Lucky

Playing the morning $40 tournament was running very good, at one time sitting with 10% of chips in play (52 entries, 4000 starting stack.  I got there by getting lucky.  While I had a very decent stack, maybe 12000, I pick up A/Q in hijack position.  I raise to 6000 to thin a limper, I think blinds were 1000/2000.  The big blind shoves a big stack.  Is he calling bs on my raise?  I think only briefly before calling, expecting a small pair or weaker ace.  Nope.  A/K.  Gulp.  I get lucky on flop with a queen but drama is not over as a 10 also hits.  No jack, no jack, no jack.  Another queen comes.  No jack!!!!  River is another 10 and I double up!!!   Yay for me.

Luck continues on final table as 3 players knocked out first 3 hands dealt.  I double up with kings vs. queens and another player leaves.  The biggest stack donks off half his chips calling a big raise from queens with his A/8 suited,  then calling the jack high flop shove with his single overcard.  Later, I am in big blind with A/J suited when he limps from small blind.  I shove 20k, about half his stack and he goes into the tank.  Finally he calls with 8/9 off.  Sadly, he hits an 8 and I finish in 5th place for $145.  All in all I felt pretty good about my game.  If I he played less aggressively or had an unluckier opponent would have bumped up at least one pay grade, worth $50.  Once in the money I like to go for the gold with a workable stack, first was almost $600.

Does no one pay attention to table image?

Playing extremely tight in the morning tournament, I had not played a hand past the flop, and had voluntarily entered only 2 in late position 40 minutes into the game.  Like I said, squeaky, nitty tight.  So, with A/10 suited, I raised to 500 under the gun, 2.5 x 200 big blind,  expecting only late position callers if any.  So, the 1 UTG player calls and an extremely lucky player in middle position (He won the first 5 hands dealt with crap), also called.  The flop came J/9/K, 2 of my diamonds.  So, with a gunshot plus flush draw, I bet 700 into the 1800 pot.  I had committed about 1/3 of my chips.  The UTG plus 1 raised to 1400.  The other player called.  This made the pot 5300 giving me great odds to call for another 700.  The turn card was a brick, I checked and 1 UTG shoved and was called by Mr. Lucky.   I had about 1800 in chips remaining and briefly considered folding, but the pot was so huge and getting pretty short with a fold, decided to call for all my chips.  UTG turns over Q/J and lucky Q/9, i can win with an ace, a queen or a diamond.  The river pairs the 9 and worst hand wins, knocking both of us out.  In retrospect my raise UTG was pretty bad, but the callers' ranges were worse.  I always try to watch who is tight and offer some respect. 

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!