Settling In

Making big changes are difficult.  New traffic, incomplete homes, different acquaintances, and so on. The poker change is significant in that I am no longer playing many tournaments but have switched to cash games primarily.  It has been a while.  Also, playing mostly omaha high low which takes some adjustment.

Thursday was an interesting day for me.  I left the apartment early for what I thought was a 10 a.m. dental appointment.  Despite leaving 45 minutes prior for what should be a half hour drive, I found myself snarled in the ugly 405 morning commute.  I called the office to tell them that I was stuck in traffic and would be late.  Hmmm, they said my appointment was not until 1:00!!!  I asked if it would be possible to take me early.  No problem.  And when I arrived was hustled into the chair and gone in 5 minutes as it was only to inspect the extraction from last week.  Prognosis:  good healing.

This is great as now I could drive to Marysville for the noon high hand games.  Traffic was lousy, and my detour around E. Lake Sammamish turned into a crawl with lots of construction.  I did get to see the amazingly huge and expensive homes now circling the lake which filled me with insane jealousy (not really) but made me wonder about the great wealth in this area.

Arriving with perfect timing I was able to get on the first omaha table.  Ultimately there would be 3 running.  After my last experience decided to play squeaky tight as that is the winning style due to the excessive ($6 per hand) rake and player supported jackpot rakes.  It worked very well for me and was soon up $300 including one $100 high hand (QQQ/10/10).  I later flopped quad jacks but quad aces were already on the board and were cracked by a 6 high straight flush.  There were 2 royal flushes dealt during the day, one at my table.  We collected at least 6 high hands altogether....as you might recall from earlier post every half hour award.

My tight play deteriorated and I ended up stuck small ($32) which is like entering a tournament and not cashing I guess.  Enjoyed over 7 hours of play so the entertainment value was there.  If the place wasn't so far away and if I didn't enjoy playing it so much could have left a good winner.

I am starting to know the players and their style of play.  This is important information for the future, which ones always raise with AA2, which ones slow play it, which ones chase (might be everyone, lol), which ones bet draws, etc.  One guy seems to always win, while another piles on losses with mini-rebuys....it must be a $20+ minimum as he rebuys for $21, weird, huh?  Not a super friendly bunch but o.k. for the most part.  The worst players are the super slow ones.  They really drag the game down.

Am going to try a new casino soon.  It is closer and related to the Crazy Moose (Washington Gold), located in Mill Creek.  They have a 10:30 a.m. tournament and monte carlo bonuses in the cash games.  If it works out, will play there more and limit my omaha to once a week.

My Apologies for the Lack of Posts

I am so sorry that it has been a while since my last post.  Transitions are tough and with my move to Bothell have been sort of busy.  Only two poker experiences since my last outings in Cannon Beach so here they are.  Last week played at Tullalip in the morning $25 entry tournament with about 90 players.  Had zero luck and finished around 27th.  They have a nice promotion that if you play 2 hours live after the tournament you receive $20 off the next tournament (entry is $20, so a freeroll if you choose not to pay the $5 "dealer appreciation" for extra chips).  I had a card from my last time there so only a $5. loss.  The game was wild as most re-entry tournaments are, with one gunslinger (3 all-ins in a row) returning to his same seat after getting knocked out.

