Steel Wheel? Monte Carlo bonus denied.

Playing in the Red Dragon 4/8 Omaha game this week, an old gent turned over the holy grail of Omaha, the "Steel wheel", A/2/3/4/5 of spades to evidently scoop the pot.  But wait, he is playing 5 cards!  The floor is called, rules a misdeal, all money is refunded to all players in the pot, which also requires the retrieval of the rake.  Took a few minutes to sort it out.  I have only seen a few steel wheels, and never had one, even in thousands of online games.  My royal flush results much better, usually one or 2 every year.  I don't really understand why, as normally any suited cards 5 and under are usually playable, with of course A/2 and A/3 nearly always played.

Had two high hands on the board which pay $75, but both knocked off with minutes to go.  It would have changed a slight loss to a break even or win day if they held up.  As it was, turned around a 3.5x buy in loss day to just a 3/4 buy in loss.  I can live with it.  Still adjusting to the new venue and players.  A reasonable game, sometimes wild but generally not.  

Catching Up

So, long time no posts.  What gives?  After my go-to casino closed it's poker room I quit playing until Pendleton.  It was a good trip for me, with a couple of winning cash sessions, a turbo win, and 25th out of 370 in the seniors.  Not super profitable but o.k. 

Back in the Omaha high low saddle trying Fortune poker room in Renton with one good win, one small loss and one medium loss,  overall a break even.  The drive is long, around 40 minutes each way down the dreaded 405, so may not be back soon.  Tried the Red Dragon, much closer and had a great day, about $300 profit in 4 hours.  Will probably call that home.

Wanted to reflect on yesterday's bad game for a moment.  A super loose and aggressive player raised every hand.  He caused a lot of variance and naturally left stuck $500 or so.  These players a.k.a. maniacs are tough.   They create giant protected pots in limit games (this one was 4/8 Full kill, so often it was 8/16).  If you call the initial raise with multiple players the pot becomes so huge you cannot fold draws or marginal made hands like 2nd nut low, 2 pair, weak flushes, sucker straights,etc.  Very expensive when you miss but big payoff when you hit.  I won a  big pot with ace high when we got heads up one time!!! Despite my reasonably tight play couldn't catch a break often even with super premium hands.  Some days are like that.  When faced with a maniac best to tighten up and ramp up your own aggression, re-raising to hopefully isolate.

Sometimes you should hold your nose and pay them off

After a great winning session on Sunday, hitting three high hands in a row (quad 8's, quad 10's, aces full), worth $150 each, I played Tuesday and frankly played horrible.  Getting there late was on the 2nd table and it was pretty miserable.  A gambler raised and straddled every pot, creating some big ones, but couldn't win many.  I kind of pride myself on good big laydowns as when I flopped quads and folded (correctly) on the river.  That, unfortunately came back to bite me when a similar situation happened.  It was in a big preflop pot playing K/K.  Flop came down J/4/K with 2 clubs.  It was bet and called in several spots.  Turn was another 4.  With the nut full house, when it was bet, I raised, and 2 people called, including my quad nemesis, 90 year old Dick.  The river was another 4.  First action checked, i checked, Dick bet, 1st player called, I folded saying, "did it to me again, Dick" .  He surprisingly turns over 10/10 for 4's full of 10's.  The other player turns over A/A for the win with the bigger underfull.  If that wasn't bad enough, my hand would have taken the $100 high hand as well.

So, by folding on the river in a big pot, I leave myself vulnerable to bluffs as well as donk bets.  Failing to pay $8 cost me over $200.  Sometimes you just have to make a bad call.  I could cite other poorly played hands but overall a $100 loss and lesson learned.

The poker room closes forever today at Tulalip.  I will miss it but expect to run into a few of the other players at various locations.   One of the guys wants to open a poker room up North but even if it happens not sure I would want to play there.  

Last Tulalip Tournament

As the poker room prepares to close forever I used my $20 free play to enter one last tournament.   I added on $5 to get the extra chips and sat down at seat 8 table 12 to play.  A lady at the table began talking about a bounty on one of the regulars but I didn't really listen closely.  He is a wild man and started winning immediately, showing one huge bluff and winning with random unsuited or unconnected cards.  He got hit hard by the guy next to me then I got him all in with his KQ vs my AK.  A few minutes later I am passed $10 by the lady.  I had to ask what it was for.  Probably would have returned it but she got sticky with A9 vs my K10 on a K/9/x flop.  The turn was a 10 giving me 2 pair and she called my large bet.  River? Ace of course.  I went from 2nd chip leader to starting stack. 

My cards ran hot with aces and kings, also folding several hands that would have eliminated multiple players.  As it was I stacked at least 4.   Like I say running good until a table change and the dealer who dealt me quads only to lose to bigger quads.  I joked with Mark, who really is a good guy and a friend and said I should sit out during his deal.  If only I had.  A few hands into it, I get A/A.  With several limpers I raised the 600 big blind to 2,000.  One caller.  Flop comes K/9/x with 2 diamonds, I have the ace of diamonds.  He bets enough to put me all in, I call.  He has pocket 9's for a set, thanks again Mark, I go out in 16th place.

So, I end up with a $5 profit and head to the lunch buffet to use some comp money.  

Card Protectors

I want to share with you my favorite card protectors.  While I usually don't use these, preferring to just throw a chip on my cards, I have used all of these and have a story behind each of them.

This was one of my first ones.  I like it for the message, energized! Plus it can move on its own, entertaining!!!!

This is Ganesh, the Hindu god of removing obstacles and deva of intellect and wisdom, something's needed in your poker game. I bought this from a roadside vendor in India 8 years ago, probably overpaid.

This is my sentimental favorite.  It is actually the second one given to me by my poker buddy and most loyal blog follower, Lynne (seven dewey).  She gave me the first a few weeks after I checked my straight to her on the turn then she bet into me heads up on the river when she improved.  Bad girl, lol.  It has 2 queens on it, my particular problem hand, more on that later.

