In Las Vegas this weekend to go check out the WSOP, which I tried to qualify for, but never did. I’ve at least visited the WSOP as a spectator for the last four years now, and it’s always a head rush.
Played a little 1-2NL over at Excalibur last night, left up $200. I was up over $450, but got caught with a A9s in position on a board of A4x777. Of course, my opponent has the remaining 7. I had figured he had the A or maybe even the 4, he wasn’t that great of a player. But even donkeys can catch good hands too. So that hand cost me $200.
Woke up this morning and went to play some more 1-2NL before heading over to the Rio. There were more spectators this year compared to previous ones. The final 4 tables of the Horse World Championship were going on, so big pros like Scotty Nygeun, Doyle Brunson, Andy Bloch and others were present.
Stopped to just rail a random table and within a few minutes, I realized the player I was standing right behind Shannon Elizabeth! She was hiding behind some rather large sunglasses and a hat for Doyle’s Room. I watched one hand where she went all-in. Random villain went into the tank, but finally made the call with KK. Shannon flips over AA and it held up, doubling her up. I didn’t stay long as I’m sure she was very nervous with her back to the rail.
Was fun. Picked up some souvenirs and went back to the hotel. Am off to play a little more 1-2 and I’ll post again soon.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
A Nice Weekend
Had a pretty good weekend. I smashed nearly every table I sat down on, placing first about five times, with an ITM of about 50%. Doubled my bankroll in two days, and played about a dozen satellites in attempt to get into the World Series in July. Ironically, none of the tournaments I won were the satellites. I doubled the bankroll, so I can’t complain. :)
I’m actually writing this while playing a 5-table SNG (45 players). I’ve got some classic Crosby, Stills, and Nash going on the headphones. Ahhh, just knocked someone out with TT against my AK. Ooops. Oh hey cool. I’m the chipleader at my table. Oh, now I’m in second in chips in the tourney.
I’ve been a better student of the game lately. Been reading more and watching more videos over at CardRunners. I do like their videos, commentary, watching someone’s style as though it were over their shoulder. I think I’ve already cashed in on the investment just this past weekend alone. I just don’t get how they multitable like that. I lose track after two tables, but there again, I’m not playing on dual 60-inch plasma displays like some of the pros are. J
I’ve been playing so well, I have half a notion to skip away to Vegas this weekend. I was going to go just two weeks ago just to check out the WSOP, like I have for the last three years. But for various reasons I didn’t, and I still want to go. So I might this weekend, we’ll see. I really need a good weekend of green felt.
My TT just found a third to make a set, and I just knocked out another opponent with AQo. Lol! I need to blog while I play more often. J Still in second place with 44xBB, but first has more than twice the number of my chips. 27 left to go. Ooops, just got stupid with A9o, dropped about 500 chips and down to fourth. Gotta get back on top. :)
I’m actually writing this while playing a 5-table SNG (45 players). I’ve got some classic Crosby, Stills, and Nash going on the headphones. Ahhh, just knocked someone out with TT against my AK. Ooops. Oh hey cool. I’m the chipleader at my table. Oh, now I’m in second in chips in the tourney.
I’ve been a better student of the game lately. Been reading more and watching more videos over at CardRunners. I do like their videos, commentary, watching someone’s style as though it were over their shoulder. I think I’ve already cashed in on the investment just this past weekend alone. I just don’t get how they multitable like that. I lose track after two tables, but there again, I’m not playing on dual 60-inch plasma displays like some of the pros are. J
I’ve been playing so well, I have half a notion to skip away to Vegas this weekend. I was going to go just two weeks ago just to check out the WSOP, like I have for the last three years. But for various reasons I didn’t, and I still want to go. So I might this weekend, we’ll see. I really need a good weekend of green felt.
My TT just found a third to make a set, and I just knocked out another opponent with AQo. Lol! I need to blog while I play more often. J Still in second place with 44xBB, but first has more than twice the number of my chips. 27 left to go. Ooops, just got stupid with A9o, dropped about 500 chips and down to fourth. Gotta get back on top. :)
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Tilt
I hate being bubble boy. Played a few sats this morning. In every one of them became the chip leader. Late in the game, too. But while grinding away and avoiding getting into too many races, I somehow chose the worst ones in all three and eventually tilted out of all three contests. They were sats to some big games. I think I'll go walk around a bit. I should be in Vegas this weekend trying to get into the ME. I dunno why I didn't go.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Full Tilt Braclet Race - meet the donkey
So I won my way into the $2k bracelet race on Full Tilt. After 2 orbits of solid poker (lol!) I got into a race I never should have.
