Online poker is probably a very good exercise for me. The game of course requires much patience, both live and online, but sitting in your bathrobe on a Sunday staring at the screen for hours and hours is sometimes much more challenging. Yesterday, while slogging through the Sunday Million, i did 4 loads of laundry, watched two great NCAA games, made some business related phone calls, and tried to fix my oven.
One would imagine it might be more profitable to just play poker?
And of course the whole "psych up" thing about live poker is there. I got really "up" for Reno because its only once a year. I have a chance at over $200K every Sunday, and usually at least twice on Sundays.
So yesterday I started out in a FTP $40,000 guarantee tourney, around 700 entries, with about $25K to first. I'm doing very well, go deep, and make a reraise all in with pocket tens on the final table bubble. The monkey who tanks and eventually calls has 97 of clubs. Wow. I should just stove that real quick..... hold on.....yeah, that is what I thought. I got my money in as an 81% favorite. I was still 77% on the flop, but running clubs ended my tourney in 10th and I got about $1000 for my time.
Then I play the Million. This week its a $1000 buy in, which reduces the field quite a bit. There are only 1900 entries or so, compared with the usual 7000 when its a $200 buy in. Last week I had a lot of chips, around 90,000 when I tried a silly bluff against Isabelle Merceir and got broke. This week I run pretty well and go deep. Still can't make it to the really big payday though- (18th and higher got 5 digits, first prize was over $366,000!!) But I end up 59th for $4200 or so. There is always next week.....
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
I'm so out!
LOL.
They got 260 entries, way down from previous years. We start with 15K in chips with 75 min levels. I sit in the 6 seat to see TJ Cloutier in the 7. John Juanda sits in the 9. Men the Master is in the 1, and Kathy Liebert is in the 2. The other 4 I don't know, but the guy in the 5 seat is a Canadian kid who acknowledges he is the sucker at the table. OK, I thought that was me, but if he thinks its him, then OK.
25 min in and I'm dealt pocket Kings in the SB. The UTG player opens for 250. Its the first pot he's played. I may have taken a small pot down prior to this. Its folded to me and I make it 750. TJ folds. UTG puts in a pink 1K chip, and at first I thought he was reraising but it was only a call. The flop comes three little cards with 2 clubs. Nice. No ace. Before I can consider my action, the UTG player puts two pinks in (2K). Hmmmm. WTF? That sucks. OK, well he can still easily have something between 99 and QQ. I decide I'll check-raise. I check, he puts in the 2K and I make it 6K and he instacalls. Uh oh. The turn is a Q. I have a pot sized bet left. So my choices here are check-fold, check-call or push. UTG sure doesn't look like he's going anywhere. There is no way he has AK or AQ here. And there is no way he played JJ like this either. No frickin way. So I'm not beating anything now. I check, he pushes, I muck face-up and Juanda says "Damn- give me those Kings!" lol. If the guy didn't have AA he did a helluva job convincing me that he did. The guy basically didn't play anything after that, so he was either planning an elaborate move early to get chips (doubtful) or he was a big-ball player who coolered me (more likely)
Oh yeah. Juanda goes out like this: He raises in late position, like he has most pots. Canuck calls him from BB. Flop comes 5-6-7 with two spades. Now the fireworks-- Kid bets, Juanda raises, Kid repops, Juanda pushes. Kid calls him with 54o! Wow. He's got bottom pair and a str8 draw. Juanda turns over 9Tss for the flush draw, gutshot str8 draw and two overcards. I didn't expect to see either of these hands. Sick. Juanda catches a 9 on the turn, but Canuck makes two pair with a 4 on the river and busts Juanda. Send him a Full Tilt T-shirt!
Now it sucks, cause I have half of what I started with. Meh. I play some pots, limping when possibly, playing small pairs trying to flop a set. None come. I'll call a small raise in a multi-way pot with suited connectors but they don't hit either. So I chip down. Bleh. In fact, I chip down to near 5K in chips, which is enough to repop nicely when someone raises to 750 or after a couple limpers. Before the break I raise the button to 300 with AKs, TJ makes it 850 and I push. He folds.
At 75-150 there are 2 limpers to me. Again I have AKs and I make it 700. I have another 5200 or so behind. Its folded to the first limper and he reraises another 2K. Folded to me. Ugh. I don't really think about it enough I guess, because all I'm thinking is that if I get in a race to double up I'm stoked at this point. I don't want to sit here for 14 hours milking a short stack. That just blows. So I push. Right into his fuckin Aces.
This leaves me a nice 1100 stack. Kathy opens to 5, gets a caller and I push with red tens. They both call. Why she can't repop him for me I dunno. Flop comes K-high and he bets her off it with his AK which is good and I'm done.
Worst table draw ever for sure, and I got badly coolered on the KK hand. Still, it feels like I won $7K since I didn't lay the cash down to buy in....
They got 260 entries, way down from previous years. We start with 15K in chips with 75 min levels. I sit in the 6 seat to see TJ Cloutier in the 7. John Juanda sits in the 9. Men the Master is in the 1, and Kathy Liebert is in the 2. The other 4 I don't know, but the guy in the 5 seat is a Canadian kid who acknowledges he is the sucker at the table. OK, I thought that was me, but if he thinks its him, then OK.