After the tournament I sat down to the 4/8 high low omaha game for the next 6 hours.  They run a high hand promotion on Thursdays and Sundays so those look like they will be my poker days.  The promo is half hour high hand, $100 if 1-2 games going, $150 if 3, and $200 if more.  There were 3 games going, my 4/8 limit, a 5/5 pot limit and a very big 5/10/25 pot limit (max $500 bet).  I was very lucky to hit 2 high hands, quad 6's and quad 9's, yet ended the day with only a $100 net win.  My big problem was playing too many hands.  The winners usually were the tight regulars that would come in with their A/A/2 and win big pots.  That strategy just does not work for me.  I seem to rarely win with that hand.  Last night had it a couple of times and had to bail out on Q/Q/10 type flops. Last night I tried to play a little tighter which did not work out well. Suffered a $250 overall loss and was frustrated a couple of times when I folded a high hand after the flop only to see runners bring in the big hand (king high straight flush once). "Taking one off" on the flop is not super expensive, just $4, and a lot can develop. So may pour more money into that strategy next time. I lost 2 massive pots on the river, one flopping a full house with 6/5, only to have the player next to me chase his k/6 to the river and a king hitting. Also lost half a pot on the river many times, but that is just the nature of high low omaha. What frustrated me the most was seeing a few players hitting crap hands time after time and leaving with a bunch of chips. They were hitting seemingly every time. On the other hand, my flopped sets were not improving to full houses and were losing to straights and flushes. The hand I was most proud of was against a very weak player who had raised pre-flop with A/A/x/x. I had a lowly pair of 2's and when the river brought 3 9's and I bet into him he folded face up expecting me to claim high hand. I told him "I didn't have it" which meant he folded the nuts. I am getting to know some of the players and some of the dealers. Not a bad bunch so far although I can foresee some of the regulars grating on me in the future. I will have to adjust to playing more cash games and fewer tournaments as that is where the money is to be made. Looking forward to returning to the beach in a few weeks.

Playing Poker Sounds Like Fun!!!

This happens every so often.  A stranger wanders into the poker venue and decides that they want to play.  We are an "inclusive" club at the American Legion so it is open to any visitor.  She arrived fashionably late and wanted to buy in.  She was a blonde.  The open seat was #9 at table 4 where I was dealing.  I explained the chip values and told her what the blind level was.  When it was her blind I helped her put the chips out.  This was to happen many times as she never could figure out when it was her blinds and how much to put in front of her.  Also, when it was her turn I had to explain her options, call, fold or raise.....every single time.  It was an excercise in patience, and as is typical of new players she played every hand.  Because a guardian angel hovers over new players I was trying to be very careful.  I did take a big chunk of her chips when I turned a full house (temporary high hand of the night) but she almost eliminated a highly skilled (think WSOP senior/super senior cashes) player when he flopped two pair and she has 2 bigger pairs.  Now chipped up I was fortunate enough to raise with QQ and get her call.  The flop came A/A/Q and we ended up all-in.  I had nightmares of her playing ace/rag and hitting on the turn or river but amazingly she had given me all of her chips with 9/6 off!!!! WTF!!!!  Now armed with some serious chippage I went on to the final table later and ended up chopping for $256.  Interesting night if somewhat stressful at first.

Fast forward to the Seaside Legion "Big Game" on Monday.  There were 34 players and with the $100 buy-in plus $50 add-ons, the prize pool was around $5000.  Looking back, there were 3 hands that hurt me early.  The first was my pre-flop raise with A/Q called by Q/10.  The flop came Q/10/x and I was lucky to have lost "only" 1/3 of my stack.  The second came with a J/9 of spades on a flop of 9/x/x, two spades.  The turn brought in my flush draw and the persistent big blind called bets on the flop and turn.  The river brought another spade and this time we both checked.  He had K/x of spades for the bigger flush, only saving thing for me was the 4th spade which caused this savvy player who knows my game to put on the brakes.  The last regrettable hand was calling a shove from a short stack playing A/6 of hearts.  I snap called with A/Q of spades.  No problem until the river when he hit his 3 outer 6 to double up.  He would go on to chip up big and be one of the chip leaders on the final table.  The final table was tough for me with mediocre cards and a lot of aggression from the big stacks.  Down to 8 players (paying 5 plus bubble) I was down to 2 big blinds with 2 other players in similar predicaments.  I pick up AJ suited on the button and shove against another shortie in the small blind and the chip leader in the big blind.  He calls with 6/9 suited and manages to river a flush.  So close.  The very short small blind in that hand later went on to double up a couple of times and win $850.