So, this is the reverse side of the coin, which I see is hard to read.  It says, "To Dr Phil Do Not Lose This From 7Dewey ".  I lost the first one in Vegas and had to admit that when she asked why I wasn't using it.  The first time I used the new one, I added it to my cards after they had been dealt as an afterthought.  When I looked at them, unbelievably it was pocket queens.  As if that wasn't enough,  made quads on the hand.  Wow!  Thanks again Dewey.

This is a recent one from the soon to be closed Tulalip poker room.  It is a spinner and got it for hitting a royal flush.

Sorry about the photo angles, but this one is from a poker friend's birthday party.  Scott's sister had a bunch of these poker chips made as favors at the party/poker tournament at the Tsunami Restaurant in Wheeler, Oregon.  I was overserved before the game at the open bar and went all in without looking at my cards but lost to pocket  kings that got stubborn.  I then suggested we allow rebuys which was agreed to.  Ended up cashing, sweet.  Was a great theme party.

I picked up this one at the first World Series I attended, well, really just visited.  Was in Vegas with my old friend Bob Pischel who had scored some free nights at Caesars Palace.  I could see the Rio from our room so decided to walk there in 110 degree heat, nearly passing out.  Scored the protector from a vendor table.

This is from my most recent trip to Vegas.   It is a foil covered chocolate candy given to me by my 7 year old granddaughter.  She saw this box of them and talked her mom into buying them.  I passed out most of them at the poker games I played.

I have many more, sort of a collection.  Would like to say some are lucky, but have not found that to be the case.  We are all a little superstitious so maybe they can bring luck but at least prevent accidental mucking.

Mini Heater

On somewhat of a heater in omaha8.  Also small, $100, win in 3-300 game.  4 winning sessions in a row, including a couple of high hand bonuses.  Sadly, my favorite poker room is closing at end of month.   They are spicing up Monte Carlos to give away all the player supported jackpot money .  There is a 250 hot seat every half hour on sunday and Tuesday.   Managed to luck out on one.  Will miss Tulalip games and people there but some will transition to Red Dragon which i m not that happy to play at.

Looking at schedule for Pendleton next month.  Gotta commit soon.  Lots of Oregon poker buddies going plus get to see tri city friends as well.

No Love

Continuing my tournament cold streak today was seated at a particularly bad table.  Small turnout, around 30 players with 3 empty seats on my table.  I was dismayed to see a late arrival of a guy who I particularly dislike.  He is a very good tournament player who has won the Wildhorse main event fairly recently, maybe 2018.  He knocked me out of a tournament last year after I failed to call his big bluff (which he showed), losing a bunch of chips, but then losing the rest of them to a real hand.  Also played omaha8 tournament and cash games where be is unpredictable, aggressive.  Two other aggressive young guns were seated to my left, and another to my right.  Yikes.  If I limped small blind, they raised , if I raised in position on button or cutoff, they called then bet big after the flop.  I was definitely between a rock and a hard place and relieved when I got sent to another table with a short stack.  The other table was better, and I got it in bad with A/K suited and called by a shorter stack with K/K.  It is true that they are ace magnets as I hit one to almost double up.  Down to 11 players on the final table bubble I shoved 4 big blinds with K/6 suited on the button.  Called from big blind by A/9 off, I hit a king on the flop.  However an ace on the turn sent me home empty handed.

Lesson learned? I dunno,  maybe I need to be either more or less patient.  In a turbo, there is little reward for waiting and more benefit from aggression.  Also I need to listen to my gut sometimes as I folded 2 hands that I wanted to play hard but folded.  Would have tripled up on both.  Sometimes that instinct is vital.

Snatching Defeat

After a nice run for several hours in the oh8 game, up a couple of hundred and one high hand money, disaster struck when new aggressive players sat down, raising often and getting lucky.  Finally escaped with small (one pot) loss.

Playing a couple of Turbosthis week, no luck there, losing my $20 bounty chips in 2 hands, the first calling a shove from small blind into my big blind with K/6 suited.  He had been raising light a lot so called with A/2. He hit a 6 to double up.  6's were my downfall as I shoved next hand with Q/J suited and called by big blind with 6/6.  Flop came down J/10/9 for top pair plus open end straight draw.  The turn a brick and he hits his 2 outer 6 on the river.  Ouch.  Went out in 16th place out of 35 players.

Cash game o.k., stuck to 3/6 limit and made $8 plus a free lunch.  Really need to play the 3/300 spread to make any money, mostly play the little game for the juicy Monte carlos.

Regrets

Regrets seem to come in two forms, those things we did or said, and those we didn't.  I envy those who harbor neither.  A recent UK study indicated a large percentage of adults , think it was over 40%, had regrets.  Don't forget the butterfly effect, never cn tell where the path not taken would have led you.  That said, wish I had not sold my Costco, Starbucks, Netflix and Amazon stocks.

Feel like I may be getting my poker mojo back.  Played two tournaments this week, first a disaster, 2nd one came in 6th for a $60 win, well, $15 after tip and buy-in. But  win nonetheless.   Also extremely small cash in 4/8, but got a free lunch out of it.  Heading to Tulalip this morning to get back on the Omaha horse that threw me.

Poker Break

No posts cause no poker.  Just not feeling the love and busy with other things.  Finally played a turbo Saturday with bad results.  Played well but victim to a lucky player.  She had knocked out the guy next to me who had K/K.  Two spades on flop, she called his all in with A/5 suited, caught spade on turn and rivered straight flush.  She moved tables and came back with even more chips.  She raise huge 2 UTG,  maybe 6x BB.  This usually represents a small or medium pair that does not want to see a flop out of position.  Also AK, again not wanting post flop play out of position.  I have Q/Q on the button w8th about 8 bbs,  blinds 200/400..  Easy play for me to go all in, would do it every time.  She turns over.......aces!!!  Unreal.  With no ace or king on flop all the chips go in anyway, but just saying.

Time for another long break, also busy the next two weeks.

