I'd drag my online habits into a live game (I play them differently), the main reason I abstain from online poker is to get me hungry for the game. I want to miss playing, so when I do play, I play with all of my being.
2) Read good books on poker until I get bored. I all that knowledge to be freshly filed away in my head. While re-reading Harrington on Hold'em Volume 1 this week I found a big hold that had developed in my game recently. It wasn't there when I read the book the first time, but I've progressed to a point where this error comes into play.
Basically, it's a post flop move where I get too much money in and pot commit people when my advantage isn't big enough.
When I do read I make sure to quit when I find myself getting bored or my mind wandering off. If I'm not "chewing" on what I'm reading, I put the book down and re-read that section later.
3) No alcohol. This is part of a self discipline thing that I like to put myself though. I won't drink a drop until I'm knocked out of the tournament. My diet also becomes a bit more modest as well. I don't have any set rules on food, but I do try to eat smaller portions of healthier food. I don't remember having red meat since Sunday. I had ramen for dinner last night, and a turkey sandwich earlier this week as well. I don't remember my other meals though.
4) Follow the rules. Basically, I make an effort to do things properly. I use mouthwash and floss after I brush. I (attempt to) drive (closer to) the speed limit. If make an effort to put things where they belong. I try to get to bed early, or at least at a normal time.
I have no idea what I'm going to wear tonight. My normal poker attire is a long-sleeve, nice shirt. Last time I wore a loud Hawaiian shirt, to project a different image and so that people would remember me. Image is important, and I wanted people to remember to "stay clear of that guy in the loud Hawaiian shirt." I no longer feel compelled to wear an "I'm serious" long sleeve shirt to look like I'm bringing business to the table, so I'm leaning towards the Hawaiian shirt again.
Last night I went through Caro's tells again. I didn't pick up anything new, but it was good to refresh. I missed a lot more questions in the quiz at the end, because I couldn't tell what was going on. The answer would be "Call, because she's faking like she's going to bet" and from the picture I thought her hand was faking that she was going to muck the cards. Some of those pictures are crap.
Tonight I plan on bringing a couple beers to the poker game. I won't drink them unless I get knocked out early. I'm giving every one of these games my all, and you just can't be your best if alcohol is involved.
Hopefully I won't have the chance to give the beers away, as my friends and I will all make it to the final table. But it's nice to know that I'll have something to drink if I get knocked out in the first hour and have to sit around another four hours or so until all of my companions are finished.
I must admit, I don't feel as "in the zone" as I did early this month.
I was hyped to play a great game. Mentally, I was exactly where I needed to be.
Then my poker mindset got derailed when my wife asked me to cancel the game. I played some online poker and stuff that Wednesday to scratch the itch, then that Thursday my wife called me when I got home from work and said that my bud was there to meet me, so I should go play poker. I was completely off track, but I showed up (after taking my kid fishing for a little bit) and played as well as I could with the lousy cards that I got.
I tried to get in the zone this week, but stuff just isn't falling into place. I know I'll play a proper game, but I won't be bringing the confidence I would have had last time.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Tournament
I wanted to hit the 80'ish player tournament, emailed people, and got no positive responses.
I decided to go alone, but then my wife asked me to stay home to help her pack so I cancelled my plans to go.
Well, it ends up one guy got my email late and wanted to go with me. When I arrived home I got the call that he wanted to play, so the game was back on the schedule.
I did help my wife pack up the car, and let my daughter fish for awhile before heading back to town.
There were plenty of players. Maybe 81 or 91. I know my table got the odd 11th player.
My friend and I ended up sitting two seats away from each other. That was a bit of a disappointment, but at least I knew to stay out of a hand if he was in it because he only plays good hands.
I had poor cards all night. I limped in with 7/7 once but the flop was A/K/J.
Another time I had A/Q spades when the blinds were 40/80 and I upped it to 250. A bunch of people called, then another guy went all-in. Yikes! I put him on a big pair (A's K's or Q's) so I folded. I figured that even if he had something worse than a large pair, I wasn't about to put my tournament life on the line so early in the game. There's be plenty of other chances to get chips. He ended up having pocket kings... but the turn was a Queen and the river was an Ace so I would have won. I made the correct play, though if I had made the call I'd have been the chip leader at the table... for the next hour!
I had nothing hand after hand after that. I think my best hand was K/9 suited until shortly before the break when I had A/Q again. There were several limpers so when it came to me I went all-in for 350 hoping to take the blinds without a fight. One guy called, with something stupid like J/8 suited. Of course, he ended up hitting the J and I failed to connect with the board, so he took all my chips.
The game was a fizzle. I didn't win a single hand.
______________________
My friend was doing pretty well. He was also my ride, so I figured it could be a long night of waiting.
I was texting a "I could be here a long time, Stephen is in a good spot right now" message when I looked up and saw Stephen in front of me. He busted out despite have an above-agerage chip stack.
From what I remember, he said he re- raised with his pair of Queens (pocket Q/6 and the Q paired the flop) even though there was an Ace on the flop. The original raiser was making a lot of raises, so he thought he was someone who played too many pots and bluffed.
Well, the guy had the Ace. I think it was a big misinterpreation by Stephen. People who play play a lot are typically "raise with any Ace" players. Stephen should have known that.
Sephen tried to get tricky and got burned. I bet he'll replay that hand in his mind for the next two days.
There was one hand where Stephen raised with a shakey hand in bad position. I knew he had a monster hand, either poket Aces or Kings.
People called his bet.
Post flop he bet again and the guy on my left thought long and hard about calling. I was tempted to huff, "Pssht! Typical continuation bet!" to get Stephen more action, but I didn't think it was fair, and I'd feel *really* bad if the guy called and ended up sucking out.
He ended up folding and Stephen ended up winning a nice pot after taking chips from other people.
I decided to go alone, but then my wife asked me to stay home to help her pack so I cancelled my plans to go.
