I haven't posted at all recently, no real reason besides being busy most of the time and/or lazy/preoccupied when I actually do have the time. Umm, I turned 18 on February 25th and went to the Poker Room for my first time on the 29th when my friend Thomas came up to visit from Tampa.
-FEBRUARY 29TH-
He got into town at like 7pm, we got to the poker at around 8-8:30pm (they close at 12:00). As soon as we get we see they have 3 spots left in a $65 6-Max Winner-Take-All Turbo SNG (wow that is a mouthful). The structure was really bad (start with 1500, 50-100 blinds that go up every 12 minutes) and I initially regretted entering it. The table looked pretty soft going in though and it turned out to be very true.
First hand I fold 6-3os UTG, otherwise a hand not worth mentioning if it didn't tell a bit about 2 specific opponents. The guy on my left wore an expensive looking sweater and a nice watch, he limped, a very portly woman with a nose ring raised to 350, the guy to her left looked really trashed (he even had a beer in his left hand for most of the time he played) and he called 350 on the button, SB folds, Thomas folds BB, back to rich-sweater guy who calls 250 more. The board ran out all middle rags with a series of bets and calls from the two men (the woman folded on the flop) and the rich guy tabled 3-3 for 6th pair (an under pair to the entire board) to which the drunk guy tabled like 4th pair (I don't remember the board) to win the pot.
On the second hand I'm in the BB with T-4os, rich guy limps UTG, fat chick folds, drunk guy limps, button limps, Thomas folds his SB and I check.
Flop: (Pot: 450)
A-K-J, rainbow
Check, Check, Check, and Check.
Turn: (Pot:450)
T, board still rainbow.
Check, Check, Check, and Check.
River: (Pot: 450)
4
I bet 200 for value hoping to get a call from a J-9 type of hand. The rich guy just calls me and the drunk guy raises 400 more to 600 total. Not knowing anything about him but 1 hand I decide that a naked Queen would have played this hand very similarly. Plus, I know that the rich guy behind me will probably pay him off like last hand so I'll get to see his cards for free and I decide not to risk 400 more of my already small stack in hopes that he's making a play at the pot. I fold. Rich guy calls with 6-6 (lol) and the drunk tables Kd-5d. Nice fold me... lol donkaments.
Its okay though because the very next hand:
The blinds are still 50-100 and I've got 1200 after 2 hands. I pick up Q-Q in the SB. Fat chick folds UTG, drunk guy calls 100, CO folds, Thomas folds the button, and I make it 400 total, rich guy calls 300 more from the BB and the drunk guy calls 300 more.
Flop: (Pot: 1200)
J-9-2, rainbow.
I ship for 800 total, rich guy folds, and drunk guy doesn't hesitate in calling me. He turns over the... K-3os. I dodged a King and doubled up to 2800.
Drunk guy gave away his last few hundred and exited in 6th. The quiet guy who was in Seat 2 between the drunk guy and Thomas went out in 5th but I really don't remember how, I know it was standard on both players parts, probably a flip or something. I won a small pot with J-9 in a blind vs blind pot with the rich guy during 100-200 where I flopped top-pair with a Jack and he payed my flop and turn bets off with mid-pair (we checked the river when the flush draw got there). That put me up over 3500 and solid chip leader.
Blinds at 200-400, I'm in the BB with A-A. Rich guy has like 700-800 total in his stack and makes the strong play of limping for 400 UTG (lol), it folds around to me and I min-bet him all-in since he's obviously calling. He calls and has J-6os. He got a pretty bad flop of 8-8-4 so not much of a sweat for me. That got me up over 4200.
While playing 3 handed Thomas went nuts with the all-in. It was working and he only had like 6BBs when he started so I don't blame him or anything but it was definitely noticeable that he was shipping a lot. The one time he didn't ship was when I raised the button with A-9s and both him and fatty folded. She made some comment about how she wasn't sure if she was playing 2 players or 1 as team, obviously implying that we were colluding which was not the case. We were clearly there together and friends so I can kind of see her concern, but that's a hell of thing to accuse someone of. Anyway she ended up calling his next all-in with Q-J and failed to improve against his A-6. We got HU about even in chips, about 4500 each (9000 in play), blinds were like 300-600 and I got it in with K-Q vs his A-5 and he made quad Aces because he runs like God (haha, joking). GG me, Thomas wins $300.
As soon as the floor man shakes his hand and tells me "tough luck" he mentions that there is another one about to fill up with 2 spots left. So obviously we jump in that since from our first one and looking around the tournament area the overall competition in these things is really low.
The fat chick is back in this one in Seat 2. I'm in Seat 4 with Thomas on my left in Seat 5.
First hand, I'm in the SB with J-J. UTG is a young guy who is also there with his buddy who also happens to be at the table on my right in Seat 3 (real friend oriented game this time, harhar), so UTG folds, MP folds, Fatty makes it 350, button folds, I decide to just flat call because based on the last one I thought that picking up chips would be super easy at the end from the people who don't understand when to start shipping and stop limping/calling therefore I didn't wanna flip in case she had like A-Q, etc. Thomas folded BB.
Flop: (Pot: 800)
J-9-4, rainbow.
I check hoping she c-bets, she bets 400, I just call and decide that I'll think for a few seconds on whatever the turn is and then just sloppily slide my chips in to try and get a call.
Turn: (Pot: 1600)
7
All-in, call-in. She has T-T, I fade the 4 outs she picked up on the turn and I've got 3100 after 1 hand played.
I just chopped away for the next level or two, just raising in late position to stay even. Thomas got short after he lost a flip with 6-6 vs like A-J. The guy in Seat 1 went out in 5th, he was followed by the young guy in Seat 6 who lost a 60-40 against his buddy. That guy folded his button and I moved Thomas in for like his last 6-7BBs from the SB with A-9, he woke up with 5-5, but I flopped an Ace to get HU with a good chance to win one for myself. I had the guy real short but he just kept doubling up. I get him in with 8-8 vs his A-Q, flop Q. I chop him down low again via pre-flop raise and take it. I get him with A-4s vs his K-3, turn 3 to double up.
Finally,
I limp J-8s from the SB because he had just doubled up to close to me in chips and he was letting me see flops cheaply so I mixed it up and completed. He checked.
Flop: (Pot: 1200)
J-9-7
He min-bets 600, I move him for his last 2500 or so and he calls with... 4-4? I fade the 4 and take down $300. We left at that time as it was like 11:45 and they were starting to wind down for the night.
Good night for both of us.
We went back the next day and played the 2-2 NL ($100 max) ring games. That was a bore as those are some of the biggest nit games I've ever seen. It was shocking to me based on my experiences in the SNGs from the night before and the things that I'd been told from other friends who had played there previously. I broke even at the first cash table, played a $65 turbo where I lost a race 3 handed for my 5BB stack with As-Js vs 7-7 (aside from Qs-Qc, which I got all-in pre vs Qd-Qh and chopped even though she flopped 3 diamonds for the ultimate sweat, A-J was the best hand I saw the whole SNG), and then I won $66 at my second cash table with Ad-Qd where I made the nut flush on the turn vs top pair Kings to win a decent sized pot. I played for like 2 hours at that table and T-T was the best hand I saw, of which I won a decent sized pot against the only LAG at the table who had 8-8 on the J-4-3-4-9 board where he bet every street, I just couldn't fold in that spot against that guy. We went to dinner that night and then went and saw There Will Be Blood (my second time seeing it in theaters) because Thomas wanted to see it.
I went back two weeks later with my friend Don, I'll post that amazing story later.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Cash Game - 02/09/08
We had a really small cash game tonight, both in stakes and attendance. Five people showed up to play 25c/50c. The overall experience was nice, but hopefully (I'm very certain) we will have many more people at the next "get together."
We started off with just 4 people (Corey, Will, Max, and myself), but Will had to leave briefly when the following hand occured.
As a heads up, Max had (and has in the past) been overbetting pots all the while we were playing so far and then showing the table the nuts or near nuts almost everytime.
