It's Been A While

I've taken a bit of a hiatus from poker online and live. My last online poker I played was my last $26 token. I used on their $28k guaranteed. It was hard to judge my play, but I feel I did OK.
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I played very tight and out of 1200 players I finished 200. Unfortunately the top 180 got paid. Now, the reason it was tough to judge my play is because I didn't get any cards. The best starting hand I got was 55. Which I had to fold preflop to a raise and a re-raise. I was dealt AK a couple of times and AQ a couple of times, but either people folded preflop to my raise or after I bet the flop the folded. So I just couldn't get anything going. I made one mistake later on close to the money, when I, for some reason, decided to bluff into the chip leader. And he had a monster stack. He wasn't playing SUPER aggressive. But when I bet a missed flop and he called I had to let it go on the turn. If I hadn't bluffed there, I would have probably made the money. But oh well. Live and you learn.

The monthly home game hasn't happened in some time and if it does pop up in September I should be able to make it.

A little note to the few people who read this. My buddy (who used to host the home game) has started a new blog. He basically started because he won a blogger event and didn't have one. But now he posts pretty frequently. Check it at GreenfishBrian.blogspot.com. He's done pretty well for himself. I believe he's won a couple of blogger events and plays 1/2 NL at Foxwoods almost weekly. Anyway, stop by and check him out.

As for my blog reading, that has suffered too. I haven't checked out my normal blogs in awhile. I have over 700 unread poker blogs on Bloglines. A lot of that has to do with work. I've been really busy and haven't had time to goof off... The nerve of my employers.

Anyway, maybe some updates in the future. Who knows.

Oh yeah, and techincally I won my prop bet with Jordan @ HighonPoker. Phil Hellmuth with his 2 final tables and winning one bracelet won me $6. However, the my line on the #s in the Main Event was about 1000 off. So I lost $5.00. That's a NET $1. WOO HOO! Where's my money????? Just kiddin' Jordan.

[insert witty tag line here]

I Hate When I Forget A Title

It’s hard to want to blog when you’re playing micro stakes. But when you have about $15 in your account, you’re stuck with .05/.10 no limit and $1 + $.25 Turbo SnGs. I did throw down the $11 to play in this week’s Mookie. More on that in a second.

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Before that start I had about $5 left. I played a $1 SnG and brought the remainder to a .05/.10 full ring table. I managed to win the SnG, and only made about 2.50 at the table. I did triple up at the table. When I started it was full, but slowly the table dried up until it was just me and a monster chip stack (he had $30- max buy-in is $10- and I had $5). I won a few small pots. A third person joined in. A few hands into 3-handed play, this hand game up:

Full Tilt Poker Game #2918300137: Table Sunrise Skyline - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 19:14:24 ET - 2007/07/11
Seat 3: Unimpressed ($5.55)
Seat 4: Meyehar Izhevy ($23.75)
Seat 5: Fervus ($6.80)
Fervus posts the small blind of $0.05
Unimpressed posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [Qd Th]
Meyehar Izhevy raises to $0.20
Fervus calls $0.15
Unimpressed calls $0.10
*** FLOP *** [8c Jd 9s]
Fervus bets $0.60
Unimpressed calls $0.60
Big Nate KW sits down
Meyehar Izhevy raises to $1.20
Fervus calls $0.60
Big Nate KW adds $10
Unimpressed raises to $5.35, and is all in
Meyehar Izhevy calls $4.15
Fervus calls $4.15
*** TURN *** [8c Jd 9s] [6c]
Fervus bets $1.25, and is all in
Meyehar Izhevy calls $1.25
Fervus shows [Ac Td]
Unimpressed shows [Qd Th]
Meyehar Izhevy shows [8h 9h]
*** RIVER *** [8c Jd 9s 6c] [3h]
Fervus shows Ace Jack high
Meyehar Izhevy shows two pair, Nines and Eights
Meyehar Izhevy wins the side pot ($2.50) with two pair, Nines and Eights
Unimpressed shows a straight, Queen high
Unimpressed wins the main pot ($16.15) with a straight, Queen high

Can’t really fault anyone’s play here. But this gave me a large stack. Unfortunately, as the table got full, I bled chips and ended up with only about a $2.00 profit.

Now at the Mookie I was a pocket pair junkie… Unfortunately, none of them improved and was usually 2 over-cards to the board. And I had to release them. I quickly lost about 1000 of the starting 3000 chips. I did make a stand on one hand with pocket 8s.

I’m in the cutoff (8c,8d). I started the hand with 1475.
Tripjax (started w/ 2970), UTG limps for 30.
Folds to MiamiDon (started w/ 3345) in MP. He raises to 110. I call and so does Tripjax.
FLOP: 9c – 4d – 3s
Tripjax bets 250.
MiamiDon folds and I push all-in. Tripjax thinks and finally lays it down.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get much going. In the end, blinds were 50-100. I have 1350. IronGirl01 has 3145, she’s in the small blind and UTG+2.

I have QQ, and at just over 10xBB I’m push or fold. I push and IronGirl calls. She flips over AQ and flops her A to knock me out. As she’s from the Albany area, where I went to college, I’ll let her live… this time.

Right now I only have about $6 in my account. Not much I can do with that. I’ll probably play that in the next few days (buy in short and play a $1 sng), and I if I lose, well I’ll take about a month off until I get my affiliate money in August.