Well, it ends up one guy got my email late and wanted to go with me. When I arrived home I got the call that he wanted to play, so the game was back on the schedule.
I did help my wife pack up the car, and let my daughter fish for awhile before heading back to town.
There were plenty of players. Maybe 81 or 91. I know my table got the odd 11th player.
My friend and I ended up sitting two seats away from each other. That was a bit of a disappointment, but at least I knew to stay out of a hand if he was in it because he only plays good hands.
I had poor cards all night. I limped in with 7/7 once but the flop was A/K/J.
Another time I had A/Q spades when the blinds were 40/80 and I upped it to 250. A bunch of people called, then another guy went all-in. Yikes! I put him on a big pair (A's K's or Q's) so I folded. I figured that even if he had something worse than a large pair, I wasn't about to put my tournament life on the line so early in the game. There's be plenty of other chances to get chips. He ended up having pocket kings... but the turn was a Queen and the river was an Ace so I would have won. I made the correct play, though if I had made the call I'd have been the chip leader at the table... for the next hour!
I had nothing hand after hand after that. I think my best hand was K/9 suited until shortly before the break when I had A/Q again. There were several limpers so when it came to me I went all-in for 350 hoping to take the blinds without a fight. One guy called, with something stupid like J/8 suited. Of course, he ended up hitting the J and I failed to connect with the board, so he took all my chips.
The game was a fizzle. I didn't win a single hand.
______________________
My friend was doing pretty well. He was also my ride, so I figured it could be a long night of waiting.
I was texting a "I could be here a long time, Stephen is in a good spot right now" message when I looked up and saw Stephen in front of me. He busted out despite have an above-agerage chip stack.
From what I remember, he said he re- raised with his pair of Queens (pocket Q/6 and the Q paired the flop) even though there was an Ace on the flop. The original raiser was making a lot of raises, so he thought he was someone who played too many pots and bluffed.
Well, the guy had the Ace. I think it was a big misinterpreation by Stephen. People who play play a lot are typically "raise with any Ace" players. Stephen should have known that.
Sephen tried to get tricky and got burned. I bet he'll replay that hand in his mind for the next two days.
There was one hand where Stephen raised with a shakey hand in bad position. I knew he had a monster hand, either poket Aces or Kings.
People called his bet.
Post flop he bet again and the guy on my left thought long and hard about calling. I was tempted to huff, "Pssht! Typical continuation bet!" to get Stephen more action, but I didn't think it was fair, and I'd feel *really* bad if the guy called and ended up sucking out.
He ended up folding and Stephen ended up winning a nice pot after taking chips from other people.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Poker Afer Dark yet again
I entered another Poker After Dark, 630 player game.
The game started out bad. My first hand was 7/2 off-suit and I called out of position. I have no idea what happened that hand because my screen locked up and my Full Tilt program shut down. When I reconnected I was out of the hand, and I was sitting out. I think another hand went by as well, as when I returned I was the BB (Big Blind).
I was doing pretty good, then hit a lucky streak. I was dealt K/K and won a *lot* of chips. The very next hand I was dealt Q/Q and did better than doubling up:
At this point there were 256 players left in the game, and I was #4 in chips.
Immediatly after my Q/Q hand I was moved to another table where I had to wait for the hand to finish. Because of my position I had to wait for a second hand to finish.
After that hand I was moved to another table. Doh!
Here's what my first hand at that table looked like:
The way it played out wasn't especially good for me. I limped in, hoping for a raise so I could re-raise. One or two people called, then the small blind went all-in. That forced everybody else to fold, exept for me of course.
I kept track of players dumb moves. The chip leader at the table (one of the tournament chip leaders) was making a lot of dumb moves. I don't see how he stayed in the game so long.
He loved going all-in pre-flop. In his player notes I jotted down that he was all-in pre-flop under the gun with Ace/Ten. Then as the SB (Small Blind) he was all-in pre-flop with Queen/Ten off-suit. I waited for him for me to have a hand to challenge him and double-up.
That situation arrived a few minutes later. I had AK and he went all-in. I was hoping for another Ace/Paint scenario, so I'd have him dominated. Unfortunately he had a pair, giving him a slight advantage.
As you can see I failed to connect, and the one guy at the table who could eliminate me did eliminate me.
Doh!
It was sort of a relief to lose. My PC was acting really slow. I'd click "raise" or "fold" or whatever and it took a long time for my action to be accepted. If I had one that hand my plan was to click "Sit out next hand" and then reboot my laptop. I just knew that a call or re-raise situation was going to come up and I'd Full Tilt would fold me because they didn't get the command in time.
--------------
I played a couple 10k, 9 player tournaments before this game. I came in 3rd the first (paying 18k) and 5th in the second, so I had a net loss of 2,000.
In the first game there was an annoying know-it-all player directly to my left who belittled the woman directly to my right. She was making dumb calls.
I defended her... no reason to be rude (or to correct the bad play in others). I guess she took kindly to me because whenever she and I were heads up she's show me what cards she had.
I don't remember what happened in the second 10k tournament. Oh wait... yeah I do. I had second pair on the flop (ace kicker) and most people folded. The turn put a third club on the board and I checked. The other guy checked. The river was a blank and I put in a value bet.
Unfortunately he had two clubs, giving him the flush to beat me.
He didn't have the right odds to call the post-flop bet, but after that he played beautifully.
The game started out bad. My first hand was 7/2 off-suit and I called out of position. I have no idea what happened that hand because my screen locked up and my Full Tilt program shut down. When I reconnected I was out of the hand, and I was sitting out. I think another hand went by as well, as when I returned I was the BB (Big Blind).
I was doing pretty good, then hit a lucky streak. I was dealt K/K and won a *lot* of chips. The very next hand I was dealt Q/Q and did better than doubling up:
At this point there were 256 players left in the game, and I was #4 in chips.
