What Would Hank Do?

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

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

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

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

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?

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.

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...

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

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

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...

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.

Paid-up in Heads-up

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

Leaving Las Vegas

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

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

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

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

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

I suck

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

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

History Making at the Venetian

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

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

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

Venetian - first TDL game ever

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

Pocket pairs

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

See, not just me...

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

No hard feelings from my new Brit friend

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

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

TDL day 2

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

"Racist"

TDL final 5 tables today

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

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

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

Rookie mistake in limit

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

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

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

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

Pics from table one

Nick Shulman not Schlein that I wrote earlier

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

Williamson out 114

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

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

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.

Cash vs. Tourney

With blinds pretty high I limped UTG with 235. Now, that is a standard raise in TDL. However, think about it, there is no "book" for TDL tourneys. The chapter we all know and love is for cash games. If you had to name THE one adjustment for going from cash to tourneys it's simply that at times you sacrifice equity for survival.

My thinking was I was happy to play this hand for two bets but I didn't want to get sucked into playing for 900 before the first draw. Pot size control - not as important as in NL but important here. Sure enough, the one seat - the only other amateur at the table but someone who probably was semi-pro - popped it. The Full Tilt pro (Schlein?) In the BB called and so did I. I caught another 5 and blah. The BB bet out, I called, one seat raised, and BB re-popped. If I had open raised to begin with I'd probably be married to this hand to the river. As it was, I folded. Maybe if I had raised, three bets to the BB would have gotten me HU. In that can I would have faced a check-call situation instead of in a meat grinder, and made it to the second draw. Woulda coulda shoulda, but sacrificing value with that draw is not terrible I think, like it would be in a cash game.

Negreanu - out 144

Of 238 total. I just lasted longer than the guy who wrote the book...

Deeb made a last longer bet with some Texan for the buy-in amount. And when I say Texan I mean huge hat and a belt buckle that could kill a man. The guy had shown up even later than Deeb and was two tables away. Apparently he showed up gambling because he had tripled up already. When Deeb found this out he wanted to re-cut the deal, and he did - 5 to 4 odds, 5k payout. Williamson took 20% of Deeb's action. The Texan was out about an hour later.

Robert Williamson

He was in the 3 seat most of the time I was there but busted before me. Right before the second break I raised UTG with 23679 and he called from the BB and drew 3. I seriously considered standing pat against a 3 card draw but I had a draw to the #2 and if I rapped pat I thought 1) I'd get little value out of the hand, 2) I risked getting outplayed on later streets, and 3) if he did catch up I would be in a bad spot. Breaking the 9 now was better than after the second draw when he raps pat. Plus, I was a huge favorite to at least improve to an 8.

I drew one and bet ahead of course. He called and drew two and I drew one again. He checked and I checked behind - he rapped pat! I laughed out loud when he did - he was going for the check-raise and missed a bet. I drew one and he bet out 400. I caught an 8 and said "I have to call you" and it was good.

One thing about pros in this game is they make thin value bets. He was trying to check raise me with a 9 after the second draw which I find a stretch. But, he's the pro.

5700 at second break

Not great progress. Blinds going up fast. You know that old SNL skit where the fan is like groveling to someone like Joe Montana and he's like "you remember, that time, you threw that game-winning pass in the Super Bowl?!"

Uh, yeah.

"That was AWESOME!"

Well, the guy to my right is THAT guy and he's just peppering Deeb with moronic shit. And telling him stories about other poker players - like Deeb gives a shit. Deeb took it mostly in stride but I don't know how because it drove me nuts.

Early on in the tourney Deeb made a joke about entering tournaments for the 10 dollar off voucher at restaurants they give you with each entry. I said I'll give you mine if you autograph your entry card for me. The funny thing was I didn't even have mine because I registered yesterday. He personalized it and gave it to me. Freddy skipped pretty much all of level 1 and then was on my immediate left the entire time I was in the tourney.

5925 at first break

Played 2 pots with Freddy Deeb and won both. He signed his entry card and gave it to me. Robert Wiliamson is at my table as well.

