Wednesday, April 30, 2008

"Touch of Grey" - Grateful Dead

Note to self never angry emotional post because you will regret it. Luckily, I cleaned it up right after I posted so as to not offend anyone.

Interetsing note, I always thought the above Grateful Dead song was called "I will Get By" but its not. Learn something new everyday.

Interesting note 2: I had never heard of the band "Midnight Oil" until I was listening to sports talk radio last week and Colin Cowherd mentioned something about them. So naturally I googled them to get some info, then at the game on Friday the song "Beds are Burning" came on and in a childlike voice I stated "Hey thats Midnight Oil!" And all I got back was a collective "Uh yeah" and the duh face. I said, " I never heard of them before last week" and Eric looks at me and goes "where were you 12 years ago?" I said I was 12. And Jason chimes in, "What, you didnt have a tv or radio back then?" To behonest, at that point I was an R&B and rap man back then. Q102 out of Philly was my station of choice, I can remember every Saturday night they had Open House Party and Id sit in my room and just listen and sing along.

Any whoo, after checking out the standings last night I have a renewed sense of determination to do something good in the BBT. After my 6th place finish, I moved up to 76th place right behind IG. Some of these people have played double the games I have (because I got started late) so I feel pretty good.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

"Tears of A Clown" - Smokey Robinson

Some choice hands from the Skills tourney

At first it looked like I might just make it:

Full Tilt Poker Game #6229984211: Skill Series (44660172), Table 6 - 200/400 Ante 30 - Limit Stud Hi - 22:59:24 ET - 2008/04/29
Seat 1: Roberto55 (3,846)
Seat 2: Julkeus (3,092)
Seat 3: Loretta8 (3,926)
Seat 4: katitude (1,076)
Seat 5: cmitch (2,103)
Seat 6: PokerBrian322 (4,799)
Seat 7: twoblackaces (2,702)
Seat 8: RaisingCayne (2,292)
Roberto55 antes 30
Julkeus antes 30
Loretta8 antes 30
katitude antes 30
cmitch antes 30
PokerBrian322 antes 30
twoblackaces antes 30
RaisingCayne antes 30
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to Roberto55 [Td]
Dealt to Julkeus [7h]
Dealt to Loretta8 [7d]
Dealt to katitude [3d]
Dealt to cmitch [5d]
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qh Jd] [Qd]
Dealt to twoblackaces [Kd]
Dealt to RaisingCayne [As]
katitude is low with [3d]
katitude brings in for 50
cmitch folds
PokerBrian322 calls 50
twoblackaces folds
RaisingCayne completes it to 200
Roberto55 folds
Julkeus folds
Loretta8 folds
katitude folds
PokerBrian322 calls 150
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qh Jd Qd] [Ts]
Dealt to RaisingCayne [As] [2s]
RaisingCayne bets 200
PokerBrian322 calls 200
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qh Jd Qd Ts] [Th]
Dealt to RaisingCayne [As 2s] [9s]
PokerBrian322 checks
Roberto55: Do u bluff in Stud also cmitch?
RaisingCayne bets 400
PokerBrian322 raises to 800
RaisingCayne raises to 1,200
PokerBrian322 raises to 1,600
RaisingCayne calls 400
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qh Jd Qd Ts Th] [8h]
Dealt to RaisingCayne [As 2s 9s] [9h]
PokerBrian322 bets 400
RaisingCayne calls 262, and is all in
PokerBrian322 shows [Qh Jd Qd Ts Th 8h]
RaisingCayne shows [4s 5s As 2s 9s 9h]
Uncalled bet of 138 returned to PokerBrian322
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qh Jd Qd Ts Th 8h] [Qc]
Dealt to RaisingCayne [4s 5s As 2s 9s 9h] [7s]
PokerBrian322 shows [Qh Jd Qd Ts Th 8h Qc] a full house, Queens full of Tens
RaisingCayne shows [4s 5s As 2s 9s 9h 7s] a flush, Ace high
PokerBrian322 wins the pot (4,814) with a full house, Queens full of Tens
RaisingCayne stands up
*** SUMMARY ***

Seat 6: PokerBrian322 showed [Qh Jd Qd Ts Th 8h Qc] and won (4,814) with a full house, Queens full of Tens

So a Queen on the River saves me and wins a big pot that catapaulted me up.

