On The Bubble (again)

O.K. this is now officially ridiculous.  Last night I bubbled on a 45 person tournament twice (well, once on the bubble, the other 6 away from the money).  The ironic thing was that they were both against AQ, which as we all know is a trouble hand.  The true bubble was really my fault.  I raised from the cut-off with A-10 (the big time trouble hand).  I was flat called by the button, who was the chip leader....rut row!  The flop was A-small-small, 2 clubs.  I bet half the pot, which was at least 1/2 my remaining chips and he re-raises me all-in.  I should have smelled trouble at that point and run with my remaining chips, which would probably put me all in the next time I played or in the blinds. So, pot committed and suspecting a steal raise from the chip leader, or possibly a flush draw I call...bye-bye.

The next 45 person SNG I was also in good shape with 13 remaining.  I limped in with K/10 suited, and the flop was great for me...K-J-10.  It is checked to me, I bet the pot and am re-raised all-in, by.....AQ, the flopped straight!  I of course call, and bye-bye.  I must start to respect re-raises more!!!!

Finally, a word of wisdom:  There are two secrets to success at poker.  Rule #1, never tell your secrets. 

Doctor Phil

My poker nickname is Dr. Phil.  This was started a couple of years ago by Roland, the poker room manager.  The name stuck, and lots of players have asked me over the years what "type of doctor" I am.  I have several answers, but the best one lately was provided by my wife, who suggested "Card-iologist".  Ha-Ha!  There are several doctors who play at The Moose regularly, so I think that I fit right in.

Anyway, here is a Doctor poker joke:

A Doctor answers his phone late one night and hears the familiar voice of a colleague on the other end of the line.  "We need a fourth for poker," said the friend.

"I'll be right over", whispered the doctor.  As he was putting on his coat, his wife asked, "Is it serious?" "Oh yes, quite serious," said the doctor gravely.  "In fact, there are three doctors there already!" 

One more joke:

A guy was playing 10-20 holdem and was stuck about 300 dollars when he looked down beside the table and saw a little green leprechaun.  "Quit playing poker forever right now and I'll give you a pot of gold worth a million dollars.", said the little fellow.  The player replied, "Let me get even first".  

Last new joke:

Q.  How do you get a professional poker player off your front porch?

A.  Pay him for the pizza.

Christmas Eve Bubble Boy

Christmas Eve was officially bad this year. The kids are unable to get to the beach from Portland. Helene was visiting some Mexican girls that she is tutoring and severely turned her ankle leaving their apartment. She had invited them to services at the church so Meg and I ended up taking them. Since they did not know the words to the caroles they sat quietly and listened. They had cooked some tortillas for us which were awesome, very authentic wrapped in banana leaves (I have not seen that particular item at Safeway). Anyway, everyone except me fell asleep and I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" alone while reading a book during commercials. I am really into the book, "The Pillars of the Earth", just can't put it down.

Anyway to the bubble boy part. I have lately been the bubble boy on 3 consecutive tournaments which is very frustrating! I had control of this one (18 person SNG), with top chip count most of the time. We got down to final table and I went card dead as the blinds escalated. I limped in on the button with Q-10 offsuit, the small blind (chip leader) folded and I was just against the big blind with 5 of us left (pays 4). The flop was 5/10/A with 2 diamonds. The blind checked and I bet the pot with second pair. He check raises all-in. I thought for a moment, decided that even if he had an ace that he had slow played, I had him covered by about 500 and I would not be drawing dead , but really suspected a steal. I called to see A/10, yes I was drawing virtually dead! The next hand I had QJ and blinds were next (300), so I pushed a limper and the big blind who both naturally called quickly. They both had a weak ace, the flop had 2 kings but no help for me, bye-bye bubble boy!!!

Hunting Bear at Christmas

Yesterday was an adventure, or as we call it "Bear Hunting". You know how the saying goes, "sometimes you get the bear, sometimes he gets you". Yesterday I decided that the roads had cleared enough on Hwy. 30 and I-5 to drive to Seattle to pick up Meg for Christmas. She had a reservation on Greyhound to Portland but had heard that they were taking passengers in order of reservation which meant that those cancelled trips were ahead of her. I thought it would be a great Christmas gift to drive up, pick her up, and drive right back. Also, someone who heard I was considering this told me about an older woman trying to get to Seattle to be with her family. So at 8:55 a.m. I called her, asked if she could be ready in 20 minutes (she did!), and we left by 9:30. It was not a "white knuckler" at any point in the trip and I was treated to a complete life history of my passenger. The trip took about 4 1/2 hours up and longer coming back. Mercer Street in Seattle was a parking lot and it took a half hour just to get on the freeway. Meg and I had a nice talk and drive back, getting home at 9:15. I was pretty done in (just enough energy to play in a SNG...one out of the money) and go to bed. Nice day hunting bear, he didn't get me this time.