"Every Hand"

A new player had just been seated at our Thursday Omaha game.  She asked, "Is there a bad beat?". Meaning of course, is there a bad beat jackpot.  A regular quickly answered, "Yes, every hand". Very funny,  so true, and so prophetic. We began short handed, 5 players, and I won a large first pot with trips.  Good start, but definitely not my day.  Lost with an underful and lots of 2nd best hands and flopped sets that were crushed by flushes or straights.   The nail in my coffin was a 7 player limped pot with 9/9. Was pleasantly surprised with a flop of A/9/9.  Thinking primarily of the half hour $100 high hand, bet $4 since the mandatory $20 pot was already in play.  Got 2 or 3 callers.  Next card? Ace.  Great, I checked to allow an ace to bet but everyone checked.  The river brought another ace.  Unbelievable.  I checked and the tightest player at the table bet.  I showed my hand to the dealer, called him the worst dealer in history and folded...The player's quad aces held up for high hand. What is amazing is that I only lost $8 on the hand and folded quads.

Recently tried the 1/3 pot limit Omaha game.  It played very big with button straddles 80% of the time and most pots 100-200 or more.  I was stacked on a set over set flop with the player next to me, but got most of it back a few hands later when she raised with A/A, I called with J/J, flop came 6/6/J.    Another happy moment when a big game (1500 buy in) player I recognized raised my A/A on straddle.  We got it all in and he flopped 2 pair, but running 2's counterfeited his pairs and I doubled up.  My poker pal (Gail, visiting from Cannon Beach) went broke in Hold'em so we left with me down "only" $80. Good experience though.

Catfishing

Here is a funny story.  I am playing on WSOP play money website.  You can choose your avatar or use your Facebook photo.  I change around for fun and recently chose a young attractive woman as mine.  Better than the grumpy old man or baseball hat kid.  So, this morning the guy, Mel (my onscreen name is "adventuresinpoker"), next to me sends me a rose.  He then wants to know where I live, I tell him.  He lives in Longview.  He claims he is divorced and asks my marital status.  I tell him happily married.   He asks how long, I tell him more years than I can count.   Getting very weird so I check out.  So easy to catfish.  Reminds me of a player years ago living in Vancouver, B.C. who wanted to come to Seattle and party.  The web is a scary place.

Not feeling very o.k.

Thank you Dewey for your concern, and yes I remember Mondo very well, a lot of fun to play poker with.  I was already mourning the loss of a classmate on Monday before the WSOP when I get a reply email from an army buddy, but it is his wife telling me he died of a heart attack on Monday.  Wow, really bad week.  After returning from Vegas hear another classmate has died.  Super bad week.

Be careful about what you don't wish for

Yesterday in the Omaha game, the player sitting next to me came up with this pearl of wisdom after I said " was wishing I played that hand, until my full house was beaten by bigger full house".  He said, " Be careful about what you don't wish for, cause it may not come true".  Still scratching my head over that one.

It has been a few weeks since I played oh8 at Tulalip, and didn't like the outcomes then.  I was catching a cold and felt pretty bad but was determined to play.  The retired dealer next to me asked if I was o.k. because he said I was wheezing.  Not really but thanks.  He moved seats shortly later.

Caught a straight flush too early, before high hand bonus started but later posted aces full of kings good for $100.  Quit early up $122 thanks to high hand and one $180 pot.

WSOP Update

Some of you may have been wondering why it has been almost a month since my last post, or perhaps not....The reason is that I was so incredibly bummed out in Vegas that I could not write about it.  Enough time has passed now (time heals all wounds) that can now attempt it.  So, after busting out of the senior event, my next game was on Friday.  The day started well with a good run on the 1/3 no limit cash game at the Mirage,  making enough ($200) to enter the deepstack at The Golden Nugget with Seattle buddy, Jim W.  We were seated next to each other for a couple of hours and I was fortunate enough to accumulate a pretty good stack before our table broke.  My draw was horrible as there were 2 giant stacks, probably tournament chip leaders at my new one.  They were very aggressive so had to lay low most of the time as my cards were running fairly bad.  I finally picked up J/J and shoved.  All folded except one player with fewer chips, calling off with A/Q.  He rivered a queen to make me desperately short.  I went all in shortly afterward with 7/8 suited and was out in around 120th place out of 560 entries.  They were paying about 65 spots.

Next day, my last in Vegas, signed up for the 11 a.m. $120 buy in at Mirage.  It had a strange structure for a deepstack, with blinds starting at 100/200.  I ran very very good, quickly becoming one of the chip leaders.  I was moved to another table when we were down to 18 (76 or so entries) and ran into trouble early, losing a bunch of chips but recovered them plus a few.  We formed the final table with me as chip leader.  They were paying 7 spots with likelihood of bubble payout so it would have been easy to coast.  Because of the aggressive blind structure a chop was likely.  So, with 8 remaining I (again) pick up J/J.  The blinds and antes were average stacks and in late position I shoved.  The button, with fewer chips, but a very workable stack called with ......are you ready for this?.......A/Q.  Exactly the same matchup as the Nugget tournament.  Again, I lose the coin flip when he flops an ace, and I am now the short stack!!!  To add insult to injury, he quotes the odds as 55/45.  Thanks genius, you willingly took the worst odds?  I wanted to stand up and smack him as much as I have ever wanted to hit anyone at the poker table.  So, I limp in a few hands later with J/10 suited.  Same guy raises to put me all in and another player calls with 8/9.  He hits a 9 on the flop, shoves and I am unable to find my overcards and now out in 9th place.  I have not left the area when they start talking about paying the bubble.  I join a cash game and a few minutes later hear them high fiving as they chop for $1000 each.  Cash game (3/6 limit) is crap,  I lose with K/K to 6/8 and leave stuck some more.

So, that dear readers is why I was totally bummed in Vegas.  Could not wait to leave (at airport 3 hours early) and didn't play poker again for almost 2 weeks after returning.     

