Hosed on River Every Time

First of all, let me wish all of you a very merry Christmas.  One of the many blessings I have enjoyed this year is good health which has let me enjoy poker, travel, friends and family (not necessarily in that order).  My hope for you this coming year is the same without which the others might not happen!  I have been very lucky this year winning the Audi and a few tournaments which may or may not make up for the many bad beats we all suffer.  I thank you for listening to my many whines about this subject, helping me celebrate my victories, and suffering through my poker "lessons".  Truthfully, the knowledge I don't possess about poker would fill many volumes.  I am frequently humbled and troubled by events at the table....just like in "real life".  That said, on to my last tournament of the year.

Chipping up a little early was critical for me, as a new player to our game totally took half my stack with a miracle on the river.  I raised in early position with QQ and was called by 8/9.  The flop was 8 high and I came firing out.  He called with his "top pair, no kicker" and some unlikely gutshot straight draw.  The turn was a brick (a king), and I fired again...thinking my flop bet was 200, and the turn 300.  The river, another 8.  I bet 200 and for some unknowable reason like he didn't know what he was doing, he just called.

Now short stacked I fought my way back some only to run into another new player.  Gosh, it seems they were coming out of the woodwork this week.  This player had lost most of his chips and was very short, maybe 300 with blinds still small at 20/40.  I found pocket 8's and raised to 100.  he came over the top all-in with 3/4 suited.  I called.  The flop was a wet dream for him, all spades, including the 8 of spades.  The turn was another spade, and with tons of outs to fill up, the river was another spade.  The smallest spade on the board was an 8, so chop-chop.  You could say that the river saved me, but I prefer to think I got hosed by the board not pairing.

A few hands later, I again got the chance to eliminate him when he raised all-in with K/10 and I woke up with A/A.  Once again, I flopped a set, and the river hosed me giving him broadway. Unbelievable.

My last shafting came on my last hand on the final table.  I had $525 with blinds at 50/100 and shoved with AK suited on the button.  The small blind called with A/5 suited.  The flop came with a king but two hearts.  Any guesses which players suited cards were diamonds and whose were hearts? Any guesses what the river brought?

Have a happy new year!!!! 

Questionable Call

One of the key ingredients in winning poker is determining hand ranges and deciding whether your hand is better or at least as good as the bettor's range.  When a player goes all-in, you have to determine if your range is equal to or better than the shover's.  Other factors also come into play, like what are the chip counts?  Who is at risk here?  If I lose, will I either be out or now short-stacked?  Are there other players behind me who might be "priced in" if I just call, rather than shove to isolate?
The equation for an overcall, is to me, a much more complex issue.  You have to add all of the above, plus decide if your hand would play well against the others.  In general, an overcall is not a good idea most of the time barring a top hand or a monster stack.  So, given my thoughts about this, at Friday's final table I shoved with AJ suited (2500 with blinds at 500/1000) in middle position.  It was folded around to the small blind who had just won a huge pot and was in good shape.  He pondered a bit, then finally called.  The big blind, who had only about 3500 on top of his blind also called.  I was a little irritated with the small blind who I really wanted to re-raise to isolate and give me only one opponent to beat.  The flop was QQX and when the small checked and the big hesitated, I immediately put him on a queen.  When the ace hit on the turn, he went all-in and turned over the QJ offsuit after the SB folded.  Unbelievable.  His over-call was awful, and flopping 2 queens was his only way to win short of a straight or random flush.  I was out in 9th place.  

What Just Hit Me? The Deck You Say?

Our Wednesday night poker was cancelled last week due to flooding.  Not only was the highway flooded to the north, part of the road caved in to the south.



We had a small (but loyal) turnout, enough for two almost full tables, around 16 I think.  I began the night with my pre-game ritual of an Old Chub beer:



This nearly always wrecks me for dealing and probably does not help my play either.  It is extremely strong.  Mike asked me to deal, but thought it better that I not.  Good choice, drunk man.