Final report, last night at the Legion, I made yet another final table, went on a heater knocking 3 players out, finishing 2nd in chips on a 4 way chop for $299 each.  A good night of poker, one of my knockouts being the small blind player from the Seaside final table with my J/10 suited vs. 5/5.  River jack.  Another satisfying knockout was my shove of A/A called by KQ suited and despite flush and straight draws my pair holding up.

I have been on an incredible heater with these statistics in the past month:

10 Tournaments played
9 Final Tables (1- 10th place, just missing FT)
5 cashes
4 chops
2 money bubbles

Next week we are moving to Bothell, Wa into our small apartment there to be close to family.  I will miss my coast poker games and buddies but look forward to playing lots of morning tournaments and omaha cash games at the Tullalip casino only about a 1/2 hour drive away.  Will still be coming to the coast at least once a month and will time it to plug into some games here.

Gutterballs, Double Bubble Trouble

Have not played at the American Legion in Seaside for several years but decided to play it last night. The structure, chips and starting stack are different, and it is an add-on tournament which I really don't care for.  My cards stank it up at first and by break time I was well below starting stack.  Nearly everyone did the add-on for $20, so with three tables it was a pretty juicy prize pool, paying 4 places plus bubble.  I decided to contain my losses since cards were running bad, so no add-on for me.

I was flopping lots of gutshot straight draws last night.  I refused to chase any of them.  The odds of hitting the gutterball are so small that it takes very special circumstances to pursue them.  That did not exist last night.  Finally the cards turned in my favor and I got a couple of double ups and some other juicy pots.  Moving to the final table I was in good condition, but had big trouble to my right 2 spots.  A player there had been crushing one of the other tables and had as many chips as all of us combined.  He was both lucky and aggressive, rivering me one time with runner-runner.  I played back at him strongly once when he raised and I shoved with AK suited.  With his chips and luck surprised to see him fold.  Must have been a very weak hand.

Down to 6 places I was in deep trouble with blinds at 2000-4000 and about 10K in my stack.  A player had just doubled up with A/A the previous hand and was now in the big blind, and he had taken the chips from the big blind last hand.  I saw an opportunity to shove with K/5 suited diamonds from the cutoff.  The small blind quickly called me, the BB folded and he turned over A/A.  The flop was good 10/10/x with 2 diamonds.  The turn brought in my flush.  Hooray!!!  Unfortunately he caught his 4 outer on the river (10/10/A/A) to eliminate me in 6th place.  I had not left the table when they starting talking about paying the bubble.  This makes 6 final tables in a row, with 1 bubble and 2 double bubbles. Starting to get old.  Just need some late luck.










     

Running in Mud

Does it sometime seem that trying to accomplish something is like running in mud?  You expend a lot of energy but go nowhere.

Spending the weekend in Seattle I try to help out in daughter's yard/house.  I brought my pressure washer with me with the goal of cleaning their deck, concrete walk and steps.  It is not the easiest thing for me to actually do any work these days.  A combination of age, laziness and probably motivation, but when I decide to do something I want to get 'er done.  So, I rolled my washer over next to the hose reel at the side of the house, unscrew the sprayer and screw the hose into the pressure washer.  This is not as easy as it seems.  The washer on the thing makes it difficult to connect, but I succeed.  Now to turn the water on.  But what the heck!  Where is the turn on valve?  My son in law comes over and shows me (it is under a board in the window well).  We turn it on and water gushes out from the connector hose from the hose reel.  It has come loose and requires a screwdriver to reconnect the clamp.  I can't find a screwdriver anywhere nor my son in law who probably knows where one is.  I force it on, and it looks o.k., but now I notice that the irrigation system which is on the same connection has numerous spouting leaks around the yard.  I go to the biggest gusher and inspect it.  The plastic connector is split.  O.K.  I will check the voluminous quantity of irrigation parts left by the previous homeowner.  I find a giant bag of connectors in the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet which has a serious dent making it very difficult to open.  I cut my little finger on it and am now bleeding profusely.  I find a semi-clean paper towel to wrap it with.  Going through the parts I find what I think is the right piece.  Taking it out to the garden I find it is a male connector, not the female that is needed.  I am informed that there are also 2 other leaks.  I give up.

