First The Scorecard then The Story

American Legion Friday Night Tournament

4th Place   $113
High Hand (JJJJA)   $54  -  $2 from every buy in goes to high hand of night
Table 1 Dealer tips  $56
Less $40 Buy in
Less $10 tip
Net Win  $173

How I got there.

Arriving early, decided to mix it up a little by doing some drinking.  I was not planning on dealing, so thought I could sacrifice some concentration.  O.K., just one beer.  When 7:00 arrived, they announced the drawing for seats, and I was just about to choose a card when the organizers asked me if  I would deal table 1, final table, since the guy who had asked to had not arrived yet.  O.K. I guess, not really my plan.

Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but played a lot looser than my normal game, doing more limping early, raising some, and dealing myself some really good hands.  I quickly chipped up and was the leader at the table.  Dealt myself:  AA twice, KK 3 times, JJ, and some other pairs and nice big cards.  Won a few with loose calls and amazing flops like A/3 on the button flopping trip 3's (they never see that one coming).  I would have won the whole tournament but was plagued with draws coming in against me.  I lost 2 giant pots with a turned straight vs. my flopped 2 pair, and a rivered straight against my top pair.  I paid particular attention to bet sizing and at no time did any draw get correct odds.  It was just that type of chasing table.  Also lost 3 big pots to chased flushes on the river.  Almost any other player would have been knocked out by any of these hands, but had won so much that it did not cripple me.  Also, did not make crying calls when I bet on the river and was raised.

The last chase was my big blind on the final table with 4 players remaining.  I was 3rd in chips.  It was limped to me and I checked my 5/8 off.  The flop was 5/5/9 with 2 clubs.  I bet 2500, was raised to 5000 by the button, and I shoved 9200 more.  He called with J/3 of clubs and hit a club on the turn.  He had me covered by 500 and I was out.  Wow!  He eventually won the tournament despite getting all in a couple of times with the worst hand and majorly sucking out.

My high hand was a thing of beauty.  Playing AJ on the button (no raises), and probably 4 players, the flop was JJJ.  Bingo!!!!  Then the big blind bets 200 and one player calls.  I flat call.  The turn brings a 10, we all check.  The river is a (brick..revised) jack, everyone checks to me and I bet $600.  One player folds and the cutoff calls to see the bad news.

Terrible Play or Terrible Luck? Too Close to Call

Playing in a 45 person SNG this morning, I am cruising along nicely in third place.....until I lose a ton of chips to the Ukranian sitting next to me when my top pair good kicker rivers his flush draw....despite my bets that should have priced him out.  I recover, become chip leader, but he is 2nd.  Then I limp with J/2 (JT!!!!) suited on the button.  The flop is J/J/6 and a guy I wounded the hand before bets big.  I shove and am snap called by the Ukranian who has A/J.  Wow!!!  One hand later I raise with 5/5 and am called by Q/10.  With a queen high flop and 2 under cards I am all-in and lose.  Player down.

This brings me one of my favorite topics:  bet-sizing and over/under playing your hand.  All too often I see really bad bet-sizing which sometimes includes pre-flop shoving with only blinds in the pot.  This type of hand is so easy to read that I can almost predict the small pair which is shoving.  Sometimes I am surprised (and sometimes I do the surprising), when it is done with AA or KK.  But usually it is JJ or worse.  People just do not see the value of raising for value, and hopefully getting some action when AK flat calls your 2/2 raise, then committs all of their chips on a A/Q/2 flop.  I for one will only call the small pot pre-flop shove with about 3 or 4 hands, AA, KK, QQ, AK suited.  Exception of course with the small stack shove and me with the chip lead.

The other mistake I see a lot is the min-raise from most positions (will talk about an exception later).  This normally just creates a "protected" pot with lots of callers and very poor equity post flop.  Also, you are seldom able to raise people off draws with a large pot created as they are often getting correct calling odds.  The only time I kind of like the min-raise is from the small blind with a monster, inviting the early limpers to re-raise with inferior hands.  Even if you are flat called by the world, I often see an aggressive bet on the flop take down a nice pot.  That said....WTF are they thinking?  Nobody folds, protected pot, you are out of position.  Yikes!

The bet sizing errors that I see at times are the small raises on "wet" boards.  Because of the draws out there it is critical that you bet top pair or two pair hands on a board like A/10/9 with two spades.  The important part is the size of your bet.  Too small and you give great odds for draws like J/Q, J/8, A/J, etc.  Too large (think shove here), and you give up too much future value.  You must give people a chance to make a mistake by giving the 3/1 or 4/1 drawing odds only 2/1 on their money.  We all know that some players will call with incorrect odds but that is a fundamental poker error and we should welcome that call.  I have seen people bet like $40 into a wet board with $240 in the pot.  Don't be that guy.