Immediatly after my Q/Q hand I was moved to another table where I had to wait for the hand to finish. Because of my position I had to wait for a second hand to finish.
After that hand I was moved to another table. Doh!
Here's what my first hand at that table looked like:
The way it played out wasn't especially good for me. I limped in, hoping for a raise so I could re-raise. One or two people called, then the small blind went all-in. That forced everybody else to fold, exept for me of course.
I kept track of players dumb moves. The chip leader at the table (one of the tournament chip leaders) was making a lot of dumb moves. I don't see how he stayed in the game so long.
He loved going all-in pre-flop. In his player notes I jotted down that he was all-in pre-flop under the gun with Ace/Ten. Then as the SB (Small Blind) he was all-in pre-flop with Queen/Ten off-suit. I waited for him for me to have a hand to challenge him and double-up.
That situation arrived a few minutes later. I had AK and he went all-in. I was hoping for another Ace/Paint scenario, so I'd have him dominated. Unfortunately he had a pair, giving him a slight advantage.
As you can see I failed to connect, and the one guy at the table who could eliminate me did eliminate me.
Doh!
It was sort of a relief to lose. My PC was acting really slow. I'd click "raise" or "fold" or whatever and it took a long time for my action to be accepted. If I had one that hand my plan was to click "Sit out next hand" and then reboot my laptop. I just knew that a call or re-raise situation was going to come up and I'd Full Tilt would fold me because they didn't get the command in time.
--------------
I played a couple 10k, 9 player tournaments before this game. I came in 3rd the first (paying 18k) and 5th in the second, so I had a net loss of 2,000.
In the first game there was an annoying know-it-all player directly to my left who belittled the woman directly to my right. She was making dumb calls.
I defended her... no reason to be rude (or to correct the bad play in others). I guess she took kindly to me because whenever she and I were heads up she's show me what cards she had.
I don't remember what happened in the second 10k tournament. Oh wait... yeah I do. I had second pair on the flop (ace kicker) and most people folded. The turn put a third club on the board and I checked. The other guy checked. The river was a blank and I put in a value bet.
Unfortunately he had two clubs, giving him the flush to beat me.
He didn't have the right odds to call the post-flop bet, but after that he played beautifully.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
'nother Poker After Dark game
I played another Poker After Dark game. Well, technically a few. In the first couple I just didn't have any patience. I played while tending my three year old daughter, so there were a lot of interruptions, and I just plain played too aggressive.
After my daughter went to bed I got in another game. Again, I got sloppy and lost. I just pushed too hard. Granted, I was chip leader at the table for awhile, but I ended up blowing it in situation where I knew the "What an idiot. I should never checked the call box. I'm wasting chips!" But then, before my call was thrown in, the guy before me made a raise, so it asked what I wanted to do. Of course, I called the raise! Ugh.
I decided to join a 10k, 9 player sit & go. Since I only had 50k I figured that the threat of a 10k loss would be enough to keep me on track.
It was, at first.
I got close to 6k in chips with about 5 people left and got aggressive. I was dominating the table and got cocky.
I ended up finishing in 4th, one spot shy of the money.
I have this habit of being over aggressive towards the end of tournaments. It's killing me. The next Dan Harrington book covers the latter parts of tournaments, so maybe I should get it and read it to improve my end game strategy.
My end game used to be better, because I'd stick to my overall strategy more. I think I need to get back to basics.
After my daughter went to bed I got in another game. Again, I got sloppy and lost. I just pushed too hard. Granted, I was chip leader at the table for awhile, but I ended up blowing it in situation where I knew the "What an idiot. I should never checked the call box. I'm wasting chips!" But then, before my call was thrown in, the guy before me made a raise, so it asked what I wanted to do. Of course, I called the raise! Ugh.
I decided to join a 10k, 9 player sit & go. Since I only had 50k I figured that the threat of a 10k loss would be enough to keep me on track.
It was, at first.
I got close to 6k in chips with about 5 people left and got aggressive. I was dominating the table and got cocky.
I ended up finishing in 4th, one spot shy of the money.
I have this habit of being over aggressive towards the end of tournaments. It's killing me. The next Dan Harrington book covers the latter parts of tournaments, so maybe I should get it and read it to improve my end game strategy.
My end game used to be better, because I'd stick to my overall strategy more. I think I need to get back to basics.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Next night
I entered another Poker After Dark game in Saturday night. I was tried before starting, so I don't even know why I started.
Nothing spectacular happened. I think I was in 5th or 6th place in chips by the first break.
By the time there were 15 or so people left I had about half the average chip stack. I was aching to go to bed, so I decided to gamble.
I had an open ended straight on the flop and went all-in and lost to someone's two pair, putting me out in 13th place.
It was a relief to be rid of the game, and under normal circumstances it was a move I'd never make.
Well, I'm tired now so I'll shut up and go to bed.
Nothing spectacular happened. I think I was in 5th or 6th place in chips by the first break.
By the time there were 15 or so people left I had about half the average chip stack. I was aching to go to bed, so I decided to gamble.
I had an open ended straight on the flop and went all-in and lost to someone's two pair, putting me out in 13th place.
It was a relief to be rid of the game, and under normal circumstances it was a move I'd never make.
Well, I'm tired now so I'll shut up and go to bed.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Poker After Dark
Tonight I tried and tried to play some of the Poker After Dark entry tournaments on Full Tilt. I actually got into about 4 of them.
Here's the first game I was eliminated from:
They guy to my right went all-in pre-flop, and I called. He won with a pair of fives!!! Ugh!
In the second game, here's the hand that crushed me:
I called the blind with my A/A in early position (planning on re-raising if someone raised) and this maniac went all-in. Of course I called. The flop was scarey, and the hand ended in tragedy.
