Adventures in Pokerland

Royal Flush Magnet?

2012-03-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

Exactly how many royal flushes have you had in your lifetime? How many have you seen dealt at the table you are playing? My answer just went up by 4 this week. Amazing. After the third one I mentioned it and sure enough Joe turns one. I was only involved with 1 of the hands, I had turned the straight when Aaron rivered the gutshot royal. This goes way beyond any probability chart.

Trying to get back into some tournaments, played 2 on Saturday with a two way chop on the first one and a 6th place in the second.

Senior Poker

2012-03-04T09:39:00.001-08:00

I tried to scan this funny article from Poker Player Magazine but the print was too small to read!!! Anyway here are excerpts.

* A shaking hand is not necessarily a tell. You should consider the additional options of age and infirmities before leaping to the conclusion that your opponent has a monster hand.

* Phlegm clearing does not violate the "English only" table policy. Neither does mumbling.

* People with head phones are not the only ones who can't hear the dealer.

* Repeatedly checking hole-cards doesn't necessarily mean your opponent is looking to see if he has a flush draw. He probably just forgot what he had.

* Deep knee bends dujring a hand are not an affectation, but if the player fails to get back up, call for help.

* Slow playing a hand is not necessarily a strategy.

* Neither is slow rolling. However, eye rolling is, given the years that it takes to perfect it.

* Almost everyone wears glasses, yet the person sitting farthest from the flop will have forgotten theirs.

* If you think a girl at the table is the hottest girl you've seen in years, you left your glasses on top of your head.

* Bathroom breaks need to be closer together.

Thank you, Shari Geller.

Roller Coaster Rides Make You Scream & Puke

2012-03-03T08:32:00.001-08:00

What a ride this week. Up, up, then way down, slightly up, down again. Roller coaster? Of course not, poker. After posting a few great days (up $200 & $400 & $135) I came crashing down to earth with a numbing $500 loss. Then, next day a miniscule $12 profit and yesterday an $88 loss. I like to consider yesterday a good day however as I was stuck almost $400 before clawing my way back. It was a day that started out getting great starting cards that lost huge pots. Then, when almost all was lost I got frisky and began chasing longshots. My big pot came when I hit trip 8's (I was playing 5/8 sooooooted in a raised and reraised preflop pot for goshsakes!) on the river. I then sucked out a couple more. Bob Pischel commented (he never says anything) "Phil, you have lost the right to complain about bad beats for 3 years". Ha! Ha!

I will have to admit that a lot of my loss came as a result of both tilt and failed bluffs (remember about bluffing the calling station). I got my aces snapped by 6/9 offsuit, and yes I raised $12 preflop so decided to try a total bluff by raising with the same hand...got reraised by.....ACES! Of course the flop missed me entirely.

Today planning to play in the deepstack at Jokers. Hoping for the best as have not played any tournaments this week.

Hand of the week was: 10 high straight flush. Flopped the straight with an open ended str. flush draw, hit it on the river. Another player raising I reraised and drove out the "nut ace" flush draw. My bad but still a big pot.

Bluffing in Limit Poker

2012-02-27T13:35:00.002-08:00

"You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time." - Abraham Lincoln

As a further "tutorial" in limit poker, a few comments on bluffing.

1. Despite what you would think (can't bluff in low limit games)I see successful bluffs shown almost every day.

2. I don't think that you should show your successful bluffs unless you are planning to really tighten up your play and want to get lots of future action (this falls under the category, be careful what you wish for). It can create a monster for you where people will chase their bottom pair and snap your pocket aces when they hit trips or two pair. They will do this enough on their own without your further encouragement.

3. I see more "semi-bluffs" than anything, people raising with nut flush draws or with open-enders, trying to either take it down now or build a big pot if they hit. It makes sense to do this as the bluff will work a certain percentage of the time and they will also hit their hand another percentage, giving them a net gain UNLESS you recognize that you have the best hand right now and punish them by re-raising.

4. The frequency of bluffs (if you decide that you want to do some) should be random. That is, don't always bluff from a certain position or any predictable timing. That is why picking a "bluffing hand" is a fairly good option. It can be anything, and the beauty if it is an unorthodox hand (2/7 Lynne), the "real hands" will never see it coming if you hit it hard. Think about A/K vs. 2/7 on a K/7/2 flop. Warning: if you are known for this particular hand and you have raised preflop you can kill your own action or not get credit for the big hand you have, thus encouraging chasing.

5. Another frequency thought is that some players that bluff frequently are wired to suspect that you are too. They will often call you light, so I am not usually prone to bluffing the bluffer.

6. I will usually only bluff when heads up in position. It is usually impossible to bluff a crowd as there often are in loose passive games with tons of limpers. Someone always has a hand, or a draw, or a dream of a draw, or a bluff catcher.

7. It is nearly impossible to create a "table image", except long term among regulars and they probably have your game figured out anyway. So, you cannot fold 30 hands in a row and then max bet on a bluff and expect everyone to put you on aces. Just how it is.

Where is my ass? Oh, you just handed it to me.

2012-02-23T15:45:00.000-08:00

Playing in Seattle this week decided to try a super deep stack $35. tournament at a small casino, The Hideaway. It was fairly nice place with a juicy 3/6 kill omaha game going at 10 a.m. The tournament was a disaster for me. Playing tight I folded AK suited in the small blind against a raise and reraise. Too bad, the original raiser had A/10, the re-raiser QQ and I turned two pair.

After winning one small pot with a flopped set of 9's, I was about even (20,000) in chips. The game was crazy, saw people calling raises with junk and raising way out of proportion to the blind size. Could hardly wait for a "real hand". Under the gun I see K/K and raise 3 times the $400 blind to $1200. This is still early as we began with 100/200 blinds. I get 4 callers! Not good, and what the heck are they thinking calling an UTG raise from the tightest player at the table? The flop is jack high with two spades, so I make it 5,000 to go protecting against the flush draw and begging the AJ to call. Fold, Fold, Fold, re-raise to 15,000 and a fold. Hmmmm, could I have run into aces? With over 1/3 of my chips in the pot and getting great calling odds I re-raise all-in only to get an insta-call from J/J. Gone, despite turning the flush draw.

A seat opens in the omaha game and I sit down. The action is crazy with several kill pots capped preflop. I miss all my draws pretty much all the time (except when severely short stacked, then I win small pots) and watch garbage win many times. One guy flops a royal flush with "Mr. Bling" an aggressive better jamming all the way. The guy wins a $350 monte and quits soon afterwards up about $500. I just keep rebuying, like a donk, and quit stuck $300. Not pretty. My last hand had so many outs I lost track (flopped trips) and he runners a flush. Can't count the number of hands I ended up with 3 pair and second nut low. I give!!!!!

Cash Game Advice for Don

2012-02-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

So, Don, you mentioned that you were thinking of playing more cash games for a while. You didn't tell me if you were doing limit or NL, but would like to share with you my limit cash game "wisdom" from playing in these games the past 5 years (they do not offer NL games at the non-Indian casinos here).

1. Forget about "tells". Most players are just playing their cards. That said, the super obvious ones do apply sometimes with some players. For instance, if a player says "Do you have a flush?" when the board hits the third suited card, but the board is paired....he can beat the flush. Whatever hand he mentions, he can beat.

2. Game selection is critical. I would much rather play at a table of rocks than a super loosey goosey table. There is much less variance (in your bankroll), and play is more predictable. That said, it does help to have at least one loose player to give you action.

3. Bankroll management is key. Depending on the limit you are playing, I like to set a "stop loss" at around 3 buy-ins if the game is good, fewer if it is a donkfest. I like to buy in for around 10-12 times the big bet, so in a 4/8 game my buy in is $100 and I am prepared to rebuy two more times. If I get stuck $200 can sometimes recover, but not usually $300. Also, when I triple up my buy in, it is usually a good time to quit unless you are running very hot or the game is still juicy. Nothing more frustrating than "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" and losing after a good session.

4. I like to play loose in a tight game, and tight in a loose game. You will take money from the rocks who will only play AA or KK, etc. when you hit your connectors hard. Because they play so few hands they are often reluctant to fold them. In the loose games you cannot get sucked into the mindset of the mob. They will just trade chips back and forth with their random 2 pair hands and crappy flushes. The hands I do like to play are big suited connectors (10/J and up), Suited aces, any pair. The hands I like to avoid are gapped connectors whether suited or not, "any two suited cards", weak aces and most early position. Smallpairs I am set mining to nail a big pot. I fold nearly always if the flop misses, which of course it does 7 times for each one you hit. If the pair is large (or if the flop is small and uncoordinated) you can often win with your overpair.

5. Watch the rake!!!! In low limit games the rake is your deadly enemy and will eat you. Biggest error for most players is: entering too many pots.

6. Lately I have been tight folding blinds...small blind if less than 5 limpers, and both blinds against any raise. You are out of position with normally random cards and need a great flop, which doesn't happen often. Better to fold and wait for cards and/or position to get your money in.

7. The Straddle. Man do I hate straddles, especially from the guy to my immediate left. Have been known to tell him "that is the last straddle you will do". Then, when it is my big blind and he shoves his straddle out, I just stand up take back my blind and go to the restroom. I reenter the game after the button passes and pay both blinds with position. Some guys complained about it, but there is no rule against this.

My other straddle strategy is to always punish the straddler if I have a real hand, particularly with limpers (I mean how weak is that to limp a raised blind knowing the guy could raise big later?). I like to make it $24 to go in our 2/20 spread game.

8. Monte Carlo or high hand boards to me are the bane of the game. The Player Supported Jackpot drop of $1 on every hand dealt just sucks money out of the game and creates very weak play (I had to play my 2/3 suited because the 6 high straight flush pays $300!!!!). I play a lot and last year got a tax hit for $800 on my monte money...which you never get in a cash game otherwise. The casino I frequent tracks all montes and if it goes over $600 total in a year, bang, tax report. Ridiculous. Most players will never recover the lost money and it encourages a bingo mentality.

That is about it for now, hope this helps. I know you are a very experienced player but the difference between limit cash and tournaments is huge and I always have to switch gears mentally when going from one to the other.

Ace King Problems Continue

2012-02-17T16:16:00.000-08:00

My problems with AK continued today with two tournaments on-line. In the first my shove is called by K/10 offsuit. The big dog dominated hand flops a straight. The next tourney I flop top pair (ACE) with 3 hearts...I have the king of hearts. The turn is another ace and I go all- in with one caller. River is a 3 and the caller reveals.....A/3 with the 3 of hearts. Be still my heart.

American Legion tournament tonight, made the final table (31 entries) and had a medium chip stack. Went totally card dead and as blinds increased got short. Several shorter stacks went all in and sucked out with the worst hands (one catching case queen on river on a K/Q/x flop with big stack having the king...one other queen also in the mix...he had shortest stack covered). Basically one of those final tables where "everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die". Down to 7, paying 6 spots we agreed to pay bubble their $40 back. It was me. Another short stack raised under the gun, big stack on button raised to put him all in (I had only one blind left). I sensed that he was just squeezing two shorter stacks so called with K/10. The other guy folded and I saw his K/J. No suck out for me!!!!

Nothing but a Heartache

2012-02-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

A very funny video: (same guy who does the funny jacks video)

Nightmare Ace/King

2012-02-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

Getting knocked out of two tournaments in one day with AK is lots of fun. The first, the $60 buy-in was on the final table. I had taken a bad beat a few hands before on another table and lost about half my chips. Finding AK suited in early position I shoved for 9,000 with 500/1000 blinds. I am called by a young (and dumb) player with lots of chips with his 5/5, then overcalled by John with 10/10. The flop brings the kid's 5 and two spades, the turn a king, and the river a blank. 2 players down.

Second tournament, Steve's, I am seated next to a couple of very inexperienced players (one keeps throwing his big blind away). I lose about 1/2 my chips on various ventures until another player raises to 300 (blinds at $50/100. I have....AK offsuit, so I re-raise to $1000, hoping to take it down right there. No such luck. Another player goes in the tank and finally folds (AK he said), then one of the dumb players shoves with AQ suited. Naturally a queen comes on the turn to knock me out. Plus I win the donkey award for 1st out!!!!

Obnoxious & Lucky Player

2012-02-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

Got into some verbal discussions this morning with a very aggressive and intimidating player. I am definitely too aggressive and too dumb to avoid handing it back. Anyway, after stating how great a player he was, and how lousy I am, he doubles up the first hand of the tournament. He then does what he does best, bully and intimidate the other players.

After I called him light twice and won he really came after me, which led to my next to last hand. Scotty, a short stack, pushes all-in with Q/J offsuit, I am next to act and I come over the top all-in with A/K offsuit. The big, ugly and obnoxious "best player" calls my all-in for all his chips with A/10. The flop naturally brings a 10 and I am now the big dog with J/Q drawing to 6 outs, and me with only 3. His hand holds up and I am now short. I push a couple of hands later on the button with 2/2 and Clark calls with 8/8. Out.

The unbelievable stupidity and arrogance of calling a shove and overshove with A/10 boggles my mind. I think he did it just cause it was me. After discussing the situation with management, decided that next time the verbal stuff starts I will call for the floor.

Movie Review- "The Grey"

2012-02-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

Spoiler first: The wolves win.
My recommendation: Save your money for a bluff on the river.

The Perfect Storm?

2012-02-06T19:14:00.000-08:00

Playing this morning in the 10 a.m. tournament I made the final table, but busted out 2 before the 4 way chop. Called an all in with my short stack Q/10 versus KK and AQ. Not good. Turned the straight draw when kings caught a set, but instead of an ace or 9 for my straight, the 10 came, giving AQ the straight. On second thought Q/10 very bad calling all in, but it has been lucky for me lately;.

The perfect storm hand came in the cash game. I was up and down but had just won a fair pot to get almost up to my $120 buy in. I was dealt pocket queens and I raised to $10. Clark, sitting next to me re-raised to $20. Two more callers came along for the ride, so there was around $80 pre-flop. The flop was A/Q/x with 2 diamonds. I bet $20, Clark raises to $40, Steve re-raises to $60, the other player calls, so I cap it. There is now $400 in the pot. I am never folding as Clark is capable of all the action with Kings or AQ, but I am very doubtful that he has either based on his comments, but many people will say things to get you off your hand. The turn is a blank, It is bet $16 (me), raised $20, which gets steve and I both all-in and another player with chips calls. The river is a blank and Steve mucks, the other player shows the flush draw, and Clark rakes the monster $550 pot with A/A !!!! Talk about a cold deck flop with set over set. I pick up my card protector and leave.

Bad Play or Bad Luck?