There are more ways to skin this cat I think.  The other hose reel located in back of the house will barely stretch to enable the cleaning of 1/2 my project.  O.K., better than nothing.  I hook up the hose, go to turn it on and wait....the valve is closed.  Simple to turn on, but it is a "Y" and the other hose needs to be connected.  O.K., it is connected to the outdoor sink.  When I turn it on water begins gushing from the faucet handles which were removed for the winter.  O.K., we remove the "Y" and directly hook up the hose reel.  Awesome!  I am now ready to plug in the pressure washer.  There is an outlet conveniently located next to the other hose reel.  I plug it in, turn on the washer and.....nothing.  There is no power and no other outlets on the front or rear of house.  I now go to the basement, locate the breaker box and find that nothing is tripped.  Hmmm.  I remember an electrical hose reel in the carport.  Great, I plug it in (working outlet), and run it up to the washer....almost.  It is too short.  Searching the garage I find an extension cord.  Now hooked up with water and electricity I pressure wash 1/2 the project.  It is now getting late and I am soaking wet.  Done for now. What seemed like a simple project has sprouted into the need to fix electical outlet, install faucet handles, pick up parts at Home Depot, repair irrigation system and finish original project another day.   

3-peat, Crazy 8's, High Hand

Last week was an amazing heater for me.  It began by cashing in the Friday Legion tournament, then continuing by chopping 2nd, 3rd and 4th places in the $100 Sunday tournament followed by a 3 way chop in the Wednesday Bayway.  The highlight of the Bayway was winning the high hand money with quad aces (king kicker).  It involved a set over set flop vs. 6's against a long time nemesis.  The funny part of it was that I had never kicked in the $2 for the high hand before this because, you know, I just never have the high hand. At the Legion it is not an option and in all my years playing there have only won it once.  Go figure.

So, with eager anticipation I was shooting for a "4-peat" on my wins last Friday.  Sadly it was not to be.  Dealing table 2 I watched pocket 8's destroy the table.  The same guy flopped sets twice and then knocked a player out with them on a 3/4/5/6/7 board.  Didn't see that one coming.  I made the final table but with a short stack went all in with.....you ready for this......pocket 8's.  The big blind was shorter than me so he called with Q/10, rivering a broadway straight.  My final hand came 2 hands later defending my big blind with A/4 vs. A/K.  Not a good matchup.

New update:  Last night I was playing well and running good until late on the final table.  (Side note: I got to the table by cracking aces as a short stack with 9/10, sorry Mike).  Chipped up mightily by flopping a straight with Q/J vs. 9/10 2 pair.  I have to admit some frustration as the aggressive player on my right kept shoving against short stacks with worse hands than mine, taking away my play....then losing and doubling them up when I would have eliminated them on the bubble.  My big error came from a hand in the small blind vs. the big blind.  He is a loose/aggressive player who called my pre-flop raise (A/7 suited), then calling bets on both the flop and turn on a 10 high board (7 on the flop).  I picked up the nut flush draw on the turn and should have shoved as he later told me he had a 7 with a straight draw.  The river was a blank, and barely having him covered I checked and he went all in.  I still had about 4200 left (3 big blinds) and a couple of similar stacks on the table so I folded.  Bad fold.  I was out the next hand when I shoved on the button with K/Q and was quickly called by the same player with his A/Q.  Bubble boy.

All in all not horrible.  5 tournaments, 3 cashes (2 first chops), 5 final tables, 2 bubbles.  With just a smidge more luck would have been a 5-peat.  I can live with it.

I am a sick f__k

Playing poker online while watching Rounders for the 100th time.