25 min in and I'm dealt pocket Kings in the SB. The UTG player opens for 250. Its the first pot he's played. I may have taken a small pot down prior to this. Its folded to me and I make it 750. TJ folds. UTG puts in a pink 1K chip, and at first I thought he was reraising but it was only a call. The flop comes three little cards with 2 clubs. Nice. No ace. Before I can consider my action, the UTG player puts two pinks in (2K). Hmmmm. WTF? That sucks. OK, well he can still easily have something between 99 and QQ. I decide I'll check-raise. I check, he puts in the 2K and I make it 6K and he instacalls. Uh oh. The turn is a Q. I have a pot sized bet left. So my choices here are check-fold, check-call or push. UTG sure doesn't look like he's going anywhere. There is no way he has AK or AQ here. And there is no way he played JJ like this either. No frickin way. So I'm not beating anything now. I check, he pushes, I muck face-up and Juanda says "Damn- give me those Kings!" lol. If the guy didn't have AA he did a helluva job convincing me that he did. The guy basically didn't play anything after that, so he was either planning an elaborate move early to get chips (doubtful) or he was a big-ball player who coolered me (more likely)
Oh yeah. Juanda goes out like this: He raises in late position, like he has most pots. Canuck calls him from BB. Flop comes 5-6-7 with two spades. Now the fireworks-- Kid bets, Juanda raises, Kid repops, Juanda pushes. Kid calls him with 54o! Wow. He's got bottom pair and a str8 draw. Juanda turns over 9Tss for the flush draw, gutshot str8 draw and two overcards. I didn't expect to see either of these hands. Sick. Juanda catches a 9 on the turn, but Canuck makes two pair with a 4 on the river and busts Juanda. Send him a Full Tilt T-shirt!
Now it sucks, cause I have half of what I started with. Meh. I play some pots, limping when possibly, playing small pairs trying to flop a set. None come. I'll call a small raise in a multi-way pot with suited connectors but they don't hit either. So I chip down. Bleh. In fact, I chip down to near 5K in chips, which is enough to repop nicely when someone raises to 750 or after a couple limpers. Before the break I raise the button to 300 with AKs, TJ makes it 850 and I push. He folds.
At 75-150 there are 2 limpers to me. Again I have AKs and I make it 700. I have another 5200 or so behind. Its folded to the first limper and he reraises another 2K. Folded to me. Ugh. I don't really think about it enough I guess, because all I'm thinking is that if I get in a race to double up I'm stoked at this point. I don't want to sit here for 14 hours milking a short stack. That just blows. So I push. Right into his fuckin Aces.
This leaves me a nice 1100 stack. Kathy opens to 5, gets a caller and I push with red tens. They both call. Why she can't repop him for me I dunno. Flop comes K-high and he bets her off it with his AK which is good and I'm done.
Worst table draw ever for sure, and I got badly coolered on the KK hand. Still, it feels like I won $7K since I didn't lay the cash down to buy in....
I'm IN!
whoo hoo and double fist pump! took down a 148 entry satellite with 13 seats. gets hairy at then end of these things, but some short stacks obliged the rest of us by playing their hands.
sweat me on card player.com- I'm feeling good about how I'm playing and lets see how far it goes!
sweat me on card player.com- I'm feeling good about how I'm playing and lets see how far it goes!
Monday, March 24, 2008
The last Reno WPT
starts tomorrow. I'm still not sure if I'm playing. I have a nice phat wad of 77 benjamins ready to throw down, but the way I have been running/playing/thinking/donking it seems like a pretty thin EV situation. That and the fact that the fields this past week have been very tough.
I've been thinking about how an amateur player has any chance to compete with these fields anymore. The challenges of online poker have caused a contraction of the universe of players so that when I sit at an online tourney table I recognize several names every time. These are people who grind for a living, playing >10 hours daily and who have amassed hundreds of thousands of hands of experience-- how can i realistically expect to compete with that? The thing is that even with all that experience, the edges remain small. Winning a race once in a while would also be helpful.
I've played this tourney 4 times. Previously its been a $5100 entry. In 2004 I went out very early. I was a superfish, highly intimidated by the field, and I called off all my chips with top pair with QJ to a guy who had flopped a set of nines. I almost rivered a flush, but ended up making an exit after only about 2 1/2 hours of play.
In 2005 I made a big run, headed into day 2 as one of the chip leaders, and getting into the money and into day 3. Played with Phil Ivey on that third day and got all my chips in with TT to be called by AQ. Flop came with two Queens, so it was not to be my day. Barry Greenstein eventually busted my A5s with QT.
2006 brough Hassan Habib to my first table and he just bulldozed the rest of us. After half a day's play I found myself with AQ on a Q high flop and lost all my chips to a well-disguised KK.
2007 started off fairly well. Phil Laak and Mike Simon were at my first table. Made it to the dinner break, but was fairly short. Kirk Morrison rivered an ace with his AT against my all in 77 and that was that.
The opportunities to satellite into this tourney this year have decreased. There is a mega-sat tourney today that I might give a whirl. Failing that, I'll have a talk with Mr. Franklin from the bank and see where he is best placed.
I've been thinking about how an amateur player has any chance to compete with these fields anymore. The challenges of online poker have caused a contraction of the universe of players so that when I sit at an online tourney table I recognize several names every time. These are people who grind for a living, playing >10 hours daily and who have amassed hundreds of thousands of hands of experience-- how can i realistically expect to compete with that? The thing is that even with all that experience, the edges remain small. Winning a race once in a while would also be helpful.
I've played this tourney 4 times. Previously its been a $5100 entry. In 2004 I went out very early. I was a superfish, highly intimidated by the field, and I called off all my chips with top pair with QJ to a guy who had flopped a set of nines. I almost rivered a flush, but ended up making an exit after only about 2 1/2 hours of play.
In 2005 I made a big run, headed into day 2 as one of the chip leaders, and getting into the money and into day 3. Played with Phil Ivey on that third day and got all my chips in with TT to be called by AQ. Flop came with two Queens, so it was not to be my day. Barry Greenstein eventually busted my A5s with QT.
2006 brough Hassan Habib to my first table and he just bulldozed the rest of us. After half a day's play I found myself with AQ on a Q high flop and lost all my chips to a well-disguised KK.
2007 started off fairly well. Phil Laak and Mike Simon were at my first table. Made it to the dinner break, but was fairly short. Kirk Morrison rivered an ace with his AT against my all in 77 and that was that.