I raised the button to 1.50 with Q-Q, Corey folded the SB and Max called 1 more from the BB.
Flop: (Pot: 3.25)
Q-J-6, two clubs
He checks, I bet $2, he called.
Turn: (Pot: 7.25)
8d
He checked, I bet 3.50 (should've bet more), he called.
River: (Pot: 14.25)
10d
He shoved, he obviously has a 10, I fold. He of course shows K-T.
A little later (4 handed):
I limp K-K UTG and Corey makes it 2.50 from the button. It was the first pot Corey opened pre-flop so I was certain he had a big hand, the problem is he will fold almost every hand except A-A if I 3-bet now because he is a super-nit (in cash games atleast). I called with the intention to check-raise his continuation bet on the flop.
Flop: (Pot: 5.75)
Q-9-3, all hearts
I checked, he bet 3, and I failed to follow through with my initial plan because his body language and the board really made me nervous.
Turn: (Pot: 11.75)
Td
I checked, he bet 5, and I got the feeling that he was really uncomfortable with where the board was going so I raised 7.50 more to 12.50 total. He shoved and I can't beat a single hand against Corey's range - which includes all of the following: three queens, three queens, oh and three queens! I folded and he told me that he had three queens.
A bit later:
Corey and Will fold, Max limps and I check to a flop ith Tc-3c.
Flop: (Pot: 1)
8-6-5, two clubs
Max says, "I've got an open-ended straight draw, I'll check." I opted for a free card and...
Turn: (Pot: 1)
4c
Gin! If he does have a 7, which he seemed genuine about then I'm golden. He checks, I bet .75, he raises to 3, I'm 2500% sure he has a 7 like he told us all and will not fold it, so I don't waste time and just move him in, he calls with Q-7, drawing dead.
He leaves and Don fills his seat:
Will limps .50 UTG, Don makes it 1.50 from the button, I call 1.50 from the SB with Js-8s, Will calls another 1.
Flop: (Pot: 5)
8-8-4, rainbow
I check, Will bets 1.50, Don raises to 5.50, I smooth call 5.50 after a bit of thought (actual thought, I thought smooth calling would give away my hand but raising was just stupid against these two players and this board so...), Will calls 4 more.
Turn: (21.50)
10c
I check, Will checks, Don checks.
River: (21.50)
8
Leading out is the obvious play, but given the action on the flop I was near certain that Will had atleast a 4 and Don probably had an over pair (like 9-9), so I checked. Will bet 5, Don called, I raised 6 more for pure value. Will called and Don folded. Will mucked a 4. Total pot: 45.50
Then later:
Don limped the button, I raised the SB to 2.50 with A-Q, all folded, Don called.
Flop: (Pot: 5.50)
Q-Q-4
I checked, he bet 2, I called.
Turn: (Pot: 9.50)
5
I checked, he bet 4, I called.
River: (Pot: 17.50)
A
I checked, he bet 6, I raised 8 more to 14 total, Don folded.
Another hand:
Folded to the SB, Don, who limped, I checked Qs-Js.
Flop: (Pot: 1)
J-J-T, two hearts
Don bet .50, I min-raised to 1 total, he called .50 more.
Turn: (Pot: 3)
J
Again?! He checked, and I checked.
River: (Pot: 3)
2
He bet 2, I raised to 5 total, he folded claiming a busted flush draw.
Another hand:
All fold, Don limps SB, I raise BB to 2.50 with T-T, he calls.
Flop: (Pot: 5)
A-J-T
He checked, I bet $2, he called.
Turn: (Pot: 9)
J
He bet 4, I called.
River: (Pot: 17)
9
He bet $10 and made some comment about knowing he had the best hand, whihc generally a person wouldn't make here with a boat, but for some reason I just felt that I was either way ahead or way behind and raising would only make a bluff fold and a better hand move so I made a pretty weak flat call. He had an Ace and mucked.
I can't really think of any other eventful hands, but obviously you get the message from the posted hands - I got slapped in the face with the deck, hard! I think I played the monsters that I got really well and that's all that really matters. Sometimes you just get hit by the deck and can't lose a pot. Aslong as you play the hands that you get well (whether that be a bunch of monsters or the occasional marginal hand) then you're doing just fine. Poker is long term (an enormous collection of hands), not night by night segments.
We started off with just 4 people (Corey, Will, Max, and myself), but Will had to leave briefly when the following hand occured.
As a heads up, Max had (and has in the past) been overbetting pots all the while we were playing so far and then showing the table the nuts or near nuts almost everytime.
I raised the button to 1.50 with Q-Q, Corey folded the SB and Max called 1 more from the BB.
Flop: (Pot: 3.25)
Q-J-6, two clubs
He checks, I bet $2, he called.
Turn: (Pot: 7.25)
8d
He checked, I bet 3.50 (should've bet more), he called.
River: (Pot: 14.25)
10d
He shoved, he obviously has a 10, I fold. He of course shows K-T.
A little later (4 handed):
I limp K-K UTG and Corey makes it 2.50 from the button. It was the first pot Corey opened pre-flop so I was certain he had a big hand, the problem is he will fold almost every hand except A-A if I 3-bet now because he is a super-nit (in cash games atleast). I called with the intention to check-raise his continuation bet on the flop.
Flop: (Pot: 5.75)
Q-9-3, all hearts
I checked, he bet 3, and I failed to follow through with my initial plan because his body language and the board really made me nervous.
Turn: (Pot: 11.75)
Td
I checked, he bet 5, and I got the feeling that he was really uncomfortable with where the board was going so I raised 7.50 more to 12.50 total. He shoved and I can't beat a single hand against Corey's range - which includes all of the following: three queens, three queens, oh and three queens! I folded and he told me that he had three queens.
A bit later:
Corey and Will fold, Max limps and I check to a flop ith Tc-3c.
Flop: (Pot: 1)
8-6-5, two clubs
Max says, "I've got an open-ended straight draw, I'll check." I opted for a free card and...
Turn: (Pot: 1)
4c
Gin! If he does have a 7, which he seemed genuine about then I'm golden. He checks, I bet .75, he raises to 3, I'm 2500% sure he has a 7 like he told us all and will not fold it, so I don't waste time and just move him in, he calls with Q-7, drawing dead.
He leaves and Don fills his seat:
Will limps .50 UTG, Don makes it 1.50 from the button, I call 1.50 from the SB with Js-8s, Will calls another 1.
Flop: (Pot: 5)
8-8-4, rainbow
I check, Will bets 1.50, Don raises to 5.50, I smooth call 5.50 after a bit of thought (actual thought, I thought smooth calling would give away my hand but raising was just stupid against these two players and this board so...), Will calls 4 more.
Turn: (21.50)
10c
I check, Will checks, Don checks.
River: (21.50)
8
Leading out is the obvious play, but given the action on the flop I was near certain that Will had atleast a 4 and Don probably had an over pair (like 9-9), so I checked. Will bet 5, Don called, I raised 6 more for pure value. Will called and Don folded. Will mucked a 4. Total pot: 45.50
Then later:
Don limped the button, I raised the SB to 2.50 with A-Q, all folded, Don called.
Flop: (Pot: 5.50)
Q-Q-4
I checked, he bet 2, I called.
Turn: (Pot: 9.50)
5
I checked, he bet 4, I called.
River: (Pot: 17.50)
A
I checked, he bet 6, I raised 8 more to 14 total, Don folded.
Another hand:
Folded to the SB, Don, who limped, I checked Qs-Js.
Flop: (Pot: 1)
J-J-T, two hearts
Don bet .50, I min-raised to 1 total, he called .50 more.
Turn: (Pot: 3)
J
Again?! He checked, and I checked.
River: (Pot: 3)
2
He bet 2, I raised to 5 total, he folded claiming a busted flush draw.
Another hand:
All fold, Don limps SB, I raise BB to 2.50 with T-T, he calls.