2012-02-03T23:56:00.000-08:00

On my recent trip to Arizona I met with my old high school buddy, Don, who lives in Maricopa, just minutes from my sister's house. We went to the local casino, the Wildhorse Pass and played in a $50 buy-in tournament. There were 93 players and I finished in approximately 26th place. I was running good, hitting hands and went very card dead after being moved to a new table (doesn't that always happen?). Faced with $500/$1000 blinds I raise under the gun with KQ suited to $2500 leaving me approximately $7000 behind. I am called by the lady immediately to my left who has me covered. The flop is pretty good for my hand, K/J/9 rainbow, giving me top pair with a gutshot draw. I decide to shove as it is about a pot size bet and I am committed. She calls and reveals J/J for a flopped set. The turn queen gives me 4 more outs for 8 total. I whiff the river and am eliminated. Other than throwing away the hand preflop or check/folding the flop I don't see any other options.

New day, Moose morning tournament. I am up and down when this hand comes up. Miguel, a short stack with $500 goes all-in. A young player flat calls him (he has both of us covered). I have AK on the button and decide to try to isolate Miguel and squeeze the caller so I shove for $2000 total. The player thinks??? very briefly then calls with his 6/6 which holds up as Miguel also has AK, so we are drawing very thin. I definitely like my play as Miguel is pretty wild and I felt like I could get a fold from the big (but not huge) stack and risk no more than I would on a call. The alternate play would have been to just call in position and either check the flop if ugly or shove on any flop. There were two queens on the flop so I am pretty sure the sixes would have folded to that line of play, but who can tell with players willing to call an all-in and overcall with low pairs.

After my elimination I play in the cash game and suffer bad beat after bad beat. Example 1: Raised preflop by me to $10 with K/K. Called by "Miami John" with Q/8. Hit a king on the flop for a set, bet $15 and am called by John with a gut shot draw, which he hits on the turn. Lost about $70 on the hand.

Next beat, I raise with A/A and am called by JJ. He hits his two outer.

Last hand: I limp with 2/2 and flop is 2/5/K. Sensing no danger, I check and the turn is another 5. Ramon bets $12, I raise to $32, he reraises me all-in. He has K/5 (suited). How sick is that? I quit for the day, stuck about $300.

Queens? No thanks, I've been over-served.

2012-01-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday playing the cash game for about 2 1/2 hours I was getting run over by the deck big time. I was dealt pocket queens 5 times...winning one big pot (A/Q flop), winning 3 small pots, and losing one medium pot (raised by Wayne to $7 preflop, called by Vern, re-raised by me to $17, both players call. Flop is A/K/K, Vern & I check, Wayne bets $20. Good-bye.

I also was dealt pocket aces twice, winning small pots with both, and losing a big pot with KK on a flop of J/10/8 with a bet and raise to $35. One player called, turn was king, bet by Vern, fold, he shows J/10 which means I threw away the winner as he was drawing dead to a chop at best.

A profitable day, but could have been better with the right callers on my preflop raises. But, I never dislike a check in the win column. I like my play for the most part, even my winning and possible winning folds. Trying to pay a lot of attention to the "texture" of the flop. When I see a highly textured one with straight and flush draws I am usually folding unless I have the big draw or set (which is also a big draw). Money not lost is money you don't have to try to win back later.

Stuck

2012-01-25T10:22:00.000-08:00

Wow, yesterday was a return to reality. Playing in the cash game for about 5 hours I was stuck $500. Not horrible play, but very loose callers, draws not coming in, and major disconnection from the flops. Last hand: With only $22 left, I shove on the button with AQ. Two callers, including Greg who had called me on the river with ace high (board had 3-6's and very co-ordinated), I was on a flush draw and missed, but bet turn and river big....DonK!!!!
Anyway, he wins with KJ when his king flops. Oh well, still even after big weekend.

Speaking of getting stuck though....here is a picture of my puppy, Milo, with his $1800. broken leg.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

2012-01-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

My birthday poker was very good to me. Playing in the 10 a.m. Moose tournament I got a very bad draw...out in the pit. The first hand of the tournament one of the loosest players got all in and won. Rut-Row! Now we all had to contend with his very loose calls for a long time. Example: I raise under the gun with AJ suited. He calls from the small bling with 7/2 (no the player is not Lynne). He flops a 2 and calls bet on the flop, turn and river with bottom pair. Ouch. Betting with air, but how the heck do you call?

I get a little short but double up through a young, loose aggressive player who raised with AK and called my shove with QQ. Back in the hunt I make the final table with a great stack, probably 2nd or 3rd most chips. Taking a horrible beat (preflop raise 2.5 times BB the blind calls with j/6 offsuit and flops two pair to my AQ) when the queen hits the turn. We eventually get down to heads up play and my offer to chop is refused when he has me outchipped 2/1. The tables turn and I am up 2/1 when I repeat my offer. He now accepts. Gracious of him.

Turning to the Omaha game in progress I win a couple of big pots and quit winning $180. With my $440 win (plus bounties), it has been a great birthday poker outing.

New World's Record Set for AA

2012-01-19T14:14:00.000-08:00

I think I set the world's record for AA this morning. After leaving the tournament early I played cash game and was dealt AA 4 times within an hour, including back to back!!!! Have never seen that before. After the back to back ones, I checked my cards, laughed and raised big with A/2 offsuit saying, "You guys will not believe this". Dougy called my raise, and with a small flop with a queen, he raised my $15 continuation bet to $35. I called and the flop brought another small card for a 4 straight, I checked, Doug bet, I called. River completed my straight and I bet $20 into him, he called in disgust and I tabled my A2 for a winner.

Had a dentist appointment and quit $140 up in an hour, despite being snapped every time with my AK (dealt to me 3 times). Hated to give up the hot seat.

Biggest Jerk at Table? Me.

2012-01-19T08:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning had a very brief session, around an hour. This hand came up: I am in late position holding a 5/8 suited. The flop comes 2/4/7 with two diamonds (I had clubs). Ali, a loose aggressive player, bets $8 into the $14 pot and I call with my gutshot draw with other players to act. Everyone folds and the turn brings my 6. Ali checks and I bet $20. He hesitates then calls. Turn brings a 3rd diamond and he bets $20, I call to see his flush. I then say, "Wow, you really like to gamble, you did not have odds to draw (ignoring the fact that I didn't either)". He responds, "I would have just checked it to you". Now, I am not prone to giving free cards when I don't have to, and it was obvious that a straight was possible. I then comment further about how he knocked me out of Sunday's tournament with his 7/9 offsuit call of two all-ins. The floor supervisor and dealer both tell me to get over it.

A few hands later, I am short stacked, and the following hand comes up: I am in the cutoff in a straddle and call $4 with K/J offsuit (king of spades) and the aggressive button raises to $24. Small blind, big blind and another player all call and I call. The flop brings A/x/x all spades. The small blind bets $8, the big blind raises to $28, the middle position player calls, and I reraise all-in to $48 and all but the small blind calls. The turn is a spade, the board does not pair and I rake a monster pot. Ali then comments, "guess you like to gamble". I see a wide difference in a small heads up pot and this hand, particularly being all-in and not having to pay to chase. However, I do apologize to Ali and leave a few hands later saying that I would be back "when I was in a better mood".

Another Joker Chop

2012-01-16T08:06:00.000-08:00

My Joker's winning streak is now an unbelievable 3/5 wins lifetime. It was great to split with my friend Lynne particularly coming into the final table as one of the three shortest stacks.

The Moose Sunday tournament was not kind to me. Terrible table draw out in the pit. Short stacked I called an all-in (Q/10 suited), but had him barely covered. Ali also calls with 7/9 offsuit!!!!! He hits a 7 and puts me all in (barely). I call with 2 overcards to the board and a gutshot straight draw. When I miss he knocks us both out. What a terrible call on his part, literally no hand he can be ahead of preflop.

Playing in my favorite Omaha game I very quickly get stuck $100 then take an available hold-em seat as the game is very short handed and about to break down. Played about an hour and made up my omaha loss plus about $20 towards my tournament buy in loss. All told, an o.k. weekend, on the plus side.

I am trying to build up my poker bankroll this year to play in a world series event. Can hardly wait to talk to my old friend Don about this when I see him later this month in Phoenix.

Draws Coming In, Hands Holding Up

2012-01-13T17:34:00.000-08:00

I have said (whined)for a long time, "just let my hands hold up and/or my draws come in and I will make a lot of money in poker". This week it is happening for me. Chopped the morning Moose for $140 win then sat briefly in the cash game and won another $150.

Notable moments: tournament: down to $300 in chips with blinds at $200/400 and won my all-in AJ (chopped with 10/J making a straight also), then all in 3 ways with AA which held up.

Cash game: Called big raise heads up with 4/5 suited, flopped open ender, turned straight.
Won three big pots with my new best buddy favorite hand: Q/10...making a straight once, two pair once and trips (vs. AA) the other hand.

Bet big with KK all folded but 8/8, kings held up.

Like I say, just needed to have some draws come in or hands to hold up and I can win serious money. Hoping my streak continues this weekend during tournament play.

Pot 'O The Night

2012-01-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

Playing in the $2/20 cash game has been very painful for me lately. Usually booking losses, some worse than others. Finally, I was able to eke out a small profit of around $50 and was about to call it good when I took a tremendous hit against a loose chaser. With the K/Q offsuit (queen of hearts), I got a flop of 9/10/J all hearts. A loose player bet $7 into me and I reraised to $27. He called and everyone else folded. The turn was a blank and I bet another $20. He called. The river brought another heart and he bet into me, I called with the 3rd nut to see his ace of hearts. Donkey!!!

Now slightly stuck, I win the next hand and am $30 ahead for the session. Thinking of quitting I get involved in a big pot. I limp with Q/10 of hearts and it is raised by Clark to $22. With 4 callers I call the raise. The flop hits me really hard.....J/9/4 with two hearts. I bet $20, hoping to take down the pot right there but Clark raises to 40, Joe calls and a stranger reraises. I call. The turn brings a heart and I bet, Clark and Joe fold and the other guy calls. River a blank, I bet and the stranger calls (Bad Bob was all-in on main pot). The other guy turns over his flopped two pair...J/4 and Bob mucks. I rake the $400 plus pot and quit a few hands later up over $300.

Sixty Cents an hour win rate

2012-01-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning Moose $60 bounty tournament was disappointing to me. Played for 4 hours and finished in 6th place (money back). The $2.50 profit came from chopping a bounty. John was eliminated when he had $300 left in the big blind. He had walked out earlier thinking his all in was covered (he forgot chip and chair) but still had 3 chips left. Marco raised with K/Q, I called with K/Q and we both knocked him out to split the $5.00 bounty.

My last hand was 10/J in big blind vs. A/8 offsuit on the button. Had only 1.5 BB's so defended the blind. A little worse than a coin flip, but two live cards and one over. Just not my day, but yet again another Final Table appearance.

Coin Flips, Alternates, Freerolls

2012-01-08T09:57:00.000-08:00

Started my poker day with the Joker $60 buy-in deepstack. Got hurt early on by a very loose player with A/6 versus my 9/9. He hit a 6 on the flop with a 10/6/3 flop and came out betting. I did not believe he had a 10 and called. The turn was another 6 and I called his bet planning on stealing the river. He then bet fairly big and I put him on either big cards or smaller pair.....

Short stacked with blinds at 200/400 the short stack next to me shoved with A/Q and I found 8/8. Normally not liking to call shoves I went ahead and lost the coin flip with only 10 big blinds and UTG next hand. He of course hit his ace.

Driving to the Moose since busting out so early I sat down in the cash game. Poor seat choice of the two open as the player taking the 4 seat hit quads his second hand plus 2 full houses. A freeroll began at 3:00 and have not played that for a year or two. Signing up, was dismayed to find myself 18th alternate. Not good. Ultimately there were 63 alternates for a total of 113 players. I hit some big hands against frankly some very poor players, lots of them playing their first tournament. I made the final table with only 12,000 and ended up in 6th place when I shoved UTG with 9/9 and was called by the two biggest stacks (triple up hopes), but the luckbox old Asian woman playing probably her first tournament called with K/Q offsuit and flopped the king.
Goodnight.

The Island

2012-01-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

Don't play much at the Island casino but tried my 2nd deepstack on Wednesday. Running pretty bad I got moved to a new table and caught some good cards, back to back queens and aces. I was moving up and then ran my 10's into an all in with AK who won the coin flip. Down to about 15 players after 4 hours of play I found myself shortstacked with blinds at 2,000/4,000 and $500 antes I was in the big blind with only $4000 behind.

The UTG player shoved with queens (he was the coin flip winner against me), the next player called all-in with A/J (1st all-in had him covered), then a bigger stack (Dr. Val) called with 10/10. I thought for just a moment and called without looking at my cards. I was not displeased to turn over 8/6 offsuit. Not my first choice, but live connectors. The turn was medium cards and I picked up a straight draw needing a 7. Missing I was eliminated when the queens held up. Oh, well.

Playing in the Friday morning moose was able to squeak out a 4th place finish worth $80 which I quickly lost in the cash game....along with more. Oh, well. Next stop...Joker's deepstack today.

How do you do this?

2012-01-03T15:20:00.000-08:00

Playing in the turbo "morning Moose" I was totally on fire, knocking out 4 players with monster hands. Moving to the final table I was undisputed chip leader with 1/3 of all chips in play. It was like a switch got turned off. I kept looking down at indescribably terrible hands, folding to the big blind twice (who was an aggressive short stack), calling a reraise with pocket 2's (notably the only pocket pair I was dealt on the FT) by a short stack who I doubled up with his j/9 suited (what was he thinking???) Anyway, did not win a single hand and was out in 5th place. Un-freaking-believable!!!!!

Dollar Water?

2012-01-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

The things that I really love about playing poker at the Crazy Moose are simple things, Comp'd meals, free coffee & water (technically soft drinks too, but they require tipping a server). Slowly but surely the new ownership is screwing it up. First they took away the yellow comp certificates that you could save up for a better meal than the poker menu. Then they made it so you had to pay for little extras, changing from fries to fruit on the menu, etc. Now they have taken away the free water bottles. In their quest for increased profitablility they are in danger of alienating their customers, a break from the golden rule of customer service.

One other change I am not really happy about is the starting of the cash game before the morning tournament. This draws money out of the prize pool and sometimes even cancels the tournament. Those players would be playing the tournament if the game wasn't starting early. I realize that this is part of the profit picture as the game is much more profitable for the house, but hey, there are other tournaments at other casinos and it may be time to travel to those.

The All Night Boys

2012-01-02T13:35:00.000-08:00

Showing up early for the 10 a.m. Moose tournament on Sunday I took the only available seat in the cash game. After sitting down I rethought playing. There were 3 players (Sal, Ahn, & Sang) sitting with around $4,000 total in front of them and one very stuck on tilt player (Miguel) desperately raising every pot trying to get his money back. They had been playing all night. Won very nice pot against a big stack then chopped one with Sal when he rivered the straight that I had flopped with Q/10 while he was chasing a flush (10/6 suited) with terrible pot odds. I then gave away half my stack with AQ vs. KK. I raised preflop in late position and he just called with his KK in small blind. With a queen high flop I was stuck, but fortunately he ran out of chips on the flop bet, raise and reraise.

