Live By The River - Die By The River

Here We Go Again

2012-01-03T21:18:00.001-05:00

Another 16 week season is about to start. I'll be going for the four-peat. I'll post more once I know all the players involved.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T21:12:00.001-04:00

Steve Jobs of Apple died yesterday. I'm not entirely sure why, but this is having a strong effect on me. I'm not a Mac user. For most of my younger years, I was firmly on the PC side of the PC vs Mac wars (though now I would switch if it wasn't for the cost). However, Apple's iPods have really changed my life. They have moved me away from computers, in general, and introduced me to podcasts. Podcast have had a big impact on my life. For this invention alone, Steve Jobs has affected a big change in my life.

I'm also a big Kevin Smith fan now. And without podcasts (named after the ipod) he doesn't move from movies to Internet.

Thank You Mr. Jobs. You will be missed!

Week 1: vs. the Pats.

2011-09-30T14:42:00.001-04:00

I'm going to start off by saying that I don't hate Brady. I think he may be the best QB to ever play the game. He just has such control of his offense. When you watch him, you have to be in awe... even if they're playing your team. Anytime you're watching him can be a historical game.

OK... enough of that. He's a jerk and I hate him!

This game left me with mixed emotions concerning the Dolphins. First, kudos to Chad Henne. I hope last night stops the complaining. He showed he can lead this team. He was far from perfect, having a handful of overthrows, but showed that he can throw and they don't need to run all the time. I also have to tip my cap to Sparano for changing his mentality from run to throw. The fact that they had no big back to run in from inside the 5 yard line killed them. Could have added 2 touchdowns in there. The Dolphins always had a defense, they just didn't show any offense. It looks like that has changed.

Speaking of the defense... I'm REALLY hoping this game was indicative of the Patriots offense and NOT the Dolphins defense. They were just MANHANDLED! Brady had them sucking wind the entire game and they could not stop them at all. I love Cameron Wake and was glad to see him get to Brady, but Solder owned Wake all night long.

All-in-all, this game has given me some hope for the Dolphins. I'd be surprised if they could win the AFC East, barring any injury to Brady (or other key Patriots players), but if they can focus on their defense, and get their bigger backs healthier (can they beg Polite to come back?), I think the Dolphins have the opportunity to snag a Wild Card spot.

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Are You Ready For Some Footbaaaaaaaaalllllll!

2011-09-30T14:41:00.000-04:00

As I'm not playing as much poker recently, I'm going to start sprinkling the blog with football tidbits.

Some of you may know, I'm a Dolphin fan. I have been for a long time. I have Dan Marino to thank (or blame) for that. When I first started to get into football, I had no loyalties and wanted to find a team to follow. I didn't want to be the typical New Yorker and pick the Giants, Bills or Jets, but still felt I needed a reason for my loyalties. I was born in Miami and figured that's a good place to start. I watched Marino play and was hooked. Now mind you, at this time, I was probably 10 or 11. I've been a fan ever since. I'm not a "die-hard" fan, but I am a loyal fan. I've liked other teams in the past (Cowboys, Rams, Cardinals), but always the Dolphins first (notice those are NFC teams). I start each season with hope, but I'm realistic. And I can't find the ability to root for any AFC East team, except the Bills (my wife's favorite team) last few seasons but only because they've been at the bottom for some time and not a threat (looks like that may be changing). If they are competitive, I won't be able to root for them at all. Super Bowl XLII, I was such Giants fan. I always like to see the Pats lose, but had the added factor of keeping the 72 Dolphins with the only perfect season.

Anyway, all that is just pre-amble to say I'm a Dolphins fan and why I have this affliction. I don't have Direct TV, so I can't watch every Dolphins game. There will be at least 4 televised Dolphins games. Two Monday Night Footballs games (Patriots, Jets), they play the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, and then their 2nd Patriots game. There are a few other potential games that will be aired: Week 7 vs. Broncos (but will probably be the Jets game) and Week 8 vs. Giants.

I'll try to post my thoughts on the game the next day. I know... you're holding your breathe.

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Way The Fuck Off Base

2011-09-20T23:08:00.003-04:00

For years, online poker players (yours truly included) have been saying that the Absolute and UB scandals were anomalies and that we can put our trust in the bigger sites.
"There's no profit in them stealing our money. They can make plenty of money off the rake."
"This is poker, they're word is what they have, if they were to cheat us, they'd lose everything."

Well as it turns out, there are even less companies to trust. Apparently there is profit in stealing from poker players... Profit, to the tune of $300,000,000 (or $400,000,000 in distributions to owners). Oops.

As many of you know, the Southern District of New York has amended their original complaint against FTP, what is known as Black Friday in the online world. Wicked Chops Poker has a good breakdown of the highlights.

As of March 31, 2011, Tilt owed players from around the world over approximately $390,695,788 but had only approximately $59,579,413 in its bank accounts. (page 72)

Howard Lederer received approximately $37M in distributions as well as another $4M in profit sharing (page 72).

Chris Ferguson received approximately $25M in distributions. (page 72)

Rafe Furst received approximately $11.7M. (page 73)

In all, it claims there are 19 owners of Full Tilt Poker. (page 73)

An owner, named as “Player owner 1″ but clearly Phil Ivey, is alleged to have received at least $40M in distributions, “as well millions of dollars characterized as loans,” of which $4.4 million have not been repaid. (page 73)

On that note, interestingly no other Full Tilt Poker owners where named in the amendment.

Owners continued to receive approximately $10M/month even though beginning in the summer of 2010, management/the board of directors were aware of issues in collecting funds from U.S. players. (page 73)

Approximately $130M in U.S. player funds were never collected due to payment processing issues. (page 74)

The amendment claims that Tilt was “extremely insolvent” by March 2010, however owner distribution payments continued as late as April 1, 2011. (page 74)

After 4/15, Tilt continued to accept funds although it had worldwide liabilities of over $300M. (page 75)

In an internal e-mail on June 12, 2011, Ray Bitar expressed concern that a company announcement regarding lay-offs and the Board (including himself) being replaced would be seen as bad news (which we find unbelievable–as most would’ve considered it great news), which in turn would cause a “new run on the bank,” adding that “it could be a huge run” and that “at this point we can’t even take a five million run.” (page 75)

Any property, including money, used in [an illegal gambling business] may be
seized and forfeited to the United States–or better put–the accounts assets of Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, Ray Bitar, and Rafe Furst would be gonzo. (page 77)

Also, ownership percentages for the four Board members were listed as Ferguson (19.2%), Lederer (8.6%), Bitar (7.8%), and Furst (2.6%).

They are calling it a Ponzi Scheme. While there are those that are going to show, "LOOK! AT THIS! THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WERE REGULATED!" I think this will put a huge delay into any kind of regulated online poker. It is going to scare the casual players away from playing anywhere. They're not going to see it as an issue of regulation vs the Wild West. They're going to see it as more evidence that these companies are just going to steal from you and that they should stay away.

With Full Tilt added to the list of untrustworthy poker sites, it starts to make you wonder, how clean is Pokerstars' closet?

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

A Recap of the League

2011-08-19T17:56:00.003-04:00

Sorry for not posting the results of the final week of the league.

The seating for the final week of the regular season was beneficial for the Host. He had Tilty to his left, followed by Stevie and Myself. A perfect spot to do a lot of re-raising. And it worked for him. He got a lot of folds when he was in cutoff and we were small blind and big blind. Host was still fighting. He could win the whole thing, but there had to be a specific order of me busting, followed by Stevie, and then Host winning the final week. For me it was about playing tight and hoping Stevie busted. It was unlikely, but Gus Hansen did it in the 2nd or 3rd Poker Superstars.

The guy on my immediate left (my heads up opponent in week 13), was pushing me around if I got into a pot. Finally, I took a stand. I had 77. He had limped in, and I was on the BB. I raised. He called. The flop came with 2 clubs, all under my 77. The turn is a J of clubs. I didn't put him on a jack, so when I bet, and he raises, I push all in. I have the bigger stack. He looks at me like "Really?" and then calls with the nut flush. I honestly didn't see the flush. I'm crippled and Stevie and Host are thrilled. Blinds are still low at this point, but I'm hurtin'. I just fold hoping for some big hands to clash. Not much happens. I believe, Drunky busts while I'm still low. I keep waiting and with about 6 BB left, UTG+2, I get AA. I shrug and shove. The Kid calls, and host, in the BB calls without looking. Neither are thrilled when they see my Rockets. I triple up and am in good shape. Especially since Stevie has less chips than I do.

The Kid is crippled here as well, and busts shortly after. The guy who took all my chips earlier, busts next. Stevie, can't recover and busts next. I'm estatic as I clinch the overall 1st spot. It's 3 handed and I'd LOVE to collect the first spot for the week as well. However, Tilty has been massively accumulating chips and the blinds are getting up there. Stevie is hanging around hoping Host busts, because that means he wins 2nd place overall (25% of the pool), but Host has to bust next. Blinds are too high and I push with KJ, but called by Tilty's A5. I don't improve and I'm out, Host is guaranteed 2nd overall, and Stevie goes home. The heads up lasts a while, but the chip count is too massive for Host to overcome. Finally, it all ends with Tilty winning the week.

OVERVIEW

At the end of the night, people were rooting against me. Not the overall win, as that would have been hard to prevent, but mostly they didn't want me to take down another double week. Which is bittersweet. I just hope it's not a game killer.

While I still maintain that I was extremely lucky in that I didn't often get UNlucky, a third season, in a row, says something, at least in my mind. It gave me confidence in my game. Three individual tournaments is one thing, but winning three, 16 week seasons goes beyond luck.

The league has been around for a while. This was my fourth time playing. I've tallied a 2nd place tie, and 3 wins. That's a pretty good return there. The Host has won it three times (not consecutively). Drunky has won it. The worst player ever has won it. Plus a few other people have won as well. I really hope this threepete wasn't a game killer.

It's been a month since the league ended, and no word from Host on when it might start up again. There was definitely a dying interest in the game. This season, we started with 9 and ended with 7. Plus for most of the 2nd half of the season, as least one person was out at almost every game. I think host is thinking about re-tuning the game. There was talk about increasing the buy-ins, maybe spreading out the payouts, at least on a week to week basis. Shortening it. I've suggested just making it a regular SnG and have a cash game after. His concern there is getting enough people interested in a weekly game.

I don't know if it will start up again, but if it does, and they still want me, I'll be there.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm not SUCH a donkaholic.

We Are Back

2011-07-11T07:41:00.001-04:00

The league too the holiday weekend off, but was back this week with the final regular week game. One no show. Unfortunately, it went almost as bad as it could have gone.

I had very few hands. The ones I played, I playex poorly. My first hand was QQ. I just limped. Now earlier there was some pre-flop raising, so I hoped I'd get one of those. No such luck. The flop was 982. Check around. The turn was a Jack. The kid bet, host called and so did I. The river was a 7. Uggg. Kid bet again, host called. I figured I might be good here since host didn't raise, but didn't want to press my luck. I had the kid beat but host had the T. My next poorly played hand was 22. Limped pot. The flop comes 2h9hTs. I don't slow play and bet 6 (1/2 blinds still). Kid insta-raises to 20. Drunky goes All-in (but it's only a few more chips. This puts me all-in. This is where the points come into play. Any other time and I'm all-in here. I figure Drunky for the flush and/or straight draw. I'm worried about the Kid. He's a tight player and not one to bluff. Plus he's been getting hit with the deck at times this season. I really put him on a set of 9s or a set of Ts. I fold my 22. I just didn't want to bust first. Drunky has the flush draw and Kid had top two. Nothing comes, drunky busts and I don't rake in a big pot.

My only other big hand was KK, in which I played OK and got a few chips there. Never enough to be dangerous and never had more than the starting stack. My last hand was UTG with A3 and less than 2 BB. I pushed. 3 callers. Flop an Ace, but Kid (In the SB) had 2 small pair. I'm out. Host loses a race with AK vs 22 to bust after me. I'm almost guaranteed 2nd place overall. Unfortunately, Kid gave a ton of chips to Steven and he took the week down. We are 5 points apart. It means more tight play from me, as he has to finish 3 spots ahead of me in a 7 handed game.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Weeks 13 & 14

2011-06-27T22:37:00.003-04:00

Week 13

I tried something new. I tried Tweeting the hands I was involved in. We started off minus 2 players. So that left 5. No New Kid and no Tilty. The very first hand, I limp with 66 and flop a set. I bet out, but get no callers. I hoped this wasn't an omen for things to come. I lose a few chips with a C-bet, but other than that, I'm folding most hands. 66 again. This time I raise 2.5x and get 3 callers (5 handed). Flop is 754. I C-bet again, this time no callers. I'm about even. A while later, I get into a hand with Host. I'm in the BB with 34. I check and the flop comes out 446. Host bets 5 and I call. Turn is a Jack. Host checks and I return the favor by betting 5. I want to keep him on the hook. The river is a 7. Host checks again. I'm a little worried he's slow playing (he likes to trap), but feel I'm probably best here, and decide to value bet 10. He reluctantly calls than mucks when I show.

Here's where I started to realize that I have a problem with the SB. Stevie is to my immediate left, so I'm SB to his BB. I ended up giving him sooo many chips that week. I played way too many SBs. I need to learn to let the hands go. Folds to me in the SB with 96. I limp. Stevie checks. Flop comes 9 high. I bet 4 (blinds are 2/4) and he calls. The turn is a low card. I check and so does he. The river is an over, and I check. Stevie bets 10. I think he might be trying to steal here, since I showed weakness. I call... he has 99. Yikes.

I won more chips with my 3rd Pocket Sixes. This time I bluffed an Ace on the turn to push Drunky off his 2nd pair. I ended up showing my bluff, which I regretted after. I tend not to show my hands anymore. After that, I didn't get much, I played the SB a bit too much and when the blinds got to 3/6, I had my original 60 chips.

I was the short stack and in danger of going out first. I had decided to stop playing my SB. It folds to me and I wake up with KK. I push into Stevie and he calls. I'm lucky enough that he has QQ. I double up and cripple him. I think he might go out first. Drunky manages this feat though, and while I don't have much of a stack, I am the second largest.

Blinds were were still 3/6. I limped with Jh9h. Stevie pushes for a total of 23. I have to call, and he shows A8. I don't catch and Stevie doubles up. A few hands later, the blinds are up to 4/8. I limp UTG with AToff. Host pushes for 30 more. Knowing Host as I do, I can't really think of any hand I am beating here. He's not one to put in all his chips without a hand. At BEST, it's a race. I think, but finally call. He shows JJ. The flop comes 235. The turn ends the drama with a 4. An additional 4 adds insult to injury. Host is frustrated, mostly since he didn't want to even have the game that night.

Stevie was still low and went out shortly after. I'm heads up. I turned up the aggression and managed to take the chiplead, and kept up the pressure. I made big flop call with 93 on a flop of 823. My opponent pushed and I called. He had 2 overs, but didn't hit. And I take down another one.

Once the math was corrected, I was 11 points ahead of 2nd place.

Week 14

Two no-shows again. It's really annoying that the games are so short handed, but not much we can do about that. The first hand was a big boat over boat hand and Drunky was giving all his chips to Stevie.

I lost 1/2 my stack in the BB with 73 when the flop was 77x. Host had a better 7. Later I lost more with top pair but a weak kicker. Also to Host. I managed to stay a live, but never got past the starting stack. I did double up to even with AJ. Flopped trips and turned Quads. Got all the chips on the river.

Managed to get 3 handed with almost no chips vs Host and Stevie. Tripped up (to 33) with JT when I rivered a T. But was still way behind. Got it in with A5 against Stevie's 33. I lose the race. A few hands later, Stevie flopped a straight and got Host to call all-in with top pair.

Because we started with only 5, the game lasted an hour. The three of us sat around for an hour and a half talking poker. That is my idea of a great time. I don't have to win, but to play poker, than talk about it with knowledgeable people; that a good time.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Four Weeks Remain

2011-06-14T21:20:00.001-04:00

I really need to start posting right when I get home.

Week 11 sucked. I was the 2nd busted. The 3 people behind me finished in the top 3. The only saving grace was that Stevie busted Host heads up, meaning Host gained one less point on me. Overall I played poorly. Too limpy/cally. Not enough raising. I lost a large portion of my stack calling a hand that didn't get there. In the end, UTG, I limped with A4 sooted. I hit a huge flop against drunky with Top pair and the nut flush draw. I played it scared and allowed Drunky to hit a straight and bust me.

Week 12, I went in with a lot more aggression and it worked in my favor. I managed to slowly build my stack. Both Host and Stevie busted before me. I was out after Stevie when I pushed 3 handed with AQ in the BB after Drunky (Button) and New Kid limped. Drunky had trapped me with QQ and I was out.
I was happier with my play this week and look forward to the final 4 weeks.

I'm 9 points ahead of Host and 11 (I think) ahead of Stevie and Drunky. I need to stick with the tight aggressive play.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The Main Event

2011-06-01T00:15:00.003-04:00

Booked a side bet with Slappy. I set the line for the Main Event @ 4000. He took the over. I think it was a bad line. I think 4200 or 4300 would have been better. Just a small wager, but I'm sure I'll be paying it off.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Some Recaps

2011-05-31T23:12:00.003-04:00

We now have Week 8, 9 and 10 in the books.

I've been somewhat consistent. In the double week (8) Steve went out in 5th place. It was nice to know that I was going to end the night as the sole points leader. Host went out in 3rd and Drunky and I played heads up again. Once again, he had a bit of a chip lead against me. I battled back and managed to take him out when I limped with an Ace. Missed the flop (check/check), but turned the Ace. I thought hard about betting, but in the end decided to see if he'd bluff. He obliged and pushed. I snap called, even though my kicker was crap. He had 2 unders (not just of the aces, but of the entire board). He doesn't hit runner runner and I take the win and take over 1st place by 8 points. Steve is still in 2nd.

Week 9 continues, this time Steve busts early. Host busts in 3rd. I get heads up with last seasons New Kid. He hasn't done much this season, so I'm not too worried about him winning because he's so far back and ultimately only gaining 1 point on me. Three handed New Kid admitted to getting hit with the deck. I made a lot of bad calls with bottom pair, or ace high, figuring he couldn't keep having hands. He did. I busted 2nd. But another positive showing for me.

Week 10, I continued to play bad. So bad. I busted crippled one guy early, than bust him and Drunky a hand later when my 66 holds up against Drunky's AK and crippled dudes Q2. Another early exit for Steve after that, and I'm pretty sure he's not going to be able to recover. He hasn't shown the necessary aggression. People start calling me pretty lightly, realizing I'm bluffing a lot.

It comes down to 3 handed again, Me, Host and New kid. I'm taking too many stabs and being called light by many people. New kid is getting hit with the deck, and I stupidly keeping calling him. I'm short, he's big stack. Host is right in the middle. I have 89. Flop comes JdTd4d. It goes check-check. Turn is a nice 7s. This time he bets out, and I push. He thinks for a while and then calls. He has an Ad7x. I double up. New kids loses a smallish pot to Host, then they get into two big hands, and host ends up on top and knocks out New Kid. I sneak into 2nd place. I start to mount a comeback, when host limps with Queens and I push with A9s. I don't hit the Ace or Diamonds and I'm out in 2nd.

So that gives me, 2 firsts and 2 second in the last four games. An additional 1st in the last 6 games.

So currently I believe I'm up on host now by 10 points. It's a good place to be. If I go out first the next 2 weeks, I'm guaranteed to at worst, be tied for 1st.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Great Kid! Don't Get Cocky!

2011-05-08T23:24:00.003-04:00

I think that is something I have to be careful of.

Week 7 is in the books. One guy quit... Surprising not Tilty, the one that missed like 4 weeks in a row. No, this was a new guy, who had only missed one week, but hadn't had a good showing yet. Though apparently the reason he quit is because he got his old job and it's Sunday nights. So now we're down to 7. And I don't see these people quitting the rest of the season. Most of us are regulars.

The tournament started out slow. I won a few small pots, but ended up losing a lot of chips on bluffs. Drunky got a run of good hands and ended up with a monster stack. The overall points does play a big part of it. Drunky was using his chip advantage to push those of us fighting for points around. If you have a bigger chipstack than the points leader, you end up folding a lot of hands you'd play because you want others to go out. I was pretty short, but had both Host (3rd place) and the points leader (We'll call him Steve) covered. Host got down to less than a big blind and was busted right before his BB. That left 4 people, including Steve. I had Steve covered, but knew I needed chips to make any kind of run. Drunky was increasing his chipstack. In my defense, I really did get a lot of crappy cards. So it's not like I could do much. I finally got it all in with KQ vs Drunky. He had been raising a lot. I was actually behind when he showed 88. I flopped a Q and was happy to get a healthy chip stack again. Meanwhile, a few hands later, Steve had 1 chip more than a big blind and put it all in. I called and so did drunky. I just wanted to bust him. Drunky ended up making a bet and I folded my nothing. Drunky won and I was glad to know that I was going to at least gain a point on him.

This left us 3 handed. I still played the points and made some tight folds 3 handed. I wanted Tilty to bust. Even if I didn't win, a second place puts me 1 point behind Steve. Drunky busts Tilty and we're heads up. We played heads up in week 3 and Drunky outplayed me every step of the way. This time I promised myself I'd play better. Despite the chip disadvantage, I showed some aggression. I managed to double up, getting all in with a King high, when I pushed all-in after he raised my BB. He called with a jx and my hand held up.

We continued to battle and I slowly gained chips. The big hand came when I had K9 and raised it to 25 with (blind 5/10). He called. The flop was 8 high. It went check-check. The turn was a 9 and I bet 50. He pushed and I called. He had an 8 and I took a big chip lead after that and he was never able to gain any ground back.

I took down the my second tournament of the season and the best part was that I tied Steve for 1st place in overall points. Plus, between the winnings this week at Slappy's game, plus this week's win, I have enough winnings to see me through the rest of the league. Anything more will be profit.

Next week we're finishing the 1st half of the season with our double week. Again, points will playce a big role, as Steve and I battle for 1st place. Host and Drunky aren't too far behind (about 5 points). So a poor week for Steve or I and a good week for them, can boost them into 1st place.

So that brings up the title. The point is 2 fold. One, there is still a lot of poker to be played and I won't want to assume I'm going to win them all. I continue to have my hands hold up. I need that to keep happening. Two, I don't want the game to dry up. If I were to win, that would be the Threepete. I think I would have take a season off if that were to happen. People aren't going to want to play if they don't think they have a shot at winning. I think they need to change the payouts of just the weekly tournaments. Second place should get a few more bucks. Currently 1st place gets 75% of the pool. 2nd place barely makes their money back. A little more money to 2nd place would help keep people funded. A 65%/35% would allow 2nd place to double the buy-in, paying for that week's tournament, plus the next.

For now, I'm happy with the money disbursement, as I plan on winning a few more.

Off to bed
.
-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Nobody at this game would call with ...

2011-05-08T00:30:00.003-04:00

I actually went to my buddy's home game. Normally, if I go, I go after 8, after they've already played a few tournaments. Tonight I was there from the start. I was asked to start coming after 8 again.

Just a quick refresher. Starting Stack: 4000. Blinds start at 25/50 and double every 15 minutes. They are small buy-in tournaments with a $5.00 bounty on everyone's head. I finished 2nd in the first two tournaments, winning enough bounties to break even. The money for second was a small bonus each time.

The third tournament started off slow. I won a few hands. The blinds had already gone up to 50/100. I believe there was 1 limper. I limp in middle position. Another limper. The Small Blind raises it to 500, the Big Blind calls, it folds to me. I call. The other limper folds. 3 handed. Flop comes 2-3-4, 2 diamonds. SB bets (but I don't remember how much, 1000?). BB goes all-in. I reshove (though we were close in chips). The Button tanks big time. I figure him for Aces. He's tries to put both of us on hands; Flush draw... set of 4s. He comments that he doesn't think he's good enough to fold. I tell him that out of everyone, he's probably the only one who could fold here. Someone (not in the hand) sarcastically adds that no one in this home game would call a raise with 56. In the end, he couldn't fold and shows AA. SB shows KK. I sheepishly show the 56 for the nut straight and bust two players. I feel bad because the Button ends up leaving after the beat. I don't think he wanted to sit around for an hour or more for the next tournament. As he left, he shook everyone's hand... but flipped me off (all in good fun). Oh well. I spent the rest of the evening trying to "re-build" my tight image. Didn't work. I really went on a roll in this tournament, hitting big hands and having them hold up and I took down the tournament. Again with a nice supply of bounties.

A fourth tournament, but I didn't make anything happen and busted in the middle of the pack.

Week 7 in the league is tomorrow, so there may be another post shortly.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Uneventful Poker and a Post about Recent Events

2011-05-02T21:28:00.005-04:00

Week 6 was uneventful, poker-wise. New wise... obviously different.

I finished in 4th. Host finished in 5th. Current points leader finished 3rd. I drop one point behind the leader (3 points behind), put an additional point between myself and Host. Still a lot of poker to be played.

