Bad Table Change

Sometimes in a tournament you are just flat out sitting in a golden seat.  It was like that Friday night at the American Legion tournament.  We had more players than normal (39), so there were four tables.  I drew table 3, which I liked because my friend Mike was dealing.  I usually get good cards on his watch.  There was a big raiser two to my right, and my friend John, an excellent player immediately to my right.  Nice seat.  The new player kept over-raising every pot....making it 350 with blinds at 20/40 for example.  As Annie Duke said, that puts too much pressure on your hand.  So, true to form, he raised to 250 and I looked at 6/6.  With another caller, went ahead and tossed my chips in.  The flop was a dream for me, 3/3/6.  His continuation bet of 300 was flat called by me, and other players folded.  Heads up, in position, with the overfull I was very comfortable raising to 700 when he bet the brick turn (maybe a 10).  After he tanked for a moment, he then called.  The river was absolutely the worst possible card for me...another 3.  Now I can't beat any pocket pair 7's or greater.  I was grateful when he checked, and I checked behind as there is no value in betting as most of the hands that could call me have me beat.  He mucked his hand and later told me he was on a flush draw.  Would have been awesome if he had hit it.

Later I flopped a set of kings and won a nice pot from the kid to my left playing AJ against my preflop raise and a flop of K/J/x.  He posted the high hand of the night a few hands later, queen high straight flush, good for $78 at the end of the evening.

When the 4th table broke we redrew seats and I moved to table 2 with Jeff dealing.  As hot as my other seat was, this was as cold.  I played few hands, and with the blinds moving up to 200/400, and only 10 big blinds, I raised two UTG with J/10 suited.  Everyone folded to the big blind, a short stack, who reraised a couple of hundred with 6/6.  He doubled up when he hit a 6 on the flop...and I even nailed my hand with a J on the flop and 10 on the river.

Now very short, shoved the next hand with A/6 suited, knocking out the big blind who called her short stack with 9/4.

The hand that pissed me off was Terry, a very loose player who flat called his very short stack with 9/9 on the button.  The dealer called the small blind with 6/9 offsuit.  The flop was jack high and checked around.  Rather than shoving, Terry checked to the river, where the dealer made a straight, bet, and Terry called off the rest of his chips.  Horrible.  What was bad was that with his newfound wealth, the dealer started catching big cards, raising, and winning pots.   That set him up for raising light with A/7 offsuit, finding me with 8/8.  I was too short stacked to push him off the hand, so I flat called hoping for more players and more chips in the pot.  The flop was A/x/x, all spades.  I checked my hand and saw the 8 spades.  Jeff bet big, and I called with the thought that an 8 (which would not be a spade), or a spade might win it.  When he tabled his hand, he had the 7 spades.  Great.  Except another spade did not come and I was out.

I looked at the stats on this and here is the news:

Preflop:  I was almost a 3/1 favorite (71% to 29%)
Flop:    He was a 60%/ favorite

Never a huge dog.  Just can't hit 10 outs twice.

Two Steps Forward....One Step Back

Playing in the step 10 SNG I was filled with high hopes....which were dashed when a player who caught lucky on me earlier (my flopped two pair was counterfeited on the river), and should have been on the rail, knocked me out heads up.  My consolation prize?  Oh, I get to play level 9 again.  Sigh.  The next stage final is two days from now, so unless I get lucky twice will probably not be able to participate.

I really miss the "live" tournament play for real money.  Was on such a roll before leaving the Tri-Cities.  My next opportunity is tomorrow night at the American Legion.  Have not played that free-for-all for several weeks.  Will be back in TC's next week, but only for a few days.