I don't remember how my third exit ended. I'd remember if it was a stupid play, so I probably had the odds to play an underdog hand and lost.
I played pretty good in the 4th game (which was really the second game I started). I was patient, waited for opportunities, and exploited the betting pattens I witnessed in others.
Mid-way through the tournament I made a big bluff for all my chips on the river and because I knew my opponent was weak, and he/she called with third pair to the board! I had made a standard bet every street anda big one on the river and he/she called. Ugh!
So I knew he/she was exploitable. When I was dealt K/Q and the flop was 5/Q/5 I checked, because the schmuck was in the hand. He/she had 4/4.
The guy to my left went all-in early, and I worked my way to all-in on the turn. Of course I was called, and won a ton of chips.
Everything went right this game. When I saw a weakness I was able to exploit it.
Here's my standing at the first break:
With around 25 players left I gambled hoping to triple up, and lost. I went from 75k to 700. Ugh! My friend saw it and said he thought I had 264. I'm pretty sure it was a number in the low 700's.
Anyway, it was barely a big blind's worth of chips.
Then I got a lucky streak. My first had I had trips, and one of the guys who split my chips was all-in. I could have crushed him if I had chips. Doh!
I went all-in about four hands in a row and won them all, tripling up the first two or three times. It was sweet.
I brought that up to around 55k, about average my table (we were down to two tables at that point).
For my final hand there were 5 people at my table, and three of us were active in the hand. It was me (the big blind), the small blind, and the guy under the gun. I had A/3 clubs and bet pre-flop, one raised, the other called, and I called.
The flop had two clubs, with a Jack for the high card I think.
I bet (hoping to steal) the guy to my left called, and the guy to my right raised a bunch.
The guy's bet put me all in, but at this point I had roughly three-to-one on my money, so I called. I was overjoyed when the other guy called. I'd either be the tournament leader, or I was going home. All I needed was a club for the nut flush.
The turn failed to produce a club.
The river failed to produce a club.
I was out.
I think the two players both paired their Jack. They both ended up splitting the pot.
I was eliminated in 10th place, out of 640 (I think) players.
I was incredibly lucky to get that far after getting down to 700. Or, I guess you could say that I was unlucky that I had the incredibly good cards the moment I had very few chips.
In my opinion I was on borrowed the moment I had 700 chips. I did what I had to do, it worked, and I got in with the correct odds at the end.
Good game. I hope to do more of these Poker After Dark games.
Here's the first game I was eliminated from:
They guy to my right went all-in pre-flop, and I called. He won with a pair of fives!!! Ugh!
In the second game, here's the hand that crushed me:
I called the blind with my A/A in early position (planning on re-raising if someone raised) and this maniac went all-in. Of course I called. The flop was scarey, and the hand ended in tragedy.
I don't remember how my third exit ended. I'd remember if it was a stupid play, so I probably had the odds to play an underdog hand and lost.
I played pretty good in the 4th game (which was really the second game I started). I was patient, waited for opportunities, and exploited the betting pattens I witnessed in others.
Mid-way through the tournament I made a big bluff for all my chips on the river and because I knew my opponent was weak, and he/she called with third pair to the board! I had made a standard bet every street anda big one on the river and he/she called. Ugh!
So I knew he/she was exploitable. When I was dealt K/Q and the flop was 5/Q/5 I checked, because the schmuck was in the hand. He/she had 4/4.
The guy to my left went all-in early, and I worked my way to all-in on the turn. Of course I was called, and won a ton of chips.
Everything went right this game. When I saw a weakness I was able to exploit it.
Here's my standing at the first break:
With around 25 players left I gambled hoping to triple up, and lost. I went from 75k to 700. Ugh! My friend saw it and said he thought I had 264. I'm pretty sure it was a number in the low 700's.
Anyway, it was barely a big blind's worth of chips.
Then I got a lucky streak. My first had I had trips, and one of the guys who split my chips was all-in. I could have crushed him if I had chips. Doh!
I went all-in about four hands in a row and won them all, tripling up the first two or three times. It was sweet.
I brought that up to around 55k, about average my table (we were down to two tables at that point).
For my final hand there were 5 people at my table, and three of us were active in the hand. It was me (the big blind), the small blind, and the guy under the gun. I had A/3 clubs and bet pre-flop, one raised, the other called, and I called.
The flop had two clubs, with a Jack for the high card I think.
I bet (hoping to steal) the guy to my left called, and the guy to my right raised a bunch.
The guy's bet put me all in, but at this point I had roughly three-to-one on my money, so I called. I was overjoyed when the other guy called. I'd either be the tournament leader, or I was going home. All I needed was a club for the nut flush.
The turn failed to produce a club.
The river failed to produce a club.
I was out.
I think the two players both paired their Jack. They both ended up splitting the pot.
I was eliminated in 10th place, out of 640 (I think) players.
I was incredibly lucky to get that far after getting down to 700. Or, I guess you could say that I was unlucky that I had the incredibly good cards the moment I had very few chips.
In my opinion I was on borrowed the moment I had 700 chips. I did what I had to do, it worked, and I got in with the correct odds at the end.
Good game. I hope to do more of these Poker After Dark games.
Friday, April 20, 2007
81 player live tournament
I had a good time at the tournament last night. There were 81 players.
I played super-tight. I was active in two hands up until the first break. In the first hand I was the big blind, it was checked to me, and I hit top pair on the flop (9's) so I bet and everyone folded.
Then, I raised with 6/6 just as they announced the break. (This is my favorite hand by the way.) I raised.
Some of people called me.
The flop had my third 6. The other two cards were a rainbow, I think maybe a Jack or Queen high, with a rag.
Anyway, I bet again and everyone called.
The flop was the fourth suite/rag.
I bet again and only the newbie at the table called. (An old lady who had never played a tournament before).