Another hand I made Aces full on 5th street and I have will wonka betting into me.
That pot gave me the lead.

Then the first devestating blow to my hand.
Full Tilt Poker Game #6230409159: Skill Series (44660172), Table 5 - 400/800 Ante 75 - Limit Stud Hi - 23:34:30 ET - 2008/04/29
Seat 1: TuscaloosaJohn (3,464)
Seat 3: PokerBrian322 (9,675)
Seat 4: columbo (14,419)
Seat 5: ricky424 (12,573)
Seat 6: MiamiDon (6,857)
Seat 7: cbal84 (4,902)
Seat 8: Fuel55 (5,578)
TuscaloosaJohn antes 75
PokerBrian322 antes 75
columbo antes 75
ricky424 antes 75
MiamiDon antes 75
cbal84 antes 75
Fuel55 antes 75
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to TuscaloosaJohn [Tc]
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [5s 5c] [4s]
Dealt to columbo [9c]
Dealt to ricky424 [5h]
Dealt to MiamiDon [Kd]
Dealt to cbal84 [Qs]
Dealt to Fuel55 [Qh]
PokerBrian322 is low with [4s]
PokerBrian322 brings in for 100
columbo folds
ricky424 folds
MiamiDon has 15 seconds left to act
MiamiDon folds
cbal84 folds
Fuel55 folds
TuscaloosaJohn completes it to 400
PokerBrian322 calls 300
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to TuscaloosaJohn [Tc] [2h]
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [5s 5c 4s] [2d]
TuscaloosaJohn bets 400
PokerBrian322 calls 400
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to TuscaloosaJohn [Tc 2h] [2s]
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [5s 5c 4s 2d] [6s]
TuscaloosaJohn bets 800
PokerBrian322 raises to 1,600
TuscaloosaJohn calls 800
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to TuscaloosaJohn [Tc 2h 2s] [9h]
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [5s 5c 4s 2d 6s] [Ks]
TuscaloosaJohn bets 800
PokerBrian322 raises to 1,600
TuscaloosaJohn calls 189, and is all in
PokerBrian322 shows [5s 5c 4s 2d 6s Ks]
TuscaloosaJohn shows [4h Ah Tc 2h 2s 9h]
Uncalled bet of 611 returned to PokerBrian322
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to TuscaloosaJohn [4h Ah Tc 2h 2s 9h] [Ad]
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [5s 5c 4s 2d 6s Ks] [Qc]
PokerBrian322 shows [5s 5c 4s 2d 6s Ks Qc] a pair of Fives
TuscaloosaJohn shows [4h Ah Tc 2h 2s 9h Ad] two pair, Aces and Twos
TuscaloosaJohn wins the pot (7,303) with two pair, Aces and Twos
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 7,303 | Rake 0
Seat 1: TuscaloosaJohn showed [4h Ah Tc 2h 2s 9h Ad] and won (7,303) with two pair, Aces and Twos
Seat 3: PokerBrian322 showed [5s 5c 4s 2d 6s Ks Qc] and lost with a pair of Fives



And the hand that ended my tourney.