"This is crazy, this is crazy"

As I ponder that I'm about to play in a 2500 buy-in event for a sick lowball game against what's likely to be a shit-ton of pros I keep picturing Chevy Chase in Vacation as he stands at the edge of the pool about to jump in with Christy Brinkley. Well, it is crazy, but he was looking to get lucky and so am I.

Table 2 - Levels 6 thru 8

I was still pretty short. When antes came in at 400/800 there was 2200 in the pot every hand. I moved in from the small blind with a suited Q5 against my new buddy Adam in the BB. Here's where not being a dick bag is beneficial. If we were near the money or my chips were any threat, any one at that table would take me down. But, when you're not seen as a threat people are more likely to lay down marginal situations if they like you. Sounds obvious but most people don't seem to care about such things. Getting 2-to-1 he folded with 85 in a spot that's usually a napkin-call. I showed him I actually had him dominated because I felt he knew I was in napkin-AI mode in spots where everyone has folded given the blinds and antes. More a Hansen approach than Negreanu but a necessary weapon.

There was something about AQ at this table. In a hand I wasn't in a Hellmuth wannabe pondered a raise and call in front of him. This guy had a jacket with "Team Berry" or something, patch on the side, hat and sunglasses with the MP3 built in. It was like a parody of a parody. He took two minutes and had me and Adam convinced he had aces or kings. He pushed with AQ got called and sucked out. In another spot he laid down queens face up in the face of too much action - after an appropriate delay of course. I hated this guy at the table because time was my enemy.

Adam made a sick call on him that exemplifies the problem of people over-betting in bluffs and semi-bluffs. He checked his BB after Adam completed the SB and they went heads-up. The flop was 9 high with 2 clubs, Adam checked and Philmath moved in. It was a massive over-bet. It was 7x the pot. Adam called with Ace-high (AT). Philmath had 68c for a gut-shot straight flush draw. An awesome draw to be sure but why bet so much? Adam admitted later that had he bet less - say 70% of the pot, he would have laid it down. Betting so much got him action. Even if he did get a smaller bet called he's in position and very likely to see the river for free if he doesn't like the turn. Going nuts with a SF draw is fine but not in a tournament when someone has you covered. The table's only dickpie missed his draw fortunately.

My next AI was pretty standard - I opened with tens, the 4 seat moved in and I called. He had AQ and missed and I doubled up.

I laid down an ace in a situation that had Andy and Eric questioning my sanity. I had A9 and figured I'd move in but before it came to me there were 2 AIs in front. The second AI was really a call because he had the original raiser and me covered but it sounded more ominous - like he had a big hand. I laid it down face up. My thinking was while A high is a standard move-in hand short-stacked, and I needed to triple up, I likely was dominated with one live card. In this situation I think 9T is a better hand to call-off my money with three-way (mmmmm, three way...).

The original raiser had jacks and the caller had the popular AQ. Now, as it happened the board came all diamonds and a diamond on the turn - meaning my poor dominated 9 would have made a flush. Still, I think that was the right laydown. My ace was no good against the caller and my "live" card wasn't so live against the jacks. The jacks held up and that guy thought my decision to fold was brilliant!

About three hands later I woke up with queens, moved in for about 6k, and got called by, wait for, AQ by the same guy I raced my tens with. The case queen came on the flop and he was drawing to runner-runner ace with the ace of hearts dead - the guy behind the caller flashed it when he folded. The board paired twice giving me two boats and the pot. At my high I was just over 20k - nothing to write home about.

Obviously I was going to have to press a marginal situation - or two - at some point. We were at Level 8 which was 800/1600 with a 200 ante and I had about 12k. A new player to the table opened in early position and I moved in with sixes. I thought this was an easy call - he was getting 2-to-1 - but he actually pondered it a while. I told him this table would be very mad at him if he took me out and told everyone to run over him if he did. I actually started to think he may fold. When he called and showed his cards I knew why-he had opened with K9 diamonds. That's the right call given the odds of course. About half the table started chanting "let's go Mike!" which was cool. None of us wanted to leave this table. The flop came two diamonds and with two overs and a flush draw I started packing up. The K came on the river and the new guy gave me the standard "sorry. Not necessary of course - a race is a race.