Now, this lady had made a comment a few minutes earlier, something along the lines of, "It seems like all you have to do in this game is bet at the end and everybody folds to you." So, I checked the river. I was pretty certain he just had something like Ace high, and was pretty sure she'd follow her own advice.
She did.
She put me all in, and I raked in the chips. I went from 720 or so chips to 2,400 that hand.
During that hand the guy across from me said (in front of everybody). "I've been watching you. That's the first hand you've played all night, huh?"
I smiled and told him it was the second. I smiled because, that comment of his was going to beat "don't mess with this guy" into even the thickest of heads.
the icing on the cake was that my two friends were on break so they were there to witness me rake in the large pot.
When we got back from break I went on a bluffing streak that tripled me up. (At one point I literally paused and thought to myself, "I'm robbing these people blind.") On the second hand after the break I was able to isolate the newbie old lady, firing away each time. I was bluffing all the way, firing a shot each time. When the fourth diamond hit I could tell she missed it (as did I) so I bet on the river and raked in another big pot.
She asked, "Did you have it?" and I just shrugged. I worked hard to get to the point where I could steal, so I wasn't going to admit to any bluff.
The crucial hand of the game was maybe 10 or 15 minutes before I got knocked out. I was dealt King/King and only called (I know... bad move. I threw the wrong number of chips out.)
The I-watch-too-much-TV-poker guy on my left thought my call was weakness, and moved all in for an additional 2,200. Everyone else folded.
(I'd like to note that Mr. I-watch-too-much-TV-poker had a poker ball-cap and sunglasses, but they did nothing to disguise his tells)
I always lose with "Ace Magnets." Whenever I have A/A or K/K I always lose to a straight. Not trips, not two-pair, but a straight.
Thinking about it logically I knew I had to call. He wouldn't have bet like that if he wanted to be called, so I was guessing A/Q or A/J.
I called.
When he showed his King/Ten I was relieved. I was 90% to win!
The flop was a 2/9/Q.
On the turn he shouted, "Jack!" but it was another 9.
On the river he shouted, "Jack!" and it was the %$#! Jack, giving him the straight and the $6,200 (or whatever) pot.
If I would have won that hand I'd have gotten to the final table (barring any other bad beats).
Shortly after that the blinds went up to 400/800 and I couldn't catch any cards. I was down to 1,500 when I was the big blind. Normally I'd go all-in but I had 8/3 off suite. Bleh!
When I was small blind I had 10/4 off suite, so I went all-in. A few people called, but I didn't hit anything and was out in 18th (or so) place.
We were down to two tables at that point and people were dropping like flies. Pretty much if you were in, you were all-in.
Again, if I had that additional 6,200 in chips I could have stolen, easily, another 2,000 chips and it would have been a different story.
I'll get'em next time.
I am impressed with my ability to read though. Only one player, an old black guy named Charlie, had me stumped. Everyone else I could put on a hand, or not.
Well, the guy to Charlie's right I misread once (in a big way), but I wasn't involved in the pot at the time so it didn't burn me. I just filed his tell under "iffy."
I played super-tight. I was active in two hands up until the first break. In the first hand I was the big blind, it was checked to me, and I hit top pair on the flop (9's) so I bet and everyone folded.
Then, I raised with 6/6 just as they announced the break. (This is my favorite hand by the way.) I raised.
Some of people called me.
The flop had my third 6. The other two cards were a rainbow, I think maybe a Jack or Queen high, with a rag.
Anyway, I bet again and everyone called.
The flop was the fourth suite/rag.
I bet again and only the newbie at the table called. (An old lady who had never played a tournament before).
Now, this lady had made a comment a few minutes earlier, something along the lines of, "It seems like all you have to do in this game is bet at the end and everybody folds to you." So, I checked the river. I was pretty certain he just had something like Ace high, and was pretty sure she'd follow her own advice.
She did.
She put me all in, and I raked in the chips. I went from 720 or so chips to 2,400 that hand.
During that hand the guy across from me said (in front of everybody). "I've been watching you. That's the first hand you've played all night, huh?"
I smiled and told him it was the second. I smiled because, that comment of his was going to beat "don't mess with this guy" into even the thickest of heads.
the icing on the cake was that my two friends were on break so they were there to witness me rake in the large pot.
When we got back from break I went on a bluffing streak that tripled me up. (At one point I literally paused and thought to myself, "I'm robbing these people blind.") On the second hand after the break I was able to isolate the newbie old lady, firing away each time. I was bluffing all the way, firing a shot each time. When the fourth diamond hit I could tell she missed it (as did I) so I bet on the river and raked in another big pot.
She asked, "Did you have it?" and I just shrugged. I worked hard to get to the point where I could steal, so I wasn't going to admit to any bluff.
The crucial hand of the game was maybe 10 or 15 minutes before I got knocked out. I was dealt King/King and only called (I know... bad move. I threw the wrong number of chips out.)
The I-watch-too-much-TV-poker guy on my left thought my call was weakness, and moved all in for an additional 2,200. Everyone else folded.
(I'd like to note that Mr. I-watch-too-much-TV-poker had a poker ball-cap and sunglasses, but they did nothing to disguise his tells)
I always lose with "Ace Magnets." Whenever I have A/A or K/K I always lose to a straight. Not trips, not two-pair, but a straight.
Thinking about it logically I knew I had to call. He wouldn't have bet like that if he wanted to be called, so I was guessing A/Q or A/J.
I called.
When he showed his King/Ten I was relieved. I was 90% to win!
The flop was a 2/9/Q.
On the turn he shouted, "Jack!" but it was another 9.
On the river he shouted, "Jack!" and it was the %$#! Jack, giving him the straight and the $6,200 (or whatever) pot.
If I would have won that hand I'd have gotten to the final table (barring any other bad beats).
Shortly after that the blinds went up to 400/800 and I couldn't catch any cards. I was down to 1,500 when I was the big blind. Normally I'd go all-in but I had 8/3 off suite. Bleh!