There are a few players at my Friday night game who I believe are masters at bet sizing.  They seldom overbet or underbet a pot, but will accurately bet to give poor drawing odds.  My hat is tipped to you sirs!

And speaking of betting, in my Omaha games, you frequently flop 2 pair, top pair with top kicker, flush or straight draws, and low draws.  I am coming around to the opinion that you must bet all of these hands.  It may seem like a stupid thing to comment on from a hold 'em perspective, but with all of the draws possible you must get money into the pot when you are ahead.  You will never get the flush, straight or low draws to fold, but it is super important to build the pot now either while ahead or with a giant draw.  You will find it much easier to collect a large pot when your nut flush draw comes in if you bet before it hits. If your hand deteriorates (other folks' draws came in), you can always take your foot off the accelerator, but trust me on this, you must always bet and raise to protect your made hand.  Wow, after writing that I am amazed that I would even think you would not already, dear readers, be doing this......that said, how often do we check call in hold 'em with top pair and questionable kicker?  The aggressor always has the advantage in this game, so bet, bet, bet!

Omaha Lessons

Sometimes you learn lessons that harm you.  Remember the first time you touched a hot stove?  I am constantly learning lessons from playing Omaha, some that harm me, others that help me in my Texas hold 'em game.

1.  In Omaha, when there are three spades on the board and there is betting and raising on the river, your 3 of a kind or straight are definitely not good.  This information does not always translate well to a hold 'em game as many people will use the texture of the board to bluff.  In the Omaha game, it is virtually never a bluff, with the only possible exception the "dry ace" bluff, where the bluffer knows due to his single ace of spades holding that the bettors cannot have the nut flush.  Unfortunately for this bluffer, Omaha players are reluctant to fold 2nd nuts and pot odds usually mean they are correct to call.

2.  In the Omaha game it is a huge advantage to have great board reading skills.  Particularly of advantage is correctly seeing the texture of the flop.  While this pays huge dividends in Omaha due to the massive draw potential of many hands, it is not as much of a factor in hold 'em, although still important.  We all can raise our spidey senses to a higher degree on a 8/9/10 flop in hold'em, but still pursue our hands with a jack (not a 7...shudder), or a four flush with some wariness but not an insta-fold.  In Omaha, that flop gets an immediate muck without holding the J/Q or a set.  Two pair usually just pays a huge price chasing, and believe it or not, I would not raise with the nut straight here due to the probabilility of the chop (and it gets worse if a small card comes on the turn as now the low draws have a goal).  Nothing like taking 1/4 of a multi-way pot.

The texture of the flop in Omaha also bears looking deeply as something like a 4/5/A flop gives you a wheel and straight draws, while a 6/8/10 gives low draws, flopped straights, and open ended bigger straights some traction.  Danger Will Robinson!!!

That said, in hold'em, you need the same awareness but the danger level is not as high.  You see few straight over straights, big flush vs. small flush, and set over set hands.  In short, it is much easier to see monsters under the bed after playing a lot of Omaha.  Top pair with a crap kicker wins a lot in hold'em but virtually never in Omaha.  There are sometimes monsters under the bed in hold'em, but they are thankfully fairly rare....but usually expensive.

3.  Starting hand selection in both games needs to be carefully examined.  My general conclusion is that most of us play way too loose in both games.  I particularly tend to loosen up my starting hand selection in Omaha.  It is just too tight (in my humble opinion), to fold medium pairs pre-flop.  I try to throw away the real garbage hands, but will play most suited aces, runs of 4 cards (6/7/8/9), double suited hands, and most pairs 7/7 up.  Still not a fan of danglers (2/3/7/K) where one card does not "work" with the others.  Just puts you at a disadvantage against hands where pairs can work together, like 2/3/J/Q.  In the games I play, there is seldom much pre-flop raising, but I am willing to go along with it as the pots can get huge, protected, and winnable with a variety of holdings.

Hold 'em hands to me are much easier pre-flop as you mainly have to worry about position, pot size, and general starting requirements.  Position is not as big a factor in Omaha, but still is nice.  I still see people really over-valuing certain hands...in both games.  I seldom raise pre-flop with A/2 (Omaha), as too easy to either not flop a low hand/draw, and also frequent chops.  I want lots of people in the hand so a chop will still be profitable.         