Flop: (Pot: 5)
A-J-T
He checked, I bet $2, he called.
Turn: (Pot: 9)
J
He bet 4, I called.
River: (Pot: 17)
9
He bet $10 and made some comment about knowing he had the best hand, whihc generally a person wouldn't make here with a boat, but for some reason I just felt that I was either way ahead or way behind and raising would only make a bluff fold and a better hand move so I made a pretty weak flat call. He had an Ace and mucked.
I can't really think of any other eventful hands, but obviously you get the message from the posted hands - I got slapped in the face with the deck, hard! I think I played the monsters that I got really well and that's all that really matters. Sometimes you just get hit by the deck and can't lose a pot. Aslong as you play the hands that you get well (whether that be a bunch of monsters or the occasional marginal hand) then you're doing just fine. Poker is long term (an enormous collection of hands), not night by night segments.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
New Home Game ($50 SNG)
Got invited to play in a home game near my local golf course (that I love) through an Internet home game finder type website. They send me emails often about 5-5 NL ring games around town, but this time they were having a $50 NL tourney using an online poker type SNG structure, not the best structure (these guys just like to have fun) but there is certainly a lot of skill to SNG tournaments; when you get deep with high blinds and small stacks knowing what to do in almost every spot if HUGE and I feel I definitely know most of what to do based on the amount of them I've played online.
They capped the amount of people to come at 18 for 2 full tables.
Payout was:
1st - $360
2nd - $270
3rd - $180
4th - $90
1500 in chips, 15-30 blinds to start, 15 min levels. I have no idea of any of these guys' playing tendencies so...
First hand of the tourney, BLINDS 15-30:
UTG+1 limps 30, I limp behind with K-Q for 30, Button limps 30, SB completes to 30, BB checks.
Flop: (Pot: 150)
K-Q-7, two diamonds
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, I bet 150 (don't know anyone and don't wanna give any draws a chance to catch up), Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.
Turn: (Pot: 450)
3h, it put two diamonds and two hearts out
He checked quickly (common sign of weakness, like a draw), I bet 400 to price him out of calling with a draw, He called 400 anyway.
River: (Pot: 1250)
8h
The backdoor flush got there, but I can't put him on that.
He checks, Now I'm clearly sure that I have the best hand and need to value bet like 600 which I do, he folds.
After one hand I'm there chip leader. Don't play any memorable pots for the rest of 15-30.
BLINDS 20-40:
2 guys limp in early position for 40, the Button limps for 40, I complete from the SB with 2-2 trying to flop a set for cheap, BB checks.
Flop: (Pot: 200)
10-3-2, two spades
I check (looking to check-raise whoever bets, I'm confident that someone will bet this flop as it hits a lot of hands that people are limping with), BB checks, UTG checks, guy in early position min-bets 40, the Button raises to 320, I make it 1200 ready to get it all-in with bottom set, everyone folds to the Button, he moves in 125 more, I call.
He has 10-9.
Turn - brick
River - brick... and he's out and I have a big stack, like 4500-ish. Chopped my way to near 5000 by the end of the level via late position raises and continuation bets, etc.
BLINDS 25-50:
Everyone folds, I raise 150 from middle position with K-K, guy on my immediate left calls 150 (he has a lot of chips like 3500-4000 range), everyone else folds.
Flop: (Pot: 375)
A-7-2, all clubs (I have the Kc)
I check, he bets 150, I raise to 400, he just calls.
Turn: (Pot: 1175)
6c, I now have the nuts.
I bet one single $500 chip to look kinda weak by betting small to try and maybe showdown cheaply, he moves in, SWEET!, I call. He has A-6... only 6 outs to fade.
River: (Pot: ~9000)
The Ace of Spades, UGH!
Down to like 1000-1500 range. I steal a few rounds to stay afloat through the rapidly fast blind levels.
BLINDS 40-80:
UTG calls 80, the Button shoves for about 900 (he's a real loose player, likes to be "all-in"), I call from the BB with K-K, UTG folds.
Flop a King, and he was out.
Went into the final table with about 2000 at 50-100 blinds.
BLINDS 50-100:
9-handed
A tight player UTG makes it 350, it folds around, a tight player in middle position makes it 1200, the SB just calls 1200 (almost 1/2 her stack), UTG moves all-in for a few thousand more, the guy in middle position calls, the SB goes into the tank and finally calls with As-Js!!!
UTG (His name was JC) = K-K
Middle position guy = A-A
Nothing comes until the River brings... a King! The chick was out and the guy with AA was down to nothing. JC was up to over 10,000 when on the next hand he finished the guy with 7-7 vs A-10.
BLINDS 50-100:
I'm down to like 1400 and I pick up A-K on the button, I plan on moving in if anyone limps/raises, and making a standard raise if everyone folds.
It folds to JC, he makes the motion of mucking his hand, so I say, "Raise", he says, "Wait I haven't folded yet", I get the host who is the 'floorman' to come over and making the obvious ruling (that he is able to act on his hand and my out of turn action means nothing) HE rules that JC can still call (which is correct so far) and when it gets to me I have to make a min-raise to 200 and then action continues (WTF! That's a horrible ruling, which could ruin my chances of chipping up here because the min-raise will price in a lot of people that I want to PRICE OUT!), SB calls 200, BB calls 200, JC calls 200... Fuck!!!
Flop: (Pot: 800)
A-9-5, rainbow
They all checked, I moved all-in, they all folded. I was lucky to get that flop and get extra chips from the blinds. If it had came 10-9-8 I was gonna throw a chair... in my mind.
So I up to like 2000 and change.
BLINDS 100-200:
This is a real interesting hand! I have 2000 even (10BBs).
UTG limps for 200, middle position limps for 200, SB completes to 200. These course of actions are so weak, the possibility of any of them having a hand good enough to call another 1800 (if I move in) is super slim. It doesn't matter what my cards are if I feel I'm gonna pick up the pot pre-flop. I thought the 2 guys in early-middle position might call with a wide range because they had decent stacks so I bailed on the idea and just checked my BB with 10-8.
Flop: (Pot: 800)
8-7-2, two hearts
SB checked, I bet 600 (looking back this is very marginal, I don't know if its the best play in this spot... but I made it here), UTG calls quickly like a draw, MP folds, SB calls although he doesn't look happy about it. I was ready to kinda be done with the hand once I got called in 2 spots, but I just really felt form their body language that they were drawing.
Turn: (Pot: 2600)
Q
SB checked, I find this to be a safe card for my hand. As long as they didn't call with like a flush draw that had a Q in it (or slow played a big hand which is unlikely based on their body language) they can't call an all-in here, so I moved all-in for about 1200 and they both folded. Phhhhew!
I was up over 3000 with 7 people left (top 4 get payed).
BLINDS 150-300:
UTG makes it 900, it folds to me on the Button with 6-6. This is weird spot, with only about 10BBs its simply all-in or fold, he's so commit ed to the pot though that if I move in he has to call with most hands he's raising with. And because he's raising UTG, at best (for me) he'll be calling with like A-Q/A-K/K-Q, but a lot of the time he'll show up with a bigger pair and I'm near dead. So in this spot I think that it is a definite fold since we have almost no fold equity. I folded and don't regret it.
BLINDS 200-400:
I have about 2500, so I'm very short. We were down to 5 people at this point (on the money bubble).
It folds to the Button who is as short as me and he moves in for a little more than me, SB folds I have Ks-Qs in the BB and insta-call fro my last 2500, he had 5-5 and it was a race. I flopped a King and held for the double up to over 5000.
The very next hand: UTG tight player makes it 1200, the Button (JC) re-raises to 2500, I'm in the SB with A-Q and can't see how it is good after a raise and a re-raise from 2 solid players so I fold, UTG moves all-in for a little more, JC calls with A-J. UTG had Q-Q so I was right in folding.
BUT, the flop was Ace high and JC busted the guy with a two outer.
BLINDS 250-500:
I had about 5000 and we were in money.