The opportunities to satellite into this tourney this year have decreased. There is a mega-sat tourney today that I might give a whirl. Failing that, I'll have a talk with Mr. Franklin from the bank and see where he is best placed.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Grand Sierra $1000 NL
Long time no post. Didn't think anyone was reading!
This is the first of the >$1000 tourneys at the Grand Sierra (formerly Reno Hilton) as part of the WPT World Poker Challenge. I've played the main event the past four years, and this year is reportedly the last they will play in Reno. I'd like to play the big tourney, but they also increased the buy in to $7700 (from $5150) making it more difficult to satellite in.
129 players, 6000 starting chips, 40 min levels
The blind structure kinda sucks- it goes up way too fast early on, forcing the players to accumulate or get short stacked. I have decided to play tight today, avoiding speculative hands most of the time, and definitely not making any plays until necessary.
Early on, I get AKdd in the BB and the pot is raised to 225 by MP and the button calls. I call. I flop just about as good as I can do with the 2-3-4 all diamonds showing up. I check. The raiser bets 300, the caller raises to 650, and I think it must be Christmas. Wow. Well, both players are interested, I have the nuts, and my hand can really only get worse (unless the 5d comes) I decide to raise to 1400, and the first player folds, but the button calls. Turn is a complete blank. Now what? Since I have both the Ace and King of diamonds, it would make a good story to this guy that I'm drawing at a flush. I convince myself that he flopped a set, and he really doesn't want another diamond to come off. Given this line, I figure that either a paired board or another diamond will kill my action, so I should bet again. I bet 2500. He tanks for about 5 minutes, and then folds the 5d 7d face up. Wow. How on earth did he get away from that?
Later I have 33 in the blind and flop a set, turn a boat and take a nice pot. By the first break I have 12000 chips. Nice.
I find an older guy to pick on. He's playing pretty weak-tight and I'm able to take him off a couple hands with reraises.
I get moved. I'm now in the 9 seat with Bryan Devonshire in the 7, Tom Franklin in the 8, and Tuna in the 1. Yuck. The table is way more aggro and its hard to find spots. Devo raises all the time. I chip up and down and eventually find myself in MP with 88. With blinds at 200-400/50 I make it 1100. The BB, who has a big stack, reraises to 3500 and I instapush for another 5200 or so. He tanks, and eventually calls with AK and I skate and double up.
I raise with A9o and have to dump to a reraise.
Blinds go up to 500-1000/100 and I have only 12000 chips. There are 38 players left, paying 18, and I must make a move. Fold all my junk, and when Devo pushes from the button and I see AK I call. He has A8, and I find that he barely covers me when he flops an 8 and my day is done. Tomorrow is a $1500....
This is the first of the >$1000 tourneys at the Grand Sierra (formerly Reno Hilton) as part of the WPT World Poker Challenge. I've played the main event the past four years, and this year is reportedly the last they will play in Reno. I'd like to play the big tourney, but they also increased the buy in to $7700 (from $5150) making it more difficult to satellite in.
129 players, 6000 starting chips, 40 min levels
The blind structure kinda sucks- it goes up way too fast early on, forcing the players to accumulate or get short stacked. I have decided to play tight today, avoiding speculative hands most of the time, and definitely not making any plays until necessary.
Early on, I get AKdd in the BB and the pot is raised to 225 by MP and the button calls. I call. I flop just about as good as I can do with the 2-3-4 all diamonds showing up. I check. The raiser bets 300, the caller raises to 650, and I think it must be Christmas. Wow. Well, both players are interested, I have the nuts, and my hand can really only get worse (unless the 5d comes) I decide to raise to 1400, and the first player folds, but the button calls. Turn is a complete blank. Now what? Since I have both the Ace and King of diamonds, it would make a good story to this guy that I'm drawing at a flush. I convince myself that he flopped a set, and he really doesn't want another diamond to come off. Given this line, I figure that either a paired board or another diamond will kill my action, so I should bet again. I bet 2500. He tanks for about 5 minutes, and then folds the 5d 7d face up. Wow. How on earth did he get away from that?
Later I have 33 in the blind and flop a set, turn a boat and take a nice pot. By the first break I have 12000 chips. Nice.
I find an older guy to pick on. He's playing pretty weak-tight and I'm able to take him off a couple hands with reraises.
I get moved. I'm now in the 9 seat with Bryan Devonshire in the 7, Tom Franklin in the 8, and Tuna in the 1. Yuck. The table is way more aggro and its hard to find spots. Devo raises all the time. I chip up and down and eventually find myself in MP with 88. With blinds at 200-400/50 I make it 1100. The BB, who has a big stack, reraises to 3500 and I instapush for another 5200 or so. He tanks, and eventually calls with AK and I skate and double up.
I raise with A9o and have to dump to a reraise.
Blinds go up to 500-1000/100 and I have only 12000 chips. There are 38 players left, paying 18, and I must make a move. Fold all my junk, and when Devo pushes from the button and I see AK I call. He has A8, and I find that he barely covers me when he flops an 8 and my day is done. Tomorrow is a $1500....
Saturday, December 29, 2007
I understand now why I came this way?
only took 3 weeks to be at the right place, right time, and no clouds. Rent-a-scope would be a good find.
Cheers!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Short Kiwi Stop...
OK, so the 13 hour flight is done and, except for the TWO crying babies in business class it was just fine. This, however, resulted in Justin sleeping but the rest of us got probably 6 hours between 3 adults. meh.
Shower in the Koru club and now its off to Brisbane.
My email wont send here and I'm the dumb American who left his power adaptors in his checked luggage. idiot.
Shower in the Koru club and now its off to Brisbane.
My email wont send here and I'm the dumb American who left his power adaptors in his checked luggage. idiot.
Monday, December 10, 2007
G'Day Mate!
Well, off we go. The next 24 hours or so should be a blast.