The news of the evening (found out on my way home from poker) was that Osama Bin Laden was killed in a US raid. It really didn't do much for me last night. I actually thought it was news that occured earlier, so I didn't rush home and turn on the news or anything. I just figured I'd find out everything on Monday.

Monday I was reading all I could. It really hit me emotionally a few times. I knew no one who died on September 11th. I was worried for most of the day because my brother would go to the Towers a few times a week for work. Later on in the day, I heard from my parents that he wasn't there. I knew people who knew people, but no one I knew directly.

The emotion that hit me was mixed. Sad for all the senseless violence in the world... but also a feeling of pride for my country. I was listening to Mike & Mike and they were replaying the clips from the Mets vs Phillies game when people were finding out. The "USA" chant that went through the crowd. It's sad that it takes something of this magnitued to unite our Nation.

I used to follow politics. But the stupid crap that Clinton pulled at the end of his presidency, followed by 8 years* of Bush, and our country has become so insanely polarized. It's scary. If your political party didn't do it, it can't be good.

Listening to people bitch about how Obama is trying to take all the credit, how dare he get an Islamic burial, why are we rejoicing when it took almost 10 years, how now we're less safe because of it. Its petty politics. People are not happy it didn't happen under a republican's watch. Hell, I saw a post on Facebook that read, "It's the best thing he could do as president. Especially considering Clinton couldn't do that all those years ago." No mention that he eluded capture during Bush's administration, and just points out the fact that Clinton didn't authorize a predator drone to take him before 9/11 happened. And I'm not putting this on the Republicans only. Unfortunately, I feel the response would be the same if happened under a Republican presidency (shudder!).

Our country is so divided right now. I don't know if it will ever heal.

-My name is Unimpressed, and that is all.

Weeks Three-Five

2011-04-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

Week 3 was a good week for me. The points leader busted early Host busted in 3rd and I got heads up with Drunky. Unfortunately, I played horribly and Drunky took me down in pretty easy fashion. I gained a few points on the leader but was tied with 4th.

Week 4 was uneventful. I busted early, followed by Host. Luckily, the leader busted in 3rd so he only gai ed a few points.

Week 5 "Now it's officially the League." - Me.
I was about 10 minutes late and they started w/o me. Drunky had lost 2/3 of his stack and busted a hand later. I don't remember a lot of the hands, but I built my chip stack and busted a few people. It just goes to show you that luck comes in different forms. In week 2 it was a Suckoutfest. This week, my hands held up. KK vs AQ and JJ vs AJ both held up for me, as did other hands. That takes luck too. The best hand isn't supposed to win 100% of the time. Points leader (I need to come up with a nickname for him that isn't based on points) finished third and I was heads up with Host for the first time this season. Thus the quote at the beginning of paragraph. I had a pretty big chip lead. I limped with A8 sooooted waiting for him to raise. He does and I push. He hems and haws
and decides to call with QT. I flop the nut flush. Host flops a T and turns a Q. I half expect him to river his boat since I haven't been sucked out on yet. It doesn't and I take down my first win of the season (and only 2 points behind the leader).

No poker this weekend, so Happy Easter.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic

Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

2011-04-21T18:14:00.001-04:00

For the first time in almost years, I'm trying to follow baseball. I followed the Cardinals (loved in St. Louis for 6 years) when they made it to the playoffs and made it to a few games. But didn't really pay attention to baseball all other times.

First, to get this out of the way; Who the hell are the Nationals and what the hell are the Brewers doing in the National League. Don't worry, I know now, but about a year ago, I was really confused.

So back in the day (High School, early 90s) I followed the Mets. Bill Buckner Rules!!! I was aware of the 2000 Subway Series, but didn't follow all season, just the World Series.

I figure, after 20 years, knowing that the Mets are crap, I could get behind a new team. Living in Connecticut gives me access to the Yankees and the Red Sox.

Now, I find my old fandom popping up. How can I root for the Red Sox after the 86 World Series? How can one love and hate Bill Buckner at the same time? What about the Yankees? Well growing up in New York, you were either a Met fan or a Yankee fan. You were not both. So while I don't have that same mentality, I still find i difficult to invest in their games. Plus they're the 600 lbs Gorilla. And suddenly becoming a fan seems like jumping on the bandwagon (a la Dawn Summers and the 2007 Patriots).

In the end, some internal defect will not allow me to get behind another team. And I still feel the disappointment with each Met loss. Maybe they will invent a pill or something. Until then... There is always next season.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod Touch

The new High Stakes Poker

2011-03-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

For Poker Television, cash games are way better than Sit and Go's. I often fast forward through Poker After Dark regular games, especially if the participants aren't particularly entertaining. But if it's a cash game, I'm glued.So, needless to say, I LOVED High Stakes Poker. The table dynamics were always interesting and the chatter between Gabe Kaplan and A.J. Benza was entertaining. Than last season, they drop A.J. and let Gabe work solo. I really enjoy Gabe's humor and his experience playing poker, really added to the commentary. However, his humor needs the straight man. Without A.J. almost all his jokes fell flat.Than I find out that Gabe is gone and in comes Norm McDonald. Again, another funny comedian, but now they've gotten rid of any kind of high level poker commentary. I was expecting more of Season 6, without any decent poker knowledge. I was only half right.Norm McDonald, wearing more make-up than the winner on a Toddlers & Tiara's show, comes of well with his comedy. It doesn't feel forced, and while not laugh out loud hilarious, it's humorous enough to get a chuckle, and not miss any of the poker action. It works well. The biggest issue, is as I stated, no good poker commentary. He doesn't really add any real insight into what the players may be thinking based on actions.On a side note, and not really anything to do with this season specifically, but on my TiVo, it lists EACH airing as a new episode. So starting at 7pm on Saturday, my TiVo recording about 6 hours of HSP. There's only one new episode in there somewhere, and if I have to stop the actual new one, it takes a few minutes to find the next recording of it.So, while it's better than Season 6, and entertaining in it's own right, High Stakes Poker Season 7 goes to the bottom of my cash game poker watching. I'll wawtch it each week, but I'll be waiting with anticipation for the next PAD Cash Game. Or for PokerStars, The Big Game to come to my market.

Week Two

2011-03-27T23:12:00.001-04:00

Two people dropped out of the league, so we're down to 8. One person was out of town, so chips went into the air with 7 people.

It was a crazy night. Suck outs galore. I lost a huge hand when I flopped a set of 8s on a 278 board. Get it all in against J8 ("I have an 8." I have two of them."). Of course someone says "Wouldn't it be funny if a T and a 9 hit." Of course that is exactly what happened. Next had I pushed QQ hoping to look like tilt, but got no callers. A few hands later, I'm all in with 99. Two callers. QQ and AA. I flop a 9 and don't feel the least bit bad about it.

In the end, I couldn't get much going and was the third out. Host followed suit. Last weeks winner finished in 3rd. He's first overall with a three way tie for third between myself, host, and last season's new kid.

On a side note, I finally got my two trophies. I'm thebonly person to repeat. I'd love to three pete.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic

Week One

2011-03-26T23:56:00.001-04:00

Week one is in the books and an OK start.

9 people with 1 more person who missed week one. Again, I'll go into more detail as I get better reads. Of the 10 people, there are 3 people I haven't played with and one person I played with only in the first season.

The starting stack is 60 chips. And the blinds go up after 30 minutes (we got rid of the rule where blinds don't go up until first person busts).

I built a stack early but towards the middle I couldn't get much going. Four handed, I busted Host when I played Le Dawn to Host's raise and flopped a gut shot to the wheel. Checked around and the A turned giving me the wheel. Host pushed and I called. He had AK and I busted my toughest opponent.

Three handed lasted awhile with stacks going back and forth. In the end I was dominated twice when I had a middle Ace and busted in 3rd.

I feel I did ok and am glad to be playing again.

Poker Content Coming Soon

2011-03-15T21:08:00.002-04:00

It's been over a year now, but it looks like the League will be starting up this Sunday. This should generate some more content. I'm on huge poker dry spell. The only cards I've played is Old Maid.

So Host says we'll have 10 peolple this season. That will be a nice change of pace from the last two seasons.

Just to recap, I joined the league 4 "seasons" ago. That first one, We has 9 players and I tied 2nd place overall. I then took the next "season" off. When that finished up, I was jonesin' for more, so I joined again. I believe that season, we had 8 players, but 2 people quit half way through. I managed to win that one. In fact, I clinched it the week before because I was guaranteed 6th place points with those 2 people gone.

Then last season, we had a piddley 6 people in the league. By the last week, I could only lose if I busted first for 0 points. A few weeks before the end one guy (Muscles) stopped coming (started dating some chick). He said he quit. I told Host that we could wait a few weeks to get Muscles back in so there was at least a shot at me losing. In the end Muscles wouldn't come back, so just showing up netted me the 2 points I needed to clinch again.

I'm still waiting on my two trophies. Bastards.

The format is the same. 16 weeks. 14 regular weeks and 2 double point weeks. 1 point per where you bust. So the first person who busts gets 1 point, next person to bust gets 2 points, etc. I believe every one gets 80 chips to start. Blinds don't go up until the first person busts (blinds start 1/2). Then it increases every 30 minutes (I think). It really feels like there is a lot of play, unless some busts on the first hand and then everyone but one player goes from 40BBs to 20BBs in 2 minutes. It doesn't happen that often. Usually you get 20-40 minutes of no increases. Sometimes even an hour or more.

I'm not a fan of the payout structure per tournament. It almost all goes to 1st place. 2nd usually gets the buy-in back. Maybe twice that.

Cost is $20+$5/week (the double week it's $40+$10), where the $20 goes into that weeks prize pool and the $5 goes to the overall season pool. The $5 has to be paid, even if you don't show up a week (you don't have to put in the $20). The double weeks are mandatory and will be rescheduled if someone can't make it. The overall season is paid out 75% & 25%.

This time there should be 10 people, with 2 brand new players and on dude that has played before, but none of the seasons I've played. I'll have a breakdown of the players next week.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

AA vs KK is a Coin Flip

2010-12-19T22:27:00.003-05:00

Ooh... I remembered one. I'll keep it short.

Listening to Poker Road Radio last week (catching up on the 5 Diamond Episodes). One of the guests (though it may have been Barry Greenstein) was breaking down a hand and they made a good point that, if I can keep this frame of reference, will help with tilt. When thinking about hands you played, think about the ones that *DON'T* play themselves. A hand like AA vs KK plays itself most of the time. If you get it all in preflop, generally speaking, that hand played itself. It was just a coinflip on who had the Aces and who had the Kings. This time it was your opponent, next time it could be you.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

I Need To Take Better Notes

2010-12-19T22:23:00.001-05:00

I keep thinking of ideas for blogging, poker and non poker related, I write them down, but then I lose my notes.

I carry my iPod Touch with me where ever I go. You'd think I'd utilize it better.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

WSOP Main Event

2010-11-30T23:05:00.003-05:00

This was the first time in 3 years I followed the WSOP Main Event on ESPN. It's nothing against it, I just didn't have cable for a few years. The last year I watched was Jaime Gold's year. I followed Yang's year online, but it wasn't very interesting. I tried to watch 2008 on PokerTube, but found the coverage boring. Don't tell me who wins, I'm only on episode 28. Or something like that.

I was very interested in 2009, but didn't look for it online, just followed it as it happened. I was disappointed, as were most, when Ivey got booted.

Finally, this year, I followed all the episodes (thanks to a good deal with Comcast). While I enjoyed the coverage, and I liked that most of the players were experienced players (even though they were unknowns), I was very disappointed in the lack of other events. Sure, sure, I understand there's not a lot of mass appeal for non- Hold 'em games, but through one in. Through in the short handed NLHE game. Or even the heads up. They get a few more weeks of additional new content and I get more poker.

What I really liked was the ESPN3.com's coverage of the live final table (I'm about to stream me some Cricket!). I watched HOURS of that. First on the computer, then via Xbox's new ESPN Channel. I loved it. I didn't need the hole cards. I hope they do that again. I'll make a day of it.

That's the TV Coverage. My interest in the entire WSOP this season was low, and I think a lot of that had to do with Poker Road Radio. I don't want to bad mouth them. They have a great idea, but I felt their coverage this year was lacking. I'm not sure if it was Jeremiah Smith as host, or the lack of Sebok and Gavin Smith, but it just seemed... un-enthused. For the PRR crew, Huff, Stapes or even Ali Nejad are better suited for the show. PRR is more about comedy than anything else, and that's not Jeremiah's strong suit.

I love Poker Road, but it seems like Sebok is getting ready to let it go. He has a great concept, I just hope he can figure a way to make money off of it.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Nobody Folds A Flush Draw.

2010-11-07T00:11:00.001-04:00

Actually played some poker tonight; Slappy's home game.

The structure has changed slightly. $10.00- You get 4000 chips, blinds start at 25/50 and go up 15 mins. Roughly about double the chips as before. Also added was a $5 bounty on everyone.

I played two 6 handed tounraments. The first one, I couldn't get anything going. I got JJ but everyome folded. My last hand, the blinds were 400/800, I was on the button with about 3500 chips (< starting stack). I have 22 on the button after 1 limper. BB calls with TT and I'm out.

Second tourney, early on (50/100), I get QJo in middle position. I limp and button raises to 200. BB calls, I call. Flop comes a beautiful 89T (2 spades). Bb checks, I check. My thought process is that if anyone has a flush draw, in this game, I think most people will call almost any bet with a flopped flush draw (or re-raise), so I checked to control the pot and to put money in on the turn when they might fold. The button checks. Turn is a 7s, completing the flush draw. BB bets 150, I make it 300, and button than makes it 1000 total. BB tanks but calss. I tank but call, hoping to get to showdown cheap. The river is a blank. BB cbecks, I check and the Button moves all in. BB folds. I tank. The button is probably the worse player in the game. Super slow and at one point was no longer invited to the game. I really start thinking about what I could beat. I could see him doing this with AT with A of spades. Though I don't think he checks the flop. That really should have been a clue. In the end, I put him on the bottom end of the straight 67 or even 56, or As6x. Really thoilugh, no way he had 67 or 56 with a min raise preflop. The problem is I don't want to believe he has the flush, I don't put him on any hands I lose to.

I call and ask if he has the flush. He says "Yes." and shows the QsJs. So he flopped all kinds of goodness and I'm out early on.

I've been running bad/playing bad at Slappy's home game recently. I really need to change that.

Just A Little Hit

2010-10-19T23:48:00.005-04:00

I'm jonesin'! Can't seem to get any in. The league hasn't started up... or their ignoring me... maybe they don't want me to Threepete. I could really use some cheap poker on a regular basis right now.

I did have a home game a few weeks back. The re-buy tourney (9 players- so I guess technically a SnG) followed by a low stakes cash game after. I couldn't get much going in the tournament. I had two rebuys. Two of the worst players did the best, they couldn't miss a flop. I got low and pushed with A5 and a big stack bully woke up with QQ. I couldn't catch an ace and I was busted around the middle of the pack.

The cash game (.25/.50) was a little different. One hand I had QQ UTG+1 and limped after the UTG (Slappy) straddled. I limped figuring him for a raise from his straddle. He did (I believe there was another limper or two). I popped it to 3 I believe, but he threw in a 5 and for whatever reason I was thrown off. I thought he put in 5. I made it 15. He thought, then called. At this point, the pot was over $30 and I had about 18-19 left. The flop came A-T-x. UGGG... He checked and I pushed, despite the ace. He tanked. Someone mentioned that he was practically pot committed and had to call with anything like KJ. Slappy agreed and called with KJ. I faded the 2 remaining Q's and doubled up. That might have been additionally painful for Slappy since it was his money that I had borrowed to stay for the cash game.

Shortly there after Slappy heads out. I got involved in another hand where I had AA UTG and limped because the tourney winner with a big stack now was raising a lot of pots. Two limpers and big stack raises. He does make it $5.00. I make it $15. He doesn't think much and calls. The board was JT9. Big stack puts in a bet, and I come over the top, pushing all-in. He ends up calling with an under pair.

In the end, the cash game got me even from the tournament, enough to pay back Slappy for the small loan and paid some Fantasy Football fees I owed. After a few hours of poker, I netted a whopping profit of $10.00.

I need some more poker.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Take Away My Poker Card!

2010-09-18T12:26:00.001-04:00

First I take a chop in a SnG when I had a slight chiplead. Then I come into some quick cash (thank you, Grand Vegas), and instead of taking it online (where I would slowly or not so slowly throw it away) or heading to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun (where I'm a little more +EV), I take the money and buy a new Kindle. What is wrong with me?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod

Some Recent Activity

2010-09-18T12:20:00.001-04:00

A few months ago, I took a few bucks to play poker at Foxwoods. I hadn't been there in years, not since the Mohegan Sun opened their poker room. The room was just as I remembered (huge) and it didn't take too long to sit down at a 1/2 table.

I was there for about an hour, when they called for a $120 SnG. I decided to buy-in… also something I hadn't done in years. I remember that I bluffed this one chick off the first hand when i totally missed with sooooted connectors. It was a C-bet, followed by bluffs on the Turn and River.

That girl and I got into A LOT of hands. I wasn't gunning for her, it just turned out that way. Another hand with her, I returned all the bluffed money and then some when I flopped a set but paid her off on the river when she spiked a 4 card straight.

I eventually lost most of my chips when we were five handed, but played tight until 2 more people busted. We got to 3 handed (me, some dude and the chick) and I was down to one BB. I even folded that on the button, hoping they'd get into a big pot on that hand. They didn't. I was all-in blind on the next hand, but won and tripled up. I pushed on the next hand and won that. At one point, the chick had a huge stack and I thought the other guy did too. We got into another hand where I was all in and called by both players. I managed the win. And was somewhat surprised to see that I had he dude JUST covered. Heads Up and we were about even in chips. The chick asked if I wanted to split and I said "No thanks." We chatted a lot throighout he game and even joked that it was fitting we ended up Heads Up since we got involved in so many pots together.

I ended up winning the blinds on the 2nd hand of heads up. I had a slight lead but decided to split the prize at this point for 2 reasons:
1) I trust my heads up play, but the blinds were pretty high
2) another SnG was about to start and we both wanted to play in it.
So official I took second but we split the cash.

The 2nd SnG was not as fun. The chick busted on the first hand. She flopped a set of Q's but called off her stack on a rivered flush. I never got any hands and had a very aggressive dude to my left. It almost never got to me with him raising first. When I finally decided to come over th top of him with a soooooted ace, he donkishly called with KK. I was out in 5th.

At that point it was about 1:30 am. I got a coffee and got ready for my hour drive. In the end, I netted about $200.

That was at the beginning of August and I haven't played poker since. There's a home game next week and the league may start up again in a few weeks. I'm not sure about the league, but I think I'm going to go for the three-pete in the league.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod

Are You Ready For Some Football!

2010-09-15T19:44:00.001-04:00

That's right. It's the best time of the year.

I did poorly in all but one of my fantasy football leagues... That's not true. I did bad in that one, too. My opponent did worse though.

On the upside, my Dolphins beat the Bills. I'm not too excited, I mean it was the Bills, and it wasn't by much.

I might be going to the Bills @ the Pats game. I'll be rooting for both teams to lose.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod

Laak's Crack Eyes

2010-06-15T21:26:00.000-04:00

I was watching last weeks Poker After Dark The Cash Game. WTF is up with Phil Laak's eyes?! The dude looked fucking scary.

I Have No Idea Why I Tilt

2010-06-13T22:53:00.002-04:00

I think my poor play tilts me the most. I've been on a downward spiral since my last post. Loss after loss. Tilting my small balance away. I make a few bad plays, a few set up hands and I can't get out of the funk.

I started the night around $35. I played a SnG and a couple of cash games tables. Started off OK, took a few beats and bad plays. I had my starting buy-in at one cash game, and had doubled my buy-in at another. Next thing I knew, the wheels fell off and I was felted on both, and out of my SnG.

Next thing I knew, I had $20 bucks in my account. I said 'FUCK IT' and jumped into a short handed, $6.50 SnG. I knew I was tilting, but thought I could offset my tilt with a .01/.02 cash game. Just playing how I wanted with $1. The table didn't go well, lost my buy-in. I focused on the SnG. I started off slow, losing a few chips on hands that didn't pan out. I stayed patient, and I got a few hands. One big hand, I raised 3x on the button with A7 when it folded to me. The BB called. The flop comes AA5. I decided to lead out with a pot sized bet. Figuring it would look weak. It worked. BB went all-in. I called and he had just 77. From there, I had 2nd biggest stack. I had 88 on the button. A smaller stack pushed all in (he had just under 10x) ahead of me. The blinds were getting high, so I called. I was surprised to see the BB also call. I had both of them covered. I didn't really mind seeing AK vs AQ. My eights held up and I busted two players. At that point it was smooth sailing. I took the SnG and managed a small profit for the night.

So the moral of the story? Patience pays off? Variance works itself out? No. Even the sun shines on a dog's ass some times.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Spoke To Soon?

2010-06-09T00:01:00.002-04:00

Had a cash game net win of a whopping $1.00. Lost two buy-ins at one table but made up for it at another table.

I played 2 SnGs at the same time. A six-handed turbo and a 18 person turbo. I won the 6 handed turbo. In the 18 player game, I enter the final table the 2nd shortest stack... less than the starting stack. The short stack and another went busto. I had about my starting stack. Then a big hand among the 2 big stacks and a middle stack, with the biggest stack knocking out both players when he made his flush.

I made the top 4, still the lowest. The 2nd smallest chip stack went busto and now I had 3rd place, which is just about the same for winning the 6 handed. I ended up getting even with the big stack, but made a HORRIBLE call on the river. I had bottom pair (3's) and a flush came on the river. The guy went all in (a HUGE over bet) on the river and I insta-called with just my lowly pairs. He shows the flush. I'm crippled and can't make another comeback. Even though I went all in, (with AJ) got both calls. River a straight. They checked down to the river. The big stack tanks when it's his turn to act. He bets out and of course he has the 6. Other guy folds and he has T6.

All in all a successful night (with the exception of that horrible call at the end). My bankroll jumped up, from the measly $.60 I had, to just under $60.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The Sinkhole that is Microlevel SnGs.

2010-06-08T22:56:00.004-04:00

Still "grinding." I'm not jumping up in levels, still playing low, but I'm not playing as often.

While before, I could count on the low stakes SnGs to increase, now it's been the short handed ring game. A few nights where my cash game profits went directly into losing SnGs. I stopped getting hands, and it's hard to do much. I get a little low and the blinds are high, I push with JJ and of course someone wakes up with KK.

Their kings hold up, whereas, the other night, looking at my hands, you'd think I got slapped in the face with the deck. KK 3 times in 10 hands. Results... 1) Chopped pot with a straight on board to the J. 2) Lost to KQ- though I played it poorly. 3) Won the blinds.

Here's how the KQ hand went. I raised from mid position with KK and get 3 callers. Button, SB and BB. The flop came, x-Q-Q. Checked around. The turn is a blank and I bet about 1/2 pot. It checks around again and the Button bets about 1/2 pot. SB calls, and I decide to pop it. I don't think a raise in the mistake, it's just that I hit POT and made the pot too big to fold. A min raise would have worked just as good. I get the button to fold, but the SB pushes all in. I have him covered and his raise is probably about 20% of pot. I pretty much have to call and he shows KQ. The downside to using the POT button and not controlling the size of the pot.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Losing Skill?

2010-05-31T00:13:00.003-04:00

I haven't played online much. I did hit the rare home game, last week, but that ended badly. Between a $20 tournament followed by a small cash game, I blew about $100. I didn't do anything in the tournament, since I didn't get a hand. I bluffed one hand and won, but then didn't get a damn thing the rest of the night. Managed to make it through the re-buy period and had a few more chips than I started with, so I didn't have to rebuy. I continued to get nothing, and the rare times I was in the hand, I didn't hit anything.

My final hand was 22. I raised, got 1 caller. It was about 25% of my stack. Flop came K55. The caller, bet, pretty much putting me all in. I knew I had to be beat, but had to hope for the AQ/AJ making a move on a short stack. He wasn't, he had KQ. I was the first one out (though a few other people did rebuy, so at least I was only down $20).

I hung around the cash. When there were four of us, we started. I chalk most of my losses in the cash game to unlucky. I definitely didn't play great, but one of the weaker players in the game, kept getting hands. The guy is notorious for betting his missed straights on the end. THis time though, he made straight after straight, after flush, after set.

In the end, I just couldn't get any hands. At one point the guy had over $100. He proceeded to give it all away. Just not to me. In the end, I figured over 5 hours of poker, I won maybe 5 hands.

Not to say I played great, I didn't. Far from, actually. But I'm starting to pick up on one of my leaks. The money. It's not a lot, but right now, I don't have much free money to play with, so if I lose what I have, I'm done. Between the limited live cash, and the tiny bankroll online, I fear losing, thus things like continuation bets, and pushing clearly weak hands off are hard to do. I have to find away to just not care about the funds anymore.

The league hasn't started up yet, but should shortly. Email have gone out to get a count. Not sure if I'm going to do it, but I did say I was interested. I think it will be a game time decision. If there are a lot of people (8 or 9) I may play, otherwise, with only 5 or 6, it may not be worth it.