JC folded on the button, I was in the SB with K-8 and the BB was very short and virtually pot commited from his blind. King high is way ahead of his range of two random cards, so I moved him all-in. He made an easy call with A-2, but I flopped an 8 and held on to win the pot an get heads up. No big deal there, just won a 40/60 that I had to play.
I went into heads up vs JC about a 2.5-1 dog in chips.
BLINDS 400-800:
We were near even in chips like me with 12k and him with 15k (he had about 3000 more I know that). I had been raising my button almost every time (to my standard 2.5 x BB when heads up). So I did the same here:
A-A in the SB raise to 2000, he flat called.
Flop: (Pot: 4000)
J-8-5, rainbow
He bet 4000, I moved all-in, he called with K-J and my hand held up.
Now I was in great shape with about 23,500 vs his 3500.
He shoved the next hand, I called with A-5, he had K-10. He made Kings Up to double through to 7000. He stole his way back to even when I went card dead
BLINDS 500-1000:
Stacks were about 14k vs 13k. He didn't look like the type of guy who cared about making a deal over a $90 difference, so I didn't mention making one.
I was in the BB with A-K, he min-raises to 1000 on the button, I move in for 13k, he calls with 3-3, flop came King high and I held on to win that pot.
He's down to like 600, he wins 3 straight hands all-in pre-flop with rags vs rags to get to like 2500, until I move him in with K-J he calls with 9-5, I flop a King... again! I hold to win the pot and I win the tourney.
Really fun time. They started a side game (1-2 NL) right after like 4-5 guys were out. So they were all obviously there to just play poker and have a good time even though they were out of the tourney, which is great. I didn't get to play in the side game (everything kinda wrapped up when the tourney ended) but I don't really care. I probably wouldn't have done that well since I was kinda tired and have been really focusing more on tournaments lately as opposed to cash games (which I used to love over tourneys).
Things are going great for me right now in life. My team won the Fantasy Football league I had with my friends (more $ coming in!). I'm really happy these days. Kinda could care less about school right now, which is a problem I need to turn around, but for the most part everything is awesome... I could use more golf though. Yeah, def more golf!
They capped the amount of people to come at 18 for 2 full tables.
Payout was:
1st - $360
2nd - $270
3rd - $180
4th - $90
1500 in chips, 15-30 blinds to start, 15 min levels. I have no idea of any of these guys' playing tendencies so...
First hand of the tourney, BLINDS 15-30:
UTG+1 limps 30, I limp behind with K-Q for 30, Button limps 30, SB completes to 30, BB checks.
Flop: (Pot: 150)
K-Q-7, two diamonds
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, I bet 150 (don't know anyone and don't wanna give any draws a chance to catch up), Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.
Turn: (Pot: 450)
3h, it put two diamonds and two hearts out
He checked quickly (common sign of weakness, like a draw), I bet 400 to price him out of calling with a draw, He called 400 anyway.
River: (Pot: 1250)
8h
The backdoor flush got there, but I can't put him on that.
He checks, Now I'm clearly sure that I have the best hand and need to value bet like 600 which I do, he folds.
After one hand I'm there chip leader. Don't play any memorable pots for the rest of 15-30.
BLINDS 20-40:
2 guys limp in early position for 40, the Button limps for 40, I complete from the SB with 2-2 trying to flop a set for cheap, BB checks.
Flop: (Pot: 200)
10-3-2, two spades
I check (looking to check-raise whoever bets, I'm confident that someone will bet this flop as it hits a lot of hands that people are limping with), BB checks, UTG checks, guy in early position min-bets 40, the Button raises to 320, I make it 1200 ready to get it all-in with bottom set, everyone folds to the Button, he moves in 125 more, I call.
He has 10-9.
Turn - brick
River - brick... and he's out and I have a big stack, like 4500-ish. Chopped my way to near 5000 by the end of the level via late position raises and continuation bets, etc.
BLINDS 25-50:
Everyone folds, I raise 150 from middle position with K-K, guy on my immediate left calls 150 (he has a lot of chips like 3500-4000 range), everyone else folds.
Flop: (Pot: 375)
A-7-2, all clubs (I have the Kc)
I check, he bets 150, I raise to 400, he just calls.
Turn: (Pot: 1175)
6c, I now have the nuts.
I bet one single $500 chip to look kinda weak by betting small to try and maybe showdown cheaply, he moves in, SWEET!, I call. He has A-6... only 6 outs to fade.
River: (Pot: ~9000)
The Ace of Spades, UGH!
Down to like 1000-1500 range. I steal a few rounds to stay afloat through the rapidly fast blind levels.
BLINDS 40-80:
UTG calls 80, the Button shoves for about 900 (he's a real loose player, likes to be "all-in"), I call from the BB with K-K, UTG folds.
Flop a King, and he was out.
Went into the final table with about 2000 at 50-100 blinds.
BLINDS 50-100:
9-handed
A tight player UTG makes it 350, it folds around, a tight player in middle position makes it 1200, the SB just calls 1200 (almost 1/2 her stack), UTG moves all-in for a few thousand more, the guy in middle position calls, the SB goes into the tank and finally calls with As-Js!!!
UTG (His name was JC) = K-K
Middle position guy = A-A
Nothing comes until the River brings... a King! The chick was out and the guy with AA was down to nothing. JC was up to over 10,000 when on the next hand he finished the guy with 7-7 vs A-10.
BLINDS 50-100:
I'm down to like 1400 and I pick up A-K on the button, I plan on moving in if anyone limps/raises, and making a standard raise if everyone folds.
It folds to JC, he makes the motion of mucking his hand, so I say, "Raise", he says, "Wait I haven't folded yet", I get the host who is the 'floorman' to come over and making the obvious ruling (that he is able to act on his hand and my out of turn action means nothing) HE rules that JC can still call (which is correct so far) and when it gets to me I have to make a min-raise to 200 and then action continues (WTF! That's a horrible ruling, which could ruin my chances of chipping up here because the min-raise will price in a lot of people that I want to PRICE OUT!), SB calls 200, BB calls 200, JC calls 200... Fuck!!!
Flop: (Pot: 800)
A-9-5, rainbow
They all checked, I moved all-in, they all folded. I was lucky to get that flop and get extra chips from the blinds. If it had came 10-9-8 I was gonna throw a chair... in my mind.
So I up to like 2000 and change.
BLINDS 100-200:
This is a real interesting hand! I have 2000 even (10BBs).
UTG limps for 200, middle position limps for 200, SB completes to 200. These course of actions are so weak, the possibility of any of them having a hand good enough to call another 1800 (if I move in) is super slim. It doesn't matter what my cards are if I feel I'm gonna pick up the pot pre-flop. I thought the 2 guys in early-middle position might call with a wide range because they had decent stacks so I bailed on the idea and just checked my BB with 10-8.
Flop: (Pot: 800)
8-7-2, two hearts
SB checked, I bet 600 (looking back this is very marginal, I don't know if its the best play in this spot... but I made it here), UTG calls quickly like a draw, MP folds, SB calls although he doesn't look happy about it. I was ready to kinda be done with the hand once I got called in 2 spots, but I just really felt form their body language that they were drawing.
Turn: (Pot: 2600)
Q
SB checked, I find this to be a safe card for my hand. As long as they didn't call with like a flush draw that had a Q in it (or slow played a big hand which is unlikely based on their body language) they can't call an all-in here, so I moved all-in for about 1200 and they both folded. Phhhhew!
I was up over 3000 with 7 people left (top 4 get payed).
BLINDS 150-300:
UTG makes it 900, it folds to me on the Button with 6-6. This is weird spot, with only about 10BBs its simply all-in or fold, he's so commit ed to the pot though that if I move in he has to call with most hands he's raising with. And because he's raising UTG, at best (for me) he'll be calling with like A-Q/A-K/K-Q, but a lot of the time he'll show up with a bigger pair and I'm near dead. So in this spot I think that it is a definite fold since we have almost no fold equity. I folded and don't regret it.