Full Tilt Poker Game #6230596460: Skill Series (44660172), Table 5 - 500/1000 Ante 100 - Limit Stud Hi - 23:50:28 ET - 2008/04/29
Seat 3: PokerBrian322 (4,811)
Seat 4: columbo (13,519)
Seat 5: ricky424 (4,323)
Seat 6: MiamiDon (6,832)
Seat 7: cbal84 (10,352)
Seat 8: Fuel55 (10,078)
PokerBrian322 antes 100
columbo antes 100
ricky424 antes 100
MiamiDon antes 100
cbal84 antes 100
Fuel55 antes 100
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qd Qs] [6s]
Dealt to columbo [Kh]
Dealt to ricky424 [7h]
Dealt to MiamiDon [Js]
Dealt to cbal84 [2c]
Dealt to Fuel55 [7c]
cbal84 is low with [2c]
cbal84 brings in for 150
Fuel55 calls 150
PokerBrian322 completes it to 500
columbo folds
ricky424 folds
MiamiDon has 15 seconds left to act
MiamiDon folds
cbal84 folds
Fuel55 calls 350
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qd Qs 6s] [2s]
Dealt to Fuel55 [7c] [6d]
Fuel55 checks
PokerBrian322 bets 500
Fuel55 calls 500
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qd Qs 6s 2s] [5h]
Dealt to Fuel55 [7c 6d] [3s]
Fuel55 bets 1,000
PokerBrian322 raises to 2,000
Fuel55 calls 1,000
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qd Qs 6s 2s 5h] [Kd]
Dealt to Fuel55 [7c 6d 3s] [2d]
PokerBrian322 bets 1,000
Fuel55 calls 1,000
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to PokerBrian322 [Qd Qs 6s 2s 5h Kd] [Jd]
PokerBrian322 bets 711, and is all in
Fuel55 calls 711
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PokerBrian322 shows [Qs Qd 6s 2s 5h Kd Jd] a pair of Queens
Fuel55 shows [8s 8c 7c 6d 3s 2d 3d] two pair, Eights and Threes
Fuel55 wins the pot (10,172) with two pair, Eights and Threes

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 10,172 | Rake 0
Seat 3: PokerBrian322 showed [Qs Qd 6s 2s 5h Kd Jd] and lost with a pair of Queens

Seat 8: Fuel55 showed [8s 8c 7c 6d 3s 2d 3d] and won (10,172) with two pair, Eights

So, 2 rivers ended my skills tourney, and 1 just prolonged to finish right outside the points.

"Haven't you always wanted a monkey?"

So I found this interesting so forgive me not putting the name of a song just a lyric.


Year Of The Monkey

1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004



People born in the Year of the Monkey are the erratic geniuses of the cycle. Clever, skillful, and flexible, they are remarkably inventive and original and can solve the most difficult problems with ease. There are few fields in which Monkey people wouldn't be successful but they have a disconcerting habit of being too agreeable. They want to do things now, and if they cannot get started immediately, they become discouraged and sometimes leave their projects. Although good at making decisions, they tend to look down on others. Having common sense, Monkey people have a deep desire for knowledge and have excellent memories. Monkey people are strong willed but their anger cools quickly. They are most compatible with the Dragon and Rat.

"Everyday People" - Arrested Development

You know, I think someones trying to send me a message, or maybe coincedence runs rampant around me these days.

While checking out some posts on Hoy's blog he posted a link to a previous blog he had posted. Sounds vaguely familiar....

http://hammerplayer.blogspot.com/2007/01/pokerstars-rant.html

Im not good at html so I apologize if its not blue for you. Copy and paste lazy bitches!

So anyway, I wrote a blog entry half way about my success on Friday but then I canned it because I thought it sounded dumb, dont know why I should care nobody checks my blog out anyway. I should change the title to: crappiest blogger alive.

Anywho on Friday me and Joe C "Unimpressed" went to play at an Ante Up home game. Different type of game as it was 30k starting stack but slow blinds. The original concept would have kept us there until 7:30am the next day, buit thankfully they re-arranged it so the structure was quicker.

