Welcome everyone. I figured this is a good way to get a post out there. I've already played two of the SCOOP events, the PLO8 and the HU NLH. I made it to the first break in the PLO8 but not much after, and got busted out in the first round of the headsup, so it hasn't been real good so far. So this is my third chance at a good performance, with the LO8 coming up later in the week.
I'm going to be focusing on watching people's cards before I make decisions. I have a bad habit of not paying any attention and drawing to outs that don't exist. I think I can put in a good performance here today.
3:39 - Just getting started, 5k stacks and starting at 40/80/8 and 15 minute levels, there's gonna be plenty of play early. I've lost a little bit now, missing a couple nice combo draws.
4:01 - Level is now 60/120/12 and I make a nice 7 lock low against two high boards and pump it full of money. Take half of a nice 3 way pot, but I'm still a little shy of starting stack.
4:36 - Ok first break. I'm down to 4431, average stack is 5094, not a whole of lot of action. It's been pretty boring. One of my friends is in the top 100 so hopefully he keeps going. This looks like it might be an all night thing to go deep. Also, right now is an easy time to pimp out my new project. A couple of friends and I have started a baseball blog, something we hope to update daily. It's over at The Daily Balk. We;re off to a good start so far, so check it out.
4:59 - I river a straight to get up from 3100 to 4500 and then lose it to someone else when I miss a huge draw and three pair's no good. 3500, 120/240/24, average 5341.
5:15 - First big hand of the day. I decided to go prospecting for spades when I start with Q48s, two people come along. By sixth I had a nice 8 low, a gut shot wheel draw, and a Queen high spade draw. The 3 of spades was what I needed to make good on both of those, and that is what I got. I picked the bingo card right out of the deck, just below average now.
5:30 - Won a couple thousand more in chips when I made Aces up and 65 low. I'm at 6209, just above average.
5:40 - Second break, 5549, average is 6711. 1311st out of 2290 remaining. I sat out a little while and hung out with a friend downstairs.
6 PM - A seven high straight is good enough to scoop an 8k pot and I'm up to just over 9000, in the top third of the field.
6:05 - Up to 11k now, when a pair of fives and a 76 low is good enough to scoop. But I fall to back to 7300 when my starting hand of A253d fails to produce ANYTHING.
6:34 - A wheel on sixth gives me a 9k scoop at an important time, only got 10k in my stack, 2k under the average. 1316 left, 520 get paid. That might be a couple hours away yet.
6:48 - Third break, and I'm still hanging around. Average is 14792 and I'm a little below that with 10769. 624th of 1035 remaining. Stats so far:
During current Stud H/L session you were dealt 193 hands and:
- saw fourth street 42 times (21%)
- saw fifth street 34 times (17%)
- saw sixth street 30 times (15%)
- reached showdown 23 times (11%)
Pots won at showdown - 17 of 23 (73%)
Pots won without showdown - 2
I think I'm doing pretty good, although it seems like I'm folding even more than that pre-4th street. Just gotta stay focused, and keep playing smart.
7:12 - Struggling to stay alive. Under 5k stack, limits are 1k/2k/200, so I need to find some cards fast.
7:16 - Out in 792nd. Find hidden jacks, guy calls me with three hearts King high. He makes the Ace-hi straight and I never improve.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
I owe some people some things...
... only posts thankfully. I promise I will do a couple of writeup for some people. I owe OhCaptain a nice writeup of his super fun homegames and if I don't take of that soon, I may not get invited back. And I need to do a nice little writeup of Corn-Vegas activities this past weekend as well. I promise I will get to it shortly, but I have tests every day the rest of the week and some other drama to deal with, and spring break the week after. So it looks like it might be spring break before it gets done. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Corn Vegas!
So while you're playing The Mookie tune into the radio or video broadcast to be a part of history.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Temper and Patience
I have a bit of a temper at the tables, especially live when I'm at the casino. Someone snaps me off on the river, it takes a lot of willpower not to go off on them because of their bad play. I'll bitch and moan about my luck to the floor, the dealers, anyone who will listen. I'll go all Phil Hellmuth, talking about being the best player at the table, when most of the time I'm not. I'm more laid back online, mainly because I'm playing amongst friends. Recently though, I've been working on my temper and how it affects my game.
When I get sucked out on, I get mad. When I'm mad, I play more aggressively, trying to force the issue and get my chips back. When that happens, I either make more mistakes playing too many hands or I notice a lot more that my 86o that I folded would have made a straight and won the hand. And finally when I play too many hands, I get sucked out on more. It's a vicious circle.
So I need to take a walk, take a break. Even at the online tables, when I get sucked out on, I disappear for 5 minutes or so, just to give myself time to cool down. I reset, I refocus, and I get back to playing my best game.
Temper and patience go hand in hand. I cool down, I can sit down and fold away, playing that tight aggressive game I've been working on. I pick my spots a lot more carefully, and my raises get a lot more respect. When I'm mad, I can't bring myself to do that. I want action, go go go, and I won't stop until I've got all or nothing. My ego pops up and I'm the best player in the whole world (in my head).
When I got 3rd in the Mookie a couple weeks ago, I played 9% to the flop. My preflop raises earned me some respect folds, my continuation bets worked more often and I even got away with check-raising the flop when I missed my hand. It worked because I stayed patient and calm. I was too nervous to try any funny business, it's been a while since I've been in that situation.
So that's the basic gameplan, at least for now. I'm going to put some fun stuff in the gameplan as it evolves. Let's call this a rebirth of my game. It might work, it might not. But everyone will get to see the journey.
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Oh yeah one more thing. This one's for Pirate Lawyer. He didn't believe me last night when in the Skillz Game, I bet at him on the river on a board of 22T85. He thought and thought and then asked me if I had quads. He folded and I told him I flopped a boat. He immediately called BS. What is it, am I not an honest guy? For some reason he just didn't trust me. So here's the proof.