I said my goodbyes and shook some hands and made plans to run into Adam and Eric at Rio. Adam has a friend at my same table - table 1, bitches - at the TDL WSOP event and I plan to say "Andy? Andy Hood! What an honor to meet you!" as if I know him from The Gutshot in London where he plays cash games. It should be pretty funny.

I went a whole tourney with no bad beat stories. I don't know if that means I didn't play correctly, I got lucky a lot, or if I just have a realistic view of poker. I'd like to think it's the last one.

Table 2 - Levels 3 thru 5

When my table 31 broke I wound up at table 55 and it was playing very differently. Whereas my first table was pretty passive pre-flop with some raises below 3x BB and few pre-flop re-raises, practically every pot here was being raised and for a lot. With just over 6k in chips a standard raise was almost 10% of my chips so I had to be careful.

But what's worse, they regularly were raising above average. At 100/200 the raises were coming at 7, 8, and 9. So not only was it more than 10% but any re-raise on my part has to be for all of it. A standard RR would be 2500 to 3k (depending on initial raise, limpers, etc.) So half my chips or close to it. I soon realized limping was practically impossible and the only real defense was snapping someone off with a hand - if I could get one of course.

My first all-in of the day came at 300/600 - and it was accidental. It's a positive attribute that I went that long without being at risk. I tried to limp with A6d because the table had settled some and seen some flops. But, instead of throwing in a 5 and a 1 I threw in a 1k and 100, which made it a raise. I made a big deal about asking if I had to raise trying the reverse-move of ah shucks I didn't mean to raise with my aces. Quiet guy in the 2 seat didn't believe me and moved in. Folded to me I had 15% to 20% of my chips in the pot I decided to gamble and wound up against AQ. I was in bad shape until I flopped the nuts and he was drawing dead.

Insult to his injury, Adam to my left noticed the pot didn't look right. We stopped the dealer and reconstructed it and figured out he shorted me the blinds - 900. He got it back from the change he gave the guy with the dominating hand and had just been sucked out on. Eric (6 seat) mentioned if he had protested I would have been screwed because the pot had been disbursed. Don't know if that's right but rings true.

One tourney, no cashes

I got in pretty early and registered for tomorrow. Since a 1500 hold'em started at noon there were no cash games. When I saw the dregs there I thought I should have done HE in the WSOP but if I did well I couldn't play tomorrow.

I went over to Caesar's and made it with 30 minutes to spare for today's mega stack - 340 for 12500 chips, 50 minute levels, 25/50 starting blinds.

I tried out the new small ball strategy and it was working pretty well. I was value betting in the right spots and bluffing well. I even had a few people raising the same 2-1/2x the BB I was raising. One thing I learned today-small ball depends on remaining fairly successful. Really if you are below 50 BB's you can't use it optimally.

I misplayed 2 AK hands at my first table. The first time I took the passive approach too far, didn't bet the turn when I picked up the nut flush draw with 3 hearts on board, and wound up checking it down to a cut-off raiser who had 2-6 and hit trips on the river (he was chicken shit not value betting that - like I checked a flush twice).

The next time I opened and made a continuation bet which is pretty standard, but I got called in two spots. Board was 45A rainbow. Turns was nine and second diamond, I checked, next guy bet 3k and the old guy behind him moved in for half that. I convinced myself my kicker was better and I called. River was Jd and we checked it down. Old guy hit a flush, other guy had 45 of spades for two pair.

I love him playing that there although he was the first to call my pre-flop raise not last or close to it. Still, a suited 45 is a great deep stack hand and I don't begrudge him. What you don't want to play is AK out of position - when lots of money goes in on the turn it's rarely the best hand. I knew better and dumped chips anyway which was disappointing.