So to my 2-3 readers, don’t be surprised if this blog goes silent for a while. Maybe I’ll try to find some non-poker stuff to blog about. I lead a rather boring life so we’ll see.

[insert witty closing line here]

A Turning Point

Katitude was recently talking about online poker:

"I'm falling out of love."

I think this best describes my feelings. But the other common expression fits. "It's not you, it's me."
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I've had an epiphany. I'm no good at poker. At least not at online. And I haven't played enough live to get a grasp of my abilities (I do well at my homegames and I've done ok at Foxwoods- if I'm not playing limit). I play live poker, maybe 10 times a year.

Online I had a good run turning $20 into $400. But that was after I turned $100 into $0 and $50 into $20. I have since turned that $400 into $0. I've even made a few more deposits... all down to $0. The more I think about turning that cash into $400, I realize it was really just a run of luck (You mean you don't normally get Quads 4 times a week??? I thought everyone did).

Even recently in cash games, I've noticed any big pots I won... suckouts. I just can't seem to get my money in good, and that's losing poker.

I blew through my recent deposits playing bigger stakes (1/2 - .50/1) and even the micros again (I recently blew threw my final 3 buy-ins in 30 minutes @ .05/.10). I've had a little more luck at tournaments, winning the Blogger Donkament a few weeks back and final tabling some blogger tournaments too (unfortunately I didn't cash). But my luck at SnGs has dried up.

All that's sitting in my account is one 26 token and about $20 in rakeback and affiliate money that was just deposited. And that's what I'll probably stick with. Not playing much, accept when I get some affiliate money.

I'll continue to play live on occasion, home game and at Foxwoods (actually I think I'm going to enter a preliminary event at the WPT Finals this year- the $300 shootout). But don't expect to see me on the virtual felt much... unless I can change my game around.

Side note:
Congrats to my buddy Slappy, aka PokerBrian322. Despite not being a blogger, he took down the MATH this week. And he was at Foxwoods this past weekend and took down a $1100 pot @ 1/2 NL. Congrats you beast!

Dr. Pauly Phenomenal Post

WSOP Day 19: The Ghost of Stuey Ungar and Katja Thater Wins Razz Bracelet
By Pauly

I'm posting this link here in case you don't read Dr. Pauly's Tao of Poker on a regular basis. But more than likely if you're reading this blog, you're also reading GOOD blogs, which more than likely includes Tao of Poker. But this is exactly what I was talking about in this post. Anyway, take the time to read it. Very good. Pauly gives you a glimpse of the dirty underbelly of Las Vegas and gambling, that ESPN, the Travel Channel, NBC, and GSN will never let you see.

You tend not to find too many truly moving things in the blogosphere, but this post felt incredibly deep. I really can't wait for Pauly to write his Vegas book.

Another Good Night

It seems I go through phases. Sometimes I play nothing but cash games, and others it's tournaments/SitNGos. It looks like my current phase is Tournaments.

Friday night I took first in a couple of Turbo SitNGos, and then took first in Kat's Friday Night Blogger Donkament. I had a bad couple of days over the weekend at the SnG. Monday I won my token to the MATH about 20 minutes before it took off. Then finished in 9th (no money). Last night I played 3 SnGs and 1 Tourney (took a beat in the tourney to be crippled early), but finished in 3rd in 1 SnG and 1st in the other 2 (one was a HORSE).

I'll probably shy away from the cash games right now.

Mondays at the Hoy (some live blogging)

I'm putting together a post about my Donkament win on Friday, but tonight I'll be live blogging the MATH.
There are 55 players in the Hoy tonight. It's a $24+2, and I probably should have just bought in, as I ran completely dry this weekend trying to get the token. I finally managed to win one about an hour and a half before the event. A 4 person Heads Up Shootout. The first match was a tough one. I managed to get through my first opponent and apparently God loves an Atheist, because I ran golden. I seriously hit almost every flop. Now my opponent made some mistakes in being VERY passive and didn't bet that strongly so a few times by just checking or calling small bets I'd hit by the river. Finally, the last hand. He raised I called, flop was K-9-x. I had KJ. All the chips went in the middle and he had K9. The Turn was an Ace giving me 3 more outs, which I didn't need as I spiked a jack. And he tilted, but it didn't matter, I got my token.
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So the Hoy started. As I'm relatively new to the Blogger Tournaments, I don't know many of the people at my table.

From my spot, going clockwise.
Me
RecessRampage (I recognize)
empty
Dbirider
surflexus
ChapelncHill (recognize)
wwonka69 (recognize)
Astin
PokerBrian322 (not a blogger, but a buddy of mine- host of the "monthly" homegame).

How lucky or unlucky that he's to my right. Not sure honw I'm going to play him.

About 20 minutes in, and I'm slowly building a stack- 3450 (starting was 3000). But it's going to be a tough tournament.

Now one of the great things about the Blogger Tournaments has go to be BuddyDank's radio show. Good music (usually- stop w/ the F'in ABBA!) and fun commentary.