Quitting with a small, $35 profit to help pay for my tournament, I busted out around 20th place raising in late position with 10/J, being reraised by KQ suited out of the blinds and calling his all in flop bet (10 high with 2 of his suite...he caught his flush on the river). As a fairly short stack I really was pot committed and got my money in with the best hand.

So, taking a seat at the Omaha 4/8 half/kill game I got stuck $100 before winning several pots and cashing out for a $140 profit. Total win for the day: $110. Had lots of worse days playing poker.

New Year's Poker Resolutions

2012-01-01T08:47:00.000-08:00

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to exactly why I have been losing (other than really running card dead). Here are some resolutions to help me play better this year.

1. Focus on Zen. By this I mean focusing on them moment rather than what happened in the past...last hand, last month, etc. This prevents tilt and anger, which leads to seeking revenge. Also, do not focus on the future. The correct way to play a hand needs to be separated from the results. Winning the hand is not the important lesson, playing correctly is.

2. Play with an adequate bankroll for the size of the game. You cannot win with scared money which is what you do buying in for the minimums. Also, having a lot of chips in front of you is intimidating, helps you make correct decisions, and maximizes profits when you finally have "the nuts". In analyzing my play have decided that it is why I do so much better in tournaments than cash games. But, the further lesson for me is late in the tournament I again need to focus on correct play, not just where I could potentially end up on the payouts. That again is focusing on the future, not the present.

New Book Chapters

2011-12-28T08:36:00.000-08:00

My work in progress has some new chapters:

Prayer at the Poker Table: Recent Supreme Court Rulings

Whining: Duty or Privelege?

Poker Withdrawl, symptoms & treatment.

I-Pad poker apps

Zen & Slow Rolling

Guys named Carlos

Tomorrow is a Long Time

2011-12-22T08:45:00.001-08:00

This version of Dylan by Nickel Creek blows me away

http://youtu.be/v8K3AQKkrdo

Stupid Blonde

2011-12-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

Last night at the Cable tournament I ended up on the final table with the chip lead. Down to 7 players we made a deal for 6 & 7 to get $50 back as they were paying 5 places. I suggested we just do a 7 way split for about $300 each but it was vetoed by the blonde who had just won a big pot and probably had a few more chips than me.

I went all in with 10/10 and was called by two shorter stacks, one with J/7 (real short stack), and A/8. With a chance to knock out two, we were down to 6 at this point, everyone was looking to move up a pay grade or two. Unbelievably the J/7 hits two pair and the A/8 hits an ace. 6 total outs against me and they both double up!!!!

A few hands later after one player is knocked out, I call an all-in who has A/4 with my AK suited. He hits a 4 on the flop and another on the river. Feeling snakebit and unlucky I have the BB with Q6 suited and blondie limps in (blinds at 10/20,000) and I have maybe 12,000 left. The flop gives a jack high and one of my suit, check, check. The turn is a 10 of my suit and she puts me all in. I call with both flush draw and double gutter plus an overcard but miss everything. I finish in 5th place for $120. Very disappointing. Without a lot of luck from my opponents or some luck on my part I would have won the whole thing.

The entire tournament I think that I only got "lucky" once......AQ suited all-in vs. KK and hit my straight. Some days are just like that. Can never be called a "luckbox".

Prayer

2011-12-15T12:38:00.001-08:00

Q. What is the difference between prayer in a church and a prayer at the poker tables?

A. At the tables you really mean it.

Drop Dead Poker

2011-12-14T09:48:00.001-08:00

Six guys were playing poker when Smith loses $500 on a single hand, clutches his chest and drops dead at the table.

Showing respect for their fallen comrade, the other five complete their playing time standing up.

Roberts looks around and asks, "Now, who is going to tell the wife?" They draw straws.

Rippington, who is always a loser, picks the short one. They tell him to be discreet, be gentle, don't make a bad situation any worse than it is.

"Gentlemen! Discreet? I'm the most discreet man you will ever meet. Discretion is my middle name, leave it to me."

Rippington walks over to the Smith house, knocks on the door, the wife answers, asks what he wants.

Rippington says, "Your husband just lost $500 playing cards."

She hollers, "TELL HIM TO DROP DEAD!" Rippington says, "I'll tell him."

Classic Advice

2011-12-11T09:22:00.000-08:00

"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper". Aristotle

This quote resonated with me and my poker game. Yesterday I was playing under time constraints and played the classic "one too many" hands. Ready to leave, I pick up J/J in middle position. Raising to $8, I get about 5 callers. The flop is a little nasty, A/small/small, but undeterred I bet $10 and get one caller under the gun, a guy who I had not played with before. The turn looks like it might be a great card for me, another ace. I really don't think he has an ace, especially when he just calls when he checks and I bet $20. The river does not complete any draws, but wisely I check to see his very weak ace (A/7) offsuit take "my" pot. WTF ......whiskey, tango, foxtrot!!!! Unbelievable donk action. Now stuck after a hand that would have given me a little sugar, I leave.

Update from Sunday morning Moose tournament:

Playing fairly well with marginal hands I double up to 10,000. One player raises to 1000 (he says later with AK) and is reraised to 2000 by QQ, I call with my little pair of 5/5. The flop is a monster for me of 3/4/6 offsuit. I bet 1000 and am called, then the reraiser makes it 3000. I then almost shove with my 10 outers (I "forgot" a $100 chip on my cards), 1st player folds and raiser says, "I call". He, believing I am all in waves his cards around, almost exposing them and the dealer says "turn your cards up" which he does. I then say, "Hey, I am not all-in". The floor is called for a ruling, but since the dealer had told him to turn them up it is ruled a call and 2,000 or so is returned to him. The turn does not bring my card and I check, he checks. The river fails me and we check/check. Down to $100 I get it in multiway with KJ and lose to a pair of 5's in the blind. Player down.

Going to the omaha game my big draws in big pots also fail to materialize. Here is an interesting hand with a giant pot. Playing J/J/Q/K I limp in only to have Hal raise the pot from the button with nearly all players in. He loves to raise preflop with A/2/x/x to go for the low half. The pot was at least $60. preflop. The flop is great for me, J/6/7, so there is no low and I have top set. It is check/check/bet from Gary, call, raise by me, reraise by Hal and capped by Gary with Frank, Gunnar & Marco along for the ride. The turn is an 8 and now Frank bets, Gary raises, Marco reraises, I cap and Gunnar and Hal both call. This stinks. The low has now arrived as well as straight draws. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I know that I must pair the board to win, however, that has issues as well cause someone else may have a set and make quads. The river is a 9 and Frank bets, Gary calls, Marco calls, I call, Gunnar raises, Hal reraises and after everyone else calls I give up and fold my set face up. Gunnar has hit a gutshot straight with his 7/10 and takes high, Hal hogs the low as unbelievably no one else has A2, Frank and Marco both show 8 high straights and Gary shows a set of 6's. Frank also has the case jack so I was drawing very thin to a 7 or 8. Monster sick pot, Frank, Marco and I all rebuy another $100.

Jokers

2011-12-03T20:49:00.000-08:00

The Joker's tournament started out well for me with 2 1/2 times starting deep stack early on thanks to a turned and flopped straight (the flopped straight was A/10 suited vs. J/J and A/A). I was the terminator at the table, knocking two players out (the second with a flopped set of 3's). Then trouble hit me by the name of Dennis. Raising in late position with A/J of spades, I got a flop of K/Q/x with two spades. Having a gutshot straight draw plus nut flush draw I called his 2 or 3,000 bet on the flop. Another 3,000 bet came on the turn when my draws failed to come in, and I called. The river was no help and I folded on his all in river bet.
Entering the final table short stacked (about 6,000 as I recall) I got even shorter, down to around 4,000 when I got all my chips in with K/Q or A/10 as I recall and tripled up hitting a straight. From then on the deck ran over me with pocket pairs, flopped sets, etc. Becoming chip leader I tried to stay out of trouble but doubled up the 10 seat when I called his all in 15,000 bet with my suited K/Q vs. his A/9 offsuit. He got a horrible flop with a queen and two of my diamonds. He then managed runners to make a straight with his 9. Playing down to 4 the guy on my immediate left refused to make a deal for 4th place to get their money back despite him being short stack. He was soon gone and Dennis and the 10 seat and I split the pot for $345. each.

Is Ultimate Bet Toast?

2011-11-30T20:28:00.000-08:00

Two straight days of problems with the website. Yesterday I could access UB, but when I would sign up for a tournament would never be taken to my seat. I could then unregister, which usually you cannot when it has filled up. Today I cannot even access the website. While in India I noticed how few players were on the site and very few tournaments ever filling up. Something tells me that the site is defunct. It will be interesting to see.

Heading for the Tri-Cities tomorrow. We are moving there for a few months, so no more commuting but afraid that my wife may put the kibash on my poker. She is already talking about setting up a "schedule" for my play. Actually, I kind of have been planning a poker schedule while living there. Thinking of the tournament circuit with Jokers and Island thrown into the mix since Steve Stark is now dealing there. Also the Cable bridge is worth consideration due to cost and structure. Thinking the Moose may lose some of my business, especially the 10:00 tourney and cash game. Love the people and ambiance there but not so much the games.

Winning Streak?

2011-11-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

As of this morning, I am 3 for 6 in winning tournaments this week. I was 3/5 until the 8:00 Moose where I ran my short stack KQ suited into pocket kings. Yesterday at Joker's was good for a $390 win with 2 of us splitting the prize pool. It started rough for me on the second hand of the tournament when I lost 1/2 my chips with trip 4's against a flopped kings full house on a 4/4/K flop. I was able to fold the hand on the river after tanking for a while. Later, I doubled up with a turned an ace high straight against a flopped king high straight. Thanks, Bob. (He knocked me out this morning with his KK vs KQ suited). I won't say that the deck was hitting me, but I did get aces at least 3 times, maybe 4, enough times that the table was accusing me of "always having aces", which is a nice reputation to have.

Secondary note: Got my 5th ever royal flush yesterday (online tournament).

Nice (henna) hands!

Lucky Bridge Poker

2011-11-18T08:02:00.000-08:00

I had not played at the "new" Lucky Bridge Casino since its reopening several months ago and having gotten spanked in the cash game at the Moose, decided to focus on tournament play. Checking out the action at Lucky, I found a $15, $5 add on 3:00 tournament offered with 3000 starting chips and reasonable blind progression. After signing up, found only about 14 players would be in it. After knocking out a few players and going through the alternates, we eventually got down to 4 players. The short stack suggested a 20/20 prize for 3rd & 4th (paid only 2 spots) and was rejected by the others. He was quickly knocked out and we agreed to a 3 way split of the $210 prize money.

Rolling over my profits seemed like a good idea, so I signed up early for the 7:00, $37.00 buy-in event. With like 70 players or so and $700 added it promised to be a profitable investment. I set the tone early on with the raise first hand of my 8/9 suited. With callers the flop came 8/A/10 and one spade. I fired a continuation bet of around $300, representing a big ace and got one caller, the blonde lady to my immediate left. When the board paired the 10 on the turn (another spade), I checked my 2 pair flush draw to her. She bet $500 and I called, pretty sure that she had an ace. The turn was another 8, giving me 8's full of 10's, so I fired out a 1000 bet. She called and was disgusted to see my full house. The big guy in seat 8 commented about the "donkfest" which I found very insulting. I think that I played the hand very well and got lucky but consider this:

1. Most of players had not played with me before, so I set an early table image of loose aggressive which I could capitalize on later with my usual tight aggressive style.
2. I acted appropropriately on each round, betting to represent the big hand, check calling a small bet with my draw, and value betting the river with what I figured to be the best hand.
3. She commented that my flush draw was "no good" so I did get lucky that it did not materialize, however I was done with the hand on any river card except an 8, so my losses would not have been catastrophic.

Anyhow, I could not gain traction and ended up short stacked when we were down to 3 tables and called an all-in (K/10 offsuit) with my J/J with another caller with Q/10. The all in player hit a king and I was eliminated. At least I got my chips in with a "real hand".

With work finished for the week am planning on a "tournament tour". First up: Moose 10:00, then Joker's 3:00. Tomorrow, planning Joker's 12:30.

Last Day for India Internet Poker

2011-11-10T21:11:00.000-08:00

Leaving India tomorrow morning, so this is my last hurrah with cash internet games until they legalize it (or I return to India). After making up for most of my losses day before yesterday, got spanked for 3 or 4 buyins yesterday. Not a good day....flopped straights and had people chase bigger straights and get there, also flopped a set and had a guy call a huge all in bet on a gutshot draw!!!

Just for fun, working on chapter titles for my poker book, tentatively titled: Dr. Phil's Poker Adventures

Chapters

1. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king

2. Living on minimum wage

3. Every time you bluff, a kitten dies

4. Nice hand, Sir! And by nice hand, I mean nice catch. And by sir, I mean moron.

5. If it weren’t for luck I would win every game.

6. Tilt is not just a pinball expression.

7. The connoisseur’s guide to comp’d meals at the Crazy Moose Casino.

8. Music selections for your I- pod while playing poker.

9. Complete list of excuses for why you were late getting home

10. Devotee or degenerate, you make the call

11. Good Karma vs. Bad Karma

12. Lady luck is a fickle bitch and don’t you forget it.

13. Why poker games never break up: losing and trying to get even, even and trying to win, ahead and trying to make more.

14. Why me, Lord?

15. Chapter 11 Bankruptcy vs. entering a witness protection program

16. Chasing inside straight draws . Sending your child to a Harvard vs. community college.

17. Raising with 2/7 off suit under the gun, rules & exceptions.

18. Paycheck lending companies vs. a guy named Guido: too close to call

19. Gambling with the rent money vs. “playing the heater”

20. Shitty dealer or shitty play?

21. Marking cards in friendly home games

22. Do I have a “gambling” problem or am I just dedicated? Hello? A 10 point checklist.

23. Calling big pre-flop raises with 2/3 (but they were sooooted!

Online Poker in India

2011-11-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

I would like to be able to say that it has been great playing online again, but really can't. There are few players on UB so the sit n go's fill up really slowly if at all. The guarantees are held at wide time intervals so it is difficult to plug in anywhere. I have jumped in late a couple of times, but that is like being an alternate at the moose. You are at an immediate chip disadvantage to the big stacks. There are no omaha games at all like before but that is o.k. with me as the rake on a split pot game kills you.

The no limit games are crazy with lots of raising preflop. I have made small profits on a couple of sessions but lost overall. In total, am down about 3% of my total bankroll.

We are visiting a high altitude area called Kerala today, which is near the major city of Cochin on The Sea of Arabia, the Western side of India. It was a 1 hour flight then about 3 hour drive. There are major tea plantations everywhere on terraced hills and it is beautiful. Also, it is not crowded like the big city, but the traffic is again insane with switchback hills and lots of passing around blind corners. I was so grateful to arrive safely on our last trip I gave the driver a massive tip, well at least massive for this part of the world, of 1,000 rupees ($20 US), in addition to whatever the doctor gave him.