I was in the BB. I so love Omaha. Maybe you'll believe me next time sir. Have a good day. :)
When I get sucked out on, I get mad. When I'm mad, I play more aggressively, trying to force the issue and get my chips back. When that happens, I either make more mistakes playing too many hands or I notice a lot more that my 86o that I folded would have made a straight and won the hand. And finally when I play too many hands, I get sucked out on more. It's a vicious circle.
So I need to take a walk, take a break. Even at the online tables, when I get sucked out on, I disappear for 5 minutes or so, just to give myself time to cool down. I reset, I refocus, and I get back to playing my best game.
Temper and patience go hand in hand. I cool down, I can sit down and fold away, playing that tight aggressive game I've been working on. I pick my spots a lot more carefully, and my raises get a lot more respect. When I'm mad, I can't bring myself to do that. I want action, go go go, and I won't stop until I've got all or nothing. My ego pops up and I'm the best player in the whole world (in my head).
When I got 3rd in the Mookie a couple weeks ago, I played 9% to the flop. My preflop raises earned me some respect folds, my continuation bets worked more often and I even got away with check-raising the flop when I missed my hand. It worked because I stayed patient and calm. I was too nervous to try any funny business, it's been a while since I've been in that situation.
So that's the basic gameplan, at least for now. I'm going to put some fun stuff in the gameplan as it evolves. Let's call this a rebirth of my game. It might work, it might not. But everyone will get to see the journey.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh yeah one more thing. This one's for Pirate Lawyer. He didn't believe me last night when in the Skillz Game, I bet at him on the river on a board of 22T85. He thought and thought and then asked me if I had quads. He folded and I told him I flopped a boat. He immediately called BS. What is it, am I not an honest guy? For some reason he just didn't trust me. So here's the proof.
I was in the BB. I so love Omaha. Maybe you'll believe me next time sir. Have a good day. :)
Monday, January 12, 2009
Fine, I'm back.
Well after some chiding from BamBamCan tonight, I've decided to return to writing here after a while away. In September, after a disaster tournament in Omaha, I felt like I needed to step back from my poker and sort of start from scratch. It was so bad I scrapped a lot of my view of the poker world around me and basically started over. I took some time away from the game, focused more on school and work, and had to find a way to feel better about myself. I was pretty down after that so it was much needed time away.
I didn't play a hand of poker for about 6 weeks, didn't even think about it in any seriousness. I wanted back in but after that, time away was real nice. Eventually I ended up playing a little at the casino, really basic tight poker. I've relearned the basics of tight agressive poker, and I'm better off for it. I've still got some of my trapping moves, but I'm smarter in picking my spots. I needed to learn how to change gears more effectively and use image to my advantage.
I came back to online poker last Monday and started fast. I took 3rd in the Tuckfard I and 1st in the Tuckfard II, as well as 5th but just out of the money in the Rambler PLO Dime Rebuy. On top of that I made my way through a field of 50 tough competitors to take third behind LJ and lucko for a nice payday. I played 11% of hands preflop, established the tight image and used it to my advantage. I was near the top most of the way, coming into the final table in 3rd. In the end, my ATo couldn't suck out on LJ's AQ and I was out in 3rd. All the support coming my way was really nice, it was a great feeling.
For the week I made a total of six final tables in blogger events, three cashes, three top threes and one win, my best week of poker in a very long time. On top of all that, I just finished off my title defense of the Tuckfard II winning it two weeks in a row. Switching gears was the key to this one, actually more like keeping the pedal to the floor.
59% of hands isn't exactly textbook Omaha8, but it worked anyway. Well I need to focus on the NY Rambler tonight so I'm gonna wrap this up. It's nice to be back and hopefully I can keep up this mojo I got going. See ya later, hopefully more often now.
I didn't play a hand of poker for about 6 weeks, didn't even think about it in any seriousness. I wanted back in but after that, time away was real nice. Eventually I ended up playing a little at the casino, really basic tight poker. I've relearned the basics of tight agressive poker, and I'm better off for it. I've still got some of my trapping moves, but I'm smarter in picking my spots. I needed to learn how to change gears more effectively and use image to my advantage.
I came back to online poker last Monday and started fast. I took 3rd in the Tuckfard I and 1st in the Tuckfard II, as well as 5th but just out of the money in the Rambler PLO Dime Rebuy. On top of that I made my way through a field of 50 tough competitors to take third behind LJ and lucko for a nice payday. I played 11% of hands preflop, established the tight image and used it to my advantage. I was near the top most of the way, coming into the final table in 3rd. In the end, my ATo couldn't suck out on LJ's AQ and I was out in 3rd. All the support coming my way was really nice, it was a great feeling.
For the week I made a total of six final tables in blogger events, three cashes, three top threes and one win, my best week of poker in a very long time. On top of all that, I just finished off my title defense of the Tuckfard II winning it two weeks in a row. Switching gears was the key to this one, actually more like keeping the pedal to the floor.
59% of hands isn't exactly textbook Omaha8, but it worked anyway. Well I need to focus on the NY Rambler tonight so I'm gonna wrap this up. It's nice to be back and hopefully I can keep up this mojo I got going. See ya later, hopefully more often now.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Saturday- What a stupid I am.
I left my house yesterday morning at 8 AM to make the drive from Omaha to Mason City. I just happened to wake up at that point and started on the 4 hour drive. 4 hours in the car without the radio and without my iPod working correctly is very annoying. I make it to the casino exit around noon and there's construction all over the exit. So after making a certain soccer mom angry enough to flip me off (you're welcome), I make it to the property.
This place is huge. I decide its probably better to just follow the signs to parking instead of just finding my own spot, less possibility to ruffle feathers. I pull into the parking garage and find a spot on the third level. Finally made my way into the building and down to the casino ground floor.
The elevators are in a little hallway out of the way, so when you get out you can't see anything. I came around the corner and it was all spread out in front of me now. Holy crap this place is big, bigger than any casino I've ever been in. There are signs everywhere clearly pointing out where all the tournament stuff is going on. I went straight to the Total Rewards desk to get a Horseshoe players card, needed to register for a tournament. Got my card, paid for my entry into the Omaha8, signed the release, and was on my way. I looked down at my card and saw my seat assignment, Table 40, Seat 9. Table 40??? Wow.