Stepping Up

I occasionally play on the Card Player website for "fun".  I really don't care for it much as they have changed the payouts for the worse (used to win some cash) and the site has tons of ads which can be clicked on accidentally.  In addition, it frequently freezes or crashes, usually when I have a big hand.  Every day that you sign on a 4200 point credit is given to you.  Additional points are earned by winning sit n go's, as well as "tokens" which can be used for cash tournaments.  I had almost 500,000 points accumulated when I signed up for a SNG last night.  While waiting for it to fill up, I clicked to register in their big "Step" tournament which culminates in a 6 person televised tournament with a $10,000 first prize, $25K total prize pool.  Entry in step 1 is free, but you must place 1st or 2nd to advance to step 2, and on through 10 steps, with the higher steps only awarding one advancement.  I have gotten as far as step 6 previously, and with earlier tournaments, your steps carry forward.

Anyway, for some reason I clicked step 8, which can also be entered with 400,000 points.  It took me immediately to the tournament because I filled the last seat.  Oh crap!  There went nearly all my points, plus I was locked into the earlier SNG.  Oh well.  2 hours later, I won both tournaments (not fun heads up going back and forth), winning over 100,000 points back, plus 50 tokens, and now one step from the finals for the TV show.  There are 56/200 slots filled for the scheduled Mar. 29th tournament, then the top 20 play on April 9th to 6 spots, with the tv final May 11th.  Wish me luck on this!  Gotta win the step 10, then on to glory!

Karmic Justice Thursday

When you reach the money at a final table, I always try to err on the side of generosity.  For one thing, I have been the bubble boy too many times to count, so tossing the bubble his original buy-in always sits well with me.  Not everyone feels this way.  On the Thursday morning tournament, we were down to 5 players, with 3 places being paid.  All of the stacks were pretty even, I had maybe a couple of blinds more than 2nd place.  The suggestion was made to chop 5 ways for around $125 each.  One player refused.  Rut row, watch out Karma.  It did not take long before he got all of his chips in against me.  I was playing 4/5 suited (spades) in the unraised big blind.  He was on the button with A/9 spades.  The flop was two spades and a 6.  With my flush draw I bet 2500 (blinds were 500/1000).  He flat called.  The turn was a non-spade 7.  I now had an open ended straight draw plus the flush draw (that I didn't know was no good), plus 2 live cards.  I thought that I had 17 outs, so I shoved.  He called and the river brought a non-spade 5 and he was gone.  Poker Karma at its finest.

We played for a short time and I won several pots.  With everyone outchipped maybe 4 to one, Tom suggested I take first and they split the rest for around $110 each.  Everyone agreed and I took the $290 first place money.  Sweet.  

Weekend Update

This is just a recap of this weekend's poker.  Saturday played in the 10 a.m. Moose, finishing in the bubble $30, get your buyin plus $5 mode.  O.K.  Moving over to the Lucky Bridge casino, played well until I ran into two sets.  The first one, I raised on the button with J/9, and was called by 10/10.  Flop was great (I thought) for me with an 8/10/x.  He checked, I bet, he shoved a smaller stack, but about 1/2 my chips.  Oh well, others beat me with draws so.......brick/brick.  Now back to under starting chips, our table breaks and moving to new table I watch some hands, then the player to my right raises.  I find 10/10, so as a short stack move in.  I am called by 9/9, then the original raiser goes all-in.  The 9's fold, and he turns over K/K.  Oops.  But hey, the flop brings a 10.  Now who's laughing?  Not me when the turn is a king.  Gonezo.

Later that evening go to the Moose with friends for dinner, end up playing live.  With a $34 win, I call it a night...plus used my morning freeplay and won $5.  So, ended up a marginally profitable poker day

Moose   $25 Buy in, $30 Cash out
Bridge    $30 Buy in, $0 cash out
Moose  $120 buy in, $159 cash out
Total profit $14