BLINDS 200-400:
I have about 2500, so I'm very short. We were down to 5 people at this point (on the money bubble).
It folds to the Button who is as short as me and he moves in for a little more than me, SB folds I have Ks-Qs in the BB and insta-call fro my last 2500, he had 5-5 and it was a race. I flopped a King and held for the double up to over 5000.
The very next hand: UTG tight player makes it 1200, the Button (JC) re-raises to 2500, I'm in the SB with A-Q and can't see how it is good after a raise and a re-raise from 2 solid players so I fold, UTG moves all-in for a little more, JC calls with A-J. UTG had Q-Q so I was right in folding.
BUT, the flop was Ace high and JC busted the guy with a two outer.
BLINDS 250-500:
I had about 5000 and we were in money.
JC folded on the button, I was in the SB with K-8 and the BB was very short and virtually pot commited from his blind. King high is way ahead of his range of two random cards, so I moved him all-in. He made an easy call with A-2, but I flopped an 8 and held on to win the pot an get heads up. No big deal there, just won a 40/60 that I had to play.
I went into heads up vs JC about a 2.5-1 dog in chips.
BLINDS 400-800:
We were near even in chips like me with 12k and him with 15k (he had about 3000 more I know that). I had been raising my button almost every time (to my standard 2.5 x BB when heads up). So I did the same here:
A-A in the SB raise to 2000, he flat called.
Flop: (Pot: 4000)
J-8-5, rainbow
He bet 4000, I moved all-in, he called with K-J and my hand held up.
Now I was in great shape with about 23,500 vs his 3500.
He shoved the next hand, I called with A-5, he had K-10. He made Kings Up to double through to 7000. He stole his way back to even when I went card dead
BLINDS 500-1000:
Stacks were about 14k vs 13k. He didn't look like the type of guy who cared about making a deal over a $90 difference, so I didn't mention making one.
I was in the BB with A-K, he min-raises to 1000 on the button, I move in for 13k, he calls with 3-3, flop came King high and I held on to win that pot.
He's down to like 600, he wins 3 straight hands all-in pre-flop with rags vs rags to get to like 2500, until I move him in with K-J he calls with 9-5, I flop a King... again! I hold to win the pot and I win the tourney.
Really fun time. They started a side game (1-2 NL) right after like 4-5 guys were out. So they were all obviously there to just play poker and have a good time even though they were out of the tourney, which is great. I didn't get to play in the side game (everything kinda wrapped up when the tourney ended) but I don't really care. I probably wouldn't have done that well since I was kinda tired and have been really focusing more on tournaments lately as opposed to cash games (which I used to love over tourneys).
Things are going great for me right now in life. My team won the Fantasy Football league I had with my friends (more $ coming in!). I'm really happy these days. Kinda could care less about school right now, which is a problem I need to turn around, but for the most part everything is awesome... I could use more golf though. Yeah, def more golf!
Monday, November 12, 2007
My first really big online tournament
I've mainly stuck to SNGs and cash for the past few months and I've built enough up to where I'm gonna start playing more big MTTs. I started today in a 20k guaranteed on Stars. $10 for $3500+ would be nice...
I played really patient early on. Lost a small pot with A-K that I probably could of won pre-flop. Then chopped my way back to 1500. In the 50-100 level I flopped a straight with J-8 out of the BB against an early position limper's top pair and won a sizable pot to get up over 2500. Then...
Blinds 75-150:
UTG raises to 450 (pretty loose player, he just played a huge pot with 8-8 pre-flop vs Q-Q and sucked out to grab a massive amount of chips).
MP player calls, folds to me in the BB with A-K, in my opinion there's only one move here with the amount of money that is out there, and I make it - all in for about 2500. UTG insta-calls AND MP player calls. I'm dead right?
UTG - Ah-Qh
MP- Ac-Tc
No one pairs up or makes a flush and A-K holds for the 6000 pot.
A few hands later with the blinds at 100-200:
I raise in MP with As-Js to 500, Button min-raises to 1000 (he's been very active with min-raises preflop), I call 500 more (Looking back I hate the call here out of position, I can just dump it and find a better spot).
Flop: J-7-3 rainbow
I decide to check-raise here because he's short (mistake 2), and we get it in with him having K-K and I lose a big pot I shouldn't have played. So now I'm down to 1900 (under 10BBs).
Still 100-200 level:
Loose player min-raises in late position, I ship it with J-J from the BB, he folds.
--2 hands later--
Same player min-raises to 400, I ship it with A-K and he calls with Kd-Qd. He flops Jd-10d-x so I have to fade a ton of outs and I do so to double through to 5000.
Go card dead as the antes come into play around the bubble (grrrreat... [rolling eyes]). Didn't get to rob the squeakers too much. Got into the money with about 10BBs and started getting some hands to pick up all of the dead money. K-Js in LP, K-Q in LP, A-A UTG and won every pot before the flop. Built myself up to about 7000 going into 300-600 w/50 ante.
During that level I blinded down to about 5000 and made a standard play of moving in a very short stack from the SB with A-10, he woke up with 10-10 and doubled through me. I was down to 3000.
Went down to 2800, moved in from the button with K-5s, SB woke up with A-10 called and busted me. I doubled my investment but could care less, I played well, ran okay, and I know I'll hit one of these with time.
I played really patient early on. Lost a small pot with A-K that I probably could of won pre-flop. Then chopped my way back to 1500. In the 50-100 level I flopped a straight with J-8 out of the BB against an early position limper's top pair and won a sizable pot to get up over 2500. Then...
Blinds 75-150:
UTG raises to 450 (pretty loose player, he just played a huge pot with 8-8 pre-flop vs Q-Q and sucked out to grab a massive amount of chips).
MP player calls, folds to me in the BB with A-K, in my opinion there's only one move here with the amount of money that is out there, and I make it - all in for about 2500. UTG insta-calls AND MP player calls. I'm dead right?
UTG - Ah-Qh
MP- Ac-Tc
No one pairs up or makes a flush and A-K holds for the 6000 pot.
A few hands later with the blinds at 100-200:
I raise in MP with As-Js to 500, Button min-raises to 1000 (he's been very active with min-raises preflop), I call 500 more (Looking back I hate the call here out of position, I can just dump it and find a better spot).
Flop: J-7-3 rainbow
I decide to check-raise here because he's short (mistake 2), and we get it in with him having K-K and I lose a big pot I shouldn't have played. So now I'm down to 1900 (under 10BBs).
Still 100-200 level:
Loose player min-raises in late position, I ship it with J-J from the BB, he folds.
--2 hands later--
Same player min-raises to 400, I ship it with A-K and he calls with Kd-Qd. He flops Jd-10d-x so I have to fade a ton of outs and I do so to double through to 5000.
Go card dead as the antes come into play around the bubble (grrrreat... [rolling eyes]). Didn't get to rob the squeakers too much. Got into the money with about 10BBs and started getting some hands to pick up all of the dead money. K-Js in LP, K-Q in LP, A-A UTG and won every pot before the flop. Built myself up to about 7000 going into 300-600 w/50 ante.
During that level I blinded down to about 5000 and made a standard play of moving in a very short stack from the SB with A-10, he woke up with 10-10 and doubled through me. I was down to 3000.
Went down to 2800, moved in from the button with K-5s, SB woke up with A-10 called and busted me. I doubled my investment but could care less, I played well, ran okay, and I know I'll hit one of these with time.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Live 6-Max Tournament at Deuce 9
There was a tournament planned for today, Saturday, but few people were available to come. It ended up being just 6 people, which isn't all that bad I guess. I love 6-max SNGs, this will be like one of those with a 100 times better structure.
I started out playing pretty solid/tight as I like to do when the blinds are so low. I don't see much need to get out of line early on when you're that deep in chips. I picked up a few hands that helped me to win a few decent size pots and I stole a few small pots here and there when I saw fit. The first real pot I played was:
Blinds 100-200
I'm on the button, with A-K off.