Happy Diwali

2011-10-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

Awakened this morning predawn by massive fireworks right outside my window. It is the festival of lights today, a big celebration that reminds me of the old 4th of Julys when we were allowed cherry bombs and M-80's. Some really big stuff going off.

Last night took another ride, like an amusement park scary one in a motorized rickshaw. The traffic is not to be believed....lots of motorbikes, bikes, pedestrians, cars and all zooming around chaotically. Passing with inches to spare.

India

2011-10-25T00:24:00.000-07:00

Safe arrival in India after two very long flights. Jet lag claimed its first victim yesterday with me drifting in and out of sleep all day. Visit to the dentist last night and found that implant is not doable on my time frame. My extraction needs to heal some more and then too late for the bargain implant. The drive to the appointment was insane. The roads are impossibly narrow filled with pedestrians crossing and walking along the side of the road (no sidewalks). The streets were wall to wall vehicles including bikes, motorcycles, cars and the occasional cow. Everyone was weaving in and out with horns blaring. This at night with a light rain falling. You would have to see it to believe it. Upside for everyone is that I will no longer complain about any traffic in the US.

Today everyone else caught up on sleep but I am up early. Finally got my internet connection and played some real money poker. Lost in small SNG then stacked twice in low limit NL game. Maybe better to stick with the free stuff.

Stage 2 India Trip

2011-10-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Delayed for one day by housesitter/dogsitter change of plans we drove to Portland and picked up Amy for the drive to Seattle. Miserable traffic and got there fairly late, around 7:00. The packing was hilarious as we had lots of stuff and gifts that had to be distributed in multiple bags for customs limits. Also had to make sure that all bags were under the 51 pound limit. This took at least 3 hours. Whew!

This morning was car shuffle time as street parking downtown runs $5.00 an hour. Amy will drive to Portland tomorrow in my car with Meg's dog, Lola. The shuttle is due here in a couple of hours and we are nearly ready. Shuttle driver running a little late and need to pickup two more passengers at the Edgewater. Hwy 99 is a mess due to the demolition of the Alaskan viaduct beginning this weekend (prepare for "carmegeddon" Monday Seattle). We arrive at the airport in plenty of time, no line to check bags at British Airways, no line in security, we head for the duty free shop for more gifts. Oh yes, was able to change my rupees back into dollars, no problem, only about a $25 exchange cost!!! This is like the rake on a 2/4 game. Plane is at the gate, leaving in about an hour and a half. Looking forward to sitting comfortably with headphones on and catching up on my sleep. Next post from India.

The Longest Journey

2011-10-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

It is said that the longest journey begins with a single step. We have been taking a lot of steps for months preparing for our big trip to India. First there was my passport renewal. Then getting visas. Then doctor appointments to figure out which shots we needed. Then the series of shots themselves. Buying airline tickets, checking out side trips, information about dental work there, getting some rupees ordered from the bank, buying "stuff" for the trip...clothes, mosquito spray, gifts for the family. Finally, we are packed (almost) and ready to drive to Seattle today. Our flight leaves tomorrow at 6:45 for Heathrow, a one hour connection to our flight to Chennai. A total of around 22 hours in the air. It should be interesting!

Poker connection....not much, but will take my laptop and may be able to get in a real money game or two online as my IP address is not U.S. Anyway, gotta go walk the dog and throw a few last things in my suitcase.

New update, just found out we cannot bring rupees into India!!! Now I gotta take them to the currency exchange at airport and pay to exchange back!!!!

Packing for trip is tricky, have been going for 2 hours splitting up stuff and making sure that we are not bringing too much valuable stuff in and hiding stuff that could get stolen.

Tells

2011-10-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

Final Table No Cash

2011-10-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

Another Friday night final table, but no cash. I ended up going out in 10th place. I had a decent chip stack with 5000 as there were only 24 players, so only about 50,000 in play. I had maybe 5000 with 400/800 blinds when I picked up pocket 10's on the button. When it was folded to me I shoved and was called by a short stack big blind with AJ. Naturally, he called for all but about 2200 of my chips, and also naturally he caught an ace on the flop. Now severely short stacked, I shoved a couple of hands later with A/9 suited and was called by the same player with AK. End of the night for me. Pretty poor cards all night and not a good ending.

Questions for My Prep for Tonight

2011-10-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

As I think about tonight's tournament some questions about my play come to mind. I am not doing well on line in the crappy free games and don't know for sure if I am playing bad or getting unlucky, or a combination of the two.

1. Am I better off playing passively or aggressively? It seems that when I am aggressive with my super big hands like aces or kings I get no action. When aggressive with my middle pairs I just get crushed by overcards or overpairs. When passive I allow every garbage hand in cheap and am asking for trouble.

2. Seeing more flops? It seems to me that I do not see enough flops, particularly in position. I have to think more about what kind of pot odds are being offered with ATC good with enough limpers.

3. Raising out of position. I am often being exploited when I limp then the big or small blind comes in for a raise. Should I float the raise or just fold? Should I be doing more of this myself?

4. I keep forgetting the old "stop & go" play when short stacked in the blinds. Rather than push with my hand, either pairs or big cards, it is often better to shove on the flop....any flop. Can't forget this play, particularly when it is a scary blind flop like 2/2/3.

5. I have to find a way to combat the loose ATC players tonight. Any suggestions? They will call virtually any raise with ATC once they have limped or even against an early position raise. I am thinking that when they are in the hand I slow play any big hand to manage pot size then evaluate after the flop. A big pot spells trouble usually as they will not release any pair and can catch 2 pair to snap you.

Not Playing Super Smart in $100 Tourney

2011-10-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

Once a month we play a $100 buy in tournament at the American Legion. I had high hopes as have been running good with two straight cashes there, plus lots of online wins. My day started well playing very tight early on and winning a couple of small pots with pocket kings and aces. A table broke and we drew new seats which turned out very bad for me.

I was seated next to a very loose player who had chipped up (and down) catching very lucky. He had knocked out a great player when he called his all in A/10 suited with a Q/6 suited and made a straight with his 6. With blinds at 200/400 and a 4000ish chip stack I raised to 1600 with 3 limpers and pocket 8's on the button. Mr. loose caller and one other player called. The flop was air for me J/10/7 and if I had any bluff aspirations, Mr. loose went all in before my action. I snap folded and the other caller tanked for a moment before calling for all of his chips with KQ suited for an open ended straight draw. Mr. Loose revealed his powerhouse KJ offsuit! Total donk calling for 4x the BB with that. It naturally held up and he doubled up. The very next hand he min-raised to 800 and I discovered a K/Q offsuit. With only 2100 in chips remaining I foolishly reraised all in hoping to catch him with a small pair, isolate him and get lucky. He called, turned over A/J offsuit. Not so bad I thought, two live cards and one undercard for him. My calculator shows it as almost a coin flip. The flop was great, small with a queen. The turn a brick, then the ace on the river.....he caught a three outer bucking big odds.

My question to myself (and you) is: would it have been better to smooth call the preflop raise, then shove when I caught my queen? He probably would have checked the flop having missed, or even if he bet minimum might fold to the all in. He was sooooo loose that I am thinking that my original play was best, trying to eliminate blinds and others from entering the pot. Will never know for sure.

Dominated Hand on Final Table

2011-10-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

Playing in the Legion tournament last night I again reached the final table short stacked. Letting folks knock each other out I made the money cut with 6 places paid. With 5 of us left and the second shortest stack, the short stack shoved for 3000. I was in the BB with 1000 and a folded small button and the giant stack had limped. I had A/10 suited and didn't think long before calling for about 1/2 my chips. Ordinarily here I would shove to isolate, but did not have enough to get the very loose and very huge stack to fold. The giant stack called too naturally.

The flop was pretty good for me (I thought): Q/10/3 and I checked, expecting the button to check the all/in dry side pot too. Wrong. He is not an "experienced" player, and bet, putting me all in. I thought he probably had the queen, but figured I had outs, and the pot was too big, and I had too few chips left not to call. Very bad decision as we turned over our cards and the original shover had pocket 10's for the flopped set, and the big stack had AQ for a dominating hand, no more 10's to rescue me, no ace to help, only runner KJ as possible saviours. So, I was out in 5th place with a win of $74, for a net of $30 after tip. In reviewing my play do not see how I would play it any different next time, so just a case of very bad luck.

Ups & Downs

2011-10-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

This week has been an absolute roller coaster ride in poker. Sunday was a great day starting in holdem with a $150 win then moving to the omaha game another $200. Hit two great hands, the first a flopped king high straight flush with board pairing on the river to give Gary a jacks full hand. Then rivered a royal flush, only my 5th ever. Wish I could say that it was the start of a great week of poker, but sadly it was the high point.

Monday I played on briefly, losing $220. Folks just took turns catching up with me on their draws.

Tuesday started well with a $100 win in 3rd place in the morning Moose. The cash game was a disaster however, with a $280 loss. A couple of interesting hands with 9/10. In both hands I lost large pots with a lot of my money going in. The first one I flopped trips and was outkicked by K/10. The second a player caught a gutshot draw for a straight on my flopped trips. I lost to that player twice more when his 9/10 flopped a straight and two pair. Go figure.

Calling Stations

2011-09-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

In some ways one of the toughest players is the calling station. You know the guy? Flops a pair and will not go away in spite of any bet(s). You absolutely can not bluff them, nor should you try. I am running into a lot of these in the free online games, particularly at the lower buy in levels. Add to the fact that they will also call many times against demonstrated strengths like a raise with a reraise behind it, or a call a big raise out of position. They are also in many hands since they just love to limp in to see a flop.

I am finding success with this player by playing just like them with one obvious difference. I am limping more with big and potentially big hands, then punishing them when I connect. I play very tight, so my starting hands are nearly always stronger, thus I get their chips on a top pair flop with better kicker, a flopped set against their two pair (you can often put them on this with a ragged flop) or a higher flush.

One of the keys in playing against a calling station (or several of them at the table) is to keep pots small with just a single pair, whether it be top pair or an overpair. Because their calling range is so large the first hand I put them on when they are overly aggressive is 2 pair. Also, if they are calling you along with potential flush or straight draws out there, they have no idea usually of pot odds and thus it is nearly impossible to shake them from a flush or straight draw. Thus a better plan is to try for pot control and make it expensive, but not get them pot committed on their draws. I do tend to bet pot size when the obvious draws are out there, but slow it up a bit after the first call.

On another topic, tonight was my night at the Legion. 2nd place with never more than double the starting chip stack. Just stayed out of the way most of the time and shoved with decent hands. Got lucky at the end when 3 handed and the two monster stacks clashed...one with a flopped set, the other with nut flush draw in hearts. The shorter stack on the draw hit on the river, but it was a heart that paired the board. I played one hand after that, push all in from the big blind with pocket 8's and called by 7/8 offsuit. Runner hearts did me in on his dominated hand. Total win $259 less $20 dealer tip plus $40 buy in, for a net of $199.

Always the Luckbox

2011-09-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

It seems that there is nearly always the guy at your table that just lucks into every hand... Like nobody has anything and his ace high wins, or he is checked into or calls to the river with a gutshot that comes in. Today online I had the pleasure of playing that guy. It didn't seem to matter what he needed, he got. I flop trip jacks and he turns the flush, I hit two pair, he makes a straight. We played down to the two of us in a SNG and he had me outchipped 2/1 when I get.....pocket aces. I raise, he reraises, I shove, he calls and reveals......K/Q offsuit. The flop naturally contains a king and the river brings the queen....player down. Proving the adage, you just can't beat luck.

Later, playing in a sit n go I was not exactly a luckbox, but something unusual happened. Out of the 8 other players, I knocked all but one of them out. Weird. Wish it had been a real money bounty tournament. Usually in those I wound people then others knock them out.

Unlucky & Card Dead at Legion

2011-09-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

First hand in the Legion tournament I call a raise from a non-stop talking kid with my AJ and flop top pair top kicker. Too bad he had aces....first hand dealt yet. Avoiding disaster, but losing 1/3 of my chips I call a short stack all-in with 3/6 on a 4/5/x flop with my open ended straight draw. The pair of 4's win with ace kicker.

I miss an open ended straight flush draw for a giant pot, then call all in with KQ against A/10 & 7/7. The sevens keep firing at the dry pot and A/10 calls all in with top pair. I hit my queen on turn, but the A/10 catches and ace on the river. Good night.

Poker is Looking Cheap

2011-09-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an expensive day for me. Day before my car wouldn't start on the first, second, third or fourth time.....twice. Panicking somewhat I called the Nissan dealer in Portland and ended up driving my car there for service, including 60,000 mile scheduled work. Leaving it there in a rental car, I returned to the coast. The next day (yesterday), I had a 12:30 dental appointment for a root canal. Finishing the appointment I paid $1100 and jumped into the car to drive to Portland. My bill at the dealership? $1100. It would have been cheaper to get stuck in the $2/20 game.

Today I started the morning getting another tooth pulled. Ouch! But cheaper than my buy in for a poker game, so things are definitely looking up.

Ups 'N Downs

2011-09-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

Monday Moose Tournament

My Monday started off very bad indeed. Playing the first hand of the tournament I limped in late position with A/7 suited spades. Miguel's mom and 2 other players limped and the blinds checked. The flop was 9/9/A with 2 diamonds. Checked to me, I bet $75 as a feeler bet. Everyone folded except Mrs. Miguel, seated immediately to my right in the 6 seat. Rut row. The turn is the 7 of diamonds completing the flush draw and after she checks, I check smelling a trap. The river is another 7 and gives me the full house. Excellent, her trap has trapped the trappee. She checks, I value bet $250 and she check raises to $500! Great, I push all in only to see her table the 6/9 offsuit for 9's full of 7's to beat my 7's full of aces. I am stunned and then realize that I played like a complete donkey. I take my name off the cash game list and leave for the day because I realized that I had no business playing so stupid. It is never smart to get all your chips in on an underfull, but I leave wondering what kind of player limps the first hand in middle position with 6/9 offsuit. whatever.

Wednesday Moose Tournament

Just have to report on the worst play ever seen of pocket aces (not me). Sitting in the 1 seat an older fellow checks his small blind, and I check my 2/3. There is at least one limper, probably several more. The flop is K/X/X and we check to the UTG who bets 300. The small blind check raises to 600 and they are heads up after he calls. The turn is straightish, and the small blind bets $200. Call. The river is a jack, and he bets $200 again. Call. UTG turns over K/J for 2 pair and SB shows AA. Nicely played sir!

I make it to the final table and have words with Kathleen time after time. She really thinks she understands my play and is deeply resentful of my raises from the button of her big blind, which I do 3 or 4 times, showing big hands all but one time (AQ twice, pocket 10's once, and then...8/9 suited which tilts her a bit). Anyway, she gets her "revenge" on me at the 300/600 level when I push with 5/5 having around 3500 in chips and she calls with J/J. Oh well. Next time.