When I was small blind I had 10/4 off suite, so I went all-in. A few people called, but I didn't hit anything and was out in 18th (or so) place.
We were down to two tables at that point and people were dropping like flies. Pretty much if you were in, you were all-in.
Again, if I had that additional 6,200 in chips I could have stolen, easily, another 2,000 chips and it would have been a different story.
I'll get'em next time.
I am impressed with my ability to read though. Only one player, an old black guy named Charlie, had me stumped. Everyone else I could put on a hand, or not.
Well, the guy to Charlie's right I misread once (in a big way), but I wasn't involved in the pot at the time so it didn't burn me. I just filed his tell under "iffy."
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Tournament: 1042 players (free)
I played my second big torunament last night.
I enjoyed it a lot more than the last one, because I decided beforehand that I would just quit if I got tired. The game was earlier, and I was out before 11:00, so that didn't become an issue.
Here's an interesting hand (that I folded pre-flop):
How often do you see someone with a pair of Aces, vs Kings, vs Queens? In this case, getting that 4th King wasn't good luck, as it killed the action.
Nothing spectacular happened during the beginning of the tournament. In fact, I don't think I played to the river more than once that first 90 minutes. I was down to a dozen big blinds and one point and my friend told me I needed to double up. I still had plenty of time though, stayed the course, picked my spots, and grew gradually while taking as few risks as possible.
After 90 minutes I had some good opportunities, exploited them.
By the third break I was doing well. I was in second place, with 130k chips, twice the average.
After the break I got some good cards and challenged what I believed to be steal attempts by the leader. He'd bet, everyone would fold to me, then I'd call. Then on the flop I'd raise and he'd fold. I did have a hand each time. I wasn't bluffing, but it must have *looked* like I was picking on him.
After that break I must have taken 120k from the tournament chip leader in about ten minutes. I had about 275k and the game leader had about 350k when this happened, to bankrupt me:
There wasn't much that could have beaten me (the last ace, pocket Kings, or pocket Queens), plus I thought he was finally pushing back out of frustration for me taking so many of his chips without ever me having to show my hand.
1) If someone else had called his raise before me I'd have folded my 8/J.
2) If that Jack didn't come on the flop I would have folded.
3) If I hadn't been taking a ton of his chips in the last few hands without showing (so he thought I was stealing) I would have folded early (putting him on an Ace).
4) If it was against any other player in the game I'd still have a at least 100k in chips.
5) If it was against any other player at my table I'd have most of my chips remaining.
6) If he had anything but the one remaining Ace, or KK, or QQ, I couldn't lose.
So anyway, I finished the game in 25th place because I couldn't fold my hand.
I don't think I sucked out on anybody the entire tournament. I pretty much always got my my money in good. I stole a lot of chips. I got sucked out on a few times, but nothing too damaging.
I enjoyed it a lot more than the last one, because I decided beforehand that I would just quit if I got tired. The game was earlier, and I was out before 11:00, so that didn't become an issue.
Here's an interesting hand (that I folded pre-flop):
How often do you see someone with a pair of Aces, vs Kings, vs Queens? In this case, getting that 4th King wasn't good luck, as it killed the action.
Nothing spectacular happened during the beginning of the tournament. In fact, I don't think I played to the river more than once that first 90 minutes. I was down to a dozen big blinds and one point and my friend told me I needed to double up. I still had plenty of time though, stayed the course, picked my spots, and grew gradually while taking as few risks as possible.
After 90 minutes I had some good opportunities, exploited them.
By the third break I was doing well. I was in second place, with 130k chips, twice the average.
After the break I got some good cards and challenged what I believed to be steal attempts by the leader. He'd bet, everyone would fold to me, then I'd call. Then on the flop I'd raise and he'd fold. I did have a hand each time. I wasn't bluffing, but it must have *looked* like I was picking on him.
After that break I must have taken 120k from the tournament chip leader in about ten minutes. I had about 275k and the game leader had about 350k when this happened, to bankrupt me:
There wasn't much that could have beaten me (the last ace, pocket Kings, or pocket Queens), plus I thought he was finally pushing back out of frustration for me taking so many of his chips without ever me having to show my hand.
1) If someone else had called his raise before me I'd have folded my 8/J.
2) If that Jack didn't come on the flop I would have folded.
3) If I hadn't been taking a ton of his chips in the last few hands without showing (so he thought I was stealing) I would have folded early (putting him on an Ace).
4) If it was against any other player in the game I'd still have a at least 100k in chips.
5) If it was against any other player at my table I'd have most of my chips remaining.
6) If he had anything but the one remaining Ace, or KK, or QQ, I couldn't lose.
So anyway, I finished the game in 25th place because I couldn't fold my hand.
I don't think I sucked out on anybody the entire tournament. I pretty much always got my my money in good. I stole a lot of chips. I got sucked out on a few times, but nothing too damaging.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Chip trouble
I earned a bit over 100k in chips with my old account.
Then I earned a bit over 120k in my new account, which has a cooler name.
I wanted to close my old account and transfer my chips to the new account, so I had a friend login with my old account. We played a 100k heads up game. On hand one I made a big raise, with junk, and told him to call. My plan was to bet the turn or river and have him fold.
Then we'd wait until I had the best hand at the river before he went all-in and I'd call.
Well, after I told him to call, he went all-in. The idiot I am, I called. Doh!
My junky hand failed to connect and suddenly my old account had 200k and my good account was left with 20k. Great! Now I'd have to work my new account back to 100k to try it again.
Psychologically I shouldn't have continued playing, but I did. I tried to get even and burned through that 20k really quickly. I think I did it to punish myself.
When I had to reset my account to 1,000 I went into kamikaze mode. I entered a 10/20 game and stuck it all in hoping to triple up. I won the first one, but spewed that money away before I could hit 4k. (My goal was to get 4k, the minimum buy-in for the 100/200 tables, where I can really make money) Then I lost the next eight or ten of those in a row and quit for the night.