That might be the whole theme of the day, just wow. The poker room has 18 tables of which only 7 were running cash games when I got in there around 1 PM. I sat and played a little 4/8 Omaha8 that didn't go so well, left that table down 60 bucks. I have this bad habit of running second nut-second nut into nut high and nut low in three way pots :( .
I make my way into the tournament area, its basically this big concert/bar/specialty gaming area that they cleared out to put tournament tables in. (Side note: All the girls that work in there are smoking hot and dressed exactly like the picture.) Tables 18 through 47 are here so I can see exactly where I'll be sitting. They're using this as the main tournament room, if they need to put tables in the poker room they do, and those are the first tables to break. It's a little dark, but not too bad. There's a final table going from the day before in the middle of the room with an announcer calling the action and a camera to look down at the board. And that's when I realize I made my first mistake.
I went out to the board with the schedule on it and all the structure sheets for all the tournaments and start reading the Omaha8 sheet. Yep sure enough there it is: "Play will continue until there is a final table or 3 AM (whichever comes first). Play will resume the next day at 3 PM." Oops. It's going to be a late night on Sunday, and I have to remember to ask for another night at my hotel, I had only booked for one. 30 minute levels, start with 25-50 blinds and 5000 chips. First break is 4 hours in, breaks after that are every 2 hours.
I walk back in and see my second mistake. "Single Table Satellites here". Duh, I should have tried that first before buying in. I decide I'm gonna try a few to try and earn a buyin to the HORSE next week. $65 gets you 800 in chips, starting blinds of 25-25 with 15 minute levels. Winner takes all, 5 $100 buyin chips and $50 cash, but the people that have been playing those say that almost all of them get chopped up.
The first one doesn't go so well, no hands and I shove with K9 and get knocked out in a three-way all in. There's two seats in a SNG getting ready to start, so the lady who also got knocked out that satellite and I locked them up and sat next to each other in seats 8 and 9. There's a whole bunch of people who are rotating through all the SNGs and they all seem to know each other. I ask her about that, and she says they all just met today through the tournaments. There's another lady there with two guys hitting on her nonstop, one guy offering surf and turf and the best Merlot in the city. I make a few big hands and make it down to three-handed. We've been playing three-handed for a while and we're pretty even in chips, so I offer a save of one $100 chips for all three of us and play for the rest. They agree and we move on. The lady next to me knocks out the kid and we're headsup. She offers me another chip, and I make my third mistake. I thought too long about it and she took it off the table. It was an easy decision to make and looking back I don't know why I even thought about it. I lost a coin flip and walk away with only the 1 chip.
So now I'm stuck with 1 chip instead of 2 which would have been good enough to buy in to the HORSE on Friday. So dumb. Rookie mistake. The plan today is to go try a couple more SNG sats, and hang around watching the foorball games until 4 PM. I'm gonna try to get my Twitter working here in case someone wants to follow my progress. I think I'm also gonna bring a tape recorder a la Gus Hansen at the WSOP. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.
This place is huge. I decide its probably better to just follow the signs to parking instead of just finding my own spot, less possibility to ruffle feathers. I pull into the parking garage and find a spot on the third level. Finally made my way into the building and down to the casino ground floor.
The elevators are in a little hallway out of the way, so when you get out you can't see anything. I came around the corner and it was all spread out in front of me now. Holy crap this place is big, bigger than any casino I've ever been in. There are signs everywhere clearly pointing out where all the tournament stuff is going on. I went straight to the Total Rewards desk to get a Horseshoe players card, needed to register for a tournament. Got my card, paid for my entry into the Omaha8, signed the release, and was on my way. I looked down at my card and saw my seat assignment, Table 40, Seat 9. Table 40??? Wow.
That might be the whole theme of the day, just wow. The poker room has 18 tables of which only 7 were running cash games when I got in there around 1 PM. I sat and played a little 4/8 Omaha8 that didn't go so well, left that table down 60 bucks. I have this bad habit of running second nut-second nut into nut high and nut low in three way pots :( .
I make my way into the tournament area, its basically this big concert/bar/specialty gaming area that they cleared out to put tournament tables in. (Side note: All the girls that work in there are smoking hot and dressed exactly like the picture.) Tables 18 through 47 are here so I can see exactly where I'll be sitting. They're using this as the main tournament room, if they need to put tables in the poker room they do, and those are the first tables to break. It's a little dark, but not too bad. There's a final table going from the day before in the middle of the room with an announcer calling the action and a camera to look down at the board. And that's when I realize I made my first mistake.
I went out to the board with the schedule on it and all the structure sheets for all the tournaments and start reading the Omaha8 sheet. Yep sure enough there it is: "Play will continue until there is a final table or 3 AM (whichever comes first). Play will resume the next day at 3 PM." Oops. It's going to be a late night on Sunday, and I have to remember to ask for another night at my hotel, I had only booked for one. 30 minute levels, start with 25-50 blinds and 5000 chips. First break is 4 hours in, breaks after that are every 2 hours.
I walk back in and see my second mistake. "Single Table Satellites here". Duh, I should have tried that first before buying in. I decide I'm gonna try a few to try and earn a buyin to the HORSE next week. $65 gets you 800 in chips, starting blinds of 25-25 with 15 minute levels. Winner takes all, 5 $100 buyin chips and $50 cash, but the people that have been playing those say that almost all of them get chopped up.
The first one doesn't go so well, no hands and I shove with K9 and get knocked out in a three-way all in. There's two seats in a SNG getting ready to start, so the lady who also got knocked out that satellite and I locked them up and sat next to each other in seats 8 and 9. There's a whole bunch of people who are rotating through all the SNGs and they all seem to know each other. I ask her about that, and she says they all just met today through the tournaments. There's another lady there with two guys hitting on her nonstop, one guy offering surf and turf and the best Merlot in the city. I make a few big hands and make it down to three-handed. We've been playing three-handed for a while and we're pretty even in chips, so I offer a save of one $100 chips for all three of us and play for the rest. They agree and we move on. The lady next to me knocks out the kid and we're headsup. She offers me another chip, and I make my third mistake. I thought too long about it and she took it off the table. It was an easy decision to make and looking back I don't know why I even thought about it. I lost a coin flip and walk away with only the 1 chip.
