Bearded Mike

Bad Beats 2011 - Deeb's Aces

2012-01-04T08:47:00.003-05:00

The 2+2Pokercast guys were doing their year-end review in episode 203 and then they got to the bad beats of the year it was...inspirational.

Although I knew them all I didn't see them all - but this one I did, and during the near-live coverage.

Deeb's Aces Cracked

There's so much that stands out about this, but the biggest all happen after the hand. First, the way Deeb takes it is professionalism on parade. Then when he busts shortly thereafter he described the hand in detail in his exit interview - it was some amazing inside baseball.

Afterthought - what in the world must Deeb's 5-bet range be like on-line?!

Microstakes legend

2011-04-21T23:13:00.002-04:00

My third poker site in a week...

2011-04-21T21:51:00.004-04:00

Testing Doyles Room now. First hand was 47 and I raised, then took it down on the flop with a bluff c-bet.

Well, I found a site to play on...

2011-04-18T22:02:00.004-04:00

1) Good news - I won the first thing I sat down at.

2) Bad news - I did something small to test the interface and it paid in VIP points. WTF?

3) Other - the winning screen is totally gay (NTTAWWT).

Poor TDL

2011-04-06T22:50:00.000-04:00

"I Knew It"

2011-04-03T17:56:00.004-04:00

My hands from Stars. Haven't figured out how to get the Tilt hands because Tilt's interface sucks. But this is similar to what it felt like.

Kings twice - once at 20BB when it took down the blinds, and once at 200BB when I ran it into aces. If you're keeping score at home the normal QQ, KK, AA, AK frequency is about 2.5%.

I'm a smart poker player - I don't just whine, I complain with statistics...

KCL Weekly $215

2011-04-03T16:44:00.003-04:00

This is a hand where inexperience was a factor. He opened and I raised the button. If that 3 is a 2 then I can play this and see what he does. If he's pat I have to break, and then I'm hold a straight draw. I probably should have flatted and see what he did on the draw, although if I flat and pat after he draws I'm playing my hand face-up, which is why I three-bet pre-draw in the first place.

And here's what $215 KCL was like...

2011-04-03T16:42:00.001-04:00

Now I need to know how to deposit money so I can play this every week...

Isildur1 challenge railbirding

2011-04-03T15:51:00.000-04:00

This is pretty sick. Get the idea that after check-raising flop and check-calling turn he's shoving any rag river there.

Poker Stars $50/$100 No Limit Hold'em - 2 players - View hand 1261566

DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

urnotindangr (BTN/SB): $10000.00

Isildur1 (BB): $51175.00

Pre Flop: ($150.00)

urnotindangr raises to $300, Isildur1 calls $200

Flop: ($600.00) 4 3 7 (2 players)

Isildur1 checks, urnotindangr bets $400, Isildur1 raises to $1450, urnotindangr calls $1050

Turn: ($3500.00) Q (2 players)

Isildur1 checks, urnotindangr bets $2200, Isildur1 calls $2200

River: ($7900.00) 5 (2 players)

Isildur1 bets $47225 all in, urnotindangr folds

Final Pot: $7900.00

Isildur1 wins $7900.00

Finally

2010-11-14T20:33:00.001-05:00

Determined to finish on a good note, played one SNG tonight. This was the last hand. Solid.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $100/200 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (Button): $9,315

PokrPsycho09 (BB): $4,185

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

JackJoker raises to $400, PokrPsycho09 raises to $1,200, JackJoker raises to $9,290 and is all-in, PokrPsycho09 calls $2,960 and is all-in, JackJoker returns $5,130,

Flop:($8,620) (2 Players)

Turn: ($8,620) (2 Players)

River: ($8,620) (2 Players)

Results:

PokrPsycho09 Showed

JackJoker Showed

JackJoker wins $8,370

JackJoker Showed

Gross

2010-11-14T20:22:00.000-05:00

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $75/150 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 4 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

julliano13 (Button): $2,160

JackJoker (SB): $2,115

tigerbalm (BB): $3,575

PokrPsycho09 (CO): $5,650

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

(2 folds), JackJoker calls $75, tigerbalm checks,

Flop:($300) (2 Players)

JackJoker bets $200, tigerbalm calls $200,

Turn: ($700) (2 Players)

JackJoker bets $500, tigerbalm calls $500,

River: ($1,700) (2 Players)

JackJoker bets $1,265 and is all-in, tigerbalm calls $1,265,

Results:

JackJoker Showed

tigerbalm Showed

JackJoker wins $4,230

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $75/150 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 4 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

julliano13 (Button): $2,160

JackJoker (SB): $2,115

tigerbalm (BB): $3,575

PokrPsycho09 (CO): $5,650

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

(2 folds), JackJoker calls $75, tigerbalm checks,

Flop:($300) (2 Players)

JackJoker bets $200, tigerbalm calls $200,

Turn: ($700) (2 Players)

JackJoker bets $500, tigerbalm calls $500,

River: ($1,700) (2 Players)

JackJoker bets $1,265 and is all-in, tigerbalm calls $1,265,

Results:

JackJoker Showed

tigerbalm Showed

JackJoker wins $4,230

Light Call

2010-11-14T20:01:00.001-05:00

Sort of an obvious call, but still felt good.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $25/50 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 7 Players

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Board:

julliano13 (Button): $1,460

JackJoker (SB): $1,615

tigerbalm (BB): $1,315

peepingbaby (UTG): $2,980

PokrPsycho09 (UTG+1): $2,075

LUCKYDUCK001 (MP1): $1,470

BVballa (CO): $2,585

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

(1 folds), PokrPsycho09 calls $50, (3 folds), JackJoker calls $25, tigerbalm checks,

Flop:($150) (3 Players)

JackJoker checks, tigerbalm checks, PokrPsycho09 checks,

Turn: ($150) (3 Players)

JackJoker checks, tigerbalm checks, PokrPsycho09 checks,

River: ($150) (3 Players)

JackJoker checks, tigerbalm checks, PokrPsycho09 bets $150, JackJoker calls $150, (1 folds),

Results:

PokrPsycho09 Showed

JackJoker Showed

JackJoker wins $450

Better part of valour

2010-11-13T10:38:00.002-05:00

I'm a pretty liberal defender and had I seen a flop I would have gone broke.

Obv

2010-11-13T10:22:00.001-05:00

Exactly what I expected him to have, and almost exactly what I expected to happen (I was looking for a 5, not an A or a K or a runner-runner flush).

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 9 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

mrcltda (UTG): $1,390

JackJoker (UTG+1): $1,600

Lotje2188 (CO): $1,475

mischanya73 (Button): $1,520

FrayedKnott (SB): $1,430

BFTOS (BB): $1,380

BrownsFan59 (MP1): $1,690

omijan (MP2): $1,540

sam2020 (MP4): $1,475

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

(1 folds), omijan raises to $80, (2 folds), JackJoker raises to $210, (4 folds), omijan calls $130,

Flop:($450) (2 Players)

omijan checks, JackJoker bets $300, omijan raises to $1,330 and is all-in, JackJoker calls $1,030,

Turn: ($3,110) (2 Players)

River: ($3,110) (2 Players)

Results:

omijan Showed

JackJoker Showed

omijan wins $3,110

Out early in 25k Super Stack

2010-11-06T15:07:00.004-04:00

So Fuzz has me playing these larger tournaments - $75 for my online bankroll is pretty big. Haven't played on on-line MTT since probably one of the WCOOPs a year or so ago, but this is pretty much how I remember them, The old set vs. flush draw.

Hold'em Manager Stat for 50BB level - 2 hands, -$3,725, EV-Adjusted +$1,827. (Insert famous Hellmuth quote here).

Fuzz is still in and over the starting stack.

First Night of Stars in 6 Months

2010-10-23T13:24:00.004-04:00

I jumped into the first SNG with one spot open which was $30, got out of line early, and went out quick. I was up 20 from 2-7 TDL but wanted to end on a better note so I turned to $10 HU. Between some decent cards and a noob (name changed) I won in 12 hands.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (Button): $1,500

PokerNoob (BB): $1,500

Dealt to: JackJoker

I raise pretty liberally on the button HU. Anything I would call with I raise with, and HU Q9 is a callable hand, so I raise.

Pre-flop:

JackJoker raises to $65, PokerNoob calls $45,

Flop:($140) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

Being the first hand I read little into his call. He checks, I c-bet, he calls. Standard.

JackJoker bets $70, PokerNoob calls $70,

Turn: ($280) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

I hit a pair on the turn and he checks. Now that I have a hand, I don’t want to turn second pair into a bluff, so I check behind and keep the pot small.

JackJoker checks,

River: ($280) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

He checks again. In general, when someone checks three times and I have second pair it means I have the best hand here. The easy thing to do is check behind, but this is the first hand and I don’t want to set that tone. If he folds he doesn’t know what I raised with, but I think there’s a chance he calls me down with any pair, so I bet. He calls with a pair of 5s.

JackJoker bets $150, PokerNoob calls $150,

Results:

JackJoker Showed

PokerNoob ,
JackJoker wins $570

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (Button): $1,765

PokerNoob (BB): $1,235

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

Again, playable hand on the button = raise, so I do, he calls.

JackJoker raises to $65, PokerNoob calls $45,

Flop:($140) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

I flop a pair. This is like the third hand so could he flat me pre-flop with an ace? Of course, but second pair HU is too good to check, so I bet, and he calls.

JackJoker bets $75, PokerNoob calls $75,

Turn: ($290) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

The turn is fairly harmless, and he checks. If I had the best hand on the flop I likely still do. However, it puts another heart on the board and I don’t want to reopen the betting to a semi-bluff with a draw that I would have trouble calling. Also, by checking I keep the pot small and give myself an easy call on the river if he leads. I check.

JackJoker checks,

River: ($290) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

Bingo. I’m 99.9% to have the best hand here (in HU math, that is). As is his pattern so far, he checks, and of course I have to value bet. He calls with bottom pair on the flop – I was winning the whole way.

JackJoker bets $150, PokerNoob calls $150,

Results:

JackJoker Showed

PokerNoob ,
JackJoker wins $580

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (CO): $2,055

PokerNoob (Button): $945

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

PokerNoob calls $10,

In the BB he limps and I’m happy to take a free flop with a junk hand.

JackJoker checks,

Flop:($40) (2 Players)

JackJoker checks,

With bottom pair out of position I’m content to check-fold here, but he checks behind.

PokerNoob checks,

Turn: ($40) (2 Players)

This is a reasonably safe card for me and he’s shown no interest in the pot – I bet, he folds. Next hand.

JackJoker bets $40, (1 folds), JackJoker returns $40,

Results:

JackJoker wins $40

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (Button): $2,075

PokerNoob (BB): $925

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

Playable button hand = raise. He calls.

JackJoker raises to $65, PokerNoob calls $45,

Flop:($140) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

I love this flop. However, I see little reason to bet it. I’m in position, and I’ve been betting a lot. If he did flat me with an ace I’m walking into a trap and can’t continue with a beautiful draw if I get raised, so I check.