Tax Preparation

Well, unfortunately, I do not have any gianormous tournament winnings that I have to claim on my tax returns this year. However, I do have some losses that I could claim, and am thinking of claiming a couple of players as "dependents" (Ramon for one). Also, am thinking of deducting several "contributions" I made during the year calling a check raise on the river with the board paired, 3 of a suit on the board, with my two pair or straight! Given the turn in the economy, I am thinking of cutting back on this type of charitable contribution in 2009.

Winter still has its icy grip on the coast. We are lucky not to have piles of snow on the street, last night's wind storm took care of most of that. We are, unfortunately, isolated, with Highway 26 closed and our family perhaps stuck where they are for Christmas. It is my hope that the weather will clear up long enough for everyone to get here, then let it sock in.

Week of Online Poker

I am playing mostly Omaha online these days, plus a few freeroll tournaments and low buy in tournaments. My online bankroll was doing pretty good until today. I am playing in a cash game and just cannot catch a break. I went a little on tilt, bought in for all my money and now can't sign up for SNG tournaments until I cash out, LOL!

The weather here is miserable like a lot of places around the country. It intermittently snows enough to close the schools and make driving not fun. Plus, we were planning a Portland trip this week which we had to cancel. I am doing odd jobs around the house, mailing packages for Christmas, and watching tv, though all they seem to be showing on all channels is the bad weather everywhere. I am reading a great book, "Marley and Me", and can't wait to see it when it hits the big screen. Very funny stuff. We are thinking about getting a dog, so the story is very appropriate right now.

Poker Jokes

"What is the difference between a large cheese pizza and a poker player"?
"A large cheese pizza can feed a family of four".

An older farmer took a terrible beat from a young player in a big no limit game at The Bellagio in Las Vegas. The farmer won't stop berating the young man for his terrible starting cards, his bad play, his dumb luck, etc. Everyone at the table grows sick and tired of listening to him. Finally, the young guy has had enough, he says, "Sir, if you can't afford to play at these stakes, perhaps you should find a lower limit game". The farmer stands up, shaking his fist at the young man and says, "Listen kid, I've got a ranch in Texas that is so big that I can get in my pickup truck in the morning, drive all morning, and still be on my own property". A gentleman at the other end of the table quietly comments, "I used to have a truck like that". The farmer shouts, "I don't have to take that kind of abuse!", picks up his chips and leaves. Everyone thanked the gentleman, including the dealer.

A man came home from a poker game late one night and found his hideous harpy of a wife waiting for him with a rolling pin. "Where the hell have you been?" she asked.

"You'll have to pack all your things, dear," he ad-libbed. "I've just lost you in a card game."

"How did you manage to do that?"

"It wasn't easy, honest. I had to fold with a royal flush."

Boundaries

I am trying desperately to cut back on my poker. First of all, am trying to "take care of business" first, then if time permits, which it always seems to, play poker. By the way, Elvis Presley's motto was, "TCB, In a Flash". He had that on the nose of his airplane. So, if it is good enough for Elvis, it is good enough for me. So, have I actually cut back? Great question. Yes, I have quit before 8:00 every night this week. Also, have quit while up. I played in a very beatable 3/6 game Tuesday night, got beaten, then moved to the 4/8 and won $300 net. End of day.

Wed. night lost in another beatable 3/6 game, moved to the big $10/20 game and won $200. An interesting observation was that I played against one of the same players that I lost to in the 3/6 when he played a 9/5 offsuit against a raise (my problem, not re-raising on the button with AQ suited). He flopped a 5 and rivered a 9. I won back that pot plus much more from him in the 10/20 because you just can't chase like that. Another plus of playing in bigger limit games.

Internet update: played in a $.50 buy in 45 person SNG and won $7.40. I led the entire tournament except for very short periods, and had 25% of chips in play at one time. It doesn't sound like much money, and it isn't, but I do love the competition and building my bankroll to play in bigger buy-in tournaments.

I am hoping to go home soon, but the weather is looking scary for the drive to the coast, so will just have to see what develops. I am ready for the holidays.

Rethinking my poker career

This weekend was awful. Bleeding chips in tournaments and cash games. I am rethinking whether or not I want to continue playing. My main reason is this: I am beginning to think that I either cannot win, or it is a zero sum game for me. I win big, only to lose it back, with the only clear winner the casino. Honestly, I have not won or lost more this year than I see some players lose in the "big game" in one session. Therefore, it is not profitable for the time I spend.

Also, some of the "personalities" are beginning to wear on me (and I am very sure that others can say the same about me). I have a saying that I try to always keep in mind, "everyone brings me joy....some when they arrive....and some when they leave". I can honestly say that most of the time I enjoy the banter, but other times it really wears thin on me. I would probably play better if I just kept my mouth shut and played like my poker hero, Pony-tail Bob.