Short Cash Game, Big Results

Planning to leave for home Wednesday I played for around an hour in the cash game. My first big hand was A/8 which flopped two aces and rivered an 8 for the winner of the 1:00 high hand. Second big hand was pocket aces in BB. With several limpers, I made it $9 to go. Everyone folded except one player. Flop was rainbow disconnected with an ace, so I checked to trap. He checked. Turn is junk, I check again, he checks behind. River, ace!!!! With quad aces, no hand he could possibly call a bet with, and grateful he did not fold preflop, I check again and he checks behind. $138 Monte Carlo. I have to hit the road, so I cash out for a $250 win.

I always check when heads up....right.

2011-09-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

Had some confrontation with an unnamed Hispanic man this week. He raised preflop (with aces) out of the straddle he created, I snap called after limping with 4/7 (Suited!!!!). Another player also called. With two hearts on the flop he bets $20 which I call and the other player folds. The turn brings my heart and he checks with a comment about "never betting heads up" and I bet. He acts all surprised and hurt but calls. The river is a blank, but I check anyway and he gets all pissy about my calling with 4/7 and keeps on yapping for a while. The next day I try to shake his hand, and he won't do it. We talk for a while about it and he tells me "I just want to have fun and don't care about the money". I have seen his act for a long time and know that he will have a friendly check down if he doesn't have the nuts, but will bet to "protect his hand". Hmmmm. Later watched him betting heads up against another player.

The very next day, playing against him and a preflop raise I called with pocket 5's. Hitting a set, and with another player in the hand, I checked, he bet, the other player folded and I check raised. He then folded making a comment about "just bet your hand, man". What a joke. I should have done the slow roll spread cards slowly that he loves so much.

Card Dead in Freeroll

2011-09-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

Playing in the much anticipated freeroll I went totally completely card dead early and just kept coming up with 2nd best hands that cost me a lot of chips. I was soon down to only 3000 from the starting stack of 10K. My nemesis at the table was Hal. He plays only omaha and earned his seat from those hours. He plays aggressively with draws (like omaha) and they were coming in for him. Ramon had the deck run over him, particularly against me and someone else where he flopped a set of 8's and rivered quads. He ended up the tournament in #1 position with almost 100K in chips, which is 1/2 of all the chips in our flight. Ended up on the final table and with about 15K in chips this hand came up. With blinds at 1/2000, I was in the small blind with A/5 suited!!! and one limper, my friend Ron and Hal in the big blind with about 30K in chips. I went all in and Hal goes over the top with Q/10 offsuit!!!! Dumb call, but on the flop a 10 and jack hit. I hit my ace on the turn and of course the river brings the king for his broadway straight. Dumb call, dumb luck. He ends up donking his chips off to end in 8th or 9th place.

I really had miserable cards and bad flops for the most part, picking up a few pots here and there with my pushes and hitting a set of 6's once against an all in call who flopped a pair of 10's with his Q/10. When will people learn to stop calling with this garbage???

The entire tournament I had these pocket pairs: 9's (twice), 7's, 6's (twice), and 4's. Pretty bad cards I would say. Also never had AK and seldom had two face cards, winning some uncalled raises with AQ. For the most part, unplayable hands.

Bad Beats Abound

2011-09-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Let me begin by saying that the "morning Moose" is not my favorite tournament. With it's blazing fast blinds and loose players it can be a nightmare. But hey, it's only $25 and if you bust out early you get a seat in the usually bad cash game. Kind of a "lose/lose" situation. So, yesterday I was handed two of the worst beats I have enjoyed for a while. With blinds escalating and me with about double starting stack size I push all in from early position with....Q/Q and am called by a shorter stack with....A/10. O.K., I get it, he figures I am pushing with just any ace or a small pair. He has outs. So the flop comes BINGO! Queen/ little/little, no flush draws, no connection. I comment to Kevin, "Drawing dead". Nope, not when runner J and K come for the broadway straight. Nice dealing Kev.

Two hands later I am in the small blind for about 1/2 my chips with Q/8. I call to see the flop heads up with the big blind, who is pretty short stacked, but has me covered. The flop is 8 high with 2 diamonds and I immediately shove. Joe comments, "This is a really bad call". Yes, he has Q/4 with the 4 of diamonds. The turn is of course a diamond, and drum roll please, a diamond on the river. His dominated hand has found a way to win. Sick.

But every cloud must have a silver lining, so as our tables now merge for the final table with me bubbling, I get a seat in the live game. Turns out very well as I plan to play for two hours and manage to hit an 8 high straight flush for a $248 Monte Carlo jackpot. I leave up over $300. The tournament chops 1st and 2nd place for less than that. A good ending.

Chop Chop

2011-09-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

A good night at the Legion last night. 4 tables and decent prize pool. Fortunately, got there late and was not asked to deal. Played well and on the final table got some great cards (AA twice, KK twice). Almost got knocked out with kings when my all in was called by Q/10 offsuit. The flop was 6/7/9 and despite my pleas, the turn brought the 8. Just when all was lost, the 10 hit on the river for a chop pot playing the board. Whew!

I took the caller out with my all in with pocket 10's and his call with KJ suited. I had just had a conversation with the most excellent player next to me about how "I always lose to KJ or lose with it" when that hand came up minutes later.

We got down to 4 players, I had 2nd or third in chips....the chip leader was once the short stack with only $800 at the 800/1600 blind level and he just kept going all in and winning. I had taken all but those chips when he called my all in with my KK. Lucky him. We gave him $300 and split the rest 3 ways for $286 each. Minus $20 dealer tip and $40 buy in, my net was $226.

Poker Etiquette

2011-09-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

A discussion came up today at the table regarding poker etiquette after a player "slow rolled" in a manner of speaking. In a monster pot, he announced that he "had nothing", when in fact he had flopped a set of jacks, which were the winning hand despite a very coordinated board and flush possibilities. Another player became quite angry. This brings up the subject of good poker etiquette. Some things that come to mind are:
1. Slow rolling. This can range from turning over one card, then delaying turning the other. One player in particular likes to slowly spread his cards when he has a winner. In general, i believe that you should quickly turn over what you believe to be the winning hand whether you be the bettor or the caller.

2. Folding hands out of order. This is a pet peeve of mine.

3. Mucking cards in early position, particularly the blinds, when the flop comes ugly for your hand. This relieves the pressure of a possible checkraise and is unfair to the other players.

4. Berating players for their choice of starting cards. Don't tap on the aquarium, it disturbs the fish.

5. Overtipping the dealers. This is just stupid, not manners. I have seen people give a dealer $10 out of a $100 pot and half the money is theirs.

6. Visibly reacting when two of kind appear on the flop. This clues the player with the one remaining one that his opponent(s) don't have it. Really bad when 3 of a kind hit.

7. Showing one card after opponent folds. Especially the non critical one (showing a 2 of hearts when there is a 4 card flush/straight where the 2 doesn't help). This is just annoying.

What are your peeves?

Playing Pretty Well

2011-08-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

When I am home in Cannon Beach it is difficult to play in a "real" poker game more than once a week. Other than the Legion game there are games in Astoria, Seaside, and Wheeler but just don't feel comfortable in those. The Wheeler game in particular is funky, played in a huge upstairs room in a restaurant. It is small, maybe 2 short tables, $40 buy in, so not huge rewards, and feels a little like a home game. Maybe I have residual bad feelings from my one time playing when I got knocked out with pocket jacks vs. pocket queens.

So, playing free tournaments online is my game now. I sometimes judge how well I am playing by my results, which is wrong, but still an indicator if I am consistently "cashing". Yesterday I came in 12th out of a couple hundred, losing my coin flip of AK vs. 66 (I raised, he reraised, and I pushed all in preflop). Day before yesterday I "won" 135,000 by coming in 1st out of 146 players. Also won a couple of other sit n go's. So, feel like I am playing well, and getting good results. Too bad I am not on some real money tables right now. Will be in Tri-Cities for 2 weeks starting next Tuesday and will play in the freeroll tournament if enough hours, which I heard is not a problem. Plan to play lots of tournaments and cash games if they go well. SEE YA!

Pai Gow Poker Dream

2011-08-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

I will begin by saying that I am noted for my strange and frequent dreams. I wake up with a really good memory of them and often share them, whether people want to hear them or not. Last night I dreamt about walking into a casino to find that there was not a poker game going on, but a table just loaded with chips in front of every player, arranged in artistic fashion (tall, colorful arrangements). They were playing "Poker Pai Gow" according to the dealer, unexpectedly, my cousin, Linda from Missouri. There was a "seat open" so I sat down, bought in for about 5% as many chips as anyone at the table had and was dealt a large number of cards, at least 6, but seem to think it was much more. My goal was to make the best 4 card hand, and another 2 card hand. Did I forget to mention that there were jokers in the deck? I had two, and was confused as to whether they could only be used to make straights or flushes. Tried to get some help and finally put together a flush and a pair of 10's, which naturally lost to quads and a bigger pair. Hmmmm.

On to another subject: American Legion night. I stepped up and offered to deal when asked, but wanted table 1 (final table), which was no problem. This meant a long night for me if only dealing not playing, but also pretty much assured that I would break even on my buy-in. As luck would have it, I ended up playing on the final table, but not for long, being the 10th place finisher. Found myself in desperate stack position with 3300 and 600/1200 blinds. I pushed with my new almost favorite hand, A/10 (offsuit), and was called in two spots, one player the chip leader and the other with exactly as many chips. The leader had JJ, the other player AQ suited. Oh great, dominated and an overpair, what could possibly go wrong? The flop had an ace on it, so that took care of the big stack, but left me searching for a 10. Nope, there was a queen on the turn putting 4 diamonds on the board. Did I have the 10 of diamonds, nope. Gone unless the river is another diamond for a 3 way chop. Nope.

Anyway, recovered my buy in with a $45 tip, with the other dealers receiving $27 and $17 so not all was lost. On a side note, dealt pocket aces 5 times, once to myself and twice to the eventual 2nd place finisher. When he was heads up the other player jokingly asked if he "wanted to chop", with the leader having about 80% of chips in play. He refused. 4 hands later he was eliminated on 4 pushes that all held up.

Non Poker Blog

2011-08-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

Just to head in a little different direction, I want to talk a bit about self defense. Recently, the very nice 69 year old concierge at my daughter's condo in Belltown was nearly killed by a rampaging gang of young punks. He has been in critical condition and undergone a couple of surgeries. this happened at midnight one block from the condo. My son-in-law, a very peaceable man is researching guns and concealed weapons permits as am I. The other daughter has cautioned that if I buy a handgun the grandkids may not be permitted to visit. While searching crime statistics in her NE Portland neighborhood I was shocked at the number of crimes, both property and personal that have happened in a 1/2 mile radius. Unbelievable.

Anyway, there is another more violent crime I am aware of against a friend that would not have been prevented by a gun due to the location, but bottom line I am thinking with riots world wide and crime all over it is best to be prudent. My son in law challenged me regarding the rarity of violent crimes and I had to recount the number of times a knife had been pulled on me. Five times. And yes, some were "wrong place" but others were not.

In lieu of a gun am thinking of other self-defense weapons. The clear advantage of this is availability, price, convenience, no permit, and ability to carry anywhere short of on the airplane, courthouse, etc.

Big Hand-Good Timing

2011-08-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

Last night was rough in some ways. I get aces cracked (Frosty) by 5/8 offsuit. Frosty hits quad queens when he actually pays a guy $1 to call his big blind (he had mucked his hand). More about that in a moment. Later I crack Frosty's aces with Q/10 and do not hear the end of the whining for maybe 45 minutes. Really? An ATC player whining about my cheese?

Anyway, I am down about $150 when this hand comes up. I am in late position with QQ and raise to $15. Bob Petty, in the big blind, reraises to $35. Now, I know Bob and respect his play, so I instantly know that I am looking at aces or kings as these are the only two hands he would re-raise with, out of position. I just call to see the flop. Beautiful, sort of.....K/Q/10. Bob checks and I bet, hoping that he has aces, but then he raises so I know the range is narrowed to KK or AJ suited only (I don't think he has JJ). I call, fearing the worst. The turn is really ugly, an ace, so when he bets now I am 100% convinced that he is "set over set" ahead of me. I call anyway due to the size of the pot, hoping for my 5 outer (a jack to chop or queen to win). The river? Case queen. Bob bets, I raise, he calls with KK. Nice hand. And I win the $100 backup monte (here is where I feel a little screwed because of Frost's earlier claim on the $256 quad queens), but hey a win is a win.

Finish with a break even day, but lots of hour accumulation towards the freeroll.

Update from this morning, playing in the tournament I place 3rd for a $100 win. Had a chance to beat the chip leader with my all in A/6 vs. J/7, but he spiked a 7. Would have been the leader with that pot. Played exceptionally tight, not playing a single hand until 100/200 blind level and then open shoving. Think I played a total of maybe 10-12 hands the entire tournament and only one call from small blind with A/A heads up, the rest shoves. My shoves incidentally got folds nearly every time as I commented on the lack of hands that I had played ("This is the first hand I have played", etc.) and people gave me more credit than I deserved (Q/J, K/10, KQ). So, I was able to continue as I did not have to show any hands. This is the way to play those tournaments, I believe.

Off To A Good Start

2011-08-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

Started my Tri-City visit in fine fashion last night. Got to town about 9 p.m. and headed straight to the Moose. Playing tight and getting some good cards I was up about $70 when the table broke down. I waited for a seat on the main table and immediately lost about $150 when my KK got cracked by 9/10 when a second 9 hit the river. Slightly on tilt I then chased a flush draw to the river and missed. Dang, I hate starting well then getting stuck.

My big hand happened when I min-raised on the button with 6/7 suited (hearts). Lot of callers and the flop came great: Jd/4h/5/h, giving me the open ended straight flush draw. Checked to me, I check behind so as not to blow my chance to hit the Monte. Latif seemed visibly upset that I did not bet, and I was soon to find out why. The turn? 8h, completing my 8 high straight flush. Now Latif comes out betting, $8, which another player also calls, and I call. The river? Great card for me, another jack. Latif bets $10, which I raise to $20, he reraises to $30, and I make it $50, he calls. Latif shows pocket 4's for the full house and I rake the pot plus pick up $218 for the Monte. Sweet. The table breaks down around 1:00 and I leave up over $200.

The morning Moose tournament: After a frustrating morning trying to run some reports at work, I decide to play the 10:00. Good choice, ended up chopping with Clark $175 each. My key hands were a three way all-in their KQ & KJ vs my AA, and finally knocking out the 3rd place player with AQ vs 99, hit both the A & Q. Hope the rest of the week goes as well.