We've got 90 min to LA, 5 hours in the glory that is LAX (including the Koru club), 13 hours to Auckland, 2 hours there, and then 3 1/2 more to Brisbane.
If only my QQ hadn't run into aces yesterday I might have splurged on the NYE Sydney boat ride. I still might but it would have been less painful.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Grand Sierra $300 NL
81 players today, 9 spots paid.
My first table was awful. Some real bad play. I was able to take a bunch of pots off of people who were too weak-tight to follow through. Some of these were well timed all-ins on the turn or river. This style of play does have high variance though, and I fluctuated within 1000 of the 3000 starting stack.
Eventually I get moved and get pretty short. Then I go on a heater, winning pot after pot until I'm up around 12000 or so. Dustin Fox gets moved two to my right. He's aggro and he makes a 3xBB raise from the button. SB folds. I have 99 and push. We have about the same chip stack. He tanks. He tanks a looong time, and I'm pretty sure he's gonna call. At least, he makes it look that way-- Dustin's a good enough player to just make me sweat it out if he raised with air, so its possible he had nothing here. Its also possible he laid down something as good as JJ or AQ. Anything better and he's calling I think. Eventually he folds.
Fox gets moved to the other table and we're down to 13 players. I've been very card dead, but surviving by stealing fairly liberally. Sometimes they call and I take the pot on the flop or turn. Whatever- these players don't seem to call unless they have it and since most of the time you don't have it, they are folding a lot.
When it gets folded to me in the SB with QQ I'm pretty stoked. I haven't had a hand this good all day. I raise the 1200 blind another 4000. The BB is gonna play- Great! He contemplates his move and he's gonna raise. That's fine with me cause I'll just put him all in. Well, he says "I can't fold, so I might as well go all-in" Bleh. OK. Well, that doesn't really change anything. I call. He flips over AA and its gg me.
My first table was awful. Some real bad play. I was able to take a bunch of pots off of people who were too weak-tight to follow through. Some of these were well timed all-ins on the turn or river. This style of play does have high variance though, and I fluctuated within 1000 of the 3000 starting stack.
Eventually I get moved and get pretty short. Then I go on a heater, winning pot after pot until I'm up around 12000 or so. Dustin Fox gets moved two to my right. He's aggro and he makes a 3xBB raise from the button. SB folds. I have 99 and push. We have about the same chip stack. He tanks. He tanks a looong time, and I'm pretty sure he's gonna call. At least, he makes it look that way-- Dustin's a good enough player to just make me sweat it out if he raised with air, so its possible he had nothing here. Its also possible he laid down something as good as JJ or AQ. Anything better and he's calling I think. Eventually he folds.
Fox gets moved to the other table and we're down to 13 players. I've been very card dead, but surviving by stealing fairly liberally. Sometimes they call and I take the pot on the flop or turn. Whatever- these players don't seem to call unless they have it and since most of the time you don't have it, they are folding a lot.
When it gets folded to me in the SB with QQ I'm pretty stoked. I haven't had a hand this good all day. I raise the 1200 blind another 4000. The BB is gonna play- Great! He contemplates his move and he's gonna raise. That's fine with me cause I'll just put him all in. Well, he says "I can't fold, so I might as well go all-in" Bleh. OK. Well, that doesn't really change anything. I call. He flips over AA and its gg me.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Our money used to be so cool...
I think I've been reading too many articles on the decline of the dollar. It makes me think about buying gold, which leads to a study of old gold coins, and somehow to how awesome old US coins are. When i am declared lord protector of the realm, I think I'll decree that Misters Lincoln, Jefferson, FDR and even George W. take a rest from our coinage and we'll have a contest to bring Lady Liberty back.
Collecting coins from pocket change must have been more interesting when the mint didn't make 1.2 Billion pennies in a year. Nowadays, its possible to find a pre-64 dime once in awhile, a war nickel, and wheat cents are still fairly common- but that's it. There aren't any key dates floating around in circulation, and there never will be.
If I were to collect again, it would by a type set of proofs. I wonder what that would cost...
Monday, December 3, 2007
PM Sunday $115
3 players left. Me and two ladies.
Button: 5 stacks of chips
SB (me) 4 stacks of chips
BB 1 stack of chips (which is about 4 BB's or so)
Blinds are 1000-2000
Prizes are roughly 1500-900-600
Button raises to 1 stack.
Hero pushes from SB with AJs
BB tanks and calls with 33.
Button barely tanks and calls with A6o.
I found this quite disgusting. Button had been "caught" raising light before, and while A6 certainly demands a raise here, she would have been much better off just open-shoving (although I would have called.) BB taking a stand here I guess is reasonable, but she's either flipping or way behind, and she's likely going to get crushed if button decides to call also. I just can't figure out why button would call here, knowing it is likely she has the third best hand and that the BB has a decent chance of busting. Wtf?
Button: 5 stacks of chips
SB (me) 4 stacks of chips
BB 1 stack of chips (which is about 4 BB's or so)
Blinds are 1000-2000
Prizes are roughly 1500-900-600
Button raises to 1 stack.
Hero pushes from SB with AJs
BB tanks and calls with 33.
Button barely tanks and calls with A6o.
I found this quite disgusting. Button had been "caught" raising light before, and while A6 certainly demands a raise here, she would have been much better off just open-shoving (although I would have called.) BB taking a stand here I guess is reasonable, but she's either flipping or way behind, and she's likely going to get crushed if button decides to call also. I just can't figure out why button would call here, knowing it is likely she has the third best hand and that the BB has a decent chance of busting. Wtf?
Saturday, December 1, 2007
The worst hand I've ever played...
Ugh. I wasn't going to post this, but I'm convinced no one reads this blog except me so who cares. It becomes like a live online diary I guess. Here goes:
WSOP Circuit, $5000 buy in at Lake Tahoe. 10K starting chips with 75 min levels. Deep stack poker.