UTG (tight) folded, UTG+1 (loosest player at the table) limped for 200, MP1 folds, I make it 800 total, SB (tight) folds, BB (fairly solid) calls 800, UTG+1 folds.
Flop: (Pot: 1900)
K-Q-2, no suit.
He checked, I bet 1500, he called.
[I'm putting him on like K-J, K-T, J-T range of hands]
Turn: (Pot: 4900)
J, putting 2 spades out.
He checked, I wanted to bet here but he gave the impression that he was looking to check raise (just his personal demeanor) and that turn did hit a lot of hands I'm putting him on, so I checked behind hoping to keep the pot small in position with just one pair. If I bet and get check-raised all-in I can't really call and expect to be ahead of many hands.
River: (Pot: 4900)
4, rainbow board.
He checked, so now I obviously have to bet. I bet 2500 hoping it was K-T, he called with A-Q.
Final pot: 9900
That pot and few others really padded my stack up to over double the starting stack (of 10k) to around 22k and change. From there I just cruised while a couple people went out. Joe (from the A-K vs A-Q hand) ran into A-A and was out in 6th. Don (who had built up a nice stack close to mine) played a big pot against Kurt with A-J vs A-A which left him crippled, he then lost a semi-race 2 hands later with K-Qs vs A-J (against Kurt again) for the remainder of his chips and finished in 5th. Kurt busted in 4th to Will with Q-J vs A-Q on a Q-5-5 flop. The action was fast and furious until 3 handed and then everything sloooooooowed down, alot. We played 3-handed forever.
With the blinds at 400-800, I had about 18-19k when this hand went down:
Corey folded the button,
(Will had been limping a lot from every position, from his SB I had been punsihing him a lot with raises; something I usually don't do a lot of but his weakness was so vivid I knew I could pick up the dead money pre-flop)
Will limped in for 800.
I had Ac-Kc in the BB and made it 2k more to 2800 total. Bigger than my normal opening raise, but (A) he doesn't pay attention to that and (B) he actually looked like he had a real hand this time so I was obviously hoping he played back at me. He just called the 2k more
Flop: (Pot: 5600)
K-K-J, two spades. - BINGO!
He led out for 4000, I decided I didn't have enough to call without giving away the strength of my hand, but if I moved it I could have a huge range of hands (flush draw, straight draw, lower pair). I moved all-in for another 11k. He thought and thought forever which led me to believe he had like Q-J or J-T and was thinking of making some heroic call if he thought I was being a bully. He did call, with... honestly I'll give you 3 guesses as to what he had and you'll NEVER be right. Go ahead guess...
1
2
3
He had A-8 off suit. Haha. Like that's ever good against a nit like me.
Shockingly my hand held up against his monster Ace high. So now I had like 37k of the 60k in play - pretty insane.
Corey got low and made a lot of move ins to pick up the blinds a few rounds because nobody ever got a hand. He moved in with 2-2 and I called with A-9s and lost that race. He eventually got called by Will too, who had... Q-5 off. Corey had J-T and flopped a J. Then Corey and Will got it in again with T-T (Corey) vs 6-6 (Will). The flop had a 6 in the window, but was followed by a Ten. Will got low (like 12k) when...
Blinds 600-1200
Corey folded the button, Will min-raised to 2400 from the SB, I called 1200 more with Ac-7c.
Flop: (Pot: 4800)
7-4-3, two spades and a club.
He checked (for a first in a long while), I bet 4000, and he called leaving himself 4900 behind (I know - stupid).
Turn (Pot: 12,800)
2c, giving me top pair top kicker with the nut flush draw.
He checked, I put him all-in, he called with Kc-Qc.
6 outs with 1 pull from the deck and...
River: (Pot: 22,600) ALL-IN
Qs, Ugh! So bad...
All I could say was, "Wow, that was a nice flop for Kc-Qc... nice hand."
That dropped me down to like 20k. Nothing big happened during 800-1600 and then the blinds went up to 1k-2k with everyone having about 20k (10BBs) and it was move in poker time.
Eventually Corey limped the button with A-Q, Will raised from the SB, I folded T-5. Corey moved in and Will called with... J-6. He didn't pair and Corey and I were heads up and "in the money."
Heads up went back and forth just trading blinds for a while. The blinds went up to 1500-3000 with Corey having about a 2-1 chip lead after busting Will. We made a small deal since the blinds were so high (I only had like 6BBs) - Corey $80, Me $60, with $10 up top for whoever won the tournament.
On the final hand I had 29,500 and Corey had 30,500 with the blinds at 1500-3000:
I moved in with 5-5 from the SB, which I have no problems with given the stacks.
Corey called with K-J off and we were off to the races with him having two $500 chips left if he lost.
Flop: (Pot: 59,000) ALL-IN
Q-Q-T, great now he wins with any Ace, King, Jack, Ten, or Nine.
Turn: T
River: 9
He got there twice.
So Corey won, he ran well at the end which is kinda key in these SNG type tournaments. He played very well also, but maybe a little too tight late in the tourney in spots where if he hadn't picked up hands against other hands like he did (T-T vs 6-6, A-Q, etc) he most likely would have blinded down too low to win. But whatever, it worked so there must be a bit of logic to it.
I started out playing pretty solid/tight as I like to do when the blinds are so low. I don't see much need to get out of line early on when you're that deep in chips. I picked up a few hands that helped me to win a few decent size pots and I stole a few small pots here and there when I saw fit. The first real pot I played was:
Blinds 100-200
I'm on the button, with A-K off.
UTG (tight) folded, UTG+1 (loosest player at the table) limped for 200, MP1 folds, I make it 800 total, SB (tight) folds, BB (fairly solid) calls 800, UTG+1 folds.
Flop: (Pot: 1900)
K-Q-2, no suit.
He checked, I bet 1500, he called.
[I'm putting him on like K-J, K-T, J-T range of hands]
Turn: (Pot: 4900)
J, putting 2 spades out.
He checked, I wanted to bet here but he gave the impression that he was looking to check raise (just his personal demeanor) and that turn did hit a lot of hands I'm putting him on, so I checked behind hoping to keep the pot small in position with just one pair. If I bet and get check-raised all-in I can't really call and expect to be ahead of many hands.
River: (Pot: 4900)
4, rainbow board.
He checked, so now I obviously have to bet. I bet 2500 hoping it was K-T, he called with A-Q.
Final pot: 9900
That pot and few others really padded my stack up to over double the starting stack (of 10k) to around 22k and change. From there I just cruised while a couple people went out. Joe (from the A-K vs A-Q hand) ran into A-A and was out in 6th. Don (who had built up a nice stack close to mine) played a big pot against Kurt with A-J vs A-A which left him crippled, he then lost a semi-race 2 hands later with K-Qs vs A-J (against Kurt again) for the remainder of his chips and finished in 5th. Kurt busted in 4th to Will with Q-J vs A-Q on a Q-5-5 flop. The action was fast and furious until 3 handed and then everything sloooooooowed down, alot. We played 3-handed forever.
With the blinds at 400-800, I had about 18-19k when this hand went down:
Corey folded the button,
(Will had been limping a lot from every position, from his SB I had been punsihing him a lot with raises; something I usually don't do a lot of but his weakness was so vivid I knew I could pick up the dead money pre-flop)
Will limped in for 800.
I had Ac-Kc in the BB and made it 2k more to 2800 total. Bigger than my normal opening raise, but (A) he doesn't pay attention to that and (B) he actually looked like he had a real hand this time so I was obviously hoping he played back at me. He just called the 2k more
Flop: (Pot: 5600)
K-K-J, two spades. - BINGO!
He led out for 4000, I decided I didn't have enough to call without giving away the strength of my hand, but if I moved it I could have a huge range of hands (flush draw, straight draw, lower pair). I moved all-in for another 11k. He thought and thought forever which led me to believe he had like Q-J or J-T and was thinking of making some heroic call if he thought I was being a bully. He did call, with... honestly I'll give you 3 guesses as to what he had and you'll NEVER be right. Go ahead guess...