Hopefully, I can get back into the right frame of mind to play, and with that will come more posts. I think I also might have to review some of my poker books, and even check out some new ones. I might need to get back into the fundamentals.

Until then... My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Still Going

2010-05-14T23:33:00.002-04:00

OK, it's been over a month, but I've still been playing. I went to Florida for vacation, but didn't hit the poker room in Ocala. Just wasn't in the right mind.

I continued to play online. That 20 bucks got up to 30, but then down to my last 6+. I tilted and instead of grinding I through the entire thing into a $6 Turbo short handed SnG. I took that down and was back over $20. I proceed to work it up to over 50 bucks. I dropped down to 30, and back up. Currently I'm around $50. I'm still playing the $2 SnGs, with the occasional $6 SnG. I've jumped up to the $.05/$.10 short handed cash game.

I've recently found myself tilting a little more again, so I think I'll be playing a little less over the next few days. Playing micro limits is tough.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Back In The Saddle Again

2010-04-10T23:36:00.001-04:00

Well I recently logged onto my Full Tilt account and realized I had a whopping $0.62 in there. I played and doubled up twice. I switched tables and bought in for the minimum. At the same time, I also jumped into a $1+.20 SnG. The cash games ended badly, losing all my buy-ins. The SnG was my last shot. I managed a win and had $4+ in my once empty coffers.

I hopped on the next night and did the same thing, though this time I lost the SnGs and all but one cash game. Luckily at that .01/.02 table someone had a big pile of cash (over 6 bucks) and was donating. He was calling all the way down with 2nd, 3rd or 4th pair. I pretty much got all his money. I ended the night and my bankroll was at $9 bucks.

The next night I played some more, but it wasn't so up & down as the other nights. I won a $2 SnG which boosted my bankroll. I broke even in the cash games.

Currently, my $0.62 turned into $20. Not a bad return. How long before I meltdown and start calling all my chips with A high? Or get impatient and put my entire bankroll in one SnG or a bigger cash game?

Time will tell.

Casino Night

2010-03-28T08:34:00.001-04:00

I took my poker winnings and headed off to Mohegan Sun. Slappy was already there and shortly after getting there a spot at his table opened up. I moved over. I won a few bucks with QQ. But not much after that.

A spot opened next to Slappy and I moved. I wasn't a big fan of the table. There were 3 friends who completely soft played each other. They'd bet other people out of the pot, than stopped playing showed what they had and checked down. No one said anything (including me- this was the first time I witnessed anything like this- next time I will say something) including the dealer.

I continued to do very little and lose chips. At one point I had top pair with a flush draw. I got there and doubled up to back even. Unfortunately, I donked off most of my chips wih KJ on a board of K74. I called a tight player down every street when he flopped a set of 4's. I sheepishly folded and said I flopped 2 pair.

In the end I lost my first buy-in on a "bad beat.". Though I was short so I didn't have enough to make the guy fold. My second buy-in, I bought in short. Never got a had and took another beat because I got short and my opponent figured he wouldn't lose much if he called me.

I took the beats well but was tired and didn't want to waste my final buy-in, so I walked around for an hour, than left. I love that the poker rooms are smoke free, but forget the rest of the casinos are not. By the time I got home I reeked of smoke. Yuck.

That's been all my recent poker. I may head out again soon, but try Foxwoods. I haven't been there in about 2 years.

First, we're heading to visit my family in Florida, so I'll probably play at Ocala Pokerroom again.

I'll post if I do.

-- Post From My iPod Touch

In Between

2010-03-28T08:07:00.000-04:00

In Between week 15 & the final week, I played in Slappy's home game. The structure bothered me more than normally, but I think that has more to do with the fact that I haven't won there in a while. And ultimately the games are about hanging out with friends for a few hours. If you bust out early a new game is only an biur away. They introduced a new twist... Bounties. Each person pays an additional $5 that you give to the person who busts you.

As I stated, I didn't do much and only got 3 bounties all night.

-- Post From My iPod Touch

The End is Nigh

2010-03-28T07:52:00.000-04:00

I know it's been a while, but better late than never, right? Week 15 ended good for me. Host was out first, followed by Tilty. I'm out next and Drunky and New Kid battle heads up and Drunky taked it down. The good news about the night is that I gain even more points vs the host.

Technically, I also lock up second place. Host is 9 points behind me, but so is New Kid. Basically, if they can convince Muscles to bring his pussy-whipped ass back for a game (in his defense I think he's dating a former playmate), I go out first, then Host or New Kid have to win. Winner gets enough points to beat me and the other doesn't thus getting me 2nd.

Muscles doesn't show, so I clinch first without even having to show. Second time in a row. I would prefer if, each time, the people who agreed to play the season, played the entire season, but I definitely benefited from having people quit the game.

In the end, as usual, Host, New Kid and I are the last 3. I finished 3rd and I think New Kid wins, taking 2nd overall.

While I want to play again, 16+ weels is a long time. I'm taking a "season" off.

-- Post From My iPod Touch

2 Weeks To Go

2010-01-25T20:52:00.004-05:00

We finished up another game. Again, 2 people don't show. The league has become a bit of a joke. 4 people? Seriously?

This time it was me, host, new kid and drunky.

The game actually started early. I really wanted to put some points between me and the host, but with Drunky, it was unlikely. He plays fast and loose and likes to bluff. Host is patient and can wait for the big hands. Also, with 2 people out, the first person eliminated still gets 3 points to the winner's 6.

I only pick up a few medium hands, and quickly find my way down to about 2/3 my stack. Host is fairing worse, and has about 1/2 his original stack. Host ends up getting super short (limping in with weak hands and folding to a raise) and finally pushes in with a marginal hand. He gets called by Drunky. And is busted. I'm happy because it means I'm gaining at least a point on him tonight, but my stack hasn't been growing. 3 handed, I turn up the aggression a bit, and get some decent size pots. Next thing I know, New Kids is short, and I'm about even in chips.

He's in the BB and a few blinds left. I'm thinking he's practically pot committed in the BB, so I'm very excited with TT on the button. He push and he thinks about folding, but finally decides to call. She flips A9. Perfect. No race. My odds improve with a flopped set when a T hits. Unfortunately he goes runner-runner for a straight (with the 9) and doubles up. I still have a healthy stack though.

Drunky goes out a few hands later.

A few hands later, I push him off a raise, when he tells me he has only 28 behind after he raises to about 15. After I counted it out and pushed all in, figuring I still had him outchipped if he doubled up, he corrects his count and tells me he had 48. Now, if I paid attention to his actual stack I would have clearly seen that he had 2 stacks of 20, not 1. But I didn't look over, I just relied on his info. My mistake. But I was still steaming, but couldn't say anything or he might call and he was definitely contemplating a fold. In the end, he folds and I increase the chip lead. The final hand, I manage to come from behind. I had T8 sooooooted. We see a cheap flop of 6-5-3, 2 of my soot. He's short, so I push and he calls with 54. I get there on the turn, but it's a 6s so he has outs. He doesn't boat up and I manage my 2nd win in a row.

Good news is that I gained 3 points on the Host. Putting me 7 points in the lead. Which means, no matter what happens in Week 15, I will go into the final week with AT LEAST a one point lead, even if I don't show up and get 0 points.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

3 Weeks Remaining

2010-01-17T22:02:00.002-05:00

I know I still haven't been posting much, but I have been playing the league game every week. We took a 2 week break for the weekend before Xmas and the week after. This worked out very nicely for me, as I was probably going to miss each of those.

My last post on the 11/29 looked to be a day before our week 8- Double Week. Honestly, I don't remember too many hands at this point.

I know I got to heads up against the New Kid. We were about even in chips and I need a cash inflow, so I agreed to a chop (as 2nd place BARELY gets their money back) and play out for 1st vs 2nd. It's only 2 point difference but 2 points is 2 points.

A big hand developed, which crippled me. On a Q high flop, I get it all in with KQ. Unfortunately, New Kid had flopped 2 pair. That left me with 50 chips out of 720 total chip. He played tighter than he should with that big of a chip lead and miraculously, I came back to win and get the 2 extra points. In the end, he seemed to think it was ridiculous to play so long for 2 points, but I knew I needed them. At that point, I had a bunch of 3rds and 4ths while New Kid and Host were gettings 1st and 2nds (Both also had a couple of early bust outs). I was in 3rd place overall, and this week gave me a big catapult closer to Host, as he finished 4th (gained 6 points on him).

A week later I went to the monthly home game (showed up late) on Saturday and didn't do anything in any of the 3 games we played. The next day I went to play week 9 of the League. Just like usual, I finished 3rd to New Kid's 2nd and Host's 1st.

The following week (Week 10) I managed a 2nd place to Drunky with Host and New Kids being the 1st two out. Unfortunately, 2nd place only paid $10, so I still lost for the night. Though, this somehow put me in 1st place by 1 point.

We had the 2 week break and then Week 11 . The first game of the new year. I had high hopes. No New Kid... nice time to get some points. Host finishes in 3rd, I managed 2nd to Tiltbox, gaining an extra point on the Host. Unfortunately, 2 people no showed, which means 2nd place gets NADA!

Week 12, again, 2 people don't show. New Kid busts 1st, Host busts 2nd. I'm heads up with Drunky, putting yet another point between Host and I. This heads up match went back and forth. I slowed played 2 pair on the flop and got it all in when Drunky turned the Wheel. Again, no money, but a valuable point.

I go into Week 13, with only 1 win under my belt, but a small lead in points. We have, what has now become a full game. 5 players, as Muscles has quit. Drunky and Tiltbox are the first 2 out, leaving the usual 3 people (Me, New Kid and Host). New Kid has a MOUNTAIN of chips. Host has me covered, and I have less than my starting stack. I haven't had a hand all night. I wina big pot 3 handed, when I call a big bet on the flop with the a jack-high flush draw. I get there on the turn and check hoping New Kid bets. He checks. The river is a blank and New Kid goes all in. I think about folding (the kid is tight). But figured I called the flop hoping to hit my flush. I did and the river was a brick, why would I fold? I call and get a nice double up when the New Kid shows the straight. In the meantime, Host is tilting a bit. He's flopped a couple of big hands, but loves to slowplay and has lost two big hands because of it. One to New Kid and one to me. In my hand, I had QJ and limp in on the button. I probably should have raised, but I was playing tight. Flop comes 578. It checks around. Turn is a 9. Again, it checks around. The river brings a beautiful T. Host checks, I bet the pot and he calls. Another hand he loses 2 pair to a rivered something. A few hands later, I fold the SB, (with K5 sooooted) when Host (button) raises (blinds are 5/10) host makes it 20. New Kid calls. Flop comes KQJ. I forget the action, but all the chips get in. Host shows KQ for 2 pair, and New Kid has AT for the straight. Host can't believe is bad luck. Sure the host had 3 outs (since I folded a K- and let him know). He turns the case K and busts New Kid.

Heads up I'm at a chip disadvantage. But manage to slowly chip up. One of the final big hands (still @ 5/10), I have J8 sooted and hit middle pair with the 8. We both check. A Q comes up and he bets 20. I call. A K on the river and he bets 40 (this leaves him with just under 40 chips). I think, but really think I have him. I call and show the 8. He mucks. 2 hands later, he goes all-in blind. I look and see K9 and call. He shows K4 and I bust him.

Only my 2nd win of the season, but I'm in 1st. I have 64 points, to hosts 60. New Kid... I think he has about 55. 3 weeks left. We'll take the final week off, as it falls on Super Bowl Sunday.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

I Told You...

2009-11-29T00:06:00.002-05:00

I made a small deposit on FTP tonight, and I started playing again. I'd been jonesin' to start playing again, more than just the league.

I'm not a fan of online poker but it's where you can play anytime for small stakes.

I started playing some $6.50 turbo 6 handed SnGs and booted up a .25/.50 short handed NLHE table.

The turbo's showed me no love. I played two and didn't cash. Minus $13.

At the cash game, I had better luck. I started with $20, which was about average stack, though one person have over $100. Over 45 minutes, I played about 50+ hands.

Five hands in, I'm dealt KhKc in the SB. UTG limps, button limps, and I make it $2.50. Both Limpers call. The flop is 8d-3s-Qh. I decide to check, hoping for a check raise. The pot is $8, and UTG bets $5. Button calls. I make is $16.50 , which puts SB all-in, but the BUtton has $45 behind him. UTG calls, button folds, and UTG Shows Qc,Js. I take down a $40 pot.

The next hand I have KJo and raise it on the Button to 1.75. SB Ships for $11 more so I fold.

Ten hands later I'm given another big pair. The ladies. QcQd. I'm UTG and make it the standard pot bet (1.75). The BB calls (BB was the Button on the KK hand). Flop comes 664 rainbow. BB Checks, and bet 3.00 (Just under a pot bet). BB calls. The turn is not the prettiest of cards, 5c, putting a flush draw out there. BB Checks and I fire a more than 1/2 pot bet (6.50 into 9.75). BB Calls. The river is a 3s, no flush, but putting a 4 card straight out there. Is he calling with a 7? Unlikely, but could have trips already. The BB Checks, and I decide to check and let my QQ do the talking. They talk loud enough and I scoop a $20 pot. The BB had Js4s.

At about the 20 hand mark, I win 4 small pots in a row. Including, completing the trifecta of top pair hands when I get AA and take down the blinds.

So, in case I thought I was playing awesome, in 25 hands, I had QQ, KK, AA.

At hand 35, I'm dealt 2 Black Aces on the button. Sweet!

UTG+1 raises to $2.00. I make it 6.75 from the button. The BB pushes all-in ($17) and the initial raiser tanks for a few seconds before he pushes in. I insta-call. I'm up against the BB's KK and UTG+1's AJ. I sweat the river, as there's a chance at a split pot with AJ, but it bricks and I take another $40+ pot.

The last big hand of the night comes against the other big stack. I have $80 and he had $140. UTG I'm dealt 4c,4h. I limp. Big Stack makes it $2.50. The BB calls (He's been in a few of my big hands). The Big Stack has been playing really tight, letting people hang themselves. I've been avoiding him, but with the BB calling, I'm not ready to throw the pair away yet.

I hit near perfect. 3h-4d-3s. Now I have to decide how to string him along. I could lead out. That would be tricky. But if he has nothing, he will probably fold. I'm hoping he'll C-Bet with anything. He's played pretty tight, which is why I've avoided him so far.

Big Stack bets 5.50 into a 7.75 bet. He really hasn't played many hands yet, and I'm not sure if this is standard for him. BB gets out of the way. I just call.

Wait, did I say near perfect? I'm mistaken. The 4s on the turn gives me Quads. DEMS QUADS BITCHES! I decide to check again. See if he'll bet. He does. $12.50 into a $18.75 pot. Now, I'm REALLY at a quandry about what to do. Do I check raise here and hope he has something. I doubt he'll call or push with anything but a huge pair. I opt to let him catch up and just call. I'll bet out on the river. I don't think I can check it and let him check behind. The last card is about as good as I can hope for. 3c. A Boat on the board. I think for a few seconds, before I bet about 1/2 pot. He insta-mucks. I shoulda bet bigger, make it look like I was trying to push him off playing the board. Another $40+ pot my way.

I won a few small pots. The only one worth mentioning was a SB vs BB hand. I had 6c8c in the SB and it folds to me. I just limp. The BB makes it $2.00 and I call. The flop is 8d-Kd-7c. I check, planning to check-raise a C-bet. He bets 1/2 the pot. I raise him enough to pretty much put him all in. He folds and I win $8.

So I ran well, to say the least, in the cash game, turning $20 into $100.

Now, despite getting beaten over the head with the deck, I have to remember, the key to these low stakes games is patience. Wait for the big hands. People will play poorly and give you their money. Trust me, I know... I'm usually giving away my money when I re-raise with my KJ.

I haven't had the patience in my league, maybe I can turn over a new leaf. Patience pays off. So does getting KK, QQ, AK, and AA in 25 hands.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Layout

2009-11-28T16:28:00.002-05:00

Yuck. I don't know what happened to my blog, but that format exploded in a barrage of bad links, so I'm in the process of editing and deciding on new format.

For now, I'm off to read some poker blogs. I have a bunch in my old bloglines account. But I haven't read a poker blog in a long time. I'm off to find some good ones.

Anyone know any good ones on strategy?

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.
http://www.twitter.com/unimpressed

Back... for a little while anyway.

2009-11-25T11:09:00.000-05:00

I rejoined the league again. We're almost half way through and I have yet to win. I managed a second once. Unfortunately, there are only 6 people in the league this run; me, host, drunky, muscles, tiltbox, and a New Kid.

We just finished Week 7. Host has finished 2nd almost every week. New Kid has managed a couple of wins. Drunky has busted 1st every time but once. I'm in third (out of 6, it isn't great). Host isn't likely to make too many mistakes so I need to play better the second half and manage a few wins if I want to compete.

The problem is that I have been playing bad. In the first 2 weeks I think I played ok. Managing to lose only a little in cold deck situations but wasn't getting hands when I needed it.

After those weeks, I just started playing bad. Too many bluffs, loose calls, too few continuation bets. Bad timing on hands doesn't help either.

Two weeks ago I busted to the big stack when I raised 2x in position w JJ. Muscles called. The flop came Q 8 4. My stack had about 2-3 times the pot. I figured I couldn't bet then fold to a re-raise, so I pushed and ran into AQ.

Not. Much could have been done about that had. Last week, 3 handed on the button and pretty short (about 8x in my stack), I have K9. I figure I can pick up the blinds, so I shove. Drunky (SB) thinks a moment then calls (I have him covered). Tiltbox tanks. He doesn't want to call 2 all-ins but has a mountain of chips. He finally calls, and I'm somewhat relieved to see 77. Unfortunately, Drunky has A9. I sheepishly flip over my cards and tell them, "I was just funnin'". The flop has a K but also an Ace. Drunky triples up and I'm crippled (2x BB) and bust out the next hand when I'm BB.

So another 9 weeks of the league and I'll probably take a break after that. Maybe stick to the occasional monthly home game and hit the casino when I can save some scratch.

A Run for the Sun

2009-09-20T22:37:00.004-04:00

I'm annoyed. I had typed notes into my iPod all night, and deleted it when reviewing. So my notes won't be as complete.

Friday night I decided to hit Mohegan Sun again.

I really prefer Mohegan Sun. The poker room is smaller, but it is also less crowded. I got there at 6:30 and was seated right away. The entire night they filled empty seats quick, and there was not much of a wait and the list was never long.

The night felt weird. It felt like I as up and down, but in reality I was never down.

I bought in for 200 instead of the usual 100. I liked this much better. I felt like I could do things and not just wait. I was able to limp into a few pots early on. One paid off. Only a few hands in, and it limps around to me. I have AJ and decide to call. I don't want to go nuts with a mediocre holding and I'm really only 4 or 5 hands in. It limps all the way around. It ended up being 9 people into the pot. This became a regular thing. Not THAT many, but there were a lot of limpers. The flop comes A99. It limps all the way around. I really wanted to see what kind of action it generated. I doubted anyone had a better ace (even that early I figured AQ, AK would raise). THe turn was a blank, but put a flush draw on the board. It checks to me and I put out $15. It folds all the way around to the "guy" on my immediate right and "he" goes all-in.

I say "guy" because I thought it was a guy, until that moment, I thought it was a guy. Tall, quiet. Turns out... no. Oops. So much for observations! She has a small stack (lots of people buying in short). Only about 35 more. I look at my stack and think about folding. Smells a little like a 9. But because of the flush draw, I felt there was also a big chance that she had the flush draw. I make the call and she flips over AT. I think the flop check worked in my favor there, but probaly not a good idea.

I continue to build a stack. My favorite hand of the night was my call with Q high. Unfortuantely, this is where my lack of notes hurts a bit. Raised pot (raised to 6), I call with QJ. The board on the flop reads AT8. I check and the raiser checks, the turn is another A. I check and the raisor bets about 10. I just think he's trying to take the pot and think I might be good. I call. The turn is an 8. I definitely feel I'm good here. I check hoping for a small bet that I can call. He knuckles and I show my Q high. He says I'm good and I drag a small pot. It was nice to trust my read and willing to go with it. Though a big bet on the river and I would have folded, not trusting myself that much.

At one point, I get my stack to a postive $175. I'm feeling good, having fun and I start to throw the tips around generously. Redbirds, even if I'm just picking up the blinds and a couple of limpers. Redbird for the waitress. It was fun and I was trying to buy Karma. Unfortunately, with my profit, comes looseness. And next thing I know, I'm down to just above my original $200. It's 9pm and I figure it's time for dinner.

I take a 30 minute break, get a mediocre buffalo chicken wrap, some nasty pasta side dish. The break pumped my mood up a bit, I changed the music in my iPod to something more upbeat and sat backdown to play.

Four hands in, still at $200, I look down at AA. I raise it to 12, and 2 limpers. A guy pops it to $50 and I do a little flip. Folds to me and I raise it to $125. The limpers fold (one guy, an asian dude, really struggles with his fold, but he's been like that all night). The last guy tanks. You can tell he wants to fold. He doesn't have the discipline (I don't know if I would have), and pushes his stack in. He has me slightly covered. I'm glad he pushed and not just called. Even though it would have been more than 1/2 his stack. He might have gotetn away from the hand on the flop. He flips the obvious KK. The door card is paint, but turns out to be a Jack. Which is promptly followed by an A. I have a sick feeling he's going to go runner runner for a straight, but I dodge that get my stack to over double the buy-in.

The rest of the hands are escaping me. I know I lost about $100 on speculative hands, but built it back up on a lucky hand.

The asian dude who reluctantly folds, raises it up. I call with AsJh. The flop comes KsJs3s. 2nd pair and the nut flush draw. I look at the ADWRF's stack. It's small (around 80), another short buyer, who's taken a few beats. I bet out 20. He thinks for a few seconds and pushes all-in. I've seen him bluff before, and feel he can definitely be bluffing here. I don't think he has the flush because he pushed. I thought he would just call if he had the flush, and push on the turn if no spade came. He could definitely have a K or even a J here. If it wasn't for my Ace of spades, I definitely fold there. Most of this thought process happened before I bet out. I decided if he re-raised me I was going to push on him or even call. So the as soon as I said "All-In,"I insta-called. As I put all the thought into it already, I liked my insta-call even more, after the hand, for the simple fact it tilted the guy big time. Neither of us showed our hands. Which was a common at this table. No spade came, but an Ace on the river gave me 2 pair. He confidentally flip my 2 pair. He just stared as his cards and shook his head over and over. Mumbled to himself. After about a minute, he finally mucks.

For the next few hands, I hear him muttering about the insta-call. What made me even happier about his tilt, is that he is one of those guys that, after the hand, just stares at his cards. As if something is going to change. He did it to me, and he did it a plenty of times before and after that. Someone can show the nuts, and he'll just stare at his hand like he can somehow make it better. We have someone like that in one of our home games. It is annoying. Felting the guy, made it less so. He reached in for another $60 and would later lose that too.

In the end, I called it a night shortly after midnight and with a nice little profit. I was thinking about making another run Friday, but turns out a home game is coming around on Saturday, and I haven't been to one in a while. So I think I'll do that one instead.

Until next time.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The End of a Long Road

2009-08-29T19:03:00.000-04:00

A quick recap. The league has been over for a month or so. Nothing is really fresh in my mind.

Week 13
Not much to remember, except I finished 3rd. That would be nice except Tighty & Tilty finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Also, Walken lost his job and quit the league.

Week 14
An interesting weeka. I card dead for most of the night, but managed to squeak into heads up against the Host. I got all the money in 4 or 5 times with the worst of it... Amd won them all. I was never dominated, but he was always ahead and all were better than a coin flip. It helps to be lucky. The last hand Host pushes. I look at an Ace and call. He has A2 and I have AK. I take first place.

Week 15
I don't remember anything specific about this week. I finished 1st again, heads up against the Host again. I remember he started with a big chiplead but I was patient. I hit some hands and bluffed a few hands to gain the chiplead and took it down.

The Final Week was coming up. Double Buy-in, Double Points. It didn't matter. Witb Week 15's win, and 2 people who quit the league, I was guaranteed 6 points which meant I was untouchable for overall 1st place.

Week 16 still pays almost 300 to first place. Unfortunately, l finished 4th. Tilty won and took 2nd overall.

I ran amazingly this series. I finished 1st or 2nd 10 out of 16 weeks.

Tighty is gettiing married soon so hey are taking some time off. I'm still undecided about doing another series. It is such a long committment. I also benefited from the Hosts personal problems, Walken's constant no-shows and Slappy's tilt. As the only other good players, it made me the odds on favorite. Also, it's a lot of money, $450. The final point is that other than the Host, I wouldn't classify any as "friends." I don't hang out with any of them outside the game. I might invite Tighty to other games, but that's about it (again, except for the Host). With this being a 16+ week committment, I find it hard to make it to either of the other monthly home games or the casino.