Oops. Out is bayne_s. The Gigli. Willwonka was moved to the empty spot at our table.
...
Next out was Miami Don. I lost a chunk of chips bluffing at a pot.
...
Iakaris - tried to drop the hammer on Buddy Dank. Buddy had Jacks.
IslandBum1 also busted.
...
Here's a weird note, every time I get into a pot, my buddy PokerBrian322 and ChapelncHill are in it too.
...
ChapelncHill was almost out but he was a pip away from a royal. AKQJ9 spades
...
45 minute mark and I've been playing horribly. I'm down to 935 in chips with the blinds 40/80. I'm 50 out of 50 :(
...
wilwonka went out to wwonka69... fixed! :)
irongirl01
phlersphan
Blinds are 50/100 and I have 1055, but I'm in the BB next). With 23 no less :(
...
Whew. Woke up in the CO w/ AQ. My buddy Slappy raises to 500, I push my last 900. He calls with AT. At first all I see is the T on the flop. Then I see the Q right next to it. Double up and at 1900. Back in. HERPES LIVES!!!
...
First Break. 40/44.
Papi Justify
lucko21
BobRespert
Oossuuu754
all busted as well.
...
Made a bad call as soon as we started up. Early position raised and I called with QhJh. Flop missed and I had to let it go. With only 1300 left. However, made up for it. KK in early position. Limped. Fold, raise, some folds, call from the button, fold to me, I push. Raiser folds and caller calls with AQ. I more than double to 3060.
...
Katitude
pvanharibo
iam23skidoo
Tripjax
RecessRampage
I continue to donk. Down to 1300 when I tried to continuation bet half of my stack on a missed board :(
...
I had about 1000 chips left on the Button (couldn't even get pushable hands in the blinds (in the SB had raises and re-raises). Got Jacks on the button, pushed, UTG (who raised) called and had KQ. I doubled up.
I outlasted my buddy, Slappy (aka PokerBrian322)
Alceste (the only "blogger" from these I ever met)
Julius_Goat
weak_player
swimmom
PokerBrain322
GCox25
riggstad
chapelncHill --- who I knocked out.
Chapel limps from the CO with only about 800. Folds to me. I limp w/ KQ suited. HighonPoker in the BB checks. I flop the straight 9TJ (2 diamonds). I check, HoP checks, Chapel pushes, I minraise and HoP calls. Turn is a blank. I push, HoP unfortunately folds. I knock out Chapel and have over 5k.

I actually have decent chips, 16/30, but blinds are 120/240 ante 25
...
Points bubble and I'm at 7000 chips. Points don't matter to me as I haven't played in barely any BBT events.
...
mtnrider81
surflexus
NewinNov (bubble)
blinders
...
DDionysus
Mike_Maloney ---- I busted him. Blinds 150/300 a25. MM raises to 900 from early. Astin calls, I call w/ pocket Tens. HighonPoker calls for 750 in the SB. BB folds.

Flop is 7c-5h-9d. MM pushes in his last 5K (an over bet). Astin folds, I call and HoP folds. MM has TdJd for not much. A little sweat comes on the turn in the form over another 9 for a flush draw, but he doesn't get there and I have over 15k in chips.
...
And a quick check. I'M THE CHIPLEADER.
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Patchmaster
leftlu
mattazuma
...
Up to 2nd break now.
dbirider
cemfredmd
columbo --- ante up nation!
smokkee --- I busted him right before the break. He had about 5k. Blinds are 200/400 a 50. He limps in. Another player limps in. I check w/ 82. Flop comes Kd-2d-8x. I bet pretty much putting smokkee all in. He pushes, other player folds and I call like 200. He has 7d8d. He doesn't get his flush. I'm in 2nd. Two tables left.

And we're off. Lets see if I can continue this run. Top 7 spots pay.
250/500 a50.
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wwonka69
summer_babe
hoyazo
jeclimd
---
Wippy1313
I lost some chips and was down to 8k, by playing a bit lose and firing continuation bets that didn't work. However I doubled up to 18k with 22 vs KQ. I limped. Button raised, I pushed, he thought, then called. He didn't get any help.
2 of 13 - blinds are 300/600 a75
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crazdgamer
garthmeister
BuddyDank
Astin
and... Unimpressed in 9th.
Well I made the final table, in the middle of a hand. horrible play. As7s in the BB. RakeFeeder pushes all in in the SB. I call. He's been so tight, I can't believe I called. He has AQ. As he's raking my chips, we make it to the final table.

I actually stupidly fold A4 in the SB when someone from MP raises. I end up pushing all in when it folds to me on the button (mind you have I have 1264 w/ blinds 400/800 a100) and I have T8. SB folds and BB only has to call 300 more. Heffmike has A5 he doesn't improve, but he does... to a boat.

I think this is my 2nd time playing in the Hoy and my 2nd Final Table, and my 2nd time not cashing. Oh well.

Good luck everyone.
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a104I9
Rake Feeder (guess my chips did him no good)
pushmonkey72
I'm a little disappointed in the final table. Even though it didn't really need to be (except for a few players), it became an all-in-fest. Every hand. Thought I was watching the WPT.
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I jumped into a 11+2 SnG and was pretty card dead and finished out of the money in 5th.
cracknaces finished in 5th
heffmike in 4th
HighOnPoker in 3rd.
At the moment FishyMcDonk (40k) vs Cmitch (124k)
It ended in a classic race: Fishy w/ TT and Cmith w/ AK. Rivers an Ace and Cmitch takes it down.

