I played in a satellite last night for a big two-day tournament in West Virginia (well, my last two-day tournament only lasted one day, but we hope to do better this time).
The satellite paid 1 in 10, 33 people entered. 3 seats, 4th gets 1/5 of a buyin. Notes were taken on my Palm Centro -- I also have a little voice recorder but I left it in the car.
12k in chips after the optional $5 dealer buy. People just don't tip here, so dealer buys have become the norm. Supposed to start at 7, did not get rolling until 7:20 or so.
7:30 -- Got lucky 5-10 hands in (blinds 25/50, but this pot got bigger than I would have liked) -- controlled the betting with trips sure I had the best hand three ways and got it all in versus an underboat. I caught a better boat on the river. I put myself in a bit of a rough spot, but when the turn was a blank I thought I was good and the pot was too big to check fold, so I pushed. Yay river 7 outer.
Incidentally, my push on the turn was called not just by an underboat, but also by an old guy who actually said 'caught me bluffing' after calling. Whu?
Suddenly, I'm at 37 k in the second level (100k or so is enough to coast to a seat).
Nothing happened in the second or third levels.
Time for a brief note -- probably because it's live, probably because it's West Virginia, no one has any clue how to play a satellite. You've got tons of bluffing into side pots, tons of very frantic activity early (yes I recognize the humor of that statement given my first pot blogged) -- basically no patience or cognizance of basic satellite strategy.
I start to get a good read for my table, which is good because I stuck with them for about 3.5 hours. The funniest dude is Camo Guy, so named because he has a camouflaged hat. Also because he was as a calling station disguised as a table captain.
One rule became crucial throughout the night --
NEVER BLUFF CAMO GUY
8:30 I jump to 50k by calling a camo guy bluff in level 4 -- turns out he's a bluffing calling station, as his line made no sense unless he was betting his draw. He missed the draw on the river and my overpair to the board (nines) were good.
9:00 I blinded down to about 44k at the round 5 break. No one respected a raise at this table, which made stealing more precarious since the flop bet would inevitably be the right amount for a short stack to push over with any piece. Despite the fact that I had not played all that many hands (I was getting napkins after my early triple up), the table decided to call every raise so steals were hard.
Corn dogs are delicious.
9:20 -- Busted a shortie first hand back with tens -- back up to 49k.
9:40 -- up to 54k after hitting 2 pair with pair and OESD (86o in the big blind with a board of X6758-- was minraised on turn and beat the worst limped MP Kings ever. Check check on the river, guess I should have made a thin value bet.
The same guy who's Kings I busted showed his true colors -- the master of the hero call. Older gent with a straw hat and white beard. Nice guy, aggressive player, but would also get tricky in way the wrong spots (see above).
However, he is also my personal hero. We consolidated to two tables, and a guy who was sure he was the new sheriff shows up at the table. Before I can remind him that I have all the chips, he gets involved with bearded guy on a raggy flop. He pushes and gets snap called all in (more than pot-sized) with Ace high no draw -- which had his Jack 10 dominated.
9:50 Down to 45k after folding OESD getting 3-1 because I couldn't see the push as a bluff. He had 4 high and was bluffing with said 4 high into a dry sidepot. I either need to fold to the initial raise or call the flop push. Oh well, that pot would have ;let me coast, perhaps being on my toes is better.
10:00 -- up to 61k after same dry sidepot guy bluffs blind v blind into my trips (J9 on a 9 4 9 board, two spades). His Ace high (A5 with the Ace of spades) was not in good shape.
10:15 -- 56k halfway through level 8.
10:30 -- up to 63k with some steals (actually starting to work a bit as people are seeing me show down some big hands), 30BB at blinds of 1k/2k, 10 left 3 pay (4th gets a pittance).
Final tables are delicious.
10:35 -- Down to 20k with Aces, which of course are no good by the turn (he snap called my push on flop with KQ on a Q 7 2 board, and caught trips. Yes, it was Camo Guy, how did you guess?
10:40 -- Up to 49k after a double the next hand with Queens and taking the blinds the hands after that with AKS. Minirush, yay!
10:50 -- turned a boat with pocket nines after raising preflop with them and hitting a set on the flop -- got 2 streets of value out of them (old guy with hat called flop and turn bets) -- up to 80k.
Then another rush began. AK beats QJ, Kings in a blind versus blind, tens versus A10 -- knocked three short stacks out myself, and hit four handed with 40 percent of the chips, around 120-140k.
11:30 -- Stole/value bet some to stay at around 120-140K, then shortstack pushed A10 into QJ and 2 jacks on the flop, BOOM. Thanks Camo Guy for knocking out the last player, and for winning a seat. Hope you're at my table.
Thought about sticking around for cash, but there were no seats at my usual stake and I just got a little bored. Packed up for the 'Burgh at around 12:00.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Regular Posting is For Wusses
I've been playing live about every other week, and online once a week or so (with the occasional quickie online cash game thrown in as well).