On the Positive side, I do get along with them, and enjoy myself most of the time (only one of them is an asshole). I am also playing poker EVERY week, which is a good thing. Plus playing with the same people will helps me with my observation skills at the table, which I often lack. Finally, while I definitely ran good for the season (6 first place finishes and a split), I am definitely one of the top players in the game. The game is definitely beatable.

Maybe I'll take a season off again. I have a few weeks go decide.

I'll keep anyone still reading this blog informed.

A Trip To The Sun

2009-08-23T23:28:00.002-04:00

The Legendary Dawn Summers from IHadOuts.blogspot.com was heading up to Mohegan Sun with Aceste and 3some Mary and wanted to know if I would join them. I did.

I played my usual bad short-stacked cash game poker, limping into too many pots. I really should buy in for more. I bleed chips until they show up. When they finally do, they want to go to dinner (Hey Dawn! The ocean called. They're running out of shrimp!) but I want to finish the round. I'm already down a buy-in and a half. UTG and I'm dealt Kh5h, the Le Dawn. Must be a sign, right? I limp (1/2 NLHE). There are 2 more limpers and an aggro asian with a big stack bumps it to 12. It folds around and I obviously call. Fold, fold.

I'm not too concerned with asian since he has a habit of raising limpers. My main concern is that I'm calling a raise out of position with Le Dawn of Hearts. Is that -EV? I think, me playing pomer is -EV.

The flop is j98 one heart. I check, he checks.
Turn is a 2nd heart. I decide to bet out 10. Aggro Asian raises to 30. I have 40 behind, so obviously I call.
The river brings the dirty little heart. I sheepishly toss in my last 20 and even more sheepishly tell the dude "I got there." he really has no option but to call. He flips over the T7 for the flopped straight. I stack my ill-gotten chips and head to Dawn's shrimp fest.

I'm more of a Enjoy The Meal type person, as opposed to Dawn's Beat The Casino Anywhere You Can method of dining. She might have gotten a better deal for the buffet (plus it was comped for her hotel shuttle ride), but I tried a lot of food and didn't feel the need to sprinkle my ice cream with shrimp. Did I mention she ate a lot of shrimp?

Before dinnef ended I went back and picked up my chips since dinner was taking longer than the 45 minutes before they pick up your chips. However, I ended up back at the same table. I didn't like my seat so I ended up moving 2 seats to the left of aggro asian.

I don't remember much of the night except for hitting the K-high straight flush. My call on the turn with 12 outs. But was able to value bet my hand.

In the end, I was just above even.

The last hand of the night tilted me, though it shouldn't have.

Middle position and I'm dealt KK. A couple of limpers and I raise to 15. Button calls and old guy limper calls.

Flop is Q89. Old Guy checks. I was going to bet but the button looks like he wants to bet. I check and the button bets 20. Old Guy calls and with about 80 in the pot, I push for all-in. Button folds and Old Guy stares at me. It's an additional 115 for him to call. I know I'm ahead. I decide to try to induce the call. I smile and wink at him. He sees that and instantly calls. He shows QT for top pai and the gut shot. I show my KK.

The tilt isn't the suckout, its the slow roll by the fucking dealer. Before he flips the turn, I know I'm beat. The dealer starts to flip the river but then stops and just looks at it. Fucker. Q. The river is a blank and I angrily push my stack in the middle. Didn't even count his chips to see if I got any back, which was stupid.

On the way home, I was steaming. Why would the dealer do that? One asshole in he league does that. But that's a home game. For some reason it popped into my head that he may not have burned a card on the turn. No way to prove it after the fact, but would explain his pause. Nothing I could do about it on the way home. I was still tilty when I got home so I left my daughter in our bed where she fell asleep and felt better.

Next Post: the final league recap.

-- Post From My iPod Touch

Weeks 10, 11, 12

2009-07-13T23:22:00.002-04:00

Slappy is off to Vegas, but has decided not to continue with the league. Too bad, but I'm not going to sweat it. Despite the money going involved (over 16 weeks, you're putting in $450 if you show up every week), it really is a bunch of drunk degenerates hanging out, many of them have been drinking and hanging out all day before the game, and just continue to drink during. It's less than professional, and a lot of their shit would get them kicked out of the casino, but ultimately it's just fun for them, and they don't take it seriously.

I don't mind it, but that's probably because I win constantly with them. Not to spoil anything, but in this "season," I've finished 1st or 2nd 8 out of 12 weeks. I'm freerolling for the season and currently have a 9 point lead over 2nd place with 4 weeks to go. It's far from locked up, since the last week can make or break you, but I'm still running well, and could, quite possibly, lock up the season before the final game.

OK, recaps.
Week 10- nothing memorable. I finished 2nd. Tilty took first. He was in 2nd overall, so my lead dropped 1 point. 2 people couldn't make it, so 2nd place only takes 10 bucks, so -15 on the night.

Week 11- I'm sick. I feel like I'm going to puke. I don't want to go, but need to keep the pressure on with my lead. I'm the 2nd player to arrive. While waiting around, I jump up and run to the bathroom and puke my guts out. Ah, I feel better. But I don't play better. I'm the first one to bust. I busted on a bluff. I have pocket 5s. Flop comes K7x. Host bets out. I don't think he has a K (just a feeling), so I call, planning on taking it away on the turn. The perfect card (other than a 5 comes), an 8. I check, Host bets again, and I push all-in. I'm thinking he may have a7 and would have to fold, and/or can put me on 78 and even if he has a weak King could fold it. He tanks for some time. And this is where I get a little pissed and can understand Slappy's frustration. People start hootin' and hollerin' saying he should call, just acting all macho, and stir up action. I'm a big proponent of the one player to a hand rule, but that doesn't apply here, really. Again, just picture a bunch of drunken frat guys. Host finally calls with a K and I don't hit my set. I'm out. 3 people didn't show, so I still get 4 points for being the first one out. Tilty goes out next, so I only lose one point to him. However, Tighty makes a big come back, heads up against Host and takes it down. This is the first time I've ever seen him win, I think. But his tight play, has him jumping Tilty and taking 2nd place.

Week 12- Another week where I go in saying, "Play Tight, Play Tight." I do and it pays off. Nothing big happens here. Tilty goes out in the middle, so I put some distance there. Tighty goes out 4th, so I gain a point there.
I make one bluff 3 handed and one awefukit call and it pays off. Host is on the button and folds. I'm in the SB (blinds are 5/10) and have Q8. I have about 90 chips. I raise to 30. Walken thinks for a few minutes then says, "Screw it, All-in." I'm about to fold, I count my stack behind me, 57. I have 30 out there. I'm thinking he has a big hand. Ultimately, I decide that since the two people who are chasing my points lead are out, I can afford to call here, since I need chips if I want to win the thing. I probably should have shipped it with less than 10 BBs, but oh well. I call, Walken flips over the 97 soooted. Sweet. We miss the flop, I hit an 8, which at first glance, I'm happy, since it kills the 3 7's he could hit, but then realize it gives him 4 tens for a gutshot. A blank on the river and he's crippled.

After that it's smoothing sailing. I get heads up with Host and about even in chips. I get a slight advantage. The final hand, he limps on the button, I have QJ and raise it to 30. He calls. Flop comes QJx with 2 clubs. I bet out, he pushes, I call. He has the flush draw and misses. I take down another week.

As I stated earlier, that puts me 9points ahead of 2nd place. 3 Regular weeks and one double week left. I have to keep my eye on the prize here and stay focused next week.

Wish me luck.

The Big Double Week.

2009-07-13T22:12:00.002-04:00

The Double Week took place one week later. As per usual, I say I'm going to pay tight, but the double chips make me play too many hands. But I sat tight.

Slappy took a few beats and went on some serious tilt.
1) Slappy raises from middle position. One caller (Tighty), maybe two. The flop comes K-K-X, two clubs. Checks to Slappy who C-bets. Tighty calls. The Turn brings an X. Check-Check. The river brings the Tc completing the flush. Checks to Slappy who bets... Now here's where it gets weird. First, assuming Slappy didn't have the flush, which I was pretty sure he didn't, I knew he just threw that bet away. There was no way he was getting called by a hand that he beat. Anyone else, maybe, but not against Tighty. Tighty is about points. He can fold with the best of them. No one folds like Tighty. I figured maybe trip Kings, maybe the flush. So, as I said, Slappy bets, and Tighty calls. As soon as he calls I figured he had the flush. Tighty would just call the nut flush because the two Kings on the board. Slappy shows his AA. Definitely, no way he was going to be called by a worse hand. Slappy says he put the guy on QQ or JJ. Which I pointed out, Tighty would NEVER call there. Not with the flush and the two Kings. The weird part of this hand was that Tighty showed a boat. I think it was KT. A boat and just called? Most of us where flabbergasted. We had no idea what happened. Even now, I'm not sure Tighty even saw his boat. Slappy is visibily upset.

I believe there was another beat before that, where it was Slappy with AK and Host with K8. Host flopped an 8. Called Slappys C-bet on the flop (after much deliberation). Then they both checked it down. While a beat, I saw nothing wrong with anyone's play there really.

2) The Big One. Slappy is low on chips at this point. He's in early position and limps. Limps around. Flop comes Tc8c3c. Walken, in a blind, puts in a small bet. Slappy puts in a raise. Walken, re-raises rather quickly. Slappy calls and shows QcTc for the flush. Walken shows T3 for 2 pair. No sweat when the 3 comes on the Turn giving Walken the boat. He improved to Quads with another 3 on the river. That pushed Slappy over the edge. He grabs his things and basically storms out.

Other than that, nothing exciting happens. My only really interesting hand was a fold. I was in middle position with the short stack. Host in early position raises. He will occasional get out of line, but it's rare. Str8>Flush re-raises all-in (he has me covered). I'm not worried about his hand. He will push with anything. I look down at JJ. Normally, insta-call in this spot. I'm a little worried about Host. I figure his range has hands that have me beat and some that I have beat and crushed, plus the 2 races. Ultimately I figure I'm about 50-50 with his range. I think, because I was short, and this is a league about points, I was looking for a reason to fold. I finally, reluctantly fold. Drunky comes over the top. Host says he was just kiddin' with his A9 and folds. Str8>Flush shows A9, Drunky shows AQ. Shoulda called. I had to avoid 3 Qs and an Ace. Even worse, the final board was 25522 for a chopped pot. Dang, would have tripled up. In the end I busted in the middle to add some points. Maintaining my position in first.

To Be Continued...

Let's Catch up

2009-07-10T17:58:00.003-04:00

We finally got the league started again. It was about a month and a half before we re-started. We skipped the double week just so we because we wanted to get the league restarted but 3 people couldn't, so we just played a regular week.

I was still running well, getting hands and playing well.

The first big hand, I flopped the nut flush draw. I made the flush on the river and was able to value bet the Host on the river.

The very next hand, I get KdTd. Bunch of limpers. The flop is Ad3c4s. Muscles leads out. I have no idea why, but I called. Drunky calls, too. The turn is the 2d. Muscles checks, I check and Drunky puts in a min bet. We both call. The river is a beautiful 5d putting a straight on board but giving me the nut flush. Muscles checks, I bet about 1/2 pot. Drunky makes a min raise. Muscles calls and is all-in. I push all-in. Drunky thinks for about 30 seconds and reluctantly calls. Muscles shows a flopped 2 pair (but plays the board). Drunky flips 67 for the nut straight. I show my flush and bust 2 players.

After that, i just hit every hand and couldn't lose. I busted Slappy when I overplayed a small flush draw. Slappy called my re-raise push with top pair no kicker. I rivered the flush. Slappy was not happy that I re-raised his flop bet with a weak flush draw.

I went up against the Host heads up. I had a big stack against him. It didn't last long. Host pushes all in. I wanted to fold my A2 figuring I was probably dominated. I made a crying call and host shows JT. I'm pretty happy until the flop comes JTx. I am given some life when a 2 comes on the turn. The Ace on the river ends the tournament. When you hit every hand, you can't lose.

The double week was uneventful for me except the first bust out. But more on that in a different post.

I Hate Online!

2009-06-04T23:03:00.002-04:00

I deposited a bunch of money on both FTP and Pokerstars.

Didn't take long for me to lose. Tilted... as usual.

Figured I was done, until I get my rakeback on FTP. So I had a few bucks (very few). So I decided to play a few SnGs and even through some at a .01/.02 table.

The SnGs ended, no horrible beats, I just couldn't get cards.

The cash game really tilted me. Luckily I'm busto, or I'd spew. I doubled up when I flopped a flush and continued to play tight. At those levels, that's all you have to do.

The table breaks down to short handed. It's HU, then 3 handed. A fourth person comes in and sits to my left. I'm in the BB and he comes in. He buys in short and pushes all of it in. I have AK and call. He has 92 suited and hits his hand. No biggie. I'll get it.

He proceeds to donk 1/2 of it off, doing it again. We get to a hand were it's my SB vs BB. I push with Q5s (a little tilt, but thought if he continued to call light, I'd be good). He had A8. The next few hands I had pocket pairs. I kept on pushing it and he kept having overs and winning. Finally ran the last of my stack into someone else's TT. Grrr. Tilt! I hate online.

Still no League, not supposed to be starting until next week. But Slappy has his home game and I'll get to play this weekend. EASY MONEY!

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Here's the Question.

2009-05-19T07:45:00.003-04:00

Do I combine a non-poker blog and my poker blog for one blog? Possibly get more hits, than if I have one blog? Or do I keep them separate...

Maybe just acknowledge my non-poker blog here, make a note when I post or something...

Any ideas?

One downside to combining the two into this blog is that I can't add Google's Adsense since this is considered gambling related.

Screw Up.

2009-05-18T22:15:00.005-04:00

Damn it. Totally screwed up my blog format tonight.

Trying to edit the format of a different blog and messed up this one.

Now I have to fix it. Son of a bitch!

Now I just need to figure out how to remove that stupid FEED Button on the top right.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Oh What A Night!

2009-05-16T22:10:00.005-04:00

So last night I went to Mohegan Sun to play some cards. I haven't been to Mo Sun in a while. I stopped by once when we first moved to CT, but never went back since they didn't have a poker room. I stuck with Foxwoods. But now with Mo Sun's new poker room, it gives me more options to play. More competition is good for the customer.

For those who haven't been, the poker room in Mo Sun is significantly smaller than the one at Foxwoods, but that's not saying much since the Foxwoods poker room is like the 2nd largest poker room in the world... or something to that effect. On a Friday night, there was almost never any wait for 1/2 NL.

Here's a recap of my night.
I play good- I lose.
I play bad- I lose.
I play patient- I win.
I play bad- I win.
I play good- I win.

It was a roller coaster night for me. I got there around 6 and sat down to play. There seemed to be a bunch of people everyone knew at my table. They were all singing the praises of this poker room over Foxwoods'.

To my immediate left, there's an Indian (as in India) dude who didn't seem to know what he was doing, but was a freakin' luckbox. At first I thought his "This is my first time playing" was an angle. But once his luck started to run out, it was pretty clear he wasn't all that good. He had an obvious betting pattern. If he has nothing he folds. If he has a marginal hand, he bets small. If he has a big hand, he bets large amounts, just grabbing handful of chips and tossing them in.

Unfortunately, I didn't pick up any hands against him early on. I bought in for $100. The max is 300, but I only had about $300 on me, so I didn't want to only have one bullet.

The first big hand, my stack is a little low and I limp with KQ. This table is a limpfest (as are many 1/2 nlhe live tables). I flop a Q with 2 low cards, and 2 hearts. One guy who looks like a dorky Bill Cowher, best about 15 into the put, and I push all in for about 70 total. He calls with a flush draw and hits it on the river.

If that was online, I'd probably tilt. But as it's live, I didn't even flinch. Just pulled out another $100 and rebought. This is where I start to play bad. Not horrible plays, just with a small stack I shouldn't really be making continuation bets all the time. Many of my C-bets are called and I shut down. I had one good call with I limped with A9 suited. I hit the ace and put out a small bet of about 20. I get 2 callers, including Indian dude. The turn is a low card and everyone checks. The river is another blank for me. I check, figuring I'm going to fold to a large bet. Indian guy bets 20 and it comes back to me. I was thinking of folding but realized that this is a small bet, and decided he would have bet more if he had something bigger. I call and he turns over 2nd pair and I take down a rare pot.

Unfortunately, my play doesn't improve and I'm left bleeding chips. With only about 40 bucks left of my 2nd buy-in, I get T9 in the SB and limp. Multiple limpers in the pot. The flop was KJ7. One person bets out $10, and I push with by double gut shot. I get two callers and I don't improve. I bust.

At this point, I contemplate leaving. I really don't know if I want to play my last 100. This was the buy-ins for the rest of the League that I was playing with. With $100, I still had enough for the next 3 buy-ins. I saved my seat, but went for a walk.

I love the casino atmosphere. I don't know why, because I hate slots and not a fan of most table games, but something about the lights and sounds of a casino gets to me. It's an energy that is sometimes easy to miss in the face of all desperation you can see.

The worst casino for that was Horseshoe in Bossier City. That was the worst place I've seen. Not that the casino was run down, but it just looked like a place that was only interested in taking old ladies' money. Foxwoods sometimes has that feel.

With the stroll through the Mohegan Sun, I didn't feel that desperation. I made my decision. I hadn't been there long. If I left at that point, the time playing vs the time driving would be about even. Maybe even a little more driving time. Plus, one of my buddies was on his way. Besides, I love live poker. I really do. Even if I'm losing, I'm still having fun. Plus, I have a chance to win money. I take my last $100 and return to the scene of the crime.

Unfortunately, I'm:
1) Still kind of card dead.
2) Playing a poor loose passive game. Lots of limping. Though raises don't get much respect.

Unfortunately, no much happens. I loose a lot of chips to the Indian dude when I flop an open ender and he bets too small for me to fold. But ultimately I have to let the hand go on the river even though the bet was tiny.

I try to hit a few hands, but miss everything. I steal an occasional small pot, but not enough to keep me afloat. I count my chips and I'm down to under $30. Yes, for the night I'm a $270 loser. I'm card dead, but I'm tempted to just push with anything and get the inevitable over with. Ultimately, I convince my self to go into a lockdown and wait for a hand.

When my stack is down to $23 bucks I pick up AK in early position. I can't really raise and fold if I miss, so I just toss in my stack. It folds around to one of the blinds. Some old guy who folds, looks over at me and says, "Oh, you're still there. You haven't played a hand in forever. I thought you left." I coulda killed him. Yes, thanks, just point out how tight I'm playing now. Prick. The SB tanks, and reluctantly calls me. I am happy to see his KJ. The flop gives him a J, but it gives me an A. On the river, it can be split with a T, but we both make Two pair when the K hits, and I double up.

The very next hand I'm dealt AA. I push my entire stack in, but get no callers. I fold, get another big hand in the BB, many limpers, I push and collect those free chips. Soon I'm back to around 100. A little bit of winning definitely puts me in a better mood. I wasn't in a foul mood, but when I was losing, I was just sitting there quietly, listening to my iPod. Now I begin to engage my table mates in conversation.

I look down at another big hand. KK. I raise it up to 12 and get one caller; Russian kid who seems to play a good game. Flop comes with the Ah, 7h, X. I have position on the kid, he checks. I decide to check for 2 reason. I don't like the A, but also maybe he thinks I'm setting him up, if I hit the ace. The turn brings a 3rd heart. Russian guy bets out 20. I tank for a moment. I figure I'm not good here. But how good can his ace be? AK is out since he just called my raise. AQ, that might be out too. Can I push him off his ace? He checked the Ace high. He could have a lower pair or missed and is betting because he smells weakness with my check. I decide I can push him off a weak ace since there's a flush out there. Plus I have a redraw to the nuts flush. I ship in my stack and he insta-calls with AK. Rut-roh. So much for making a comeback. Oops, a beautiful heart on the river gives me the flush and I double to 200. Nice, Only down 100 for the night.

Things fun for me, as Slappy introduces me to the new guy sitting to my left. Rake Feeder (aka Rob). We chat. He's very aggressive. His first hand at the table, he straddles. Bunch of limpers, he raises everyone folds. He has AA. Nice way to start. Nice guy and we chat a bit while playing.

Slappy busts froma SnG and joins our table. Always fun to play with Slappy. Though a cash game in a live casino is a little bit different than playing the home games. A little bit more money at the casinos, but I can't say that I play him any differently.

Also about that same time, a very attractive brunette sits down. She was very flirtatious. And friendly. She pulled out some food. I mentioned that I was starving and she shared. It was good. Another good quality... she seemed to like to use her sexuality at the table and was wearing a very low cut tank top to distract the guys (at least my impression anyway). We chatted a little, but I tried to keep my focus off of her. She did bet aggressively, so I proceeded with caution around her.

I win a decent size pot off Rob. He's to my immediate right and straddles again. I limp with 99. I plan to re-pop him when he raises his straddle. It gets to him and sure enough, he raises to about 17. I repop him to 50. He doesn't take long to call. This worries me a little. Flop is KK3. He checks. Now this is a big leak in my game I think, and I'm trying to work on it. If I see a paired board, I almost always figure my opponent to NOT have the trips there. With only 2 Ks left, he's a small percentage to have one. Apparently, I'm not trying to fix the leak tonight, because I push my stack into the middle. He tanks for a while, shows A and a Q then folds. I take a nice pot there.

Another thing to learn, I'm a magnate for others to have good hands in the straddle spot. Over the last few straddles I've gone up against, I've faced AK, AQ, AK, AA, AQ. Yikes.

Shortly there after, he moves to sit next to Brunette (I was looking to move over there before she came) and Slappy takes Rob's spot next to me.

I decide to get creative and limp with the Qc4c. I see a club flop (with the Ac) and slow play it. I check the flop, it gets bet, I call. I get one additional caller. I don't want to go crazy because if someone has the Kc, they're not going to fold on the flop. No club comes and the original better bets again. This time I re-pop him a good amount. He thinks for a while and then folds.

I'm pretty much unstuck for the night. I've turned a $23 stack to over $300. I'm pretty impressed with that, even if I do say so myself. What I liked about my play was that I didn't tighten up and fear losing. I still didn't have trouble playing hands and putting money in the pot, even if it meant losing my for the night.

My last big hand was against Slappy. He's to my right and raises to $12. I look down at QQ. I re-pop him to $30. It folds back to him and he just calls. The flop comes K high. He checks. I worry that he is going for the check raise here with AK. I check behind him. The turn is a blank and he checks again. This is where I make a mistake. I should probably have bet here since he showed weakness twice. I don't and check behind him. The river is another blank. Slappy fires in $20. A small bet and I call. He has TT and I win a good sized pot.

The rest of the night is slow. Winning and losing small pots. I won more small pots than I lost.

In the end, I went from $-277 to up over $+100.00. A small profit for the night, but an awesome comeback.

This might put me into the casino a little more after the League is over. It should restart next week.

Until then...

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Less Than Crappy Online Play

2009-05-14T21:20:00.002-04:00

I know, surprising.

I got a tiny amount of rakeback and managed to kick that around for a while. I finally went busto again when a few races didn't pan out how I wanted. But at the small limits, I did the right thing and just played tight.

This week is another off week for the League. Hopefully it's the last. In an effort to knock some rust off, I'm going to hit Mohegan Sun tomorrow to check out their poker room. I should some good material this weekend.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

No Poker!

2009-04-27T17:59:00.001-04:00

Well, no LEAGUE poker. Instead one of my “regular” home games got together on Saturday evening. $20 buy-in, unlimited re-buys for the first hour (15 minute levels). There’s usually a cash game after.

Nine players started the tournament. Early on the flop came with paired 6’s a # of times. We started joking that a 6 was the nuts. But you had to have ONE 6, not a pair of sixes. I won a few hands with a 6 or even bluffed some hand with a 6. The host even raised under the gun with 56, and hit trips on the flop, he won a big pot.

The game settled down after a while. I built up a decent stack, but it was starting to dwindle. 3 handed some donkey had a MASSIVE chip stack and the host and I were down to barely anything. Less than 10 BB probably. We both managed a double up or two.

I’m in the BB and have a little less than the host. Slappy is still the big stack. Host pushes all in, Slappy tanks, and I call with 66. Host shows A7. Slappy shows an A. I dodge the flop and the turn, but the river brings an Ace and I busted on the bubble.

The cash games started while those two battled heads up. It went back and forth for probably another 30 minutes.

Early in the cash game (4 handed- .25/.50), I raised UTG with AQ. I got one caller. The flop was all low. I C-bet and got called. The turn was an 8. I checked and gave up control. The caller bet out and I called. I just didn’t think he had much. The river was a J. He bet out again and I just didn’t think he had anything. He’s been known to push hard when he has busted draws. I called and showed A high. He had Q high and I was good. At that point I only built my stack. At one point, I was up to about 70 bucks (from a 20 buy in). As it got late I found myself bleeding chips. Slappy and the host got into the game (Slappy took it down). I still hovered around the 50 mark. In the end there were only 4 of us again: me, host, host’s brother-in-law, some other guy.