2019 WSOP

Flew in last night and registered for seniors tournament today.  Met at airport by my lifelong buddy Don who drove here from Phoenix.  Standing in line was right behind Tri City player Tony Simpson who was there with Clark Watkins....out playing satellite.  Spoke briefly then to hotel to rest up for the big day.  Sent text to my old Seattle buddy Jim to connect sometime.  Looking for the Cannon Beach crew as well. 

One random act of kindness yesterday when a guy in power scooter registering heard me talk about how i needed water stat.  He reached in basket and gave me a bottle.  Good karma for him.

3 peat and Tournament Tip

First  crazy 3 hands in a row yesterday in Omaha.   While you often see big hands in the game due to the many 4 card combinations, this was something I have not seen before.  The player in the 1 seat flopped quad 7's.  This hand normally would stand up for the half hour high hand.  Many full houses had won earlier, including 2's full of 4's and my aces full of 8's (yay!!!).  So, the very next hand, he is knocked off with turned quad jacks by Rudy in seat 4.  Sorry Terry.  Next hand dealt, Victor in seat 3 wins with a queen high straight flush.  Sorry Rudy.  Either of the quads would have won any other half hour except maybe one.  Weird.

My tournament trick of the day was one I picked up from a regular.  I watched him do it, then did it to him.  Playing a short stack in the Wednesday bounty tournament he bet all but one chip.  This was brilliant as it forced the later players to either call or double his bet for a raise, putting more pressure on them as players to act afterwards could re raise or be priced in on a call.  Also, just calling left him with a chip and a chair on a really bad flop though you might say he was pot committed.

As a short stack myself, I did the same with 8/8 and who should call?  Why, my mentor of course.  The flop came out small with 3 spades, he bet enough to put me all in.  I called with my 8 of spades and he showed red jacks.  I failed to find a spade and was eliminated a few spots from the final table but happy to learn a valuable trick. 

Guest Blogger

In a change of pace I have invited a player from the Sunday Omaha game to write this blog.

Hi, my name is Eric the Red though some call me Ginger Snap or Better Red than Dead due to my red hair and beard.  So, after busting out of the $400 end of month tournament (nobody respected my bluffs) I grabbed a seat in the Omaha game just starting.  Playing against a bunch of tight ass old guys I came out raising.....every single hand with any four cards and also straddling at every opportunity.   Sometimes it worked well building giant protected pots but sadly for me I had to keep rebuying like the guy in seat 9 who waited for better hands but kept getting snapped on the river.  He gave me the evil eye for sure.  He lost 3 big pots with a full house and one on a set of aces vs. Set of jacks that hit a straight on the river. Ha ha. I even got him to fold top 2 pairs with a raise to win with bottom pairs on a straight or flush board.  Lucky for me the 2 callers had only nut lows.  I am so smart!  Sadly for me i ran out of money after losing $400 or so but at least with the satisfaction of seeing "Dr. Phil" in 9 seat stuck $200. Can hardly wait to play again!!!!

Beat The Boss

Arriving early for the 11 a.m. tournament joined a new short handed 3/6 game.  Playing squeaky tight just aiming for Monte Carlo hands racked up $45 in winnings in a half hour.  Sweet, now freerolling the tournament with $5. in sugar.

Every Thursday the tournament is "Beat the Boss".  A player is selected to be the boss and given the name badge and $100.  This is a one player bounty so you have a giant target on you.  As boss you can expect some real action when you are in a hand.  That can be both bad and good as when you try to bluff and when you have a big hand.  So, was surprised when they offered the boss bounty to me.  The real upside is that if you survive to the final table you get the bounty!!!  With some fear and trepidation I accepted.

The cards were kind to me, hitting sets twice when behind and taking advantage of loose callers.  I had a final table stack of around 15k with maybe 16 players remaining.  Easy enough to fold my way into the bounty when the button put in a giant raise.  He was running good and was one of the only players with more chips than me.  What do I have in the big blind, oh yeah, pocket aces.  So, easy shove decision and he quickly calls with Q/Q.  Unbelievably the flop is 8/8/Q.  I was this close!!!!  So, resigned to my fate, I watch a brick on the turn then ........What? River ace!!!  We both hit two outers and now I am tournament chip leader.  I snug up and fold to final table missing a double elimination by tossing A/10.

We play down to 5 when a guy suggests we chop for over $200 each.  One guy says play on and two more drop.  Turns out he had issues with that guy, he is now chip leader and offers a deal of reduced 1st place and chop the rest 400/280/280.  We accept and game over.  The 3rd guy was one of the players I would have eliminated earlier playing A/10.  He is a nice guy so o.k. with me.

All in all a great day of poker with a net after buy-in and tip of $365.

New Bounty Tournament

The stakes were raised for what has become my favorite turbo.  Wednesday bounty was changed last week from $50 buy in with $10 bounty to $60 with $20 bounty.  My goal in these is to collect a couple of scalps and make final table when you can cash in all bounties, including your own.  So, that is what happened.  I should have gotten 2 more on a 3 way all in that I won, but was the shortest stack by a few hundred.  We agreed to pay 9th and 10th $40 so I was guaranteed a $40 win for the day.  One player fell early then this came up.  In the 3000 big blind with 9000 behind, it is foldedto the button who shoves 9000.  I have A/J.  I call and am super happy to see his bluff shove of J/8.  Love playing with a dominating hand.  Bad flop though of 10/Q/7 leaving both of us with gutshot draws.  He hits the 9 on the turn and I still have draws to win or chop.  Another 9 on the river leaves me in the small blind with half my chips.  I throw them in when folded to me and big blind shows K/Q vs. my Q/5. Out in 8th place.

What Would You Do?

Playing the morning $40 tournament I have increased my starting stack by 50% early.  A bluffy aggressive player has about the same chip stack.  He raises under the gun , another player calls, I call from the button with K/J suited ( hearts).  The flop comes out king high with 2 clubs.  Player bets 900 into 1800 pot, other player folds.  It is my action, what should I Do?
A. Fold as he is representing a big king or continuation betting with a pair.
B. Call to see the action on the turn in position.
C. Raise to make him fold or define his hand.