The game started off well for me, winning the first hand and just continuing as I hit flop after flop and was on the receiving end of some great starting hands.  By the time of the break, I was chip leader on our table.  Over the course of  the tournament was dealt the following pocket pairs:  AA (twice), KK (three times), JJ, 10/10 (flopping quads), other small pairs including memorably 3/3 which doubled me up on a 3/x/A flop vs. AJ.  I also double up through a big stack with AA vx. QQ.  Like I say, the deck was running over me.  Quite honestly, any player who was dealt my cards would have no problem winning any tournament....though I was able to escape a trap or two and maximized a couple of wins with my play. It really, really helps to get great starting cards, not get any bad beats, and have the flop actually help you.  I don't remember losing with any pair.

So, bottom line, ended up chopping with Scott who had me outchipped a couple of thousand (he got lucky a couple of times and played well and aggressively.  We earned $220 each for a net of $154 after buy-in, tips, and of course the cost of the Old Chub.

Old picture, from Scott's birthday/poker party last year

Tight Play Required

At last night's Legion game I experienced extreme card death.  At the first break (1 hour), I had voluntarily entered exactly 3 pots and reached the river only once with a draw.  I did not take note of any pots that I would have won if I had played every hand to the river.  So, my goal at the first break is to try to double up.  I was at 1600 chips from the starting 2100, so it shows what extremely tight play can accomplish in terms of chip preservation.  With blinds at 100/200 after break, I had only 8 big blinds and was looking for a shove opportunity.  Other short stacks beat me to it, and had no calling hands so eventually I was eroded down to 1200.  The button, an aggressive good player shoved with 1000 and I was pleased in the big blind to find AQ.  Snap call!!!!  It was literally the first strong ace I had seen.  I was doubly happy when he turned over his A/7 unsuited.  This was my big opportunity to get back into the game!!!

So, my preflop odds are:  70%/24% to win

The flop is a monster.....for him  5/6/8

So now the odds are:  55%/40%  with 5% a tie.  Still in my favor, but instead of 3 outs, he now has 11 of them.

The turn is a nightmare for me:  7, so he now has me down to 3 outs to win, and 8 outs to tie.

The odds are:  7%/75% with 18% to tie.

I brick the river and am down to 200 in chips.  I got them in on my blind and miraculously won, but had to go all in again, winning and getting up to around 1800.  These were to be the only hands that I would win and put the remainder in from my big blind (400/800) with 5/8 due to multiple players and pot odds. 

Why Does This Remind Me of Most Poker Tournaments?

Back to Back Crack

Dealing table 3 last night in the absence of my friend, Mike, who usually deals there, I was eliminated in 16th position just after we combined to 2 tables....4 tables total....around 36 players or so.  I was looking forward to just playing but went out on the first hand dealt.  At the first break I was in excellent shape with 4600 chips, double the starting stack.  Of course there were many short stacks at that point with blinds now at 100/200 so you have to expect some shoves.  I essentially went card dead and did not win a hand for over an hour.  A new player was transferred to my table with a lot of chips and no clue.  I had never seen him before and he was drunk, loud, and to my immediate right.  He knocked out an excellent player who shoved 2000 with his A/9 suited to be called by this clown with A/3 suited.  He was lucky enough to hit his 3 (also a 3 outer I might add).  I was in the big blind (600) when this happened and that brought us to the table consolidation.

As bad luck would have it, I drew the big blind....just what a short stack does not want, and after posting had only 1200 behind.  Mr. lucky loud drew the seat to my left, and limped in with A/3 suited (again) and the player next to him called with Q/10 off.  Horrible plays on both their parts with the blinds so large.  Anyway, the flop comes down king high with 2 hearts.  I am holding K/9 off with no hearts.  I shove and am called by both players.  They check it down and Mr. Lucky hits an ace on the river.  So basically he eliminated 2 players in a row with a weak suited ace/3 by hitting one of his cards.  If the flops were reversed (hitting his ace the first time, the 3 the second), he would have lost both hands.  Go figure.

I thought that I played well but shows what happens when you go card dead and desperate stacks start shoving.  I have got to figure out a way to win some of those hands.  It also illustrates the power of the shove as folded several weak ace hands much better than Mr. Lucky's.