Here's the layout of the hand. I'm in late position with JJ and do a standard pre-flop raise of 3xBB of 120. Folds around to villian in the BB, who fires a second shell with 2.5x my raise of 300. I call. Pot is 620.
Flop 4c 9h 7c. Villian pot bets, which i raise to 1800, leaving me with 1100 behind. I'm committed at this point. Villian comes back over the top with a push and I call. Villian flips over QQ, and suddenly I'm a huge dog. Turn and river provide no help and I'm done after just 22 hands.
So where did I blow this one? Maybe I should have been suspect with the PFR. Or getting pot committed with just JJ. So who was wrong here? Yes, I think I was certainly was in the wrong. But what if I had KK or AA? Or even worse, a set? Of course I could have been facing same said hands, too.
In the end, I can't lay any blame for my poor play on my opponent. I pushed my own chips and I own that. But I certainly could have easily won that race instead of losing it. I'm going to have to force myself not to get committed like that.
I must have been in SnG mode as I played that hand. Lol.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Irish Poker Open - Day 1 (and done)
Making the day one cut was within my reach, but it was not to be mine. I exited in the sixth level and they would play eight levels on day one.
Overall, I'm rather happy I made it to the sixth level. A third of the field exited the tournament before I did. So for being the first major tournament I had ever played, I sure can't complain. The first person exited within ten minutes of the start, and everyone applauded as though it were a sign of respect. TV cameras were everywhere, but I'm pretty sure I didn't make any of the coverage. :)
It was also the most difficult tournament I had ever played. I learned at lot playing at this level. So it was simply a fantastic experience and I'm glad I did it. I enjoyed the longer rounds (60 minutes versus the usual 10-20 minutes), better dealers, more chips (10k versus the usual 3-4k) and of course, the more skillful play. The tables had fresh new felt, the chips were clean, and brand new plastic cards.
I was assigned Table 27, seat 8. Seat 8 is usually a nice seat, because in nine-handed play, you can usually see everyone except seat one. I did have a few Americans at my table (one from Birmingham, AL) My strategy coming in was to be very conservative, fold the mediocre hands, and observe some of the play before trying to engage in a hand. I don't think I played a hand for the first twenty minutes or so.
Some of the more skilled players seemed to be counting on just that and came out of the gate aggressively. The first big hand I played was from the big blind with Kc 8s. The board read Kd 6h 7c 9d Td. I was happy that I had made my straight on the river, but the board had a possible flush out there. I tossed out another 900 in chips and my opponent (who had called my bets all the way) comes back over the top and bet 2700. I thought about it for a bit and folded. That hand cost me about a fifth of my chip stack, but it could have cost me a lot more if I had called it and lost. Maybe I could have been more aggressive with the pair, but my kicker wasn’t all that great.
I played at this same table with the same folks for the first four hours before we saw the first person declare "all-in". He survived and shortly thereafter we went on our dinner break. At the dinner break I was down to about 6200 in chips from the original starting stack of 10,000. Though down, I was growing in confidence that I could still make the first day’s cut.
And then I got moved to table 16, seat 7. Not just any table either. I was seated with (I think) three pros, including Andy Black for sure. Doyle Brunson is on the table just behind me. You can tell who they are because the media comes up often asking them for counts of their chip stack and jotting down hands they are playing. Sometimes they give short little interviews, too. Well, I’m seated between two of them with a short chip stack. It was time to go into Hail Mary mode. Thankfully, I started getting some decent cards at this table. I moved all in for the first time at this table and on the second hand. No callers, everyone folded. I did this twice more and still no callers. By this point the antes had started kicking in, so I needed to double up pretty fast to stay alive. I’m then dealt KK for the second time at this table, the second strongest starting hand you can get. I did get a caller this time, but he had the strongest starting hand – AA. I didn’t improve, and I was done. After 5-1/2 hours of play, and I went out at about 390th of 630 players. Almost half way in the field.
I also chatted a little with JJ Liu on this trip and I thought she was quite pleasant. She went out of the tournament about a half hour after I did. In the end, no regrets on my play. Of course, I didn’t win, but I wasn’t exactly expecting to. I only wanted to come out of this learning some new things without punching out too early and doing so without embarrassment. Call it a success.