Here Is a Play I Don't Understand

2011-08-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

I am dealing last night at the American Legion, playing very tight, won one pot early. The table is weird and very beatable. Massive bluffs for almost all their chips from 4 different players. I want their action. Finally, with blinds at 100/200, I am under the gun with 8/8 and a 2100 chip stack. I thought briefly of shoving, but decided to "just" raise to 600, three times the BB and less than 1/3 my stack. A player two to my left who had donked off his chips once and made a comeback announced "all in" for a total of 2000. With everyone folding to me, the pot now at 100 + 200 + 600 + 2000, for a total of 2900 I decided to call for all but one 100 chip, getting 2900/1400, or around 2/1 on my money figuring it for an either way behind or coin flip and facing both blinds the next two hands with only 7.5 BB's remaining. I am thinking at this point that a shove preflop may have been the better option, but winning 300 while risking 2100 didn't sound attractive.

The player turns over.......KQ offsuit! What a donK!!!! Any thinking player would never reraise all in agains an UTG raiser with that hand. There is literally no hand that I or any halfway decent player would raise with UTG that KQ offsuit would beat. So, you know "the rest of the story", he flops a king, turns a queen, and hits a straight on the river for good measure. I am gone (but still have to sit there and fume and deal until my next to last table breaks down) and the donk goes on to chop first 3 ways. The bright spot in my story, made $30 in tips for dealing so my poker night ended up costing me only $10.

One of the other choppers on the final table, my friend Mike, got super lucky against one of the big stacks twice. He shoved with small pairs both times, 4's and 6's I believe, against the big aces and won both coin tosses.

Another lucky player was Robert who was down to $40 in chips early and came back to cash in 5th or 6th place. He shoved with aces and kings winning both multiway pots and then again with AK which ended up filling up for high hand money as well, worth $66.

s

It Gets Worse

2011-08-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

O.K., I am now officially stuck. Lost almost $20,000 in market today. Poker is looking cheap to me. This has got to stop, another day like this and I liquidate it all and put it under my mattress.

Gambling Losses

2011-08-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

I have to make a confession. Over the last week I have lost over $15,000 gambling. Wish that I could say it was at the WSOP, Moose, or Spirit Mountain Casino, but it was not. It was in the stupid ass stock market. Man, I gotta play more poker to cover my losses.

Finally a cash at the Legion

2011-07-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

Playing very card dead last night I was amazed to come in 4th for a $124 win. The whole night I had only 3 pairs, 4's, 8's, and A's. I shoved all three times due to my stack size and everyone folded. Guess there is some benefit to playing tight.

Had one upsetting event early on that sort of put me on tilt. I raised in early position with AK suited to 150, was reraised by a short stack all in for $675, and another player called the reraise. I called and we saw the flop which was probably 8 high. Check. Check. Turn another medium card, check. check. River a 10, check, he bets 300 into the dry pot. I fold my AK face up and he shows.....QJ, no pair!!! Nice bet, idiot! The all in player shows....AK to take the pot. I was really steamed and commented, "nice bluff into a dry pot, sir". Cost me over $900. Anyway I mentally put a target on the guy and missed my opportunity a couple of hands later when he min raised and I folded 10/6 on the button. The flop? 6/6/10. He committed a lot of chips into a multiway pot on that hand and eventually won without a showdown. Crap!

Anyway, getting to the final table by a series of close wins (A/5 suited shove called by 9/9, hit flush on river) and bluffs my target ended up knocking me out. Isn't that the way it always is? You miss an opportunity and it bites you. Anyway, my last hand I was in the small blind with 10/8 suited and I limped in, he reraised the 2000 BB to 4000 and I called. The flop was jack high with 2 diamonds, a great flop for me in position to bet first. I shoved and he called with A/J. I failed to hit either a backdoor straight or the flush and went out in 4th place. This goes back to my quiz about made hands vs. strong draws. According to my calculator, I was 40% to win after the flop. Given the fact that there was only $40 difference in 3rd & 4th place money and with him eliminated I would have been chip leader and clearly a better player than the 2nd chip leader I think it was worth the gamble.

Please Vote in Comments

2011-07-28T22:41:00.000-07:00

1. Made hand vs. draw?

I think this is the basic question in poker. I feel that any made hand is ahead of any drawing hand (though 2/2 is behind overcards technically). I would still rather shove with 2/2 than with 2 live cards. My point being that you do not "need" to hit your hand, while any unpaired cards need help.

One of my biggest disappointments was in the Moose freeroll for the wildhorse tournament I got knocked out when I flopped top pair, top kicker, nut flush draw and gutshot straight draw but got beaten by flopped two pair. I have replayed that one many times and my poker calculator tells me that I was technically ahead on the flop, it was my bad for not excercising "pot control" to not get all my chips in.

2. Small ball vs. Big pots?

This question alludes to my previous comments. Lately I have been playing a lot of pot limit omaha and frequently see some players "potting" early, preflop. It is true that there are premium hands in omaha and you need to get some value from them preflop. There is no sense in letting the entire table limp in and get busted by someone who wouldn't have played against a raise. But, all hands can be destroyed by a bad flop, therefore I am leaning more towards small raises or limps to control the pot size and not create a monster that draws feel compelled to call. This questions speaks to pot odds that are created by small raises and loose callers. That is one of the really tough things at the Moose.

3. Raise out of the blinds with big hands vs. limp for deception?

This is one of those really stupid moves I see a lot at the Moose. Some loosey-goosey action player raises out of the small or big blind after lots of limpers with some pretty marginal hands...have seen AJ, QJ, suited connectors, etc. It drives me nuts. They are in the worst possible post flop position and can usually win only if they completely nail the flop or just pound it out like they have aces. Incredible.

4. Straddle vs. punish the straddler?

Ya feel lucky punk? Do ya? Let me start by saying I hate straddles, and by extension straddlers. It has got to be one of the stupidest bets in poker. First of all, you have the worst position, and as we know, poker is about position. Secondly, you are putting money in with a blind hand that you don't have to post (and twice the big blind at that). So, with that in mind, I like to punish the straddler with a big raise with any reasonably good hand. My other favorite thing to do with a straddler to my immediate left is just as he puts his straddle out, I say deal me out, and take a break, leaving him with the big blind. After I do that a few times they sometimes give up straddling. I then wait a couple of hands and post the small and big blinds in the cutoff, which is a position I will call many times anyway.

Time To Leave Jim

2011-07-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

While visiting Seattle this week there was an opportunity to go to the Snoqualmie Casino with my buddy Jim. I don't play a lot of 2/5 no limit so it was a time for caution for me. Played very tight, folding small blinds and button and moderately strong hands against preflop raises. My patience paid off as I got it all in against weaker hands a couple of times (A/10 vs. weak 10 on trip 10 flop, set of 4's vs ??). I was up about $125 and it was getting late so I found Jim on another table and asked him if he was ready to leave. Nope, he was up about $300 on a $300 buy in. Went back to my table and lost all my profit until this hand. I raised preflop with JJ and was called by two players, one the luckiest guy (didn't have a clue, first time playing live) and the biggest stack and best player, Matt who had $1000 in front of him. Rut row. Flop came really ugly for me, k/q/7. Checked to me, I checked too. Turn, jack, bingo! Matt bets $30 into me and I raise to $100. Fold by mr rookie lucky and after a lot of deliberation, Matt calls. River is a 6 and we check check. Matt had QJ and had turned two pair when I caught the case jack. I didn't leave any money on the table as Matt told me later he would not have called a river bet, and I did not want to get stacked on the off chance he had A/10 or 9/10.

Jim in the meantime had managed to get involved in a three way big stack all in pot on a draw and missed, losing the $1400 pot and all his chips. He finally came over to see if I was ready, which I was. Ended the session up $169, while Jim down $300. We both should have left earlier, but I did improve slightly.

Legion Final Table

2011-07-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since I final tabled at the Legion tournament. Last night looked pretty grim for me running totally card dead early. No pairs (except 2's), no big aces, face cards, etc. With the blinds creeping up to 100/200 it became time to gamble. Without exception I have never been "all in" as many times in a tournament before. I began shoving with any ace, any pair and because I had been squeaky tight got the folds needed to continue. Finally called, I doubled up and was not comfortable, but at least not the short stack anymore. With about 6000 in chips I ran into a problem hand limping from the small blind with 10/4 suited with 2 limpers at the 400/800 blind level. I checked dark, and a big stack bet 1000 on a flop of 10/10/J. Another player with a short stack came over the top all in and I called having him covered by about 2500. Oops, A/10. Short stacked again I went into shoving mode and built back up. My last hand was a small blind with A/5, limped in and big blind shoved with 7/7. I called and failed to improve, but made the right call with only 2 big blinds left in my stack. I never thought I was ahead, but hoped to catch an ace if he had a pair. One of those marginal situations you find yourself in with a short stack. I could have pre-emptively shoved, but he would have called with the same outcome. My "plan" was really to limp/shove on a "stop and go", figuring most hands miss the flop and ace high looked good.

Redemption in Steve's Tournament

2011-07-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning started poorly, getting all my money in good (A/8 vs K/J), I bubbled in the 8 a.m. at the Moose. Then quickly stuck for $70 in Omaha after being up 200 early on, I played in Steve's tournament. Being donkey boy first out last time I was looking to redeem myself. Nearly made Gary the first out when I raised with KJ, he called with 66 and caught a 6 on the flop of 6/10/9. He checked to trap me and I took the free card, a brick. He bet fairly small, about 250, and with another caller in the pot I called with my gutshot. River....queen. Gary bet 500, I raised to 1500 (should have hollywooded a bit) and he called.

Anyway, eventually got Gary with my A/J vs his Q/10, and ended up cashing in 4th place. A very aggressive big guy who was the chip leader (I was second), snap called my all-in pocket 4's with JJ. Game over, but given the blind level 1,000/2,000 and my chip stack of 14,000 it was the right play. Only wish it had been a call from a short stack instead.

Finally a Winning Session

2011-07-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

It has been "a while" since I have booked a decent win at the Crazy Moose. Last night I tried implementing my new strategy which is basically becoming table captain and running it as a $20/20 game rather than a 2-20. My goal was to drive out people with short stacks hoping to flop lucky for $2.
I bought in for $600, and my first two plays were $20 raises in early position. Once with JJ, and the second time with 55. Both times I picked up blinds plus one limper. Small profit, but better than getting stuck. Eventually I reverted to a less aggressive mode and made smaller raises to draw players in. But, I stuck with my aggressiveness and seldom limped pots. After just a couple of hours I quit $125 ahead. Woo-hoo!

Playing again tonight I again bought in for $600, but stuck with a more passive play of limping and calling raises (never limping unless I planned to call a raise, but probably folding to a three-bet) with my big hands. This strategy worked well and ended up cashing out for $905.00. One big advantage to the large buy in was that later arriving players assumed that I had made my money "the old fashioned way", earning it, and tended to give my raises (and calls) more respect.

One other thing. Last night, I was "that guy" who chases flushes and plays any two suited (connected or broadway). It paid off big twice and lost one huge pot when I didn't get there. Had the high hand locked up for about 10 minutes with 20 to go with AAAQQ (I had pocket queens), then got busted when KKK flopped and someone had the king.

Throwing Away Winners

2011-07-01T22:20:00.000-07:00

Playing in the American Legion tournament I found myself short stacked with 1600 in chips and 200/400 blinds. Another short stack goes all in for 1500 with K/10 and is called in two spots, one with AQ, I see pocket 5's in my small blind and regretfully muck them. Of course, a 5 is the door card on the flop and AQ makes two pair to win the hand. Opportunity lost.

The very next hand, on the button, it is folded around to me and I see.....A/5 offsuit. All-in. I am called by the big blind with....AK suited. Good night! Really poor timing on my part, but still like my decisions. The 5's were a no brainer and so was the A/5......just bad timing.

Full Tilt Ceases Operation

2011-06-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

The breaking news today is that Full Tilt poker has ceased operations. Great, I have my freeroll money tied up there, lucky for me it is only about $12.00. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303763404576416202706602490.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Thinking back again about last Friday, I am still thinking it was an o.k. decision, just got very unlucky with her set flop. The blinds were going up in a few minutes to 100/200 leaving me with just 5 big blinds. That calls for gambling, thus with my pair, gutshot, and overcard it was correct for me to go all in.

Heard a funny word today, "limpede", like when you limp in early with your small pocket pair hoping to start a bunch of limping to give you the correct, 7.5 odds for your set draw.

A funny quote from Mike Caro, "Everyone takes turns making mistakes in poker. The trick is just to skip your turn".

Playing with play chips online is really dumb. I don't care anymore if I win or lose, and everyone plays like a jackass. I sat out when in 8th position for an hour with 100 players and came back into the game with only 12 remaining, and in 11th place. Got 5th place when I was knocked out with top pair called by bottom pair who tripped up on the river. Dumb game.

Mistakes were Made

2011-06-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Early departure last night at the Legion tournament. Played far too many hands and had a bad table draw. To my Immediate left, Darryl (bluffing calling machine), Terry (calling station), Unknown (Self proclaimed Calling Donkey), New kid (no clue), Larry (excellent player, cashed in the WSOP Seniors this year), Don (likes to limp with monsters). Early on limped with A/8 suited, flop came A/J/6 and early position limper bets...I raise in position. Self proclaimed Donkey calls with 9/10, turn is 8, checked to me, I bet 400 (pot) with my 2 pair. River is queen, check to me....I check back and lose to the runner runner straight. He comments, "I was waiting for you to bet", I reply, "Not in this lifetime, you will have to do your own work". Now short, I take half the clueless kid's chips when he calls my pair of aces with KQ high. He loses the rest to Darryl who flopped a straight with J/9 and the kid turns two pair with 9/5. Dang it, I wanted those chips!!!

I get back in the game when Larry raises in middle position with two calling stations in the blinds and I reraise with my AA. Larry calls, the flop is small, he checks, I go all in, he folds.

Next notable hand, I pick up a flush draw & straight draw, lose to SP Donkey's weak ace pair. He wins another big pot later (not against me) with runner runner flush playing an 8/2 suited. Donkey!!!!

Next, I raise in early position with suited A/10, Darryl calls, flop is small, I C-Bet minimum, he calls. Turn another medium card, I min bet, he raises, I call with my overcards. River blank, I check, he bets big, I fold.

Last hand of the tournament. Lots of limpers @ 120 BB level, I am in BB when Sandy in late position min raises. I have the A/2 offsuit, and knowing all the calling stations will call, I go ahead and call thinking that with only 1000 and change left I am getting pretty good odds in a big pot. The flop is 2/3/4, giving me bottom pair and gutshot straight with an overcard. We all check to Sandy and she pets pot, 1000. I think for a moment and try to "put her on a hand". If she is betting into weakness with a big ace, AK,AQ, AJ or a middle pair say 7's through Jacks, that would be consistent. I have all raising ace hands crushed and drawing to 3 outs. I have an overcard to all pairs except AA, 22, 33 and 44. And I have a gutshot straight draw. I think my odds are bad but not horrible and I might even be ahead. I call for all but 30 last chips. The turn (every one else folds) is a jack, and I bet my last 30. She calls and turns over pocket 4's for the flopped top set. Drawing to 3 outs, I miss and am gone before the first break. Oh well. Reviewing my play I would say that there were lots of hands I should have just folded preflop, but like my aggression. Just unfortunate that everyone's draws but mine came in.