There is also the loss I am suffering in other areas: my relationships and lack of developing other interests, excercise, better sleep, etc. All in all, I need to cut way back and "get a life". I am not quite ready to say goodbye, but am very close.

The Moon is Full in Pasco

Yesterday hit a new low note in my poker career. I took a particularly heinous beat in the 2:00 Bridge $110. buy in tournament. We had just consolidated to 2 tables, and I was seated with the chip leader (by a very wide margin). She had knocked several players out already, but I had around 5000 chips, and was playing pretty well. Several players limped in, including her, for $200 + 25 antes, for around a $1250 pot. I was in the big blind, and when action got to me, I looked down at.....pocket aces!!! I did not want to check as there were way too many in the pot, so I raised 1,000 to thin the herd. Action to our chip leader who re-raises me all-in! After everyone else folds, I immediately call, expecting to see kings, queens or maybe jacks. Even better, she has re-raised with J/7 suited!!! I never relax, and she has been lucky, and the flop unfortunately has a jack. The turn produces a flush draw, and the river........a 7!!! I am out and stunned. This is just sick. Not one to fail to get back in the saddle, I go to the moose, lose more money (rescued slightly when I flop a straight flush wheel for $155 monte carlo bonus). Not a good weekend for me.

Now to the "moon is full" part of the story. Last night on the $10/20 game an older player, we will call him "Bob" (not Pischel), is flipped off by another player when Bob heckles him for drawing out on his two pair. He stands up, walks around to the other player, and.....drops his pants and moons him!!!! This is just too funny! He is kicked out of the casino for the day and we all laugh about it. Not bad entertainment for the money.

Back Down To Earth

After running super hot all week, I am back with my feet firmly on the ground. Yesterday I played in the 10 a.m. Moose tournament and got knocked out with consecutive tough beats. The first was KK vs. AQ. He "of course" caught his ace for most of my chips. I was all-in on the next hand in the big blind with A8 suited. With two callers I was happy to try to triple up and stay alive for a round. My nemesis at the table (there is always one person who you cannot ever beat), Pat, calls with 66 and catches a 6 on the flop...I caught an 8, a 4 flush, and ultimately ace on the river for two pair, which would have beaten about any other hand. Oh well. The cash game afterwards was horrible. Very good players with one action junky always raising. I lost almost $300 with very good cards and draws that wouldn't stand up or come in. That was it for me for the day.

Saturday 8 a.m. tourney at the Moose: 7th place (sorry Mike) after my pocket 10's all-in are called by a big stack with..........drum roll please..........AQ!!!!!! The worst hand to call an all-in with knocks me out twice in 24 hours!!! Haven't these guys ever heard of AK? Mike made me promise to tell a story once in a while where I sucked out on someone, so I have to say that I played 9/3 suited (Matilda, as we call it), limping in, then catching a 3 plus a 4 flush draw on the flop. I called a $200 bet, then a $500 bet, and won the pot when a small beautiful "hello darling" heart fell on the river. It was checked to me, but couldn't even value bet in case he was trapping with a bigger heart draw. Bad play rewarded. But, as I explained, had some history with this player from a previous tournament where a string bet was challenged by me, and I sucked out on the river (oops, now it is two stories where a donkey wins!). Guess those two stories can go into his blog of bad beats.

Schadenfreude

The definition of Schadenfreude (German) is "pleasure taken from observing the misery of another". I have been aware that I must constantly keep on guard from this, especially after taking a "bad beat" from another player. Tonight I flopped a set of 7's (that is a pair of sevens in your hand, and one on the board for you non-poker players) on a big pot with raises and reraises pre-flop. The board was a low flop with no straights, so I kept betting. "Frost" calls all the way with an 8/4 offsuit and rivers a straight to take down a big pot. It is difficult not to take pleasure as he pulls another $100 off his bankroll. I have learned that people will chase with very marginal holdings (this is the same hand that busted me earlier this week). He was critical of my play on another hand that I called $2. more in the small blind with queen/3 offsuit, with at least 6 players limping in, and then flopping trip 3's and turning a full house. He really could not see the difference between calling in my position and his very dumb call in middle position.

The talk at the table was about the big fight he and "Jeff" got into the night before. It had to do with poker etiquette (yes, there is such a thing). It ended with some shouting, calling out, and ultimately both players being kicked out of the game. It is very difficult sometimes to enjoy the game when sitting for long periods with obnoxious people.

Update on winning streak.....it is still alive! I won a little last night (I think $40. in the cash game, plus chopped 1st place in the Omaha tournament. Total winnings about $100. Tonight a very small win, $60, after being down $100, then up about $200. Quit while you are ahead is my new motto.