JackJoker checks,

Turn: ($140) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

When he checks here this is a marginal spot. At this point he almost certainly does not have an ace, but I’m still playing 8-high with outs to play the board (!) so I check behind.

JackJoker checks,

River: ($140) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

Bingo again. Better to be lucky than good. If he’s cagey enough to check a king on the river I’ll concede the check-raise. I bet even though I have little idea what he’s holding here. No matter, he folds.

JackJoker bets $70, (1 folds), JackJoker returns $70,

Results:

JackJoker wins $130

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (CO): $2,140

PokerNoob (Button): $860

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

PokerNoob raises to $40,

This was his first raise on the button. It’s too small for me to fold even a junk hand, and I don’t want to encourage him to do what he should be doing, which is raising the button more often. I call.

JackJoker calls $20,

Flop:($90) (2 Players)

JackJoker checks, PokerNoob bets $60, (1 folds), PokerNoob returns $60,

Whiff. Check-fold time. I defended my blind which was all I planned to accomplish. Next hand.

Results:

PokerNoob wins $80

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (Button): $2,100

PokerNoob (BB): $900

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

This is a little out of line. A suited king is marginal even for me, but by now I know this is a weak player, I’m in position, and I have him well covered. I raise.

JackJoker raises to $65, PokerNoob calls $45,

Flop:($140) (2 Players)

PokerNoob bets $40, (1 folds), PokerNoob returns $40,

Results:

PokerNoob wins $130

Whiff, he bets, I fold. No reason to be stubborn here – I got caught.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (CO): $2,035

PokerNoob (Button): $965

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

PokerNoob calls $10,

What do you know? I get a real hand. He limps in as per normal, I raise, he calls.

JackJoker raises to $80, PokerNoob calls $60,

Flop:($180) (2 Players)

This is a pretty safe flop for me – only a random queen beats me and HU I’m not going to assume he has one (I'm not assuming a flush when playing HU, especially if I have one of the suit). His range is pretty much anything the way this match has been going. I bet, he calls.

JackJoker bets $90, PokerNoob calls $90,

Turn: ($360) (2 Players)

I can make a case here for betting – there are two overs, but I likely still have the best hand. However, I decide to be cautious and slow down. I check, he checks behind.

JackJoker checks, PokerNoob checks,

River: ($360) (2 Players)

Now I almost certainly have the best hand. However, this is one of those spots where it’s obvious that there’s almost no value to betting. DUCY? The only hand he can reasonably have that I can get a call from is a pair of 6s, but even that is a stretch. He’s unlikely to have a jack and even less likely to have a queen, but he could easily have a random ten and make a crying call. Also, given how weak-tight he has played I can’t rule out 8s or 9s. However, there are plenty of hands he can have that he could try to bet the river with that I can beat! Ace-high is commonly bet in this spot after two checks and as long as it’s a reasonable river bet I will snap-call. In the end, it’s all moot – he checks behind and I take it down with 7s.

JackJoker checks, PokerNoob checks,

Results:

JackJoker Showed

PokerNoob ,
JackJoker wins $340

Once I see his
it turns out he has the only thing I might have gotten a small call from.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

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Board:

JackJoker (Button): $2,205

PokerNoob (BB): $795

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

Suited 2-gapper, he’s too bad for me to NOT raise, so I do, and he folds.

JackJoker raises to $65, (1 folds), JackJoker returns $45,

Results:

JackJoker wins $40

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (Button): $2,235

PokerNoob (BB): $765

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

Connecting cards? What do you think I’m doing? I raise, he calls.

JackJoker raises to $65, PokerNoob calls $45,

Flop:($140) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

Again, second pair heads-up is pretty good. He checks so I bet.

JackJoker bets $70, PokerNoob raises to $140,

Whoa! He check-raises - didn’t see that coming. Spunky all the sudden. I don’t quite know how to read this given it’s pretty much his first act of aggression, but it’s a min-raise, and I have a pair, so I can’t fold. His most likely hand is a pair of jacks here. I’m confident in what he has and what I need to win, and the raise is small so I call.

JackJoker calls $70,

Turn: ($420) (2 Players)

PokerNoob checks,

Queen-ball and he checks. Hmmm, what could he possibly have? I missed my trips and two-pair draw but his check tells me his jacks are shrinking. I bet the scare card and I bet small enough that if he check-shoves me I can confidently fold my third-pair. But he does what I want, which is fold. Sadly, this is one of the few times I actually had to think much in this match.

JackJoker bets $200, (1 folds), JackJoker returns $200,

Results:

JackJoker wins $410

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

JackJoker (CO): $2,440

PokerNoob (Button): $560

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

PokerNoob calls $10,

Wow, this guy has to be pretty tired of me by now. He’s almost broke and has won just three hands in the 11 that were dealt. And the news for him gets worse – I have a real hand again. Obviously I raise his limp.

JackJoker raises to $80, PokerNoob calls $60,

Flop:($180) (2 Players)

Nut flush draw, and ace high – I bet half the pot.

JackJoker bets $80,

PokerNoob raises to $480 and is all-in,

He quickly shoves and given what he has left, and my great draw, it’s an easy call.

JackJoker calls $400,

Turn: ($1,140) (2 Players)

River: ($1,140) (2 Players)

He actually turns over a real hand – pair with an OE straight draw. But as the cards lie, it’s actually a coin flip with my two overs and flush draw. I spike the flush on the turn to have him drawing dead, and to add insult to injury, he hits his useless straight on the river.

Results:

JackJoker Showed

PokerNoob Showed

JackJoker wins $1,120

JackJoker Showed

Jill's Second Royal

2010-09-09T09:53:00.001-04:00

Bing Blang Blaow

2010-03-10T17:23:00.001-05:00

Another episode of famous 74 hands...

2009-12-29T21:57:00.001-05:00

Durrrr

Errr, OK

2009-10-20T20:50:00.002-04:00

I haven't been on-line in months. I couldn't find a lowball game so I slummed it in some micro-limit hold'em and this came up after maybe a dozen hands. Given how few hands I'd seen he could just as easily had a set of fives, but wow, wtf?

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $0.25/0.50 NO Limit Texas Holdem Cash Games, 8 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

smbass77 (CO): $31.85

JackJoker (Button): $46.25

sebight (SB): $34.45

^^aYheM (BB): $14.60

mnballa31 (UTG): $90.75

Calimeh (UTG+1): $27

Juicy Junket (MP1): $81.45

poulpi83 (MP2): $50

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

(5 folds)
JackJoker raises to $1.50
sebight calls $1.25
(1 folds)

Flop:($3.50) (2 Players)

sebight bets $5.50
JackJoker calls $5.50

Turn: ($14.50) (2 Players)

sebight bets $27.45 and is all-in
JackJoker calls $27.45

River: ($69.40) (2 Players)

Results:

sebight Showed

JackJoker Showed

JackJoker wins $66.40

Yo Fiddy

2009-07-14T12:46:00.001-04:00

More ragging on Phil

2009-07-13T22:39:00.001-04:00

This is an old Paul Philips post but I hadn't seen it.

Ragging on Phil

2009-07-10T13:06:00.000-04:00

Phil Hellmuth rode his luck to accumulate a respectable 135,000 stack, but not without controversy on the way. Featuring on the ESPN coverage table, a fellow player called Dan Druff tried to give the 11 times bracelet winner a hairy time. When Hellmuth raised UTG, Druff sarcastically chimed, 'Can you see my cards? Oh wait, I forgot, we're not on Ultimate Bet' (referring to the Ultimate Bet<http://www.caledonianmedia.com/sitestat.aspx?siteurl=9547> cheating scandal, which saw UB employees with master accounts swindle players out of thousands). Rather than back down, Hellmuth responded, 'So a company has some low-level employees do some dishonest things that people don't know about for awhile. Do you blame everyone in the company for that?'. Before discussions could go any further, a WSOP floor man intervened, and gave players a final warning.

WSOP 8-Game Mixed

2009-07-08T00:21:00.002-04:00

Last Caesars tourney of the trip

2009-07-04T01:15:00.002-04:00

Played for about five hours and played fine. Didn’t get involved much early. My first table was on the outskirts and I knew it would break. I listened to my Shuffle and had a massage for all of level 2. On my second table I ran an interesting squeeze play. Scandi player in earlier position raised to 1800 at 300/600 level when I was in the SB. The button announced raise and then realized there was a raise already, so he put in 1800. Someone called him on announcing raise so the ruling was the minimum, to 3000. I looked down at KJ. Compared to what I had been getting, it looked like aces, plus I figured it was live. With so much dead money I decided to move in for about 9500. The initial raiser folded and once he did there wasn’t much the accidental raiser could do. The ten seat was smiling like it was obvious what I was doing and I showed the hand. Even when it’s obvious it’s hard to call-off for them in that situation.

At 400/800 with 75 ante the accidental raiser made it 2275 which was all his chips except for his chocolate (5k). I looked down at queens and felt sick, I just knew it wasn’t going to end well. I was up in my seat and agonizing – incredibly, I considered folding. I decided to raise enough to put the initial raiser all-in leaving me about 6500. Two seats later pondered and eventually moved in for 19k. The seat right after him agonized for about 30 seconds before folding and then it folded to the initial raiser who called. As sick as I felt I obviously called. I was shocked to see the initial with KJ of spades – I feared worse. The guy who had me covered had AK-off with one of my suits covered. Flop had an ace right in the door and that was that.

I wasn’t even mildly upset – I saw it coming as soon as I looked down at aces. Poker is like that. When you’re playing a lot you practically see things before they happen, like the Matrix. I was almost 53% three-way and if I win that I have over 30k chips at 400/800. No regrets.

Poker is pretty much done for this trip. Gambling store and Rio tomorrow, Fix for dinner, and Lavo after, then headed home Sunday morning.

Latest Caesars non-cashing experience...

2009-07-03T02:35:00.000-04:00

Played the 7pm second chance tourney at Caesars with Andy, Ads, John, Will, and Amir. Chips 6k, 40 minute levels, 25/50 starting. Will and Amir were out within 30 minutes. I futzed around with some small pots and then raised AQ hearts in level 2. The SB re-raised to 600 and I flatted. Flop was 8-high with two hearts. He led and I shoved and he called. Kings, no heart, and I hit an ace on the river. One hit-out down, up to 8500 chips.

Then I opened with jacks after being pretty active raising. The SB flatted and an early limper called as well. The flop with T83 with two diamonds and both checked. I bet a little less than pot and the SB re-raised to 2200 and the limper folded. I didn’t see how I was behind and assumed he was playing back at me because I had been so active. I shoved. He said “oh shit” which made me feel pretty good. But then he said “I’ve already seen you beat this hand” which made me feel like oh shit. He had kings.

After that I had to shove several times. Ax without looking at the second card got called by KT and I doubled up. Tends got called by deuces. I got up to about 4500. I called a raise out of my BB with AT suited and checked AKx flop with two clubs. Raiser bet and I called. Turn was third club and I check-folded and he showed AK. Yeesh. After dropping a couple more small pots (limp, folding flops) the blinds went to 200/400 which put me below 10 big blinds.