My table seems pretty weak. Mike Kinney is on it and I know he's a good player. There is a looney tune in seat one who stacks off calling an all-in 4 bet with AK against AA. An obvious idiot. I won't make the same mistake. Reminds me of playing a hand at the Bellagio in a $3K buy in when TJ Cloutier raised, I called with AK, and then a woman re-raised, TJ re-raised and I got out of the way very very fast. AA vs KK then.
In the first level I get 99 and raise and get one caller. I don't recognize the guy. His name is Aaron. Short hair, sunglasses, ipod. Could be any internet kid. Anyway, the flop comes Ten-high and the board does nothing else and I lose the hand to his T8o. Meh. Later I have Q8s and lose to him on a board of 3-3-5-8-8 when he had limped with 63s. Hmmm.
So its the third level, 100-200. Aaron has played fairly aggro, but he's never 4-bet. A guy UTG limps (which he's done many times with who knows what) Aaron raises to 750. I look down at KK and make it 2250. Folded back to Aaron and he repops it another 3000.
Wow. Didn't expect that. OK, I started the hand with about 12K and he had me covered with 16K or so.
At this point my brain just turned off. The analogy I have made was some times in early residency doing surgery and coming into a situation that was new and not knowing how to proceed. Poker is easier though, because the default play when holding KK is to simply 5-bet push. I know this and I contemplate it. But I hesitate. Something isn't right. And the only thing that can't be right is that Aaron (who later I realized was Aaron Kanter, 4th place finisher in the 2005 Joe Hachem WSOP ($2M for 4th) also the same Kanter who knocked Greg Raymer out with QJ when Raymer held KK) well- the only thing he can hold that makes me hesitate is AA of course.
Crap. I don't want to bust out here running into AA. What else is in his range? KK, but that would be pretty unusual since I have KK. AK, again less likely. How bout lesser aces like AQ or AJ? If so, its a complete resteal and he would have to fold if I push. I suppose he could be holding other pairs like QQ, JJ, TT, or maybe worse? I dunno. All I know is that something is telling me he has AA and that I shouldn't push. My brain doesn't like it, but pushing doesn't feel right.
I could fold I suppose. I still have plenty of chips. But WTF?, did I come here to get pocket Kings and fold preflop? That seems worse than pushing for sure. Blech. I'm not folding.
OK, I can call. Yeah, thats it, I'll call. And then if there is no ace on the flop I'll ignore the feelings that led me not to push and I'll push on the flop. Brilliant! What a plan! (I'm an idiot)
I call.
Flop comes J-J-T, and Aaron checks.
Blech. I hate this flop. But what hands can he hold that hit this flop? JJ, TT, AJ, AT, JT. If he has JJ or TT then its probably gg for me. No way he 4-bet preflop with AJ, AT or JT. No way. OK, so I'm ahead of AK, AQ and QQ. Everything else he's holding I'm behind. I still think he has aces i guess. I check.
Turn: Another Ten.
He checks again.
What? Now he's checked twice. Would he do that with AA? No way. I'm lost now. I don't know what he has, but I cant see how he's hit this board unless he's made quads and that is always unlikely. Fuck it, I push.
He calls.
Ace-ten offsuit. ZOMG. ATo. Meh. Just for good measure the river brings an ace. He smirks and comments that if I would have bet the flop he would have gone away.
*********************
So, this was just a horribly played hand on so many levels. Just awful. A victim of the great overthink, next time I just push and take my beat from AA if that is the case.
WSOP Circuit, $5000 buy in at Lake Tahoe. 10K starting chips with 75 min levels. Deep stack poker.
My table seems pretty weak. Mike Kinney is on it and I know he's a good player. There is a looney tune in seat one who stacks off calling an all-in 4 bet with AK against AA. An obvious idiot. I won't make the same mistake. Reminds me of playing a hand at the Bellagio in a $3K buy in when TJ Cloutier raised, I called with AK, and then a woman re-raised, TJ re-raised and I got out of the way very very fast. AA vs KK then.
In the first level I get 99 and raise and get one caller. I don't recognize the guy. His name is Aaron. Short hair, sunglasses, ipod. Could be any internet kid. Anyway, the flop comes Ten-high and the board does nothing else and I lose the hand to his T8o. Meh. Later I have Q8s and lose to him on a board of 3-3-5-8-8 when he had limped with 63s. Hmmm.
So its the third level, 100-200. Aaron has played fairly aggro, but he's never 4-bet. A guy UTG limps (which he's done many times with who knows what) Aaron raises to 750. I look down at KK and make it 2250. Folded back to Aaron and he repops it another 3000.
Wow. Didn't expect that. OK, I started the hand with about 12K and he had me covered with 16K or so.
At this point my brain just turned off. The analogy I have made was some times in early residency doing surgery and coming into a situation that was new and not knowing how to proceed. Poker is easier though, because the default play when holding KK is to simply 5-bet push. I know this and I contemplate it. But I hesitate. Something isn't right. And the only thing that can't be right is that Aaron (who later I realized was Aaron Kanter, 4th place finisher in the 2005 Joe Hachem WSOP ($2M for 4th) also the same Kanter who knocked Greg Raymer out with QJ when Raymer held KK) well- the only thing he can hold that makes me hesitate is AA of course.
Crap. I don't want to bust out here running into AA. What else is in his range? KK, but that would be pretty unusual since I have KK. AK, again less likely. How bout lesser aces like AQ or AJ? If so, its a complete resteal and he would have to fold if I push. I suppose he could be holding other pairs like QQ, JJ, TT, or maybe worse? I dunno. All I know is that something is telling me he has AA and that I shouldn't push. My brain doesn't like it, but pushing doesn't feel right.
I could fold I suppose. I still have plenty of chips. But WTF?, did I come here to get pocket Kings and fold preflop? That seems worse than pushing for sure. Blech. I'm not folding.