Congratulations.

Good night everybody.

Mr. 80%

OK, I’m in… again. Another affiliate deposit, but only $20. But, I’m off to an OK start. Basically turned that $20 into $32. Not as good as it sounds as it included getting VERY lucky on two key hands.
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I was playing in a micro cash game (.05/.10 full ring). I bought in for a mere 4, lost it and re-bought. The big stack at the table was pushing a lot and he had over $20 (max buy-in is $10). I got tired of him pushing. I don’t remember the hand, but the flop came Face-6-2. I had a 6. The big stack raised, I pushed in my remaining chips, he calls. He paired the face card. I rivered a 6. Now despite what J-Goat says, I don’t feel excited when I suckout like that. I feel like a donkey. Though that’s probably the case. I think in TripJax’s theory, I’m the 80%. I felt like I got a stay of execution, so I tightened up my play a little bit, and managed to turn my $10.50 total buy-in into $20; partly thanks to flopping Quad 4s, and “slow” (checked flop, small bet on the turn) playing them until the guy hit his straight on the river and I got his chips.

Unfortunately, at the same time I was donking it up in SnGs (2.25 turbos and one 6.50 turbo, plus $1.25 90 DS). In the end I was down to about $12. Then I bought into a 4-handed heads up shoot out for $5.40. I’ll admit my HU game isn’t what it used to be. But I played my first match well and managed to win that one. In the second match, I once again got super lucky. I was down about 3-2 in chips. When I raised on the button with A2s. My opponent raised and I called. Flop came Ace high. I bet out he raised and I pushed. I felt he was trying to see where I was if he had a pocket pair. He called. I was wrong. He had AQ. Turn was a 2 and I had a big suckout, again feeling like such a donkey. It tilted him a bit. The next hand he pushes, I call with AQ. He had J8. He didn’t hit and I pocketed $20.

Then this morning, I sat down at a .05/.10 short handed table. And felt I played well (then again, I DID hit a set of jacks twice), and managed to double my buy-in. So a night I wasn’t really all that proud with. I really need to refocus my game. Part of the problem playing micro limits, is I ALWAYS feel someone is making a move. That makes it difficult for me to get away from middle pairs sometimes. I’m learning that sometimes, if you KNOW your judgment can’t always be trusted, let weaker hands go. I have to get that just because these are the micro limits, not everyone is bluffing.

Hellmuth Wins #11!!!

Whether you like him or not, Hellmuth is a monster.
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He is the best Tournament No-Limit player out there. I don't think you can make a case otherwise. I think, in that fictional world were a mad man threatens to kill you unless you're top pro can beat his top pro in a No Limit Hold 'Em tournament, I gotta put my life in Hellmuth's hands.

Well, I was in no danger, BUT his win put me even with HighOnPoker in our prop bets. Sure none of his horses has done anything, but I pretty much gave away over/under for the Main Event with my way high #. Oh well. Now it's on! Come on Hellmuth... win a few more. I need to re-fund my online bankroll!

Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’

I just wanted to give a … um… shout out (how 90’s is that?) to some sites I read on a regular basis.

First, I’m going to cover some poker content.
I do a lot of browsing at work and like many work sites, they’ve blocked gambling sites. Even the news ones (they’ll allow me to go to Wicked Chops, but I can’t check out Poker News… morons). So when I’m looking to get info on the people at certain final tables and who placed where, I’m check out Wikipedia’s 2007 WSOP results.

The next four links are going are poker and non-poker in content… though at the moment, most of the focus is either on Vegas or WSOP.

Dr. Pauly (Paul McGuire), is a “famous” blogger (famous, as in Poker bloggers know who he is). Well I guess he was (or is), but he’s a writer first and foremost. He even publishes on online magazine, Truckin’. He posts his short stories and gets contributions from other writers. If I had readers, I might get lambasted for this next note. For my tastes, he’s kind of hit and miss. I’m often torn… his writing is fantastic and captures my interests, however, sometimes his topic isn’t … again… to my tastes. Now, that’s not to take anything away from his writing, it’s just sometimes, not for me… which, again, I’m not his target audience. With that being said… Right now there isn’t a blog entry I look forward to more, (closely tied with I Had Outs) than his daily accounts of the WSOP at the Tao of Poker. This is great story telling and great writing, all rolled into a subject that suits my taste. I can’t always sit at work and read them, so each day I’ll print it out and take it to the can for my daily er… constitution. He often talks about a Las Vegas book he is planning on writing, and let me tell you, I’ll be buying that the moment it comes out.

I’d also like to recognize his Las Vegas blog. Good information on the “goings on” in Sin City.

OK, I covered the “poker” content. Now for a couple of blogs that have absolutely nothing to do with poker. These I read somewhat regularly.

A Day in the Life of Ambulance Driver- He has been published.
Indexed- Logical ‘cartoons’ on index cards. A book is due out February 08.
Post Secret- “PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.” Three books have been published.

Luck?

I’m not going to bother to post much here, but DEFINITELY read Dr. Pauly’s post concerning luck, on Tao of Poker, titled "No Exit and Broken Mirrors." Very good.

WSOP Prop Bet

High on Poker was looking to get some prop bets going on the WSOP this year. I decided to gamble a litte. I'm really not a gamble and have had VERY little experience at any kind of prop bet.