1
2
3
He had A-8 off suit. Haha. Like that's ever good against a nit like me.
Shockingly my hand held up against his monster Ace high. So now I had like 37k of the 60k in play - pretty insane.
Corey got low and made a lot of move ins to pick up the blinds a few rounds because nobody ever got a hand. He moved in with 2-2 and I called with A-9s and lost that race. He eventually got called by Will too, who had... Q-5 off. Corey had J-T and flopped a J. Then Corey and Will got it in again with T-T (Corey) vs 6-6 (Will). The flop had a 6 in the window, but was followed by a Ten. Will got low (like 12k) when...
Blinds 600-1200
Corey folded the button, Will min-raised to 2400 from the SB, I called 1200 more with Ac-7c.
Flop: (Pot: 4800)
7-4-3, two spades and a club.
He checked (for a first in a long while), I bet 4000, and he called leaving himself 4900 behind (I know - stupid).
Turn (Pot: 12,800)
2c, giving me top pair top kicker with the nut flush draw.
He checked, I put him all-in, he called with Kc-Qc.
6 outs with 1 pull from the deck and...
River: (Pot: 22,600) ALL-IN
Qs, Ugh! So bad...
All I could say was, "Wow, that was a nice flop for Kc-Qc... nice hand."
That dropped me down to like 20k. Nothing big happened during 800-1600 and then the blinds went up to 1k-2k with everyone having about 20k (10BBs) and it was move in poker time.
Eventually Corey limped the button with A-Q, Will raised from the SB, I folded T-5. Corey moved in and Will called with... J-6. He didn't pair and Corey and I were heads up and "in the money."
Heads up went back and forth just trading blinds for a while. The blinds went up to 1500-3000 with Corey having about a 2-1 chip lead after busting Will. We made a small deal since the blinds were so high (I only had like 6BBs) - Corey $80, Me $60, with $10 up top for whoever won the tournament.
On the final hand I had 29,500 and Corey had 30,500 with the blinds at 1500-3000:
I moved in with 5-5 from the SB, which I have no problems with given the stacks.
Corey called with K-J off and we were off to the races with him having two $500 chips left if he lost.
Flop: (Pot: 59,000) ALL-IN
Q-Q-T, great now he wins with any Ace, King, Jack, Ten, or Nine.
Turn: T
River: 9
He got there twice.
So Corey won, he ran well at the end which is kinda key in these SNG type tournaments. He played very well also, but maybe a little too tight late in the tourney in spots where if he hadn't picked up hands against other hands like he did (T-T vs 6-6, A-Q, etc) he most likely would have blinded down too low to win. But whatever, it worked so there must be a bit of logic to it.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Long time, no post
I haven't posted in a while for one reason - haven't played live in a while. Which is basically the only time I ever post on here. School has kept me from playing as much as I would like. The past few weeks I've been crushing the 45-SNGs on FTP when I get the chance to play, though.
Here's 2 wins just these past 2 weeks:
I wish I could get 'em bigger, but this is 'large' (not so in my opinion)
I wish I could get 'em bigger, but this is 'large' (not so in my opinion)[Yes, I do enjoy changing my avatar weekly...]
I don't keep much track of the 4ths and 3rds, but I did have one 2nd last week.
----------
I played live a few days ago. 4 handed NL cash - 25c/50c - with some friends.
I ended up down $5 (out of $50) after losing a big pot early and grinding myself back to near even. There were 2 exciting hands that happened the whole night - both all-ins both between the same 2 players.
Hand 1:
UTG (Corey's little brother who for some reason decided to play with us. He doesn't really do anything but open shove with marginal hands - AJ, KQ, KJ, QJ, small pairs) open shoves for $21, UTG+1 folds, I have Ah-Qh in the SB, BB jokingly folds out of turn.
I was ready to fold because calling here just doesn't seem right. I can fold and keep grinding away a profit (like I've been doing VERY well up to this point - up $10 without showing a hand). I was ready to fold when I decided I'd show him (even though I was 90% ready to fold) just to see if I get a reaction, then maybe I'll reconsider. I say, "It's not a tournament so I can show before I do anything..." I flipped over the A-Q of hearts and he then (without me saying anything) flipped over Ks-Qs and said, "Okay." He gave the initial impression that he thought I had called - which I then quickly did after seeing how far ahead I was. He was confused and said whatever run the board. I differred from running it twice obviously.
Flop:
10-9-2, rainbow
Turn:
J, "ugh."
River:
A, "nh..." [rolling eyes]
Hand 2:
The hand before Don raised UTG to $2, I folded, Corey folded, The Live One min-raised to $4, and Don moved in with J-J and picked up the pot. The Live One had K-10 I believe.
I had A-K off UTG and made it $2, Corey folded, The Live One min-raised to $4, Don folded, I thought if I shoved he might call with a lot of hands (he looked bored and ready to do something "exciting"), I shoved for like $35 and he beat me into the pot with an insta-call with... 5-5.
I chose to run this one twice as I didn't really wanna flip a coin for $70.
1st Flop: A-x-x Turn: x River: x
2nd Flop: 5-4-3 Turn: x River x
So we chopped it up and that was basically it for the night...
We should be having a tournament sometime soon. I can't wait.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A Day on the Links...
We, Dino and I, had decided that after our morning orientation at school we would play 18 at Jax Beach Public Golf Club (only for one reason: the price. period). During the orientation Brett voices that he wants to come, which is totally cool, so we set our tee time for 12:00 and a group of 3. After we get done with our school shit, we go out for some breakfast, head over to my house to grab my bag and shoes, and fly to Jax Beach to make it in time to hit up the driving range.
We didn't get many balls because it was Satan-degrees-Fahrenheit and we didn't wanna get too tired before we even tee'd off. So we downed a single bucket between the 3 of us, when an older man gave us a whole bucket of range balls and said, "Here boys, its just too damn hot out today." Don't worry we didn't use them, we left them for whoever wanted them because it indeed was 'too damn hot out.' So its now 12:00 on the dot. We jump in our carts and head over to the tee box. The starter looks unhappy with us. Why? Well, apparently we are 5 minutes late!!! Oh my God, 5 minutes! ... So after I get the speech about how we should have been there at 12:00 and how because we were SO late he had to let the guys with the 12:37 tee time take our time. Okay, whatever... no big deal. We tee off after them and things are going okay.
I think I speak for anyone who has ever played the hellish yet additively amazing game that is golf when I say, Sometimes you get really fucking frustrated. What is a man to do when he's full of steam in a field of grass (not even nice grass, after all its a public course) with a large club. This directly translates over years and years of history... like a caveman with his big wooden club banging it on the ground when his prey outruns him. Soooo, yes, I did make divots on some fairways (and a green or two) with my iron/putter like a big greasy lumberjack. I wasn't the only one (I won't name names because I'm not like that). Really, honestly, who doesn't sometimes... ?
During this round, I nearly hit a man from the group in front of us with an amazing shot from my 3-Hybrid over a gorge. When we (Dino and I road together) got up to the ball I said, "Sorry about that." He responded, "Don't worry, I couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a snow shovel today if I tried... just one of those days." Funny saying... I think I'll use it.
So we get all the way through the course without any problems. All the way to our 17th hole. I'm on the green in 4 (Par 4) with a putt for bogey. Of course I lip it and have to tap in for dubs (double bogey). Its hot + I'm not playing my best = I take my putter and fucking axe that shit into the green sooooo hard. Alright stop right here and just picture this: A man out in the woods with a big axe and a log of wood beneath his feet, he swings the axe down over his head and crushes the log. Now paste that image onto me, on a green, with a putter... I mean hard, that putter was deep in the green. Hahaha.