Sunday a.m Moose.  This is one of my favorites.  $60 buy-in, $5 bounties, 5000 starting chips with 20 minute blinds.  There were almost 30 players, so nice prize pool, paying 4 places.  I began very card dead, losing a couple of pots and found myself with less than 1/2 the starting stack.  The players to my immediate right (Steve), and to my left (Ron), were very active, with Steve raising a lot and Ron playing every hand.  Ron was catching every flop, incredible heater, and had collected one bounty and more than doubled up.  I predicted he would win the tournament.  Finally, I was dealt Q/Q, and raised it up.  Of course, Ron called, along with another player.  The flop was scary, K/J/X but went ahead a shoved.  Ron of course called with A/J.  Managed to fade an ace or another jack and got back into the game with starting stack.  A little later, collected a bounty from Mike when he raised pre-flop and I called with 3/3, hitting a set on the flop.  Our table broke and then the deck started hitting me, getting Q/Q a total of 4 times, winning with all of them, A/A, also winning with a full house on the river...fading 8 out double gutter.  Had AK many times, losing to 8/8 once, but then eliminating the player later with the same hand vs. his QJ.  I misplayed them once, calling a raise from the button then folding to the C bet on the flop with a J/3/3 flop.  I tabled them, he then showed his A/9.  Later I profitable called the same players shove (he had 10/6 offsuit!!!) with my 7/7.  He had one chip left, rallied some, but was out a little later in 4th place.

At the end, I was heads up against Brad and outnumbered 5/1 on chips.  He had snapped Dr. Dave's K/K with A/J suited when he hit the flush.  I was out a few hands later limping on the button with Q/9 vs. A/7 suited (same suit, spades..that he had gotten Dave with).  Flop was queen high, with 2 spades, I shoved and he called, catching the spade on the turn.  I rivered a 9....could have beaten literally any hand other than his flush or set with my top two pair.

Moose $60 buy in, $315 cash out ($330 less $30 tip plus $15 Bounties), net profit $255.

Quick word about JT.  I feel kinda bad that I got all over him yesterday about his gleeful attitude when he knocks someone out with runners (as he did to me on Saturday final table).  I just asked that he not be so happy about it.  We pay good money to play and don't need that aggrevation.  Told him that if he continued would never tip him again.  He actually was subdued which I felt like maybe I had sucked some of the joy out of his work, but thinking more about it, what we want is a professional who is just dealing the cards, not taking sides or showing emotion when he brings the cards that crush someone's dreams.  He really is a good guy, I like him, but he truly revels too much in his reputation as the "Undertaker".  Hope I do not get the reputation of being a total jerk to the dealer(s), as I do enjoy them and they are a good bunch of people.  I really do value having good relationships with people and don't want to feel uncomfortable playing there.    

Friday Moose

There were a heck of a lot of players at the morning tournament today.  41 to be exact, so the payouts extended to 5 places.  I was running my usual card dead self and got to watch, but not participate in the following hand:

A short stack, good player limped under the gun with K/K.  Another player limped with 7/7.  With another limper, this dude decides to limp with his 9/2 offsuit.  The flop is: 7/9/2.  The kings shove about 900, the set of 7's raise all-in, and the 9/2 calls for all of his chips.  The turn is a brick, and the river brings another 9.  Players down.  Sick.  He hit his 3 outer and triples up and eventually heads to the final table where he may have won the whole thing.

I cannot fault the kings, as he probably gets nothing if he shoves preflop, but I think a small raise would have been called for to clear out the total junk.  If the 7's had raised, or re-raised the short stack preflop, then the 7's would have won a smaller pot, but still eliminated the kings.

My last hand was UTG with J/J.  With only 1100 in chips and blinds @ 200/400, I shoved and am called by the small and big blinds.  Flop has 2 hearts, including the jack of hearts.  Nice start.  Turn is another heart, but it is check checked.  River has yet another heart and it is checked again.  Winner?  No, the small blind has J/Q with the Q of hearts.  Nice hand sir.  Could not have played it any different with different results.  If I limp, then the J/Q definetely calls my flop shove with top pair and queen kicker.  Some hands are just born to lose.

Playing in the cash game for a few hours I get stuck $160.  Lots of great hands, tons of suited connectors, pairs, big cards, but almost no connections on the flop.  Those are the type of days that kill you.

