At the American Legion tournament last Friday I finally figured out how to guarantee a seat at the final table......Volunteer to deal it! They have a sweet split on the 3 table tournament. Whoever deals table 1, which will be the final, gets 50% of the tip pool, with #2 getting 30% and #3 getting 20%. With a final tip total of $102 I was able to cover my $40 buy in, plus $11 in "sugar"!!! I was knocked out on the final table bubble so that was my only win.
I made one huge mistake. I limped in the small blind with pocket 4's and saw a beautiful flop of Q/6/4 rainbow! My mistake was betting pot as there was a shortstack late position excellent player who had AQ and folded saying, "Set of 4's?". An earlier position player also had a queen and would have at least called if not opened with my check on the flop. I was running so card dead and was so short stacked myself that I just did not want to risk a small bet or check to let flush or straight draws develop. That is your mind set when you have folded every hand for 3 blind levels.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
How Bad Luck is This?
I would have to say that today was one of my most unlucky days in a while. Example 1: Playing very tight, I flop a set of 10's on the $12 preflop raise of mine with 3 callers. The flop is 10/Q/4. I bet $20 and "Bob" calls. The turn is a king. I bet, he calls. River a small card, I bet, he raises. AJ for the turned straight. Nice catch I say, can't believe you called $20 with the gutshot. He then whips some S.... on me about how I sucked out on him a couple of years ago. He keeps it up and I say, "F... you", he says, "What?", so I repeat it louder. It then almost becomes a brawl after he whines about me saying the F word twice. He then gets up out of his seat and grabs my shoulders and neck. I told the floor that if he didn't let go immediately there would be a fight. Some more words were exchanged, warnings were given to us, and the game went on.
I ended up being rivered 4 times in big pots, flopped straights were snapped by rivered full houses twice, and one full house on the turn against my flush. Last hand, Miguel raises with AK, I call with 99. Flop is small, he bets $20, I raise $20 and he calls. Turn is a blank, I check, he checks. River Ace, he bets, I call with my last $8.
I ended up being rivered 4 times in big pots, flopped straights were snapped by rivered full houses twice, and one full house on the turn against my flush. Last hand, Miguel raises with AK, I call with 99. Flop is small, he bets $20, I raise $20 and he calls. Turn is a blank, I check, he checks. River Ace, he bets, I call with my last $8.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Bad Weekend of Poker
What a bad weekend of poker I had. Saturday took a real beating first in the tournament then cash game. Probably my 3rd biggest loss ever. Sunday lost in the 8:00 tournament, then recouped some losses in the Omaha game, about 1/3 my losses on Saturday. Playing for the 1st time in Steve's Tournament I was the first player out, which incidentally brings a gift bag with nice stuff!!! Tried to play today, but too long a line. Won $35 playing 4 card poker while my buddy Ron sitting next to me netted almost $2000.00!!!!! That is my gambling life these days. Small wins and big losses.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Thoughtful Article about Internet Poker
One of my favorite writers is Steven Levitt, the author of "Freakonomics", required business reading. He recently posted the attached article in his blog.
http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/05/10/four-reasons-why-the-u-s-crackdown-on-internet-poker-is-a-mistake/
The logic is great and as a poker player himself, he is looking to challenge the luck vs. skill aspect of the game.
http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/05/10/four-reasons-why-the-u-s-crackdown-on-internet-poker-is-a-mistake/
The logic is great and as a poker player himself, he is looking to challenge the luck vs. skill aspect of the game.
Stupidest Player at the Table? Me, By a Long Shot.
Stuck about a hundred, there are 15 minutes remaining until the $100 high hand is awarded. I am in the unraised big blind with K/2 offsuit. The flop? KKK. Like an idiot, I check. The turn, 3, now counterfeited for high hand (both cards must play). Duh. Worst part.....the mockery and laughter that ensued.
There are lessons to be learned here. First, think each hand through. Even if it takes a moment. What possible action would I ever get on that board. Even pocket aces would only check call, someone calling bs on me would pay a maximum of $80 for $20 calls to river, less than the high hand money. Second lesson, quit playing when you are dopey tired, which I was due to lack of sleep the night before.
End of day report. Stuck $150 due to dumbness plus some major bad beats (K/3/4 flop...me in BB with K/3, losing to K/4 suited donkey) (flopped straight with $10 bet, i raise to $30, Miguel calls with flush draw that delivers).
There are lessons to be learned here. First, think each hand through. Even if it takes a moment. What possible action would I ever get on that board. Even pocket aces would only check call, someone calling bs on me would pay a maximum of $80 for $20 calls to river, less than the high hand money. Second lesson, quit playing when you are dopey tired, which I was due to lack of sleep the night before.
End of day report. Stuck $150 due to dumbness plus some major bad beats (K/3/4 flop...me in BB with K/3, losing to K/4 suited donkey) (flopped straight with $10 bet, i raise to $30, Miguel calls with flush draw that delivers).
Sunday, June 5, 2011
King Jack is My Nemesis
This is getting ridiculous. I either lose to king jack or lose with king jack. Friday night at the American Legion I was a major luckbox. Example 1: I limp on the button with K10 suited with 3 limpers. Flop is K/6/6 and someone bets, I raise, he pushes all in (has me covered) I call....like a donkey. He reveals, pocket aces. Rut Row. Turn, brick, river king! I not only win, but my hand is now the high hand of the night with kings full. It stands until the final table.
Example 2: A loose and really bad player raises all in, I call with A/10 having him covered. He has KK. The flop is small, runner runner wheel for me. Luckbox!!!!!