My best hand at that first table was J9 of clubs. I called a small raise in position and the flop was 8 of clubs, 7 of spades, 2x. The initial raiser checked as did the next guy and I thought about betting but checked. Turn was the MOST perfect card - 10 clubs. So now I have the nut straight and open-end straight flush draw. I hoped to go to war. At 50/100 blinds the pot was already about 1400 so I bet 1k. Initial raiser called. River paired the 10 and he checked. There was a time when I might have been spooked by the paired board but I felt pretty sure that he did not have a set and boat up, and my hand was bet. He called a 1200 value bet with AK high!

I had 6400 at the first break, hust about half starting stack, not good. We were an outer table and it broke early in level 3. I was sad I had worked so hard to profile these guys and then I was getting moved, but the next table was pretty fun. It got to the point where they were chearing my name when I was all-in, but more on that later.

Vegas Baby!

In the limo on the way to the hotel - a limo and no checked bags is the only way to do it. Plan is to register for the tourney for tomorrow and maybe find a cash game for a few hours until I check in.

Rough Start

Michael overslept and I didn't wake him while getting ready or rush him - mistake. We left about 5:15 for a 6 am flight and I got to the airport with just less than the 30 minutes to flight.

I wasn't able to check in on-line so I had to go to the counter which was packed for the next flight. Some angel in line asked me if I was on the 6 am flight - I guess he saw the "oh shit" look on my face.

The guy at the counter was giving me crap already while checking a couple in, and there was a woman there on the ATL flight with a boarding pass but needing to check a bag, and he didn't care that I couldn't check in on-line. And that's when I met the dickpie.

He started in with "oh are you just moving over here? Are there two lines?" Now, I'm sympathetic to an extent. I hate when people show up late and burn time I could be spending in the Crown Room. Oh you overslept so just inconvenience the rest of us. But in my defense I had no bags to check, and I would have had a boarding pass already if delta.com had worked.

But wait, there's more. What about the lady with the bag to check who had moved up in front of everyone? Well, dickpie was playing Big Angry Black Man and she happened to be black. Racist? Yeah, I think he was.

Now, what I wanted to tell him is look, Mr. Two-Flights-a-Year, if this were a real airport and there was a Medallion line like there should be, I'd be skipping riff-raff like you anyway. But this is partly Delta's fault and partly mine so I smile and apologize and assure him I didn't mean to inconvenience everyone.

Then he says it's not his problem and he has a live animal (in a little carry on - in my mind it's a Paris Hilton chihuahua because the juxtaposition would be priceless) and he's not letting me skip. I say please even though I know it's not up to him. When the Delta guy says 6 am people have priority (yep, that's how it works when you show up late) I again apologize only to hear the witty retort "don't say anything else to me."

What are you, 6? Did an adult just say that? In my mind I'm thinking, or else what? There's something else implied there and I really want to continue this line of dialogue, but I'm not checked in and still subject to the whim of the guy at the desk. The lady with the bag to check let's me go first - I reasoned with her that at least she had a boarding pass!

The desk guy told me I couldn't check in on-line because I have a common name. You know, because I've changed it since I started flying Delta 13 years ago and since becoming Platinum. Wtf? Anyway, I rushed to the gate committing dickpie's face to memory. They hadn't even started boarding yet so I got there in time to be the second guy on the plane, so suckit BABM.

50 minutes until wheels up to Vegas...

Dickbag of the year award?

From PLO with rebuys again:

Some drama on the very last hand of the night, folks.

Daniel Makowsky limped from under the gun, Nikolay Evdakov raised pot to 7,200, Sorel Mizzi called from the big blind, and Makowsky called as well.

The flop came . Mizzi bet pot, Makowsky raised all in, and Evdakov folded. Immediately, Evdakov called the clock on Mizzi, a response of sorts to some of the earlier bickering about stalling. Mizzi complained that he had a legitimate decision to make, but the clock was enforced nonetheless.

Mizzi made the call, showing for a set of jacks. Makowsky showed -- he'd flopped a king-high straight.

The turn was the and the river the , and Mizzi was eliminated. Makowsky is now up to 397,500, and may well be the chip leader heading into Day 2.