So now I'm stuck with 1 chip instead of 2 which would have been good enough to buy in to the HORSE on Friday. So dumb. Rookie mistake. The plan today is to go try a couple more SNG sats, and hang around watching the foorball games until 4 PM. I'm gonna try to get my Twitter working here in case someone wants to follow my progress. I think I'm also gonna bring a tape recorder a la Gus Hansen at the WSOP. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Limit Omaha8 refresher course.
Ok poker questions time, I'm examining my Omaha8 game coming into the big Omaha8 tournament on Sunday. Trying to tighten things up so I can play my best game. Any and all comments are welcome from all skill levels and playing types.
How do you people play A23x unpaired in general? I want to raise because I know if the flop is of that low texture, I'm most likely getting half with the low and on unsuited boards a wheel can be a strong high hand. But lately I feel like I'm just giving away money because I get the A23x and the flop comes all high cards.
Secondly, how hard do you play A23x with a flop of LLx where the low cards don't pair you? Bet the flop, if someone raises you back just call? Check-call if the turn misses?
If you've got like A236, and you get that low flop like 235 rainbow, you're not in terrible shape with second low and bottom pair, but if there's a bet and a raise in front of you, wouldn't it be safe to assume A4xx (maybe even A46x) and that you're in pretty big trouble?
How playable is a hand like 3456? Does it make as big of a difference if its suited? Double suited? I tend to limp with 3456, even though its probably not limping with.
How do you people play A23x unpaired in general? I want to raise because I know if the flop is of that low texture, I'm most likely getting half with the low and on unsuited boards a wheel can be a strong high hand. But lately I feel like I'm just giving away money because I get the A23x and the flop comes all high cards.
Secondly, how hard do you play A23x with a flop of LLx where the low cards don't pair you? Bet the flop, if someone raises you back just call? Check-call if the turn misses?
If you've got like A236, and you get that low flop like 235 rainbow, you're not in terrible shape with second low and bottom pair, but if there's a bet and a raise in front of you, wouldn't it be safe to assume A4xx (maybe even A46x) and that you're in pretty big trouble?
How playable is a hand like 3456? Does it make as big of a difference if its suited? Double suited? I tend to limp with 3456, even though its probably not limping with.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Horseshoe Poker Classic
Horseshoe Poker Classic flyer (pdf)
Next Sunday at 4 PM, I will be entering in the $200+30 Omaha Hi/Lo event at the Council Bluffs Horseshoe casino. I'm pretty excited and hoping to put up a good showing. It looks like this is going to be a big deal, and I want to do the best I can. I'm brushing up on my tournament Omaha strategy, doing as much reading as possible. I don't know how much interest there will be, but I'm willing to sell pieces of myself if anyone is interested.
I think I have a real chance to evaluate my game and make a good showing. If I play my game, stay sharp, and stay patient and focused, I could definitely cash and do well.
I'm planning on playing the HORSE event too on the next Friday if I get the chance. We'll get into that maybe the next week. But until then I have a question for some of you who may have played the bigger tournaments.
How early should I show up to register? It's a 4 PM start and I was planning on showing up around 1 PM but I'm not sure if that's early enough. I'm gonna be real steamed if I show up and its sold out. Feel free to leave any comments about anything, especially tournament strategy.
Next Sunday at 4 PM, I will be entering in the $200+30 Omaha Hi/Lo event at the Council Bluffs Horseshoe casino. I'm pretty excited and hoping to put up a good showing. It looks like this is going to be a big deal, and I want to do the best I can. I'm brushing up on my tournament Omaha strategy, doing as much reading as possible. I don't know how much interest there will be, but I'm willing to sell pieces of myself if anyone is interested.
I think I have a real chance to evaluate my game and make a good showing. If I play my game, stay sharp, and stay patient and focused, I could definitely cash and do well.
I'm planning on playing the HORSE event too on the next Friday if I get the chance. We'll get into that maybe the next week. But until then I have a question for some of you who may have played the bigger tournaments.
How early should I show up to register? It's a 4 PM start and I was planning on showing up around 1 PM but I'm not sure if that's early enough. I'm gonna be real steamed if I show up and its sold out. Feel free to leave any comments about anything, especially tournament strategy.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Sunday Mornings are the best sometimes.
Woke up entirely too early and couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to try a $7.60 satellite to the $750K tonight. It was a 6-max double shootout, 1 seat into the tournament. I hit a few hands at the right time at my first table and pretty much coasted through the first table.
The final table started off with a bang. KJd on a flop of K45 with two diamonds is really nice. I bet 200, I got two callers. Turn was a third diamond. I checked, guy left of me checked, third guy bet 100, I raised to 300, left of me coldcalls the raise, and third guy calls. I was extremely worried about a slowplayed nut flush. River was a blank, I cautiously checked, the other two checked, I took it down with my second flush. I just didn't feel comfortable with the way the guy left of me played, and he had just the Ace of diamonds.
I coasted my way to heads-up and this was the first hand of headsup.
Full Tilt Poker Game #7875540167: Satellite to $750K Guarantee (59878655), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 10:47:00 ET - 2008/08/31
Seat 3: jimdniacc (3,050)
Seat 5: Villain (5,950)
Villain posts the small blind of 30
jimdniacc posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimdniacc [Ac Ad]
Villain raises to 120
jimdniacc raises to 360
Villain raises to 600
jimdniacc raises to 3,050, and is all in
Villain calls 2,450
jimdniacc shows [Ac Ad]
Villain shows [8c Th]
*** FLOP *** [Kc 2c 3c]
*** TURN *** [Kc 2c 3c] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [Kc 2c 3c 8h] [Kd]
jimdniacc shows two pair, Aces and Kings
macanme shows two pair, Kings and Eights
jimdniacc wins the pot (6,100) with two pair, Aces and Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6,100 | Rake 0
Board: [Kc 2c 3c 8h Kd]
Seat 3: jimdniacc (big blind) showed [Ac Ad] and won (6,100) with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 5: macanme (small blind) showed [8c Th] and lost with two pair, Kings and Eights
I was a little worried when the turn came but the Aces held up and I took the lead. A few hands later I got him allin with my KQ against his tens. I flop a queen and its all over...