How Not To Play a Big Stack

First of all let me state unequivocally, I seldom have a big stack.  That said, last night after the game, I had a discussion with the dealer who was bemoaning the early big stack that went slip sliding away to the point they did not make the final table.  I actually made the final table with fewer chips than the dealer had early on.  Oh yes, and I ended up chopping heads up despite never being in the top 3 stacks until the end.  Heads up I was a 4 or 5 to 1 dog.  So, how exactly do you not play a big stack?

1.  Do not treat it as a license to enter every pot.  The basic rules apply, have cards, have position, respect most raises.  You do not have to tighten up completely, just be wise and pick your spots.

2.  Avoid tangling with the big stacks.  This is sort of a spin off from rule 1.  You want to avoid a crippling pot on marginal hands.

3.  Avoid pushing around smallish stacks that will be forced to defend when you are holding marginal cards.  Much better to pick on middle stacks that will not play back hard without monsters.

4.  When near the money, that is when the big stack needs to be aggressive to those you sense are just trying to hang on to cash.  Last night I had a perfect position when everyone folded to my button and both the small and big blinds were very short.  I was 3rd in chips, we were down to 5 players with 4 being paid.  I raised enough to put either player all-in.  I happened to have an ace and probably the best hand, but should have done this with any two cards.

5.  Avoid doubling people up.  This really goes back to my earlier comments.  I have seen so many short stacks get healthy when they are forced to defend with any two cards.  I doubled both shorts up last night but it was highly situational.  Once I was in the big blind for 600 and the short guy went all-in for $700.  Duh, didn't even have to look at my cards to call.  The other time it was more, but not a whole lot and there was dead money in the pot from limps/small blind (I was big blind).

6.  Sometimes it is best to let the smaller stacks duke it out with each other.  You can put them in this position by folding real trash in late position or small blind.

7.  Don't over call shoves with a caller ahead of you without near nuts.  It is much better to either fold or re-raise to pressure the "monkey in the middle" with the squeeze play.

8.  I like to think of a big stack as the "black hole".  You know, like a collapsed star where anything that enters does not leave, even light.  You want those chips to stick to you.

Why Gamblers are Such Degenerates

I am currently reading Victoria Coren's excellent book, "For Richer, For Poorer:  A Love Affair With Poker".  She is a superb writer as well as world class poker player and I highly recommend this book as a great read.  In it, she tells a story that pretty well encapsulates our gambling/poker compulsion.

Jim and Tom are best friends.  They play gin rummy together every night for twenty years.  One terrible day, Tom confesses that he's been having an affair with Jim's beloved wife.  Both men are in tears.  The wife is in pieces.  She has fallen in love with Tom, but she also loves her husband.  What is to be done?

Eventually, Tom has an idea. 'Let's put the whole business in the hands of fate and decide it with a game of gin rummy.  The winner gets to be with her forever.  The loser promises never to see her again.'

'Good plan,' says Jim, blowing his nose and brightening up. 'And to make it interesting, let's play for $10 a point.'

See what I mean, you found that very funny you sick fuck.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving

  note:  we did not serve this!!

We had a whole passel of family here for Thanksgiving.  3 grand kids, 2 kids, spouse and a dog.  The inn was definitely full.  I like to think that I have a fairly sizable house but it sure shrinks with this many people.  One family is vegan/vegetarian so we made the executive decision to honor their food choices and not have a turkey this year.  Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being a turkey stuffed with a duck and chicken and squab served to me with a side of bacon as I am floating in a pool of gravy, and 1 being in Oliver's orphanage being served a small portion of gruel, I would have to call it about a 7.  I do love dressing and the other side dishes and really did not have too much turkey craving.  It is ultimately all about family and being thankful and the other good stuff more than just the food.

So, Friday poker was an o.k. experience as well.  I had run into the poker organizer earlier that day and she asked me to deal table 2.  I like the idea that I am not going to get stuck, tempered by the fact that my chances of final table go down 20% or so (previously discussed).  Ended up about 11th place out of 35 players.  A decent showing but definitely would have done better had I not dealt.  There is something about gambling when you know you are going to be stuck on the table for an indeterminate amount of time if you get knocked out early.  It really sucks.  So, a couple of pots were passed by me that otherwise would have been played....and won...and eliminated the player who later got me with his 10/10 vs. my KQ suited.