Not really too much to talk about, I was down about 10k when I made a donkalicious call with A-10 on a 9 high flop. Guy pushed all in with an OESD and neither of us improved so I knocked him out.
Next hand of note was when I had K-9 and I pushed hard when 9 high was on the flop. The one better in the pot with me was a maniac who could have realistically had anything. After some serious betting and re-raising I got him to fold after he asked if I had a set. In folding, he accidentally turned up a Q and was insuating he had Q-Q (which I highly doubt, more likely K-Q or A-Q) so I dutifully showed him my k-9 which he commented about "wow just a pair of 9s."

After a while 3 people were finally knocked out and we combined into one table. At this time I wasnt the low stack but it was pretty obvious i was in some trouble.

Other than a hand where I had A-Q. A high flop with 3 clubs. Blazman made a 5k bet into the pot and on a whim I pushed all-in, he folded.

Next hand of note was when it was down to 4 players, in the SB i got K-J. I raised about half my stack. BB goes into the tank hard, but finally calls. J on the flop. I push. BB thinks about it some more (he liked to take his time with decisions, so much Jason asked Joe if he wanted to call time on him) he finally called and turned over A-10. Board didnt improve for either one of us and I knocked him out in 4th.

A few rounds later its Jasom (host) in 1st, Joe in 2nd and me in 3rd. Im BB with K-8o. Joe raises it up for the 3rd or 4th time from the SB and I decide to take a stand.

Flop hits with a K and not much more. Joe bets a large amount. At this point I have to either fold or push, no middle ground. So doing the opposite of what I think he wants I push. He calls rather quickly and turns over A-A. Of course. 3rd place here I come...until the river puts a big fat beautiful 8 out there. YESH! I shout and pump the fist, which apparently upset everyone...but I digress. I know Joe isn't really angry at me for it, at the time im sure he was. In my defense I play emotionally charged especially towards the end, but I would never "showboat" i.e. do a dance, fall on the floor, taunt...pumping a fist and yelling "yes!" is probably the least amount of excitement you can do without being over the top. Guess you can debate Joba Chamberlin's fist pump with the same premise....

Soon after, Jason knocked Joe out and it was heads up. He had more chips, but I kept the pressure on him by raising a bunch. We finally got to a point where I raised with Ac-5c and he popped back all-in. I stared long and hard at the A-5 thinking this could be a stand against me since he hadnt be all that aggressive since we got head's up. I called thinking I was good here.

See thats the problem with my philosphy, I'm still playing poker based on gut instinct versus actual thought process, this is what makes me an average to poor player. Not saying gut play hasnt made me a few bucks, because it has, but I know if im ever to take it to the next level I gotta use the noggin.

So I call and he says "good call" he turns over 3-4o. Its a raise until the turn where he hits a 4, then the miracle of all miracles happens and a 3rd club falls on the river for my flush. Both of us didnt notice it until Eric piped up. After stack counting I had more chips and take down the $300 first place prize.

We played NLHE and then PLO and I ended up $80 from that too to bring my total winnings to $330 for the night. Not bad.

Flash-Forward to last night. Monday is the Hoy which I have being playing every week for awhile, but then I noticed FT was running a $26 HORSE tourney. As I have said before HORSE is something I have gotten into frequently and I was psyched to play in a big tourney. I won a $26 chip and bought into the HOY then bought into the 4k HORSE tourney. I almost backed out of the Hoy because I figured I couldnt stand the thought of another horrible suckout.

First Suckout of the night was As-Qs vs Ah-6h. A on the flop, 6 on the river. Ended up all-in against the same guy, a few hands later With A-Qo and caught a Q to bust him.

I soon became the chip leader after fortunate events went my way. And I maintained a good position for the rest of the night. No real dumb plays on my part but I did get A-A cracked on the way to the final table.

Finally it got down to 6 and I was right in the middle of the pack. Caught a break when a good all-in call with A-K vs dwal's A-Q turn into the chip lead for me, and then it happened

Dwal who was getting beaten like a red headed step child left and right by bad beats etc etc, pushed all-in. Folds to me. I have A-A. Uh can you say TOC seat here I come?