I am absolutely not gonna play this tournament tonight, we have a family get-together tonight and I'd rather pocket the T$ anyway. It's amazing how frustrating it is when its going bad, and how easy it seems when its going well. I gotta keep the momentum going.
The final table started off with a bang. KJd on a flop of K45 with two diamonds is really nice. I bet 200, I got two callers. Turn was a third diamond. I checked, guy left of me checked, third guy bet 100, I raised to 300, left of me coldcalls the raise, and third guy calls. I was extremely worried about a slowplayed nut flush. River was a blank, I cautiously checked, the other two checked, I took it down with my second flush. I just didn't feel comfortable with the way the guy left of me played, and he had just the Ace of diamonds.
I coasted my way to heads-up and this was the first hand of headsup.
Full Tilt Poker Game #7875540167: Satellite to $750K Guarantee (59878655), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 10:47:00 ET - 2008/08/31
Seat 3: jimdniacc (3,050)
Seat 5: Villain (5,950)
Villain posts the small blind of 30
jimdniacc posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimdniacc [Ac Ad]
Villain raises to 120
jimdniacc raises to 360
Villain raises to 600
jimdniacc raises to 3,050, and is all in
Villain calls 2,450
jimdniacc shows [Ac Ad]
Villain shows [8c Th]
*** FLOP *** [Kc 2c 3c]
*** TURN *** [Kc 2c 3c] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [Kc 2c 3c 8h] [Kd]
jimdniacc shows two pair, Aces and Kings
macanme shows two pair, Kings and Eights
jimdniacc wins the pot (6,100) with two pair, Aces and Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6,100 | Rake 0
Board: [Kc 2c 3c 8h Kd]
Seat 3: jimdniacc (big blind) showed [Ac Ad] and won (6,100) with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 5: macanme (small blind) showed [8c Th] and lost with two pair, Kings and Eights
I was a little worried when the turn came but the Aces held up and I took the lead. A few hands later I got him allin with my KQ against his tens. I flop a queen and its all over...
I am absolutely not gonna play this tournament tonight, we have a family get-together tonight and I'd rather pocket the T$ anyway. It's amazing how frustrating it is when its going bad, and how easy it seems when its going well. I gotta keep the momentum going.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Three Hands 1.2
Okay number two: final table now, Omaha Hi/Lo round, I'm in a single big blind for 4k with a stack of about 26k. There are 6 people left, big stack is around 40k, and three get paid. It gets folded around to a short stack on the button that has been playing super tight all night. He raises my big blind to 8k which leaves him 5.5k behind. I look down at 9234ds. Raise, call, or fold? Actually I think the real question here is raise or just call, but hopefully we'll see some answers.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Three Hands 1.1
So I think in an attempt to improve my game I'm gonna start a nice little segment I'll bluntly call Three Hands. Three hands a week, for as many weeks as I can come up with worthwhile hands. Let's begin with this.
I played in a Limit HOE tournament Tuesday night down at Meskwaki. $20 buyin for T3500, if you're at T3500 or less you can rebuy for $20 for T2500. $20 add-on at the first break for T2500 more. I've played this one a few times and the first hour seems like standard procedure: rebuy from the get-go, play supertight during holdem, take their chips during Omaha and Omaha8. I played one hand during H1, turned two pair with A9, check-raised a couple of locals and they both folded. Easy game. O and E went real well, including a nice runner-runner hand to river the nut straight in a capped pot preflop. I would have been chip leader except for flopping three's full of sevens on a board of 377; of course, the guy next to me has to have 77xx. That leads us to hand number one.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd holdem round of said tournament. J3o on the BB, blinds 100/200, limits 200/400. Older lady in seat 1 raises under the gun, small blind calls. The lady in seat one has limped every hand so far and called some raises with some crazy stuff. Usually with garbage like that I don't play but I've established a good tight image in the holdem rounds so I call. That's not what we're here to analyze.
Flop comes down 983, bottom pair no draw. SB checks, I check, old lady bets. What now, astute bloggers? Do I believe her that she has a nine or something else that beats me, or should I call?
I played in a Limit HOE tournament Tuesday night down at Meskwaki. $20 buyin for T3500, if you're at T3500 or less you can rebuy for $20 for T2500. $20 add-on at the first break for T2500 more. I've played this one a few times and the first hour seems like standard procedure: rebuy from the get-go, play supertight during holdem, take their chips during Omaha and Omaha8. I played one hand during H1, turned two pair with A9, check-raised a couple of locals and they both folded. Easy game. O and E went real well, including a nice runner-runner hand to river the nut straight in a capped pot preflop. I would have been chip leader except for flopping three's full of sevens on a board of 377; of course, the guy next to me has to have 77xx. That leads us to hand number one.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd holdem round of said tournament. J3o on the BB, blinds 100/200, limits 200/400. Older lady in seat 1 raises under the gun, small blind calls. The lady in seat one has limped every hand so far and called some raises with some crazy stuff. Usually with garbage like that I don't play but I've established a good tight image in the holdem rounds so I call. That's not what we're here to analyze.
Flop comes down 983, bottom pair no draw. SB checks, I check, old lady bets. What now, astute bloggers? Do I believe her that she has a nine or something else that beats me, or should I call?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Football anyone?
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are only 35 days until the biggest sports league in America gets underway. The NFL season is upon us and seventeen weeks of excuses to be at the bar on Sunday afternoon. Well, seventeen NEW excuses. So as the NFL season draws close I would like to announce the beginning of the new Fantasy Football Poker Blogger League co-hosted by Instant Tragedy and I.
We're looking for at least 8 teams or as many as maybe 16 depending on interest. It'll most like be standard scoring, head-to-head, likely on Yahoo, but I'm open to whatever suggestions we may have. If you would like into the league, leave a comment either here or over at Tragedy's sites. First sixteen will get in. If there's more interest than that maybe we'll start two leagues.
