Back in The Saddle

Back to Tri-Cities for a few weeks.  Drove in last night, tired from 6 hour trip but sat down for 4 hours of play at the Moose.  Nothing spectacular, just one big hand with KK and flopping a set gave me a $50 win. 

Played the Moose a.m. tourney and was first out.  The first hand was dealt AA and two callers to my raise.  Flop was king high and AK bet out, which I raised.  Check on turn, I went all in.  Fold.  A few hands later had KK and raised fairly big.  Called by 7/9 of hearts.  Flop is A/K/x, all hearts.  He checks his flopped flush, saying, "I check my flush".  I bet $400, he reraises all in and I call with my set.  The board fails to pair and I am now super short.  Next hand I limp with 2/2 and it is raised big by 10/10.  I call with my few (100) remaining chips and am out.  Good thing though, since I sit in the cash game and leave 5 hours later up $430. including the $200 high hand I hit at the last moment (they had to review the tapes to verify that it had happened before 12:00).  Was up even more, maybe $250 or so but lost a few big pots.  Great day though.

Report on my friend, Don.  He busted out around 725th place (out of 2100 players) in event #2.  He is playing again on Saturday in event #9A.  My best wishes to him.  He has the ability to win, just needs to find the luck and play aggressively.  The pros in these things are very tough and super aggressive.  Fight fire with fire. 

"Checking it Down All-In"

How many times do we collude with another player against the all-in short stack?  With 3  or more players calling the all-in, unless there is a significant money factor (next player out pushes everyone up a notch in the payoff) involved, Annie Duke suggests in her book, "Decide to Play Great Poker", that it is not in your best interest to do so.  Say there are 25 players left in the tournament, paying only 7 spots and the short stack shoves with QJ suited.  A big stack calls with AK, a medium stack calls with pocket 7's, and you jump in with AQ.  The flop is J/5/9 rainbow.  If the action is checked to you, which it often is, your best play at this point is to bet into the dry pot.  The other two players may shoot you a nasty look as they muck their cards, particularly when you turn over no pair, but think of this way:  You were probably going to lose the pot to the all-in player anyway, and if an ace or 7 spikes you would have lost to one of the other players.

It is important to remember that you are acting in your own best interest, not the interests of the other players.  It makes no difference at all to you if the player is knocked out or not.  

Tells

Entire books have been written about this subject, but a recent article caught my attention.  The expert on tells, Joe Navarro, a former FBI guy has suggested to some of his clients like Phil Helmuth that he cover his mouth to prevent tells.  The article goes on to explain how your lips can give away how much you like your cards or the flop more than your eyes.  If you notice Hellmuth on tv, he nearly always covers it.  Chris Ferguson also goes into a mouth covering mode.  Just sayin'.  Here is the article, good luck reading it, as big as I could make it on my computer.

Floating

Don, I hope that this last minute stuff is not too elementary for you, but I think that it bears repeating and thinking about. 

Floating is a strategy that is really planning to bluff.  With a float, you call raises either in or out of position with the plan to bluff at the pot (or better yet, connect solidly).  It is usually employed out of the blinds from a button raise.  Since most raises are not made with pairs, and by nature, most cards do not connect with the flop, the float is sometimes very effective.  Say you are in the BB and it is raised 2.5 x the blind from the button.  You have J/7 offsuit.  You call the raise, and on a flop of 4/4/9 you check and when the button continuation bets you then check raise him.  This is a flop that a loose caller could have nailed with his A/4 suited, 4/5 connectors, or even A/9.  The button has probably missed, and should fold hands as good as AK, AQ, etc.  You would even elicit folds from all pairs 8 or lower.  Basically, floating is calling with "any two cards" with evil intentions after the flop.  Of course, if you meet stiff resistance you are usually forced to fold, and this is not a good plan with multiple players in the pot.  Very sophisticated players, who you meet in the WSOP may even float your bluff check raise and rebluff on the turn or river.  Very Scary.  It also drives home the problem with playing all hands out of position.  The decisions are a lot harder.  But, this is a way to maybe slow down that habitual button raiser and maybe nail him!

Squeeze

The squeeze play is one of the best known tournament plays.  It was responsible for my bubble out loss in Vegas last week, yet it was still the right thing to do, just unfortunate to run into aces.  Whereas I ran my squeeze with a super strong hand, it can also be done with garbage.  The point is putting the original raiser and caller into an uncomfortable situation where the original raiser does not know what the caller will do.  Below is a chart of my play:


SB (me):  KK   2000         chip count 40,000
BB:   unknown  4000        chip count  20,000
UTG:  AA Raise     12000          chip count  80,000
Button: unknown Call     12000         chip count  120,000

When the action came around to me, I re-raised all-in.  Notice that the original raiser is in a particularly bad spot.  The pot size is around 70,000 and he must call almost 30,000 more which is 2/1 on his money.  But, he faces the button who can call for 30,000  giving him a 3/1 odds on his money.  And, most importantly, the button is aggressive and has the big stack.  Nasty spot for him.  The button on the other hand must call the same 30,000, only giving him the 2/1 on his money but he has shown absolutely no strength just calling the original raiser.