Results have been pretty good -- got short in the Million today and pushed an Ace into Kings -- still good for $650, but with first being $162K that feels like a loss. "Beating 4800" does not seem to work for me as a consolation ;)
Friday night I played my first live PLO in about a year. The play was terrible, and if I had caught anything I would have made a mint. As it was I made my losses from earlier in the night back.
Kids are doing great -- got to spend most of the day with them solo, and I felt like I was really beginning to find my daddy groove. Kris still is way better at managing things than I am, but she's a rock star so I am OK with that.
Wish I had some hands to discuss -- thinking about using some winnings to get a little digital recorder so I can keep some more contemporaneous notes (and look like a portly Gus Hansen).
Results have been pretty good -- got short in the Million today and pushed an Ace into Kings -- still good for $650, but with first being $162K that feels like a loss. "Beating 4800" does not seem to work for me as a consolation ;)
Friday night I played my first live PLO in about a year. The play was terrible, and if I had caught anything I would have made a mint. As it was I made my losses from earlier in the night back.
Kids are doing great -- got to spend most of the day with them solo, and I felt like I was really beginning to find my daddy groove. Kris still is way better at managing things than I am, but she's a rock star so I am OK with that.
Wish I had some hands to discuss -- thinking about using some winnings to get a little digital recorder so I can keep some more contemporaneous notes (and look like a portly Gus Hansen).
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Oh, and By the Way
They are ELEVEN months old today. Where did the time go.
Well, if the American Association of Pediatrics asks, they're 12 months old already.
Well, if the American Association of Pediatrics asks, they're 12 months old already.
I See An Upside
As has become very clear to anyone paying attention, I have opened up my game quite a bit.
A "bit," you say? Sure, why not.
And while I have expressed justified concern that opening too much might result in my becoming too spewy, the change has resulted in some neat results in a place I had not frequented in a long time.
Online poker. Specifically, online poker satellites. I've won a sat to the Sunday million and the Sunday WSOP qualifier in the last week. I even tried my hand at one of the $30 rebuys to the Series (and if it hadn't been for a horrbly timed resteal push with jacks, I'd still be in it with about two tables left). That plus a nice NLHE two-tabling session tonight has resulted in a well-timed virtual bankroll boost.
The two wins in sats means I have enough money to take some shots, and also money I can sell for 95% of its value if I become cash poor. The nice NLHE session means I won't be cash poor for a while.
Am I going to the World Series? Probably not. But it's nice to have some ammo to give it a shot without having to transfer live winnings over.
Am I going to become a hoodie wearing, Internet savvy LAGtard? Definitely not.
Hoodies make me look even fatter.
Looking forward to giving the Mountaineer Saturday tournament another go. Last time I played it in January, I final tabled it and finished 8th. Got a bit short, and had to push A10 into KJ, and couldn't hold up, but if I had won that hand I would have been above par with 8 left and in great shape. I think I can win this thing. Structure is meh -- a bit worse than Foxwoods, better than a fire hall, but in the land of no options what they spread for you is king.
If only there was a local version of the Crackhouse. Ah well.
A "bit," you say? Sure, why not.
And while I have expressed justified concern that opening too much might result in my becoming too spewy, the change has resulted in some neat results in a place I had not frequented in a long time.
Online poker. Specifically, online poker satellites. I've won a sat to the Sunday million and the Sunday WSOP qualifier in the last week. I even tried my hand at one of the $30 rebuys to the Series (and if it hadn't been for a horrbly timed resteal push with jacks, I'd still be in it with about two tables left). That plus a nice NLHE two-tabling session tonight has resulted in a well-timed virtual bankroll boost.
The two wins in sats means I have enough money to take some shots, and also money I can sell for 95% of its value if I become cash poor. The nice NLHE session means I won't be cash poor for a while.
Am I going to the World Series? Probably not. But it's nice to have some ammo to give it a shot without having to transfer live winnings over.
Am I going to become a hoodie wearing, Internet savvy LAGtard? Definitely not.
Hoodies make me look even fatter.
Looking forward to giving the Mountaineer Saturday tournament another go. Last time I played it in January, I final tabled it and finished 8th. Got a bit short, and had to push A10 into KJ, and couldn't hold up, but if I had won that hand I would have been above par with 8 left and in great shape. I think I can win this thing. Structure is meh -- a bit worse than Foxwoods, better than a fire hall, but in the land of no options what they spread for you is king.
If only there was a local version of the Crackhouse. Ah well.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
West Virginia -- Wild and Wonderful
Had an interesting evening at Mountaineer Gaming last night.
I usually play locally, but Mountaineer was running a satellite for their big end-of-month tournament. I don't want to devote the resources to a big buy-in, so I decided to play in the sat and see what happens.
Usual crap. I lose a bit calling with a straight and flush draw, then bust when my AQ runs into a straight and flush draw of a guy with monster chips. He had to call my push, but he took FOREVER to do it and that sort of nonsense (in a quick tournament, no less) really annoyed me. Theatrics when a decision is trivial and the pot is head's up are a big waste of time and donkeyish.