Is The Long Nightmare Really Over?

The last two days at the moose have been very good to me, up $150 and $400 on consecutive days. The tables have been exceedingly "soft", with day 1 a very passive and loose game, and day 2 a very aggresive loose/weak table. I am continually amazed at people calling and overcalling against obvious strength from tight players. A good example was last night a tight player raises out of the small blind in a 4/8 kill. I had limped with k/10 offsuit on the button, and was regretting the first call, but with 5-6 callers and position on the raiser was o.k. to stay in. The flop: K/7/4 all clubs. The raiser bets, everyone calls, and I decide to find out about my king by raising (also had the 10 clubs). He just calls and "Angela" sitting to my right, also calls. Everyone else folds. The turn is a blank, I bet $16 and raiser calls as does "Angela". River is a second 4, raiser checks, "Angela" checks and I check . Raiser shows pocket JJ (there you go Lynne), and Angela slow rolls 8/4 offsuit!!!! WTF!!! How you even call one bet with that one amazes me, then to stay to the river with bottom pair with that board and that action is crazy. Her stack is soon gone as predicted, and another $100 bill appears. I don't really understand how some people can afford to play poker with their "skills".

Now for another life lesson for my (few) readers. I think that life is really just a series of decisions, exactly like a poker game. We are constantly choosing what game to play, what stakes to play, if we want to participate in a hand, whether to raise or call or fold, continue playing until midnight or quit, etc. I believe that success in life as well as in poker depends mostly upon the quality of our decisions. If we analyze what we are doing and always try to make the best decisions based on the information we have in front of us, we can be successful.

Life as well as poker is a game of incomplete information. We never have complete certainty (well, with the possible exception of flopped royal flushes in poker) , but if we do everything in our power to gain as much information as possible and use our wisdom , judgement, and instincts to make the best decision we can, then we have done all we can to affect a good result. That said, we never ever have 100% good outcomes no matter how much experience, etc. we bring to bear. Aces are "cracked" all the time by 8/4 offsuit. But, the long range picture for the person making the best decisions constantly is much better than the alternatives.

Up and Down Online

I am trying to wedge in some online play this holiday weekend late at night or when everyone else is involved with something. Thursday is a very good day, increasing my bankroll by 30% by winning a small sit n go and doing very well on the omaha low limit game. However, Friday I give it all back. My tournament play is very spotty and unlucky. I am getting way too impatient, probably because of guilt playing poker while family is in the house, so am pushing too hard with marginal holdings. On the theme of totally whacked luck, I am playing omaha and really can't win a hand. I tighten up to the point of absurdity, trying to play only super premium holdings like AA23 suited. I limp and hope, but either no low develops or I am counterfeited every time. Finally, tilt sets in and I raise and re-raise with my premium hands, only to have the same results. My AA23 is beaten by KK34 every time, or even worse. One hand I had nut flush, nut low draws on the flop and get beaten by someone making a back door flush with 2/3 suited! Sick!!!

Now to the life lessons part that I promised my daughter. Never get involved with something when you cannot give your full attention to it. Distractions are fatal to success. Also, always be on your "A" game, and focus on always doing the right thing and do your best to ignore the results. A results oriented life forgets that what is important is that life is a journey not a destination.

New Ultimate Bet Website

So, Monday night I am happily playing along in a good Omaha game when the site announces that the table will close in 10 seconds! I check out other tables, and everything is shut down. Then I remember a message about the site undergoing some upgrades and will close for a few hours. O.K., to bed. Tuesday I am thinking about driving to Spirit Mountain for the day since Helene is working, but heavy rain makes the trip a bad idea, plus the gutter cleaner is here first thing in the morning, so I sit down to play online. What!!! The site is totally different, they have merged with Cereus, and totally changed everything. But, the worst part is my small real money bankroll has disappeared! I contact their online help desk who advises me to sign off and sign back on. No dice! I uninstall and reinstall the program, but still no money. I am feeling violated. I try playing the free money part and don't even like it. I forgot the loosey goosey play when it is play money. I give up and go have coffee at the bakery.

Later, I try again, and lo and behold, there is my money. Allrighty then. The new site is different though, the rake is more on the sit n go's which cuts into your payout. It runs slower, players are given more time to act. In general, I want my old site back. May have to explore other sites.

Someone just shoot me

Two low limit (50 cent) buy in tournaments this morning. I was in great shape in the first one, but two lucky breaks for my opponents took me out in 3rd for a 45 cent net win. The second one was a disaster, and a freeroll went up and down, losing with AK twice to small pocket pairs.

This is now a live, play by play account. I am now playing in a .02/.04 omaha game, and am down $.68. I have had huge draws to nut high and nut low with no draw coming in. I am just trying to play tight game until my luck changes. Yes! Just hogged a hand with a 10 high flush and a $.45 win! Being down only 33 cents makes my day.

