Dreamcrusher?

 Of late it has been me getting my dreams crushed both in omaha cash games and hold em tournaments.  That changed dramatically on Tuesday.  I signed up online for 4/8 hi low half kill omaha at the local casino, snagging the last available seat for the 10 a.m game when they opened. Been having trouble with the app, signing up early only to find my name removed later. Got the info on how to prevent that for the future.  

So, seated early in seat 1, my second favorite, and usually occupied by "Doc", a regular among the other old guy mostly Asian regulars, I bought in for $120. That "investment" lasted over an hour until I had to reload with another hundred. When that was gone, did my last rebuy. No memorable bad beats, just a steady stream of 2nd best hands and big pots lost to the river. Suddenly my fortunes shifted with hands holding up and big pots scooped or split. With a couple of aggressive prefop raisers, most pots were over $100. Honestly, I won virtually none with miracle rivers, losing several flopped sets to runners. But, I became the champion of the big hogged pots, at one time winning back to back monsters and unable to keep up with stacking chips. Felt awesome. 

After 5 hours of play, cashed out for $817, for a $100 an hour win rate. Would have stayed longer, but no lunch and table getting short of players. Like they say, you never leave the table on a heater, but short handed omaha is not a good game with a big rake. 

Uh

Snakebit?

 Feeling rather snakebit of late as my poker journey begins again after a long hiatus.  Playing in the 4/8 high low omaha games at the Jamestown Cardroom in Arlington, WA, just could not win. Besides being too long a drive, 30+ minutes each way, it also featured a huge rake with an added player supported jackpot drop. The payout was just $50 an hour for high hand, so little chance to recover the $2/hand drop. After a few weeks of losses I switched to the Caribbean Casino 10 minutes from home.  The oh8 game had no jackpot and a half kill featured. Same results there and even worse as a regular maniac would straddle both utg and on the button.  In other positions he would raise preflop,  so it becomes a very high variance game.  Add to that the loose players who chase to the river and you have a wild game.  My back was broken one hand flopping queens full (playing Q/Q, flop was Q/9/9) and the maniac jamming on my raises with another player calling to river which was an ace. 3rd player had A/A and took the $250 pot. I ended up stuck that amount.

So, switching gears, started signing up for the $50 morning tournament instead of cash game.  It is a turbo, with 15 minute blinds, 10k starting chips, blinds at 100/200, but big blind ante kicking in round 2.  Usually runs about 3 1/2 hours, and enough players for a $1000+ first place, 5 or 6 places paid.  I have final tabled all but twice, but not making any money. Worst one was 6 handed we discussed a $250 each chop but one newby college kid would not agree, he didn't understand the randomness of ginormous antes. Sure enough, I was next out for a $75 prize.

Last tournament on Tuesday,  I had unbelievable bad luck. Raising preflop with 10/10, I am called by A/6 . Flop is 10 high with a 6, I shove, he calls, and rivers an ace. Undeterred as it was before break, I re-entered.   Just after break I have A/10 in small blind which is 400...big is 800/800 ante. I have 4300 behind and with folds to me, I shove. Big blind calls with.....ready for this?  A/6.  Flop harmless, turn no problem, river......6.  I am busted out again by same weak ace hand. If memory serves this hand also got me a couple of weeks ago vs. my Q/Q.  Sigh.

So, back in the saddle tomorrow,  trying to solve this puzzle and win some money. Will try to get back in the saddle on blogging too.

Another Royal, ho hum.

 Had a royal flush in hearts today playing PLO.  Big deal, see them fairly often.  No big pot as 9 high flush on that board tough to call.  But did get two despite no paired board for a boat.  There are often huge multiway draws with your 4 cards.  Had a straight draw, flush draw, 2 pair draw.  Hard to miss those, but always prepare for the miss or a loss even when you hit.  I have stopped putting much money in on bottom 2 pair on the flop, and even folding top when lots of action.   Usually you are up against a set and maybe drawing dead.

Two Best Omaha Pot Limit Hands

 The second hand I was dealt on a new table, I have Q/J/x/x suited spades under the gun. Easy fold.  Flop comes A/K/x spades.  Rutrow.  Betting, calling multiple players.  Turn, brick.  More betting and calling. River, you guessed it,  10 of spades.   Folded the royal in a large pot.

Later, playing small suited cards I river the 5 high straight flush, steel wheel.  River bet small, no callers.

Triple Gutter

 My first poker post in a very long time.  Don't feel the love with play money onl,ine stuff, but a hand came up the other day that made me think nostalgically about my old poker friend "Triple Gutter".  He was a Crazy Moose casino regular, a good guy and fun to play with.  He was a trucker so not always in town.  He got his nickname while drinking once during a game and swore that he had to draw because he had a triple gutshot straight draw.  In other words, 3 cards would give him a straight.  This is not possible in hold em, so very funny.  He had a jacket embroidered with the name.  Sadly, he passed away a few years ago after a short illness.

So, playing some omaha this week, this hand came up.  I am playing a 4/7/10/J when the board of 3/6/9 turns a king.  So, a 5 gives me a straight to the 7.  An 8 gives me a 10 high straight, while a queen makes the king high straight.  In other words, a triple gunshot draw.  RIP, Triple Gutter.

No poker

I am saving a fortune by not plaing poker!!!   May never play again.  Except online of course.

Jamestown Saloon Poker

Last Saturday I journeyed up to Arlington to try the new poker room which had opened the day before.  Started by James, a fellow omaha devotee from the Tulalip game, he had worked for 3 months to get it going.  Unimpressive from the outside, it looked like a biker bar so i entered with some trepidation.   It was attractive inside with cowboy decorations and i was treated to a quick tour by James.  You entered the separate poker room through swinging saloon doors and it was as nice as any i have seen, with new tables and comfortable office type chairs.  I was warmly greeted by the familiar faces of the old Tulalip dealers.  An Omaha game started quickly afterwards, and by the time I left 3 hours later, 3 games were going. 

It was the usual suspects in my game.  I had forgotten how bad some of them played.  There were the people who never met a hand they didn't like, the donk bettors who bet their straights on flush boards, called with small flushes, chased lows with only one low on flop, etc.  I left with only $7 in sugar but several were down $200 or so.  The rake is so hard to beat in this game, with also a player supported jackpot, so $7 was leaving almost every hand.