I once bet a guy $100.00 that Orlando Bloom was in Saving Private Ryan. I seriously thought the translator was Bloom. It wasn't. He just looked so much like him. Boy was I pissed when I was wrong. I still contend it WAS Orlando Bloom but the credits were wrong.

I've made a last longer bet with Turley once (maybe twice) and I think we're even or something.

I've made two last longer bets with one of my co-workers... I lost both.

I'm hoping to turn my luck around.

Here's the bets:
1) Entrants to the Main Event: 7592 (my pick). He took the under
-----I screwed this one up, big time.

2) Pick'em Horserace: $1 for each final table / $5 for each bracelet
My picks:
a) Phil Hellmuth- he's gonna have a monster series.
b) Joe Hachem- despite the WPT win he has something to prove.
High on Poker
a) Carlos Mortensen- I'm a little worried about him, he's on a tear.
b) James Van Alstyne- juries still out on this one.

I'll probably throw something on the sidebar to keep tabs on it.

BookCrossing

I'm an avid reader when I'm not forced to for school. I enjoy all kinds, not just poker books. I know, GASP! So I found this interesting website where you can drop of your books anywhere and let them run free. Hopefully someone finds them, goes to the website (obviously you'd write this info in the book) and chronicles the book's journey.

Now there aren't a lot of places near me that has books, but there are a couple. You can search for various types of books and genres and find out where there might be some in your area. Here are a few buttons:

Poker Playlist II

OK, I checked out site meter and noticed a few of my recent google referrals involved 'poker playlist.' So I've updated my list... it is a work in progress... and it's not something I focus on all the time.... or much of the time.

A Little Less Coversation - Elvis Vs JXL
Have a Lucky Day - Morphine
The Gambler - Kenny Rogers
Take the Money and Run - Steve Miller Band
Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf
Bad Poker Hand - Gary Primich
Friday Night - Lily Allen
Take Me to the River - Al Green
Money - the Beatles
That Was a Crazy Game of Poker - O.A.R.

That's what I got so far.

FTOPS 8 - Live Blogging- Kind of.

OK, I'm about to make the first break of the FTOPS Event 8- Pot Limit Hold 'Em. Not my speciality, but I won an $8.70 to enter. 1072 Entrants. Top 153 Paid Spots- 1st place: $40,971.84.

I missed the first 10 hands, because I need a Starbucks Chai Latte to stay awake. I jump in and try to play tight. Early on I couldn't catch any flops. If I have a pocket pair, it comes all overs. AQ misses. I even tried to raise what I felt was a continuation bet when my AQ missed, but he came over the top and I had to let it go.

I had one hand which I'm kinda kicking myself.

Full Tilt Poker Game #2456441100: FTOPS Event #8 (15942372), Table 108 - 20/40 - Pot Limit Hold'em - 21:35:01 ET - 2007/05/18
Seat 1: reddog135 (3,382)
Seat 2: ACESRSEXY (435)
Seat 3: AKADutchess (2,410)
Seat 4: cyberibs (3,272)
Seat 5: ggsachs (7,991)
Seat 6: pb9617 (3,690)
Seat 7: Chick McGee24 (3,210)
Seat 8: Unimpressed (2,370)
Seat 9: Schleck (3,060)
Chick McGee24 posts the small blind of 20
Unimpressed posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [Js Kc]
Schleck folds
reddog135 folds
ACESRSEXY calls 40
AKADutchess folds
cyberibs folds
ggsachs has 15 seconds left to act
ggsachs raises to 180
pb9617 folds
Chick McGee24 folds
Unimpressed folds
ACESRSEXY calls 140
*** FLOP *** [5s Jd Kd]
ACESRSEXY checks
ggsachs bets 420
ACESRSEXY folds
Uncalled bet of 420 returned to ggsachs.

I think I shouldn't be too upset, it was KJ which is a marginal hand at best (unless you play it right, then it's 98% favorite), and I was out of position. The fact that I'd hit the flop is results based poker which isn't good.

When I was super short stacked (about 800 chips) I had two hands in the BB I was willing to push with but it folded around to me.

Finally I was dealt AQ, flopped a Q and made some cash. I was dissapointed that I didn't get a free double up. I went against the monster stack about 7K chips to my 800, but he folded when I bet the flop.

I again took down a pot with a 1/2 pot bet this time with KQ when I flopped a Q.

AND IT'S OFFICIAL, I MADE THE FIRST BREAK!

At the break I'm @ 1349 in chips. not good since I started with 3k.

Update 10:30 est: Halfway to the next break. I can't catch a hand to save my life. 889 chips. Blinds are 50/100. I'm going to have to push soon. There's only two people who would have to think about calling me.

Update 10:37 est: I'm out in 635th place. Final hand was a race. Which I lost.