OK, I can call. Yeah, thats it, I'll call. And then if there is no ace on the flop I'll ignore the feelings that led me not to push and I'll push on the flop. Brilliant! What a plan! (I'm an idiot)
I call.
Flop comes J-J-T, and Aaron checks.
Blech. I hate this flop. But what hands can he hold that hit this flop? JJ, TT, AJ, AT, JT. If he has JJ or TT then its probably gg for me. No way he 4-bet preflop with AJ, AT or JT. No way. OK, so I'm ahead of AK, AQ and QQ. Everything else he's holding I'm behind. I still think he has aces i guess. I check.
Turn: Another Ten.
He checks again.
What? Now he's checked twice. Would he do that with AA? No way. I'm lost now. I don't know what he has, but I cant see how he's hit this board unless he's made quads and that is always unlikely. Fuck it, I push.
He calls.
Ace-ten offsuit. ZOMG. ATo. Meh. Just for good measure the river brings an ace. He smirks and comments that if I would have bet the flop he would have gone away.
*********************
So, this was just a horribly played hand on so many levels. Just awful. A victim of the great overthink, next time I just push and take my beat from AA if that is the case.
FTP 6-handed 8 PM PST
This is the tourney I'm most likely to be in each week. It starts at 8 PM and I found out a couple weeks ago that it ends around 130 AM. Yes, I was the last one standing and won $7200 or so. Sweet. Managed to get all-in heads up with middle pair and a str8 draw against top pair and the same draw. I make trips on the river to win the tourney. Lol.
Chronic Pain?
I have some new respect for people who live in pain. I've had this nagging low back thing for over a year now. 18 mos actually.
It started when I carried a sleeping Justin what seemed like miles from a July 4th fireworks show at Zephyr cove. Then I did some stupid twisting motion in the gym and made it worse. Getting myself into impossible positions with a weight on my head at work everyday doesn't help either.
I saw a spine surgeon a year ago who told me I have "facet syndrome" and that I should consider an intra-facet joint injection. I have had several "trigger point" shots which make it feel perfect for about 2 hours till the local anesthetic wears off, then its kinda nasty again.
I chickened out, and have been trying to manage it "conservatively." This means, advil, heat, massage, and thinking about doing Pilates three times a week. I need to stop thinking about it and doing it. Its also quite interesting how narcotics help short term, but do little for the long term.
We have a dinner tonight and it would be fun to dance, but seems pretty unlikely. Snowboarding out of the question.
OK, it will probably get better again-- it always seems to-- but those of us who have crap like this every day of their lives and get through it are awesome.
It started when I carried a sleeping Justin what seemed like miles from a July 4th fireworks show at Zephyr cove. Then I did some stupid twisting motion in the gym and made it worse. Getting myself into impossible positions with a weight on my head at work everyday doesn't help either.
I saw a spine surgeon a year ago who told me I have "facet syndrome" and that I should consider an intra-facet joint injection. I have had several "trigger point" shots which make it feel perfect for about 2 hours till the local anesthetic wears off, then its kinda nasty again.
I chickened out, and have been trying to manage it "conservatively." This means, advil, heat, massage, and thinking about doing Pilates three times a week. I need to stop thinking about it and doing it. Its also quite interesting how narcotics help short term, but do little for the long term.
We have a dinner tonight and it would be fun to dance, but seems pretty unlikely. Snowboarding out of the question.
OK, it will probably get better again-- it always seems to-- but those of us who have crap like this every day of their lives and get through it are awesome.
Cal is pretty awful
Looking back, I made some predictions about going to the Rose Bowl and how I would have to consider flying home from Sydney to catch the game.
What a joke.
There is a blog out there called "Rose Bowl before I die." Someone commented that the owner should change the name of the blog to "Rose Bowl before the sun becomes a red giant and engulfs the earth."
Maybe, just maybe, Cal will manage to beat the 'furd today and keep the cherished axe. Fwiw.
What a joke.
There is a blog out there called "Rose Bowl before I die." Someone commented that the owner should change the name of the blog to "Rose Bowl before the sun becomes a red giant and engulfs the earth."
Maybe, just maybe, Cal will manage to beat the 'furd today and keep the cherished axe. Fwiw.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Peppermill $1000 main event
119 players, 10,000 starting chips, 40 min levels, blinds started at 25-50. Decent structure. Paying 13 spots, first placde $41K
I have Susie Issacs at my table in the 2 seat. Another woman in the 8, a aggro bluffer (as i will see) named Fred in the 1, and two weak players in the 3 and 5. I'm in the 9.
I get 4c5c second hand, check my BB to a few limpers and then flop a flush with the 2c-3c-Qc. I bet out and everyone folds. Meh.
Next hand I have red KK in the SB. Player in seat 7 limps. I decide to get tricky and complete and the BB checks. Flop comes 3 babies and I bet half the pot. 1 seat calls. Turn an ugly Ace and I check-fold. Meh again.
I'm playing more hands than I planned on, but no junk, and I'm chipping up a bit. Fred likes to make big bets on the river, and he's done so with nothing more than ace high at least once (another player called him with 4th pair). Eventually I get JJ UTG and raise the 100-200 blinds to 625. Fred calls. Flop comes Q-3-7 rainbow and I want to check raise but he checks behind. Turn is a duece and I bet 1200. He calls. River is an offsuit 9. I bet 2000. He immediately makes it 6000. Wow. Didn't see that coming. Well, its a pretty big bet, and if I call and lose I'm down to about 3-4000 chips. Then, after only tanking a short time he calls a clock on me. I dunno if he expected me to fold at that point but it must have pushed me to call. He has A7 for no pair and I win a big pot and have about 20K in chips now.