Later....I play in a $1.00 sit n go, and win!!!! KA-CHING, net $4.00. Currently down .15 in low limit Omaha game.

Late update, I play in a $1.00 sit n go, and win! Maybe I am turning the corner. But, the win has a big downside. I signed up for the tournament just before Helene got home, and she is totally mad at me all night for playing it and not coming right up for dinner. :(

Still Waiting to Get Hot

O.K. this is officially bad. I played on a couple of online tournaments today and got crushed by, in order, My AJ beaten by A9, he caught a 9. Then pocket kings allin (tournament leader..me), gets called by pocket Jacks...and he naturally hits his 2 outer. Then...fairly deep in freeroll, I raise preflop with AK, get an AK7 flop, end up all in...against pocket 7's. WTF!!! Then to pour salt in the wound, the turn card is....the case 7!!!!!! The overkill of quads is just a little over the top for me.

I am, however, an eternal optomist. I am like the little boy who gets a big pile of manure for his birthday and happily starts digging through it looking for the pony! My spirit will not be crushed. Hope will go on....just like the Titanic.

Hunkering Down for Low Limit Online Play

I have been running so bad that I am down to playing 50 cent and dollar buy in Sit n go tournaments online. The play at that level is very bad, but I am still running pretty unlucky. Typical knockout blow, I have pocket 10's (twice...different tournaments), and run into pocket Jacks each time. I run into pocket aces with my pocket kings. The hits just keep on coming. But, I am able to cash often enough that I am staying even. Today I played in a 50 cent omaha 8 or better pot limit and won. It took 2 hours and I made $2.00. Not a good hourly rate. I also played in a dollar buy in pot limit omaha with rebuys and got crushed (40th place). I just am not getting my draws to come in....nut low, nut flush, and I lose to two crummy pair with no low hand coming soon. I think pot limit omaha is my favorite alltime game. It is a position game, along with choosing starting hands wisely, and managing the pot size is super important.

I keep thinking my slump will end....then watch out!

Dealing at the American Legion

Friday night poker tournament at the American Legion, and I am ready to break the bad streak. Bad news right away, they are short of dealers and ask me to deal. I reply that I will if they ask everyone and absolutely cannot find anyone else. My reason is that it is very hard to play well and deal, plus I do not tend to deal myself great cards. I relax with a corona and hope for the best. No luck. I am asked to deal table 2, given a $10 refund on the $40 buy-in, plus three free drink tickets (the upside of dealing). I get stung early on a jack high flop with my J/K when Matt shows pocket Jacks. He really doesn't maximize the pain, so I only lose about a third of my chips. Could have been worse. The table is a nightmare. A couple of very bad players who will not get out of a hand, and also play many hands, some very aggressively. Because I am short-stacked early I tighten down and wait for the big hand which just never comes. Even average hands on this table would win very big. Finally, I am down to $600 in chips with blinds 100-200, and the worst player raises all-in before me. I have AQ, so it is an easy call. He shows 77 which holds up to knock me out as we combine to 2 tables. I think that due to the extreme poor play at the table, if I had not been dealing I would have played my poor hands very agressively. Nearly every hand had 4-5 players limping in, then folding to any action after the flop.

Running Cold Still

This is getting ridiculous. I am getting beaten like a rented mule on very easy online sit 'n go's. For example....I am on the button with a jack/4 offsuit, the small blind raises small and I call. The flop is....jj9. Awesome! He continuation bets for a couple hundred. I smooth call. The turn is a queen. He bets bigger, I again call. The river....an 8. He checks, I put in a small value bet, he raises! I call to see pocket 10's make a straight! Later I lose a two pair q/10 to his K/J on a q/j flop, 10 turn, and king river. This guy owns me!

Another online game, I have K/2 hearts. The flop....all hearts, 8 high. I check, a short stack goes all-in, a big stack comes over the top of him all-in, and I call. The short stack has JJ, no hearts. The big stack has 8/9 offsuit, with the 9 of hearts. Great! The turn....a nine, giving big stack 2 pair. You know what the river is.....an eight! Wow!!! Nice hand sir! I am getting really tired of providing examples of how to draw out on someone. My only, and I mean only, consolation is that I am definitely getting all of money in with the best hands.

Pendleton Part 3

My last tournament at Pendleton this year, the Omaha 8 or better. Or, as I like to say, another $215. buffet. I do make it almost to the dinner break (4 1/2 hours of play) before being knocked out on kind of a fluke hand. I was in the big blind for over half my chips...blinds were 300-600, and the next player raised 600 so I called for pot odds. He had aa83, my hand was a/j (diamonds), K/9 (spades), not a bad hand. The flop came with 2 diamonds and the river....another diamond. I was ready to rake the pot when it was pointed out to me that the eight of diamonds on the river paired the eight already on the board, and there was also a 3 out there....giving the raiser a full house, but not with the cards he or I expected. Terrible beat!