The next night I decided to play different. I played smart. I popped onto two tables, buying in for only 500 each. I also waited for good hands rather than rolling the dice with iffy hands. I found that with 500 chips I got called by more people. I think it's a mix of them assuming I'm desperate, and the fact that it's "only" 480 or so more after posting the blind.
I ended up making about 12k in those two games before moving to the 100/200 tables. My head was in the game and my chip stack showed it.
When I hit the 100/200 tables I didn't do so well. I was watching TV, and my head wasn't in the game. I was up to 20k at my peak before quitting at around 5k. I wasn't at a good table and should have come back when the fish were biting.
The next day I worked my chip stack up to around 22k. It took hours to do that.
My biggest problem was that my heart just wasn't in it. I wasn't making desperate/wild moves, but I was still watching TV.
I was a bit mad at myself for not making more at that time, so I did another self-punishment thing. I entered a 9-player, 10,000 chip sit & go. If I didn't finish in the top three half of my chip stack would be flushed down the toilet.
Losing hours of work would have sucked, so I forced myself to pay attention and play my best. Lucky for me I was dealt KK the first hand, and ended up breaking the guy on my left. I never lost the chip lead after that. I busted the second person out a couple rounds later, and after that point nobody got so much as half of my chip stack.
When there were three of us left the remaining players had about 700 in chips left. I noticed that one of them was away. A lot of people enter sit & go's and set their account to "away," thereby folding every hand. A lot of the time they can get to the money. I've done it myself a few times.
I told the guy that I wanted him to get second place, and advised him wait for her to get blinded out before making a move. Since he was actually playing I thought he deserved the chips for second place. That didn't stop me from stealing blinds though. But I never bet enough to put him all-in.
When I was big blind or she was big blind and she was small blind, I bet and took the pot. When he was big blind and I was small blind I bet and took the pot. But when I was dealer I folded every hand, allowing him to take her blinds.
One time he went all-in and I folded. He had pocket Kings.
Anyway, when she left he put on a pretty good fight, working his way up to 2,500 or so, before I took him out. The payout was something like 50k.
I played another 9-player sit & go last night, because I felt myself getting sloppy. This time it was only a 2,000 game. Again, I dominated through most of the game.
At one point two of us (I sort of felt like we were a team, since I assumed we'd be going heads up) had most of the chips (I was chip leader though) and two people only had about 700 each. They both ended up doubling up twice through us. Then one of them knocked the guy who I had assumed all along I'd go to the final table with.
I worked the guy on the left down to 1,000 and he went all-in. If the dealer called I'd have bailed, but the dealer folded, so I called with crap. Assuming he had two big cards I figured I was a 1-2 underdog. Not bad.
He showed Ace/8, unsuited. (The Dead Man's Hand)
I had 5/3 unsuited.
The flop was 6, Ace, Ace. That give him trip-aces and me pretty much nothing. He was a 97% favorite, so I even typed in a "NH" to congratulate him.
I didn't even look at the flop or turn... until the chips were pushed into my account.
"What???"
It ends up I made a runner-runner to fill a straight. That was a sick suck out on my part!
I had a substantial lead on the remaining guy. He as too passive, and I could steal most pots. I got in trouble when I tried to get tricky and ended up doubling him up. I never quite caught up after that, and he ended up winning. I still got a decent payout though.
So anyway, I'm well on my way back to 100k. My head's back in the game so I think I'll continue to do well. Once I hit 100k though, I fear that I'll get wild again.
Then I earned a bit over 120k in my new account, which has a cooler name.
I wanted to close my old account and transfer my chips to the new account, so I had a friend login with my old account. We played a 100k heads up game. On hand one I made a big raise, with junk, and told him to call. My plan was to bet the turn or river and have him fold.
Then we'd wait until I had the best hand at the river before he went all-in and I'd call.
Well, after I told him to call, he went all-in. The idiot I am, I called. Doh!
My junky hand failed to connect and suddenly my old account had 200k and my good account was left with 20k. Great! Now I'd have to work my new account back to 100k to try it again.
Psychologically I shouldn't have continued playing, but I did. I tried to get even and burned through that 20k really quickly. I think I did it to punish myself.
When I had to reset my account to 1,000 I went into kamikaze mode. I entered a 10/20 game and stuck it all in hoping to triple up. I won the first one, but spewed that money away before I could hit 4k. (My goal was to get 4k, the minimum buy-in for the 100/200 tables, where I can really make money) Then I lost the next eight or ten of those in a row and quit for the night.
The next night I decided to play different. I played smart. I popped onto two tables, buying in for only 500 each. I also waited for good hands rather than rolling the dice with iffy hands. I found that with 500 chips I got called by more people. I think it's a mix of them assuming I'm desperate, and the fact that it's "only" 480 or so more after posting the blind.
I ended up making about 12k in those two games before moving to the 100/200 tables. My head was in the game and my chip stack showed it.
When I hit the 100/200 tables I didn't do so well. I was watching TV, and my head wasn't in the game. I was up to 20k at my peak before quitting at around 5k. I wasn't at a good table and should have come back when the fish were biting.
The next day I worked my chip stack up to around 22k. It took hours to do that.
My biggest problem was that my heart just wasn't in it. I wasn't making desperate/wild moves, but I was still watching TV.
I was a bit mad at myself for not making more at that time, so I did another self-punishment thing. I entered a 9-player, 10,000 chip sit & go. If I didn't finish in the top three half of my chip stack would be flushed down the toilet.
Losing hours of work would have sucked, so I forced myself to pay attention and play my best. Lucky for me I was dealt KK the first hand, and ended up breaking the guy on my left. I never lost the chip lead after that. I busted the second person out a couple rounds later, and after that point nobody got so much as half of my chip stack.