Overall, I'm rather happy I made it to the sixth level. A third of the field exited the tournament before I did. So for being the first major tournament I had ever played, I sure can't complain. The first person exited within ten minutes of the start, and everyone applauded as though it were a sign of respect. TV cameras were everywhere, but I'm pretty sure I didn't make any of the coverage. :)
It was also the most difficult tournament I had ever played. I learned at lot playing at this level. So it was simply a fantastic experience and I'm glad I did it. I enjoyed the longer rounds (60 minutes versus the usual 10-20 minutes), better dealers, more chips (10k versus the usual 3-4k) and of course, the more skillful play. The tables had fresh new felt, the chips were clean, and brand new plastic cards.
I was assigned Table 27, seat 8. Seat 8 is usually a nice seat, because in nine-handed play, you can usually see everyone except seat one. I did have a few Americans at my table (one from Birmingham, AL) My strategy coming in was to be very conservative, fold the mediocre hands, and observe some of the play before trying to engage in a hand. I don't think I played a hand for the first twenty minutes or so.
Some of the more skilled players seemed to be counting on just that and came out of the gate aggressively. The first big hand I played was from the big blind with Kc 8s. The board read Kd 6h 7c 9d Td. I was happy that I had made my straight on the river, but the board had a possible flush out there. I tossed out another 900 in chips and my opponent (who had called my bets all the way) comes back over the top and bet 2700. I thought about it for a bit and folded. That hand cost me about a fifth of my chip stack, but it could have cost me a lot more if I had called it and lost. Maybe I could have been more aggressive with the pair, but my kicker wasn’t all that great.
I played at this same table with the same folks for the first four hours before we saw the first person declare "all-in". He survived and shortly thereafter we went on our dinner break. At the dinner break I was down to about 6200 in chips from the original starting stack of 10,000. Though down, I was growing in confidence that I could still make the first day’s cut.
And then I got moved to table 16, seat 7. Not just any table either. I was seated with (I think) three pros, including Andy Black for sure. Doyle Brunson is on the table just behind me. You can tell who they are because the media comes up often asking them for counts of their chip stack and jotting down hands they are playing. Sometimes they give short little interviews, too. Well, I’m seated between two of them with a short chip stack. It was time to go into Hail Mary mode. Thankfully, I started getting some decent cards at this table. I moved all in for the first time at this table and on the second hand. No callers, everyone folded. I did this twice more and still no callers. By this point the antes had started kicking in, so I needed to double up pretty fast to stay alive. I’m then dealt KK for the second time at this table, the second strongest starting hand you can get. I did get a caller this time, but he had the strongest starting hand – AA. I didn’t improve, and I was done. After 5-1/2 hours of play, and I went out at about 390th of 630 players. Almost half way in the field.
I also chatted a little with JJ Liu on this trip and I thought she was quite pleasant. She went out of the tournament about a half hour after I did. In the end, no regrets on my play. Of course, I didn’t win, but I wasn’t exactly expecting to. I only wanted to come out of this learning some new things without punching out too early and doing so without embarrassment. Call it a success.
Dublin vacation (aka French Police and surgical strikes)
I'm currently in Dublin for the Irish Poker Open. It's been a mighty interesting trip thus far. Flew through CDG to get to Dublin, and while transferring I got chased out of the loo by several well-armed police officers dressed in camoflauge and automatic weapons. Turned out there were two unattended bags and this resulted in them closing down part of Terminal 2. After two plane changes, I finally got to Dublin after some 18 hours of travel. One $75 dollar taxi ride later, I got to the hotel where this tournament is being held. The hotel is quite nice. Was told Bono held a private event here at this hotel just last week. Dunno if that's true or not, but this sure seems like a place where he would do that. There are 4 helicopters, numerous limos, and six different Rolls Royces parked in the drive. Not me though, I arrived by taxi.