Finally, my luck runs out. We are 4 handed at the final table having knocked out #5 who was a very sick older player just wanting to go home...and donking off chips to everyone but me. At the break with blinds at 1000/2000 I am second in chips with 18000. I suggest a chop of 2/3/4 place and give 1st to the overwhelming chip leader. The other two players with only around 10 and 8,000 do not agree. I have a bad feeling as I also want to end things and claim the high hand money ($70). A chop would give everyone better than third place money so I am a little disappointed as it is now a crap shoot with blinds so high. Anyway, right off I pick up the nemesis, KJ suited in the small blind and raise to 6,000. The big blind, with 10,000 goes all in. I call. He has AK. Great, I am dominated, but wait......the flop brings a jack.....the tables are turned. He is now the dog looking for the 3 outer.....but wait......the turn brings an ace. Crap!!!!
Down to 6000 in chips I am in the BB for 2000 when the ultra-aggressive SB raises. I have J/8 offsuit and with most of my chips already in I call for all but one chip. She moves me all in preflop and with a ragged queen high flop I call. She shows pocket 4's which hold up. I finish in 4 th place for $140. and stay to collect my high hand money which goes away when the big stack slow plays AA and fills up on the river. Good Night!
Example 2: A loose and really bad player raises all in, I call with A/10 having him covered. He has KK. The flop is small, runner runner wheel for me. Luckbox!!!!!
Finally, my luck runs out. We are 4 handed at the final table having knocked out #5 who was a very sick older player just wanting to go home...and donking off chips to everyone but me. At the break with blinds at 1000/2000 I am second in chips with 18000. I suggest a chop of 2/3/4 place and give 1st to the overwhelming chip leader. The other two players with only around 10 and 8,000 do not agree. I have a bad feeling as I also want to end things and claim the high hand money ($70). A chop would give everyone better than third place money so I am a little disappointed as it is now a crap shoot with blinds so high. Anyway, right off I pick up the nemesis, KJ suited in the small blind and raise to 6,000. The big blind, with 10,000 goes all in. I call. He has AK. Great, I am dominated, but wait......the flop brings a jack.....the tables are turned. He is now the dog looking for the 3 outer.....but wait......the turn brings an ace. Crap!!!!
Down to 6000 in chips I am in the BB for 2000 when the ultra-aggressive SB raises. I have J/8 offsuit and with most of my chips already in I call for all but one chip. She moves me all in preflop and with a ragged queen high flop I call. She shows pocket 4's which hold up. I finish in 4 th place for $140. and stay to collect my high hand money which goes away when the big stack slow plays AA and fills up on the river. Good Night!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Showdown King
My first trip to Spirit Mountain Casino in quite a while. Got an early start on the 1 hr. 45 min drive and was seated at the 3/6 game just starting....only game going. The plan was originally to drive to Lincoln City and the Chinook Winds Casino for the 12:30 tournament, but decided at last minute to go to SM instead. Good choice. Within 2 hours had made $165 and quit to hit the tournament. Bad choice. The poker room opened at noon, no cash game going either before or after. Only 12 players in the $50 buy-in event with 3500 in chips, 15 minute blinds, and starting at 23/50 blinds. A fast tournament structure. I was one of the chip leaders when a guy raised in early position with KJ offsuit. He had been playing absolute crap cards so I reraised to put him all in (4500) with my AK suited in clubs. The flop contained two spades, he had the king of spades so you know what happened next. Runner spades for the flush. Ouch. Had I won that hand, would have had about a quarter of the chips in play.
We consolidated to one table, I was fairly short stacked with 4 BB's and won a small pot. I pick up A/7 suited in spades in small blind, and complete the blind. Flop is 10/J/7 with two spades. I bet about half my chips and my lucky nemesis calls. The turn is a 9, I go all in (yes, I should have pushed on the flop) and he insta calls with KQ. The river fails to deliver my spade and I am gone in 7th place. Sick game, never again there.
Overall today I was pleased with my play. Including the tournament I only lost maybe 4 or 5 showdowns. I was doing some excellent hand selection, throwing away most drawing hands, and hitting most of the ones I went for. Really should have stayed at Spirit Mtn., as I was getting great hands, and connecting a lot. It could easily have gone south on me, so am o.k. with it. An observation though, I was the only winner at the table which tells you a lot about how bad 3/6 games are. Very hard to beat the rake. Most of the players were there to try to hit the Monte board, which was very juicy with several in the thousands, as well as the bad beat at $76,000. One player at the table, a regular, hit a royal last week for $5,000.
We consolidated to one table, I was fairly short stacked with 4 BB's and won a small pot. I pick up A/7 suited in spades in small blind, and complete the blind. Flop is 10/J/7 with two spades. I bet about half my chips and my lucky nemesis calls. The turn is a 9, I go all in (yes, I should have pushed on the flop) and he insta calls with KQ. The river fails to deliver my spade and I am gone in 7th place. Sick game, never again there.
Overall today I was pleased with my play. Including the tournament I only lost maybe 4 or 5 showdowns. I was doing some excellent hand selection, throwing away most drawing hands, and hitting most of the ones I went for. Really should have stayed at Spirit Mtn., as I was getting great hands, and connecting a lot. It could easily have gone south on me, so am o.k. with it. An observation though, I was the only winner at the table which tells you a lot about how bad 3/6 games are. Very hard to beat the rake. Most of the players were there to try to hit the Monte board, which was very juicy with several in the thousands, as well as the bad beat at $76,000. One player at the table, a regular, hit a royal last week for $5,000.
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