For the 2nd week in a row, the high hand was dealt on table 2.....same high hand (different kickers), quad aces.  She played it very well, ultimately taking a big pot vs. 3/3 with 3 aces on the board.  I note that this is one tricky player, also slow played pocket aces earlier, limping on the button. Personally I hate the play as definitely could have lost a ton of chips on the 3/3/6 flop and betting by the blind.

Playing Some Worst Hand Wins

I will have to admit to being a luck box last night.  Getting it in bad on multiple occasions I was indeed fortunate to make the final table.  It seemed like all night long the best hand would get crushed on the river.  Here are some examples:

Playing the 6/8 in the un-raised big blind, the turn card put these out:  2/3/4/5 with 2 clubs.  It gets bet by the small blind.  I call.  The turn is a king (clubs), and the small blind bets bigger.  I call.  He turns over the A/x of clubs.  Unreal.  He made the dumb end of the straight on the turn but his flush draw would not have folded (he claimed) had I raised...which I thought briefly of doing.

The first hour was a virtual bloodbath on my table, with huge pots and big swings in chip stacks.  The very good player to my left got spanked twice with his pocket jacks, then I took a huge pot from him with my flopped set of 3's vs. his J/10 two pair.  I ended up knocking him out when I shoved my J/8 (yes j/8) into his AK on a button vs. small blind (what the heck was I thinking?).  I managed to river a straight....worst hand wins.

At the final table I was in the money with 6 players remaining and short stacked.  I saw J/9 of diamonds UTG and shoved my 4 or 5 Big blinds.  The player to my left shoved his big stack and I knew I was in trouble.  Yep, aces.  Oh well.  The dealer seemed to delight in bringing the river card to bail out the worst hand and he did so with a straight for me.  Now doubled up I again got it in bad with QJ vs. A/7 suited.  Not a problem as the turn gave me an open-ender and the river brought the ace for my broadway straight.

As they say, what goes around comes around and my turn was definitely coming.  A player had just eliminated someone by rivering an ace on her AJ vs. 7/7 so when I shoved from the button with KQ and 10,000 in chips (blinds at 1/2,000), she "naturally" called with 7/10 of clubs.  The turn brought a gutshot straight draw on top of a flopped flush draw and the river was a club of course.  Worst hand wins poker at its finest.

Overall I have no reason to complain as I cashed for $90 plus dealer money from table 4 and like I said, got lucky with the worst hand several times.   

Sometimes I Can Be Such an A-Hole, But AJ Really?

Yes, Virginia, Dr. Phil can sometimes be a flaming A-hole.  I know you find this very hard to believe given my otherwise gentlemanly behaviour.  So, last night at the Wheeler game we had a smaller than normal crowd due in part to the big tournament at Pendleton.  With only two full tables, I dealt table two.  Chipping up early I then managed to give most of them back with an unfortunate missed flush draw and generally poor starting cards.  Survival is sometimes the key in tournament poker, and I managed to knock the short stack off with my KK (best hand I had last night) to get us down to 8 players (another player knocked off table 1 at the same time).

The final table was alternately kind and cruel to me.  I won a couple of pots and doubled up through Robert, the chip leader on a coin flip....me with the over cards AQ vs. 10/10.  Side note on Robert, he is such a fricking luckbox.  He knocked the dealer out with his 9's full on the river vs. her flopped trip 6's.  He was almost eliminated early when he lost an all-in, left the table because he thought the other player had him covered (3 chips left) and was called back.  Lesson learned, never call a player back when they leave the room.

My flame-out occurred when I found J/J in early position with 5 players remaining (paying 4, no bubble).  I shoved and am called by AJ.  He flops an ace to take a big chunk of my chips.  He would have had 1.5 feet out the door earlier when he called a shove with nothing and caught a miracle king on the river.  Anyway, I said something along the lines of, "Really, you called a shove with all your chips with AJ?  What hands do you believe that you are ahead of?".  So, some discussions happened about that.  Later, the short stack doubled up through the big stack with AQ vs. AJ and I said, "See?" That said, not that crazy about AQ either but definitely a shove from 3 blinds stack.