We decide it’s the last hand of the night, I’m UTG so I straddle. The host double straddles and cards are dealt. The SB folds, the BB calls the $2, and I look down at AQ. I raise to 5, thinking no one will believe me since I was a straddler. The host repops it to $15. The BB tanks for 5 minutes. He says he doesn’t want to fold the cards, but doesn’t want to go home with nothing. Finally, he reluctantly folds. I can’t really put the host on too much just because of the re-raise. We were all a little punchy and having fun. I push in my remaining stack, and he insta-calls. RUT ROH. He flips AK. BB folded AK. The cards are dealt and I spike a beautiful Queen on the river and end up cashing out of for $100. So minus the 20 buy in and my original 20 for the tournament, I end the night up $60.

Next Sunday is the league game again. The Double Week. I would LOVE to take that down. 1st place is like 300.

Good luck all!

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Week 7 is in the Books.

2009-04-22T22:15:00.003-04:00

Nothing too memorable about this week. Though I took 2nd place. 1st place went to Tiltbox. I had a good chiplead a few hands into heads up. Though I noticed if I limped on the button he would push. So when I look down at AQ on the button, I limp. He pushes, and I call. He shows K8 and hits both his K and 8. The turn is a Q to give SOME sweat, but the river is another 8 and I lose about half my stack. A few hands later it's all over when I get 66 on the button and push. He calls with JJ. He flops a J, I turn a 6 and river does not give me Quads. 2nd place was good for points, but because two people missed this week, I lost $15 for the night.

The second place puts me solidly in 1st place by 9 points. Week 8 will be in two weeks and it's a double week. I hope to keep playing good and getting lucky.

Online, I tilted any funds away. I guess online poker is just a guilty pleasure. I suck at it, but like to play it.

No league this weekend, but one of my regular home games has a tournament on Saturday. I may go to that. Not sure.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Just A Little Bit More- Part II

2009-04-17T21:59:00.004-04:00

Actually, got it up to $7.34 when I continued to play and almost bluffed it off. I guess you can say it worked.

I continued to play because there was a major fish. I stayed after he left because one guy was tilting because he played a bad hand against the fish and the fish caught with 73o.

Tilter followed Fish to another table (I was going to do that, but only because he was a fish, I wasn't tilting). I was watching the table and saw Tilter getting into a big hand with Fish. I decided to try to play off his distraction.

There is one limper and I'm on the button. I limp with 6d8d. Tilter (in the SB) makes it .15. Limper calls, I call. Flop comes JcTd4s. .45 in the pot and Tilter bets .15. I think, BS Continuation bet. Limper folds, I re-pop him to .50, he calls. Uh-oh. The turn is a 9h. I now have the idiot-end of a OESD with a possible straight already out there. He checks.

I figure he might have called the flop raise to save face. And checked to slow down or try to get to showdown cheap (maybe he has a T, or even AK). I bet the pot which is 1.50. He calls. I've now basically bluffed off 1/2 my stack with almost nothing. I'm trying to debate if I think he'll fold (this is .02/.05) or just cut my losses (Me pushing would be about 1/2 pot). I feel tilt taking over and I'm going to push, figuring he has the best hand and probably won't fold.

Suddenly, the beautiful 7h hits the turn. I make my ass-end straight. But at this point, I'm definitely pushing this hand and if he has the better straight, so be it (but I don't think he has it). I push my stack and he folds.

So, I was bluffing the entire time. I hit on the river, but was that considered a successful bluff since I was probably going to push the river either way?

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Just A Little Bit More

2009-04-17T21:27:00.003-04:00

I was busto, my rakeback (rakefreeze.com- tell them Unimpressed sent you) kicked in this week. First time I've gotten any rakeback that I can actually play. A whopping $2.40. I put all of it at one .02/.05 6handed NLHE table. And built it up to a monsterous $5 bankroll. Watch out Durrrr!

Hope I can make it to the league game on time. Though, Drunky was running a little late to the game once and we held it a few minutes. He got there just in time for the first hand. He was dealt AQ. Hit an ace on the board of A6x. Stacked off all his chips to some donk playing A6. Busted out on the first hand.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

I Hate To Say I Told You So But...

2009-04-14T22:10:00.003-04:00

I suck at online. I tilt. I don't believe people. I'm sure I'll load a few bucks in the future, but I really should learn to control the tilt. I deposited 20 and play .02/.05 NL short handed, plus 2.25 SnGs. I occasionally played the $6.50 turbo short handed.

I hovered between 15 and 30 most of the time. I was at 32 this morning. I'm down to 0.00. Wait, that's a lie. I saved .01 so that I can chat if I'm railing someone.

I tilted about 10 of it off this afternoon. I took a break and started playing again this evening.

I only won one coinflip. And that was shortstacked in a $6 turbo short stacked tourney. I was on the bubble and my 33 held against AQ. I folded and folded. Against the big stack I have AQ. He pushes from the button and I call with AQ. He has KQ. I hit my Ace on the river, but that gave him a straight and I go out in third.

I tilted my remaining $6.00 in a cash game, when I ran my AK into an obvious AA situation. No way I was good. And the stacks were deep enough that I should have been able to fold it. But I was steaming.

The reason I still had 6 bucks was because of an earlier hand. I had QJ. It's raised to 17 (standard pot preflop raise @ .02/.05). I call. Small blind repops to .29. 1st raiser calls and I call the additional .12. The flop comes KT6 rainbow. It goes check, check, and I bet out pot just under $1.00. It's half my stack and I'm planning on pushing the turn if I get a caller. The SB makes is 3.50 (putting me all in). Original Raiser pushes all in. I call (figuring I was planning on pushing and had to hit anyway, but probably some tilt involved there). The SB calls. They show... KK and 66 for set over set. I hit my beautiful Ace on the river and take in a big stack.

But alas, my online account is tapped. What can one do?

Sunday is week 7 of my poker league. I may have to show up late. Going to be in NY and plan on having an early dinner with the in-laws. If we can finish up in just over an hour, I might be able to make it.

Tomorrow Disney with my daughter. My poor parents are going to be watching the little one all day. May be too much for old people to handle.

For anyone interested, I've been updating my twitter account someone frequently. Poker and non-poker items. Feel free to follow me. http://twitter.com/Unimpressed.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Live Poker in Ocala, FL

2009-04-14T09:29:00.008-04:00

"It's illegal to play poker for money in Florida."

"No, it is. It's been legal at the indian casinos and about 2 years ago they started allowing it at the paramutuals."

"Uh-huh. What do you play with... matchsticks? Because it's illegal to play for money."

I know my parents live here, but seriously, do they think I'm just making this up. Since we weren't going to Disney on Tuesday because of the chance of rain (good decision as it's pouring now), I decided to hit up the Ocala Poker Room. It's was just a Jai-Alai club, but with the expansion of poker in Florida, many of the paramutuals have added poker rooms. For more on Florida poker, check out Florida's premier poker magazine, Ante Up Magazine.

Since we're on vacation with no rental car, I was forced to borrow my folks tricky Lincoln. First rule... don't open the driver side window. 2nd Rule, after unlocking the door, wait a few seconds before opening, so the alarm doesn't go off. Properly given the rules, I start to backout the driveway. My mom suddenly comes running out. "Oh and one more thing. No matter what, DO NOT TURN ON THE RADIO." Um... OK. Granted this car is 11 years old, but still. Should I worry about the hour drive? I decide to risk it. I want to play some live poker.

Turns out it was only a 40 minute drive. Mostly because it was 8:45 and everyone in Florida was sleeping. If anyone plans on going, you should know that Google gives you wrong directions. It says that getting off 75 you turn left (coming from the south), or head west. It's actually east. The directions from the website are accurate.

The place was mostly paramutual with lots of screens showing various races. The poker room was off to the right when you first walk in. I was planning on doing a proper review, but really, I got there at 9:30 and it's only open until 12. So I sat down with $60 at a 2/2 NLHE table.

I don't have a lot of experiences with live poker rooms. In fact, other than Foxwoods, this is only the 2nd poker room I've seen. Mohegan Sun just opened up their room. And I haven't been to a AC or Las Vegas since I started playing poker. Foxwoods is HUGE. The 2nd largest poker room in the US, I think. Definitely in the top 5. So this was small, about 40 tables. But on a Monday night, it was about 1/2 full.

I don't get many hands early on. The first real hand, I have Tx in the big blind. Flop is KJQ, 2 spades. I check, middle position bets about 1/2 pot. the button calls and I call. The turn is a low 3rd spade and it checks around. The river brings a 9. Giving me a straight. I check, the middle postion guy makes a small bet. The button thinks for a while and puts in his entire stack of about 40+. That almost covers me at this point. I really put him on a flush there. I decide that at best it's a chop. The bettor calls and they both show down a 10. I don't mind my lay down there since I knew I wasn't winning the hand outright. At best it was a 3way chop.

Later on, the same guy that pushed in that last hand, is short stacked ($23). He already made it clear he was pushing in blind. I'm 2 spots from him and decide that I didn't have many more chips, and figured I'd re-buy here. I just call with 8s6s. The button repops it and I have no choice but to call my last 15 prepared to re-buy. I'm up against AJ (raiser) and 2-4 (blind pusher). I hit a 6 and end the hand with a boat. I sheepishly rake in the chips.

A few hands later, I raise with KJ and get two callers. I flop 2 pair and bet out. The guy to my immediate right calls. Turn is a 9. He bets and I raise. He pushes all in. I don't know why, but I called. He of course shows QT. I don't boat and lose 1/2 my stack.

After that I get a string of good hands and start raising 10 ($6 raises didn't do anything). I was accused of being on tilt, but could not get any callers. The toughest was when I raised to 1o the 3rd time in a row with KK got one caller, hit a K and bet out (which I did that last two times). The guy folded.

I ended up winning a big hand with Jx in the BB at the end of the night. I hit a jack, but there was an ace as well. I bet it and get one caller from this old guy who calls everything. This old guy called everything. The dealers all knew him, but didn't think much of his play. I did worry my jack was no good until another jack hit. I really hoped he hit an ace. The river was the case J. I didn't have many chips left. Just under 1/2 the pot. I was going to bet less, but figured that would be obvious. I threw in the last of my stack and waited. The guy tanked for a while (which wasn't uncommon). In the end he folded. I showed my quads.

The final hand I played for the night left me with a small profit. All night I didn't play my draws very strong. With one hand, I raised on the button with Adxd I got two callers (one was old guy). The flop was 356, two diamonds. First limper bets, old guy calls and I push. Bettor tanks and calls, old guy calls. I hit the flush and show. The bettor folds his smaller flush. Old guy stares and stares at his cards, shows his neighbor and mucks. Had 22. Called 2 all-ins with 22.

I don't get any more hands and go home a $17 winner. WOO HOO! I enjoyed the time and liked the poker room. I recommend it if you're close by. I can't comment on any of the other Tampa Bay poker rooms though.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

On Vacation

2009-04-12T07:27:00.001-04:00

I'm on vacation this week, visiting my folks in Florida. We're going to hit Disney one day. I'm also going to try to hit the Ocala Poker room one evening. Maybe I'll have a review.

Luckily, the guys at my poker league decided to cancel this weeks game because of the holiday. They normally don't cancel the regular weeks, you just have to miss it.

Week 6

2009-04-07T20:47:00.005-04:00

I was going to write a post about the lack of people playing small stakes SnGs on Full Tilt. I waited about 5-10 minutes for 1 short handed tournament to start. First hand I'm dealt AhTh in the small blind. I go to raise it up. DAMN IT! It's limit!

So on to week 6 of my poker league.

This week we finally had some play to the first level. Took over an hour before someone busted. Courtesy of yours truly, in an awfuckit call. I managed to accumulate some chips early and Drunky was short stacked. He pushed all-in. When I counted out my stack, I still had more than my starting stack. I had 8-9 sooooted. It came down to wanting to play the hand. No idea why. Just wanted to gamble. He had two overs, and I hit. I busted him. I felt bad for Drunky. Six weeks and he's first out 4 of those 6 times. And he won the last season.

Game progresses and I continue to get hands. Not "hit in the face" with the deck, but it definitely grazed me a few times. I only had one complete bluff all night with 72. I raised preflop. Got the BB (Host) to call. I continuation bet into a T6x (can't remember that card). He thought hard and ended up folding. I didn't show.

About 1/2 way through, I have a HUGE stack. UTG (Tiltbox) pushes all in. I'm in the SB but have a crappy hand, so I let it go. He takes it down. On the button I look down on KT. Folds to me and I limp. I feel like he's going to push with anything there. SB Folds and I'm right he pushes. I hesitate, but end up calling. I had planned that, right? Gotta stick with the plan. I call and Tiltbox has AQ. I flop a T and even river a K. We collect the chips quickly before he starts throwing them. As he's known to do.

I have a monstrous stack and go heads up with the biggest donkey of them all. He can't even spell POKER.

As expected, he starts gaining on me. I hit a few hands by hitting top or middle pair and push my stack around, but he seems to win any pot that I don't hit. I can't bring myself to pick off a bluff.

We're close to even, but I have the lead. I make a small raise with JJ on the button He pushes and I call. He flips over KdQd. The river doesn't help and puts one diamond out there. The turn brings a 2nd diamond and I'm sweating 15 outs. It doesn't come and I take 1st for the second week in a row. I also take over the overall lead by a few 3 points. Even better for me. That win gave me the enough cash to cover the buy-ins for the rest of the season. Anything else will be all profit. If I could pull off an overall win I can head to down to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun and play with more than one bullet.

We're off next week, which is good, since I'll be out of town. If we were going to be in Florida a little longer, I might have been able to hit up the Ocala Jai Lai and Poker. But since we're not there for long and will be doing one day in Disney with our daughter, I won't get the time to play.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The Players

2009-04-01T21:31:00.003-04:00

Here's a breakdown of the players in this poker league:
Me- I would definitely classify myself as passive right now. I'm working on upping the aggression. I feel like I've been both playing bad and not getting cards, so I've been a bit reserved.
Brian- Obviously a good player. We'll leave it at that.
Host- Another decent player. I think he's pretty straightforward, tight-aggressive, with the occasional bluff here and there. He's won the league a few times. He's a bit distracted with personal problems so I don't know if he'll go far.
Walken- He's the new guy to the league. Likes to do impressions while he plays. He's aggressive and puts pressure if you show weakness. Probably going to be the guy to beat.
Drunky- Plays drunk and gets drunker as the night goes. Very aggressive and likes to bluff. I've seen him so drunk that he could barely stand, but come back from practically 1 chip and win. Apparently won the league last season.
Tighty- Too tight to really win unless he gets hit by the deck, but will almost NEVER be the first one out. He'll often be one of the last 3-4 players in the game and probably be in the race for points.
St8>Flush- The opposite of Tighty. He finally has learned that a flush beats a straight, and he's toned down his aggression a little, and even tightened up his starting hands a little. But he will still play any two suited cards for raises. Likes to make "aw Fuck it!" calls. Him and I had a lot of run-ins last time. This time he seems to be the bane of Brian's existence. He'll win a week or two, but won't be in contention for the overall points.
Muscles- Just a bad player. I busted him last week when I rivered a K high flush (4flush on the board) and he called with A4 (with nothing but a pair of Aces). I've seen him get lucky once and win.
Tiltbox- Similar to Muscles, but probably a little better of a player.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

A New Day

2009-04-01T20:20:00.004-04:00

I feel like blogging again, but not sure how much I have to say.

I haven't been playing online. It's a waste of money for me. I just don't play well online. With that said, I just gave some cash to a buddy who is now currently FLUSH with online cash and he transferred me some Full Tilt money (and I'm a playing a couple of cheap SnG's while I'm typing).
...more...

Congratulations Brian. That is some awesome work. Nice consistency! Lets hope you keep playing great in the blogger event... and donking it up in our League.

So the League started up. Oh wait. A LOT has changed in my life. My last post was back in October. I finished up this same league back than. I tied for 2nd place over all so squeaked by with only a little cash overall. I was up over that 16 week period which was nice. They started up the next season, but I took a break. Why you may ask?

Well, on December 8th, my son was born (We already have a 5 year old daughter). He was a big fella too. 9lbs 9oz. So that's taken up my life. He was 2+ years in the making and a lot of trouble to bring into this world. But worth every bit of pain and money it cost.

So the league finished up and a new season started up. I was invited again, and this time I brought along Brian. Not sure why, the league only has a few good players and I definitely think Brian is better than me, however, he's a friend and I can seem to hold my own around him.

I decided to join. I almost didn't. I've had a string of big losses (big for me mind you) at various home games and I was ready to put poker down for a little bit. Plus it's every Sunday night for 16+ weeks, it's a big commitment. But I decided to try it. Put all other poker on hold and see what I do.

If your interested, here's the breakdown of the rule. Major League. The only change is the payout, and it's only slightly different. 2nd place gets their money back plus a little more. The amount is still in question (buyin is 25 and 2nd place gets either 30 or 40).

Just a quick recap of the blind structure. You start with 20 BBs. Blinds don't go up until the first person busts, than they double right then, and double every half hour (1/2, 2/4, 4/8). After 4/8 it goes to 5/10. There isn't much play, especially if someone busts on the first hand. You go from 20 BBs to 10BBs in one hand.

We've finished week 5. I started off slow.
Going out in the middle of the pack in week 1, and a little earlier in the 2nd week. Week 3 saw me finish either 3rd or 2nd (I can't seem to remember).

Week 4 things got interesting.
About 20-30 minutes (no one busted yet) into the game, it limps around to me, and I look down at AJ in position. I raise it to 6 and get a call from one of the blinds (the perpetual drunk guy) and one of the limpers (Christopher Walken). The flop hits me pretty good. J-5-2, two spades. It checks around to me and I decide to bet out 10. Now I've put 16 chips into this pot. That's about 1/2 my stack at this point. Drunky goes all in (has me covered). Walken calls. HUH? If it was just one of them, I'd have to call, since a flush draw is definitely a possibility. I still thought about calling thinking both could be on a flush draw and thus they have less outs. I think for a while and finally muck AJ face up. Now out of the 9 guys, I'd say 1/2 are OK-good players. The rest were all flabbergasted that I could fold top pair top kicker. In the end, Drunky slowplayed pocket Aces, but Walken hit his set of deuces and even quaded up along the way.

I ended up with about 11 chips. Which was an estimate, because some how, all my chips got pushed into the middle and had to figure out what was mine. We estimated at 11 and I got that back. I managed to hold tight and get a lucky double up at some point. Made it heads up with Walken, got to even and he proposed a chop of the money. We weren't sure if 1/2 points were allowed so we decided to deal out a hand in order to figure out who got the extra point for 1st place. Walken got it and I took 2nd. I normally wouldn't have taken the deal, but with just a disparity in prize money between 1st and 2nd, I needed the split in order to fund a few more weeks of the league.

Week 5 went pretty well for me. I got some hands (something I haven't felt I've gotten much in the first few weeks or previous home games). I managed to go heads up against Tighty McTighty (we tied for 2nd place overall last time I played), but I had a HUGE chip lead. I just kept pushing until I won a hand.

So with the 5 weeks, I started off slow, but now I'm in 2nd and behind 1st place (Walken) by 3-4 points.

I'm still not feeling great about my game, but the last two weeks have boosted my confidence a little bit.

With that said, I did finished in 2nd and 1st in the two SnGs I just played. Maybe things are looking up.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

I'm back... maybe.

2009-03-29T22:17:00.003-04:00

Just a little heads up folks. I maybe posting again soon. I'm not playing much online, but I did sign up for a poker league again. We're 5 weeks in and it's looking pretty good.

So, just curious. Is anyone still reading this? Please post a comment if you are.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

2 posts in one month???

2008-10-23T10:22:00.007-04:00

Damn, I'm a blogging junkie!

Well the league ended with little fan fair for me. I needed to finish 3 spots ahead of points leader in the final tournament, but I didn't. I believe I went out in 5th. The points leader managed 3rd place (and took the season title). In the end it was heads up between the leagues worst, but most aggressive player and one of the leagues tightest players. And with the points, if the tighest player won the final tournament he'd have sole possession of 2nd place overall. If he finished in 2nd in the last tournament, him and I tie for 2nd place overall.

...more...

Heads up didn't last long, and I don't remember the hand, but the aggressive player won and I split 2nd place money. Which is small. Over the entire league I definitely had a profit, but then again, so did the worst player. Typical, he's either out first or wins. He had 3 wins (including the last tournament which is double points and double money) but was still not in the running at all for season leader.

It was a fun time and it's always good to play live. With a baby on the way I couldn't join the next season. But maybe the season after that.

Another monthly home game. Once again I showed a profit. I showed up late so I missed the first two tournaments. The 2nd tournament had me finish 2nd, and then in the final tournamenet I took it down for a small profit. It's always nice to come out ahead. Especially since these tournaments are a lot about luck with the fast blind structure.

And I've mentioned in that past that I'm no good online. I don't have the patience. I think I have to changed that. I have a few bucks for poker, but I don't see me having an opportunity to hit Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun. Which means other than the home games, I won't be able to play much poker. And right now I need to find away to suppliment my income. I don't expect to make a ton of money online, but I would like to make some. Enough to pull out a little bit here and there to help with the various household expenses. I don't have the time for a second job, so I want to try to take these few dollars and turn myself into a profitable player. But to do that I need to learn the discipline. So you may see me at the virtual felt again... if you do, remind me that I need to have discipline.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Wow... I don't post.

2008-10-03T16:26:00.003-04:00

I've continued in my league. This week is the final week. My first four weeks were golden, 1st or 2nd each week. I took a beat another week against the worst player (JJ vs QJ, he flops and turns a Q).

I was in 2nd place going into last week. 6 points behind first place. I managed to pull out a win. Unfortunately, I went heads up with the 1st place player, thus only gained 1 point. Going into the final week (where points are doubled), I need to finish 3 spots ahead of 1st place player.

I'm crossing my fingers. I'm thinking tight against anyone but 1st place, and play loose aggressive against him. Not sure if I'll be able to pull the trigger, since 2nd place overall still gets money.

In that time since my last post, I played my first monthly home game in 9 months. I started off slow, but managed to win the last two tournaments and make a small profit in the cash game.

I made another deposit into FTP, but blew it. I'm DEFINITELY not good online. I have no patience and I tilt. If I made a bad play live (which I did in the league last week), I can just brush it off and focus. If I make a mistake online... Tiltville, Population: Me.

So, I'm going to avoid online play. Maybe borrow 6 bucks every once and awhile to play in the AIPS events, but other than that... no more online for me.

I'm hoping if I can take down this league play on Sunday (and even win the last tournament), I'm looking at $1000.00 and I can hit foxwoods or Mo Sun's new poker room.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The League: Week 3

2008-06-30T11:06:00.002-04:00

I came into the game, ready to play. I was over the miscounting of chips issue, and made a few jokes about it. I was also a bit more comfortable with these folks, so I was able joke a bit with them. They are definitely a bunch of ex-frat boys. Many of them show up a bit drunk and continue to get drunker... works nicely for the few of us that are sober.

...more...

The game started, and we had an elimination pretty quickly. I can't remember the hand, but it was maybe 10 minutes in. Blinds went up and the timer started. The next few people were out. I was beginning to get the feel of a table, even though i still don't know a few of their names (I need to work on that). I finally got hands early and was able to get some chips. I hit some big hands. I tried to a lot of slow playing, but people weren't falling for it. I think next week I'll play faster with my big hands, just to change things up.

There was an incident with the 2nd bust out (which was maybe 8 hands in), where the chip leader went all in, one player folded, and another called. The chip leader won the hand and knocked out another player. The guy you folded, got up to use the bathroom, and his chips got swept into the pot. We realized that before the next hand luckily and when he came back down we were able to figure out how much he had and fixed the stats. If it would have been later, we would have had a problem. Luckily we resolved it.

I was starting to get low in chips when I limped with JT, the guy who won last week (who REALLY doesn't know how to play, except for his aggressive nature) raised me all in. He had me covered, I thought about it and figuring there was a slight chance I was ahead (but also figured I needed to gamble at some point), I decided to call. He flipped over K7 or something similar. I caught a ten on the flop and took a big double up. Now a little more about him... he thinks soooooted is the nuts. At one point, he has a lot of chips, and raises from middle position. One of the blinds, pushes all in. He's short but it's still a significant raise. Sooootedboy thinks and think and think... and calls... Flips of J4 of clubs. His opponent had AK and doubled up. Soooootedboy would later cripple the same guy when he called another all-in. His opponent shows AJ but Sooootedboy shows QQ.

We get to three handed, with Me, Soooootedboy (just like last week) and a bald dude (bald dude jumped out to an early massive stack, busting the 1st 3 people). I have a slight lead. I went card dead and kept giving Sooooted boy my small blind. I just didn't want to play a hand with 75 or 97 or j5. So I willingly gave up my SB to his BB. I managed to steal some blinds, usually if I was on the button when I put in big raises, but I usually had a hand there. Finally, I'm given Ac2c in the small blind. I'm hoping the button folds, which he does, and I push. Now, any decent player would realize, I folded my SB to this guy about 6 or 7 times. Suddenly I'm pushing. I might have something. He does think about it for a while, finally he calls, figuring he has to "be in it to win it." He flips over Jc5c. He is horrified to see that I have his club flush blocked. Like that's his only problem. I know a J or a 5 is coming. that's just how he rolls. I figured my eyes were broken when for some strange reason they start seeing an Ace on the board. I manage to bust him and get to heads up with a massive chip lead.