A7 suited on the button with a standard raise in front and I shoved. SB (AK guy) said “I’ll give you some protection” and re-shoved. The original raiser folded and the SB had kings. Interestingly with the dead money and the folded big blind I was almost getting value with this hand. At 32.7% the value was 2020 for my 2300 all-in. Neither here nor there but interesting.

The trip's "Main Event"

2009-06-30T03:29:00.001-04:00

Event #25
Tuesday, June 30th at 12 Noon
$230 buy-in, 2-7 Triple Draw, 10,000 starting chips, 2,000 additional chips for optional $10 Staff Bonus (12,000 starting chips total) 40 minute rounds.

Between me, Andy, and Adam we should have at least one at the final table...

Darryll Fish

2009-06-29T16:02:00.001-04:00

Gainesville boy who has moved around to play professionally for the last several years. He's in Poker Player on the list of highest batting average through the first 20 events - 6 entries, 4 cashes. Sick.

Best Post-Nightclub Poker Ever

2009-06-28T02:03:00.001-04:00

After stumbling out of Pure last night Ads, Ades, Will, and I all went straight to the poker room for 1/2 NL. The players were practically salivating at the sight of us. Ads didn’t stay but the other three of all were all up more than $1,000 after about five hours. I dumped about 150 to Will as soon as he sat down bluffing off with AT. After rebuying I got slow-rolled by a guy with a boat who showed a pair of 8s before flipping over his other card.

My big hands:

Pocket 8s, flopped a set on an all-spades board. I check-called a bet from Dragon Lady. Turn is the case 8. I checked and she bet a $100 bill. I pondered it for a minute mostly for show but also trying to figure out what exactly she had. The river was a three of diamonds and I paused for affect, then led for $150, and she flat called. Nice pot.

QJ diamonds with a raise in front, and a sizable one. Leather Ass had over 1500 in front of him when we showed up. He also thought it was funny when I got slow-rolled. He made it 16 which was pretty sizable with just one limper. I had over 800 in front and called as did one other. Flop was KQx with two diamonds. He bet $100 stiff, straight away. After some thought the only hand I was really worried about was AK with the ace of diamonds. I decided a flush would take it down if I hit it. I also expected another queen would be good. Turn was a deuce of diamonds and he bet again, I shoved, and he insta-called.

River was the ace of hearts and he showed pocket kings for flopped top set, and the loser. Here’s where it gets weird. He started whining about not realizing how much money I had (whoops, whose fault is that?). At first it was reasonable, “I’ve been playing for 14 hours,” (kudos, Leather Ass), but then he said “you had your bills in your hand” and I was out of my chair in a flash. The floor was called a couple of times in the verbal melee that ensued. He also said “I didn’t call you a cheater, idiot.” Awesome, I’m being insulted by someone without sense enough to know that hiding cash is cheating.

Here’s a lesson for the kiddies – when someone shoves on you there’s no shame in asking how much they have. The fact is he’s probably not getting away from a set of kings there, but if there’s some amount of money he would fold for it’s easy to ask. You’re not giving away any information by not acting right away since there’s nothing left for the all-in to do. Now he has a great “beat” story to tell about the donk who hit out on him with two unders to his pocket kings. Of course, I put in $16 as a 4-to-1 dog and $100 as a 2-to-1 dog, but he put $700 in as a 4-to-1 dog. So far, he’s the lead nominee for the Douchebag of the Trip.

I started to pack up my chips and leave but the floor begged me to stay and Leather Ass changed seats. The only consolation for me was he spent 14 hours building up that stack and two minutes to dump half of it to me. Our table broke and I was able to take my cash off the table, $500 in the pocket and took over $1k in chips over. Will and I played together at that table for a couple of hours. Nothing too exciting except a bluff-raise to $150 on the river with king-high that I showed when the guy insta-mucked to my bet. When we cashed out around 9 am I had over $1400 in chips to go with the five bills.

1/2 at Venetian

2009-06-27T07:53:00.001-04:00

Over over 1k in less than 2 hours. Guy called me a cheater. Awesome. So angry but I have the chips.

One week in

2009-06-26T16:40:00.004-04:00

Not a productive week so far. Stud/8 yesterday went like most tournaments for me - I played well until I didn't. Ads and Ades are starting Day 2 today of a Ceasar's mega stack event with two tables left. Can you believe those limeys? Two tables left and BOTH are in! I'm half surprised Will and Amir aren't still in it.

Played a bit of cash last night with Amir, Will, and Doug - not an easy table. Amir is interesting - based on the percentage of times he raises you'd think he's popping down to Q7 but every hand he showed down was something big. I ducked out while I was still up something.

I think we're playing in the 7pm at Ceasar's after sweating the lads and their (hopefully) final table.

I've been mostly Tweeting - www.twitter.com/beardedmiguel

My first "bad beat'

2009-06-20T20:15:00.001-04:00

Went to PH today because last year their 1/2 was steady income whenever I needed a boost, and after last night I did. Called a raise from a young hotshot, flopped a set and bet it. Turn gave me quad 5s and with 2 diamonds on board I checked hoping he'd catch up and he checked behind. Board paired 8s on river, I bet he folded.

But an hour later they started talking about the quad jackpots. Uhh, the what? Every hand has a different one up to 500 or so. 5s would have been $126. D'oh!

Funny jvfricke post

2009-06-11T21:17:00.002-04:00

jvfricke
This guy uses the phil hellmuth pose when he's in a pot. And he's not doing it satirically.

Saturday, cash game 6pm

2009-06-08T23:59:00.001-04:00

Me
Sean
Dan
Alonzo (sp)
Phil
Hank
Seth (probably)

74 on HSP

2009-06-08T17:02:00.001-04:00

June Vegas Schedule (Version 3.0)

2009-06-07T07:36:00.001-04:00

Caesars is now posted!

Binions' tournaments start at 2pm and are 30-minute levels.
Golden Nugget tournaments start at noon.
Venetian tournaments start at noon and are 45-minute levels.
Ceasars tournaments start at noon and are 50-minute levels.

June 20
Binions - NLHE - $200/$10 - 4,000/2,000
Venetian - NLHE - $550/$10 - 12,500/2,500
Caesars - NLHE - $540/$10 - 15,000/3,000

June 21
Binions - NLHE - $150/$10 - 3,000/2,000
Venetian - NLHE - $1,070/$10 - 12,500/2,500
WSOP Mixed Event 42 - $2,500 - 5pm

June 22
Binions - PLO/8 - $200/$10 - 4,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - NLHE - $225
Venetian - NLHE - $550/$10 - 12,500/2,500
Caesars - NLHE - $330/$10 - 12,000/3,000

June 23
Binions - NLHE - $150/$10 - 3,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - PLO - $230
Venetian - NLHE - $330/$10 - 10,000/2,000
Caesars - NLHE - $540/$10 - 15,000/3,000

June 24
Binions - HORSE - $200/$10 - 4,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - NLHE - $225
Venetian - NLHE - $330/$10 - 10,000/2,000
Caesars - NLHE - $330/$10 - 12,000/3,000

June 25
Binions - Limit HE - $150/$10 - 3,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - Stud/8 - $230
Venetian - NLHE - $550/$10 - 10,000/2,000
Caesars - NLHE - $540/$10 - 15,000/3,000

June 26
Binions - 6-max NLHE - $200/$10 - 4,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - HORSE - $230
Venetian - NLHE - $2,100/$10 - 15,000/5,000

June 27
Binions - PLO/8 - $200/$10 - 4,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - O/8 - $230
Venetian - NLHE - $550/$10 - 10,000/2,000
Caesars - NLHE - $330/$10 - 12,000/3,000
WSOP Event 51 - $1,500 - Noon

June 28
Binions - NLHE - $150/$10 - 3,000/2,000
Venetian - NLHE - $1,070/$10 - 12,500/2,500
WSOP Event 53 - $1,500 - 5pm
Caesars - NLHE - $540/$10 - 15,000/3,000

June 29
Binions - Crazy Pineapple - $150/$10 - 3,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - HORSE - $230
Venetian - NLHE - $330/$10 - 10,000/2,000
Caesars - NLHE - $330/$10 - 12,000/3,000
WSOP Event 54 - $1,500 - Noon
WSOP Event 55 - $2,500 - 5pm

June 30
Binions - Limit O/8 - $150/$10 - 3,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - 2-7 TDL - $230
Venetian - NLHE - $330/$10 - 10,000/2,000
Caesars - NLHE - $540/$10 - 15,000/3,000

July 1
Binions - NLHE - $200/$10 - 4,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - PLO - $230
Venetian - NLHE - $330/$10 - 10,000/2,000
Caesars - NLHE - $330/$10 - 12,000/3,000

July 2
Golden Nugget - NLHE - $225
Venetian - NLHE - $550/$10 - 10,000/2,000

July 3
Binions - NLHE - $150/$10 - 3,000/2,000
Golden Nugget - NLHE - $225
Venetian - NLHE - $550/$10 - 10,000/2,000
Caesars - NLHE - $540/$10 - 15,000/3,000

July 4
Binions - NLHE - $200/$10 - 4,000/2,000
Venetian - NLHE - $1,070/$10 - 12,500/2,500

Binion's Poker Classic

Golden Nugget Grand Poker Series
Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza

Caesars Mega Stack

Best Bearded Bobblehead Ever

2009-06-03T22:28:00.002-04:00

Poker News quoting me last year...

2009-06-02T10:08:00.002-04:00

http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting/2008-world-series-of-poker/event-40-2500-2-7-triple-draw/day1/page14.htm

Sun Jun 22 2008 12:34 PST | Posted by F-Train

Words of Wisdom
Overheard at Blue #1: "I think the book says, 'Don't value-call with a king against a pat hand.' I think I read that somewhere."

Veldhuis to Andy Black

2009-05-30T10:43:00.004-04:00

After shoving on him for all Black's chips.

"You're a live player I'm an internet player. You've been tanking for three minutes. If you don't know where you're at by now you should change careers."

These internet kids today...

Moneymaker

2009-05-30T10:31:00.003-04:00

You (Hank) were right but barely. Out 10 spots shy of the money.

Tony G had been playing like usual, bluffing pots with 6 high. MM opens, G RRs, and MM shoves. G calls saying "here, take it" and flips over AKs to race MM's queens. King on turn.

That put MM down to 200-something with 8k/16k blinds. He pushed AI over Ted Forrests raise - who had only recently shown up having over slept dinner break, and who called AI a few hands earlier for a big bet with A7s vs AK. MM had tens, Forrest called with kings, and they both flopped sets.

I was hoping he at least cashed. He is not a great player but we all owe a lot to the Moneymaker Boom.