As soon as we figure out how many teams there will be, we will get a draft date together. There will be multiple posts here and many other places I'm sure throughout the season. Hopefully, we get a lot of interest. Who wants in?
We're looking for at least 8 teams or as many as maybe 16 depending on interest. It'll most like be standard scoring, head-to-head, likely on Yahoo, but I'm open to whatever suggestions we may have. If you would like into the league, leave a comment either here or over at Tragedy's sites. First sixteen will get in. If there's more interest than that maybe we'll start two leagues.
As soon as we figure out how many teams there will be, we will get a draft date together. There will be multiple posts here and many other places I'm sure throughout the season. Hopefully, we get a lot of interest. Who wants in?
Saturday, July 26, 2008
I am so glad...
that I got away from home for the weekend.
I took friday off from work so I could register for classes for the upcoming year. I need 20 credits to graduate Liberal Arts AA. I'm focusing so much on graduating that I'm taking the fall off from golf to make sure I pass all 5 classes I'm taking (14 credits). In the spring, I'll be taking my coaching classes as well as what I need to finish up and graduate. Hopefully, I'll be playing golf again in the spring, but its not that important to me right now, despite playing the best golf I've ever played this summer.
As good as all that sounds, I'm a little late to register this summer, and found out that the dorms were already full. Crap. So now I have 3-4 weeks to find a apartment to live in for the fall at least, and when my friends' lease runs up I might be able to move in with them in their townhouse. The bad side of that is I'm probably gonna have to find a job besides grinding at the 3-6 tables.
I took a trip to the casino yesterday, not so much to play but just to catch up on what's been goin on over there. The pit boss recognized me as soon as he saw me, and bought me a beer on the house while we caught up. They brought back the Monday Omaha8 tournament I had so much success in, with some changes. They moved it to Sunday afternoon, and made a mixed tournament PL HO. Two weeks ago it started and they got 11 players which was more than they had in the waining weeks of the Monday tournament.
The poker room is also trying to start a feature game for some of the better players on the weekend by invitation only and I was put on the list. He wants to run an Omaha8 game and maybe some limit rotation game (he mentioned 4-8 TOE or 6-12 OE as the main mixed game). Lately they've also been running a 2-10 spread limit holdem game that has been really popular. I think that might right up my alley, not quite the strict limit game, but not the wildness of a no limit game.
I didn't bother playing in the 1-2 NL game there, I don't think my game is the point where I can play that game with good results. There's usually 3-5 young guys who just play that game every day all day, six or seven hours at a time. It just doesn't feel like its +EV to sit down there.
The blackjack tournament is my weakness: $25, Wednesday night when there's nothing going on (except the Mookie), and it has been incredibly easy to cash. That's the one nonpoker thing I'll probably hold on to now, plus its fun to play with my (newly 21) friends. Those other table games are just too frustrating for me.
I'm really excited for this upcoming year at school. If I stay focused on my schoolwork, stay patient and smart at the tables, and stay cool with everything coming at me, it should be a big year.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
I don't really know where this is going for sure, but I figured I might just get writing again. I haven't really felt like it lately, for any number of reasons, but mostly I haven't really felt like I have anything worth saying or reading. I figure if I wouldn't read it, it might not be worth writing. Maybe I just need to write regardless of whether its worth reading. Sigh.
Poker has been okay lately. I played very little online, and just a few 3-6 LHE sessions live recently. I've been playing the $5 HORSE tourneys on FT and having some success. Got second in one Monday, with Tragedy watching me through the bubble and all the way into headsup. Unfortunately, my headsup LHE game kinda sucks without me knowing it, and I got steamrolled by my opponent. Looks like I've got something to put some work into.
I really learned a lot about my game and final table strategy and how to play smarter from Tragedy. I really appreciate it man. I know there's a ton for me to learn about life and poker and patience and friends and what should be important in my life. There is such an amazing group of people out here, and I am so glad to be of any significance here. Hopefully I'm around long enough in this group to learn everything you have to tell me, be it through emails or IMs or blogposts. I'm here to learn.
I've really been working hard on bankroll management, not only just in the poker world, but budgeting for the future and the present. I have been broke way too many times, and I think I'm done doing stupid shit with the rest of my money. Too many times have I taken a bad beat in some crap tournament, and gone and played angry blackjack for no apparent reason and surrender the rest of my money. Too many times have I had a nice 3-6 LHE session, tried to take a stab at the 6-12 LO8 game and lost it all back at a table full of players better than I. I'm just getting tired of it.
So here's the new plan. The two casinos I go to always have a 3-6 game going, and that seems to be the most profitable. I only bring $200 to the casino for playing money, two separate $100 buy-ins. I am fully prepared to leave if I get up $200 (lofty expectation, yes) or if I'm feeling tired considering most the time I'm at the casino is after work and I don't get there until nearly 6:30. It's probably not a good idea to be driving tired anymore (almost hit a deer the other night).
Playing online is strictly for having fun, the money mostly going to blogger tournaments. I think I've given up trying to grind online. Two weeks in a row I've gotten heads up in the first table of the new MATH shootout. I kinda like the new format; the pay structure is interesting, but I can see why it needs to be the way it is.
I'm done writing for now. Maybe some more later. It'll probably read pretty choppy and slow, but whatever. It's a start. Bye.
Poker has been okay lately. I played very little online, and just a few 3-6 LHE sessions live recently. I've been playing the $5 HORSE tourneys on FT and having some success. Got second in one Monday, with Tragedy watching me through the bubble and all the way into headsup. Unfortunately, my headsup LHE game kinda sucks without me knowing it, and I got steamrolled by my opponent. Looks like I've got something to put some work into.
I really learned a lot about my game and final table strategy and how to play smarter from Tragedy. I really appreciate it man. I know there's a ton for me to learn about life and poker and patience and friends and what should be important in my life. There is such an amazing group of people out here, and I am so glad to be of any significance here. Hopefully I'm around long enough in this group to learn everything you have to tell me, be it through emails or IMs or blogposts. I'm here to learn.