Before going to check out the conference center, I decided to take some pictures outside while it was light. I'm enjoying the wonderful scenery around the hotel and look over my shoulder only to realize a bird had perfectly executed a surgical strike on my nice shirt. The bird must have thought I arrived by helicopter. Of course, my first thought wasn't about the shirt, but instead to check to make sure the Nikon survived the carpet bombing. Of course, if it had been a Canon, my first thought would have been about the shirt.:-)
I went back upstairs and changed shirts, then went to the conference center and checked in for the tournament. The room at the conference center is very nice, and the TV set is envious. Would be fun to get picked for it. :-) They are showing the tournament all weekend here on national TV with a feed on the internet. I also noticed that they had some cash games going. Mind you, I don't like playing cash games. I prefer the tournaments - buy-ins are cheap, its a game of competition rather than gambling, because simply digging into your wallet to rebuy isn't an option in a tournament, once you're out, you're out. I had said to myself I wasn't going to fish out the wallet while I was here. But I figured it might give me an advantage if I played a couple of dozen hands to see how good the poker talent was in Ireland. So I weighed my options on the cash game, picked the cheapest one and decided it might give me an advantage tomorrow. Plus I needed to get some dinner, and that would make that very easy. I can say the talent here is very, very good. I might be in over my head here. :-) If the cash game is any indication, tomorrow will be a very difficult day - usually about half the field won't make it past day one. I didn't get any real good cards at the cash table, so once dinner came and went, I left promptly. I got what I needed anyway. Several top pros are here, but I've yet to see Jennifer Tilly. I just hope I make it past day one.
Before going to check out the conference center, I decided to take some pictures outside while it was light. I'm enjoying the wonderful scenery around the hotel and look over my shoulder only to realize a bird had perfectly executed a surgical strike on my nice shirt. The bird must have thought I arrived by helicopter. Of course, my first thought wasn't about the shirt, but instead to check to make sure the Nikon survived the carpet bombing. Of course, if it had been a Canon, my first thought would have been about the shirt.:-)
I went back upstairs and changed shirts, then went to the conference center and checked in for the tournament. The room at the conference center is very nice, and the TV set is envious. Would be fun to get picked for it. :-) They are showing the tournament all weekend here on national TV with a feed on the internet. I also noticed that they had some cash games going. Mind you, I don't like playing cash games. I prefer the tournaments - buy-ins are cheap, its a game of competition rather than gambling, because simply digging into your wallet to rebuy isn't an option in a tournament, once you're out, you're out. I had said to myself I wasn't going to fish out the wallet while I was here. But I figured it might give me an advantage if I played a couple of dozen hands to see how good the poker talent was in Ireland. So I weighed my options on the cash game, picked the cheapest one and decided it might give me an advantage tomorrow. Plus I needed to get some dinner, and that would make that very easy. I can say the talent here is very, very good. I might be in over my head here. :-) If the cash game is any indication, tomorrow will be a very difficult day - usually about half the field won't make it past day one. I didn't get any real good cards at the cash table, so once dinner came and went, I left promptly. I got what I needed anyway. Several top pros are here, but I've yet to see Jennifer Tilly. I just hope I make it past day one.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Self-inflicted bad beats
“Self-inflicted bad beats.” Are these terns mutually exclusive or is that an oxymoron? Could be both. You’d have to know you were beat for the former which doesn’t qualify as a bad beat. But you do need a moron. And I sure was one yesterday.
I had it all going again yesterday, made a sat into the $100+9 $60,000 challenge with 767 participants. After 2 hours and 110 hands or so, I was only treading water about the middle of the pack. And then I caught a few pots that rocketed me up to 25th place with 169 to go. I started feeling pretty good about this one, not only being good enough to cash, but I was set up to go deep on this one.
And then this hand happens. Important to know I have no reads on anyone at this table, I had been moved here 5 hands ago, not even a full orbit. Right after I got involved with this hand, wife hands me a overdue cable bill. It was just enough to get me distracted from the hand. Not her fault at all, I'm the moron pushing the chips. Yes, I’m pushing all my chips and I’m crippled. Dumb, dumb, dumb. This was my tournament to win and I took my eye off the ball long enough to have a self-inflicted bad beat.
