Sunday morning started poorly, getting all my money in good (A/8 vs K/J), I bubbled in the 8 a.m. at the Moose. Then quickly stuck for $70 in Omaha after being up 200 early on, I played in Steve's tournament. Being donkey boy first out last time I was looking to redeem myself. Nearly made Gary the first out when I raised with KJ, he called with 66 and caught a 6 on the flop of 6/10/9. He checked to trap me and I took the free card, a brick. He bet fairly small, about 250, and with another caller in the pot I called with my gutshot. River....queen. Gary bet 500, I raised to 1500 (should have hollywooded a bit) and he called.
Anyway, eventually got Gary with my A/J vs his Q/10, and ended up cashing in 4th place. A very aggressive big guy who was the chip leader (I was second), snap called my all-in pocket 4's with JJ. Game over, but given the blind level 1,000/2,000 and my chip stack of 14,000 it was the right play. Only wish it had been a call from a short stack instead.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Finally a Winning Session
It has been "a while" since I have booked a decent win at the Crazy Moose. Last night I tried implementing my new strategy which is basically becoming table captain and running it as a $20/20 game rather than a 2-20. My goal was to drive out people with short stacks hoping to flop lucky for $2.
I bought in for $600, and my first two plays were $20 raises in early position. Once with JJ, and the second time with 55. Both times I picked up blinds plus one limper. Small profit, but better than getting stuck. Eventually I reverted to a less aggressive mode and made smaller raises to draw players in. But, I stuck with my aggressiveness and seldom limped pots. After just a couple of hours I quit $125 ahead. Woo-hoo!
Playing again tonight I again bought in for $600, but stuck with a more passive play of limping and calling raises (never limping unless I planned to call a raise, but probably folding to a three-bet) with my big hands. This strategy worked well and ended up cashing out for $905.00. One big advantage to the large buy in was that later arriving players assumed that I had made my money "the old fashioned way", earning it, and tended to give my raises (and calls) more respect.
One other thing. Last night, I was "that guy" who chases flushes and plays any two suited (connected or broadway). It paid off big twice and lost one huge pot when I didn't get there. Had the high hand locked up for about 10 minutes with 20 to go with AAAQQ (I had pocket queens), then got busted when KKK flopped and someone had the king.
I bought in for $600, and my first two plays were $20 raises in early position. Once with JJ, and the second time with 55. Both times I picked up blinds plus one limper. Small profit, but better than getting stuck. Eventually I reverted to a less aggressive mode and made smaller raises to draw players in. But, I stuck with my aggressiveness and seldom limped pots. After just a couple of hours I quit $125 ahead. Woo-hoo!
Playing again tonight I again bought in for $600, but stuck with a more passive play of limping and calling raises (never limping unless I planned to call a raise, but probably folding to a three-bet) with my big hands. This strategy worked well and ended up cashing out for $905.00. One big advantage to the large buy in was that later arriving players assumed that I had made my money "the old fashioned way", earning it, and tended to give my raises (and calls) more respect.
One other thing. Last night, I was "that guy" who chases flushes and plays any two suited (connected or broadway). It paid off big twice and lost one huge pot when I didn't get there. Had the high hand locked up for about 10 minutes with 20 to go with AAAQQ (I had pocket queens), then got busted when KKK flopped and someone had the king.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Throwing Away Winners
Playing in the American Legion tournament I found myself short stacked with 1600 in chips and 200/400 blinds. Another short stack goes all in for 1500 with K/10 and is called in two spots, one with AQ, I see pocket 5's in my small blind and regretfully muck them. Of course, a 5 is the door card on the flop and AQ makes two pair to win the hand. Opportunity lost.
The very next hand, on the button, it is folded around to me and I see.....A/5 offsuit. All-in. I am called by the big blind with....AK suited. Good night! Really poor timing on my part, but still like my decisions. The 5's were a no brainer and so was the A/5......just bad timing.
The very next hand, on the button, it is folded around to me and I see.....A/5 offsuit. All-in. I am called by the big blind with....AK suited. Good night! Really poor timing on my part, but still like my decisions. The 5's were a no brainer and so was the A/5......just bad timing.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Full Tilt Ceases Operation
The breaking news today is that Full Tilt poker has ceased operations. Great, I have my freeroll money tied up there, lucky for me it is only about $12.00. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303763404576416202706602490.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Thinking back again about last Friday, I am still thinking it was an o.k. decision, just got very unlucky with her set flop. The blinds were going up in a few minutes to 100/200 leaving me with just 5 big blinds. That calls for gambling, thus with my pair, gutshot, and overcard it was correct for me to go all in.
Heard a funny word today, "limpede", like when you limp in early with your small pocket pair hoping to start a bunch of limping to give you the correct, 7.5 odds for your set draw.
A funny quote from Mike Caro, "Everyone takes turns making mistakes in poker. The trick is just to skip your turn".
Playing with play chips online is really dumb. I don't care anymore if I win or lose, and everyone plays like a jackass. I sat out when in 8th position for an hour with 100 players and came back into the game with only 12 remaining, and in 11th place. Got 5th place when I was knocked out with top pair called by bottom pair who tripped up on the river. Dumb game.