I don't mind someone "mulling" over a decision with a big draw or acting pensive with a monster if it's multi-way -- sometimes those sort of theatrics will result in an overcall or overpush that can be very profitable. But this kind of "playing to the nonexistent cameras" nonsense is so common in poker these days -- TV has hurt the sportsmanship of the game as much as it has increased its popularity.
I move on to the cash games. I really want to play PLO, but nothing's running -- hold'em it is.
Mid-limit NLHE is an odd game sometimes. Not ten minutes in, I find myself pushing on the turn with top pair, top kicker (AK) and the nut flush draw (A-unconnected rags with three clubs) against a player I read as weak only to have him tank for five minutes and call all in with top pair no kicker. He hits his rag on the river after calling an entire buy-in's worth of betting with three outs.
I reload and have some work to do. Fortunately my new best friend does not vary his play despite his suckout. He bets out strong with middle pair. He raises on bluffs or with top pair with no draw. He just calls with draws -- never raises with them. He's fairly easy to read, but tough to play against unless you're willing to deal with the variance of going with your reads and him sucking out.
I get it all back later when he overplays top pair against my trips. I faced a tough call on the turn, but when he bet the same amount on the river the call felt fairly automatic (he also wasn't a "value bet" kind of guy).
Same thing later with another player -- I raise in late position with 79c. Flop is A 10 8, two spades. I bet about pot, OOP tanks and calls. A red 6 on the turn gives the nut straight, and OOP bets out. I raise him about pot. The OOP caller tanks and calls the raise. At this point, I think he has a big Ace. His play to that point didn't suggest any kind of a flush draw. The river completes the flush and pairs the board (10s). He checks. He has never checked when he hit his hand, ever, in four hours -- he's passive, but hasn't checkraised even once. I decide to make a thin value bet (yes, I thought it was a value bet and not a bluff)-- about half pot. He tanks, and tanks, and tanks, and finally calls. He mucks when he saw my straight -- I don't think he even saw it on the board.
It was that kind of table, but I am a bit too much of a "feel" player right now. My reads are pretty spot-on, but I don't want to become Pittsburgh's "Kenny Tran". Balance will suit me better in the long run, no matter how well I am reading betting patterns and tells.
Made my lost buyin back, the satellite entry back, and a little more. It will do.
I usually play locally, but Mountaineer was running a satellite for their big end-of-month tournament. I don't want to devote the resources to a big buy-in, so I decided to play in the sat and see what happens.
Usual crap. I lose a bit calling with a straight and flush draw, then bust when my AQ runs into a straight and flush draw of a guy with monster chips. He had to call my push, but he took FOREVER to do it and that sort of nonsense (in a quick tournament, no less) really annoyed me. Theatrics when a decision is trivial and the pot is head's up are a big waste of time and donkeyish.
I don't mind someone "mulling" over a decision with a big draw or acting pensive with a monster if it's multi-way -- sometimes those sort of theatrics will result in an overcall or overpush that can be very profitable. But this kind of "playing to the nonexistent cameras" nonsense is so common in poker these days -- TV has hurt the sportsmanship of the game as much as it has increased its popularity.
I move on to the cash games. I really want to play PLO, but nothing's running -- hold'em it is.
Mid-limit NLHE is an odd game sometimes. Not ten minutes in, I find myself pushing on the turn with top pair, top kicker (AK) and the nut flush draw (A-unconnected rags with three clubs) against a player I read as weak only to have him tank for five minutes and call all in with top pair no kicker. He hits his rag on the river after calling an entire buy-in's worth of betting with three outs.
I reload and have some work to do. Fortunately my new best friend does not vary his play despite his suckout. He bets out strong with middle pair. He raises on bluffs or with top pair with no draw. He just calls with draws -- never raises with them. He's fairly easy to read, but tough to play against unless you're willing to deal with the variance of going with your reads and him sucking out.
I get it all back later when he overplays top pair against my trips. I faced a tough call on the turn, but when he bet the same amount on the river the call felt fairly automatic (he also wasn't a "value bet" kind of guy).
Same thing later with another player -- I raise in late position with 79c. Flop is A 10 8, two spades. I bet about pot, OOP tanks and calls. A red 6 on the turn gives the nut straight, and OOP bets out. I raise him about pot. The OOP caller tanks and calls the raise. At this point, I think he has a big Ace. His play to that point didn't suggest any kind of a flush draw. The river completes the flush and pairs the board (10s). He checks. He has never checked when he hit his hand, ever, in four hours -- he's passive, but hasn't checkraised even once. I decide to make a thin value bet (yes, I thought it was a value bet and not a bluff)-- about half pot. He tanks, and tanks, and tanks, and finally calls. He mucks when he saw my straight -- I don't think he even saw it on the board.
It was that kind of table, but I am a bit too much of a "feel" player right now. My reads are pretty spot-on, but I don't want to become Pittsburgh's "Kenny Tran". Balance will suit me better in the long run, no matter how well I am reading betting patterns and tells.
Made my lost buyin back, the satellite entry back, and a little more. It will do.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Repetitive
These are repetitive from my wife's blog (which is way better than mine and you should read every day!), but they're so darn cute!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)