Chip and a Chair

2009-05-17T19:26:00.003-04:00

After running into a flopped boat when I flopped trip-9s I was down to 90 chips in 6-max. And came back to win. What was my triple-up hand? 74 that flopped 7s, turned trips, and rivered quads. Suckit.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $15/30 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 6 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

aycaramba87 (SB): $1,490

JackJoker (BB): $90

Braddr55 (UTG): $2,880

Robstar494 (UTG+1): $1,250

Kenny Bender (CO): $1,990

SlickNick57 (Button): $1,300

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

Braddr55 calls $30, (2 folds), SlickNick57 raises to $120, (1 folds), JackJoker calls $60 and is all-in, Braddr55 calls $90,

Flop:($345) (3 Players)

Braddr55 checks, SlickNick57 bets $90, Braddr55 calls $90,

Turn: ($525) (3 Players)

Braddr55 bets $30, SlickNick57 calls $30,

River: ($585) (3 Players)

Braddr55 bets $90, SlickNick57 raises to $1,060 and is all-in, (1 folds), SlickNick57 returns $970,

Results:

SlickNick57 Showed

SlickNick57 wins $480

JackJoker Showed

JackJoker wins $285

Banned Ladbrokes ad (Sharks)

2009-05-12T13:33:00.001-04:00

Banned Ladbrokes ad

2009-05-12T13:31:00.001-04:00

KCL is so easy...

2009-04-25T00:17:00.001-04:00

Eh, Run it Four Times...in PLO

2009-04-22T23:51:00.001-04:00

0.3% chance.

Jockey Club - 1 BR

2009-04-21T15:39:00.001-04:00

"Skills, get 'em"

2009-04-20T21:46:00.001-04:00

I just love this response to a 2+2 post about the bankroll needed for 1/2 NL.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: how big a roll do most $1-2 NL players in vegas have to work with??
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You should be able to weather a 20-50 buy in downswing, but I've never seen it live. If you are stressing, its because you cant beat a 1-2 game and they dont offer less.

P.S. last time I went to Vegas I took 2k and forgot my atm card. Came home with 12k and lost 4k to brad booth.....Skills, get em.

Jockey Club

2009-04-20T12:58:00.000-04:00

From the sidewalk at Bellagio.

Four-Outed on the River and out of SCOOP

2009-04-12T18:39:00.002-04:00

It’s not as bad as it sounds. The raiser here was pretty active so I was comfortable going with AK suited here figuring at worse it was a race and I re-raised enough to tie myself to the hand. I nail the flop, hitting a flush. When the turn paired the board I knew instinctively what was next. In truth, I just lost a race, but it looks much sicker this way, tease.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $125/250 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 9 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

ermidnite (UTG): $22,772

I-SOB (UTG+1): $6,782

BKiCe (MP1): $5,824

doctor_aces (CO): $18,500

JackJoker (Button): $5,570

Raindrops_69 (SB): $15,565

Cloudag88 (BB): $12,827

swigger36160 (MP2): $11,131

xThomasBB (MP4): $3,669

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

(4 folds)
BKiCe raises to $600
(1 folds)
JackJoker raises to $2,500
(2 folds)
BKiCe raises to $5,794 and is all-in
JackJoker calls $3,040 and is all-in
BKiCe returns $254

Flop:($11,455) (2 Players)

Turn: ($11,455) (2 Players)

River: ($11,455) (2 Players)

Results:

BKiCe Showed

JackJoker Showed

BKiCe wins $11,725

Scoop Main Even First Hour

2009-04-12T17:39:00.000-04:00

I flopped two sets in the first hour and am even with 9,980 chips. I haven’t slow-played anything and it’s cost me action, but giving cards in tournaments can lead to an early exit when tied to a hand (which was the case both times I had sets – no way I’m folding to any action).

I dropped 1k on the second hand. Seven-handed, blind-vs-blind steal from the SB and I have 9s in the BB. I re-raise and he flats and checks and ace-high flop. I c-bet it, he called and I shut down when he checked the turn. He made a stiff river bet and I folded. I was hitting the “commitment threshold” if I bet the turn and I wasn’t going to go out with 9s so I just gave it up.

The numbers are amazing:
18,747 entrants
16,031 remaining. That’s almost 15% gone in an hour.
$1.87 mm prize pool.

They’re paying almost 17% and first gets only 10% which I think is stupid, even though I have no plans to be first.

H00dster is right about at the average stack at this point which is 11,600.

Satellite to SCOOP Main Event

2009-04-10T17:37:00.002-04:00

Last night I satellited into the small Main Event. When it was down to about 15 players there was a huge stack who raised every hand. I got disconnected during a break and after missing a few hands got on just in time to see aces to his raise to put me all-in. Um, call. I was lucky on seats - I was right behind him when it was two tables and at the final table (with eight seats up for grabs) I was two seats behind him. I only called him twice, once with aces and once with AK, and won both times.

I had nothing to do with this hand but it just entertained me. This is about as loose a call as you will ever see - it's not as if the re-raiser didn't have enough chips to make a serious raise. Big Stack isn't even getting 1.5-to-1 on his call. Those are really bad odds to call with when you're a 7-to-1 dog...

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $400/800 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 9 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

Grey Poopon (CO): $31,046

koolkat25 (Button): $32,396

GOOPAGE2000 (SB): $34,740

gabe2323 (BB): $16,459

raghu422 (UTG): $17,021

jas0501 (UTG+1): $24,678

yb mrdealm (MP1): $99,000

thejeanious (MP2): $12,556

JackJoker (MP4): $30,104

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

(2 folds), yb mrdealm raises to $4,000, (2 folds), Grey Poopon raises to $30,946 and is all-in, (3 folds), yb mrdealm calls $26,946,

Flop:($63,092) (2 Players)

Turn: ($63,092) (2 Players)

River: ($63,092) (2 Players)

Results:

yb mrdealm Showed

Grey Poopon Showed

Grey Poopon wins $63,992

SHUTE

2009-04-09T22:02:00.004-04:00

Shortest Heads-Up Tourney Ever.

Literally the FIRST hand of the SNG.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $10/20 NO Limit Texas Holdem Tournament, 2 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

eveliene (Button): $1,500

JackJoker (BB): $1,500

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

eveliene raises to $60, JackJoker raises to $150, eveliene raises to $1,500 and is all-in, JackJoker calls $1,350 and is all-in,

Flop:($3,030) (2 Players)

Turn: ($3,030) (2 Players)

River: ($3,030) (2 Players)

Results:

JackJoker Showed

eveliene Showed

JackJoker wins $3,000

What Would Hank Do?

2009-04-09T18:11:00.007-04:00

I don't try to be a tricky razz player - pretty straight forward. You get a lot of action from people drawing with face cards up on 4th and 5th so why bother? The only thing I do on a occasion is try to "bet through" a card or two behind me when there are a lot of high cards out to take down the bring-in and antes.

In this hand the straight-forward answer on 4th is just fold.

PokerStars Game #26909700473: Tournament #200904151, $40+$4 8-Game (Razz Limit) - Level XX (400/800) - 2009/04/09 17:24:19 ET
Table '200904151 138' 6-max
Seat 1: marty310 (12346 in chips)
Seat 2: bobvegàs (8476 in chips)
Seat 3: JackJoker (7932 in chips)
Seat 4: charly441 (13015 in chips)
Seat 5: brf007 (5428 in chips)
Seat 6: KidGrind61 (12594 in chips)
JackJoker: posts the ante 80
charly441: posts the ante 80
brf007: posts the ante 80
KidGrind61: posts the ante 80
marty310: posts the ante 80
bobvegàs: posts the ante 80
*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to marty310

Dealt to bobvegàs

Dealt to JackJoker

Dealt to charly441

Dealt to brf007

Dealt to KidGrind61

JackJoker: brings in for 120
charly441: calls 120
brf007: calls 120
KidGrind61: folds
marty310: folds
bobvegàs: folds

So I have no interest in this hand. I expected a raise somewhere and of course I insta-fold. But, no raise. A limp right behind me and another stragler.

*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to JackJoker

Dealt to charly441

Dealt to brf007

charly441: bets 400
brf007: folds

Now I'm suspicious. He limped right behind the bring-in but this isn't usually a game where people get tricky and go for a limp-re-raise. So, if he had a great hand why limp behind and then come out firing? It seems most likely that he's just betting his board, which with my ten up and the other straggler catching a jack, is a good play. If he has 87 down, about the best I can hope for, I'm still 44%. I decided to take a card off and see if he bricked and if I catch.

JackJoker: calls 400
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to JackJoker

Dealt to charly441

charly441: bets 800

Not according to plan. I catch but so does he. If I put him 87 I know I'm a favorite because I'm drawing to a smooth 8, but I can't call one bet. If I call 5th I have to run this out and likely call 2400, not easy with my stack. The other problem is he could have a 9 made and be drawing to a 7 - I could improve and still lose. I didn't know the exact numbers at the time but I knew it wasn't good (I would be 31% if he's drawing to a 7). I decided to fold because I didn't want to call-off 2400 with my stack, and I felt like if I called here I had to commit to the hand.

JackJoker: folds
Uncalled bet (800) returned to charly441
charly441 collected 1640 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1640 | Rake 0
Seat 1: marty310 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 2: bobvegàs folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 3: JackJoker folded on the 5th Street
Seat 4: charly441 collected (1640)
Seat 5: brf007 folded on the 4th Street
Seat 6: KidGrind61 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)

Probably the best play was just fold on fourth when he bet. He could be making a move but why would he limp after the bring-in with less than an 8-draw on third? Again, I'm a slight favorite if he has exactly 87 buried. If he manages to have one of the two remaining sixes I'm a three-to-one dog. By the numbers, I could take off a card and hope to hit my 8 and that he bricks hard. I didn't realize it at the time, but if I hit a 3,4,6, or 7 and he hits a ten or pairs (visibly or otherwise) then the hand is over and I have it won. Of course, I didn't realize that at the time, and in any event I had seen three of my outs folded already.

I am no Hellmuth

2009-04-07T18:47:00.003-04:00

I am not good enough to show up late. Running bad and playing bad. I got moved and was glad but got moved to a crazy-fast table. 8s raise into an ace without pause. At 907 with it about to start back up at 60 ante, 300/600. If I'm the bring-in I almost have to go with it.

First Bad Bet of SCOOP Stud/8

2009-04-07T17:39:00.001-04:00

I decided not to risk it by late registering even though I'd miss about an hour of the tournament. Bad decision. I got home one minute before the break ended and they were still registering. So instead of 5k chips to start I have 4250. I got my hand history for the last hour - 60 hands. I'm stunned that many hands were dealt in an hour.

Baklava-esque Tournament

2009-04-07T01:10:00.003-04:00

One that lasts forever for a little bit of money. This one ended the hand after I went out third, so almost four hours long.

This is a strange game. Right before it started I worked out some of the math in Excel and played a lot tighter than the first two times I tried it. This game also is made for snowing.

Most of my bluffs were pre-draw steals but I picked up on some really good spots for the future. One is when both you and an opponent draw one and you have position and the first draw is checked. If you have a really good three card hand (say, to a 6) and you both draw one the second time and don't improve, it's a good spot to bet and then if your opponent calls-draws (common) stand pat. If you draw and miss often you'll face a bet and you may have the best hand, but tough to call when you brick. When you stand pat it's very unlikely you'll have a bet on the end unless someone holds a strong Badugi. So, rapping pat gives up your 10% to 17% chance of improving but it's much more likely you get to a showdown with no further betting and a strong three-card hand.