Our lucky AJ man finally was eliminated in 4th place.  We played a while longer and when I won a big pot from our chip leader we were all about even so it was getting late and time for a chop.  I earned $240 plus $25 in tips for a net win of $225. I was pretty happy to finally book a win.  It has been too long.      

There's One In Every Crowd For Cryin' Out Loud

I was not planning to deal last night but when we needed a table 4 dealer I raised my hand. Unfortunately, as I had not planned to deal a bloody mary seemed like the logical pre-game warmup drink.  So, slightly impaired I struggled somewhat dealing.  A player who was new to me but familiar to others at the table quickly pointed out any errors.  He was a jerk.  He also was a betting maniac.  Examples:  I call a pre-flop $200 raise with my 9/10 suited.  He re-raises to $400.  I am the monkey in the middle so I fold.  The flop is 10/10/7 and he makes it $1000.  The original raiser folds and he shows his monster 7/5.  Crap.  This was a major opportunity missed for me.  At the break the whole table commiserated on how much we hated playing with this guy.  His stack swung wildly, but he was way ahead.  I was determined to wait for the big hand and chip off his stack.  It did not happen on our table and we went separate ways when my table broke.

When the final table formed, there he was again, 2 seats to my right.  He continued his aggressive -pre-flop action and again his chips swung.  I lost a huge pot to him in the big blind vs. his small blind (The player between us had busted out) with my 9/7 vs. his 9/10 on a k/9/x flop.  Folding was out of the question to his shove as I had seen him bluff too many hands.  I later recovered the chips when he raised big and I came over the top with 4/4.  He actually folded I believe based on my earlier very tight play.  He said he had an ace but a poor kicker.  Eventually he did bust out and I survived to the bubble where my AQ suited fell to a pair of 4's.  I had raised and the donkey (unnamed), re-raised all-in with his 4's.  Got my bubble money and a small profit from dealing.  

Best of Luck

While flying to Vegas last month I happened upon an article in their flight magazine.  It was titled, "Best of Luck, Why good fortune isn't just a game of chance".  I would like to recap a few points in it as I think it can apply to poker and other areas of your life.  I have always been fascinated by the concept of luck (and frankly have never thought of myself as a particularly "lucky" person especially at the poker table) and the part it plays in our lives.  Notwithstanding my recent unbelievably lucky win of a new car, I refuse to buy lottery tickets as I don't believe that the odds favor winning.  Yet, someone has to win don't they?  And why shouldn't it be moi?

Dr. Richard Wiseman, a professor at the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K. wrote a book called The Luck Factor.  He summed up a decade-long study about the nature of luck, which, he wrote, can "make the difference between life and death, reward and ruin, happiness and despair."

He claims that luck is not random and while some folks seem to lead charmed lives "There must be something causing things to work out consistently well for some people and consistently badly for others".  He believes it is possible to enhance our luck.  How do we do that?

1.  Opportunism
This has to do with seeing what is there, rather than just what they are looking for.  This was illustrated by an experiment involving reading a newspaper and counting photos.  Participants were asked beforehand to describe themselves as being lucky or unlucky.  The unlucky people finished the task in around 2 minutes.  The lucky finished in seconds.  Why?  A half-page announcement on the 2nd page said "stop counting there are 43 photos"  The unlucky missed this as well as a 2nd message that said "stop counting and tell the experimenter you have seen this and win $250".  According to Wiseman, unlucky people tend to be more anxious, which reduces the ability to notice the unexpected.  That is how the "luck" into $250.  Lucky people recognize chances, and they maximize them.
I suppose that is one reason I won the car.  Many people walked by the advertising sign with the car contest.  I noticed it, read it, and entered it.

2.  Otimism
In generat, optimism breeds good fortune.  You have to believe that you are lucky.  The article recounted a story from the 2002 Winter Olympics regarding Steven Bradbury, a speed skater from Australia.  I won't go into the details, but basically he just hung in there as the slowest skater and hoped for a collision of the fast skaters so he could go ahead.  It happened and he was the only skater left standing.