Dealing Final Table

I was asked to deal table 1 last night....the final table.  This basically means that you are there until the bitter end, usually between 10:30 and 11:00.  A little late for me, and way too much dealing, but...I had a nap and will basically never turn down a dealing request as too few people want to do it and it is my little part of supporting the main organizers.

The table had the wild child from last week who ran up his chips then busted out.  I had a little better cards than last week, but not much, and lost my tournament seat when down to about 12 players.  I open shoved with KQ off and was called by a big stack with A9 suited.  Could not find a pair and his high card prevailed.  I only had about 4 big blinds having come back from 1.5 blinds on a shove with AJ, turning a broadway straight with three callers.  Nice try for a comeback but not this week.  I watched the big stack who knocked me out try to make a deal with 3 players left....offering to take 1st and have them chop the balance.  They refused the deal, one was eliminated, then he went on a big losing streak heads up and ended in 2nd place.

A couple of quick observations:
1.  People play way too loose early in a tournament.  Saw lots of limping, calls with garbage, unplayable early position hands, etc.
2.  That said, I missed a huge opportunity by not limping in small blind (lots of limpers, so great pot odds) with 3/8.  Flop came down 3/3/8 and it was bet by wild child and raised big by the eventual tournament winner.  My shove there would have either eliminated him (or me if he caught his kicker).

Finished the tournament around 10:30 and got exactly $40 in tips, so it was a cost free evening for me.  The talk was about the "big" tournament in Seaside this week.  $200 buy-in with 23 players.  The wild child got 3rd for about $800 and two of the other guys chopped $3200.  I chose not to play as that is a pretty expensive tournament for so few players.  Would rather save the money for Wildhorse later this fall.

Crazy Moose Poker Rules

I came up with these several years ago and planned a prank by buying a frame for this, pasting their logo on top and hanging it on the wall by the coffee pot.  Still thinking of doing it.

Crazy Moose Poker Rules

1. You must play any two suited cards despite any action before you.  After all, you could flop quads, a flush, or two pair!
2. If you are in a blind you must defend it with any two cards despite any raises before you.
3. If you flop a pair you must call to the river in case you get runners for two pair, trips, a straight, or a flush.  This will be referred to as “flop a pair and go from there.”
4. If you flop any hand that could go runner-runner for a straight or flush you must call to the river.
5. If you flop a gut-shot draw you must call to the river despite any action or board, including double paired, 4 flush, etc.
6. If the board is paired and there is a lot of action you must chase to the river with a flush or straight draw, somebody probably doesn’t have a full house or trips.
7. If you are in a blind and you have a hand like king/jack off-suit, or any weak ace you must raise pre-flop, after all, you are out of position with a marginal hand, but hey you are showing strength and everyone will probably fold, especially if there are 7 callers.
8. You must play any “weak ace” against any action.  The ace is the highest card.  You might flop two pair or hit your kicker (and then you must chase to the river…see rule #3.
9. You must play any cards that have a name.  Some of these powerhouses are:  10/2 The Brunson, 9/3 Matilda, 10/4 Broderick Crawford, 9/2 Montana banana, j/5 Motown, q/3 San Francisco Busboy, 6/9 Big Lick, 4/5 Jesse James, 9/5 Dolly Parton.
10. You must play any cards that are your personal favorites, 7/2 Lynne, J/10 JT, etc.
11. If you are the worst player at the table and win a pot over $30 you must tip the dealer several dollars to keep it safe from the grasping hands of the other players.  After all, he did do you a special favor by giving you the winning hand with your marginal cards.
12. If you have been very lucky and have a big chip stack, you must begin raising every pot with any two cards “just in case”.
13. If someone raises, you must reraise with any two cards to “build a pot” just in case you get lucky (especially true if you are stuck).
14. If the board is double paired with possible straights or flushes, you must call a bettor with your king high “to keep him honest”. 

Didn't....Win....A.....Single.....Hand

It is pretty unusual for me to play in a tournament and not drag a single pot.  Playing @ the American Legion Friday night and dealing table 2, I was getting very bad hands.  Was also not happy with the players at my table, with 2 very aggressive and sometimes wild players, the worst sitting to my immediate left.  Seat change!!  Oops, forgot that I am the dealer, and it is a tournament.  Never mind.  So, with the blinds at 20/40, I pick up 10/10 in the cutoff with one limper.  I raise to 120 and of course the button wild child calls plus another player or two.  This is so early in the tournament and I will have to deal until the final table forms, so I am not looking to get out of line right now.  You will have to believe me that nothing sucks worse than being out of the tournament and having to deal for a couple more hours.