Today's Advice

This, my friends, is solid advice.

Weekend of poker scoreboard:

Saturday, back to back cashes in tournaments.
Sunday, almost to final table, overplayed my KQ suited.  Donk!!!  Lost exactly $9. in cash game.

Mon. a.m. Moose:  early out after a fantastic start.  Connecting with a lot of hands, folding small pairs, out when someone could not find a fold for his pocket 5's vs. my AK.

The guy who knocked me out got stupid lucky playing Q/5 against a raise preflop:  Here were the players hands:

Button:  AA
Big Blind:  22
UTG:  Q5 (offsuit as if that matters)

Action:  limps (including me with 9/10), raise to 200, call, call, fold

Flop:  2/5/5

Action:  check, check, bet 200, call, checkraise to 500, all-in, all-in.

Turn:  3
River: 3

Winner, 5's full of 3's.  Sick.  2 players down after 2's got counterfeited on their full house flop.

This is the guy who couldn't find a fold to my preflop 900 raise UTG (blinds @100/200), then could not find a fold on a jack high flop with an all-in for 900 more.  

"Crowning" Victory

After going 2 months without a final table, I have finally broken the drought.  Have been wanting to play at the Lucky Bridge Casino for a while, but just never got motivated enough.  After breaking my crown last night playing at the Moose, I had an 8:30 dental appointment that lasted until 11.  Thought this might be a great time to play the noon tournament I drove over and signed up.  Got some pretty good cards and ended up in 3rd place for $120 on the $30 buy-in.  Feeling encouraged, and hearing about the great 7:00 tournament (70 players with $500 added), I went ahead and signed up.  It was pretty much a donkfest with marginal cards getting lucky.  I played a few hands and was down to about 3000 chips @ 100/200 blinds when this hand came up:

Damian, a very loose player, but lucky and lots of chips raised to 700 with A/Q.  In the small blind, I find 10/10, and shove.  The big blind tanks for a moment (he had both of us covered and had been drinking tequila), then called.  Damian then re-raises for all of his chips.  The guy calls and turns over 8/8.  When Jimmer says, "I threw an ace away" I liked my chances.  However, luck prevailed, and the guy hit an eight on the flop and both of us were gone.

I really don't think I would play it differently, as had I called, might have escaped since a king was on the flop, but knew in my heart that I was ahead of Damian. 

Victory Snatched

First a quote from Conan the Barbarian:

"What is good in life.  To crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women!"

 I really can't go into detail about Friday tournament (flopped set, opponent with overpair runner runner straight), or Friday night Omaha (victim of set over set, other nasty stuff).  My tournament life is in the dumper and only by eking out small wins in the cash game do I remain solvent.  Saturday lost early in both tournaments and Sunday, the big one, took a very nasty beat from a luckbox.  He had already hit a gutshot on the river and a one outer trips (I had the other 6), and had knocked out 3 players.  This hand came up with me at $4100 and 200/400 blinds.  I was in the big blind with A/9 suited, he was next to me also with a big blind due to a knockout.  There were two limpers and he raised to I believe 1200.  Everyone called.  The flop was my dream, 9/9/8.  I checked to the raiser and he bet big....4000.  Everyone folded to me and I snap called telling the dealer, "If I win this hand you will be my new favorite dealer".  When he rivered a jack (he had J/J), she lost her chance to be my favorite.  Man I hate this game.

I turned to the cash game and won some hands, then lost big with a flopped set of jacks to a rivered straight, lost another big pot with kings (I folded to Anh on a board of J/Q/9/8), but later tried something I had been wanting to do against him.  Small pot multi-way in the small blind with crap, everyone checked the coordinated board to the river and he bet $10 on the button.  I check raised him $20 and he folded.  I have been suspecting theft for a long time with him and this confirmed it.

Anyway, won a few hands and cashed out a $47 winner....almost enough to replace my $60 buy-in from the tournament.