Full Tilt Poker Game #2456906672: FTOPS Event #8 (15942372), Table 108 - 60/120 - Pot Limit Hold'em - 22:35:25 ET - 2007/05/18
Seat 1: reddog135 (5,714)
Seat 2: Triplesuited415 (2,626)
Seat 3: Cantsayiknowyou (15,437)
Seat 4: cyberibs (8,937)
Seat 5: ggsachs (8,276)
Seat 6: pb9617 (2,985)
Seat 7: rev hockey (4,695)
Seat 8: Unimpressed (889)
Seat 9: Bbuddy4brkfst (689)
cyberibs posts the small blind of 60
ggsachs posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Unimpressed [9h 9d]
Bbuddy4brkfst: i had 15 twice
reddog135: money fav
pb9617 has 15 seconds left to act
pb9617 folds
rev hockey raises to 360
Unimpressed: suckin' balls.
Unimpressed raises to 889, and is all in
Bbuddy4brkfst folds
reddog135 folds
Triplesuited415 folds
Cantsayiknowyou folds
cyberibs folds
ggsachs folds
rev hockey calls 529
Unimpressed shows [9h 9d]
rev hockey shows [Ac Kh]
*** FLOP *** [Jd Kc Ah]
*** TURN *** [Jd Kc Ah] [5s]
*** RIVER *** [Jd Kc Ah 5s] [Js]
Unimpressed: Figures.
Unimpressed shows two pair, Jacks and Nines
rev hockey shows two pair, Aces and Kings
rev hockey wins the pot (1,958) with two pair, Aces and Kings
Unimpressed: night folks
Unimpressed stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,958 Rake 0
Board: [Jd Kc Ah 5s Js]
Seat 1: reddog135 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Triplesuited415 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Cantsayiknowyou (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: cyberibs (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: ggsachs (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: pb9617 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: rev hockey showed [Ac Kh] and won (1,958) with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 8: Unimpressed showed [9h 9d] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Nines
Seat 9: Bbuddy4brkfst didn't bet (folded)

At least Full Tilt crushed my dreams on the flop.

Overview: I didn't like my play. I played too passively. Early on I tried to see some cheap flops, but made the mistake of calling standard raises to try to hit the flop and having to let go when I missed. I also didn't get much in the way of hands. AQ twice (which I talked about) and then nothing higher than 66 (maybe 88) once until my 99. And any pocket pair I did get missed the flop completely and I had to let them go.

Bottom line, I played too passively. Loose Passive early, then Tight passive late. I even thought about folding my 99. Since it was it was UTG+1 raising. Ultimately with my stack size I was glad I chose to raise and hoped it would push people out. Which it did.

Good night folks. Back to grinding it out @ the .05/.10 Ring games.

Bank In The Saddle Again.

Well my rakeback came through last week and I haven't donked it off yet. "And I stress yet."

It wasn't much. About $37. I've played in 3 or 4 micro cash games and turned decent profit on most (one was a 80 cent profit- for a very short session). I also played in two turbo SnGs, $6 + .50 and a $11+1. I finished in 2nd in both of them for OK cashes. I played in a 13 (I think +1, I don't remember) Heads Up SnG for a $26 token. I played loose early on and dropped to about T600. Doubled up then donked some off on bluffs to about T800, but then played patient poker and ended up taking the win. I got lucky in that he never sucked out on me. Any hand that was all-in, I had the best hand. The weirdest was the hand that gave me the chip lead. I had Kx. Flop came J-K-J. I bet he raised, I pushed (this is from memory and I could be wrong). He shows 77. I took the lead and never looked back.

It felt good to win that, especially after throwing some chips away. It wasn't a turbo so I wasn't afraid of the blinds early on. I didn't mind losing chips trying some moves. I haven't played much heads up recently so I was getting worried about my HU game. Hopefully I'll get some HU experience in either the AIPS event of the FTOPS event.

I tried to parlay that into a $75 token in order to play ina $75 SnG for entry into FTOPS event 6 (short handed) but I finished in 7th place and decided to give up trying. My bankroll can't handle the attempts right now. I'm around the $70 mark. I might try to turn $4 (or $8) into a $75 token (or maybe just try a $75 token frenzy.. I think it's $11 bucks). Then I'll enter the Big Big Game on Sunday. We'll see.

I have the Ante Up AIPS tournament tonight. Also a shorthanded event. On Friday is Event 8 of the FTOPS (Pot Limit HE), which I have entry for. Hopefully that goes well. I'm going to try to take some screen shots as I go through the tournament.

Finally, a bit thanks to Waffles and Goat for stopping by.

See you at the tables.

If anyone believes blogger tournaments are more friendly than anonymous ones (aside from “knowing” each other from their blogs, many of these people have met in real life once or twice, in Vegas and/or Atlantic City) boy are you wrong.

I played in the Mookie last night (I’ll get more into my play later). Waffles and Heffmike seem got into a little bitch-slapping contest and sellthekids got stuck in the middle.

Then at my table early on, Miami Don went on a little tirade:
Joe_13 folds
Mattazuma folds
RecessRampage folds
summer_babe folds
MiamiDon raises to 135
PostModernBoy folds
NomeyMyHomey folds
misogynist raises to 230
Unimpressed folds
MiamiDon raises to 1,160
misogynist calls 885, and is all in

They flip over AA vs QQ.

The Queen comes on the turn and Don is crippled. He then proceeded to go off on Misogynist (not sure what the blog is) calling him all kinds of names and criticizing his play. It was just sad really. What’s funny is that his rant was clearly transference. He wasn’t pissed at misogynist with that call. Don WANTS that call every time. He’s not pissed at Misogynist, he’s pissed at Full Tilt for putting that Queen out there. Waffles had a similar situation later in the tournament, QQ vs JJ. All the money goes in and the JJ wins. What seems to get forgotten is that these hands aren’t 100% winners. It’s 80/20. You do this 100 times, you’re going to lose 20 times.

