Monday, June 23, 2008
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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