Thinking back again about last Friday, I am still thinking it was an o.k. decision, just got very unlucky with her set flop. The blinds were going up in a few minutes to 100/200 leaving me with just 5 big blinds. That calls for gambling, thus with my pair, gutshot, and overcard it was correct for me to go all in.
Heard a funny word today, "limpede", like when you limp in early with your small pocket pair hoping to start a bunch of limping to give you the correct, 7.5 odds for your set draw.
A funny quote from Mike Caro, "Everyone takes turns making mistakes in poker. The trick is just to skip your turn".
Playing with play chips online is really dumb. I don't care anymore if I win or lose, and everyone plays like a jackass. I sat out when in 8th position for an hour with 100 players and came back into the game with only 12 remaining, and in 11th place. Got 5th place when I was knocked out with top pair called by bottom pair who tripped up on the river. Dumb game.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Mistakes were Made
Early departure last night at the Legion tournament. Played far too many hands and had a bad table draw. To my Immediate left, Darryl (bluffing calling machine), Terry (calling station), Unknown (Self proclaimed Calling Donkey), New kid (no clue), Larry (excellent player, cashed in the WSOP Seniors this year), Don (likes to limp with monsters). Early on limped with A/8 suited, flop came A/J/6 and early position limper bets...I raise in position. Self proclaimed Donkey calls with 9/10, turn is 8, checked to me, I bet 400 (pot) with my 2 pair. River is queen, check to me....I check back and lose to the runner runner straight. He comments, "I was waiting for you to bet", I reply, "Not in this lifetime, you will have to do your own work". Now short, I take half the clueless kid's chips when he calls my pair of aces with KQ high. He loses the rest to Darryl who flopped a straight with J/9 and the kid turns two pair with 9/5. Dang it, I wanted those chips!!!
I get back in the game when Larry raises in middle position with two calling stations in the blinds and I reraise with my AA. Larry calls, the flop is small, he checks, I go all in, he folds.
Next notable hand, I pick up a flush draw & straight draw, lose to SP Donkey's weak ace pair. He wins another big pot later (not against me) with runner runner flush playing an 8/2 suited. Donkey!!!!
Next, I raise in early position with suited A/10, Darryl calls, flop is small, I C-Bet minimum, he calls. Turn another medium card, I min bet, he raises, I call with my overcards. River blank, I check, he bets big, I fold.
Last hand of the tournament. Lots of limpers @ 120 BB level, I am in BB when Sandy in late position min raises. I have the A/2 offsuit, and knowing all the calling stations will call, I go ahead and call thinking that with only 1000 and change left I am getting pretty good odds in a big pot. The flop is 2/3/4, giving me bottom pair and gutshot straight with an overcard. We all check to Sandy and she pets pot, 1000. I think for a moment and try to "put her on a hand". If she is betting into weakness with a big ace, AK,AQ, AJ or a middle pair say 7's through Jacks, that would be consistent. I have all raising ace hands crushed and drawing to 3 outs. I have an overcard to all pairs except AA, 22, 33 and 44. And I have a gutshot straight draw. I think my odds are bad but not horrible and I might even be ahead. I call for all but 30 last chips. The turn (every one else folds) is a jack, and I bet my last 30. She calls and turns over pocket 4's for the flopped top set. Drawing to 3 outs, I miss and am gone before the first break. Oh well. Reviewing my play I would say that there were lots of hands I should have just folded preflop, but like my aggression. Just unfortunate that everyone's draws but mine came in.
I get back in the game when Larry raises in middle position with two calling stations in the blinds and I reraise with my AA. Larry calls, the flop is small, he checks, I go all in, he folds.
Next notable hand, I pick up a flush draw & straight draw, lose to SP Donkey's weak ace pair. He wins another big pot later (not against me) with runner runner flush playing an 8/2 suited. Donkey!!!!
Next, I raise in early position with suited A/10, Darryl calls, flop is small, I C-Bet minimum, he calls. Turn another medium card, I min bet, he raises, I call with my overcards. River blank, I check, he bets big, I fold.
Last hand of the tournament. Lots of limpers @ 120 BB level, I am in BB when Sandy in late position min raises. I have the A/2 offsuit, and knowing all the calling stations will call, I go ahead and call thinking that with only 1000 and change left I am getting pretty good odds in a big pot. The flop is 2/3/4, giving me bottom pair and gutshot straight with an overcard. We all check to Sandy and she pets pot, 1000. I think for a moment and try to "put her on a hand". If she is betting into weakness with a big ace, AK,AQ, AJ or a middle pair say 7's through Jacks, that would be consistent. I have all raising ace hands crushed and drawing to 3 outs. I have an overcard to all pairs except AA, 22, 33 and 44. And I have a gutshot straight draw. I think my odds are bad but not horrible and I might even be ahead. I call for all but 30 last chips. The turn (every one else folds) is a jack, and I bet my last 30. She calls and turns over pocket 4's for the flopped top set. Drawing to 3 outs, I miss and am gone before the first break. Oh well. Reviewing my play I would say that there were lots of hands I should have just folded preflop, but like my aggression. Just unfortunate that everyone's draws but mine came in.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
This is How to Guarantee a Final Table Seat
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.
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.
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.
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