Let me know what you would do, answers later.

Yesterday,  morning tournament, early on,, I have starting 4000 stack.  I pick up 10/J is spades under the gun, I raise the 100 blind to $225  and get 3 callers including a short stack and a good player who has just been moved to our table who is on the button.  The flop comes out J/10/x, all hearts.  I bet 600, short calls, a big stack folds, button raises to 1200.  What do I Do?

A. Fold, my top 2 pair is a big dog (17% to make full house by river) against a flopped flush and slightly ahead of a 4 flush with straight concerns.
B.  Call the bigger stack and reevaluate if smallstack shoves or if he calls fold to a heart or straight card on the turn
C.  Raise to get straight and flush draws to fold as well as A/J.  Pot is 3400 and raise minimum 1200, putting half my stack in the pot.

What would you do.  Answer after I get at least one response.

Supporting Local Business

There is a bar/restaurant that I pass driving to poker sometimes.  It is a horrible traffic area that usually takes multiple traffic light changes to drive through due to construction on a small bridge.  Noticed this sign last time by and vowed to support them as it has to have negatively impacted their business.  Darn hard to turn into or out of plus they share parking with construction vehicles, material, etc.

So, hit their happy hour tonight, good food and friendly waitress.  This construction time is a travesty.

German Virgins Continue to Haunt

Playing bounty tournament today I am eliminated (again) with 9/9.  Open shove in cutoff with my 9/9, called by big blind who is playing first hand at our table, just sat down.  I have only 5 blinds.  She is lucky to have pocket queens.  Ouch.

I wrote this a while ago and it laid dormant in my drafts.  So, it seems like deja vu that in today's bounty tournament it happened again.  On the final table, bubble, I shoved 5 big blinds with 9's, called by K/Q, queen on the river.  I hate 9's.

Winning Loss

Sometimes it is o.k. to lose a battle if you win the war.  Playing in a ridiculously loose 3/6 game this morning before the tournament watched stupid play get lucky time after time.  Basically there were several "any two cards, specially suited" players in the game.  Saw some really raggedy cards win, like 8/3 suited, and tried to play only solid hands.  The player to my immediate left was super loose and super aggressive, raising most pots, straddling, calling light.  So, me playing J/J, he raises, and super loose and aggressive guy calls.  Flop comes A/A/K.  I bet, they both call.  Turn is another ace.  I bet again, both call.  River is blank, i bet, they both call.  Guy to my left has 8/8, loose guy has K/8 off.  He takes a nice pot, but the good news is a daily morning promotion known as "waking dead" which is $576.  Qualifying hand is aces full of 8's or better with both cards in your hand playing.  The game is stopped to pay us two "losers" half the money.  Sweet.

Royalty

The Sunday Omaha game started later than usual due to the giant end of month tournament.  I grabbed the next to last seat but it was my favorite, the #9.  Good choice as I hit 3 high hands worth $100 each.  Getting stuck early is my worst nightmare as you then have a hole to dig out of.  The very first hand flopped a set of 8's but the player next to me flopped a set of queens.  Had many killer flops of 2 and 3 pairs which seldom won or improved, even two 4 pair hands which is tough to do!!!  Won my first high hand with a baby full house 77733, the second with aces full of kings, and the third.....may I refer you to the picture above.  Playing A/Q of spades, the K/J flopped with the 10 on the river.  Sweet.  Funny thing, my buddy Bruce, sitting in the 8 seat had a queen high straight flush on the board.  We were just talking about how you could never relax but looked nearly impossible to beat, then 2 hands later.....

It was a table for big hands as the 1 seat had hit a royal earlier and sadly there was a bad beat in the muck with 8/9 suited.  Over 9000 in bad beat, my table share would have been 500 or so.  Also, i mucked a hand that would have made an 8 high straight flush.  Starting cards were 6/7/9 spades, with Q clubs.  Folded preflop, flop came 4/5 spades with 8 on river.  Could have played it in this very loose game with 7+ players most flops. Overall happy with results and average play, netted $165.

Monday tournament saw me with little more than starting chip stack but wormed my way onto final table and $90 (net $50) win for 5th place.

Avoiding a Win

Sometimes I seem hellbent on avoiding an easy win.  That was the case this week in back to back tournaments.  The first one was the Wednesday bounty tournament.  True to form I made the final table, cashing in my own plus one more $10. bounty.  Great, that would normally put me in the money as the final table usually gets buy in back.  However, there were only 29 players rather than the typical 40 plus, so only 5 spots paid.  3 players were eliminated and there were a couple of short stacks sweating it when this hand came up.  I am in the big blind for 2000 with folds to the small blind who min-raises.  My stack was at least 12k so I defended with Q/J.  The raiser is a very good player, also chip leader, and had folded his small blind to me twice in a row, so pretty tight.  The flop came out J/9/8 giving me top pair with gutshot straight draw.  He bet big and I foolishly and quickly shoved.  He turned over K/K leaving me with 9 outs.  A king on the turn changed nothing and the river bricked.  Sadly, I could have folded my way into the $65 fifth place money.

Thursday was not as good.  Arriving early found a seat in the $3/6 game.  Bought in for $100, and soon ran it up to $180.  Got a lot of pairs which hit sets and full houses.  Took a couple of losses and cashed out for a net $45. win, basically freerolling the tournament.  My cards cooled off and unlike my usual play took too many risks and bluffed off half my chips in one hand.  I am constantly amazed at the poor play in these turbos where people call raises with garbage, limp constantly, and call very light.  Just the nature of the beast I fear.  Last hand, only 3 big blinds, I limp with A/9 and call a big raise from the small blind who unfortunately has 9/9.  He even manages to find the case 9 on the river.

So, two day total was a $25. loss.  Not earth shaking but a loss nonetheless.  Tighter play would have seen much better results.