Anyway, I figured this out as soon as I bet and then broke and faced a bet on the end. Also if you have a good three-card hand and you're both drawing one, really you should be betting in position. In my case it was late in the tourney, blinds were huge, and it was pot limit so I risked getting blown off the hand and checked after the first draw for pot control. I bet after the second fairly sure I had the best draw. Unfortunately I went for on the end and faced a big bet and decided to fold. That's when rapping-pat and checking down occured to me as an interesting play.

SCOOP - TDL

2009-04-06T18:24:00.002-04:00

With 138 hands dealt, there were 902 people left (half) and I was 48th in chips. I had drawn in 25% of the hands and won 45%, and won 69% of showdown hands and seven hands without a showdown.

Then the downward spiral began.

With nothing to fight with over the next 51 hands I played nine (which basically equates to a hand for every orbit) and won not a single one.

This is what it looks like to go card dead at high blinds.

150/300 blinds
Dealt to JackJoker [2d Ad 3d 4d 8h]
This was the last hand I won in the tournament and had 20,980 chips and led my table by a 3-to-1 margin over the next biggest stack. Someone later replaced a bust-out and had about 25k.
Dealt to JackJoker [7d 9c Qd Qh 5c]

200/400 blinds
Dealt to JackJoker [4s Qc 9d 6h Kd]
Dealt to JackJoker [2h Ts 9c 7h 8s]
Dealt to JackJoker [3s Jh Js 9d 2d]
Dealt to JackJoker [Ah As Qd Ts 9s]
Dealt to JackJoker [2s 6h Qh 7h 2d]
I called a raise here and drew twice and folded before the last draw against a pat hand. Questionable all the way wound including my fold when I had a 4 and had seen another 4.
Dealt to JackJoker [7d 2h 4h 5s 8d]
Raised got one caller and he drew one so I put him on a nut draw and broke the 8. We checked the first, he bet and I called the second, and I called a bet on the end when I hit a 9. He had 86. Questionable break but I think he chases me down here.
Dealt to JackJoker [2d Ts Th 5d Kc]
Dealt to JackJoker [9d Ah Td Ad Kd]
Dealt to JackJoker [5h Tc 7h 4d Kc]
Dealt to JackJoker [6c Td 9c 4d As]
Dealt to JackJoker [Jd Kd 9s 9c 8s]
Dealt to JackJoker [7s Ad 2h 5s 8d]
I raised and got one caller and drew to the nuts in position. We both drew one on the end and he checked and I wound up with 2457 – 2. I bluffed and he called with a 97.
Dealt to JackJoker [9h 9c 3c 8c 6d]
Dealt to JackJoker [6c 5d As 3h 4c]
I folded first in. If I knew what the next 30 hands would look like I may have acted differently.
Dealt to JackJoker [3c 8h Ts Ac Ad]

250/500 blinds
Dealt to JackJoker [Qd 4c 7c 3s Jd]
3-bet before it got to me – no chance to even steal.
Dealt to JackJoker [Jh Td 3s Qc 7s]
Dealt to JackJoker [3s Tc Jc 9c 4h]
Dealt to JackJoker [Ah Kh 8c Jd 8s]
Dealt to JackJoker [Jh Kd Th Qs 7d]
Dealt to JackJoker [9c 7s Td 5d 8h]
Dealt to JackJoker [5s 6d 6s 5d Tc]
Dealt to JackJoker [2d 4h 7s Ks Ah]
Flat called a raise and BB called and drew one. Picked up another AK, BB bet me and the raiser called and BB stood pat. I hit Q8, BB bet and original raiser raised and I folded.
Dealt to JackJoker [Jh Ks As Kd Qs]
Dealt to JackJoker [Jd Qc 5c 8h Kc]
Dealt to JackJoker [9h 4c Ad 7d 8s]
Dealt to JackJoker [Ah 3c 6s Qs 7c]
Dealt to JackJoker [6d Jh 6h Kc Kh]
Dealt to JackJoker [Td 9h 4d Js 8h]
Dealt to JackJoker [5c 7s Kc Js 6c]
Dealt to JackJoker [4h 4c 7h Ks Ah]
Dealt to JackJoker [3c 6s 6h 5s 2c]
9730 when this hand came up. I raised first-in and was RR, I capped it because RR was a short stack with 1-1/2 more bets). We both drew 2 then 1 then 1 and I wound up with a pair of 3s vs. a jack.
Dealt to JackJoker [As Td 6d Jd 4h]
Dealt to JackJoker [Ah 7s Js Qs Jd]
Dealt to JackJoker [Jc 7d Kd Tc 6h]

300/600 blinds
Dealt to JackJoker [Qh 3c 4h 8s Kd]
Raise in front or I might have tried stealing with this one.
Dealt to JackJoker [Ad 9d 9h 4s 6s]
Dealt to JackJoker [Qs Kh 7h Jc Qc]
Dealt to JackJoker [As 5d Ac Jd 8d]
Dealt to JackJoker [3h 8d 9h Td Ts]
Dealt to JackJoker [9s Qs 8c Qh 4c]
Dealt to JackJoker [7d Jc 9h Jh 5s]
Dealt to JackJoker [5h 5s As Jc Tc]
Dealt to JackJoker [7c Qs 3h Qd 4c]
Dealt to JackJoker [Td Th 2s 6s Kh]
Dealt to JackJoker [7s 3h 2s Qc 7c]
I three bet this one and was called by a one-draw. I checked behind after bricking and he checked and I drew two again and bricked. I checked, be bet, and I folded. I would have stuck it all in with this draw but once I got through two draws with no betting and no hand there was nothing else to do.
Dealt to JackJoker [As Jd 2c Qh 6c]
Dealt to JackJoker [4h 9c 2h As 6d]
Dealt to JackJoker [9d 4h Kc 8d Ac]
Dealt to JackJoker [As 2s 4d Jd 8h]
With the BB coming on the next hand I decided to just try and get it in with this hand since I had about six big blinds. I bricked off the first draw then pulled a 9 on the second draw with him drawing one in position. I stood pat and he stood pat behind – with the nuts. This was the same guy I had all-in earlier and doubled him up. Awesome.

Who says you can't have a big edge in O8?

2009-04-05T19:34:00.002-04:00

I don't play this game much (as the limits indicate). I thought this was interesting because I had a startlingly big edge pre-flop (74%), on the flop (68%), and on the turn (68%). I'm not used to that being the case in this game. The funny thing is I didn't even consider raising the turn-lead, and I considered folding the river. Obviously he picked up a flush draw and OE straight draw on the turn and probably thought I had raised with A2XX.

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

PokerStars, $0.25/0.50 Fixed limit Omaha Hi Limit Cash Games, 9 Players

Hand Converter by the Pokerhand.org community

Board:

Liratia (CO): $23.20

SWMVP (Button): $14.40

jtrain9 (SB): $16.60

JackJoker (BB): $20.20

fishy111 (UTG): $19.10

GoAskAlice2 (UTG+1): $23.80

EddBones (MP1): $30.30

Vinman910 (MP2): $19.20

camman (MP4): $25.85

Dealt to: JackJoker

Pre-flop:

(7 folds), jtrain9 calls $.25, JackJoker raises to $1, jtrain9 calls $.50,

Flop:($2.50) (2 Players)

jtrain9 checks, JackJoker bets $.50, jtrain9 calls $.50,

Turn: ($3.50) (2 Players)

jtrain9 bets $1, JackJoker calls $1,

River: ($5.50) (2 Players)

jtrain9 bets $1, JackJoker calls $1,

Results:

jtrain9 Showed

JackJoker Showed

JackJoker wins $6.70

Talk Too Much...

2009-03-08T21:54:00.000-04:00

Tampa 2/5 I sat with $100 and four rebuys ready. I folded every hand and topped up to 100 after my BB and SB. On the button I got AT and it was raised to 15 and I called, flopped two pair, and raised AI and won against AK, getting to 240. I was never down.

So I had an interesting situation come up. Preceding the interesting hand I had AK and with one limper in early I raised to 20. The guy in the 10-seat was a soldier who was a pretty basic player. He min-raised to 40 and I immediately think aces. Then the limper flats him and I went into the tank. The limper was the guy who I won my first hand against when he had AK and he had me covered (I had about 350) while Army guy had just over 100 before his min-raise. I tanked and seriously considered folding. I actually almost said all-in and caught myself since I was covered by a limp-caller who probably had a pair and the best I can do is “isolate” myself against a guy who might have aces. But I didn’t fold and called 20 more. Flop came 9-high and the 10-seat led AI and the limper flatted, which I thought was an extremely strong call given the min-raise-lead and the fact I was the initial raiser and had a lot of chips. I folded. Ten seat had aces and the limper had 9s for a flopped set.

So a little later the ten seat asked me something about “saving you money.” Ironically I had thought after 30 minutes at the table that everyone talked too much – about their hands and why they played it a certain way, and talking shit. Several of guys smack-talked as bad as you, but they sucked. One guy made a comment about “small loans with a high interest rate” after losing a pot. Another after getting caught for like the third time said “advertising, just advertising.” You know, as if you can advertise while announcing that’s what you’re doing. But despite that I answered him and said actually the other guy’s call probably saved me money, and that I almost folded pre-flop when he min-raised.

So a half hour later I pick up queens and I have about 400. I raised and got called by two people including another big stack who had me slightly covered. He had been a big stack when I showed up at the table and in the entire time I was there I hadn’t seen one piece of evidence to suggest he was something other than lucky. He was the guy who made the “small loans” comment, plenty of jewelry, very full of himself. Flop came 6-high with two hearts. I bet 50 and Small Loans raised to 100, the other caller folded. Small Loans was in the 9-seat, right next to the guy who asked me about the earlier hand and I was sure he heard me say I almost folded. I was also fairly sure I had way the best hand – I put him either on a flush-draw or a set since he flatted pre-flop and let someone else come along with his call. Would he min-raise a set? Some people certainly will do that but I had a feeling he heard what I said earlier and thought a min-raise would scare me off.

I moved in and he tanked, which I didn’t expect (on that board he had a set or flush draw with two overs which he insta-calls, or air which shouldn't take long to fold). I actually had difficulty not swallowing hard – for some reason that happened to me several times this weekend. I was happy to take it down there – I didn’t want to see hours of work flushed away when he hit. He finally called – and showed 56o for a pair of sixes and only one heart so a little back-door draw. I honestly don’t remember but I think one of my queens was a heart leaving him five outs. A black nine paired the board leaving him two outs and he whiffed the river. That pot was over $800.