So I turn to see the guys (3 middle aged men) behind us watching the entire charade. I make eye contact from 150 yards away with one of them. They all pile into they're carts and come flying over the bridge to the hole. During this time I know whats about to happen, so I start preparing in my mind (fake name, lies, etc.) The "leader" jumps out and walks up to our cart as Dino and I get into it (Brett is already up at the next hole waiting for us, btw he's parked slightly on the grass). I'll just give you the entire dialogue as that will be easier:
Prick 1: What's your name?!
Me: [quickly] Scott Peterson. (lie #1)
[Yes, the husband who murdered his pregnant wife and chopped her up]
He apparently doesn't hear me correctly and says:
Prick 1: Scott Peters?
[I didn't feel the need to correct him, as Scott Peters is a perfectly fine name]
Me: Yeah...
Prick 1: You're done for the day you guys head on in to the clubhouse. You've destroyed this golf course...
[Prick 2 starts calling the clubhouse]
Me: Destroyed? I put one divot in one green. (lie #2)
Prick 1: One? Does it look like I have *STUPID* written across my face [points to his forehead, at this point Dino is holding back laughter]. We've been watching you guys all day. I counted 4 [holding up 4 fingers] greens you've ruined.
Me: 4? Do you have a list?
Prick 1: W-w-well... Hole 4! You put 2 BIG divots in the green.
[This is actually not true. I par'd hole 4]
Me: Hole 4? I...
Prick 1: [sarcastically] You know what hole that is?
Me: Yeah, its the par 3 with th creek down the left side... they just finished the green so we don't have to play on temp-greens anymore (temp=temporary). I par'd that hole, I'd have no reason to be upset...
Prick 1: You're gonna pay for all this. You head on up to the clubhouse right now.
Prick 2: I'll follow 'em up there!
Prick 3: [to Brett] You know there's cart paths for a REASON!
Hahaha. I love Prick 3's contribution to the situation...
Me: Okay [at this point I've already got the plan 100% figured out]
The cart return/exit is obviously right next to the parking lot. All we have to do is park the carts, grab our shit, and haul ass to the car. I quickly tell this to Dino, who gets the message in only a few words, "We're getting the fuck out of here, grab your shit while you drive." So as Dino drives closely behind Brett I say to Brett, "Brett, collect all your shit while you drive, then park it, and haul ass to your car, we're leaving."
So we get to the cart rental return area. Park the carts, while the "manager" walks out and says, "I heard you were tearing up the course."
"No, I slammed my club on one hole I was out of line."
"Why'd you do that?"
"I don't know, pure frustration, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, yeah well don't do it anymore or we're gonna have to ask you to leave."
"Oh I won't, I'm really sorry, I just lost my cool. This game will do that to ya."
"Okay, well good day."
He walked back inside. We grabbed our bags and ran to the car as one of the pricks was approaching the cart area.
On the drive away Brett realized he'd left his glasses in his cart, so he had to go back in and get them from the pro-shop.
I do feel that I was totally out of line, tough. I took it a little too far...
Fun day...
We didn't get many balls because it was Satan-degrees-Fahrenheit and we didn't wanna get too tired before we even tee'd off. So we downed a single bucket between the 3 of us, when an older man gave us a whole bucket of range balls and said, "Here boys, its just too damn hot out today." Don't worry we didn't use them, we left them for whoever wanted them because it indeed was 'too damn hot out.' So its now 12:00 on the dot. We jump in our carts and head over to the tee box. The starter looks unhappy with us. Why? Well, apparently we are 5 minutes late!!! Oh my God, 5 minutes! ... So after I get the speech about how we should have been there at 12:00 and how because we were SO late he had to let the guys with the 12:37 tee time take our time. Okay, whatever... no big deal. We tee off after them and things are going okay.
I think I speak for anyone who has ever played the hellish yet additively amazing game that is golf when I say, Sometimes you get really fucking frustrated. What is a man to do when he's full of steam in a field of grass (not even nice grass, after all its a public course) with a large club. This directly translates over years and years of history... like a caveman with his big wooden club banging it on the ground when his prey outruns him. Soooo, yes, I did make divots on some fairways (and a green or two) with my iron/putter like a big greasy lumberjack. I wasn't the only one (I won't name names because I'm not like that). Really, honestly, who doesn't sometimes... ?
During this round, I nearly hit a man from the group in front of us with an amazing shot from my 3-Hybrid over a gorge. When we (Dino and I road together) got up to the ball I said, "Sorry about that." He responded, "Don't worry, I couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a snow shovel today if I tried... just one of those days." Funny saying... I think I'll use it.
So we get all the way through the course without any problems. All the way to our 17th hole. I'm on the green in 4 (Par 4) with a putt for bogey. Of course I lip it and have to tap in for dubs (double bogey). Its hot + I'm not playing my best = I take my putter and fucking axe that shit into the green sooooo hard. Alright stop right here and just picture this: A man out in the woods with a big axe and a log of wood beneath his feet, he swings the axe down over his head and crushes the log. Now paste that image onto me, on a green, with a putter... I mean hard, that putter was deep in the green. Hahaha.
So I turn to see the guys (3 middle aged men) behind us watching the entire charade. I make eye contact from 150 yards away with one of them. They all pile into they're carts and come flying over the bridge to the hole. During this time I know whats about to happen, so I start preparing in my mind (fake name, lies, etc.) The "leader" jumps out and walks up to our cart as Dino and I get into it (Brett is already up at the next hole waiting for us, btw he's parked slightly on the grass). I'll just give you the entire dialogue as that will be easier:
Prick 1: What's your name?!
Me: [quickly] Scott Peterson. (lie #1)
[Yes, the husband who murdered his pregnant wife and chopped her up]
He apparently doesn't hear me correctly and says:
Prick 1: Scott Peters?
[I didn't feel the need to correct him, as Scott Peters is a perfectly fine name]
Me: Yeah...
Prick 1: You're done for the day you guys head on in to the clubhouse. You've destroyed this golf course...
[Prick 2 starts calling the clubhouse]
Me: Destroyed? I put one divot in one green. (lie #2)
Prick 1: One? Does it look like I have *STUPID* written across my face [points to his forehead, at this point Dino is holding back laughter]. We've been watching you guys all day. I counted 4 [holding up 4 fingers] greens you've ruined.
Me: 4? Do you have a list?
Prick 1: W-w-well... Hole 4! You put 2 BIG divots in the green.
[This is actually not true. I par'd hole 4]
Me: Hole 4? I...
Prick 1: [sarcastically] You know what hole that is?
Me: Yeah, its the par 3 with th creek down the left side... they just finished the green so we don't have to play on temp-greens anymore (temp=temporary). I par'd that hole, I'd have no reason to be upset...
Prick 1: You're gonna pay for all this. You head on up to the clubhouse right now.
Prick 2: I'll follow 'em up there!
Prick 3: [to Brett] You know there's cart paths for a REASON!
Hahaha. I love Prick 3's contribution to the situation...
Me: Okay [at this point I've already got the plan 100% figured out]
The cart return/exit is obviously right next to the parking lot. All we have to do is park the carts, grab our shit, and haul ass to the car. I quickly tell this to Dino, who gets the message in only a few words, "We're getting the fuck out of here, grab your shit while you drive." So as Dino drives closely behind Brett I say to Brett, "Brett, collect all your shit while you drive, then park it, and haul ass to your car, we're leaving."
So we get to the cart rental return area. Park the carts, while the "manager" walks out and says, "I heard you were tearing up the course."
"No, I slammed my club on one hole I was out of line."
"Why'd you do that?"
"I don't know, pure frustration, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, yeah well don't do it anymore or we're gonna have to ask you to leave."
"Oh I won't, I'm really sorry, I just lost my cool. This game will do that to ya."
"Okay, well good day."
He walked back inside. We grabbed our bags and ran to the car as one of the pricks was approaching the cart area.
On the drive away Brett realized he'd left his glasses in his cart, so he had to go back in and get them from the pro-shop.
I do feel that I was totally out of line, tough. I took it a little too far...
Fun day...
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