Bottom line is that I really like the squeeze play, but attention must be on stack sizes.  If you do not have enough chips to push them off it will not work.  If you are playing against a short stack, it also is a problem as he may be pot committed and will never fold in this situation.  The best situation is the one I was in with two stacks that could really get hurt.
 

Don Strategies: The "stop & go"

    

My old high school buddy, Don, has "made me an offer I can't refuse".  He is entered into the WSOP and will pay for my entry in the main event if he cashes for $200K or more.  Even though it seems like a long shot, Don is an excellent tournament player who has cashed in two previous WSOP's.  He has also offered to bring Ron, our other h.s. buddy in as a spectator and cheerleader.  Don is looking for suggestions on how to win and I am hoping to pass along some solid advice, or at least some things to consider and study further.  I talked earlier about tight aggressive vs. loose aggressive, now I am thinking with the event coming soon we need to focus on some specific strategy.  My plan is to try to come up with some juicy "thoughts of the day" every day or so until the event (when exactly do you play, Don?).  Here is my first:

The "Stop & Go"

This is a very effective tool when you are short stacked, but have sufficient chips to force folds after a flop misses.  Let's hope you don't have to use it (cause you are never short-stacked), but remembering it can save your tournament life.  This is best executed from the big blind, but can also be used in the small blind.  The best time is when you have an pair, obviously the bigger the better.  Raising preflop you do not have enough chips to get limpers to fold, so you just check if no raises no matter what the pair (aces included).  On the flop, you shove no matter what the flop is.  Paired boards are obviously better since it is unlikely someone holds trips, but no matter, you are shoving anyway.  If you hit the flop you abandon the stop & go and just play good trapping poker.  For instance, you hold J/J and the flop comes J/5/9 rainbow.  This is a pretty dry board and you want to give the K/J the chance to bet his chips.  A flop like 5/5/10 calls for the shove.

My history with this is one of failure, that is, I failed to execute it with my aces and chose to shove preflop getting multiple callers (a limpede) and then checks to river with someone catching a flush one time and trips the other.  In both cases, had I done the "stop & go" I would have won the hand easily except for very sick calls.

Catching Up

It was very tough to post any of my Vegas action due to a lack of internet connection (I was too cheap to pay the $15/day rate) at the Venetian.  In a nutshell:  not a profitable trip.  My biggest losses were at the limit games, getting stuck at 3/6, 4/8, and omaha 4/8.  Another loss was at my one tournament, which I got knocked out early, re-entered, and finished on the bubble.  A few words about that tournament:

$120 buy-in, 52 entries, I was rolling along with about 10,000 (8,000 starting) when I flopped two pair, J/6 in the big blind on a J/6/5 flop.  I bet a pot sized bet, around $400, and was reraised by the UTG player to 2000.  I re-raised all-in and he called .....with 6/3 suited.  He hit his flush on the turn, saying something like, "well it is a re-entry tournament, so it was "only" $120 more to rebuy.  Nice.  With only 2000 I shoved with 5/5 and was called by A/A.  Re-entered and made the final table.  When we were 6 handed it was suggested that the bubble be given $25 from each player which the biggest stack would have no part of.  First prize was $1700.  Nice.  I ended up being that bubble after doubling up twice as the short stack and becoming 3rd largest stack.  Then this happened.  In the small blind with 2,000/4,000 blinds and a $500 ante, the UTG second largest stack raised to 11,000.  He was then called by the big stack.  I discover pocket kings and re-raise 30,000 all-in.  I am called by both players.  Flop is ace high and I get the feeling of doom.  First raiser goes all-in, big stack folds and he turns over....pocket aces.  I would play it exactly the same way again if presented the opportunity.  It reeked of "squeeze play" and would get called by any pair or big cards.  Just bad luck to run into aces and worse luck that he hit one on the flop.  If a king comes instead I am chip leader.

Wish I could relate all the sick hands, flops, and all-ins I made during the week, but just too many.  A few choice memories:

At the Riviera, a guy in a wheel chair wants a seat change which I offer.  He flops a straight flush a few hands later and "tips" me $15.

I flop a full house in a raised pot with 6/6 and get all-in on a 6/4/4 flop, winning a big pot. and cracking aces and a flush draw.

I fold K/10 button on a new table (to me) to a $12 bet with 4 callers.  Flop is 10/10/Q.  $25 bet with 2 callers.  Turn is 10 and a $75 bet with one caller.  River, don't recall, but one player goes all-in and is called....he mucks his hand. Easily the single hand I most wish that I had played the entire week.

My Q/Q runs into 8/8 on a flop of  7/8/9.  The original straddler calls our bets (I raised to $20 preflop) with 10/4 offsuit and hits a straight on river after bet and all-in.

I get stacked by 9/9 on an 8/9/2 flop playing A/9 (only $68 behind).