The money is put on the table and they pull aside 2nd places $20.00. I comment about how 2nd place money is an insult. That it would be much better if it was even $40 to second place and $140 to first. $40 would give 2nd place a freeroll into the following week (more or less). But that's the way they do it, I was just making commentary. I joke about watching me lose this chip lead and only get that 2nd place money.

First hand of heads up, I'm the button... AA. Nice. I limp, hoping my opponent would push all in. He's got a really short stack. He just checks and I see a flop I'm not all that happy about. 78J rainbow. He things for a few seconds, then pushes, and I think about it for a second, but figure this is still a good shot to try to win this outright. A double up would still leave me with a pretty big chip lead. I call and flip up my Aces. He flips over a respectable T7. He's got 2 7's 3 Ts and 4 8s. None of those come on the turn or the river, and I take first place. I'm glad 2nd place only gets $20.

Week 3: 9 points, $160.00 Cash Total points: 17.

That total points puts me in 4th place. Soootedboy has 19 points for 2nd place. I'm going to try to hold on to the cash as it will serve me for another 8 buy-ins. 1 more win and I'll be "freerolling" the actual tournament buy-ins. I'll still have my end of the season prize pools though.

Total Tournament Buy-ins: $360 (Mine will be $340 since I missed week one). Total Prize Pool extra: $90.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Horse Prop Bet

2008-06-27T06:00:00.005-04:00

There are 67 runners left out of 148.

Bet 1 with Slappy:
SLAPPY
Greenstein - 2nd in chips
Bloch - 25th in chips
~~Deeb~~

ME
Ivey - 41st in chips
~~Antionius~~
~~Singer~~

It's not looking good for me.

Against Jordan of HighOnPoker:
HoP
~~Antonius~~
Bloch - 25th in chips
Lindgren - 16th in chips

ME
Greenstein - 2nd in chips
Ivey - 41st in chips
~~David Benyamine~~

I'm in better position this one. Let's just hope Ivey can pull this out. I think they'll get to final table tonight, so it may be settled tonight. I'll be a little happier if Andy Bloch would just bust out.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The League Weeks 1 & 2

2008-06-26T10:42:00.003-04:00

Here's a recap of week 1.

I took a horrendous beat and I wasn't able to make it.

A 6 hour car trip from Virginia turned into a 12 hour trip, with a 2 1/2 hour stop on the GW Bridge.

Week 1: 0 points, $0 Cash

...more...

Week 2.
I begin the week in last place overall with 0 points. I have some ground to make up.

My first game. I played super tight. Not getting much to work with. I don't know any of the players, and they don't know me. The guy on my left is pretty aggressive, but will lay down if he has nothing. There was a hand where the pot was about 50+ chips and a re-raised him all-in on the river, but it was only 9 more chips. He folded. Must have had like 34 or something that there was no chance of winning. After a while I got the hang of him. I'd limp with a decent hand, knowing he's going to raise, and then when it got back to him, I'd re-pop it. I did that a few times.

There are a few people who know very little about poker (including one who had to be reminded that a flush beats a straight). There are a few people who know how to play and then the rest somewhere in between. That's my first impression.

This night pots got big pretty quick, and the one person I kind of know, the one who invited me (our kids are in daycare together), said it was rare that they get that big so early. Also, the tournament last about 3 1/2 hours, and he said that was a little on the long side.

At one point I'm getting short and I'm dealt AK. It comes around to me, I raise to 3x. The BB (flush vs straight guy) re-pops me, and I push. It's decent size raise and he thinks for a moment then calls. Now I haven't played many hands. Again, I'm playing very tight. BB flips over KT and I double up. The aggressive guy on my left (I'm going to have to come up with names for these folks) starts to give the BB crap, "What did you put him on? I mean really. What?" He asked him that a few times. The BB knows little about poker and I'm sure he didn't put that much thought into it. A few of us convinced the aggressive guy to cut it out.

Shortly after that hand, I realize I have the tight image so I make sure I get caught in a bluff. I had a decent enough stack that losing the pot didn't hurt. I saw a free flop with 7d3d. Missed me completely with T high. we both checked the flop. I bet the flop he called. we both checked when a Q came on the turn. A blank river and I bet out small. The guy thought a while about calling me with top pair (tens) and a medium kicker. But the chatter involved paying me off to get info. So when he called, I told him he got me and showed my 73.

The game continues. I bust the aggressive guy when there's a limper, I limp with TT, knowing he'll raise, which he does, it folds around to me, and I re-pop him. He thinks and then calls with AQ. I flop a T and bust him. 3 handed lasted a while. Me, the one guy I know and the Flush vs Straight guy. It was a very tight 3 handed group. When i was in the BB, the SB was the guy I know and the button was Flush vs Straight. We pretty much stayed about teh same in chips, each of us getting our share of the blinds. At one point, when I was in the BB, the button folded and the SB pushed, he had been shortstacked for most of three handed, but when ever he pushed I had very little call with and I doubled him up at one point, but now he was back down. He pushed and I look down at K7. A crappy hand, but I figured, he may just push with any Q or J at this point (since he only had one hand before he had to play the BB and would be committed with anything). I called. I was hoping even for a very weak Ace. But no, of course he has to have KQ. Grrr.

Flop comes 5-6-x, a 9 on the turn gives me 7 outs, and a beautiful 8 hit on the river. Giving me the straight and busting him. I make it to heads up. I'm on the Button and have junk so I fold. The next hand I get A2. the BB pushes, and I call. He has 84 suited and turns an 8. We look about even, so we count our chips. He tells me he has 143 chips. I'm counting mine out and see that he has me covered (yes the guy who can't remember that a flush beats a straight won). I push in my chips, tell him good game, exchange pleasantries with the people that stuck around and headed home.

Week 2: 8 points, $20.00 Cash

As I'm driving I start thinking about my chip stack. I had them in stacks of twenty and I was thinking about the # of stacks I had. I think I may have miscounted. I then start to do the math:
9 players @ 40 chips = 360 chips.
360 minus 143= 217
217-143= 74.

Yikes, I had 74 chips (blinds were 10/20). Heck, I would have been the button and only had to put in 10 chips. I could have folded any really crappy hand. I could have come back. I'M HERPES!!!! YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ME!!!

Now I'm on tilt all week thinking about my lost chance. One counting error and I go from possiblying winning 160 to only getting 20. BLAH!!!! TILT!!!!

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic (and math is hard!).

Major League

2008-06-26T10:19:00.003-04:00

I've joined a live poker league. It's a bit long, but surprisingly, a sunday night weekly event works out nicely for my schedule. It's 16 weeks of poker (a few more for scheduling changes) with a point system. Each week, a portion of the buy-in (20+5 and 40+10) goes into a large pool. At the end of the season, the person with the most points gets 75% of the pool. 2nd place gets 25%.

...more...

You get points for how you finish. Get knocked out first, you get one point. Win and you get 9 (there are 9 people in the league). Week 8 and week 16 are double weeks (buy ins double, stacks double, I think points double). If you miss a week, you get 0 points (but you can't miss weeks 8 or 16, the schedule will be adjusted to accommodate everyone).

Normally, each player gets 40 chips (week 8 & 16 you get 40 chips) and the blinds are 1/2, until the first person busts, then it doubles every 30 minutes (expect it goes from 4/8 to 5/10). I'm usually not a fan of constant doubling of the blinds, but the 30 minute levels makes it feel like there is some play.

The pay out for each individual tournament is a bit unruly. 2nd place gets their buy-in back (not including the money that goes into the pool) and first gets the rest.

They have a things I think are weird. I think, I'm not sure, I have to double check, if 2 people get busted, they both get the same amount of points, doesn't matter who had the bigger stack (this happened in week 2, I'll have to check the points next week). Also, they kind of ignore where the button after bustouts. Meaning, you won't have to pay the big blind twice, but you might get lucky and miss a round of blinds. I think that's kind of crazy, but apparently they've been doing this for a few years. As I'm new and don't really know anyone, I'm not gonna rock the boat.

So I think that's about it. I'm kind of excited, since this will be the most live poker I've played, consistently. After the 16 weeks, I'll probably have played more poker there, than at all my casino trips in the past combined.

Unfortunately, it means I'll probably be skipping any up coming "monthly" home games. I think going twice in one weekend to play poker might lead my wife to leave me. I may be able to hit an August home game @ Slappy's since it will be his first in his new house.

Anyway, that's it for the info. We finished up week 2 this past sunday, and I'll have an update soon.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

2008 WSOP Prop Bet

2008-06-25T13:20:00.004-04:00

Well the WSOP is here and I've been following it... somewhat closely. Mostly that involves checking Dr. Pauly's Blog and reviewing winners on Wikipedia's 2008 WSOP Results site.

With that, I totally forgot the 50K H.O.R.S.E. Event was starting today. I've quickly put together a couple of prop bets.

First, one with Slappy. Last Longer. Three pros each. We flipped a coin and he won. Here are the results
1) Barry Greenstein (Slappy)- this was going to be my first pick.
2) Phil Ivey (Unimpressed)- almost a no brainer
3) Patrik Antonius (Unimpressed
4) Andy Bloch (Slappy)- He was also on my shortlist.
5) Freddy Deeb (Slappy)- Last year's champion, I just don't think he'll repeat.
6) David Singer (Unimpressed)- Final tabled this event every time it's been held (twice), and won his first bracelet this year. I think he might potentially win it all.

Second bet is the same basic format. But there are alternates, in case any of our picks don't make it (unlikely since our main picks are almost definitely playing in it). This one is with Jordan from HighOnPoker. Jordan and I had two WSOP prop bet last year. Pick'em Horserace (bracelet and final tables), which I won. Thank you Phil Helmuth. And the # of entrants into the Main Event, which he won (I picked way too high). I netted a big $1.00 total, which, since we don't live near each other, and FTP has a $5.00 minimum transfer, wasn't worth taking the time to transfer and called it a wash. Here's the picks so far:

1) Patrik Antonius (HoP)
2) Greenstein (Unimpressed)
3) Ivey (Unimpressed)
4) Bloch (HoP)
5) Lindgren (HoP)
6) David Benyamine (Unimpressed)
7) David Singer (Unimpressed- alternate).
*edit*
8) Gus Hansen (HoP- alternate)
9) Allen Cunningham (HoP- alternate)
10) Doyle Brunson (Unimpressed- alternate).

Obviously I hope Ivey wins the entire thing. Or Benyamine. I probably should have put more thought into my picks to even them out. Can't really root for Greenstein because then Slappy wins won. OR Antonius, then Jordan wins won. Oh well. We'll see how this goes.

If I had to choose either Greenstein or Antonius winning, I'm not sure who I'd pick. The bet with Jordan is a little more than the bet with Slappy, but Slappy money is the best kind of money!

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The Hunger

2008-06-18T16:29:00.004-04:00

Well I'm back.

I got about $50.00 from rakeback. Thank you Slappy. So I decided to play again. I mostly stick around the .25/.50 game, buying in for $25. I also play in SnGs, $6.00+.50 (turbo's, heads up, 6 handed and 9 handed), with the occasional $11+1(turbo) if I'm winning. I started off not being able to cash in any SnGs, but then went on a mini rushed and cashed in a bunch in a row including a win or two.

I tried one big jump... I took the profit from a successful cash game session and bought into a 4 person HU shootout for 20+1.50. I was WAY out matched. I used to be a decent heads up player. Not so much.

First match I'm playing weak tight. Folding a ton, no continuation bets. My opponent suddenly got really aggressive. I get tired of his raises and called one with 62 off. The flop comes Q65. He bets, and I decide to take a stand. I push (he has small chip lead). He happily calls and shows AQ. I river a 2 and cripple him. Next hand I have AA and I'm on to my 2nd match. I have a while to wait, as these two play for a while. Finally it ends. Apparently there was some jawing back and forth. The less angry person won. Isn't that usually they way?

My opponent once again, outplayed me. I just didn't have the aggression. Even though this was all profit for me, I was still playing scared. In the end, I can't fault my play too bad. Maybe I can. I have T8 on a board of 9TJ. I bet, she raises, and I push. I figured middle pair and an OESD is pretty good. Again, I was pushing back because of her previous aggression. She has, other than QK, she has pretty much the worst hand I could face. J8. I'm basically hoping for 10 cards. And 8 of them give me a chop. Nothing comes, and I'm out.

I'm once again enjoying poker and want to see if this can last. I currently have my account at around 100. It's been up to 125 and down to around 50 recently, but I manage to pull it back up when I suffer losses.

I'm also showing more aggression and getting an idea of when some folks are weak and when they're not. I've noticed myself making a few more re-pops when I think people are weak and being right.

I will probably have more posts soon (not that I think I have any readers anymore). I've playing more online and I've just joined a 16 week poker league. More on that later.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The Taste...

2008-03-31T11:17:00.006-04:00

I think I lost the taste for poker.

This isn't a bad beat story. I decided to hit Foxwoods Saturday night. I don't go often, the drive is an hour and I normally don't have the money to play, but I had been wanting to play for a while. The entire drive, I was thinking, "I'm not looking forward to the drive back." I get there @ 8:30 and the place was packed (in the middle of the preliminaries of the Foxwoods Poker Classic- WPT event. I did see Men the Master sitting at a table (must have busted early from the Reno event). I put my name on a bunch of lists (I love that you can now put yourself on lists); 1/2nl, 2/4 lhe, 4/8 lhe, even 2/5nl. About an hour or so in, I get called for 2/4 and take my seat. I like the tables, a couple of cute girls to flirt and smile with, it's the same as microlimit online so the play wasn't great. I stayed about even, went up a bit with a split pot on a straight. Made a small profit when I played Ah3h with a raise from one of the blinds (I was folding hands like that all night, and decided to try to build a pot in case I hit)- flopped the draw and bet out. Hit the flush on the turn and bet out. Bet the river and won. Unfortunately, unlike most hands, only one person stuck around after the flop.

Around midnight, I get KK in the SB. One limper, I raise, BB and limper calls. Flop is T high. I bet, both call. Turn is a 2- I bet, BB calls, limper raises, I call (but I know I'm in trouble), BB calls. River is a T. dang it. I check, BB bets, limper raises, I fold. BB calls. BB has T6, limper has T2 for the boat. At that point, I though, dang it, I wish this was NL. I can't blame either of them for their calls in limit. Well maybe the limper, but his T2 WAS sooooooted. Anyway, wishing it was NL, but not wanting to put my name back on this very long list, I sighed. Suddenly, God (or the floor person) calls my initials for the 1/2 NL. Wow, 3 1/2 hours on the list. I take it.

Normally, I love the feel and the sounds of the casino. I'm not a "gambler" by nature, but I can feel the excitement. This time I didn't feel it. It felt... depressing. It reminded me of the time I went the Horsehoe in Bossier City, LA. I feeling of desperation in the air.

I stayed until 3am, but then headed home. I booked a loss for the night, mostly on one really bad play. A "zero" play. Put all my chips in (a HUGE overbet), when, in reality, I wasn't going to be called by anyone with a hand less than mine. They don't call it the idiot end of the straight for nothing.

There was a play before that. I had 3d5d in one of hte blinds. The flop comes JJ5. This one lady bet out $10 and I called. No other callers. The turn was a 2. Check-check, and the River was a 5. I bet out $10, she re-raises me to $40. I think and muck with my 5 up.

She later asked if I knew what I threw away. I said, Yes, I put you on the J. She told me she had a 5, as well. At the time, I felt I played it well, even though I was wrong. I trusted my read and went with it. I figured I'd be willing to pay $10 to find out if my read was right and her raise told me it was. The guy next to me (who I ended up stacking off to later) said he put her on the Jack as well.

But if I would have put some actual thought into it, was it likely she had the J? She bet out on the flop, which is fine, nothing says she had to slow play, but if she's willing to bet the flop with a J and I called, why would she just check the turn, instead of betting again? Her bet then check says she had either a different pair (over/under) or a 5 and was worried I was slow playing a jack. Then the 5 hits and what is she betting there? AND if I was willing to call the bet on the flop, what was I waiting for when the 5 came on the river? What other card could I have possibly wanted to hit? What was the reason for calling a flop bet if I folded on the river when the perfect card hit for me? The only hand I didn't beat had one of the 2 final jacks in it. I beat over pairs and under pairs and an Ace which were all possibilities.

So, for the future, I don't plan on playing poker for anything other than fun (ie- home games). And until I'm willing to take the time and think through hands properly, there's no point in playing at a casino. This is live play, no clock to worry about, I should have taken the time to think the hands through.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

I'm Done With Online Poker

2008-03-12T16:10:00.003-04:00

...again. I'm not raging against suckouts and what not, I just don't have the mentality for it. Not yet anyway. I let myself tilt. I don't tilt in lives games, but on the internet I tilt.

The other week I deposited $62 . I wanted to sit down at a .25/.50 no limit table, which I did, and play in a 11+1 turbo SnG. Which I did.

The SnG failed miserably, the cash game was a success. Until I took a hit and ended up only about 22 bucks, but once you subtract out the SnG it was a mere $10 profit. Sad, when I was up 40 at one point. The next night, I jumped into another .25/.50 table and a couple of SnGs, again, my profits were less because I didn't manage to cash in any of the SnGs.

Finally the third night. I had been playing a video game that night and came across a glitch which cost me about 2 hours worth of progress. I turned it off and hopped online. I, again, sat in a .25/.50 table. I was building a decent stack, when I let a guy set me up.

A5off in the BB. Middle position min raises. I call. I hit my 5, but I'm done with this hand. No point in losing too much. It goes Check, check. Turn is an Ace. Ha. Now I'm hope he has a good ace. I bet, he raises, I push. He calls. He has a good ace. He has two of them. My $60 is down to about $25.

A little while later, I have QJ and raise it up. I get one caller. The flop comes all low. I bet, my opponent raises, and I, for whatever stupid reason, I push my stack. It's a huge overbet and my opponent calls with 77. He actually had a OESD as well. I didn't improve.

Now, I got some rakeback last night. About $25. I put it all in a .10/.25 short handed game. I built it up, but took a hit when I called a small raise with J9 suited. Flop comes J9T. I bet, raiser calls. The turn is a low card. But it puts two flush draws out there. I bet my two pair (I think about half the pot, the OR raises about 4 times my bet, and I push. He thinks and thiks, then calls off his stack with AQ. OESD. He hits a K on the river and I lose all but 4 bucks. I steam and push a few hands, but no one calls. Then I cool off and start playing smart again. I did make two slightly tilty moves. I trusted my instincts on two hands and bluffed two people off hands when I had nothing. Not smart when you have a short stacked. Especially if you're pushing on a big stack. One of the people I bluffed could easily have called and been only a slight dent. But they didn't want to give me the courtesy double up.

Then I raised 3 hands in a row and put out continuation bets when I was called, and took down 3 hands in a row. I was starting to make a comeback. I was dealt AA in the small blind. I'm hoping the BB notices I keep raising and will my raise. Suddenly, someone in late position makes it a .85. I raise to 2 something, and the BB, shoves (something like $35). I'm kinda hoping the LP calls, but he folds. I easily call and I'm up against KK. The flop more or less ends it with an A. I play a few more hands, but end up cashing out with only a 1.50 loss.

However, with FTP's new tournament $$$, I've been playing in the 90FTP 27 handed satellite into the midnight madness (11+1). I've won two of those satellites, then I unregister from the Midnight Madness tourny and I have 11 in tournament cash. I used the first one for a SnG, but didn't get much very far. I still have the second T11.

Last night when I won my second one, I played in about 5 of these satellites. At one time I had 3 tables going and managed the final table in all 3. With healthy stacks. One of them, the chip leader had a huge suckout on me to knock me out in 4th. So I'll probably play those to try to get some more cash.

Basically, I'm done with online poker DEPOSITS.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

I know ZERO about Nascar

2008-02-27T13:44:00.003-05:00

But I decided to create a "fantasy auto racing team" and I created this group. Feel free to join.

Group Name: I know ZERO about Nascar
Group ID: 38034
Group Pass: nascar

FYI, when joining it asks for group ID not group name.

I Almost Feel Bad...

2008-02-13T23:03:00.004-05:00

... Almost. This poor guy (imthothor). He's been playing relatively tight. VP$P about 25% at a full table. Max buy-in is $25, he has $47. I have a $21 after buying in for $10. I've been playing pretty straight forward Tight aggressive. I jumped back up to the .10/.25 recently, after spending some time at the .05/.10. One difference between the two is "players/flop." At the lowest limit, you can easily find 45% at a full table. People just messing around. Jump up one level and that drops down to about 25%-30%. I jumped into this table because it had the high side of 33%. It had a lower # of hands which meant it wasn't a short handed table that just filled up.

So I've been at the table for about an hour. Doubled my buy-in plus some (had about 25). I decide to call it a night, but then decide to play one more round. What do I do? I loosen up a bit. And I blow through some cash. I play a hand in late position and flop a set of 2s in the SB, no action. Very next hand, AA. No action. Tilting a bit since I'm down about 4 bucks. I decide to play one more round again. A mistake since I know I'm tilting a little.

I'm dealt A9 in the BB and just check with 2 other players in the pot. Flop is K96. I Bet it and take it. Get 22 in SB again, but it gets checked down. A Bet on the river and I fold. THen in late position, this hand comes up.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5246646390: Table Pacific Palisades - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:56:51 ET - 2008/02/13
Seat 1: Unimpressed ($21.30)
Seat 2: MAGTF ($14.40)
Seat 3: Muckaroo ($23.50)
Seat 4: Andy I ($7.95)
Seat 5: imthothor ($47.10)
Seat 6: MiStErZYX ($10.95)
Seat 7: Nick Acree ($7.75)
Seat 8: JDEBUCH23 ($14.40)
Seat 9: romadolce ($25)
Andy I posts the small blind of $0.10
imthothor posts the big blind of $0.25
5 seconds left to act
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [7d 9d]
MiStErZYX folds
Nick Acree folds
JDEBUCH23 folds
Unimpressed raises to $0.85 -Might as well try. I was kicking myself when I made this raise. Not horrible, since it folded to me, but why get out of line?
MAGTF folds
Muckaroo folds
Andy I has 15 seconds left to act
Andy I folds
imthothor raises to $1.45 -Min raise- tight player, I should let this go. He probably has something, he hasn't gotten out of line. I'm thinking to myself, FOLD FOLD.
Unimpressed calls $0.60 -Why? Not sure. I wish I could think of a reason, but I can't.
*** FLOP *** [9c 9h Ts] -GIN!!!
imthothor bets $1 -continuation bet.
Unimpressed raises to $6 -At least I get something
imthothor raises to $45.65, and is all in -WOW! For a split second, I'm thinking he's going to show A9 (though I know he wouldn't re-raise me with that). But I know I can't fold.
Unimpressed calls $13.85, and is all in -I know it FTP is going to show A9 or TT to teach me a lesson- don't call raises with crap hands!
imthothor shows [Kd Ks] - WOOT!!!
Unimpressed shows [7d 9d]
Uncalled bet of $25.80 returned to imthothor
*** TURN *** [9c 9h Ts] [2h]
*** RIVER *** [9c 9h Ts 2h] [Ac]
imthothor shows two pair, Kings and Nines
Unimpressed shows three of a kind, Nines
Unimpressed wins the pot ($40.60) with three of a kind, Nines
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $42.70 Rake $2.10
Board: [9c 9h Ts 2h Ac]
Seat 1: Unimpressed showed [7d 9d] and won ($40.60) with three of a kind, Nines
Seat 2: MAGTF didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Muckaroo (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: Andy I (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: imthothor (big blind) showed [Kd Ks] and lost with two pair, Kings and Nines
Seat 6: MiStErZYX didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Nick Acree didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: JDEBUCH23 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: romadolce is sitting out

Full Tilt once again rewards the donkeys!

I feel bad for imthothor. He lost about half his stack he had been building up playing solid poker. Eight hands later, he loses AQ to AK on an AKx board. He went from $45 to $.60. Ouch.

He managed to build it back up to 8. Then lost a big pot again, when he called a raise from the guy on his right with 33. Flop was Q7Q. Raisor bet out the minimum and imthothor re-raised to almost 3 bucks basically putting the guy all in. He calls (all but $.20). River is an 8. All the money goes in, the guy had A8. Loses 1/2 his stack. He's finally sent home, tilty. Limps with 22, that gets raised to 1 then re-raised to 3. imthothor called all-in, and is up against JJ.

Sometimes it's not your night. It may have seemed like mine, but after failing to cash in 2 11+1 turbo SnGs, I profit about $5.00 for the night.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Nice Improvement.

2008-02-04T22:51:00.001-05:00

We got it all in on the flop. I took the lead on the turn and took the super lead on the river.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The Next Rounders?

2008-02-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

This actually looks like a good (funny) poker movie.

The Grand.

via: Wicked Chops Poker

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

I May Suck At Poker...