Cash

Back on winning streak with 2 final tables, but crashed hard today.  2nd hand of the tournament I have K/K in small blind.  Limp or two, then a raise to $250.  I re-raise to $500 and one limper plus raiser call.  Flop is Q/Q/3.  I bet $1000 into the $1550 pot (starting chips are 4000).  Both players call.  Turn is a jack, I go all in.  Limper folds, raiser calls with J/J for the 2 outer boat.  Player down.  I slink off to the 3/6 limit game telling my sad story to the players there, adding that they might as well chop up my $100 buy in now.   Didn't work out that way as I cashed out for $188 3 hours later.

Cash games are running good right now, last Thursday bought in for $100 in the 4/8 Omaha, cashing out 7 hours later for $586, with one $100 high hand helping out.  It was a fun one, knocking off a full house with flopped quad 6's.  The player was in the hand and made a weak attempt to delay the game as there was less than a minute left.  Tabled the hand with 15 seconds to go.  Said player is loose and annoying so glad to bust him.  Love getting the last minute one as nothing is ever safe.  I had lost one earlier queens full of 6's to queens full of 9's with 5 minutes on the clock.  Have seen quads beaten many times and even had my straight flush topped twice, all in a half hour.

So far a good week of poker.

Adopting Orphans

Before getting into my main topic, a quick update.  After running spectacularly good, with 4 final tables in a row, have come back to earth.   Not calling them bad beats exactly, but last two tournaments got it in very good but lost.  First one shove with A/K, called by K/Q.  Gotta love the matchup.  He hits a queen.  😥  Next tournament, UTG next to me raises big with A/Q suited, I shove roughly his stack with K/K.  He calls, flops two spades and rivers the third.  Bad luck.  First case am 75% to win, 2nd case am 68%.  Like I said running bad.

So, thinking about the poor orphan pots, you know, the ones you are on the button and everyone checks the flop, the turn and/or the river.  Do you adopt these orphans?  I think we miss an opportunity if we don't.  However, there are dangers.   You leave yourself open to traps and to strong check raise bluffs.  If your opponents are not prone to do either, and you have a hand that cannot win a showdown, I say steal away.  Remembering a game from years ago, this old regular would always bet the river if checked to him on the button.  I watched this happen many times, suspecting shenanigans.   Finally, decided to test my theory the next time he did it by check raising him with nothing.  He folded with a very hurt look and didn't do it again all session.

Luck flipping Asian

Again playing morning tournament enjoying the game as my buddy "Guido" is sitting across from me and we catch up on our lives.  Running good until this Asian guy who has been up and down shoves about 2400.  I call with 9/9.  He has AK and hits one to double up.  A round or two later he shoves again.  I am short, on the button with A /Q.  Call.  He has.........wait for it..........9/9.  Unbelievable.  I miss and am out.  What are those odds?  Lose with 9's, lose against 9's to the same guy😭😭😭😭😢😢😠☠

I retire to the 3/6 cash game, win $5 in an hour or so. I am crushing this game, lol.  At least collected my free lunch which is something.

Missed steaks

No, I have not become a vegan.  Yesterday's bounty tournament started well for me but there were too many "Missed steaks".  The first one was at 100/200 blind level, in the BB.   UTG limps, 2 UTG raises to 600, next player calls.  I fold Q/7, limper calls.  Flop comes 7/7/9, check, check, bet 400.  All fold I go crap, folded 7.  Guy next to me says I was getting 5 or better to one on my money.  He is right.  I hate playing average hands out of position to a raise, but math should have ruled.

Next missed steak was a good decision at the time, but forgot I was playing turbo.  Pocket 2's in early position, blinds 200/400, 3500 in my stack.  A lot of players open shove here, but I am trying to be smarter.  Fold. Late position bigger stack shoves with A/K, called by next player who has Q/Q.  Good fold until a 2 on the flop and I miss my triple up opportunity. 

Last one. Blinds are 500/1000, I am small blind, folded around to me.  I have a total of 3000 chips and lucky me, A/K.  I shove, big blind thinks briefly (He has big stack courtesy of an earlier triple up hitting 2 outer on river vs. flopped set), and calls with 3/6.   Naturally, he hits a 6 and knocks me out.  My missed steak?  Should have just called.  That way he has opportunity to bluff raise preflop or I execute the "stop and go" maneuver.  Either way preferable.  When you have no fold equity be careful with shoves. 

3/6 limit poker

Having just a few hours to play this morning, bought the last seat in a 3/6 game.  Put my name up for 4/8 and 3/300 but they were not to start before I had to leave.  My $60 "investment" ran up to about $120, based on a big kill pot win and aces that held up against 5 hands.  Variance is the key in these games losing a big pot with my A/Q vs. A/9 and 8/9.  Flop came A/Q/9. Despite my raise on flop and bet on turn they both hung in there.  The case 9 came on the river and I folded when bet and called before me.  Unreal.  There were 2 very aggressive Asian guys to my immediate right, which is where I like them.  Was able to call several bluffs and stay out of trouble.  Down to my last $20, went on a small run, quitting with $5 "sugar" after 3 hours.  Tight is the only way to survive these games, and saw some very improbable holdings stay to the end.  Think I could crush this game if I played it regularly. 

No Regerts

Found  great tattoo on the web, "No regerts".  Gotta love it.  My brother and I were talking last week and philosophically he told me that a version of hell was meeting the you that ideally could have been.  That got me thinking about all the possible lives i could have led.  But path leads to path from each fork in the road,  and we try to make the best decisions possible with the information we possess at the time.  This is true in all aspects of life.  In poker, as in all of life, we make the best decisions we can with the information we have, and poker is a game of incomplete information.  There is no perfect way to decide.  Someone once said that bad decisions lead to knowledge.  Guess the more bad ones you make, the wiser you become.