This is How to Guarantee a Final Table Seat

2011-06-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

At the American Legion tournament last Friday I finally figured out how to guarantee a seat at the final table......Volunteer to deal it! They have a sweet split on the 3 table tournament. Whoever deals table 1, which will be the final, gets 50% of the tip pool, with #2 getting 30% and #3 getting 20%. With a final tip total of $102 I was able to cover my $40 buy in, plus $11 in "sugar"!!! I was knocked out on the final table bubble so that was my only win.

I made one huge mistake. I limped in the small blind with pocket 4's and saw a beautiful flop of Q/6/4 rainbow! My mistake was betting pot as there was a shortstack late position excellent player who had AQ and folded saying, "Set of 4's?". An earlier position player also had a queen and would have at least called if not opened with my check on the flop. I was running so card dead and was so short stacked myself that I just did not want to risk a small bet or check to let flush or straight draws develop. That is your mind set when you have folded every hand for 3 blind levels.

How Bad Luck is This?

2011-06-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

I would have to say that today was one of my most unlucky days in a while. Example 1: Playing very tight, I flop a set of 10's on the $12 preflop raise of mine with 3 callers. The flop is 10/Q/4. I bet $20 and "Bob" calls. The turn is a king. I bet, he calls. River a small card, I bet, he raises. AJ for the turned straight. Nice catch I say, can't believe you called $20 with the gutshot. He then whips some S.... on me about how I sucked out on him a couple of years ago. He keeps it up and I say, "F... you", he says, "What?", so I repeat it louder. It then almost becomes a brawl after he whines about me saying the F word twice. He then gets up out of his seat and grabs my shoulders and neck. I told the floor that if he didn't let go immediately there would be a fight. Some more words were exchanged, warnings were given to us, and the game went on.

I ended up being rivered 4 times in big pots, flopped straights were snapped by rivered full houses twice, and one full house on the turn against my flush. Last hand, Miguel raises with AK, I call with 99. Flop is small, he bets $20, I raise $20 and he calls. Turn is a blank, I check, he checks. River Ace, he bets, I call with my last $8.

Bad Weekend of Poker

2011-06-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

What a bad weekend of poker I had. Saturday took a real beating first in the tournament then cash game. Probably my 3rd biggest loss ever. Sunday lost in the 8:00 tournament, then recouped some losses in the Omaha game, about 1/3 my losses on Saturday. Playing for the 1st time in Steve's Tournament I was the first player out, which incidentally brings a gift bag with nice stuff!!! Tried to play today, but too long a line. Won $35 playing 4 card poker while my buddy Ron sitting next to me netted almost $2000.00!!!!! That is my gambling life these days. Small wins and big losses.

Thoughtful Article about Internet Poker

2011-06-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite writers is Steven Levitt, the author of "Freakonomics", required business reading. He recently posted the attached article in his blog.

http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/05/10/four-reasons-why-the-u-s-crackdown-on-internet-poker-is-a-mistake/

The logic is great and as a poker player himself, he is looking to challenge the luck vs. skill aspect of the game.

Stupidest Player at the Table? Me, By a Long Shot.

2011-06-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

Stuck about a hundred, there are 15 minutes remaining until the $100 high hand is awarded. I am in the unraised big blind with K/2 offsuit. The flop? KKK. Like an idiot, I check. The turn, 3, now counterfeited for high hand (both cards must play). Duh. Worst part.....the mockery and laughter that ensued.

There are lessons to be learned here. First, think each hand through. Even if it takes a moment. What possible action would I ever get on that board. Even pocket aces would only check call, someone calling bs on me would pay a maximum of $80 for $20 calls to river, less than the high hand money. Second lesson, quit playing when you are dopey tired, which I was due to lack of sleep the night before.

End of day report. Stuck $150 due to dumbness plus some major bad beats (K/3/4 flop...me in BB with K/3, losing to K/4 suited donkey) (flopped straight with $10 bet, i raise to $30, Miguel calls with flush draw that delivers).

King Jack is My Nemesis

2011-06-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

This is getting ridiculous. I either lose to king jack or lose with king jack. Friday night at the American Legion I was a major luckbox. Example 1: I limp on the button with K10 suited with 3 limpers. Flop is K/6/6 and someone bets, I raise, he pushes all in (has me covered) I call....like a donkey. He reveals, pocket aces. Rut Row. Turn, brick, river king! I not only win, but my hand is now the high hand of the night with kings full. It stands until the final table.

Example 2: A loose and really bad player raises all in, I call with A/10 having him covered. He has KK. The flop is small, runner runner wheel for me. Luckbox!!!!!

Finally, my luck runs out. We are 4 handed at the final table having knocked out #5 who was a very sick older player just wanting to go home...and donking off chips to everyone but me. At the break with blinds at 1000/2000 I am second in chips with 18000. I suggest a chop of 2/3/4 place and give 1st to the overwhelming chip leader. The other two players with only around 10 and 8,000 do not agree. I have a bad feeling as I also want to end things and claim the high hand money ($70). A chop would give everyone better than third place money so I am a little disappointed as it is now a crap shoot with blinds so high. Anyway, right off I pick up the nemesis, KJ suited in the small blind and raise to 6,000. The big blind, with 10,000 goes all in. I call. He has AK. Great, I am dominated, but wait......the flop brings a jack.....the tables are turned. He is now the dog looking for the 3 outer.....but wait......the turn brings an ace. Crap!!!!

Down to 6000 in chips I am in the BB for 2000 when the ultra-aggressive SB raises. I have J/8 offsuit and with most of my chips already in I call for all but one chip. She moves me all in preflop and with a ragged queen high flop I call. She shows pocket 4's which hold up. I finish in 4 th place for $140. and stay to collect my high hand money which goes away when the big stack slow plays AA and fills up on the river. Good Night!

Showdown King

2011-06-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

My first trip to Spirit Mountain Casino in quite a while. Got an early start on the 1 hr. 45 min drive and was seated at the 3/6 game just starting....only game going. The plan was originally to drive to Lincoln City and the Chinook Winds Casino for the 12:30 tournament, but decided at last minute to go to SM instead. Good choice. Within 2 hours had made $165 and quit to hit the tournament. Bad choice. The poker room opened at noon, no cash game going either before or after. Only 12 players in the $50 buy-in event with 3500 in chips, 15 minute blinds, and starting at 23/50 blinds. A fast tournament structure. I was one of the chip leaders when a guy raised in early position with KJ offsuit. He had been playing absolute crap cards so I reraised to put him all in (4500) with my AK suited in clubs. The flop contained two spades, he had the king of spades so you know what happened next. Runner spades for the flush. Ouch. Had I won that hand, would have had about a quarter of the chips in play.

We consolidated to one table, I was fairly short stacked with 4 BB's and won a small pot. I pick up A/7 suited in spades in small blind, and complete the blind. Flop is 10/J/7 with two spades. I bet about half my chips and my lucky nemesis calls. The turn is a 9, I go all in (yes, I should have pushed on the flop) and he insta calls with KQ. The river fails to deliver my spade and I am gone in 7th place. Sick game, never again there.

Overall today I was pleased with my play. Including the tournament I only lost maybe 4 or 5 showdowns. I was doing some excellent hand selection, throwing away most drawing hands, and hitting most of the ones I went for. Really should have stayed at Spirit Mtn., as I was getting great hands, and connecting a lot. It could easily have gone south on me, so am o.k. with it. An observation though, I was the only winner at the table which tells you a lot about how bad 3/6 games are. Very hard to beat the rake. Most of the players were there to try to hit the Monte board, which was very juicy with several in the thousands, as well as the bad beat at $76,000. One player at the table, a regular, hit a royal last week for $5,000.

This is Me!!!

2011-05-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Playing in the legion tournament tonight, pretty card dead. I won only one hand all night with pocket 8's. Got short stacked when I raised from BB with AQ and was called by 10/J offsuit. The flop was A/J/10 all hearts. Without checking my hole cards, I thought I had the queen of hearts (nope), and C-bet 600, the caller reraised all in for 350 more and when the bricks came on the turn and river I was short stacked with 600 in chips and blinds now at 100/200. I went all in utg with 77 and got two callers. The flop was terrific 5/2/4, the turn paired the 2, then the river came with a king. One of my two callers goes all in and shows KJ offsuit when the other player folds. Goodnight.

Update to last night. Played in 3 tournaments simultaneously, NL Holdem, PL Omaha HL 8B , and Razz. Made the final table on all three, placing 1st in Omaha, 2nd in Razz, and 6th in Hold-em. Wish my luck had been as good at the Legion.

Why Play Money Poker is For Idiots

2011-05-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

Due to the federal ban on internet gambling I am reduced to playing free money play money games. Try 90% of players seeing flops in a "cash" game. Try pushing all in 5 from the "money" in a tournament with a medium pocket pair and getting called by.....A7 offsuit and overcalled by K8 offsuit. That is the level of donkdom that you encounter.

Had one interesting hand in a tournament...should have done a screen capture. The player to my immediate right raised to 120 with 20/40 blinds. I reraised to 500 with my pocket kings, the player to my immediated left reraises all in. The first raiser reraises all in, and I call having both of them covered. The hands?:

AA first raiser
KK me
QQ re-re-raiser

I flopped a king and knocked both of them out. Have never seen top 3 pairs right in a row like that before, and in order no less!!!

Tonight is the legion tournament, should be a big tournament with the holiday weekend.

Withdrawl pain

2011-05-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

I am officially off internet poker. A few days ago I checked in to Ultimate Bet and encountered a software update.....required to continue. When I checked in after loading it, there was a new message stating that I was being geographically blocked from playing in real money games. So now I can join the donks playing free poker....interesting if you like seeing 90% of players seeing flop irregardless of their starting hands. And, particularly nice if you like to enter tournaments where the prize is.....more play dollars.....

Well, have been saying for a while that I play too much online, so for now, nothing to report. No Legion game this week due to a yard sale they are running, no trips to Spirit Mountain, and will not be back in the Tri-Cities for another week.

Premonitions

2011-05-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just do not feel the love. I considered not playing the Friday night Legion tournament because my online game was running pretty bad and my wife beat me in a game of spite and malice (fun couple card game if you are not familiar). But, having missed last week decided to go for it. Right away I got a horrible table draw. The dealer was my arch nemesis, Carl, and seated to my immediate left was a very nice unnamed man who is widely known as a loose calling luckbox. Also to my left was a good tight player, another player who has been known to get very lucky against me, an Hispanic man known for loose wild and lucky calls, plus an unknown quantity woman that I have never played with. I had a bad feeling. The first or second hand I won a small pot and later almost doubled up when hitting a straight on the river (open end flop playing QJ vs. 4/4 early position raise). I was playing very few hands getting mostly unplayable cards when this occurred. With blinds at 60/120 and two limpers ahead of me I was dealt AK suited. Raising to 300 all folded to the limpers who both called. With a king high flop it was check, then the unknown lady bet 500, I raised to 1000, the other limper folded and she called. With most of her chips in the pot, when another face card hit we both checked (I probably should have put her all in, but I think she was pot committed, so not tooo bad on my part). The river was a queen and she bet only 200 into me. I called and she announced 2 pair, KQ. Done in by her 3 outer.

At this point I was below original chip stack and slightly on tilt, so when it was folded to my small blind a couple of hands later I see A/10 and overbet the pot, making it 630 to go. Mr. loose caller calls and the flop is 8 high. I check, he checks, no point in betting with my short stack and the loosest caller on the planet in the hand. The turn is a jack, I check he bets 200....I call. The river, blank, he fires another 200, I fold. He is incapable of bluffing I know from previous experience and incapable of folding any pair. Now really short stacked I have only one move. After the break with 100/200 blinds I am dealt AQ of hearts in early position. Shove, call from big blind.....AK. One heart on the flop, along with a king, king on the turn, done.

Going home early I play in two SNG tournaments, coming in 3rd in one and winning the other. Below is a great hand that ruled, but my last winning hand was pocket queens vs. J8 on a flop of 9/10/Q . I rivered a 10 for the full house. Why can't I get that lucky live?

Another Mixed Message Day

2011-05-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

This is officially getting silly. I got crushed in a deepstack (50 Big Blind buy-in) cash omaha game. Lost almost 3 buy-ins as it was way too wild a game, with one player raising pot every hand and my draws not coming in plus opponents draws seemingly always arriving. I like to see a lot of flops (57% according to my stats) and rely on my board reading to play from there. My online stats show that I win over 50% of the time if I see a flop, and almost 60% of showdowns. These stats are skewed however because of the number of tournaments I play and my heads up play, where you are playing nearly every hand. I think the real numbers on cash play are much lower. With a wild player in the mix it is important to go into a flop really strong as you may have to put all your chips in after the flop. It is a really poor strategy to raise every hand and before long the maniac was felted and gone.

Anyway, tournament play was also pretty bad...until my last one. It was a larger buy in than I normally play and ended up winning so I "almost" broke even. Because of the lack of ability right now to rebuy it is very important that I stay within my bankroll.

Mixed Results

2011-05-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

Somehow my luck runs strange. For instance, I can destroy the single table SNG tournaments that I love to play, but go stone cold in the multi-table ones. Or, I can be red hot in cash games and frigid in tournaments, or visa-versa. Yesterday the cash games were very good to me with four winning sessions including a quadruple up when I filled up against a smaller full house and a flush draw. Tournaments were a mixed bag for me with two cashes, one 3rd place and one 2nd place. I was leading in the third place but got interrupted by Mrs. Hall, so sat out and coasted in to last cash.....shame. The other one I was chip leader by 4 to one heads up in Omaha but just could not put him away. Blinds get very large and you play every hand and usually go all-in with lots of split pots.

This government crackdown on the websites is starting to really affect online play. I noticed that most of the players were from foreign countries and there is lots of chat about the change. I would estimate that perhaps traffic is down by 1/2 or more. It is hard to get a game going at some times. Heard yesterday that Ultimate Bet had cancelled the contracts of their pros. There were comments from some of them that they are very hard hit, losing both the income from the contract and their profit from playing. My hope is that they get this thing settled soon and legalize it. We all know what happened during prohibition.

Example below of me getting lucky from a couple of days ago (just to shut me the F___ up about others getting lucky against me!).