I end up playing some pots I shouldn't-- I get suited connectors a bit and actually flop draws but have to pay to see them. At one point I have 74o in the BB and see a free flop of 5-6-T. Hmm. It costs me a bet to see the turn which is another 5. There is also a spade draw out. The river brings the 3s, completing a flush draw, giving me a straight, and of course the board is paired. I bet out 1500 and woman #2 in the 8 seat pushes. Meh meh meh. I can't call, although it occured to me she might have just had trip fives.
At the 150-300/25 level this hand comes up:
I am in the BB with 9To. Two people limp and 3 to the flop of 9c-Tc-2d Nice. I bet out 600. First limper raises to 1800. Second limper calls 1800. Now, there is a possibility that I am behind to a set of deuces here, but that is about it. The other hands out there are like AT, a flush draw, and maybe JQ, but I doubt it. I think I'm good and I raise another 3000, leaving me about 10,000 behind. First limper folds, but the next guy calls. Hmmm.. Turn is an offsuit Jack. I don't really like this card, but unless he has exactly 78 or 22, I'm still good. I can't see that he called my 3-bet on the flop with JT. The pot has over 10K in it so my options are pretty limited. I'm not going to fold to his bet, so I just push. I'm pretty sure this is correct. He tanks. Damn. I really want to just take this down now-- its a big pot. He calls and flips over J9o. Ugh. The horror. I'm drawing pretty thin and he busts me when another 9 hits the river, filling us both up.
Now, how does this guy call me on the flop with J9? I don't really understand what just happened. I think I played it right and the guy was just a donkey. He had middle pair, no draw and I was showing lots of strength.
I have Susie Issacs at my table in the 2 seat. Another woman in the 8, a aggro bluffer (as i will see) named Fred in the 1, and two weak players in the 3 and 5. I'm in the 9.
I get 4c5c second hand, check my BB to a few limpers and then flop a flush with the 2c-3c-Qc. I bet out and everyone folds. Meh.
Next hand I have red KK in the SB. Player in seat 7 limps. I decide to get tricky and complete and the BB checks. Flop comes 3 babies and I bet half the pot. 1 seat calls. Turn an ugly Ace and I check-fold. Meh again.
I'm playing more hands than I planned on, but no junk, and I'm chipping up a bit. Fred likes to make big bets on the river, and he's done so with nothing more than ace high at least once (another player called him with 4th pair). Eventually I get JJ UTG and raise the 100-200 blinds to 625. Fred calls. Flop comes Q-3-7 rainbow and I want to check raise but he checks behind. Turn is a duece and I bet 1200. He calls. River is an offsuit 9. I bet 2000. He immediately makes it 6000. Wow. Didn't see that coming. Well, its a pretty big bet, and if I call and lose I'm down to about 3-4000 chips. Then, after only tanking a short time he calls a clock on me. I dunno if he expected me to fold at that point but it must have pushed me to call. He has A7 for no pair and I win a big pot and have about 20K in chips now.
I end up playing some pots I shouldn't-- I get suited connectors a bit and actually flop draws but have to pay to see them. At one point I have 74o in the BB and see a free flop of 5-6-T. Hmm. It costs me a bet to see the turn which is another 5. There is also a spade draw out. The river brings the 3s, completing a flush draw, giving me a straight, and of course the board is paired. I bet out 1500 and woman #2 in the 8 seat pushes. Meh meh meh. I can't call, although it occured to me she might have just had trip fives.
At the 150-300/25 level this hand comes up:
I am in the BB with 9To. Two people limp and 3 to the flop of 9c-Tc-2d Nice. I bet out 600. First limper raises to 1800. Second limper calls 1800. Now, there is a possibility that I am behind to a set of deuces here, but that is about it. The other hands out there are like AT, a flush draw, and maybe JQ, but I doubt it. I think I'm good and I raise another 3000, leaving me about 10,000 behind. First limper folds, but the next guy calls. Hmmm.. Turn is an offsuit Jack. I don't really like this card, but unless he has exactly 78 or 22, I'm still good. I can't see that he called my 3-bet on the flop with JT. The pot has over 10K in it so my options are pretty limited. I'm not going to fold to his bet, so I just push. I'm pretty sure this is correct. He tanks. Damn. I really want to just take this down now-- its a big pot. He calls and flips over J9o. Ugh. The horror. I'm drawing pretty thin and he busts me when another 9 hits the river, filling us both up.
Now, how does this guy call me on the flop with J9? I don't really understand what just happened. I think I played it right and the guy was just a donkey. He had middle pair, no draw and I was showing lots of strength.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
You win, Julia.
I made a bet with my nine year old cousin. Loser wears the other team's hat. Sigh.
Well, I lived my dream of seeing Cal play in the rose--- no, I saw Cal play AT the Rose Bowl, not in it, and with 2 brutal back to back losses now, its not going to happen this year. Again. I know what Cubs fans feel like.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
New Truck decisions....
I'm debating a new Silverado 2500 Duramax vs the new Toyota Tundra. Looks like Toyota uses Chevy's to tow their rigs... hmm.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Hee Haw. $2500 Grand Sierra Main Event
Only 85 people showed up to play this one. 1 hour levels, 5000 chips. This is the kind of tournament that I would like to play on at least a monthly basis. Enough chips and time for some play, and a buy-in that puts some decent players in the game. This is why Vegas is great-- you can play a $1060 at the Bellagio twice a week.
Anyway, I chip down a bit and then an old guy raises to 225 in EP. I call with 22. This guy "EP" who we have been calling "Eskimo" (although i think he's hispanic) flat calls also. Nice. Flop is 7-3-2 with two hearts and I've flopped a set. Yee-haw. I don't figure to win much though-- the flop I want is A-Q-2 or the like. Old guy leads out for 500, I make it 1500 and Eskimo repops it to 3000 or so. Wow. Old guy folds. Well, it is certainly possible that he has 33 or 77 and I'm toast, but an overpair or a flush draw is much more likely. I push. He tanks. Good. It means for sure he doesn't have 77, and maybe he has 33. Eventually he calls and shows JJ. He misses and I double up.