Sixth-Grade Gamblers Were Hyperactive at Young Age, Study Finds

2009-03-02T18:32:00.000-05:00

Sixth-Grade Gamblers Were Hyperactive at Young Age, Study Finds
2009-03-02 21:00:00.3 GMT

By Shannon Pettypiece
March 2 (Bloomberg) -- Children who gambled at age 11 were more
likely to have been hyperactive and impulsive 5-year-olds, suggesting
symptoms of risky behavior can be found early in life, researchers said.
In a study of 163 Canadian students, 14 percent of sixth graders
reported playing cards for money, 13 percent played video games for
money, 8 percent placed bets at sports venues or on games, such as pool
or bowling, and 4 percent bought lottery tickets. Previous interviews of
the children's kindergarten teachers found the kids ranked most
impulsive when they started school were more likely gamblers six years
later, according to the study published today in the Archives of
Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
The findings could alert parents to address hyperactivity and
attention problems at a young age, said Linda Pagani, an author of the
study and professor at the University of Montreal.
"These behaviors are already a risk factor for a lot of long-term
consequences, such as substance abuse, school performance and
unemployment," said Pagani in a telephone interview. "Our research
findings now add gambling behavior to that list of consequences."
The study started by interviewing kindergarten teachers, who were
asked to rank the behavior of their students. Six years later, the
researchers asked those students how often they played cards for money,
bingo, bought lottery tickets, played computer games for money or made
bets with friends at sports venues.

Divorce Effect

After analyzing the results, the researchers found that for every
1-unit increase in reported kindergarten impulsivity, children showed a
25 percent increase in later self-reported involvement in gambling. The
findings excluded those whose parents had divorced, because that can
also be a risk factor for such behavior. The researchers also factored
in parents'
gambling behavior to rule that out as an influence.
Previous research has shown that young people who compulsively
gamble have an increased risk of substance abuse, depression and
suicides, the study said.
Pagani suggested more resources be spent on treating hyperactivity
in preschool and elementary school. The study was funded by Canada's
Social Science and Humanities Research Council Standard Research Grants
Program.

6/12 HORSE at Venetian

2008-08-17T16:05:00.002-04:00

Friday there was nothing but HE games up but Saturday there was a HORSE list with one name, Doug. I put Tyler down and went over to the Palazzo next door. Jill and I played 3-way Action Poker (like other things, 3way is the best form of vidpoker). We got a snack at Grand Luxe and went back over about 3 hours later.

The list had 9 names but the game wasn't running. I had a killer migraine (too many jello shots and cigars and not enough water I'm guessing) but I really wanted to play this game. They told me it was about to come together and it did about 20 minutes later.

I bought in for 300 and they used $3 chips which I had never seen there. My first HE hand was a walkover and the second I raised with QTo from the small and took the BB. Then it was a painful head and not much play. I quickly learned this games comes together every Saturday. I was one of two strangers at the table - they were holding seats for people including "Sarge" who apparently is the action player.

Unfortunately most of my action came in HE and O8. I had a good spot in razz and RR the completion with ace up and 47 down but I bricked off against 2 people catching good and had to dump it. In the second round of HE I limped behind a couple of limpers with Q8 spades. The flop came Q high and I bet after it was checked to me. I got one call from the only other stranger 2 spots behind. Turn was another queen and I led and he raised. I flat called because if he was bluffing a raise does little, there were no obvious draws (T and rag on board) and if he did happen to have a queen it likely would be better. River was a K and I checked to give a bluffing hand another chance, and to avoid losing another bet to a better queen. He bet, I called, and he showed ace-high saying "I was hoping you'd fold." Yeah, can't do that with three queens.

Only other big hand was O8 the second round when I limped AQd T5h. Flop was A and T one diamond and I raised an early lead. Called in two spots and by the better. At least two of these are going low. Turn was a 9d giving me two pair and the nut flush draw and bricking a low. Checked to me I bet and all 3 called. River was a diamond...oh, and a ten, so I have tens full. I probably have the high with the flush. First player bets and the one seat calls before Doug can act. Then Doug lifts his hand up and says that ten might have been bad for him, and I have to ask him to please protect his hand - the one seat is a friend of his, and although I don't think he's even looking, the cards are flashing him. The one seat never took the bet back but after Doug called I asked to be sure that that money was in the pot before I made the obvious raise to built the pot between me and the quarters. The lead called, Doug folded, and the one seat called. I announced tens-full and the nut-flush. In a home game might have been fun to do it the other way. The dealer actually announced my flush and I said no, I'll go with the boat. Either was good and it was a nice pot.

I packed up after a few razz hands - I just couldn't take it. Jill had brought me Advil and $160 of video poker winnings that she made off of a 20, but my head never got better.

I finished up a whole $4 - stud games are expensive when you have a lot of unplayable hands - or 0 after toking 1 and pocketing one 3-dollar souvenir. It sucked playing mostly flop games but it was nice to be up in my first HORSE game in a casino, and among a regulars' game.

End of an Era...

2008-07-28T14:36:00.000-04:00

The domains listed below expired on Jul. 25, 2008.This is your final notice to renew your domain name(s)! YOU MUST RENEW BY Aug. 06, 2008 OR THE DOMAINS LISTED BELOW WILL BE CANCELLED.

FLORIDAPOKERTOUR.NET

GAINESVILLEPOKERTOUR.COM

Moment of silence, please.

2008-07-20T13:39:00.001-04:00

Paid-up in Heads-up

2008-07-17T09:32:00.000-04:00

Bearded Mike
Travis (not T-bone)
Sean
Scott Shirey
Seth "Gus"
Shelley ("Shelley?!")
T-Bone

Leaving Las Vegas

2008-06-28T07:47:00.001-04:00

The lads got a VIP table at Tao Beach and it was pretty swank. As expected everyone had their palms out and they worked to screw us, but I am Jack's complete lack of surprise. We finally left after 3 and I queued in the massive cab stand line at Venetian and got to Rio about 20 minutes before my car was to arrive. Just enough time to finish packing and freshen up. I have about 7 hours of travel in front of me then an on-line satellite tonight at 8:30. I'll be better off than poor Hoodster playing in the 1.5k NLH WSOP tomorrow.

Ipanema Beach Bar in Jeans

2008-06-28T07:21:00.001-04:00

That's how I roll. I didn't pack a pair of shorts this week, duh. But I really wanted a cigar outside of the dank, dark bar inside and a top shelf margarita. And even tho I gave the bartender a 20 for a 15 dollar drink he just closed down with my glass almost empty without asking if I need another. That's what happens when you're a dude in jeans by the pool.

What a weird week this has been. I have been at the tables about a third of the time I expected to be. I was so disgusted by my snap-call on that poser last night with the losing hand that I pretty much decided I was done with cards for the trip. The good news is Andy, Ads, and Ades have been a complete delight and I "got lucky" on this trip just meeting them. I learned more talking to them than I did at the tables and whenever I'm here learning is always a close second to making money when it comes to goals. I finished up in cash tho nothing to write home about (and yet, here I write) and at this point in my young tourney career I don't expect cashes so I'm not surprised. I can't wait to visit Brighton now.

I also think I'll be spending a lot more time at TDL on Stars. While my showing at the WSOP was nowhere near great I played with the best and think I played correctly in most every hand. I broke a really good hand against Williamson and went on to win, and I laid down a dealt pat-8 three-way when it was obvious to me I was drawing near-dead. I am not overwhelmed playing the game against the best pros and that clearly should translate to on-line play.

Talking with Jack Effel

2008-06-27T20:43:00.001-04:00

Jack is the tournament director for the WSOP and he was around table 1 a lot during Event 40 talking to Robert. During a break I heard another official say to him "we shouldn't even have this tournament next year" and I as I was walking by I said "hey, hey!" and Jack said "this guy likes it!"

So, I passed by Jack a could days later outside of Starbucks and as I did said "don't get rid of triple draw." He came over and started asking me questions starting with what I thought about the rule they use for re-shuffling the deadwood, which varies from the rules used by Commerce. I told him frankly it's moot when not played with rebuys - we didn't have a single reshuffle in 5-1/2 hours at my table. Only when you have rebuys do people call draw 3 bets with a bare deuce and draw 4. I said this mostly because I was afraid to admit I didn't really understand the nuance of their rule discussion!

He asked which I prefer and I said clearly no rebuys and he agreed with me. Doesn't make sense for a limit game. I said I'd rather it be 5k no rebuys than with rebuys, but I don't know if I meant it. On one hand, I don't want to play it at 5k really, and I'd rather go in with a budget and decide whether to rebuy based on how I'm doing. On the other hand, I like when it's played correctly because it's a game I understand. In rebuy periods pat hands are never pat. A number 6 is in real jeopardy during rebuys to be sure. At this point either format is better than no event - that would be really disappointing.

Last Meal

2008-06-27T14:24:00.001-04:00

This is the part I hate. When I went to bed early this morning it was 24 hours until I would need to leave for my flight. The lads think I'm nuts of course taking a 6am flight but then, they stay here 4 to 6 weeks at a time! They probably think doing one week is crazy.

I never followed up on the third mega stack. It was the smaller buy-in so the structure didn't have as much play but still was deep. I was almost out early in level 4 when I raised with queens and got pushed by AK and called - pretty standard. He flopped and ace and while I was telling everyone good luck and standing up from the table the case queen slid off - the 9 seat had folded KQ.

In level 4 at 200/400 I had around 5500 and had been pretty card dead other than those queens. The one seat who had played a lot of pots both limped and raised limped in and the 2 seat immediately pushed. I didn't think the two seat was strong at all - the way he shoved just wasn't right, no pondering or reflection, just stick it in. I wake up with tens and move AI behind the 2 seat who barely has me covered. The limper then insta-called and I said "uh-oh." He turned over queens. Just to be cruel, the dealer put a ten out on the turn again as I was getting up, but before I could sit back down a queen hit the river. I don't think this hand would have played much differently if the 1 seat had opened vs. limping. If the two seat is the second raiser it's possible I could fold tens there but given the blinds I think a shove is standard. Also, given how many pots the 1 seat opened I'd be more inclined to discount the second raise, especially if he made it in the same manner.

The mistakes I made on this trip mostly revolve around ignoring the "when the big bet comes, watch out" rule. Of course, two nights ago I had the guy push on the river right after I moved over from lowball and called. 120 dollar bet with the winning hand. In that case though I took some time, joked around and got him to laugh under his shades - I had something to go on. When I called in Mega 2 with top and bottom pair on the turn I didn't take two seconds to think about it. Last night I made a snap-call on that stiff 100 dollar river bet. Sometimes I think I just have to sleep at night for the 100 dollars. Had I replayed that hand I think I would have come to the same conclusion just based on the bucket I had this guy in, but at least then I would feel better about it.

I'm waiting now for a big breakfast that'll basically be the last meal. Plan is Tao tonight with the lads and I'm likely to head to the airport after - no use sleeping of course.

Given how furiously my trip started - with a mega stack less than two hours after I landed and the WSOP the next day - I didn't play a ton of poker this week. At least much less than I thought. But, I got to talk poker a lot more than I expected. Vegas trips are like battle plans - once contact is made plans are useless. The week has gone nothing like I planned but for the most part it was change for the better.

I'm back in October.

Sun is coming up

2008-06-27T08:11:00.001-04:00

Uhgg. I'll be on the way to the airport in 24 hours...