3.  Intuition
Lucky people make lucky decisions by being open to hunches and following their instincts.  You know about those times at the poker table when you go into the tank.  The phrase "think long, think wrong" comes back to bite you.  I am not a big advocate of impulsively shoving your chips, but sometimes that first instinct is the one you need to listen to.  Poker is a game of reads at times and we are all much better at it than we realize.  Our Darwinian instincts have allowed us to survive by the tells of enemy and friend.  We need to listen.

4.  Resilience
Lucky people tend toward a positive spin.  Instead of dwelling on bad fortune (thinking about your bad beats), imagine how it could have been worse (you lost half your chips, but still have a tournament seat).  Wiseman calls it "denying fate", an attitude that he says "transforms bad luck into good".  We all want to believe that we can change our fortunes, and Wiseman's principles suggest we may be able to influence them.

So, that said (and thanks to Brad Herzog, who I have both paraphrased and stolen sentences from), go forth and be lucky!!!!

Link to magazine, read the article here:

http://issuu.com/southwestmag/docs/10_october_15?e=18825507/30828238

Tripped Up On Final Table

It has frankly been too long since "Mr. Final Table" has made a final table at the Legion tournament. So despite the distraction of dealing, which I have not done for a couple of weeks, I managed to get to the table with a decent pile of chips.  On the route I knocked a couple of players out which is sort of unusual for me.  The first was super sweet as I had turned the nut flush vs. a small flush and we got them all in.  I missed an earlier opportunity to stack a couple of players when I folded my A2 of diamonds to a rather large (for that stage of the tournament) pre-flop bet.  It made me sick to see the three diamond flop and tons of 2 way action.  The winner of the hand eventually had most of the chips on the final table and would not have made it there if I had played a little looser.  But, as I have said many times, good decisions are good decisions and have to be separated from outcomes.

At the FT I scored the first knockout with my AK vs. a small pair.  Sliding into the money (paying 6, no bubble talk), There were 5 of us left when I was dealt K/10 two under the gun.  I like K10, and not really a premium hand to shove with, but only 5000 chips left and blinds going to 1000/2000 next hand.  So, decided to shove and hope.  The next player to me pretty much insta-called with AJ suited.  So, getting my money in bad was delighted to see a 10 on the flop.  Not out of the woods, but another 10 on the turn had my heart soaring like an eagle!!! (this is where I would normally interlace my fingers and make a flying gesture with them....like an eagle flying....get it?....never mind).  I did not really pay attention to the river with a lock on this hand and neither did the dealer as she shoved me the pot.  Not so fast says the other player as he points out that the river card put a third diamond on the board to go with the two in his hand.  Hmmm, nut flush beats trips I suppose.  But, happy enough to finally cash ($98 less $6 tip).  My tip money should cover most of the buy-in, so a very righteous win.

Bragging Rights

Don and I had some friendly banter about tournament bragging rights.  I casually mentioned his very early departure from the Aria tournament (his set of aces fell to a flush during the first blind level). So, we briefly discussed a small side bet on "last man standing" for the Venetian tournament on our last day.  Wisely I passed on it as I was eliminated around 30th place while Don cashed in 8th place. So, overall I feel that even though Don had the only cash, I played in more tournaments (3 vs. his 2), and had a total of around 13 hours of seat time, it is almost too close to call.

Orleans Unusual Beat

I am always anxious to "get into the action" when I first arrive in Vegas.  Landing about 3:30 on Saturday a quick omaha session was in order.  Unfortunately, after chipping up about $50 in just a few hands, the table broke down and became extremely short handed.  With high rakes and split pots this is never a good thing so I enrolled in the 7:00 $125 bounty deepstack tournament.  There were lots of entries, around 80- 90 I believe and things went fairly well for me with one $25 bounty.  I had a terrible seat, to the immediate right of a loose and lucky player who had collected 6 1/2 bounties (one chopped pot).  We played down to two tables with about 6 or 7 players on each table and 8 places being paid.