Poker Round-up Part 2

Just like the old Timex ad, "takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'", I am back for more abuse on Sunday. The thing I really like about the roundup is running into poker friends from all over. There is a fairly large Cannon Beach contingency, including Jim & Rachel, the organizers of the American Legion tournaments. They sold their place in CB, so I haven't seen them for a while. My game went pretty much like Wednesday's, winning a few pots then losing on AQ vs AK when an ace hit. Lost another $100 in Omaha and called it a day. My new resolution: Never go all-in with only top pair....gotta be stronger.

My life lesson is to make good decisions and not to worry so much about the outcomes. Life is just a series of decisions we make, and things will not always work out, but if you always make good decisions the general trend will be good.

Wildhorse Poker Round-Up

Time for the semi-annual poker round-up in Pendleton, Oregon. I pick up Bob Pischel at 8:00 and we make the hour drive in time to play a satellite sit-n-go for $25. I hate the format, $800 in chips with 10 minute blinds. I am out early, and Bob follows. They have great cash games during the roundup, so I sit down to play Omaha, and by the time the tournament starts am up $120. In the tournament, I have some early success, our table breaks down. I was sitting a couple of seats behind a WSOP bracelet winner, Susie Isaacs, and was only in one hand with her. I had pocket 9's calling her small raise, and folding when I missed. I was hoping to knock her out as she is a bounty player and you get to spin a wheel for prizes. Anyway, when our table broke I am reassigned to a new table, and already dealt in. I look down at .....pocket queens. There is a raise to $300 under the gun by a young player, so I re-raise to $900. He calls. The flop is 9-8-2 rainbow, and when he checks I continuation bet 1200 into the 2000 pot. He goes over the top of me all-in and has me covered. I think for a moment...but obviously not long enough...and call. He shows pocket deuces for a flopped set! OUch! I am trying to think now what I could have beaten. I guess not pocket aces or queens, pockt 9's, 8's, or 2's. So, with 5 hands that could beat me guess a laydown wouldn't have been bad. I have to quit calling all-ins with only top pair or overpair (more on this subject later). Anyway, back to the Omaha game, playing until 11 p.m. and losing a hundred or two. Not a spectacular trip. I like to say that the buffet ticket costs $215, but the poker is free!!!

Bad Week in Tri-Cities

Oooooh, the loss, ooooooh, the humanity. The players at the Crazy Moose just take turns drawing out on me. Two days of losses playing my very best poker.

Trouble in Tullalip

What a great casino and poker room! Beautiful, spacious and many games offered. I sign up for the 3/6 and 4/8 games, and after a half hour I get in the 4/8. It is a pretty bad group of players, with one young gun raising on the button every time (I am in the under-the gun position on him, so it is not a big deal to me, I usually have already folded. I am having one of those days where every hand I don’t chase or don’t enter would have won, and every hand I do enter, I have to fold on the flop cause I missed big. I play pretty tight and watch the old guy next to me rack up about 400 in chips. He is catching everything, plus his hands are holding up. I flop a nut flush draw with a/9 suited on a kq flop with two clubs. I bet, he raises and I call. The turn is an ace, so I bet again, he raises and I again call. The river misses my clubs, I check/call to see his A/K win.

My consolation after losing about $70 is that I watched several players drop 2-300 each. I checked the rake out, and it was huge, at least 4 max, plus multiple drops in the bonus slot, which I had never seen before. They had a $200/hr high hand going, which was won each hour by very weak full houses, with at least 7 tables going….missed opportunity.

Failure at the Final Table

After a night when I dreamed many poker hands and scenarios, the big day arrived on Sunday. I drew the 4 seat, which has been a good one for me. No huge stacks at the table, and both shorter stacks are here, hooray!! I had been telling anyone who would listen about my genius strategy....wait for aces! On the third hand, my hopes were realized, pocket rockets! I thought for a second or two about how to bet. If I "limp" in, then I allow both the small and big blind to get in for cheap or free which could be disaster if the flop comes little and ugly. However, if I limp, I also tempt someone later to raise me, in which case I can re-raise all in. What to do, what to do. Finally I decide to "overbet" the pot, raising 12,500 all-in, in the hopes of catching someone with a big hand who puts me on AK or a medium pair. Unfortunately, everyone folds and I just pick up enough to get me through the upcoming blinds.