When there were three of us left the remaining players had about 700 in chips left. I noticed that one of them was away. A lot of people enter sit & go's and set their account to "away," thereby folding every hand. A lot of the time they can get to the money. I've done it myself a few times.
I told the guy that I wanted him to get second place, and advised him wait for her to get blinded out before making a move. Since he was actually playing I thought he deserved the chips for second place. That didn't stop me from stealing blinds though. But I never bet enough to put him all-in.
When I was big blind or she was big blind and she was small blind, I bet and took the pot. When he was big blind and I was small blind I bet and took the pot. But when I was dealer I folded every hand, allowing him to take her blinds.
One time he went all-in and I folded. He had pocket Kings.
Anyway, when she left he put on a pretty good fight, working his way up to 2,500 or so, before I took him out. The payout was something like 50k.
I played another 9-player sit & go last night, because I felt myself getting sloppy. This time it was only a 2,000 game. Again, I dominated through most of the game.
At one point two of us (I sort of felt like we were a team, since I assumed we'd be going heads up) had most of the chips (I was chip leader though) and two people only had about 700 each. They both ended up doubling up twice through us. Then one of them knocked the guy who I had assumed all along I'd go to the final table with.
I worked the guy on the left down to 1,000 and he went all-in. If the dealer called I'd have bailed, but the dealer folded, so I called with crap. Assuming he had two big cards I figured I was a 1-2 underdog. Not bad.
He showed Ace/8, unsuited. (The Dead Man's Hand)
I had 5/3 unsuited.
The flop was 6, Ace, Ace. That give him trip-aces and me pretty much nothing. He was a 97% favorite, so I even typed in a "NH" to congratulate him.
I didn't even look at the flop or turn... until the chips were pushed into my account.
"What???"
It ends up I made a runner-runner to fill a straight. That was a sick suck out on my part!
I had a substantial lead on the remaining guy. He as too passive, and I could steal most pots. I got in trouble when I tried to get tricky and ended up doubling him up. I never quite caught up after that, and he ended up winning. I still got a decent payout though.
So anyway, I'm well on my way back to 100k. My head's back in the game so I think I'll continue to do well. Once I hit 100k though, I fear that I'll get wild again.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Big tournament
At 8:20 the other night I started playing in a 1,200+ person tournament. I was tired to begin with, so it was a mistake to start the game.
I started off doing pretty well, then my friend started sweating me and I had a bad run of cards. (Sweating me is basically just watching and rooting for me).
He said he was bad luck, then I got the following hand:
A full house to break a guy who made trip-Aces. Pretty sweet.
The very next hand was this:
Awesome! I made a ton of chips that hand as well, making me the tournament chip leader.
I busted another player a short time later with this hand. He went all-in on the river and I thought, "If he has the fourth ace then he deserves to double up."
I slow played this one.
People kept playing into me, though only one guy went all-in. I assumed he had a Q, so the 8/8 surprised me. I'm sure at least one person was smart enough to fold his King (or A/K or two pair). I'm surprised I didn't see anybody play with a Q though.
I did have a few hits, like this one. The guy went all in (12k) pre-flop with 5/5:
I was chip leader at the first break and the second break. I was exhausted and wanted to quit, but I was doing so well I couldn't just leaved.
By the third break (at around midnight) I had slipped some, but I was still in contention:
At around 12:40am (I know because Jimmy Kimmel Live was on) people were playing really tight, trying to get a bigger payoff. I was the small blind, and everyone folded to me.
I raised with 4/6 off-suit to attempt a steal.
The big blind called my fairly obvious bluff.
On the flop I hit middle pair and bet. He called.
On the turn... beautiful! I hit trip-fours! I made another bet.
He responded by going all-in. I called...
He had a full house and I was eliminated. Whew!
I finished in 22nd place, not bad for a field of over 1,200. The good news was that I could go to bed. I was playing to win, not to for the 50k in first prize chips.
I ended up getting 920 chips I think. It cost 250 to play. That's a terrible profit for all those hours of play. I usually play in the 100/200 games, so an average pit is usually quite a bit more than that.
I started off doing pretty well, then my friend started sweating me and I had a bad run of cards. (Sweating me is basically just watching and rooting for me).
He said he was bad luck, then I got the following hand:
A full house to break a guy who made trip-Aces. Pretty sweet.
The very next hand was this:
Awesome! I made a ton of chips that hand as well, making me the tournament chip leader.
I busted another player a short time later with this hand. He went all-in on the river and I thought, "If he has the fourth ace then he deserves to double up."
I slow played this one.
People kept playing into me, though only one guy went all-in. I assumed he had a Q, so the 8/8 surprised me. I'm sure at least one person was smart enough to fold his King (or A/K or two pair). I'm surprised I didn't see anybody play with a Q though.
I did have a few hits, like this one. The guy went all in (12k) pre-flop with 5/5:
I was chip leader at the first break and the second break. I was exhausted and wanted to quit, but I was doing so well I couldn't just leaved.
By the third break (at around midnight) I had slipped some, but I was still in contention:
At around 12:40am (I know because Jimmy Kimmel Live was on) people were playing really tight, trying to get a bigger payoff. I was the small blind, and everyone folded to me.
I raised with 4/6 off-suit to attempt a steal.
The big blind called my fairly obvious bluff.
On the flop I hit middle pair and bet. He called.
On the turn... beautiful! I hit trip-fours! I made another bet.
He responded by going all-in. I called...
He had a full house and I was eliminated. Whew!
I finished in 22nd place, not bad for a field of over 1,200. The good news was that I could go to bed. I was playing to win, not to for the 50k in first prize chips.
I ended up getting 920 chips I think. It cost 250 to play. That's a terrible profit for all those hours of play. I usually play in the 100/200 games, so an average pit is usually quite a bit more than that.
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