Obvious call. He turns over J-J. Flop accordingly deals Jc-xc-xc. I have Ac. Good I have outs. 5x and 9x dash those hopes. Trampled but not out. I go on.

At this point I have about 25k and still not in last. Few hands later I get J-J and put out a pot size bet. Cmitch calls. Flop is a bunch of low rags. Perfect flop for me. I put 9k into a something like 18kish pot. cmitch raises. Im thinking hes trying to steal this pot as I can't see him calling with anything less than say a pp of 9s, 10s, or good a strong A-x. Even if he thinks I missed the flop with say an A-K or A-Q, Im probably very good here. So I push... the words you always dread to hear right before a "bad beat" story begins.

Well I was wrong, he hit a mid set of 6's. And I walked right into another suckout, one that I could have folded with 15kish in chips and still played on.

Game over, 6th place finish, and $75 into my account. I was stunned. From 1st to 1st out in the matter of 5 hands. Both with dominating hands pre-flop on to be out-flopped by a set...

Maybe one day the poker gawds will smile on me once more so I can get me a piece of the WSOP prize... what a vacation that would be...

Monday, April 21, 2008

"Ode To My Car" - Adam Sandler

I really, really REALLY need an explanation on why full tilt consistantly is giving me the short end of the stick. Its not even about bad beats anymore, its about 1 man never winning when ahead.

First tourney: I have K-K. Blinds are 60/120, ep pushes all-in for 1.2k. I have a little over 2k. Do you fold K-K in this spot when I know dang well he has A-A or A-x? I call and he shows A-6o.
Flop: A

I dont get why bad moves are constantly rewarded?

Second Tourney: 10-10 blinds about the same. Ep raises to 480. I call even though its about half my stack.
Flop is 9 high with no draws.
EP pushes all in, I call. He flips K-Q

Turn: K

76% to win and I lose. I wouldnt be so pissed if it hasnt been happening non-stop for over a month. Ive gone from $680 to $200 in that span...

I'm not playing bad, but im getting the short end....

"Working for The Weekend" - Loverboy

So I hit up the F-woods Friday night, and I was unsure about what I was going to play. I could play poker of course or I could just stick to casino games all night. I opted for poker.

I got downstairs and I went to the cage first to see if any $120 SnGs were on the verge of starting, the guy told 5 seats left. It was slow for a Friday, so I didnt think it would start fast so I sat down at a 1-3 stud table. I literally played one hand before they announced the SnG.

At the SnG I didnt get too much in the way of cards, good lively table though and I enjoyed hearing how a guy two to my right was "threatening" to go out in a blaze of glory if he got bad beat. Rip up the cards, etc etc. He wasnt seriously but the way he delivered those lines it everyone crack up. Think of like Cheech Marin meets Jackie Chan, thats the guy for ya.

I ended up only really playing 1 hand, Ad-Qd. Level was 100/200 almost time for antes. I had 1.2k in chips. BB to my right before he looked at his hand said he was prolly going to push this hand. So when I saw mine, I had to be him to it so I pushed. one caller, the SB. I asked if he had A-A and he said no (see what full-tilt has done to me??), he turned over Jc-Js.

Flop was Qc-10c-9c

Wow could any flop be more grim for me? Two Js, any K, any 8, any club! 17 outs. 68% chance he wins.

Turn x
River 3c

Im done. Not dicouraged too much I decide to join another SnG.

The second table was even friendlier than the first minus two old guys sitting in seats 9 & 10. This girl sits to my right and tells me this is her first casino SnG. I asked her where she plays online and she said BoDog. So she peppered me with questions throughout the evening. Oh and she won the first hand where I was the BB and she was the SB, I felt bad betting her out of the hand so I checked it down. Course I had 6-2, she had 10-6.