Long story short, I play pretty even for almost 2 hours, doubling up briefly when my pocket 10's find another one all-in against pocket queens. I give back most of the chips when my A/10 goes against A/J on a 10/j flop to the same player! I make two fatal errors late when I fail to raise all-in with pocket 2's against the blinds (even if Ramon calls with KJ, it is a tossup). I fold my big blind to a big raise (8/3 offsuit).....two live cards and dead money plus blinds made that a no brainer....only to end up with 3,000, not even a big blind. I go all in against Hector/s big blind with KQ os, only to see AJ suited. He flops a J, then another one.... I go out in 14th place (out of 100 players), with only the top 10 paid. I watch briefly as Bob P. loses all his chips to go out 13th. We had a deal to pay the other 10% if we won the 1st place, 6,000 bucks, so I am doubly disappointed. I have to play much better at Wildhorse next week.

The Big Freeroll

At last the much anticipated day arrived. I warmed up with a quick Sit 'N Go tournament, winning it easily. Then off to the casino for the regular 10 a.m. tourney. Dark clouds on the horizon, I am knocked out just before the final table. Just not getting cards worth playing. The tournament starts at 1:00 and there are 17 in our flight (a total of 5 flights will play). Only the top 4 will move on to the finals on Sunday, and we will carry forward our chip count, so it is important to not only get a seat, but to collect as many chips as possible.

The tournament starts slow for me, up and down from the original starting count of 10,000 chips. I maybe hit 14,000 on my maximum. I survive to the final table, but pretty short stacked. I get all in against Ramon, known as the "golden horshoe up his azz" guy, for his good luck. He has AJ vs my AQ, looking good. The board double pairs and we end up chopping the pot. He retains his seat, I fail to double up through him, and a couple of hands later a guy knocks 2 players out on one hand and we are in the final 4. I am second in chip count with only 12,500.
The leader has run over the table collecting 141,000 in chips!!!! So, now I am in the finals, with a very short stack, and will have to go all in within the first 30-60 minutes. Oh well.

I play in the live game later, and make $120 in about 4 hours of play. I had a great night the day before, making $400 in 2 hours, so poker is paying for me this weekend.

In The Groove

Yesterday was a great poker day. I played in 3 sit 'n go tournaments, winning 2 and coming in 2nd in the other. I also was playing in a freeroll with over 3500 players and was in 5th place when I had to go run errands. When I got back, the tournament was over and I had come in 14th place, winning $1.00 plus entry into a $1000. freeroll on Saturday. It is eerie how sometimes you just seem to win effortlessly, while other days you can't buy a pot.

Break Even Day at Spirit Mountain

The thing about playing poker at Spirit Mountain is that it is a killer drive. One hour forty five minutes of windey coastal roads. If you play too late, like I did today, you are faced with the drive in the dark and rain. It is always a longer drive home if you lose, which technically I did today, to the tune of $7.00 if you count the $10. free coupon I got in the mail and redeemed. So, anyway, a 3 and a half hour round trip drive, plus 7 hours of play for a loss of $1. an hour plus gas...thank goodness for cheaper gas (2.99/gal}. The one bright spot I can find is that I probably lost the least at the table. There was only one winner, and he was up maybe a couple of hundred, which is not a big win on a 4/8 kill game table.

It was interesting to check out the game at the next table. It was a 2/5 no limit game, and there were some players with several thousand dollars in front of them. I peaked over the shoulder of one player and watched him call an early position $40. raise with 4/6 offsuit! Scary!!!! I guess that is how you bust aces, but after the flop came with an ace he was out of there. I think I will skip that game for a while.

Friday Night at The American Legion

A disappointing night at the Legion tonight. I was basically card dead and lucky to make it to 11th place (out of 25). The smoke in that place is unreal. I have to strip down immediately and dump my clothes for the wash because they absolutely reek! Starting in January there will be no smoking allowed in private clubs, so that should really improve things.

Good Day Not To Play

I had a big day of poker planned today. I was planning on leaving around 9 a.m. and driving to Spirit Mountain Casino...about a 1hr 45 min drive. I was planning to play poker all day, meeting my boss and best friend, Geoff, sometime in the evening and end up in Salem spending the night there. I love the Spirit Mountain poker room. There are 17 tables with every limit and type of game available. Plus, they are having an anniversary celebration this week with prizes and great promotions. I even have a $10 free ticket for cash if I go during the week. But there was a snag. I wanted to bring Helene along with me so she could visit with her good friend, Geoff's wife, Lark, and she couldn't leave until Friday or Saturday. Oh well, if we leave Saturday I can try to qualify for next quarter's freeroll tournament at the American Legion. A bright spot!

But, now to the heading, not a good day to play poker. Since I was home today, I played in several low buy in tourneys (50 cents- dollar). I got crushed!!!! I didn't come in higher that 4th in any of them....and since they only pay 3 places, not so good. I have found that playing online is a good indicator of how my cards will run at a live casino. So, I probably saved myself a couple of hundred dollars by not going today. I am becoming a big believer in luck that runs in streaks. When you are hot, you're hot, and when you're not, you're not.