2008-02-04T22:13:00.002-05:00

...But I can fold Jacks like a pro.

Twice I've let them go this week preflop.

The first time was with two people raising and re-raising ahead of me. KK vs QQ.

The second time, a loose player raises 3x UTG, a tight player Re-raises to 3x that, UTG+2. I have JJ and am next to act. I think, then fold. Folds around to UTG who calls.

Flop is 7A7. Both check. I smell it there.
Turn is a J. Even at this point, I'm confident it was a good fold. UTG+1 bets out 1/2 the pot. UTG calls.
River is a 4. UTG+1 bets half the pot, the UTG folds and sure enough, UTG+1 shows AA.

Did I mention I'm ecstatic that the PATRIOTS LOST!!!!! SUCK IT!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

That's Right!!!!

2008-02-03T22:19:00.001-05:00

There is only ONE Perfect Season!

Tonight was the only highlight this season for a Dolphins Fan.

ReBuilding

2008-01-30T20:34:00.000-05:00

Just call me Tilty McTilterson.

I blew up last night. Completely. I had about $135 in my account last night. I was playing in a .10/.25 NL short handed game. I may have had 2 at once. No biggie. I lose a buy in (I usually buy in for $10 instead of the $25 max- because of my bankroll). I'm building another buy-in up. I'm about back to even. I get into a hand and lose it to this guy: H0ll4nD C4s1n0. Next thing I know he's gone. This annoyed me and set me on tilt.... why? I don't know.

So I search for him. I find him. In Spades. He is multi-tabling about 10-12 tables. All .10/.25 NLSH. I sit down to him, and lose a buy-in. I see he's playing standard for a multi-tabler. If he comes in, it's for a raise EVERY TIME and there's almost always a continuation bet. Now if he's raising he can have anything from A9 up including double face cards. And I keep losing to him. I'm finally at a table where's he's immediately on my left. I pick up QQ in the SB. I know that if I limp he'll raise. I limp. He raises. I re-raise, he pushes, I call. KK.

I'm now sitting in a $6.50 SnG and playing one final table. I'm playing well. H0ll4nD C4s1n0 is across the table from me. I'm not avoiding him, but I'm not getting involved with him unless I have a hand. I even won one off of him. This hand arises:

Full Tilt Poker Game #5047150861: Table Richard (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:05:08 ET - 2008/01/29
Seat 1: NittnyLion25 ($8.25)
Seat 2: deegs85 ($25)
Seat 3: Unimpressed ($37.45)
Seat 4: Thorzgirl ($6.75)
Seat 5: kiloali ($38.50)
Seat 6: H0ll4nD C4s1n0 ($44.10)
Thorzgirl posts the small blind of $0.10
kiloali posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [Ts Ks]
H0ll4nD C4s1n0 has 15 seconds left to act
H0ll4nD C4s1n0 raises to $1
NittnyLion25 folds
Unimpressed calls $1 - I'm in position- I'll take a flop.
Thorzgirl folds
kiloali folds
*** FLOP *** [3s 4c 7s]
H0ll4nD C4s1n0 bets $1.70
Unimpressed calls $1.70 - Let me hit something, please.
*** TURN *** [3s 4c 7s] [6d]
H0ll4nD C4s1n0 bets $3.70
Unimpressed calls $3.70 - should have folded, but I thought, if I hit, I might be able to get his stack.
*** RIVER *** [3s 4c 7s 6d] [5c] - nuts! Straight on the board, I missed
H0ll4nD C4s1n0 bets $37.70, and is all in
Unimpressed calls $31.05, and is all in - NOT GOING TO PUSH ME OFF A HAND!
Uncalled bet of $6.65 returned to H0ll4nD C4s1n0
*** SHOW DOWN ***
H0ll4nD C4s1n0 shows [8c 8h] a straight, Eight high - I'm an idiot.
Unimpressed mucks
H0ll4nD C4s1n0 wins the pot ($72.25) with a straight, Eight high
Unimpressed is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $75.25 Rake $3
Board: [3s 4c 7s 6d 5c]
Seat 1: NittnyLion25 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: deegs85 is sitting out
Seat 3: Unimpressed (button) mucked [Ts Ks] - a straight, Seven high
Seat 4: Thorzgirl (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: kiloali (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: H0ll4nD C4s1n0 showed [8c 8h] and won ($72.25) with a straight, Eight high

There was no reason to lose all that. If you look at all of my hand histories last night, each table I was at, it ended with H0ll4nD C4s1n0 busting me.

The only saving grace, was that I won my SnG at the end of the night to recover some.

Tonight I rebuilt a little. I played one table, and won a buy-in and a half. But in 3 SnGs, I finished 3-7-7 for a small loss. Still my win was bigger than my loss. I'm done for the night. No Mookie for me.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

A Roller Coaster

2008-01-19T00:05:00.000-05:00

Played in a lot of tournaments tonight.
Katitude's Donkament
$75 Token Frenzy
$28,000 Guaranteed
$26 Token Frenzy

I'm down for the night if you count them all, but I did use a token to enter the 28k.

The $75 Token tournament, I made a poor move when, I had plenty of chips to wait for a hand, but in the big blind I had a 3 in my hand. flop came A3A. There wasn't much action. Turn was a J and the river was a 2. In the end i tried to make a big hero call (had done it earlier in the 28k), but he had an ace. I lost a good amount of chips and couldn't regain any footing.

The $26 Token tourney, I don't even remember what happened there. I think with both Token tournaments, I stopped playing them like a super sattelite and chose not to wait for big hands, even when I could.

The 28k, well, that was fun. I managed to go deep. 1403 and I finished 416. I got super lucky early on with this hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #4911647690: $28,000 Guarantee (36637157), Table 6 - 60/120 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:10:59 ET - 2008/01/18
Seat 1: angiesman10 (8,433)
Seat 2: Archable (1,519)
Seat 3: kalterrell (4,410)
Seat 4: Unimpressed (4,581)
Seat 5: oceansbluetwou (4,170)
Seat 6: Anniebets (4,235)
Seat 7: Bennat75 (8,181), is sitting out
Seat 8: GR sucks (2,956)
Seat 9: jwerk (6,695)
kalterrell posts the small blind of 60
Unimpressed posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [5s 5d]
oceansbluetwou folds
Anniebets folds
Bennat75 folds
GR sucks folds
jwerk raises to 360
angiesman10 folds
Archable folds
kalterrell folds
Unimpressed calls 240
*** FLOP *** [Jc Js 4h]
Unimpressed checks
jwerk bets 400
Unimpressed raises to 1,560n - I put him on a steal attempt for some reason.
jwerk has 15 seconds left to act
jwerk has requested TIME
jwerk calls 1,160
*** TURN *** [Jc Js 4h] [3s]
Unimpressed bets 2,661, and is all in - decided to go with my read.
jwerk calls 2,661
Unimpressed shows [5s 5d]
jwerk shows [Jd Kh] - Started to think I my read was wrong (this is a reoccurring theme tonight)
*** RIVER *** [Jc Js 4h 3s] [5c] - Given a reprieve.
Unimpressed shows a full house, Fives full of Jacks
jwerk shows three of a kind, Jacks
Unimpressed wins the pot (9,222) with a full house, Fives full of Jacks
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 9,222 Rake 0
Board: [Jc Js 4h 3s 5c]
Seat 1: angiesman10 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Archable (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: kalterrell (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Unimpressed (big blind) showed [5s 5d] and won (9,222) with a full house, Fives full of Jacks
Seat 5: oceansbluetwou didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Anniebets didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Bennat75 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: GR sucks didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: jwerk showed [Jd Kh] and lost with three of a kind, Jacks

I then started to change my play there. I had enough chips to not go nuts. I stay around the 9k mark, until my final hand.

I had Q8 in a blind. The flop comes, I believe 8Tx, no betting the flop, a Q comes on the turn giving me two pair. We get it all in and my opponent shows T8, but rivers a T for a boat. Too bad, I was feeling good too.

Must of my focus was on Katitudes Donakament. I won this a few months back and wanted to do well. I started off OK, but then had to re-buy. In the end, I rebought 5 times (for a total investment of $7.00). The rebuy period ended and I was 2nd or 3rd in chips. I chose not to add on.

I made it to the final table with a decent stack (in re-buys there is a lot of play towards the end). However, I lose some pots and I'm down to about 10k with 6 people left.

I find KQ UTG and put in a raise to $3,400.
It folds to Fishiswa who pushes all in for 27k.
I think for a few moments, but then decide, if he's pushing when an UTG raises, I'm dead.
He said he pushed because he figured I was pot-committed, and he had AA. Good laydown Unimpressed.

Still 6 handed, a few minutes later. Prior to this there is a LOT of button/cutoff raising to steal blinds. My big blind is constantly being stolen.

Seat 1: MiamiDon (14,783)
Seat 2: Fishiswa (29,723)
Seat 3: BuddyDank (23,883)
Seat 4: Unimpressed (15,930)
Seat 5: surflexus (26,096)
Seat 9: Joshuacarlsen (63,085)
MiamiDon antes 100
Fishiswa antes 100
BuddyDank antes 100
Unimpressed antes 100
surflexus antes 100
Joshuacarlsen antes 100
BuddyDank posts the small blind of 400
Unimpressed posts the big blind of 800
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [Ad 3d]
surflexus folds
Joshuacarlsen folds
MiamiDon raises to 2,200 - I'm tried of my blinds being stolen and figured he's on a steal. He needs chips.
Fishiswa folds
BuddyDank folds
Unimpressed calls 1,400 - No need to go nuts, let's try to hit a flop.
*** FLOP *** [Qd Ah 3s] - DING, DING, DING!
Unimpressed checks
MiamiDon bets 3,200
Unimpressed raises to 6,400 - Let's see if he's just continuation betting. I've got to be good
MiamiDon: damn
MiamiDon: ggl
MiamiDon has 15 seconds left to act
MiamiDon raises to 12,483, and is all in - Excellent, please don't have AQ, please don't have AQ.
Unimpressed calls 6,083
MiamiDon shows [As 7s] - Guess he wasn't on a steal. Another wrong read.
Unimpressed shows [Ad 3d]
*** TURN *** [Qd Ah 3s] [5s] - RUH ROH!
*** RIVER *** [Qd Ah 3s 5s] [3c] - Whew!
MiamiDon shows two pair, Aces and Threes
Unimpressed shows a full house, Threes full of Aces
Unimpressed wins the pot (30,366) with a full house, Threes full of Aces
MiamiDon stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 30,366 Rake 0
Board: [Qd Ah 3s 5s 3c]
Seat 1: MiamiDon showed [As 7s] and lost with two pair, Aces and Threes
Seat 2: Fishiswa (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: BuddyDank (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Unimpressed (big blind) showed [Ad 3d] and won (30,366) with a full house, Threes full of Aces
Seat 5: surflexus folded before the Flop
Seat 9: Joshuacarlsen folded before the Flop

This was a weird hand, badly play by me.

Full Tilt Poker Game #4912022430: Friday Nite Blogger Donkament (36631720), Table 3 - 500/1000 Ante 125 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:45:18 ET - 2008/01/18
Seat 2: Fishiswa (45,298)
Seat 3: BuddyDank (36,916)
Seat 4: Unimpressed (32,088)
Seat 5: surflexus (17,221)
Seat 9: Joshuacarlsen (41,977)
Fishiswa antes 125
BuddyDank antes 125
Unimpressed antes 125
surflexus antes 125
Joshuacarlsen antes 125
Unimpressed posts the small blind of 500
surflexus posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [Js Td]
Joshuacarlsen folds
Fishiswa folds
BuddyDank folds
Unimpressed calls 500
surflexus checks
*** FLOP *** [8s 9h Jd]
Unimpressed checks
surflexus checks
*** TURN *** [8s 9h Jd] [Kd]
Unimpressed checks
surflexus checks
*** RIVER *** [8s 9h Jd Kd] [7d] - I believe at this point, I took my beat that knocked me out of the 28k, so I was annoyed. I didn't even see the straight.
Unimpressed checks
surflexus bets 2,000
Unimpressed calls 2,000 - I suddenly see the straight and quickly, without thinking much, I call. I probably should have put in a raise, but there was the chance that he hit his flush since there was no action after the flop and turn. I don't think I would have folded, and I probably could have gotten more chips.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
surflexus shows [7s 9s] two pair, Nines and Sevens
Unimpressed shows [Js Td] a straight, Jack high
Unimpressed wins the pot (6,625) with a straight, Jack high

I busted Joshuacarlsen when I pushed (and it was a big push despite being 2nd short stack) from the button with A4. Joshuacarlsen, in the BB quickly calls and shows A7. I flop a 4 and bust him.

In the final hand, I have one more instance of BAD read.

Blinds are 800/1600/200.

In the BB I have 9sTc
Fishiswa, the big stack and very aggressive raises to 4800 from the button.
To defend my blind I call.
Flop comes Qc-8c-3d. I flop a gutshot.
Fishiswa bets out 9,600. - I'm figuring he's missed and is trying to be a big stack bully, so I push back at him.
Once again, I'm wrong and he flips over QJ for top pair. I don't hit my gutshot and I go home in third.

Fishiswa has a huge stack and eventually finishes off BuddyDank.

I make a small amount on the tournamnet. From a cash bankroll point of view I made a *small* profit, but I lose a token which brings the overall to a loss.

Kat's Donkament is a lot of fun, especially early in the re-buy period. Overall, I had fun playing poker.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

OK, OK, I still play bad.

2008-01-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

I want to win a blogger event, so I played in last night's Riverchasers event. And by "played" I mean sucked! I played a LAP style. Loose and Passive. I limped in with such crap and was constantly folding. I threw in a continuation bet, but it never got respect. To the point where everyone knew that if I bet, on the flop, to re-raise me and I'd fold. It was bad, bad play. I busted 50th out of 59.

During thte tournament, I decided to play a few 11+1 Turbo SnGs. I don't mind my play in them, but that's only because I had no playable hands. In one I went out in 9th, when I pushed my QQ into AA. I don't mind it, but it bothers me that I felt like he had AA. One guy bet out, I raised, the guy with AA re-reraised, and the original bettor folded. I had a feeling this guy had AA. So I just called. Honestly, I was hoping for an A or a K to hit the board to release this. But in a turbo format, you have to play your big hands. The flop was J high and I was first to act. I pushed hoping he had Ax, but knowing it was unlikely and he called.

The other SnGs I never got playable hands and had to push with marginal hands. That's how it goes.

After busting out of Riverchasers, I opened up a .10/.25 Short-handed table. I was playing tight. I bought in for $10, and folded to about $6.50. When I got AA UTG. I raised to $.85, the player to my right re-raised to $2.25, it folded back to me- I min raised $4.50, he pushed, I called. He had QQ. I doubled up. The very next hand in the BB I'm dealt AA again, unfortunately it folds to me and I get a walk. The next hand, in the SB, I get 9Ts. There's a limper, I called and BB checks (he was the guy with QQ). Flop comes 996. I bet, he re-pops me, limper folds, and I push. He calls showing the 96. I'm busto.

In the end, I go from $187 to about $130. It looks like I'm back down a SnG level to the 6.50 SnGs and lower. I'll probably stick with the .10/.25 game, only because I REALLY hate the .05/.10.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

2 Nights In A Row

2008-01-15T22:45:00.001-05:00

I had two winning nights in a row.

Monday night: I made about a buyin and a half ($15) in cash games, and I won an 11+1 Turbo SnG for almost $50. That cash helped since I blew $25 in rebuys @ a $5.50+rebuy sattelite for FTOPS VII Event 10. It only had 30 players. With rebuys and add ons there was cash as well as a seat. Top 5 paid. After the add on I had to come in 4th to show a $2 profit. I made it to the final table and managed to get a big stack, but made a questionable call on a re-raise with pocket 6s. My opponent had QQ. And I became short stacked. I salvaged my chips but ended up going out in 7th.

Tonight: Another ~~successful~~ profitable night. I made just under 1 buy-in at the cash game and placed second in a 11+1 turbo SnG.
I was just slightly under my buy-in at the cash game, when, in the SnG, I took a slightly bad beat. I raised to 1.10 from the button with AQoff. The cutoff (who had just sat down a couple of hands ago) raises to 3. At that precise moment, in the SnG I take a slight beat. I switch back to the cash game and since I don't know how the SB plays, I call. the flop is all hearts and I have two overs and the Qh. The SB pushes and I out of tiltiness call. I turn a heart and almost double my buy-in. I then simple tread water for a few rounds, before sitting out without losing much more.

I sit out because I'm doing well in the SnG now. The blinds are astronomical and I took a couple of bad beats (domination situations) and am crippled. I managed to battle back and take a chip lead. We get to heads up, I lose the chip lead to a beat, then push with my next hand and am dominated, but take 2nd.

I'm up to about 180 from my 100 deposit. Plus I still have the $26 token. I decided not to play in the Hoy last night. Maybe next week.

I'm thinking about diversifying and throwing $50 on Pokerstars. Maybe I should leave the money on FTP for a cushion.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Weekend Wrapup

2008-01-14T10:01:00.000-05:00

I had a good day on the virtual felt this weekend. Saturday my daughter was sick so she just sat on the couch and watched TV. I sat on the chaise and fired up the laptop and hopped into a couple of SnGs. I played a 90player 3.30 Knockout Tourney. My first one. At the same time I played a 54-person 5.50 SnG.

I got very lucky in both of them late. I got severely short stacked in both, at about the same time. In the Knockout, I had a little more than the BB and didn't get any good hands until I was in the BB and tripled up. Then I got hit with the deck and with in 15 minutes took the chip lead going into the final table.

In the 54 person tourney, I wasn't as low, but at the same time, started getting hit with the deck and made it to the final table with the 2nd largest stack. I then played a hand poorly and busted out in 5th or 4th for about $15.

I managed to take down the 90 person SnG and for $72.00. The final hand:
Blinds 3000/6000 w/ 750 ante.
I have 15,4670 to my opponents 115,330.

I have Ad4s, and hit my four on a flop of 4h-2c-Jh. We got it all in on the flop and he had flush draw with Kh9h. He didn't improve and I took down the hand.

At the same time, I'm learning to play at limits I'm comfortable with. I'm OK throwing $10 into a .10/.25 (even 20 if I lose a buy-in) NL ring or short handed game. And if I play smart I can win. But I'll try to jump up to a .25/.50 NL short-handed game, and am too worried about losing that buy-in in relation to my bankroll. Yesterday I made almost $40 at my .10/.25 table after losing $20 the day before at .25/.50. Right now I think .10/.25 is my comfort zone. Maybe I'll jump up if I make it to about $200 bankroll.

Currently I'm about about $130 but I also won a $26 token, which I may use for the Hoy tonight (to try to take care of my Blogger tournament win goal).

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Tonight's Mookie

2008-01-09T22:52:00.000-05:00

I played in the Mookie tonight.

I'm no closer to any of my goals.

I sat out the first few hands and somehow won a pot. Then I sat down and I bled about 1000 chips. I don't feel horribly for doing so. I felt I lost the minimum on a couple of hands. Top pair, good kicker, I ended up checking the river in position, my opponent had Aces. Another hand I flopped top pair with 3 clubs. I turned an two pair, and checked the river to allow my opponent to put in a small bed. I called and he had KQ of clubs.

Basically I was a lot less willing to put my chips in with marginal hands. In the end I go out in a coin flip.

Full Tilt Poker Game #4802454066: The Mookie (35911825), Table 7 - 40/80 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:44:22 ET - 2008/01/09
Seat 1: PirateLawyer (7,300)
Seat 2: Donkey Shortz (5,145)
Seat 4: corron10 (2,715)
Seat 5: GCox25 (2,625)
Seat 6: cubanlinks (2,415)
Seat 7: JoeSpeaker (4,980)
Seat 8: Unimpressed (1,730)
Seat 9: Maudie (2,890)
Unimpressed posts the small blind of 40
Maudie posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [Qs Qh]
PirateLawyer folds
Maudie: thankyou
Donkey Shortz raises to 280
PirateLawyer: np
corron10 folds
GCox25 folds
PirateLawyer: least I could do
cubanlinks folds
PirateLawyer: i hate AQ
JoeSpeaker calls 280
Unimpressed raises to 1,730, and is all in
PirateLawyer: TT?
Maudie has 15 seconds left to act
Maudie folds
Donkey Shortz folds
JoeSpeaker calls 1,450
Unimpressed shows [Qs Qh]
JoeSpeaker shows [Ah Kc]
*** FLOP *** [Tc 7d Th]
*** TURN *** [Tc 7d Th] [Ks]
*** RIVER *** [Tc 7d Th Ks] [7s]
Unimpressed shows two pair, Queens and Tens
JoeSpeaker shows two pair, Kings and Tens
JoeSpeaker wins the pot (3,820) with two pair, Kings and Tens
Unimpressed stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3,820 Rake 0
Board: [Tc 7d Th Ks 7s]
Seat 1: PirateLawyer didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Donkey Shortz folded before the Flop
Seat 4: corron10 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: GCox25 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: cubanlinks didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: JoeSpeaker (button) showed [Ah Kc] and won (3,820) with two pair, Kings and Tens
Seat 8: Unimpressed (small blind) showed [Qs Qh] and lost with two pair, Queens and Tens
Seat 9: Maudie (big blind) folded before the Flop

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

ESPN Poker Edge

2008-01-09T09:14:00.000-05:00

I listen to ESPN's Poker Edge, more out of nostalgia, than anything else. When I first starting following poker, I really liked Phil Gordon. I still do, don't get me wrong, I find him entertaining, but that's about it. Usually his podcast is short so, I can find sometime to listen to it. Right now he's going through the H.O.R.S.E games and having other pros on to talk about the games.

The week of 1/3 (mp3) he had Barry Greenstein on to talk about Stud 8 or Better. While it was short (Barry mentioned Dawn Summers by "name" at the 5:40 mark), I felt it somewhat useful. But more interestingly, he had a long discussion about Chip Reese and his multi-accounting on Full Tilt. He wasn't doing it to enter tournaments, but because he'd play so well that people would be afraid to play him and he'd have to create a new account (often giving his old account to a family member).

It was an interesting podcast, and adds more fuel to the fire about what's against the rules and what's not in the online poker world. You should take a moment to listen to it.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

A Look Foward

2008-01-08T11:12:00.000-05:00

Just like everyone else, I'm going to put down my thoughts on what I want to do/change in 2008.

First off, something non poker/blogging related. I mentioned it in an earlier post:
**Lose Weight. I need to drop about 50 pounds, and I want to do that in the new year. I have a "bet" going with my father-in-law, whoever loses the most (we're the same weight and he's about a foot and a half short than I), treats the other to a night in Foxwoods. Basically it's a bet I can't lose since I can't afford to pay for a night at Foxwoods.

Now I'll switch gears and move over to the poker/blogger items.
**Get More From Poker Books. I've only a few:
- Winning Low Limit Poker by Lee Jones
- Real Deal by Phil Gordon (also known as the "Little Black Book")
- Harrington on Hold'em: Volume 1 by Dan Harrington
- Read 'Em and Reap by Joe Navarro
- Super System 2 by Doyle Brunson (basically just the NLHE section)

Now to get more out of those, I definitely need to read some of those again, but I'll just focus on Navarro's, Harrington's and Super System (maybe even Lee Jones' book if I start playing limit online). I also intend on purchasing and reading two more:
- Harrington on Hold'em: Volume 2 (and 3)
- The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition

One of the problems I have with reading is that I prefer fiction, so many times, I lose interest in some of the poker books.

Now onto the poker side of thing. First, for something NEW.

**Sit at a Live Cash Game, that's NOT only Texas Hold 'em- If I get to Vegas this will probably be easier. Most mixed games at Foxwoods are beyond my limits. The most likely opportunity is a 1-3 or 1-5 Stud game.

**Play at a Casino/Card room that's NOT Foxwoods- I put this on there, because like every year, I'll be in Florida and there are plenty of card rooms there. The family will also be returning to St. Louis for vacation and I might be able to hit one of those casinos.

This is the key, the main purpose of 2008.

**Improve My Play. Like most people, I want to improve my play, partially by reading (see above), but also by playing, both live and online. I really doubt I'll get too much more live playing in. It's just unlikely.
- Pay more Attention: I really don't do that much at all. Online, I tend to play video games or watch TV or visit blogs. Live, my mind wanders and I fantasize about big pots.
- Try to avoid tilt. Be willing to step away if I need to. I do OK in this regard, but could definitely use improvement.
- Stop making Awfukit calls/pushes. My bottom pair is probably no good there!

As a result of improving my play, these are goals I hope to reach in 2008:
**Build a legitimate Bankroll- I've made my $100 "deposit" on FTP, I want to try to avoid having to reload. Building a bankroll will lead to two other items:

**Cash Out / Make a Profit- I want to maintain a bankroll AND still have some to cash out in order to spend it.

**Move up in limits- Get out of micro limits. I don't have to be playing 2/4 by the end of the year, but I'd like to see me sit comfortably, with a max buy in at either .25/.50 or .50/1.00.