The player to my immediate right was a young man who was very aggressive and got lucky several times.  The hand that knocked me out happened like this.  I was in the big blind with QJ suited (I really like this hand).  Two big stacks limped in and when it got back to the small blind he min-raised to 4000.  I had around 15000 or so, not in great shape, but this looked to be a giant pot with the limpers showing no strength and additional dead money from antes.  We all called.  The flop looked like a dream for me, 4/4/Q.  This is a flop that does not figure to hit many hands as a better queen probably would have raised and the action should have driven any A4 hands out.  So, naturally, when the small blind checked to me, I shoved.  Everyone folded back to the small blind who looked quickly at his cards and said, "I call".  What does he reveal you ask?  K/4 offsuit naturally.  Unbelievable!!!  I am gone, shaking my head as I head to my room at 12:30 p.m. 4 places off the money.  Not a great start to my poker trip.

Respect The Hat

Got some catching up to do, blogwise.  After spending 3 fun-filled days in Vegas and having family visiting all this week, I am seriously behind in blogging.  I would try to consolidate all my Vegas adventures into one easy reading, but think maybe dividing into chunks is the way to go.  I would like to start with my 2nd tournament played.  Don and I were looking for a great tourney and had narrowed it down to the Aria and the Wynn.  The Aria was more "affordable" at $150 buy-in, while the Wynn was playing a huge guarantee with a $300 buy-in.  We opted for the Aria, deepstack with long blind levels (30 minutes).  Don got snapped early with his set of aces cracked by a flush and I played alone for the next 5 hours.  There were around 100 entries and I finally busted out around 30th place.  As a short stack in the big blind, the small blind pressured my by putting me all in....thanks buddy, I have 8/8 vs. your J/9.  He hit a jack on the flop and I was done.

Earlier, I had flopped a set of 7's vs. AK on an ace high flop.  Nice.  He called my flop bet, then wised up on the turn when I bet large.  His comment, "I have to respect the hat".  The phrase has stuck in my head.

More blogs to come soon. 

Nice Flop for Me Today

I checked the flop after hitting my quads then raised the bettors on the turn, they both called with flush draws.  The river counterfeited the low hand, and brought in the flush and I scooped a very nice pot.  bellagirl29 was drawing dead except for a very weak low and by the way, this is why it is not good to chase non-nut flushes or any flush for that matter on a paired board in Omaha hi low.

Intimations of Mortality

As my severe cold (that is all I hope) continues into its third day I got to thinking last night about our short lives and those that we have met in our poker journey who now play in that great full table no bad beat poker game in the sky.  I wanted to take a moment to share some moments, stories or just impressions I had of these players.  My memory is not quite as sharp as it once was, so if the commenter's would like to add to or amend my story, please feel free.

Mr. Wilson:  He was a robust, intense player who generally played very tight but aggressive poker.  I thought he was extremely likable and really seemed like a gentleman but sometimes his temper would flare when the loose aggressive player would crack his big pair with garbage.  Then he would let it fly!  A very funny story that Dawn, a red-headed casino employee told about him was once he walked in and said to her, " Hi Red, does the carpet match the curtains?".  She said that she turned beet red and that normally something like that would not phase her at all, but was so unexpected coming from a gentleman like Mr. Wilson.

Jim:  He was an older gentleman, working his way through cancer treatments.  His most memorable trait was his extensive hat collection.  He had so many hats with funny sayings on them, that in the years I played with him, I never saw the same one twice.  I asked him about it, and he said that his kids kept giving them to him.

Old Jim:  This guy looked like he was in his late 90's.  Very frail and old for his years...I think he was only late 70's or early 80's.  He was a hell of a player, winning several big tournaments including one tournament of champions just before he passed away.