I've really been working hard on bankroll management, not only just in the poker world, but budgeting for the future and the present. I have been broke way too many times, and I think I'm done doing stupid shit with the rest of my money. Too many times have I taken a bad beat in some crap tournament, and gone and played angry blackjack for no apparent reason and surrender the rest of my money. Too many times have I had a nice 3-6 LHE session, tried to take a stab at the 6-12 LO8 game and lost it all back at a table full of players better than I. I'm just getting tired of it.
So here's the new plan. The two casinos I go to always have a 3-6 game going, and that seems to be the most profitable. I only bring $200 to the casino for playing money, two separate $100 buy-ins. I am fully prepared to leave if I get up $200 (lofty expectation, yes) or if I'm feeling tired considering most the time I'm at the casino is after work and I don't get there until nearly 6:30. It's probably not a good idea to be driving tired anymore (almost hit a deer the other night).
Playing online is strictly for having fun, the money mostly going to blogger tournaments. I think I've given up trying to grind online. Two weeks in a row I've gotten heads up in the first table of the new MATH shootout. I kinda like the new format; the pay structure is interesting, but I can see why it needs to be the way it is.
I'm done writing for now. Maybe some more later. It'll probably read pretty choppy and slow, but whatever. It's a start. Bye.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
MSOP Event #6: $15 Omaha Hi/Lo
1072 players to start, gonna be a long night hopefully.
Nice hand, flopped top set with AA3Kds, I bet the whole way and scoop with my set of Aces and a live 3 low.
Scooped a decent sized pot with A2s83h, on a board of AhJh7-6-4h, scooped with nut low and 8-high flush.
Hour 1: T3428, 383 of 1008. Definitely gonna be all night. Pretty sure it's worth the $3600 and the watch.
Nice hand, flopped top set with AA3Kds, I bet the whole way and scoop with my set of Aces and a live 3 low.
Scooped a decent sized pot with A2s83h, on a board of AhJh7-6-4h, scooped with nut low and 8-high flush.
Hour 1: T3428, 383 of 1008. Definitely gonna be all night. Pretty sure it's worth the $3600 and the watch.
Monday, June 02, 2008
MSOP Event #4: $50 Mixed Holdem
Back and forth, and back and forth I go, during this event. I'm still having a hard time getting used to the switches between Limit and No Limit in the satellites but we'll see how it goes.
Hour 1: T3400. Not very many interesting hands. I flopped two pair with KJo on a KJ9 board, but had to fold the turn when I got reraised when a Ten hit the board. A few small pots here and there, I'm picking good steal spots in NL.
Hour 2: T1690. 272 of 284 remaining. Next round is 120/240/25 NL, then 250/500 Limit, so I need to get going. I lost a big pot when I missed nut flush and open-ended straight draws that I flopped. I got my 700 all in with AJ against 22 and flopped an Ace to double up. Won a couple more small pots. Already farther than I expected, which is probably not healthy to have such low expectations.
Out in 222nd, fuck.
Hour 1: T3400. Not very many interesting hands. I flopped two pair with KJo on a KJ9 board, but had to fold the turn when I got reraised when a Ten hit the board. A few small pots here and there, I'm picking good steal spots in NL.
Hour 2: T1690. 272 of 284 remaining. Next round is 120/240/25 NL, then 250/500 Limit, so I need to get going. I lost a big pot when I missed nut flush and open-ended straight draws that I flopped. I got my 700 all in with AJ against 22 and flopped an Ace to double up. Won a couple more small pots. Already farther than I expected, which is probably not healthy to have such low expectations.
Out in 222nd, fuck.
Friday, May 16, 2008
One Disturbing Chat Log
Location: Blogger Cash Game during the Friday Night Donkament
MiamiDon: where is waffles?
twoblackaces: playing high stakes
twoblackaces: :-)
weak_player: jacking it to asian porn
twoblackaces: that too
jimdniacc: High stakes world of warcraft?
Julius_Goat: with manna rebuys
weak_player: high stakes jacking?
jimdniacc: that is a disturbing image
jimdniacc: lol
weak_player: i know
weak_player: so sorry
twoblackaces: oh man
Julius_Goat: Gabe Kaplan is the commentator for
HSJ
weak_player: hahahaha
weak_player: i can somehow picture that
Julius_Goat: Matusow does color
twoblackaces: ahhhhhhh
twoblackaces: and the in depth analysis?
MiamiDon: he runs like zeus until it gets HU
Julius_Goat: ow don
Julius_Goat: OW OW OW OW
twoblackaces: geez don
hoyazo: its funny cuz its true
Julius_Goat: no, that's why it HURTS
jimdniacc: serious injury concerns for the participants
weak_player: i am so sorry i started that
weak_player: so so sorry
jimdniacc: not to mention perfromance enhancing
lubricants
jimdniacc: and that's all you'll hear from me on the
matter :)
Julius_Goat: ejected for roughing
jimdniacc: lol
twoblackaces: lol
Julius_Goat: Kaplan: "Now, Waffles is going to go
for two hands here for sure . . ."
Julius_Goat: Kaplan: "What I meant to say was,
he'll try the self-suck"
jimdniacc: Matusow: "Boy he sure loves jackin it,
don't he Gabe!?!"
Julius_Goat: "Well, AJ, these guys are pros
Julius_Goat: "They do this EVERY DAY"
jimdniacc: "Sometimes two or three practice
sessions a day, to get the technique down perfect."
weak_player: "i think he is slowrolling him"
MiamiDon: where is waffles?
twoblackaces: playing high stakes
twoblackaces: :-)
weak_player: jacking it to asian porn
twoblackaces: that too
jimdniacc: High stakes world of warcraft?
Julius_Goat: with manna rebuys
weak_player: high stakes jacking?
jimdniacc: that is a disturbing image
jimdniacc: lol
weak_player: i know
weak_player: so sorry
twoblackaces: oh man
Julius_Goat: Gabe Kaplan is the commentator for
HSJ
weak_player: hahahaha
weak_player: i can somehow picture that
Julius_Goat: Matusow does color
twoblackaces: ahhhhhhh
twoblackaces: and the in depth analysis?