Poker Dream 2

2011-05-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, particularly after taking some horrible beat, I dream about poker. Last night playing on line I doubled up hitting quad jacks against a flopped set over set queens and jacks, and was on cruise control, tripling my buy in for the pot limit omaha game. Then disaster struck. I flopped top set with my JJ on a flop of J/7/5. I bet to protect from the low and straight draws. I was called by a big stack player with two pair, 7/5. The turn was wonderful, a 7 putting two flush draws on board, the other player's underful, and my big full house. I bet, he raised all in and I called for all my chips. The river......his one outer case 7 for quads. This put me on major tilt and unfortunately I was simultaneously playing in a small buy in holdem tournament, played back at a raise all-in with 6/7 suited and got knocked out on the bubble after pairing my 6 and losing to AK when an ace hit. The hand below is one I did not get paid off for (small pot). This is the guy who knocked me out.

Back to my dream. I was playing in a short handed game with a short stack when I flopped a full house, Kings over 8's. It was bet into me, I call and another player also calls. He bets again when another king falls giving me quads and he proudly says, 10's full. The dealer starts to shove the pot to him and I protest, then look at the board again and there are no kings on it, plus he has not brought the river card. I cause a big stink, demand he bring the last card but he has already mucked the deck. I loudly announce that I am "so done with this game" and leave. It has become a full table, played on what appears to be a long dining table, and one of the other players is a former saleswoman who worked for me at Macy's. Weird, huh?

Don't Shoot Back

2011-05-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

A great quote from NCIS Los Angeles. Deeks and his childhood ganster friend are talking and the buddy says, " Remember, don't shoot back", and Deeks replies, "Always shoot first". I think this is excellent advice for poker players. It is far better to be the aggressor than to be the caller. I had an opportunity to put this into practice last night. Tim, an aggressive player with weak cards raised in early position and I found myself with AK suited. Normally I try to see a flop fairly cheap with this great drawing hand but figured that I probably had the better hand and wanted to see if I could isolate him, so I reraised, I think to $35 and got a hitchiker along who also was overplaying his hands and calling light. The flop was wonderful rainbow ace high with no straight draws. I bet $20 and they both called. The turn and river did not complete any draws obvious, and paired 6's on the river. I bet and "Neanderthal", as I will call the other player, called me with AJ. Nice pot.

The Neanderthal and I played a couple of hands which I could not believe that he called me. I had a straight draw, he bet I raised, and he called with bottom pair. The turn brought 3 spades and paired his king (he was playing k/2 offsuit, lol). He checked, I bet, he called. A fourth spade hit the river and when he checked I fired again with no pair, no spade. Like the donk he was, he called and took the pot. Unbelievable that he could not lay that hand down. He demonstrated many times that night that he would call to the river with bottom pair and won several nice pots, but eventually as he must when you play every single hand he went from big stack to felt several times, but always getting bailed out on 3 outer draws. I was just waiting to get a big hand against him when this one came up.

TJ had entered the game from another table with $300 in chips and raised preflop with AQ. Neanderthal and I plus probably another player or two called, me with A/10 suited. The flop was the monster I had been waiting for : A/A/10. I checked, TJ fired $20 and the other guy and I called. The turn was a small card and put two flush draws on board....awesome. TJ bet $15, the other guy called and I check-raised to $35. The river card paired the board with 8's which guaranteed a TJ call when I bet. Nice pot, Sir!

Had a couple of nice suckouts, filled up against pocket Aces with my K/10, and also hit a straight against aces. Lost a few close ones and ended up down $50 after being stuck over $300, so I considered it a moral victory if not a financial one.

Soft, Soft, Soft

2011-05-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

Some games are so soft that when you sit down you honestly believe that you have arrived in poker heaven. When you cannot be dealt a playable hand you change your opinion that you may have landed in poker hell. Last night at the Moose was very frustrating to me. Table two was filled with weak players and I could not get a hand! An example, a guy raises $20 with pocket 2's (pocket 2's, LOL), and gets a couple of callers. With lots of action and no improvement he continues to bet to the river and gets raised....and calls!!!! He did the same thing with the same hand a little later. I just patiently sat there and waited for a big hand that never came.

Moving to the main game, I hated leaving that one, it was more card dead night for me. I gradually dwindled down, losing a huge pot to a bigger straight and eventually down to $25. I fought my way back and when one of the most massive bluffers in history....wearing sunglasses, lol, moved over I found an opportunity to get back to my $150 buyin when he raised preflop (surprise, almost every hand), and I called with AJ hearts. Flop was small with 2 hearts and I called his $20 C-bet. Turn brought a jack and you could not have moved me off the hand with dynamite as we were heads up. I failed to make the flush on the river, but my pair of jacks took the pot.

My last hand, ready to leave anyway, the bluffman raises to $18 and a young kid, very bad player who had sat down with almost $400 and was down to $150 reraised to $38. I see pocket 8's and decide to fold, figuring I am up against overcards and/or bigger pair. The flop....2/2/3, turn 3, river 3. The bluffmaster bet it the entire way and they chopped the pot with his A/8 offsuit and reraiser's KJ offsuit. Unbelievable. Decided to cash out for a net $25.00 win after that having "lost my gamble" and a $200+ pot.

Getting it All in Against a Draw

2011-04-30T16:18:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me how people can put a significant portion of their chips in on a draw. Last night at the Legion we had just consolidated down to 2 tables (small turnout, only 24 to start). I pick up K/Q offsuit under the gun. I limp with a $120 call and about $1400 behind. There is one caller and the small blind completes and the big blind checks. The flop is king high with two hearts. When the small and big blind check, I bet $300 into the $480 pot with the limper calling and the others folding. A jack on the turn hits, and I go all-in for $1125, the pot is now $1080 plus my $1125 for a total of $2205. With some dumb remark about "probably shouldn't call" one of the worst players indeed calls with his A/3 of hearts and approximate pot odds of 2/1. Of course, the heart hits the river and I am gone.

I did some analysis using the poker hand calculator on my Droid and discovered:

Preflop I was 47.5% to 45% to win (not counting other players...just heads up against A/3
Turn I was 62.3% to 26.3% to win.

His 2/1 call was not horrible, since he had me covered, don't recall how many chips he had. My mistakes were: 1. I think the big blind was going to bet on the flop, but I acted too soon with my $300 (I thought it was check/check to me). If he bets first here, I would have come over the top all in and probably forced the flush draw to fold since he had the first bettor to worry about too.
2. I think an all in bet on the flop would have been the superior play, since I am down to 10 big blinds and probably in to the river irregardless of any action.

Reason to Limp in from Small Blind

2011-04-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

I folded this preflop

Omaha Problem

2011-04-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

I went to bed mulling over this particular hand. In a 1/2 pot limit game with small stack of around 15 big blinds when I drew QQxx (don't recall other cards, but no low draw, so probably big cards to go with). The flop was Q/4/5 and when one of the other limpers bet 4, I came over the top all in for 24 more. Everyone else folded and he showed the 2/3xx for the open ended straight draw plus 2nd nut low draw. The straight hit with a 6, the board failed to pair, and I was "felted". My question is: Was I right to push with the existing nuts and no back up plan? I am thinking now that I could have flat called and if a small card or 6 failed to hit, then push with only the river to worry about, or just fold knowing I am playing for 1/2 the pot. I have lost in the past when drawing to these types of hands while the made hand punishes me all the way. Also, I was able to isolate the one drawing hand with my play. It did not work out for me that time but not sure how I will play it next time.

This is a common theme in hold em as well. Do you go for "pot control", or give the drawing hands insufficient odds to call. It seems to me that it is highly dependent on the players involved. There are many who will call with any draw for any amount. Including gutshots, bottom pairs, low end straight draws, and weak flushes. The question is, do you let them draw cheap, thus reducing your losses when they hit, or make them pay dearly for the lack of mathematical skills. If I am playing against thinking players who can lay down a draw for the wrong price it is one thing. If playing against the gambling type, I am thinking pot control might be better. If I am playing against the gambling type who really likes to gamble (thinking some who like to jam with draws), it is another thing. With the spread game I am thinking pot control since raises just improves the odds for the draws. In no limit, or tournaments definitely think the big raise is called for.

As a p.s., I ended up short buying twice more, but ended the session up winning one short buy (40) over my 3 buy ins. The website is telling me I can no longer play for cash, but still lets me. There will be issues if I ever need to cash out, just hoping the legalities get worked out before then.

Well, if you're going to get beat......

2011-04-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

This was an interesting hand. I flopped the set of 10's, with the other guy flopping the nut flush draw. The turn he hits the royal flush, and I fill up on the river (underfull). The betting did not get too crazy, but a lot of chips went in on the river.

Final Report Las Vegas

2011-04-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Back from Sin City with most of the money I left with. No more luck in tournaments, and frankly some pretty weak play. My final tournament at Aria was very bad. I was two to the left of a local gal who was aggressive and really catching some cards. With about average chip stack of 17,000 I was in o.k. shape when she raised (again) from the button. I had K/10 suited, and decided to call. The flop was awesome for my hand K/J/9, giving me top pair and the gutshot straight draw. I check raised her continuation bet, and she called me. When the turn failed to improve me, I bet and she reraise enough to put me all in. I decided to fold rather than take a stand with at least 8,000 in chips remaining. Moving to another table I tried to play very tight with a couple of the big stacks working every hand. Finding K/5 suited in the small blind with folds around to me, and the big blind shorter than me, I raised, and he reraised all in. Deciding that I may have live cards and/or suite, I called to see a suited AQ. Now short stacked at the table I pushed all in a couple of times and got back to around 7,000.

My last hand, the player to my right raised fairly big and decided to gamble with A/10 suited on an all-in reraise. He called with AA and I was done. In retrospect, the reraise from the BB could have been a fold for me, and the shove over the raise was exceptionally dumb.

Playing later in the 1/3 NL I crushed the table early on, flopping a set of 9's against a flush draw, getting all in and winning 150. Later hit a full house on the river for another big win, and was up about 250. After going a little card dead and missing every small pair, I lost a good chunk against the button when I was BB. He was an aggressive young player who raised nearly every hand and when I found AK played back hard at him. His 10 raise was met with a 40 reraise, which he called after enquiring about how many chips I had. The flop had 9/J/J and I checked out of position, he checked back. The turn was a brick, and we both checked. The river also a brick, and I checked, he bet 20, and I called figuring a bluff here from him was in order. He had paired his 9's and took down the 120 pot. I quit shortly after that.

All in all a good trip, almost a break even with miscellaneous expenses like buffets, cabs, tips, etc. My friend Bob did better than I in the tournaments, making several final tables, but bubbled on all of them. His worst one was KK getting beaten by 5/6 suited with a pair on the flop and trips on the river. We saw the Elvis show by Cirque de Soleil, it was excellent. More pros spotted in the Ivey room: Doyle & Todd Brunson, Shawn Sheikan, and others.

Here is an interesting hand from Full Tilt's Rush poker....more on that later. Found myself against not one but two sets. Note that I won the hand, and a king of clubs on the river would have given me the Royal flush!!!

Vegas Day One & Two

2011-04-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

The first day in Vegas started out well for me. Played in a 1/3 no limit game and won $270 in an hour. Took a dinner break, my treat, and returned for the 7:00 $125.00 tournament. Played fairly well, but ended up going out 23rd out of 63 players (or buyins, since it was a multiple entry) when my all in pocket queens ran into pocket kings in the big blind. Played some blackjack switch, $15 min. bet, and made a quick $200. Successful day one. The Aria is beautiful, but very spendy. Had a $4.50 Americano this morning with a $4.00 pastry. Cheaper to sit at the tables and tip 1.00 for table service on drinks.

Day two started well for me. Woke up super early and ended up walking around. Ended up in Excalibur's card room playing some blackjack (Down $35.) when they announced morning poker tournament. It was a very fast format, $35. for 3000 chips, with 15 min. blinds, and starting at 50/100. I got lucky early and ended up chopping 4 ways for a $222. gross win.

Returned to Aria in time for 1:00 tournament which was not good for me. I was tournament chip leader early, doubled up to over 16,000 in chips when I raised preflop with 9/9. Flop was a dream, A/K/9, and lots of calls on my continuation bet. The turn was meaningless, but decided to show weakness by checking. River also a blank, no possible flushes or straights. Another player bet into me, I raised, he went all in and I naturally called, expecting AK or other two pair. Nope. Pocket kings! new chip leader in town. Ironically he later doubled up again with pocket 9's when he was way behind and got runner runner quad 9's. Pocket 9's were my last hand, short stack, all in and called by AQ, ace on turn. Still up for the day but lots more poker to play tonight.

Almost forgot, Aria has the "Ivey Room" for the high rollers. Watched Johnny Chan stroll in yesterday to join John Paul Belmonde, Billy Baxter, and later Barry Greenstein plus another pro who I recognized from TV but can't recall his name.

Playing Well at Legion

2011-04-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Friday tournament started out very good for me. I raised 4 limpers from the button with AQ suited and fired a continuation bet on the flop of J/J/3 and everyone folded. It is very good to win the first hand dealt in a tournament as you are now immune to getting knocked out for a few hands. It can really open your game up. I did play tight however, entering only a few hands and then only with a raise. During the night I only lost a couple of hands that I voluntarily entered, and only 2 that I had raised preflop, folding to all in reraises where I was behind (they showed their pocket pairs, both 10/10). All in all I was very satisfied with my play, not getting out of line, playing fairly aggressively and making good decisions.

On the final table we were down to 4 players, two with big stacks and John and I with 8,000 each. John pushed all-in with A/10 suited and I insta-called with my AK offsuit. Bad news however as one of the two big stacks, Nick, called with KK. John & I were drawing very thin, but he picked up the 4 flush on the turn for lots more outs. The river was a brick and John & I chopped 3rd & 4th place for $149.00 each. I was fairly happy with the outcome, but would have meant another $30 for me if John & I had been heads up. The heart of the game is just getting it in with the best hands as Mike and I talked about before the tournament. You also have to get lucky at critical times like when I raised from the button with A/9 and ran into 9/9, but got 4 hearts on board and lucky enough to have the 9 of hearts.

Leaving Monday morning for Las Vegas until Thursday. One quick funny story about it. I stopped by the bank, located in the Seaside Safeway to get some cash for the trip yesterday. My wife came in to buy something and there was a long line for the tellers. She finished and came up to me just as the teller was working on my withdraw. I had a couple of fairly large checks to deposit and asked to just cash them plus another $800 from checking. She saw the withdrawl slip and was mildly shocked that I was getting that much (the $800). Her "walkaround money" would not buy you into a 2/4 game. When the teller said, "I have to get more $100's" she said, "How much are you getting?". I said, "You should just leave and browse around". She insisted on staying and was amazed to see the teller counting out $2500. I had to explain to her about the buy in's for tournaments ($120), the minimum buy ins for cash games, $100-400, and the fact that this was "only" $600 per day. Also, I have been fairly good at coming home with at least as much as I went to Vegas with, or only taking a small hit. Also, there is no way you want to visit a cash machine in Vegas as they take up to 10% on debit or visa transactions. LOL.

Last comment. It really sucks that the major poker websites have been charged with money laundering, bank fraud, etc. Not sure if I can get my money back on the two sites I play on. The games are still live however, played this morning and won, doubling up my buy in.