Playing the morning turbo tournament I ran pretty good until this hand.  With a stack of about 6000, blinds at 200/400, I pick up A/K suited 3 UTG.  I raise to 1100, all fold except big blind, big stack loose player, who calls.  Flop comes K/J/8, two clubs (I have hearts).  BB checks, I shove.  He quickly calls with his K/J, and I fail to find an ace.  So, decisionwise, I think I made the right play.  With a 2400 pot and 3600 behind on a draw heavy board, if I bet to give draws bad odds, it would have to be at least 1500, so that would leave me pot committed anyway if he check raises.  By shoving, we get to the natural place anyway and I am willing to "stack off" with top pair, top kicker at this point against any draw.  There are only 7 hands I am behind, A/A, K/K, J/J, K/J, 8/8 and K/8 or J/8 (highly unlikely).  Just bad luck but feel good about the decisions.  No regerts!!!

Here are running bad examples

Kids, don't try this at home!  Drove to Tulalip for my Sunday Omaha game and found out that the "last Sunday of the month" tournament was scheduled.  This is a big deal, 120 players, maybe 60 alternates, $230 entry fee.  I was told there would be no cash games until at least 2:00.  Now, I would ordinarily just have gotten in my car and gone to another Card room, but I-5 was totally blocked southbound due to a multi-car accident.  Well, just gotta play it.  A couple of missed draws left me short when down to 75 players and got it in good with 4/4 against two callers with A/K and A/J on a flop featuring a 4.  The board ran big and the worst starting hand rivered Broadway.  Player down.

Fast forward to Saturday.  86 players at Caribbean casino, running very good until I wasn't. A couple of losses and super short with J/J shove.  J/10 suited overshoves, 9/9 shoves, and K/J calls short all in.  I am in looking good, dominating all hands with one overcard to fade.  Flop has a 9, we are all in bad shape, but winner was 10/J suited rivering a flush.  Worst hand wins again.  According to my poker odds calculator app, my preflop odds are 45% to win.  Player down.

Driving back to Tulalip early Sunday to get my preferred Omaha seat, I wait an hour but no one shows up.  A dealer tells me that the high hands now start at 4:00 rather than 2:00 on Sundays.  I am not sticking around, so frustrated drive home.  This week's poker has sucked.

Dead Zone

Running pretty bad lately.  Sunday was planning on some Omaha but huge end of month tournament took all the tables, soooo, played in the $230 tournament against better judgement.  Up and down, but made costly mistake chasing a combo gutshot and flush draw.  My last chips went in good with 4/4 against A/J and A/K, specially hitting a set on flop.  But, board ran out big and the worst starting hand won with Broadway straight.  There were 120 entries plus 60 alternates, finished around 80th.

No cashes this week in turbos, but did get two bounties on Wednesday.  Card dead today, raising with 7/7 and making the mistake of calling a big re-raise.  Flop of 4/4/K left me folding to his all in bet.  Gave my last chips to player next to me when I shoved 7 big blinds UTG with suited 9/10 and called by UTG +1 with A/J.  Failed to pair up or hit gutshot draw.

Here is an interesting story though.  Yesterday sitting next to an older regular we were telling poker stories.  He related a hand from the 80's in Reno.  He was playing a $10/20 game with pro's Chip Reese, David Skalansky, and another guy who he could not recall by name.  He had the 10/Jack of hearts while Skalansky had pocket aces, Reese had pocket kings, and the other guy had pocket queens.  Flop came down A/K/Q ........of hearts!!!!  Set over set over set and flopped royal flush.  As expected he never had a chance to bet or raise.  The turn was a queen, giving the "other pro" quads and Skalansky aces full.  So, to top the story, this guy finally remembers the other pro's name, Ray Zee!!!!  I am in disbelief that my Cannon Beach poker pal is the guy.  I almost immediately text Ray about the story to see if he remembers it.  He answers the next day in typical Zee fashion that it is a bullshit story, Reese never played in Reno.  I am thinking Ray probably forgot, or maybe the story teller got his players wrong.  Everyone is getting old and forgetful.  Who can remember specific hands from 30 plus years ago, even crazy ones like that, except maybe the guy flopping a royal against pro's?

Lucky

Playing the morning $40 tournament was running very good, at one time sitting with 10% of chips in play (52 entries, 4000 starting stack.  I got there by getting lucky.  While I had a very decent stack, maybe 12000, I pick up A/Q in hijack position.  I raise to 6000 to thin a limper, I think blinds were 1000/2000.  The big blind shoves a big stack.  Is he calling bs on my raise?  I think only briefly before calling, expecting a small pair or weaker ace.  Nope.  A/K.  Gulp.  I get lucky on flop with a queen but drama is not over as a 10 also hits.  No jack, no jack, no jack.  Another queen comes.  No jack!!!!  River is another 10 and I double up!!!   Yay for me.

Luck continues on final table as 3 players knocked out first 3 hands dealt.  I double up with kings vs. queens and another player leaves.  The biggest stack donks off half his chips calling a big raise from queens with his A/8 suited,  then calling the jack high flop shove with his single overcard.  Later, I am in big blind with A/J suited when he limps from small blind.  I shove 20k, about half his stack and he goes into the tank.  Finally he calls with 8/9 off.  Sadly, he hits an 8 and I finish in 5th place for $145.  All in all I felt pretty good about my game.  If I he played less aggressively or had an unluckier opponent would have bumped up at least one pay grade, worth $50.  Once in the money I like to go for the gold with a workable stack, first was almost $600.

Does no one pay attention to table image?

Playing extremely tight in the morning tournament, I had not played a hand past the flop, and had voluntarily entered only 2 in late position 40 minutes into the game.  Like I said, squeaky, nitty tight.  So, with A/10 suited, I raised to 500 under the gun, 2.5 x 200 big blind,  expecting only late position callers if any.  So, the 1 UTG player calls and an extremely lucky player in middle position (He won the first 5 hands dealt with crap), also called.  The flop came J/9/K, 2 of my diamonds.  So, with a gunshot plus flush draw, I bet 700 into the 1800 pot.  I had committed about 1/3 of my chips.  The UTG plus 1 raised to 1400.  The other player called.  This made the pot 5300 giving me great odds to call for another 700.  The turn card was a brick, I checked and 1 UTG shoved and was called by Mr. Lucky.   I had about 1800 in chips remaining and briefly considered folding, but the pot was so huge and getting pretty short with a fold, decided to call for all my chips.  UTG turns over Q/J and lucky Q/9, i can win with an ace, a queen or a diamond.  The river pairs the 9 and worst hand wins, knocking both of us out.  In retrospect my raise UTG was pretty bad, but the callers' ranges were worse.  I always try to watch who is tight and offer some respect. 