Things are going so-so for me, the table is pretty tight minus seat 3 who is pushing all-in with every raise. He finally gets beat and the table returns to normal. I'm not seeing any real cards until Seat 10 raises to 900. Blinds are at 100/200 no antes yet, and I have 1.2k. I peek at my cards to see a J-J. After a few seconds of thought I push knowing he will call my 300 extra.

He flips over A-Ko and the board blessed me with a race I actually won. He said "Nice Hand" but then was mumbling something under his breath about not understanding why I pushed with J-J etc etc, I didnt get why he was ticked about that.

Slowly people kept getting the boot until the girl to my right left in 5th place. Seat 9 at this point had about 8k or so and the rest of the 12k was spread almost evenly between the 3 of us left. I got a little more aggressive and had a few more scares.

Seat 4 turned out to be a deaf guy about my age or a tad bit younger. No idea he was deaf until I got involved with him in a few hands. Both times I had A-K vs him having A-Q. First time we chopped when a 2345 hit the board. Second time he flopped A-Q but I hit 9 on the flop, turn and river, to split it with him. Around this time he pushed all in again, and I looked down to see A-Jo. I thought about it for a little but mucked it face up. He asked if I called and I said no. I asked what he had and he said "A-Q" we both laughed about that one.

The guy to my left I had been joking with the whole game because we both were getting horrible cards. He told me at one point he was getting a X-2 every hand. This info later helped me fold on a A-2-2 board when he flipped up a 2 to show me he had the deuce. I ended up taking him out in 4th place on a hand I forget.

So the 3 people left were Myself, seat 4, and the mean a-hole in seat 9. 9 had been berating every dealer we had and berated some players at the table also. I had asked him a question at some point about the previous table he was playing at and he gave me some snotty response. He ended up bouncing seat 4 from the game and held a slight chip lead.

Here I went into super agressive mode, and raised any semi-decent hand I saw. He folded each time. I did just call once when I had 2-2. Flop brought a 2, but I could not induce him to bet out and a very random flop. We checked to the river when I finally bet and he folded.

It kept going on like this for 5 minutes or so when finally as a small blind and severly short stacked he said "all-in" I looked to say A-10o and I called. He flipped up A-9 and I ended up winning the whole dang thing.

I did a slight fist pump with no words attached, and he apparently thought I was acting classless which he made a comment about. But when 2 dealers seek you out and congratulate you on beating someone I feel like I hadnt done anything wrong.

I cashed out the first place of $500 and I walked out of the poker room a happy dude.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

"Here I Go Again" - Whitesnake

By now you think im whinning and complaining about nothing, but i submit another example:

Blinds 50/100. Stack of 900 raises to 300.

I have Qd-5d and 750 chips including my blind i posted so I push all-in. Call.

He has A-A. SURPRISE!

Flop Q-A-5
This is just fucking bullshit.

And even more!

A-K short stacked in riverchasers.

blinds 500/1000

get it all in on the flop, guess what he has? The only possible hand to have when I have A-x!!

A-A baby!

"Crazy Game of Poker" - O.A.R.

So I played in two blogger events last night the Mookie and Dookie. Mook was the usual 1.5k starting chips NLHE. Started off bad, within the first 20 minutes I lost almost half my stack, then I went as high as 5th. After that I went card dead, the chip leader came in and start bossing the table around, and before I know it I have 2k chips left, the blinds are 240/120 with 50 ante?, and I get As-9s, so I push knowing full well what Im going to get called by. Chip leader is the only caller and wouldn't you know he has blessed A-A, unfortunately no A on the flop to further torment me, but I did grab an all red board with nary a spade to be seen to knock me out in 24th out of 102. Is that in the points, I have no clue.