Champion of Champions

Yesterday was a great day of poker triumph for me. The weekly American Legion tournament awards points for your finishes, 6 points for a 1st, 5 points for 2nd, etc. The top 20 point earners for the quarter get to play in the "Tournament of Champions". I just missed with 5 points, but was the #1 alternate. Yesterday morning I got a call telling me that there was a cancellation and I was in!!! The last time I qualified was a disaster. The very first hand (yes the 1st hand), I had pocket 4's. I put in a small raise, got a couple of callers. The flop was 4-6-6, a full house for me. I bet the pot and was check raised by a blind. I re-raised all-in and Carl, the re-raiser, said " I don't think you have aces". I replied, "Don't call me if you like pizza". They were serving pizza at the break in 45 minutes. Anyway, he calls and shows pocket K's....wayyyy behind, however the next card is another 6, so he makes 6's full of k's to beat my 4's full of 6's. OUCH/Double OUCH.

So, with that experience in mind, at this TOC I arrive fashionably late, after the 1st hand has been dealt. I played pretty well, got some great hands (and great flops) and managed to double up before the break....so that is what pizza tastes like! I went a little card dead for a while but made the final table with below average chips. I won a couple of hands and was back in contention until running up against slow played trip 6's going all in. I ended up the short stack at the table with 7 players left. Two players went out on one hand which got me into the money, which is always my first goal, other than survival. I then got a little hot, doubling up thru a big stack, and watching another player get knocked out. I then doubled up thru the second chip leader and went into 2nd place. As always, I proposed a "deal" for chopping up the money, but no interest. Two hands later, the short stack raises 4,000 out of the blind (which he had been doing a lot, as a steal, I suspected). I called with J/Q and watched the flop come J/Q/3. He checks, I go all-in and he calls with....pocket Aces! Wow. I would have done the same thing with just the queen or Jack, putting him on Ace/anything. The board failed to produce another ace, or pair the board with something other that a jack or queen and he was eliminated. The other guy, Gary, and I agreed to each take $500 and play for the rest, $260. The very next hand I have 2/10 (the Doyle Brunson, he won 2 back-to-back world championships with that hand), and the flop is 4/4/10. I go all in, am called with 6/K (was he just tired?), and my 10's hold up! Sweet! After tipping the dealers $80 and buying drinks for the players, $40, I register a $620 net win (no buy-in).

Now I just have to hope that the same thing doesn't happen to me that happened to "Old Jim". I come home, reeking of smoke, putting all my clothes on the landing and taking a hot shower. I give Helene $100 as a reward for putting up with my poker, and to assure that the money doesn't re-enter the gambling world. Life is good.

Poker Nicknames

I am fascinated by the nicknames we acquire when we are regular poker players. My own name, Dr. Phil, was given to me by the manager of the casino I play at regularly. He thought I looked a little like the TV star, and I have kind of a methodical, professorial style. Anyway, the name stuck so well that I am asked every week what kind of doctor I am. Sometimes I mess with them, telling them that I only have a PHD in computer science, worked for Microsoft, invented the auto underlining when you type in a web address in email. Other times I am an orthopedic surgeon, dermatologist, etc. Some of my favorite local nicknames are:

"Miami John"
"White Hands Rick"
"Triple Gutter"
"Lucky Leo"
"B Man"
"Curly Hair Joe"
"Pony tail Bob"

An update to my previous post. "Old Jim" was actually only 73, yikes! 12 years older than me!!! I must say however that in 12 years there is no way I will look that bad, unless of course I
begin a meth addiction or something.

The Way To Go

The past two years I have played poker with a guy known as "Old Jim". I have been told that his age was in the 90's, but he could have been younger than that. He was a smoker and had a lot of trouble breathing, plus he was rapidly losing weight and becoming bent over almost double. Once he dropped some poker chips on the floor and could not pick them up. He was very frail and seemed to have lost weight every time I saw him. Anyway, Old Jim was a great poker player. He played in tournaments almost daily and did very well, winning lots of them. "White Hands" Rick told me that his wife gave him a monthly poker allowance of $400, but I suspect that he did not spend much of it given his winning ways.

Once a month there is a "Tournament of Champions" at the casino. Anywhere from 80 to 160 players qualify each month by winning one of the daily tournaments (there are several tournaments each day). Old Jim of course qualified and he won the championship on Sunday. I think it was his first TOC victory. The next day he passed away quietly in his sleep. I like to think that it was a perfect finish to his life, as he loved the game and his success is now commemorated on the "wall of fame" with an engraved nameplate and a picture of him holding his winning cards.

So, anyway, I think that loving something and reaching the top on your last day on earth is not a bad way to go.