MiamiDon: he runs like zeus until it gets HU
Julius_Goat: ow don
Julius_Goat: OW OW OW OW
twoblackaces: geez don
hoyazo: its funny cuz its true
Julius_Goat: no, that's why it HURTS
jimdniacc: serious injury concerns for the participants
weak_player: i am so sorry i started that
weak_player: so so sorry
jimdniacc: not to mention perfromance enhancing
lubricants
jimdniacc: and that's all you'll hear from me on the
matter :)
Julius_Goat: ejected for roughing
jimdniacc: lol
twoblackaces: lol
Julius_Goat: Kaplan: "Now, Waffles is going to go
for two hands here for sure . . ."
Julius_Goat: Kaplan: "What I meant to say was,
he'll try the self-suck"
jimdniacc: Matusow: "Boy he sure loves jackin it,
don't he Gabe!?!"
Julius_Goat: "Well, AJ, these guys are pros
Julius_Goat: "They do this EVERY DAY"
jimdniacc: "Sometimes two or three practice
sessions a day, to get the technique down perfect."
weak_player: "i think he is slowrolling him"
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Fuck I Hate IM Spam
Warning: Non-poker related.
Who are these people that have nothing better to do than bug the shit out of me?!?
[04:29] kelle_babe: How was your day today? well, mine was pretty good . Though, i just went through your lovely profile now at germansinglesonline.com and i'm intrigued. I'll like to learn more about you if you don't mind getting back to me.hope to chat with you soon.bye for now.....kelle.
German Singles Online? I'm not that stupid. There's no effing way I'm on German Singles.
Who are these people that have nothing better to do than bug the shit out of me?!?
[04:29] kelle_babe: How was your day today? well, mine was pretty good . Though, i just went through your lovely profile now at germansinglesonline.com and i'm intrigued. I'll like to learn more about you if you don't mind getting back to me.hope to chat with you soon.bye for now.....kelle.
German Singles Online? I'm not that stupid. There's no effing way I'm on German Singles.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
(Relative) Success
5th in the MATH
15th in the Skill Series
3rd in the Dookie
2 cashes, 1 BBT3 cash, 2 BBT3 points so far this week
It's been a pretty good week so far. I wasn't back from work Wednesday night to get in the Mookie but made it for the Dookie and played pretty well. I've been feeling pretty good lately, staying a good mood as much as possible. I'm coming down the stretch with two weeks left in school before I go home and other places unknown this summer. There will be a lot of changes soon between moving my stuff home, getting comfortable at a new casino this summer, working 40 hours a week, and deciding what my future holds.
I've played tight for the most part especially in the MATH despite some of the beats I've laid on people. I've been fully willing to lay down pocket pairs if I didn't think it was a good time to get involved in a hand. It was interesting playing deep into the MATH Monday night, getting down to push-or-fold time. It's been a long time since I've been involved in that style of play and it took some getting used to.
The HA was fun Tuesday and I hit just enough big hands to keep my stack healthy. In the end, I just didn't get enough cards to get all the way to the money.
I feel really good about my Omaha game lately. I usually have issues going from Hi to H/L and vice versa, but neither game is struggling much now. When I go from playing a lot of H/L to Hi, I have a tendency to overvalue flops that look good, but are susceptible to bigger hands. Many times I've like played a hand like 5678ds and flopped two pair, and then gone on to play it too aggressive and get beat out by flush draws that make it there or other hands. When I go from Hi to H/L, I feel like I undervalue some of the low draws, hands like A25Kds or even folding suited A3xx instead of at least limping and trying to see a flop.
I made a couple of those mistakes playing the H/L blogger cash game and the Hi Only Dookie at the same time. A couple little mistakes was ok but I gave up half my stack in the Dookie so I had to give up the cash game and focus on the Dookie. Once I got my focus back, I played well enough to get to third where I ran into a flopped boat by pvanharibo.
I'm just doin what I can with the tools I got. I should be around tonight for the Riverchasers event tonight Double Stack NL Holdem tonight. We'll see yall out there.
15th in the Skill Series
3rd in the Dookie
2 cashes, 1 BBT3 cash, 2 BBT3 points so far this week
It's been a pretty good week so far. I wasn't back from work Wednesday night to get in the Mookie but made it for the Dookie and played pretty well. I've been feeling pretty good lately, staying a good mood as much as possible. I'm coming down the stretch with two weeks left in school before I go home and other places unknown this summer. There will be a lot of changes soon between moving my stuff home, getting comfortable at a new casino this summer, working 40 hours a week, and deciding what my future holds.
I've played tight for the most part especially in the MATH despite some of the beats I've laid on people. I've been fully willing to lay down pocket pairs if I didn't think it was a good time to get involved in a hand. It was interesting playing deep into the MATH Monday night, getting down to push-or-fold time. It's been a long time since I've been involved in that style of play and it took some getting used to.
The HA was fun Tuesday and I hit just enough big hands to keep my stack healthy. In the end, I just didn't get enough cards to get all the way to the money.
I feel really good about my Omaha game lately. I usually have issues going from Hi to H/L and vice versa, but neither game is struggling much now. When I go from playing a lot of H/L to Hi, I have a tendency to overvalue flops that look good, but are susceptible to bigger hands. Many times I've like played a hand like 5678ds and flopped two pair, and then gone on to play it too aggressive and get beat out by flush draws that make it there or other hands. When I go from Hi to H/L, I feel like I undervalue some of the low draws, hands like A25Kds or even folding suited A3xx instead of at least limping and trying to see a flop.
I made a couple of those mistakes playing the H/L blogger cash game and the Hi Only Dookie at the same time. A couple little mistakes was ok but I gave up half my stack in the Dookie so I had to give up the cash game and focus on the Dookie. Once I got my focus back, I played well enough to get to third where I ran into a flopped boat by pvanharibo.
I'm just doin what I can with the tools I got. I should be around tonight for the Riverchasers event tonight Double Stack NL Holdem tonight. We'll see yall out there.
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