The Dook was another story, the game was PLO, and I was on fire. A-A, K-K, A-A 2 more times. Hit a set with 9-9 in my hand, filled some flushed. I catapualted to the lead early and stayed there for a bit. Then the beats started rolling in. Im in the BB with a mix hand of middle number cards. Checks to me I check. Flop is 9-7-6 two clubs. I have a 10 and an 8 in my hand for the made straight. The other person doesnt have very much for chips left, so I decide to put the decision on them to chase for the flush or higher straight. Get it all in, and if I remember correctly the person had pair of 7s and maybe a flush draw. Well thanks to a lovely turn and river 5, he got to use the 7and 5 in his hand for a boat that beat my straight.

After another suckout that puts me down to 2kish in chips, I push with A-A-K-J 3 hearts. Some middle middle stack calls my pot bet instead of just raising me the 300 extra i have left. Low flop but having no other choice I push. MS calls with just about the junkiest hands in Omaha ive seen for a lovely straight. Just another day on the FT!

I read all these posts about people getting mad at the table, I don't I vent out loud to myself or in print like this worthless blog, or in the case of last night when the gf is sleeping, I go play CoD4 and kill some terrorists. Then I go to bed, wake up the next morning and forget what happened (for the most part) so that when I get home we can resume all over again.

Tonight is the Riverchasers tourney which im expecting to have another mediocre showing in, I guess donking all my money of to the bloggers isnt so bad, I could donk it off to some random jackass that does know shit from banannas.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

"Same Old Song and Dance" - Aerosmith

Well folks, the curse of the FT has continued on. I placed 4th in the Hoy last week which got my bankroll up to $671. As of this post my bankroll has sunk to approx $380. Almost 3oo bucks in little over a week. Apparently my life is a bad beat (pun!). I could go on and on about the various beats, the various stupid plays I've made or the general discontent i'm expieriencing towards FT right now.

In an otherwise craptacular week, I've managed to do ok in a bunch of blogger events since the Hoy but have yet to cash again. In the Hoy this past Monday I made a 1 outer on the Turn (my Q-Q vs A-Q) to double up to 11k in chips and almost assure myself a points placement, only to be slow-rolled into running my A-Ko into A-A on an A high flop.The thing is I was playing really good, I mean REALLY good. Haven't felt that confident playing in a long time, and then I get bounced when I totally misread Princessmeowmeow's hand as being weak and she caught her case A to seal my doom. After this I played the Midnight madness where I had my A-A cracked by A-Ko, IRONY!

I have started to get an obsession about HORSE, multi games never really interested me, although I have had Omaha and Stud iterests in the past. I played the Skillz Horse game last Tuesday and I was doing suprisingly well in it until I didn't notice that the game had switched from Razz to Stud Hi and my awesome low lost to 2 pair...

Last night's Skillz challenge was Stud 8, was doing okay in that until for my 4-flush with a 4-straight draws ended up netting me 3 pairs... Losing hand was A-8-A when my opponent 7th streeted a 5 for 2 pair. Then I ran A-10 into A-A in a 12 sng, and crapped out of a HORSE sng.

Been a bad last month for me on FT, needless to say. I even hit up F-woods on Sunday for the first time in awhile, I played 2/4 limit just to see if I could get a beginner's feel on poker. I felt great, picked up a bunch of tells from people. Made some good reads and laydowns. Was up $40 at one point, before those river rats with no descernible draws hit that off the wall card on the end to close a boat or fill a gutshot straight. Typical, and I was not upset. After that I played Craps for a good 2 hours and was up almost $200 at one point till I just decided to play with what I was up and gave it all back. Honestly going to the casino isnt about winning to me, its juat about enjoying the process. I taught some guy how to play craps and he made everyone at the table a boatload of money, AND we all had a good time.

Tonight is the Mook and I'm signed up, not expecting much, but hoping for the best.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

"Today" - Smashing Pumpkins

Hey I got around to doing a blogger event again, go me! Its been a long long time, but on a whim I signed up for the Hoy last night.

