Is Ultimate Bet Toast?

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?

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

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

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

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.