Early Fire Extinguished

I clearly know how to play a short stack, but do i know how to manage a big one? Playing the $40 daily tournament yesterday was unstoppable early, quickly amassing over 3x starting stack.  Unfortunately my table broke and was moved to a seat immediately to the left of 2 lucky idiots with big stacks.  It was an aggressive table with lots of preflop and flop shoving.  The wheels began coming off when in the unraised big blind with A/10 both players limp.  The flop comes 10S/9D/3D.  I bet almost pot (think blinds were 200/400) and both players call.  Turn is JS.  I bet 3000 into the 4000 pot.  They both call.  River is 7S.  We all check.  Small blind turns over K/8 D for the rivered straight.  Crap, chased the flush and backed into straight.

Moving tables again, I raise from the cutoff with A/6, and yes I am a little on tilt.  The big blind calls, flop is A/10/10.  He checks, I c-bet and he shoves a small stack.  Call.  He has A/K, and I am now short., with 3 blinds.  I limp with J/9, big blind bets the K/9/x and I call.  He reveals K/9, and I am gone.  60 plus players, out in maybe 25th place talking to myself. 

Tells in a bubbalicious game

Retreating to tournaments after up and down cash games, played in Sunday $60 tournament with 60 entries.  I ran pretty good and had a very good young player to my immediate left.  He was aggressive but had a big tell.  If planning to play the hand, he would throw a chip on his cards, otherwise uncovered and muck.  Plus, he was aggressive and nearly always came in with a raise.  This really helped me as I could fold more speculative hands, limp with big hands, and sometimes raise when in cutoff.

Long story short, down to 11 players, paying 10 just knew my short stack was doomed.  Miraculously I made the final table, but with only 3/4 of a big blind (2000/4000, I had 3000).  Very bad seat draw put me into big blind first hand.  Not a horrible hand, 10/8 suited, and thanks to a raise by A/Q, heads up.  Missed a straight draw and out for a $100 payday.  Made the table laugh when I said I was feeling bubbalicious.

Dry Pot Bluff Collusion?

Despite finishing in 3rd place in a 62 player tournament today, I left frustrated and a little tilted.  Down to 4 or 5 players with blinds at 2000/4000, I am in the big blind with 4/8. UTG limps a huge stack, short stack of 6500 shoves, the other big stack calls.  Hmm, I call with great pot odds as does the limper.   Flop is something like 10/2/2. We all check.  Turn is a 7?  We all check.  River is an 8.  Big stack 1 bets big, enough to put me all in.  We both fold.  He reveals k/Q and the all in scoops with weak ace.  I was shocked.  Later the other big stack is eliminated and 3 way I am in distant 2nd place.  The big stack was raising light, like very weak aces, so despite my opinion that I could outlast the shorter stack it was a snap call for all my chips with A/J suited when he raised.  Oops, this time he had A/Q and I am out.  I have not even left the table when the big stack offers to chop with the guy holding 2 blinds.  Same guy he saved when he bet me off the best hand.  Collusion? Think they were both Canadian and really clueless rookies.  Never know.  I was fairly happy with my $140 win on a $5. buy in ($20 free entry coupon used for all but bonus "dealer appreciation " chips).

Texas Roulette

Here is an interesting game I found on the wsop play money site.  Texas Roulette.  Rules are these.  Buy in is 25000 only.  Blinds are 12500/25000.  Cards are dealt and you have two choices, call or fold.  Flop is dealt, now you must go all in or fold.  Your chips are auto filled back to starting stack if you are below 25k.  Simple.  After getting the hang of it did very well.  Key is like real poker played well.

1.  Be picky about your starting hands in early position, you will have to act first before seeing what everyone else does.
2.  Your range should broaden in late position because you will have more information.
3.  You can't really bluff against a crowd, someone has a hand or a draw.
4.  Kickers matter, suited matters and high cards matter, preferably have all 3.
5. Size matters.  A big stack sometimes scares them off.
6.  Because you cannot raise preflop in this game, you will often be trapping with your big hands.  Don't go crazy, a pair is only a pair, even if aces. Evaluate the texture of the board.
7.  Any two cards can and often do win.  Loose play in late position can be a big winner.
8.  Small pairs are great...if you hit.  Remember the flop it or drop it rule.

That's about it, ran my bankroll up over 10% in a couple of sessions.  Fun game.



.

First Post of New Year

Didn't realize it had been so long since my last post.  My bad.  It is not for lack of poker, just being a lazy bum writer.  Playing usual Omaha games on Thursdays and Sundays with mixed results.  One very bad session sent me scuttling to the low buy in tournaments.  No great winnings there despite several final tables and deep runs against big fields.  Lately, last 3 tournaments have been eliminated getting it in good and losing to 2 or 3 outers.  Example one, player raises big with 6/6.  I re-raise all in with Q/Q.  He hits a 6 on the flop.  Example 2, go all in with A/Q, called by Q/J.  He hits a jack on the river.  Example 3, player raises with 5/5, I re-raise with 10/10.  He flops a 5.  This is very sick to be a huge favorite and lose to big dogs.  Nothing I can do but smile knowing I got it all in good and the trend can't continue.

Bright spots lately have been small wins in omaha.  It a bit of a grind, with long hours for not much money (won $92 in 9 hours of play) yesterday, but you know how time flies in a poker game.  Next week is the big "pow wow" senior tournament.  Looking forward to crushing those lucky 2 out players for the big bucks payout.  Hey, it could happen!