I always have felt like an outsider in these things because everyone knows each other except me. I was introduced to this poker loving bunch for Joe AKA Unimpressed, and I started off pretty good last year by winning a HOY and finishing 2nd in a Mookie in the same week. So I wasn't "unknown" but then again I wouldn't say I was well-known either. Slowly I stopped playing the tourneys as I got disenchanted with the state of poker (heck I havent even played at the casino since end of December!)

Fast-forward to last night:

I was determined to play in the Hoy so I started off by donking out of a 8+.25 token tourney. Then I joined a 12 SnG while waiting for the Hoy to start. Things started to get hectic when the SnG was finishing up and the Hoy was starting. Ended up finishing the Sng in 2nd, and then I got serious about the Hoy.

Good thing too, because I got into a raising war with someone on the first hand I played where I had hit a set of 8 on the flops to bust A-A. Not too much later I bust A-K with A-A. I've realized its a lot easier to play poker when you get cards, I'd like that to continue.

I feel I played this tourney pretty good. Got a huge chip lead early and laid back a bit, stealing blinds against people who I had an inkling they might fold. Folding to any raise where I had a questionable hand out of position. I was doing well. Then the ineviatable first mistake.

I have 8-8 in late position, Envy raises to 3x-Pot size bet (can't remember exactly) from EP. I just call this raise but in my head I'm thinking I should pop it back.
Flop: 4-4-9

Not too bad flop for me, I figure other than high pairs I should be good here. She bets between 3/4ths and pot size, and I pop it back. She comes over the top of me all-in. I just get this fishy feeling that she doesn't have as good of a hand as shes repping. So I call. Go ahead blame me for both good and bad instincts. She turns over J-9o. So I was right in a sense that she didnt have that great of a hand, but just good enough to beat mine.

So my stack is caught in half and I'm more determined then ever to not donk out of this tournament. I got moved and raised the next 3 hands, grabbing just the blinds. But I got back up to 6300. I kept this up the rest of the tourney and went to the final table in 6th place out of 6.
After 2 awesome sneak-ness with A-A (I spanked both the chip leaders at the time) to double up. I made my 2nd and deadliest mistake.

I have A-Qo in Middle postion. I am currently sitting 4th out of 4 with 29k in chips. I do a pot-size raise as I have been thoughout the tourney (at this time I believe it was a raise to 5100) and the big huge chip leader just smooth calls. This is VERY fishy to me as 90% of the time its either a fold or re-raise to my raises. Flop is 3 cards under 10 with 2 hearts. Now even though I have a fishy feeling about the smooth call. I go ahead and make a pot-sized bet. Chip leader re-raises me to almost all-in. I think for a bit then let it go. I crippled my stack to 15k. Few hands later I push with A-7 and get called by A-Q and my tourney is over.

But for 3 and 1/2 hours of work I netted $193, not too shabby I must say!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

"Oops I Did It Again" - Britney Spearz!

So I played again last night on Full Tilt... Used my $26 coin to enter the $28k guaranteed and i played 2 hands. 2 FRICKIN HANDS!
First hand A-Ko in LP. Early in the tourney, most stacks are at 3k or around that, 50/25 blinds.
Raise 3x and get 1 caller.
Flop: Jh,9h,8s
Check to me, continuation bet of greater than 3/4ths the pot. Call after the timer clicks down a little.
Turn: 10d
Checks to me, check is good.
River: blank
Checks to me, check is good.
Caller turns over Ad-Qd….. Gutshot draw on the flop and that’s it….
Not too much later....
Second hand: As-Js on the button. EP call, raise from guy to my right. I call. EP calls.
Flop: Jc, 6c, X
Check from EP, bet by guy to my right. Re-raise all-in by me. Long, long looooooong looooooooooooooooooong thought by EP then a call. OB calls. Me all-in, they both still have cash.
Turn: 8x
They both get it all-in. They hands are as follows: Original raiser: A-Jo, me A-Js, EP 6c-8c. For the two pair win…..
I played another SnG after that but I was on the kind of tilt where you aren't playing bad, but you know every flop, turn and river is not your friend.