FullTiltPoker Game #5008520822: $60,000 Guarantee (37138767), Table 53 - 200/400 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 20:46:24 ET - 2008/01/26
Seat 1: hibster1 (23,913)
Seat 3: serrie (22,386)
Seat 4: kakazinho (15,240)
Seat 5: SnottsdaleJerry (14,621)
Seat 6: Lil Laggy (17,835)
Seat 7: WinnerAccount (25,240)
Seat 8: thanbai602 (21,328)
Seat 9: GrinderMJ (4,861)
hibster1 antes 50
serrie antes 50
kakazinho antes 50
SnottsdaleJerry antes 50
Lil Laggy antes 50
WinnerAccount antes 50
thanbai602 antes 50
GrinderMJ antes 50
serrie posts the big blind of 400
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to serrie [As Qd]
kakazinho folds
SnottsdaleJerry folds
Lil Laggy folds
WinnerAccount folds
thanbai602 raises to 1,200
MiamiDon sits down
MiamiDon adds 11,190
GrinderMJ folds
hibster1 folds
serrie calls 800
*** FLOP *** [Kh 4s Th]
serrie bets 1,600
thanbai602 raises to 7,600
serrie has 15 seconds left to act
serrie calls 6,000
*** TURN *** [Kh 4s Th] [3d]
serrie bets 13,536, and is all in
thanbai602 calls 12,478, and is all in
serrie shows [As Qd]
thanbai602 shows [Ah Kc]
Uncalled bet of 1,058 returned to serrie
*** RIVER *** [Kh 4s Th 3d] [Ad]
serrie shows a pair of Aces
thanbai602 shows two pair, Aces and Kings
thanbai602 wins the pot (42,956) with two pair, Aces and Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 42,956 Rake 0
Board: [Kh 4s Th 3d Ad]
Seat 1: hibster1 (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: serrie (big blind) showed [As Qd] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 4: kakazinho folded before the Flop
Seat 5: SnottsdaleJerry folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Lil Laggy folded before the Flop
Seat 7: WinnerAccount folded before the Flop
Seat 8: thanbai602 showed [Ah Kc] and won (42,956) with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 9: GrinderMJ folded before the Flop
P.s. The guy that doubled on me went on to finish 9th in this tournament for about $1300.
I had it all going again yesterday, made a sat into the $100+9 $60,000 challenge with 767 participants. After 2 hours and 110 hands or so, I was only treading water about the middle of the pack. And then I caught a few pots that rocketed me up to 25th place with 169 to go. I started feeling pretty good about this one, not only being good enough to cash, but I was set up to go deep on this one.
And then this hand happens. Important to know I have no reads on anyone at this table, I had been moved here 5 hands ago, not even a full orbit. Right after I got involved with this hand, wife hands me a overdue cable bill. It was just enough to get me distracted from the hand. Not her fault at all, I'm the moron pushing the chips. Yes, I’m pushing all my chips and I’m crippled. Dumb, dumb, dumb. This was my tournament to win and I took my eye off the ball long enough to have a self-inflicted bad beat.
FullTiltPoker Game #5008520822: $60,000 Guarantee (37138767), Table 53 - 200/400 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 20:46:24 ET - 2008/01/26
Seat 1: hibster1 (23,913)
Seat 3: serrie (22,386)
Seat 4: kakazinho (15,240)
Seat 5: SnottsdaleJerry (14,621)
Seat 6: Lil Laggy (17,835)
Seat 7: WinnerAccount (25,240)
Seat 8: thanbai602 (21,328)
Seat 9: GrinderMJ (4,861)
hibster1 antes 50
serrie antes 50
kakazinho antes 50
SnottsdaleJerry antes 50
Lil Laggy antes 50
WinnerAccount antes 50
thanbai602 antes 50
GrinderMJ antes 50
serrie posts the big blind of 400
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to serrie [As Qd]
kakazinho folds
SnottsdaleJerry folds
Lil Laggy folds
WinnerAccount folds
thanbai602 raises to 1,200
MiamiDon sits down
MiamiDon adds 11,190
GrinderMJ folds
hibster1 folds
serrie calls 800
*** FLOP *** [Kh 4s Th]
serrie bets 1,600
thanbai602 raises to 7,600
serrie has 15 seconds left to act
serrie calls 6,000
*** TURN *** [Kh 4s Th] [3d]
serrie bets 13,536, and is all in
thanbai602 calls 12,478, and is all in
serrie shows [As Qd]
thanbai602 shows [Ah Kc]
Uncalled bet of 1,058 returned to serrie
*** RIVER *** [Kh 4s Th 3d] [Ad]
serrie shows a pair of Aces
thanbai602 shows two pair, Aces and Kings
thanbai602 wins the pot (42,956) with two pair, Aces and Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 42,956 Rake 0
Board: [Kh 4s Th 3d Ad]
Seat 1: hibster1 (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: serrie (big blind) showed [As Qd] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 4: kakazinho folded before the Flop
Seat 5: SnottsdaleJerry folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Lil Laggy folded before the Flop
Seat 7: WinnerAccount folded before the Flop
Seat 8: thanbai602 showed [Ah Kc] and won (42,956) with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 9: GrinderMJ folded before the Flop
P.s. The guy that doubled on me went on to finish 9th in this tournament for about $1300.
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