I really don't do much after that. I win my share of pots pre-flop, and don't play any big pots. I get moved to Champie Douglas' table. At 100-200 a guy makes a min raise to 400 UTG+1. Folded to me in the BB and I have AKo. I make it 1400. He turbo 4-bets me another 2000. He has me covered. Yuck. I tank a bit and eventually muck. My ace flips face up. He tells me later he had KK. Good laydown.
I make a steal raise with 95o and get called. Flop comes Q-5-3 and I check-call a 1/2 pot bet. Meh. What am I doing in this hand? There are 2 hearts out there and if another one comes I'm taking the pot with my fake flush. Turn is another 3. I check, player bets 2000 and I'm done with the hand and my stack is a bit shorter. Stupid.
I get AA and win the blinds. Meh.
A fairly aggro player raises to 625 and I repop him to 2000 from the BB with KQo. He folds. Someone notes that "that move has been suiting you well all day." Hmmm. I don't remember reraising preflop much. Besides the AA, the biggest pocket pair I had was 77. I have been fairly aggressive post-flop though, letting people take stabs at pots and then coming over the top. Clearly the next time I do this I will have a big hand...
But before anything else happens they move me to a much more laggy table. This really sucks, as I had pretty good reads on the players and was chipping up. I raise the first couple pots pre-flop and take them down. We go to 200-400/50. A player goes all in for abotu 4200. I have around 9000 and look down at 66 in LP. I'm thinking about calling, but before I can act, the big blind announces "call." Well, that makes my decision for me. I muck, and my cards hit the dealer and turn up. The raiser has AKdd and the caller 99. Flop comes 9-6-x, two diamonds. Wow. Good thing I mucked, because if I came along I'm pretty sure the pocket nines weren't folding. Next card is another diamond and the AK doubles up. Dodged that one.
A little later and I'm down to 7500 or so. I raise in LP with K9ss. BB calls. Flop comes Q-Q-J, two diamonds. Check-check. Turn is 9d. BB checks. We have about the same stack size, (he covers me slightly) and any bet one of us makes pretty much committs us to the pot. I dunno why, but I thought he had nothing and if I bet I win. Betting half my stack looked awkward (at least to me) so I just pushed. He instacalls with A5dd. Right into the nut flush i push! Idiot. I think I'm drawing dead, but actually a Queen would save me. And then BOOM- a queen comes on the riv-------------------------no. not really. nothing comes on the river and I'm out and I kick and hee haw my way out of there. Yuck. What a moronic play. Just awful.
Anyway, I chip down a bit and then an old guy raises to 225 in EP. I call with 22. This guy "EP" who we have been calling "Eskimo" (although i think he's hispanic) flat calls also. Nice. Flop is 7-3-2 with two hearts and I've flopped a set. Yee-haw. I don't figure to win much though-- the flop I want is A-Q-2 or the like. Old guy leads out for 500, I make it 1500 and Eskimo repops it to 3000 or so. Wow. Old guy folds. Well, it is certainly possible that he has 33 or 77 and I'm toast, but an overpair or a flush draw is much more likely. I push. He tanks. Good. It means for sure he doesn't have 77, and maybe he has 33. Eventually he calls and shows JJ. He misses and I double up.
I really don't do much after that. I win my share of pots pre-flop, and don't play any big pots. I get moved to Champie Douglas' table. At 100-200 a guy makes a min raise to 400 UTG+1. Folded to me in the BB and I have AKo. I make it 1400. He turbo 4-bets me another 2000. He has me covered. Yuck. I tank a bit and eventually muck. My ace flips face up. He tells me later he had KK. Good laydown.
I make a steal raise with 95o and get called. Flop comes Q-5-3 and I check-call a 1/2 pot bet. Meh. What am I doing in this hand? There are 2 hearts out there and if another one comes I'm taking the pot with my fake flush. Turn is another 3. I check, player bets 2000 and I'm done with the hand and my stack is a bit shorter. Stupid.
I get AA and win the blinds. Meh.
A fairly aggro player raises to 625 and I repop him to 2000 from the BB with KQo. He folds. Someone notes that "that move has been suiting you well all day." Hmmm. I don't remember reraising preflop much. Besides the AA, the biggest pocket pair I had was 77. I have been fairly aggressive post-flop though, letting people take stabs at pots and then coming over the top. Clearly the next time I do this I will have a big hand...
But before anything else happens they move me to a much more laggy table. This really sucks, as I had pretty good reads on the players and was chipping up. I raise the first couple pots pre-flop and take them down. We go to 200-400/50. A player goes all in for abotu 4200. I have around 9000 and look down at 66 in LP. I'm thinking about calling, but before I can act, the big blind announces "call." Well, that makes my decision for me. I muck, and my cards hit the dealer and turn up. The raiser has AKdd and the caller 99. Flop comes 9-6-x, two diamonds. Wow. Good thing I mucked, because if I came along I'm pretty sure the pocket nines weren't folding. Next card is another diamond and the AK doubles up. Dodged that one.
A little later and I'm down to 7500 or so. I raise in LP with K9ss. BB calls. Flop comes Q-Q-J, two diamonds. Check-check. Turn is 9d. BB checks. We have about the same stack size, (he covers me slightly) and any bet one of us makes pretty much committs us to the pot. I dunno why, but I thought he had nothing and if I bet I win. Betting half my stack looked awkward (at least to me) so I just pushed. He instacalls with A5dd. Right into the nut flush i push! Idiot. I think I'm drawing dead, but actually a Queen would save me. And then BOOM- a queen comes on the riv-------------------------no. not really. nothing comes on the river and I'm out and I kick and hee haw my way out of there. Yuck. What a moronic play. Just awful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)