This happened to me. My 77 lost to 55. Half my money got in when I was a head. Unfortunately the other half got in after he turned his 5. But still, it was 80/20 preflop. It folds around to me in the small blind (30/60), I raise it to 180, and the BB calls.

Flop: Qs – 3h – 4c. I bet the pot 360. He calls.

Turn: 5c. I have half my stack in there. I doubted he had the queen, so I push in the rest of my stack 1505 and he shows his set.

I’m not as unhappy with that hand as I was in an earlier cash game. I just should have thought about what he would smooth call. He’d call my preflop raise with almost anything when it’s blind vs blind. But to call my flop bet. Would he call it with ace high? I really didn’t take the time to think about it. But even then, he may have called a continuation bet with two Ax (x being higher than a 4). He’d definitely call that with an A2; which would have given him his straight on the turn. That is definitely why being out of position sucks.

So I was out of cash on FTP and wasn’t planning on playing. My affiliate money kicked in (not at much as I thought), but it gave me some cheddah to play in the Mookie and to play some .05/.10 cash game before hand. I totally donked off in the cash game. And the loss in the Mookie means I’m out again until next week, when I should get my rakeback (though I’m worried I’ll lose my rakeback because of the PPA bonus I cleared… bastards… we’ll see).

I need to get my patience back. I really do. Instead of waiting for a good hand in the cash game to double up, I limped in with T8s. In the previous hand I watched two guys push all-on on an all low flop. One guy shows AQ the other AJ. AQ wins it. Now this hand the flop comes 8-5-2. BB bets, middle position immediately pushes all in (has me covered)- he was the AJ. Donkey that I am insta-call and BB folds. MP shows a set of 2s. I’m broke and waiting for the Mookie to start.

It’s frustrating to see that I’m playing HORRIBLE. It really is. I have absolutely now patience. No matter how much I repeat to myself, “Wait, wait, wait. Don’t get fancy in the low limits.” I can’t help myself. Basically I have to wait until the 18th and the FTOPS IV #8 event before I can play again. Lets see if I can learn from this.

Finally Some Live Poker

The typical monthly home game. Fast blinds and all-in’s crazy play.

I think next time I might just hit Foxwoods instead though.

Tournament 1: Early on, I limp in from the CO with Q4d. Folds to my buddy, Slappy, in the BB, he checks. Flop comes A-Q-5. He checks and I don’t put him on an Ace. Not without a raise in the BB. I bet 3 bucks, he quickly raises it to 6. I without a thought push. He thinks and calls. I was right… he had no ace… but his QT was better. I’m crippled. However, I’m all in blind in the next hand, and triple up. Double up two hands later and I’m back in it. I ended up busting in the middle, but most importantly, showing to the two new guys, why I was nicknamed “Herpes.”

Tournament 2: I get crippled again early (I don’t remember the hand). Shortly there after, I manage to make a couple of double ups. I’m relatively healthy again, still low stack, but can survivor some hands. I’m dealt A9 in late position and end up pushing. I’m called by one player (Slappy). He flips over, A8s. WOO HOO! Flop 8-2-2… rut-roh! River: Blank… Turn… a beautiful 9. Seriously, I’m Slappy’s kryptonite. I have uncanny luck against him. If I’m dealing, he’s sure to lose. Slappy still has a huge chip lead over the people still in. A few hands later, I’m low on chips and I’m dealt 66. I push, and Slappy calls. He flips over 99. Yikes. He’s all happy, until to finally put me out. Of course, he’s still powerless against me, as I spike my 6 on the river sending him on tilt. Now I have a healthy stack, probably 2nd in chips.

A few beats later, I’m hurting again but it’s heads up. Me and Slappy. He’s got a pretty big chip lead on me. We had just ordered food and it’s scheduled to arrive soon. I turn to him and offer to split it 50/50. “That’s the only offer I’ll make.” He looks at my chips and says, no we’ll do it. 60/40. I say no, and give him one last chance. He suddenly tightens up BIG time. Blinds are so high that I’m getting huge stacks each time he folds. It doesn’t matter that I have 72, 82, 23, he’s folding to my BB and most times I’m in the small blind, I push and he folds, not wanting to double me up. We’re finally about even. I push with Ax, he calls with Kx and neither of us improve. When the count is done, I had him slightly covered and take it home.

Tournament 3 was uneventful for me. I’ve been sick and was getting tired. It looked like this was the last one for the night. So as the blinds were getting up there and about 4 or 5 people left, I pushed with 4/5 suited. I didn’t want to wait the two hands for most of my stack to be in the BB, so I pushed. The SB agonized over the decision before folding, but the BB called with a couple of overs. I didn’t improve.

It was the usual fun night, mediocre poker and lost of laughs. Plus I was up for the night. I really don’t remember a home game where I didn’t win at least one tournament. That’s a nice feeling.

I'm the Man!

OK, not big deal really, BUT I managed to figure out how to expand this layout to make the the main posting area bigger! WOO HOO! Let me know if this screws up anyone's viewing of this.