**Subscribe to Poker Xfactor or Cardrunners- I've heard a lot about these sites, but the fees and cost area bit high.

**Get To Vegas- I stated this in a previous post. I want to get to Vegas. I want to make it to a live blogger event. I love Vegas and I need to go.

**Win a Blogger Event- I should probably put in a caveat, the Donkament doesn't count. I took that down this year. I want one of the big 4 (Hoy, Mookie, Riverchasers, The Big Game) or the new Skillz Game.

**Learn Omaha- I know the basic rules, but strategy goes right out the window. May fit nicely with my goal of playing a non Texas Hold 'em live game.

These goals are going to lead to a difficult road ahead, and may even be unattainable in one year for me. Basically we're talking about winning thousands of dollars playing poker when I have YET to be a winning player. But I want to try. Poker is a mental game. I consider myself an intelligent person and if I focus and apply myself, I feel these are goals I can attain.

But there are obstacles to this. The biggest is just Life (no not the board game). I will almost NEVER play poker if I'm home with my family (unless they're napping). If we home together, we're focusing on being together. Whether it be cleaning and/or working around the house, or playing together. My online play is usually early in the morning if I wake up before my daughter, or late at night after my daughter and my wife go to bed. This is why I rarely compete in any AIPS Events, I'm automatically missing 1/2 of the events since I don't play Saturday afternoons.

So while I believe I can approve and am giving myself lofty goals, the biggest obstacle is me and my lack of prioritizing poker. It's a catch-22 to say the least.

Good luck to all of you in 2008... unless you're across the felt from me... then I hope you go card dead.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic. But I'm trying to get better.

Stack Your Chips!

2008-01-07T22:56:00.000-05:00

Had my Not-So-Monthly Homegame. Which looks like it's going to start up monthly again, and While not upset with my play in general, and did make one big mistake that I'll discuss later.

As I've mentioned before, we start at about 3pm and go until around midnight. It's the same 6 or 7 people with a few extras occasionally thrown in. This week we had 10 (the later tournaments have less as some people head out). The tournaments are quick, blinds DOUBLE every 15 minutes. You start with $20.00 in chips (but it only costs $10- don't ask) and blinds start at .25/.50. Each tournament lasts about an hour and a half. You're not going to win a fortune, it's mostly about hanging out and having fun.

I arrived early to watch some folks play Rock Star. I'm "recruited" to be the singer. I'm sick so my voice doesn't work. Not that that's an excuse. I can't sing to save my life. I can't sing to save my daughter's life. Hell on Easy, the video game kicks me off I suck so bad. Slappy takes over and I'm left playing guitar. More people arrive and we start poker.

I don't do much the first two tournaments. There's not much to talk about or that I remember from those. Our resident crazy maniac guy takes down both tournaments. It's easy to do when you hit. In the 2nd one, one guy pushes and runs into RCM's QQ. The next hand I push with the Consenza (AT). RCM of course has Aces, and I'm out. Oh and the first tournament I went out, I had two diamonds. I'm in the BB, the blinds are pretty high. There are a bunch of limpers and I check. I wish I can remember the action (Slappy, refresh my memory... if you remember) Basically there's 2 diamonds and an Ace on the board. RCM has a huge stack and is betting. I know I'm beat and getting ready to fold. Suddenly, bam, there's a couple of callers. I want to fold, but the blinds are high and I'm definitely getting the price to call to hit my flush, even if it means all my chips. So I do. I'm vindicated on the river with the 3rd diamond. My vindication is short lived when RCM did in fact hit his Ace. He had Ad9d. Oh well, I'll go watch this guy play Assassin's Creed.

The 3rd tournament I do a bit better. But I fuck up pretty bad and I'm kickin' myself the rest of the night. I go into heads up pretty short stacked. We don't chip up so there are a lot of chips on the table, especially of the smaller denominations (whites and reds). I just one a big hand off my opponent. But he still has a mountain of chips. The next hand, I'm in the BB, he limps. I quickly glance at his chips. I have Qd4d. The blinds are HUGE. I push. He calls with an Ace. For a moment I am jubilant when a Queen flops. But I don't remember if he gets an Ace or goes runner, runner for a flush. I'm standing up since I figure it's over. Suddenly someone says "Make sure he has you covered." "Of course he has me covered." "What about all those green and black chips?" I look down and sure enough, mixed in my pile of unstacked chips is almost all the black ($5) chips and a bunch of greens ($1). In the end, I had HIM covered, but barely. I win the next hand, but it's a moot point and I'm out shortly with 52 vs 62 I think. Someone asked if I'd play that differently if I knew I had him outchipped. I definitely would. It MAY have ended up the same way. If I knew I had hte chip lead. I'd have just checked after his limp. I hit my queen, with the blinds so high, I don't get tricky, I push on the flop hoping he has 2nd or 3rd pair. More than likely he folds. With my reputation there, he MIGHT call with Ace high, but unlikely. I win that pot and who knows from there.

Remember kids, stack your chips.

I make it to heads up in the 2nd tournament, it ends pretty quickly when I get it all in with AQ but my opponent has AK. Not much to be done there. Now I'm even for the night.

The fifth tournament I go out in the middle of the pack in another situation, where, there's not much I can do. Slappy limps, I limp with 33 (I'm working on not overvalue low pairs). THe flop comes 996. It checks around. The turn brings a 3. Now I'm hoping someone has 9. Turns out slappy had a 9. And a 6. Ouch. But I'm not good enough to fold a full house, unless the board is something like 55KKx and I have a 5. Even then that's not an easy fold, because a lot of people will push with an ace, expecting to chop.

The 6th tourney, I don't remember what happened, I was sick, had little voice, and was mostly going through the motions of playing. I busted out and watched, as the Jaguars squeaked out a win, even after the refs totally fucked them in the ass by calling that pass interference call on the 1 yard line. The receiver absolutely had the defender by the face mask. Payback was a bitch. I was rooting for the Jags because Garrard and Taylor pretty much won me my fantasy league.

All in all the night was a success. Good times, good times. The Mrs is planning movie night with some co-workers, and I might be able to use that to my advantage to make JLBSox's home game at the end of the month.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

The Key to My Game

2008-01-05T06:48:00.001-05:00

I have yet to put up a goals/resolutions post, but I intend to. Eventually. Probably by December. At least I'll know if I was successful at keeping them.

One of them will be to re-learn patience. Something my game is terribly lacking. [creepy voice in your head] IF YOU HAVE PATIENCE, THEY WILL COME [/creepy voice in your head]

As I type, I'm busting out of SnG's left right and center. But another table I'm sitting in a .10/.25 short handed NL table. I started off mixing it up a bit, but started to get low. I had about $5 left and I get dealt 6d3d in the SB. A limper or two and I just call. BB checks.

The flop is 3Q6. Woot. One guy bets out, I push he calls. He shows QJ. I'm praying *and I'm an athiest- hey it worked for Jerry Yang* that board doesn't pair. The board pairs on the Turn. But it pairs the 6 and I'm back in it.

OK, that didn't show patience but it got me some chips. A few hands later I'm dealt KK. I double up again. I then get pretty tight and just wait for some hands. And they come... slowly, but they do come. In the end I broke even for the morning, using my cash game to make up for my lost SnGs (i'll discuss patience in one of those in a second.)

Patience helps, but so does having idiots at your table.

I made a horrible play here, I think.

Full Tilt Poker Game #4744815429: Table Gatewood (6 max) - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 6:38:44 ET - 2008/01/05
Seat 1: Unimpressed ($20.30)
Seat 2: BerkshireBlaze ($24.95)
Seat 3: JunioriL ($27.90)
Seat 4: mervha ($25.10)
Seat 5: Mr_Colt72 ($15)
Seat 6: lumpi_lumpi ($24.75)
mervha posts the small blind of $0.10
Mr_Colt72 posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [As Qc]
lumpi_lumpi folds
Unimpressed raises to $1
BerkshireBlaze folds
JunioriL calls $1
mervha raises to $1.75
Mr_Colt72 folds
Unimpressed calls $0.75
JunioriL calls $0.75
*** FLOP *** [3h 2s 3d]
mervha bets $0.25 -yes that's .25 into a $5.50 pot-
Unimpressed calls $0.25 -duh call here, that's odds to hitting anything.
JunioriL calls $0.25
*** TURN *** [3h 2s 3d] [Qd] -Good I hit.
mervha bets $0.25
Unimpressed calls $0.25
JunioriL raises to $0.50 -screams weak since he's on the button.
mervha raises to $8.25 -to me, especially after that fact, this seems dangerous. Not quads, but possibly a set of 2s or set of Qs (though unlikely since I have one), but possibly, with the preflop raise this could be Aces or even Ks. Raised with them, then slowplayed them when the flop is likely to miss everyone. Then the flush draw appears and pushes stronger. Ultimitely I decide that, for whatever reason, he didn't like the Button min-raising and figured him for nothing or he had a flush draw.
Unimpressed raises to $18.30, and is all in -if I'm right I'll take it down, if I"m wrong, uh-oh.
JunioriL folds -thought so.
mervha calls $10.05 -RUH ROH! "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!"
Unimpressed shows [As Qc]
mervha shows [Ks 5s] -Um... huh???
*** RIVER *** [3h 2s 3d Qd] [8d] -Glad he didn't have the flush draw.
Unimpressed shows two pair, Queens and Threes
mervha shows a pair of Threes
Unimpressed wins the pot ($41.20) with two pair, Queens and Threes
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $43.35 Rake $2.15
Board: [3h 2s 3d Qd 8d]
Seat 1: Unimpressed showed [As Qc] and won ($41.20) with two pair, Queens and Threes
Seat 2: BerkshireBlaze didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: JunioriL (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 4: mervha (small blind) showed [Ks 5s] and lost with a pair of Threes
Seat 5: Mr_Colt72 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: lumpi_lumpi didn't bet (folded)

So it helps to have an idiot at your table, especially if you are a donkey.

In the last SnG I played it was a 6 handed turbo. I got extremely short stacked (AK vs A8 and guy hit his 8) and then started on a comeback (A5 vs A9, I hit my 5). Then I hit a set of 6s against top pair. I was proud of my patience. I then proceed to, two hands later, donk it all of when I called a raise with AJ, missed the flop, pushed and ran into Kings.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

I Play GOOT!

2008-01-03T09:07:00.000-05:00

If Goot means piss poor. I'll have to look that up.

Playing this morning, a bit high, but I wanted to try to build a bit quicker. So $40 at a .50/1.00 NLHE short handed table. I fold the first few hands, then get dealt A7 off on the button. On limper, I raise to $3. Big Blind calls (he's multi-tabling 4 tables) as does the limper (he's seen every flop so far, but I haven't been playing long enough to determine if he's tight or getting OK starting hands). Flop comes Ace high, two diamonds. It checks to me. I bet $7 into $9.50. The BB calls but the limper folds. The turn is a 10d. Suddenly the BB bets about 2/3 the pot. I push (STUPID) and he calls (my raise was not enough to make him fold). Seriously, what would he call on the flop and bet out on the turn? A steal? Not as likely when he's multitabling and a big stack. That's usually an indication that's he's playing rather solid, if not ABC poker. I'm not surprised when he shows AT for 2 pair. I make such a stupid play that I figure I'm drawing dead. When a diamond comes on the river, I can clearly see 4 diamonds, a quick check shows he has none, but my 7 is a diamond, giving me a flush. I more than double up.

With that poor play I decide to finish my orbit (which included being dealt QQ and winning the blinds + a limp). I cash out, and get ready for work having increased my bankroll by 50%.

I'm hoping that was a one time thing and my poor play at that level means I need to ease back into it. I'll probably stick with the .10/.25, MAYBE .25/.50 for the time being. Patience is the key!

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

Looking Back

2008-01-02T17:18:00.001-05:00

2007

2007 started off with a fizzle. I made a deposit or two early on and blew through it. In February I made a deposit of about 50. Lost 30 of it really quickly, but then was hit with the deck and ran that final 20 to about 400. I funded a few people's account in exchange for cash. Then my luck ran out. And I play poker poorly. I ran out of cash about 1/2 through the year. I through in a few more deposits and always quickly went busto. It was a rude awakening to my poker game. But something I hope to learn from. Since than, I've been playing infrequently. Basically, only when I get $3.00 from Rakeback or Affiliates. Or my buddy feels generous and backs me in the Mookie. He has yet to make any money backing me. And my play with the little affilliate money is abysmal. I haven't had the patience to play micro limits with $0 bankroll.

As for live play. That's been only marginally better. The not-so-monthy home game was good to me in the beginning of the year. I usually took down at least one tournament at each one. The new home game, has not been so nice. I've only been to two of them. I haven't cashed in the tournaments, and the cash games I've pretty much broke even. Foxwoods has been a mixed bag as well. Posting both wins and losses. I'm probably about even for Foxwoods, maybe even a little ahead. But that just might be wishful thinking.

I read a few poker books in 2007: Super System 2 (NLHE section) and Navarro's Read 'em and Reap, and Harrington Vol 1. All are excellent books and I suggest picking them up. The problem for me is retention and I will definitely need to read them a few times.

Basically, I felt like my game was stagnant in 2007. I see a few leaks that I need to plug, and I hope I'm able to really improve my game in 2008.

-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.

My Goal and Donations

2007-12-31T12:11:00.001-05:00

I've added a button on my site to facilitate my trip. This is for donations. I don't really expect any, but I want to make sure I'm doing anything and everything I can to to get there. Any amount, no matter the size, is appreciated.
--Breakdown--
I'm still working on a goal amount. The plan is a 3-4 day weekend, around the a blogger event. I'd prefer the December event for two reasons:
1) more time to save
2) more time to focus on meeting and hanging out with bloggers (since a summer event usually is in the middle of the WSOP.

The goal amount, basically include airfare and hotel, food/drinks and gambling. I'm thinking, originally my thinking was $5000, but that's just a first number with no real research or input. Now I have yet to do any real research yet, but in talking with people, that's probably a bit high for 3-4 days.

$3000 might be a little closer to reality and probably even $2000. The biggest issue is that I don't want to get out there and have only a few bucks for gambling. So I want to be able to have at least $1000 strictly earmarked for gambling. Now I'm not a degenerate gambling and I don't really play table games, I mostly stick with poker, with such a large group of people, I'm sure I'll be "talked" into some PaiGow and Craps.

So that is my rough draft of a plan. I put it on the side, but again, if I'm falling way short of my goal by the time October rolls around, I will withdraw any donations and add that to my Foxwoods bankroll to try to get there in December. Again, it's the thoughts that count. Any amount is appreciated.

Las Vegas Nevada Moves Further Away

2007-12-31T10:54:00.000-05:00

Ok, so may the continent didn't split and everything west fo the Mississississississippi River isn't drifting out to sea. More than likely, I'm talking about my goal of making it to Vegas this year. Mind you not a huge setback since I'm more or less at the beginning of this goal, there's no way to get further from the goal. But with the loss at Foxwoods yesterday, I'm slipping back a little. And, now I have a decision to make.

For playing poker, I more or less have $180. Now if I go broke, I can usually scape up 50 or 60 to play in the not-so-monthly home game in the future. But with that full 180, it's pretty much not worth it to drive to Foxwoods. It's an hour drive (that's about $40 in gas, back and forth), and variance, it's hard to justify another trip. Now, my other option is the online route. Now recently I haven't played well online. But I think most of that is from me trying to take the few bucks I get in affiliate money and turn that into some sort of playable bankroll. Which usually means me not playing patiently enough and blowing it on one hand. That is much less likely with an actual (granted small) bankroll of say $100.00. Plus if I'm playing at the .05/.10 or .10/.25 level and start to play poorly, I can step back and take a break. When I have my entire bankroll at the table you play poorly you sit out and wait for the next month. So, my 7 readers (I know I have 7 because I re-added my blog to my Bloglines, and it had 7 subscribers- I guess I might have 6 readers and the 7th was me, previously), do I throw $100 onto FTP and try to build a bankroll that way, or do I hold on to it (which is a risk, cash burns holes in my pockets), and try to save enough to hit Foxwoods again? I've added a Poll to the site.

Live at the Bi... er Foxwoods.

2007-12-31T09:24:00.000-05:00

Well I decided to make a short trip to Foxwoods with Slappy on Sunday (I don't know why I link to his blog when he hasn't posted since August 20th). It was fun, as live poker always is, despite not winning.

Here are some notes:
The First Table: Slappy and I are seated at the same 1/2 NL table. Tables been in session for a while as there are a few large stacks. Two big stacks get involved with VERY marginal hands. One guy gets lucky, rivering two pair to win a HUGE pot. The winner turns out to be extremely aggressive, often putting in large bets with absolutely nothing. Slappy wins a big hand early with just top pair (KQ) against him, aggressive guy mucks. I play a hand very poorly against he loser of that first hand. I have 66 and put in a small raise. I may have gotten a couple of callers. The flop is 883. I bet and only get one caller (the guy who lost that first pot earlier- who also seems to be playing ATC). Turn is a Jack. We both check. River is a 9. I check, he bets. I stupidly call and he shows J9. I lose about 25% of my stack.

My final hand was some what poorly played but I was losing patience and my stack was dwindling. On the car ride to Foxwoods, Slappy and I had a discussion about AQ and why it's such a poor hand. Of course, I'm dealt AQ. I raised and got a caller or two. Flop comes AJx. I bet and one guy min raises me. I almost immediately push. I could have folded, but I couldn't really call the min raise or re-raise without pushing all in. If I would have thought about it, I should have figured I was beat. The guy seems to be playing solid. I haven't seen him get out of line and despite his stacks of reds and whites (which probably a few hundred), he also has at least 3 $100 dollar chips. I should have figured him for not going crazy with anything. Would he really re-raise a preflop raiser with AT or anything I can beat? Unlikely. He shows AJ and I'm busto. I go for a walk. I come back a few minutes later and rail Slappy for a bit, but then I sign up for another table. One note: after I left Slappy informed me that the guy with J9 earlier went on a crazy rush for like 3 hours where he played EVERY hand (literally) and would constantly hit two pair and most of the time it was good.

The Second Table: I'm WAY off the list. More than 20 people ahead of me. So I figured I won't be sitting for a while. They suddenly start two fresh tables and I'm playing again. And since I'm not sitting with anyone I know, I pop my Ipod into one ear and let the Richard Cheese play. Everyone is relatively close. Some people buy in for max, others buy in for about a third of the max. I'm in the middle. The table starts off tight as things tend to do at a new table, while people try to figure things out. Old Cranky guy to my right shows a set early when everyone folds to his post flop bet. Fireworks suddenly errupt between two players in a set over set situation. I split a pot with the Cosenza when I a river jack gives me a straight. Another guy was had A10 too. But there had been a few other in the hand earlier, so it was slightly profitable. We had one guy who, if on the river, you even put your hands on your chips, if he didn't have anything, he'd fold immediately. I didn't get a chance to use this. But the Kid to my right used it frequently. Even showing a worse hand (which was stupid, but the guy didn't stop), when he put his hand on his chips, the Foldy Guy shows an ace for ace high and mucks. As soon as the cards hit the Kid shows J high. I took a hand early from the Kid, before he got overly aggressive. I had 6c9c and played it from the small blind. Lots of limpers. I check with the flop is JT5, two clubs. It limps and the Kid bets. I call, everyone else folds. Turn is a J. We both check. River is a T. I check. The Kid thinks and think, is tempted to bet, but finally he just checks. We both go to muck our cards, I realize he's about to muck his too (now I wasn't about to muck unless he showed his hand, but I was gretting ready to toss 'em. Him seeing me muck waits to see if I will. I show my 9 (actually the dealer makes me show both) for two pair with a 9. He shows 4d 2d for basically playing the board. And I take down a small pot. I got dealt pocket aces once. Raised and got a few callers. Flop is ragged, I bet, get one caller. Turn is a blank and I bet again and the last person folds. Another hand I'm dealt AK in the SB. There's a bunch of limpers so I make a larger raise. Surprisingly everyone folded. I flipped over the Ace. Most people assumed I had aces. I was showing a profit but played one hand poorly against the Kid. He showed a lot of aggression and would sometimes show his hand sometimes good, sometimes bad. I'm dealt Jd9d. I call a small raise in position from the Kid. The flop comes A9x. With two diamonds. It checks around, I bet, he calls. Turn is a 6, non diamond. The Kid checks again, and I check. the river is another card lower than a 9. I have 2nd pair. I puts in a $40 bet (a little more than pot). I thought about it for a few minutes and thought that with that bet size, 2nd pair could be good. I call and he shows A6. In the end, on this table I was down about 20. But with the exception of that one play, I played OK. I really need to amp up my aggression.

That's one of the nice things about the no-so-monthly home game. The structure is fast, but the buy-ins are cheap, so we get 5 or 6 tournaments in. This will give me a chance to try out some new styles and plays.

Interesting Note: I don't go to Foxwoods often. And I've had women at my table before. But my first table was almost half women when we sat down. My second table had fewer, and there were a bunch around the casino. Nice to see more women playing.

One final note: Another think I love about Foxwoods (possibly most casinos, but I haven't been to another casino in a few years), Hot Asian Dealers. Yummy!

One Week And Counting

2007-12-29T20:56:00.000-05:00

Well I have my "monthly" home game next weekend, and I'm stoked! Granted, this "monthly" home game hasn't occured in close to 9 months. But it should be a lot of fun. A lot of guys who know each other somewhat well and we're all comfortable with each other. Playing poker with an incredibly fast structure. It's not really about the money since in the end it's a crap shoot. And we play so many $10 tourneys that you really need to win 2 to break even. But it's about poker and good times.

Now, should I have a Foxwoods Warm up tomorrow? I want to the the wife is giving me some guilt about it. Granted it's the remainder of my Xmas money, but it's really only enough for one buy-in @ 1/2. Unless I want to buy in for 100 or yikes, 40. BUt thats' unlikely. The max is 300, but I only have 200. Decisions, decisions.

One of the things pulling me to do it, is my new goal. Blogger event in 08. More than likely I'll hit the December one. As I figure there will be too much going on in the Summer one since it's usually during the WSOP. Don't get me wrong, I want to attend a WSOP at some point in the future, but for a first blogger event, I figure it should be a more relaxed atmosphere. But this could be the beginning of my journey.

Poker Jones

2007-12-28T09:02:00.000-05:00

I am jonesin' for some poker. I need to play. Play chips doesn't do it. I'll have to give a whirl to some freerolls. I haven't checked my Railbirds. account. I'll have to check out that account to get into their freerolls. More cash and less people. Slightly better EV. I've been reading Super System 2 and want to try some adjustments to my play. Early on in a freeroll you either have to be HYPER-aggressive or super tight. You'll have plenty of people pushing all in for a quick double up, so you can either join them or wait for a hand.

What I really want to do is dump $50 into the FTP and jump in with all of it, and try to get a decent bankroll built quickly, then I can drop down a level to the micro limits.

I've also been eager to try some Sports Betting. Though with the NFL season over, that's the only sport I even remotely follow. But that will require cash on Bodog.

If we don't spend all the holiday money this weekend, maybe I'll head to Foxwoods on Sunday.

Bad Beat?

2007-12-26T11:02:00.001-05:00

Is this a bad beat?

I got a good sum of money from my in-laws for Christmas . Enough for a full buy-in at 1/2 no limit at Foxwoods. Plus enough left over for their lower buy-in SnG. The Mrs got the same amount. Right away the Mrs. earmarked pretty much all of it (hers and mine) for household items. BAH HUMBUG!

Let's pray there's a quarter of it left over for my personal use.

I did win $40.00 from a stocking-stuffer scratch off. Now I just need to go to another state to cash it. But that will probably go into Full Tilt or maybe get me a Wii or 360 game.

Super Tilt!

2007-12-19T22:47:00.000-05:00

What the fuck happened??? I have no idea. I managed to scratch some cash together (very little) and decided to stick with SnGs. I managed to win a few $1 ones. Then I played in two 4 person headsup Shootouts. First one, with in a few hands, I had KQ, I raised. Player called. Flop came out 333. I bet, he reaised and I pushed. He called with K7. The turn was a 5 and the river, a 7. I don't know why but I tilted. I started another one. 2 hands in I'm dealt 10-7. I call a small raise. Flop comes JTx. I bet, he insta-pushes. I don't even think long. I mean there's about 150 in the pot and I have to call almost 1500. So obviously I call with 2nd pair. He shows J9 and I'm out.

Now, I thought that might have been a turning point for me. I realized that when it comes to online, I do not want to be bluffed. And I KNOW I'm going to be bluffed from time to time, apparently I can't allow that to happen.

Well tonight was the Mookie. My last $11. 69 players started. Top place was about $200. I was ready to take first place and rebuild my bankroll. Build enough cash to go to Vegas in 08.

I proceed to play the worst poker in my life and bust out in the Gigli- 69th. While not a bad number, it's not good when there are only 69 players. I don't know what happened, I played so craptasticly. Mindless bluffs, calling flush draws (which is a leak in my game anyway). It was just ugly.

I need to re-evaluate my game. I need a game. I suck. Fuck you!