I am re-evaluating my self description as a "poker degenerate" after sitting with some real deviates.  A fun week but if I could do it all over again would avoid all the limit games and focus more on tournaments and 1/2 NL.

Day One Vegas

It is always good to start a Vegas trip with a win, but unfortunately cannot claim that this time.  However, I do consider getting stuck $19. in the wild ass game I was in a victory of sorts.  At the Riviera there were only two tables, both 1/3 no limit.  I bought in for $150 and sat out about 2 rounds while I watched the insanity.  A player to my immediate right, who claimed he had been playing for 48 hours straight was raising every hand.  Nice seating choice.  He and his buddy, to his right were both hyper-aggressive players and each had big stacks, between $700 and  $1000.  I failed to enter a couple of pots with hands I would normally play, and would have chipped up nicely given the action (flopped trips on one with bets and raises on top pair), but wanted to get my chips in really good.

Finally, I pick up top pair with a flush draw and get all my chips in.  Double up on the river through Mr. Aggressive.  Now up about a $100 I play more hands, but fail to score.  Now down to about $50, I raise to $20 with 9/9 and get two callers.  The flop is awesome, A/K/9.  I get them all in and watch the board pair the ace.  Hmmmm, maybe not so good.  The river is immaterial and the side pot grows as one has a weak ace, the other A/J.  I take the main pot with my boat.

Mr. A, leaves the game but is replaced by Mr. Tattoo who never stops talking or raising.  He gets felted once for $300, re-buys, and gets them all in bad 5/5 vs. A/A, even saying, "I know you have aces".  The guy flops a set of aces, then gets runners 2/3/4 to ship the pot the the 5's.  Very sick game.

Heading down for breakfast buffet.  New day. 

Off to the Real Pokerland, Vegas, Baby!

Leaving this morning for Las Vegas (the Holy Land, at least according to Hall & Oates song, "Las Vegas Turnaround").  Meeting high school buddy, Ron Lincoln tonight and other h.s. bud, Don Yarbrough on Sunday.  My T-C friends, Bob, Ron and Geoff also arriving Sunday.

Had a fair week at the Moose, chopping one morning tournament and coming out ahead in two cash games.  More money for Vegas!!!  Planning to play a few tournaments there and "required" to play 6 hours a day at the Venetian in order to get our discounted poker room rate.  Comps are good there, $1.50 per hour of play.  Will try to report on my trip while there but may not have time. 

Who's The One Outer Boy? Me !!!

Last night at the Legion we had a larger turnout than usual, almost 4 full tables.  I was playing very tight and got involved early with Pete, the tournament organizer.  I open raised with Q/Q for $100 with blinds at $20/40 and was reraised to $300 by Pete in the big blind.  Call.  Flop was 8 high and Pete fired $300, call!  Turn was another small card, Pete again fired $300, call!  River was an ace and he suddenly checked.  Suspiciously I checked behind, and with almost half my starting chips in the pot turned over my queens and Pete slow rolled.....queens!  Yikes.  I played it so bad.  At no point did I try to regain the lead or even find out where I was.  Then, when checked to me I fail to place a value bet.  Oh well, nothing ventured as they say.

A little later a fairly short stack shoves with K/Q on the button and is called by another short stack with just a few more chips and A/J suited.  I wake up in the big blind with A/A and re-shove forcing out two limpers and putting the other player all-in.  My aces hold up, two players are eliminated and I am nicely stacked up.

Reaching the final table I am probably a middle sized stack.  The first two hands we play are unbelievable.  The first I am two under the gun with A/A.  I raise and everyone folds, picking up blinds.  The very next hand, UTG, I am dealt K/K.  I could get used to this.  Raising to $1200 (blinds at 200/400), everyone folds except the short stacked big blind who defends with K/7.  Bad matchup for Sandy and she is eliminated.  I knock out another player with 5/5 and a flopped set vs. his flush draw and am sittting pretty well.

Playing exceptionally tight I pick up a pot or two and end up the very short stack with 4 players remaining.  With only 5,000 and blinds at 1/2,000 and under the gun after the break I open shove with pocket 10's.  Gary, the big stack in the BB calls with some weak crap  and I double up.  He then concedes the small blind to me and I am suddenly alive.  Then the game changer happens.  On the button I have A/Q and shove.  Big stack limper snap calls me with A/K.  Rut-Row!  This is the guy who I knocked out two weeks ago and who knocked me out last week.  We were joking earlier about whose turn it was.  The flop is no help, the turn is a blank, and before the river is dealt Gary says helpfully, "I mucked a queen" and Eric, the other remaining player says, "So did I".  The river, no problem, the case queen.  Sorry, I just don't get that lucky very often.

After the AK man is eliminated a hand or two later the three of us chop for $324 each.  Not bad for my $40 buy-in.  Overall I like my play most of the time.  I failed to trap an habitual bettor with my two pair flop once, and I hated my queens play.  Other than that I avoided playing small pairs out of position, folded blinds against strength, and played my good hands aggressively.