I suck

2008-06-27T06:21:00.001-04:00

Jason made about 2500 out of mega-stack while playing at the WSOP - he ran over on the first break. He went out of the short-handed Event with a set of queens vs. a straight draw that hit.

Adrian is right now at the final table of the Venetian 8pm tourney and looks to made a G or so. That means I am officially the only bloke in our little group with no cashes this year. To be fair, my like tourney experience is still fairly light, especially compared to all these guys. And, nearly half of my live tourneys have been WSOP events.

To make matters worse I had my first losing cash game of the week and finished down about 230 when I got chased down by a flush draw and then check-called a stiff 100 dollar bet on the river when the third diamond came off. It was another example of where I think I disguised mu hand but in so doing it contributed to me putting my opponent on a weak ace. When I check-raised a turn that gave me a nut flush draw to go with my aces and second kicker and he flat called I thought he just wasn't getting away from the ace. He didn't strike me as a particularly imaginative player but wound up with a 10 high flush.

I took a time out and went to Grand Lux with Andy and Adam to commiserate, them over the 8pm tourney and me getting my first twerking in a while.

We didn't get the KCL game going due to their time in the tourney. There was a 6/12 HORSE game going but I let it get away going to check on Jason. I found him at O'Shea's with a room full of top on-line pros playing beer pong. There's something wrong with these guys getting tanked on the cheapest St. Louis beer possible. While there Jason dropped 100 playing war on a 5 dollar table when he shoved with one hand and had his 9 nicked by "Sahara's" ten. Bad beat, bro.

Adrian just doubled up with AK all-in preflop against AJ.

As for poker my trip is ending with a bit of a whimper. I played one bad hand tonight that has me smarting and I'm over HE right now. One thing this week really reminds me is what hard work it is to play good poker. When you're not focused nearly 100% on the game, don't bother.

We plan to all go out to Tao tomorrow and I have a 6 am flight Saturday so I'm likely to be destroyed. I don't know if I'll be doing much of anything tomorrow which is a lot like today.

Game on for next year. The lads spend 4 or 5 weeks out here so it should be easy to schedule around in 2009, and a condo is a distinct possibility.

Jason at 17k in WSOP

2008-06-26T17:16:00.001-04:00

After level 2 and he's headed over to Caesars to play his day 2 seat there.

History Making at the Venetian

2008-06-26T17:10:00.001-04:00

The Hoodster pretty well covered what happened at Venetian last night (http://www.hoodster.com/?p=81) but we got a 4/8 Deuce to Seven Triple Draw cash game going. It was a first for the casino. The only time it has been played there is as part of a mixed game.

The only thing Andy left out was that I was pretty loud and obnoxious - shocker. I made an effort to show how raucously fun the game was and I'd like to think it worked since we added 2 outsiders to our game following the one who started the game with us. Then the beer helped me show how fun it was - I hope Adam's shoulders aren't sore.

It was a little beserk of course for all of us to play this against each other with a rake but it was the best fun I've had in a casino. I kept picturing the "Chesterfield South" scene in Rounders. I pressed every draw as you should - we had a lot of 3-betting pre-draw - and I hit a lot of them early on. I was up over 100 which net of all the tokes I was throwing was pretty good. Then I bricked off a few times late and the game broke and I finished down! How is THAT possible?!

Andy was the other player there who really knew the game but Adam and Adrian play it PL so it's just a matter of adjusting. I tangled with Andy once and I bricked off every time which was good because when I folded with a draw to go needing 2 against his pat hand he showed down the nuts - I was drawing 2 to an 8 the whole time, yikes! Adam was quiet early and I hit against his rougher pats a couple of times but then he went on a tear and was the big winner.

Goal for tonight - get a 1/2 KCL game going at the Venetian. I think there's a good chance we can get strangers to wonder in because it's no limit. That would be nice so we have someone to pay for the rake.

Multi-tabling - live

2008-06-26T16:43:00.001-04:00

As most of you know Jason Lee is a sicko. He played the Mega with all us lads yesterday not realizing it was a two-day event - he has the 5k short handed HE at the WSOP today. Of course come 2am be was bagging chips.

So, he started the WSOP at noon and depending on how he's doing at the break may run over to Caesars for the 2pm start of the final few tables in the mega. Many pros multi-table during the WSOP, but not at two different casinos. I think the prize is like 3x the buy-in if he gets blinded off.

Jason Lee

2008-06-26T00:52:00.001-04:00

Shows up and dicks around and is still in mega stack with lots of chips. Of course.

Venetian - first TDL game ever

2008-06-26T00:24:00.001-04:00

They have done as mixed but we got the first TDL game only going ever.

Pocket pairs

2008-06-25T19:30:00.001-04:00

I almost joked in my last post that my goal today was to go out with a pair higher than 7s since my first tourney was pocket 6s (to K9s) and my second was 7s (to AQs) so I wanted to lose a race with a bigger pair. Well...

The Hoodster

2008-06-25T13:36:00.001-04:00

I don't know how to set up blogrolls and can't do it from here anyway but here's the link to Andy's blog:

http://www.hoodster.com/

With friends like these...

2008-06-25T13:24:00.001-04:00

I traded 10% with my new mate Andy. He moved to our table when I was AI with Q6 suited - it was that time for my stack. I got the blinds uncontested and got 7s the very next hand when Andy got his first hand and I moved in. I said I wish we got to play some hands together and he said yeah I know - and called!

The 8 seat pondered it for about a minute before folding and we flipped 'em and he had AQ suited. When the ace came the guy next to 8 seat said "nice fold" to him.

Afterwards Andy said once he thought about it he shouldn't have called. I disagree because 1) one reason they don't like players trading big percentages is so the integrity of the game isn't in jeopardy, 2) my existence in the tourney doesn't have much equity when I'm short stacked, and 3) calling was protection in a sense and I'm absolutely convinced the 8 seat had AJ and would have called. Better my chips wind up with Andy than with him.

So the punchline - Andy goes down to 10k and goes on dinner break, but it's not dinner. When he and Adrian (Adam's brother) figure out there are no other poker players in the food court they return to find Andy has been blinded off to 5k (when asked if he thought it was dinner break he of course explained to the table that he had an important call). He moves in dark and has 42 against faces and spikes a 2 to double up. He does it again but this time wakes up with AK suited and doubles up again.

Adam, Adrian, and I cheered him on until after 1 am and then bailed. I got an update after 2 am saying there were 18 left. Day 2 starts today at 2 pm. I'm not sure what they payouts are at this level but I'll get a few bucks. First is around 50k...

Today's mega stack is the smaller buy-in. G-ville alum Fish made the final table to Monday's tournament which was played yesterday but I didn't hear how he finished.

We found a fourth for TDL if we can tear ourselves away from the tourneys to play.

Cripled at the second break

2008-06-24T19:31:00.001-04:00

I finished level 4 under 6k and the next blind level is 300/600 so I am in yellow zone territory.

I folded some hands today pre-flop where 1) I was trailing only modestly, and 2) that hit huge flops. But, that's what happens when you let yourself get short.

As always it was one hand, but at least not a big hand out of position, instead a tricky hand in position. The 9 seat player had paid of my nuts in a hand where we had checked the flop and turn and I hit the river. After that hand he told me he would be betting the next time I checked. Note to self.

So, folded to be on the button and I make a steal raise to 500 at the 100/200 level with K3d. So, I'm not proud of the hand but it certainly qualifies in this spot. SB folds and BB says "let's see a flop" and calls 300 - mister 9 seat. Flop is K89 with two hearts. He checks I check. The turn is a black 3 - gin. He leads for 3100. I hadn't been at the table long but had seen him slow play aces and also throw chips around. And I was thinking about his words to me that next time he would bet when I checked.

At this point I figured he had hearts or a weak king, but the over-bet was huge. I thought if I called and no heart came off I'd get a small value bet or value call in. Wrong, blank river and he fires 7200. Now, the rule is when the big bet comes, watch out. I didn't have too much more than that and he didn't move in which would be the bully move. The problem was, I knew he had no idea I had two-pair - he was putting me on ace-king.

I called leaving me with just over 2k and he showed K9 for a flopped top 2. And then he said "you have ace-king right?" Well, no, but either way it was the losing hand. One thing about successfully confusing an opponent is that it can back-fire.

I doubled up a couple of times after that and went into the break just under 6k.

12,600 at break

2008-06-24T16:45:00.001-04:00

Up a whole 100, weee. 74 is nailing flops on my table but I never had it. So far a Brit is running it over - what is it with Brits now?!

My one big pot was 34 from BB when someone raised min UTG+1 and I was getting 9 to 1. Flop came 234 and I got two calls on the flop, one on turn, checked down the river and netted 1900. I chased a couple of tight players with hands I could crack them with and that's where I spent my winnings - that and not hitting.

I traded 10% with the Brits and Andy is at 18k.

British Invasion

2008-06-24T04:45:00.000-04:00

Andy, Adam and I went to El Diablos tonight. I drank those Brits under the table. They have the address to this page now and hopefully read this and challenge me to a "re-match." Of course, they didn't know we were "competing" but I'm an Injun so always on...

Andy had asked Venetian about triple draw and they said they would do a list, so we have a plan. Andy will have them start the list, Adam will add his name, and then I'll add mine. With any luck we get to that tipping point where the curious see a table will actually happen and we get one together. Would be so awesome.

We all are playing the Caesars mega-stack tomorrow at noon.

Andy plans to add KCL to their rotation so I have to visit that mixed game...

First cash game here

2008-06-24T00:58:00.000-04:00

I went to Planet Hollywood which was recommended by the woman sitting next to me on the plane. She said her husband didn't do well in the series when he was out here but covered most of his buy-ins at PH. I went with Sean and he got coolered on two hands. I got a lot of playable hands and chopped around in mostly small pots. I doubled up from 200 to 400 - pays for over half of my tourney tomorrow.

My two big hands: a Brit who had played a lot of pots raised from the SB after I raised with jacks. Folded to me I called in position. The flop came 9 high and he bet the pot which was about 65. I pondered it a while. Either I was crushed before the flop and still was, he was crushed and still was, he was racing and now was way behind, or was crushed and had flopped a set. I finally said "yeah let's do it" and moved in. He said "I don't think we should" which was music to my ears. He pushed the rest in which had me a little worried - thought he might have put me on a monster and made a crying call with queens but my jacks were good and he never showed his cards.

Later I raised from the button with AQo first into the pot shortly after being caught making small river bluffs (about 20 total) in two consecutive hands. The BB called and the flop came QQJ with two diamonds. He checked and I bet 20. Turn was a blank. He checked and I bet 30 and he pondered and put his red chips in the middle. As soon as they crossed the line I said "call" and flipped my hand over. It was an 8 dollar mistake - he still had white chips. On the river I said AI but of course he could call and saved himself 8 dollars.