Broke

Well I'm "officially" broke. This is the first time I've had no money in my account since february.
I played in my first Mookie event for my last $11.00. It was less then impressive. Two key hands early on. UTG limps, it folds around to me on the button. I raise with KQ suited. Fold, Fold, BAM! Big raise. That's usually the sign of aces or kings, I muck.

The next hand, I'm dealt TT. It folds around to the guy to my right. He raises, and I just call. I want to see a flop. Flop comes J-x-x. He bets out and I don't put him on a jack. I push the rest of my stack. I was right. No Jack... Aces. DOH! I'm out in about 68th out of 74.

Now ALL is not lost. I'm still waiting for FTOPS event 8, which I have a buy-in for. Plus I won a 300 FTP point SnG for a seat in a satellite into the $400K Guaranteed on Sunday. So far there are over 1000 people in this satellite and only 72 spots are paid out.

Now, with the loss of my cash (I have $1.22, which is just 3 cents shy of a freakin' $1 + $0.25 SnG. Bastards. All is not lost. I'll have rakeback AND a little affiliate money coming the middle of May.

On a side note: While stepping away from poker (online that is, have my monthly home game this weekend), I may switch over to some things on a more personal level. Not sure how comfortable I am about doing that on this site. Granted I have 4 readers. Oh and just a Hey there, to Statikkling. DIdn't know you were still hovering around this place. Bayne_s, I'm sure you just googled yourself and found your name here, thanks for stopping by! And to PMAC, from my old stompin' grounds (MSR) which I've pretty much abandoned- for stopping by. Oh yeah, and a hello to TripJax (another googler, I'm sure), who recently stopped by as well. Plus I know Dawn stops by every now and again. What is that, 5? I'm a fucking dynamo.

Anyway, as I was saying, possibly some personal stuff, but I may just create a separate blog for that. We'll see.

I'll see you at the tables... oh wait, I'm broke.. nevermind.

A Lark!

I didn't go down in limits... and I went through $20 in a .10/.25 NL (full ring). But what made the night an interesting one was that I saw a good overlay. There was a satellite into the FTOPS Event #8 (Pot Limit Hold 'Em).

1 spot and there were only about 6 people in it with about 3 minutes left. A $216 seat, to break even FTP needed 27 people. When the tournament started there were 12 people total. Not too shabby of an overlay. I figured what the hell. Good overlay, and I can beat 11 people... sometimes.

Well I started off OK, playing patient poker and managed to say about average. I was still around my original starting stack of 1500 a half hour into it when we made the "final table" (3 people had busted).

I stayed about average in chips, then 5 handed- I had 3713 chips (3rd in chips- 1st and 2nd had about 5600 and 5300 respectively)and the smallest stack had 1350. Blinds are 60/120. I'm in the BB and dealt 66. The low stack is 2nd to act (only 5 handed remember) and he raises to 490. It folds around to me in the BB and I push. He calls with A9. I flop a set of Satan, unfortunately he goes runner, runner for a rivered flush. No biggie, I took it OK. I'm second to last in chips with 2363. Not too bad- I'm OK, blind wise.

FTP takes pity on me 3 hands later. I'm dealt AA and 2nd to act. I bet 1/2 the pot (which is 270). The flush guy re-raised to 930 *BINGO*, and I push. Flush guy calls with QQ, and I take a big double up. 4700 in chips and back in 3rd place, even closer than before. Flush guy busts out the next hand.

After my AA I'm dealt 52o which I fold. Then I'm dealt 45o in the BB and I get a walk. Full Tilt, apparently still feeling guilty gives me AA again. I get the big stack to call my raise preflop (after he limped), he calls my 1/2 pot bet on a flop of Qs-3h-5h. A Kh hits. I'm a little nervous but bet again, this time Pot and he mucks. I'm second in chips. The chip leader is bayne_s- a fellow poker blogger who I've run into once or twice recently.

We get three handed and Bayne and I flip flop the chip lead, and the 3rd guy gets some chips and then loses them.

In the end Freddie runs his KK into Bayne_s' AA, and we're heads up.
Seat 5: bayne_s (9,110)
Seat 9: Unimpressed (8,890)

I'm a little nervous as I haven't really played heads up much recently. I was a little rusty. I hurt blayn_s earlier when on a flop of Kd - 8d - Qc, I push with the nut flush draw. He calls I figured I'm done, but turns out he was going for the flush too. Which means as long as I avoid him pairing I'm good. And I am.
Seat 5: bayne_s (2,020)
Seat 9: Unimpressed (15,980)

There's discussion of a chop. He'll donk of his chips for $108. But I can't really afford that with my crappy bankroll right now, so I decline.

Blayne_s makes some headway when we both limp and the flop 3d - Tc - 2d. We both check. A Kd on the turn and I'm holding K8. Blayne_s bets out 600, I just smooth call. River is a 5. We get all the money in and he has K5. 8^(

That's about as high as he gets. The last hand, the blinds are 150/300- chip count: 4490 vs 13,510.
I'm dealt 55. I min raise. Blayne raises it up to 1800. I called 1200. Flop is 3d - 7d 6d. He pushes his last 2690 and I call. He shows AT and my pair holds up.




And here I am sitting in the FTOPS IV, Event #8