The flop comes down, 7/4/3 with two hearts.  When it is checked to me I fire a bet of 275 into the roughly 400-500 pot.  The kid next to me re-raises to $500.  The other players fold, we discuss what amount constitutes a raise (not $500, but $550), and I tank for a bit.  I muse out loud, "well, you probably have one of three hands.  Either a flush draw with top pair, something like A/7 hearts, or suited connectors like 5/6 in which case you flopped a straight, or even two pair like a 3/4".  I briefly flirted with the idea of shoving over the top of him, but for the above mentioned reason I chose to fold my 10's face up.  Also, he is very capable of calling a raise with any two cards.  Thinking more about it, I think he probably put me on AK as he views me as being a very tight player, and certainly would fold with no pair.  Due to his raise, I do not think that he had either a flush draw or a made straight as that would not maximize his chips on future streets.  It is also possible that he put me on big cards and caught total air but felt he could get the fold with his aggression.  Anyway, had I not been dealing would have looked him up for all my chips as I think that I was ahead.

To Recap his possible hands:
1.  5/6:  probably not as he would allow me to continue betting
2. A/7:  strong possibility but I am way ahead
3. 3/4:  also a possibility, but think he would just call to trap
4. small pair:  not likely as he probably would have 3 bet, but possible
5. A/X:  very likely, and could have had A/3, A/4 which would have made him think he was ahead
6. Total Air:  With him, yeah a possibility


Later on, he shoved with 10/7 , was called by AJ and 7/7, caught a 10 on the river and tripled up his small stack.  He moved tables shortly afterwards and was eliminated before we consolidated to 2 tables.  Like I say, a wild man.  My last hand was AJ shove with only 3 blinds, called twice, lost to K10 suited who caught a king on the turn, and a straight on the river.  

Respectable Sunday, Disaster?? Monday

Sunday was a mixed day for me.  Went early and played the 8 a.m. tournament, chopping 3 ways for $130 each.  Good start.  The big 10:00 tournament went well, but finished on the bubble, which we agreed to pay entry fee of $60.  Earned one bounty, so just a wash.

Monday played in the 10:00 tournament, bubbling the final table.  My undoing was my AK call of a shove with A/4.  He hit a 4 on the door card and I was down to 300 in chips.  I went all in UTG the next hand, tripling up, but could not recover from the hit.  Can't complain as I busted QQ with my AK earlier.

Because I made a pretty early exit, the cash game was just starting up with double hours towards the $7000 freeroll next month.  Jumped in for $120, lost it, rebought for $40 and cashed out for $25.  It was one of those games that you needed to put your tray table up, and your seat in the upright and locked position with seatbelt firmly fastened.  What a wild ride.  There were several pots over $150 pre-flop.  I won one big hand heads up with QQ vs. 1010, but no other big ones....that one was over $100.  Lots of pre-flop raising with non-premium hands, but just could not connect with the flops.  Would have won a few massive ones if I had stuck around to the river, but just can't play that type of game.

Oh Yes, the Worm has definitely turned

Despite my difficulties with AQ yesterday, today has been another good poker day.  Starting off with the Morning Moose, I hit the final table with a good chip stack and managed to win an unchopped 1st place for $280.  I then moved over to the bridge casino for their 12:00 tournament, finishing on the money bubble (my last hand, 7/7, called by 8/8).  Felt that I played really good all day...even learning my lesson with AQ, folding it to a shove and call...one had 7/7, the other j/j, with the jacks holding up...no ace or queen.

Net winnings today:   $280  gross
                                  -  55.   entry fees
                                   - 20.   dealer tip
                                   $205  net winnings.

Add this to my early winnings this week and I am up over $500, with 2/5 tournament wins, for a 40% win rate.

The Turned Worm

Finally, I believe the worm has turned for me in poker.  Wednesday, after suffering a bad beat in the tournament (KK vs. AQ...he made a straight on the turn when I hit my trip kings), sat down in the cash game.  Hit the high hand for $399 and left up $200.  Today in the "Morning Moose" I chopped 3 ways for $175.  No notable hands, just tried to play solid poker and not get stupid.  My biggest disappointment was chopping with KK vs. KK which was all-in pre-flop.  However, glad not to hit the rails like I did with my kings earlier.