Only bad hand - the Brit, I limped with AJ and he raised and I called. Flop was A84 and I led and he called. Turn a jack I checked and he checked. River was an 8. I didn't like it - I got a good piece of the flop what could he have? A4 which I'm beating on the flop and now, or x8 which I am no longer beating? I checked, he bet 40 and I insta-called. "What, no raise?" He asked. Nope, I say not turning over my cards. He showed the nuts, wired 8s for quads and got a 135 dollar bonus for high hand to boot.

I had one cute bluff. I can't even remember the board but I missed and there was 25 in and the turn had been checked around 3-way. One player checks river and I bet five into 25. They both folded and I showed 67 for a busted straight draw and 7 high. I think a normal sized bet probably gets called there but it smelled so much like a bet looking for a call that they folded. Given how little the Brit folded it was pretty sweet.

Andy asks about Dickbag

2008-06-23T23:37:00.000-04:00

See, not just me...

"Tell me u beat that jerk 2 ur right...?"

No hard feelings from my new Brit friend

2008-06-23T22:02:00.000-04:00

For my little gag yesterday;

"Yo bearded mikey, this is the world famous poker pro andy hood, the guy who managed 2 resist selling ur cards! How'd u get on? Gimme a shout dude."

And the circle widens...

Deeb

2008-06-23T17:20:00.001-04:00

Media guy just told me Deeb went out 31 or 32 last night.

TDL day 2

2008-06-23T17:13:00.001-04:00

About a third of the remaining players are Asian - coincidence?

"Racist"

TDL final 5 tables today

2008-06-23T17:10:00.001-04:00

I don't see Freddy or Shulman left here. Skalnsky, Jiing, Raymer, and Chen I recognize and that's it. Some Brit pro I don't know who was at table 2 which had the floor called over about a half dozen times is still in. I just saw Sklansky explain to a guy the draw was on him after a check. He's lost in the hand and is almost to the money? They pay 4 tables.

Costanza moment

2008-06-23T16:45:00.000-04:00

Chau Jing was a table away yesterday and I was going to make a comment at our table that I had a marketing idea for him - a tshirt with the pic of him rubbing his belly with the quote "I love play pokah." But I didn't say it.

What I forgot - in that famous Omaha hand, the opponent was Robert fucking Williamson, two to my right.

LoL - great event photography

2008-06-23T12:53:00.001-04:00

I'm really glad Kaelaine snapped those pics for me because I think the "official" even photos have my eyes closed in every one. So good. Apparently I slept through level 1.

Dickbag who goes out with pat pair of 3s

2008-06-23T12:49:00.001-04:00

Rookie mistake in limit

2008-06-23T12:47:00.001-04:00

I (conveniently?) Forgot a level 1 hand. I won the first two pots I played and then went to raise with a two-card nut draw - and I over-chipped. I must have thought about that 20 times before the tourney, making sure to announce raise. Of course in limit an over-chip (100 in this case) with no verbal counts as a call. The button called and took 3 and I think he surely would have folded to a raise. He wound up winning the hand in a pot that should have been heads-up at worst instead of 3-way. D'oh!

The button asked during that hand "is ace high or low?" I said this is like the Dukakis skit Lovitz did on SNL - "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy!" I found out later that Williamson plays regularly with him so he was shooting an angle.

The pics are up on the WSOP site already so later I'll be able to identify the characters in these stories.

http://www.printroom.com/ViewgalleryPhoto.asp?userid=worldseriesofpoker&gallery_id=1142697_id=5

Oh, and I may be on espn360

2008-06-23T10:47:00.001-04:00

Jean Robere or however you spell the guy's name who sent onto Survivor and was a dick to everyone (as is his rep) was right behind me with a camera trained on him from the other side of the table. I assume it's for thos little internet snippets of his I saw on espn360 during final table breaks.

Last hand

2008-06-23T00:50:00.001-04:00

There are other assorted stories but my final one was with, who else, Deeb. I raised UTG with 235 at 200/400 blinds I was AI for my last 800. Deeb gave me some protection three-betting and we both drew 2. I paired the five and blah. Second draw was a ten and blah and Freddy had drawn 2 as well. I kept the ten - not a great card obviously but drawing 2 would make me a huge dog against any one card draw. He drew one and turned his 9-draw face up. I turned up my ten draw. This time everyone was surprise I kept that, but hey, a two card draw on the end is a bad spot to be in! Freddy turned over a 4 and said "you're drawing dead, man" in that patented Freddy cadence that doesn't sound asinine though it might from the mouth of a lesser being. I drew an ace anyway so I could only have beat a pair, and obviously drawing 2 would not have helped me.

I finished around the 100 mark - board said 108 but they hadn't updated it in about 10 minutes. Another WSOP another lesson. 3 WSOP events no cashes, which sucks.

What sucks more is they are talking about not having it next year, and if they do possibly 2000 with rebuys. That would suck for me - they're going to get to the point where I wind up playing stupid hold'em in the WSOP.

I am meeting up with Sean and his wife tomorrow. They moved out here a year ago or so. I may wind up at Venetian tonight but probably will take tomorrow off before going back to mega-stack on Tuesday.

My friend Andy

2008-06-23T00:40:00.000-04:00

So I ran the gag on Andy like I knew him from Gutshot and he bought it. It was funny but then I felt badly because he was as nice as Adam and I thought when Adam tells him, Andy will think I'm a dick. Anyway after a couple hours he said "you want your stuff from yesterday?" Huh? He holds up a case with cards that I had in my man-purse in the tourney the day before. Better that than my ipod but wtf? I thought Adam had shot an angle on me from the start, cheeky bastard. But actually he told him during level 2 and gave him the cards to give to me. D'oh.

I was in a couple of hands with him. I hit a number 5 with him and dickpie and then he bet into my pat hand with dickpie in. Dickpie folded so I flat called - his bet into us scared me a bit and without the third player there was no dead money to pump. He tapped pat and so did I and he bet and I called. He announced "8" and I said "mine's better" and tabled the smooth 8. A couple of hours later we tangled again and I wound up with 87652 and had a sick feeling. He checked on the end and so did I. He announced "8" and I said "mine's worse." I tabled it anyway and he showed 87642 - so close!

3 of the 4 pros - in the meatgrinder

2008-06-22T23:29:00.001-04:00

Pics from table one

2008-06-22T23:28:00.001-04:00

Nick Shulman not Schlein that I wrote earlier

2008-06-22T23:23:00.001-04:00

A wonderful woman from PokerPages took some pics. Not sure how I can upload these but will try to send.

Williamson out 114

2008-06-22T23:21:00.001-04:00

Deeb took him out. An Asian lady I have never seen showed up. Tips she is not a casual player include the huge chip stack she brought and the special strap she has on her purse that clips under the railing on the table.

She wastes no time getting into a heated hand with Deeb. Deeb is drawing one to #2 after the first draw (he was flashing me his hand) when he raises and she re-raises and then raps pat after he calls. She bets and he calls and takes another. Last draw he takes one and she bets and he folds. Deeb has a massive chip stack and can afford these chases.

I outlasted another pro but I am the short stack here by a long way.

Tangling with Deeb

2008-06-22T23:20:00.001-04:00

I had Freddy on my immediate left, great for the pictures I got for my wall, bad for my tourney prospects. Stealing the BB was pretty much out of the question, and he had a habit of 3-betting my raises.

I got into a hand with him almost as soon as he sat down and won that and the next hand with him. Then he won the next three we were in. In the third I raised and he three bet and I drew to 2368. On the second draw he was pat and I put him on a 9 and check-called. I drew one and caught an ace - I wasn't checking blind because I planned to value bet an 86. He checked behind and showed a 95 - stronger than the nine I expected to see but I was definitely drawing live. I thought a lot about that hand and the fact that I played it by the book a card ahead and just didn't hit. It is a sick game.

I got dealt a pat 87632 and made it three bets after the semi-pro in seat one popped it. My thinking was to flat call would tip my hand when I rapped pat. Deeb and the raiser called, Deeb took two and the other guy one after I rapped. I bet, Freddy called and the one seat popped it. Well, I could call and break it and draw to a number 2. Based on the action I didn't think I had many outs. I folded. I was partly mortified but my read was I was beat and drawing thin. Well, Deeb took one two more times and the one seat was pat twice. They checked down the river and the one seat showed an 86. My pat hand would have been dead and I was drawing to four outs at most three-way as the cards layed. A tough fold but turned out to be correct.

I can't help but think Deeb played loose against me early and used that later - definitely got more off me in the 3 pots he won vs. my meager early 2. The sixth time we tangled HU I raised from the SB with 237, again pretty standard. He re-popped and I called and drew 2 as did he. I caught a 6 and checked, he bet, and I raised and said I had 450 left. We got 1150 in with two draws to go and I was AI. I bricked on the second draw and then Deeb stood pat on the last draw when I put the card out for my final draw. He turned over 98 and I turned my 2367. Deeb was surprised. I stood up knees on chair and sweated it - and flipped over a 9! I win! Deeb goes "you're not supposed to have a 7 there you're supposed to have 9!" And I'm thinking yeah well I'm not that dickbag.

Dickbag goes out - pat with a pair of 3s

2008-06-22T22:51:00.001-04:00

This may be the best story so far that doesn't involve me. So the dickbag to my right, the "hey you remember that time" guy is criticizing everyone's play. He's lamenting how everyone draws 15 against him and gets there. I keep saying "well it is called TRIPLE draw." Attack me fine, I'm an amateur, but like the rest of the three pros at our table don't know what they're doing? Also, he basically accuses Deep and Williamson of colluding against him. Williamson laughed, Deeb had his headphones on and it's a good thing. Any of you who saw that "going south" episode of HSP know that Freddy probably would have taken his fucking head off. I said "I can not believe you just said that. Settle down there kid."

What I don't bother to explain is there's a simple reason I chase him. Not only does position etc. play a part, but I've seen him show down hands. I KNOW he is drawing one to rough 9s because I've seen him get there, and both win and lose. In one hand against me he made the mistake of showing the three he caught on the last draw before showing the rest of his hand which included 98! Of course I'm chasing you down!

So, he gets into a hand with Deeb and is pat after the first draw and gets AI. Deeb draws 2 going into the final draw. Now, a king is a favorite over a two card draw on the end, even the roughest king possible. How can this kid lose! Deeb flips over 236 before looking at the final 2. The kid flips over what looks like a rough 9 again. I am so proud to say I'm the first one who spotted it, followed closely by Williamson. "Pair of 3s" I exclaim!

I wish I had taken the time to look at his face but I didn't. After telling us for hours about how bad we all are, he misreads his hand and get AI and pat with 3s. Could this be more fucking perfect! One problem - even tho the kid is packing up Deeb still has two cards to turn up. If he pairs the 6 or goes runner-runner the dickbag still wins. First card is a 9 and the second is a 7. The irony is EVEN if the kid had the hand he thought he did, he was losing. That's what happens when you play rough 9s like they're monsters. The smoothest 98 is the 34th nuts - a pretty beatable hand.

After he left I had a couple hands where it was me and four pros and one open seat. The good news is that didn't last, the bad news is an amateur/semi-pro showed up with a mountain of chips and a tendency to raise.