Sarge:  Wow.  Where do you start with this guy?  He was a former hand to hand combat instructor for the Green Berets.  Does that tell you bad ass?  He was probably 6'3" in his prime and actually worked as a bouncer in his '70's.  Is that a bad ass or what?  He retired as a command sergeant major, which is the highest enlisted rank in the army.  He told a very funny story to me once.  He was assigned to the pentagon as an aide to a general.  A young captain had an appointment with the general and as he sat down in the waiting area asked Sarge if he could get him a cup of coffee.  Sarge said, "Do I look like a secretary?  Get your own fucking coffee".  The captain, suitably insulted took his grievance to the general when he met him.  The general eyed the young captain and said, "Sarge there saved my life in Vietnam, you better get your own fucking coffee".
So, my favorite story about Sarge was playing a tournament with him.  He really was not a great player but the deck was running right over him that day.  We ended up heads up, he had most of the chips on the table.  I had maybe 1 or 2 blinds.  He said, "Do you want to chop?"  I looked at him in disbelief and replied, "we really don't need to Sarge, you have most of the chips".  He said, "It's my nap time, let's chop".  So we did, you don't argue with a bad ass Green Beret.

RC:  A fine, class act of a gentleman.  His wife was very sick and when she passed away he did too a few months later.  My favorite story was a tournament we were playing in.  Somehow he, myself, and one of the dealers who was playing got it all in after two of us flopped sets. He had both of us covered, and we revealed pocket 5's, 8's and RC had J's.  The flop was 8/5/x.  The river was a jack and both of us hit the rail.  Nice hand RC.

Sheila:  She was an interesting player at the table.  Tight aggressive and a solid player. She was caring for her sick husband when the big C got her first.  She would show up for poker whenever she felt good enough after her treatments.

Triple Gutter:  Grady was an extremely likable player, even when he was beating you as he did the last tournament I played with him.  We flopped set over set, and I was the one eliminated.  He was a truck driver and did enjoy some adult beverages when he played.  He got his nickname when one night he swore that he could not fold a hand because he had a triple gut shot draw.  Hmmmm.  He even had a jacket embroidered with his nickname.

Old Joe:  As opposed to new Joe, I suppose.  Very nice man and a good player.  He moved to California to be closer to his son and heard through the grapevine of his passing.

Barbara:  Big Joe's mother, she was a tough old East coast bird and a much better player than her son.  I saw them go head to head quite a few times and there was definitely no quarter given.  My last tournament with her we ended up heads up on the final table and she had a massive chip lead.  I jokingly asked her if she wanted to chop but she wanted none of that.  She had so many chips that I just went kamikaze on her, shoving every hand.  She would fold a few, call a few and lose, and suddenly we were even.  I again offered to chop, but no way.  We continued and I eventually won, costing her probably $200.  Wish she had taken my offer.  RIP Barbara.

Head Cold and Cold Deck

Do you sometimes know that you really should not be playing cards?  Last night I was coming down with a cold and had not slept well the night before.  So sick I knew dealing was out of the question.  Really I would have stayed home but wanted to drive my new rig with the wrap still on it down to show the boys. I was so card dead that when a table balance was needed I all but shouted "Yahoo" (not the company, the cowboy word, as if I have to explain this to you my ultra-intelligent readers).  Early on at my new bestest table I limped on the button with A9 suited with a bunch of early limpers.  The flop hit my two pair and when the big stack bet, I raised big.  Fold.  Damn.  I then went card dead again.  At this point in the tournament I have been dealt zero pairs.  I am seeing mostly big little or high medium little cards.  Nothing really playable.

Another table move and I was at 2400 with blinds at 200/400.  Not where I want to be.  The first hand I am dealt is A/4 of clubs.  I briefly consider my options in the cutoff and go for the shove.  I am snap called by a big stack in the big blind.  He turns over JJ.  But hallelujah two clubs flop and a third one joins them on the turn.  Quick double up and I am back in the game.

The very next hand the same player shoves with QQ and is called by a bigger stack who has AJ.  She hits an ace on the river, but the wrong ace.  There are 3 clubs on the board, the ace of clubs gives Mr. Lucky the second nut flush.

The third hand I have AQ of clubs.  The same active player min-raises and I flat call.  The flop is 9 high and I shove.  Snap call, KK.  I fail to find an ace and am gone.  My question is:  How the "F" does one player get JJ, QQ, and KK three hands in a row when I have not had a pair all freaking night?

I congratulate the player and leave with these actual words, "Nice hand, fuck you I won a car". Trying to be a better person, baby steps.

Post script, was sicker than sick last night and not much better today.  Am hoping to feel good enough to play and deal the quarterly $100 tournament tomorrow.