Early Fire Extinguished

I clearly know how to play a short stack, but do i know how to manage a big one? Playing the $40 daily tournament yesterday was unstoppable early, quickly amassing over 3x starting stack.  Unfortunately my table broke and was moved to a seat immediately to the left of 2 lucky idiots with big stacks.  It was an aggressive table with lots of preflop and flop shoving.  The wheels began coming off when in the unraised big blind with A/10 both players limp.  The flop comes 10S/9D/3D.  I bet almost pot (think blinds were 200/400) and both players call.  Turn is JS.  I bet 3000 into the 4000 pot.  They both call.  River is 7S.  We all check.  Small blind turns over K/8 D for the rivered straight.  Crap, chased the flush and backed into straight.

Moving tables again, I raise from the cutoff with A/6, and yes I am a little on tilt.  The big blind calls, flop is A/10/10.  He checks, I c-bet and he shoves a small stack.  Call.  He has A/K, and I am now short., with 3 blinds.  I limp with J/9, big blind bets the K/9/x and I call.  He reveals K/9, and I am gone.  60 plus players, out in maybe 25th place talking to myself. 

Tells in a bubbalicious game

Retreating to tournaments after up and down cash games, played in Sunday $60 tournament with 60 entries.  I ran pretty good and had a very good young player to my immediate left.  He was aggressive but had a big tell.  If planning to play the hand, he would throw a chip on his cards, otherwise uncovered and muck.  Plus, he was aggressive and nearly always came in with a raise.  This really helped me as I could fold more speculative hands, limp with big hands, and sometimes raise when in cutoff.

Long story short, down to 11 players, paying 10 just knew my short stack was doomed.  Miraculously I made the final table, but with only 3/4 of a big blind (2000/4000, I had 3000).  Very bad seat draw put me into big blind first hand.  Not a horrible hand, 10/8 suited, and thanks to a raise by A/Q, heads up.  Missed a straight draw and out for a $100 payday.  Made the table laugh when I said I was feeling bubbalicious.

Dry Pot Bluff Collusion?

Despite finishing in 3rd place in a 62 player tournament today, I left frustrated and a little tilted.  Down to 4 or 5 players with blinds at 2000/4000, I am in the big blind with 4/8. UTG limps a huge stack, short stack of 6500 shoves, the other big stack calls.  Hmm, I call with great pot odds as does the limper.   Flop is something like 10/2/2. We all check.  Turn is a 7?  We all check.  River is an 8.  Big stack 1 bets big, enough to put me all in.  We both fold.  He reveals k/Q and the all in scoops with weak ace.  I was shocked.  Later the other big stack is eliminated and 3 way I am in distant 2nd place.  The big stack was raising light, like very weak aces, so despite my opinion that I could outlast the shorter stack it was a snap call for all my chips with A/J suited when he raised.  Oops, this time he had A/Q and I am out.  I have not even left the table when the big stack offers to chop with the guy holding 2 blinds.  Same guy he saved when he bet me off the best hand.  Collusion? Think they were both Canadian and really clueless rookies.  Never know.  I was fairly happy with my $140 win on a $5. buy in ($20 free entry coupon used for all but bonus "dealer appreciation " chips).

Texas Roulette

Here is an interesting game I found on the wsop play money site.  Texas Roulette.  Rules are these.  Buy in is 25000 only.  Blinds are 12500/25000.  Cards are dealt and you have two choices, call or fold.  Flop is dealt, now you must go all in or fold.  Your chips are auto filled back to starting stack if you are below 25k.  Simple.  After getting the hang of it did very well.  Key is like real poker played well.

1.  Be picky about your starting hands in early position, you will have to act first before seeing what everyone else does.
2.  Your range should broaden in late position because you will have more information.
3.  You can't really bluff against a crowd, someone has a hand or a draw.
4.  Kickers matter, suited matters and high cards matter, preferably have all 3.
5. Size matters.  A big stack sometimes scares them off.
6.  Because you cannot raise preflop in this game, you will often be trapping with your big hands.  Don't go crazy, a pair is only a pair, even if aces. Evaluate the texture of the board.
7.  Any two cards can and often do win.  Loose play in late position can be a big winner.
8.  Small pairs are great...if you hit.  Remember the flop it or drop it rule.

That's about it, ran my bankroll up over 10% in a couple of sessions.  Fun game.



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First Post of New Year

Didn't realize it had been so long since my last post.  My bad.  It is not for lack of poker, just being a lazy bum writer.  Playing usual Omaha games on Thursdays and Sundays with mixed results.  One very bad session sent me scuttling to the low buy in tournaments.  No great winnings there despite several final tables and deep runs against big fields.  Lately, last 3 tournaments have been eliminated getting it in good and losing to 2 or 3 outers.  Example one, player raises big with 6/6.  I re-raise all in with Q/Q.  He hits a 6 on the flop.  Example 2, go all in with A/Q, called by Q/J.  He hits a jack on the river.  Example 3, player raises with 5/5, I re-raise with 10/10.  He flops a 5.  This is very sick to be a huge favorite and lose to big dogs.  Nothing I can do but smile knowing I got it all in good and the trend can't continue.

Bright spots lately have been small wins in omaha.  It a bit of a grind, with long hours for not much money (won $92 in 9 hours of play) yesterday, but you know how time flies in a poker game.  Next week is the big "pow wow" senior tournament.  Looking forward to crushing those lucky 2 out players for the big bucks payout.  Hey, it could happen!