Late night Louisiana casino outings

Lake Charles
I spent all last week on the road for the holidays visiting family in Louisiana. On Christmas night I drove from Lafayette to Lake Charles at 11:30pm, got to the Isle of Capri at 12:45am. My family thought I was crazy but like I told them, I'm an opportunist. I knew everyone was planning to go shopping the next day and I could care less about going with them, so why not get some cards in while everyone's sleeping and then sleep while everyone's out shopping? Plus I could jam the new DJ Heather mix I bought from iTunes all the way there. :)

I brought $150 with me to play and my plan was the same as my last trip to the Isle: play bonus holdem, make some quick easy money and then go sit at the poker table. So I went straight to that table, bought $100 in chips and began putting down my $5 ante and bonus bet. "The table minimum is $10 tonight" she says. $100 isn't nearly enough when it's costing $40 to play a flop and put in a bonus bet. I was stupid and played anyway hoping to get a big hand and get paid on a $10 bonus. I didn't and lost the $100 in about....6 hands.

I had $50 in my pocket, not enough to play anything and I wasn't about to turn around and drive back after being there for 10 minutes. So I went to the ATM and took out another $100 and headed to the poker room to play some mind numbingly boring limit holdem. It was all I could afford, the no limit game was 2/5 and I'd need at least $250 to sit there without completely gambling.

I don't have a lot of limit experience, but I do have an idea of how hand selection and position play into a solid strategy. These games aren't hard to beat if you aren't completely card dead, which I was. I started out playing a little too loose and lost $50 of the $100 stack I bought. I buckled down, threw my last $50 on the table to get back to a decent stack, and ground it out until 6am. When it was all said and done, including the bonus holdem game, I lost $38 on the Isle session. I had a lot of fun for a limit game though, and I was surprisingly focused. Made $70 in the poker room which made me happy.

The best part of the night was a young redneck looking guy comes over with a rack and says to the table "take it easy on me I don't know what I'm doing". Anyone who's played long enough would take that comment with a grain of salt, but this guy wasn't kidding. Seriously, at one point he's in a hand and asks the dealer "How many cards does it take to make a straight?" The dealer just started laughing and said she'd been working there a long time and never heard that one before.

The guy was hilarious and even though there were some horriffic players at the table, EVERYONE was having a laugh at this idiot's expense. No one was nasty about it, but the guy on my direct left would welcome every new player to the table with "Welcome to the twilight zone". :) Tony, from Crowley, was very nice and seemingly the only person with a clue at my table. Props to Tony.
--
New Orleans
Saturday we were in NOLA to visit my Aunt Mona and Uncle Harry who has lung cancer, along with the rest of my Dad's side of the family. That night Kristina and I went out with my Dad and stepmom to Bourbon street and had a very good time. It was the first time I'd ever been. We stopped at a club called Rue 44 for vodka tonics, and did the electric slide to the Deja Vu band that was playing some awesome funk. Midnight Star, Dazz Band, etc. The best part was the black lady getting down telling me I was wayyy too stiff and needed to loosen up. In the meantime she's cheering Kristina on "Get DOWN GIRL!!". LOL

The rest of the night we hung at Pat O'Brien's piano bar drinking hurricanes. That was a lot of fun.

So on the way there and back we walked through Harrah's which was right across from our hotel. I still had the cash from the Isle and wanted to play since they had a $1/$2 no limit game I could afford to sit at. I went to check out the area on the walk back to the hotel and told Kristina I wanted to play but she said nope. I got my poker in the other night in Lake Charles. The rest of the walk back I had it in my mind, "I'm going to sneak out and come back when everyone's asleep."

We get back in the room and I see the extra room key on our bed that my Aunt had left. I snagged it quickly and slid it in my pocket, took off my shoes and laid down on the bed with all my clothes still on. I didn't even get under the covers. It only took about 5 minutes for everyone to start snoring, and then I snuck out and walked across the street. Hehe.

The 1/2 list was a pretty good size at 1am, so I signed up and went sit back at the limit table until a seat was open. Made about $30 quickly when I turned a King high flush against a guy with three queens. Took that over to 1/2 and ended up walking with $150 profit. I'll go ahead and rundown the one hand that I made all the $ on:

I had KQ in the small blind. Early position limper, loose guy raises to $7 in late position, guy on my right calls, I call. Then the big blind who's a new player raises to $20. Everyone calls and the pot is so big that I decide to call and take a flop.

Flop comes Q x x with two spades. I check and the big blind bets around $40 if I remember right. It folds around to the late position raiser and he asks the waitress passing by if he should chase. She says no, he folds reluctantly. The guy on my right folds, accidentally exposing his A2 with the Ace of spades.

Based on all the information I just observed I wasn't worried about a flush draw anymore, or the real hand I was worried about: AQ. Even though I wasn't sure the big blinds playing style, I figured there was a good chance I was ahead and could get called by some worse hands. So I shoved for like another $60 and he called. I showed it and he mucked after the turn and river were dealt (everyone in LA waits to show their cards until all the cards are out). Turns out the guy was really loose aggressive and terrible the more I observed him through the night.

I cashed out at 3:30am and went to look for the bonus holdem game in hopes they were running a $5 minimum. They were running the $10 game just like in Lake Charles so I walked back across the street and snuck back into the room.

The next morning we all wake up at 8am and Kristina says "man those people next door to us woke me up when they brought the party back at 5am." I said "I brought it back at 4am". None of them had a clue I was ever out of the room. :)

Royal Flush!

This is for anyone who's never seen a royal flush! It's Christmas Day, just before we're about to eat. I'm in my grandmother's living room watching Iron Man, just goofing around, and then I got dealt pocket Queens.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9683352535: Table Armin (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:06:26 ET - 2008/12/25
Seat 1: Dray ($10.20)
Seat 2: Tomps ($2.60)
Seat 3: imawinnababy ($10)
Seat 4: sBad aam ($3.85)
Seat 5: unique777 ($7.70)
Seat 6: Knavish Jivey ($9.80)
unique777 posts the small blind of $0.05
Knavish Jivey posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Qs Qh]
Dray raises to $0.40
Tomps folds
imawinnababy folds
sBad aam calls $0.40
unique777 has 15 seconds left to act
unique777 folds
Knavish Jivey has 15 seconds left to act
Knavish Jivey folds
*** FLOP *** [Ah 4d Th]
Knavish Jivey is sitting out
Knavish Jivey stands up
Dray checks
sBad aam bets $0.30
Dray calls $0.30
*** TURN *** [Ah 4d Th] [Jh]
Dray checks
sBad aam bets $1.30
Dray raises to $9.50, and is all in
sBad aam calls $1.85, and is all in
Dray shows [Qs Qh]
sBad aam shows [Ts Ac]
Uncalled bet of $6.35 returned to Dray
*** RIVER *** [Ah 4d Th Jh] [Kh]
Dray shows a Royal Flush
sBad aam shows two pair, Aces and Tens
Dray wins the pot ($7.10) with a Royal Flush
sBad aam is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $7.85 | Rake $0.75
Board: [Ah 4d Th Jh Kh]
Seat 1: Dray showed [Qs Qh] and won ($7.10) with a Royal Flush
Seat 2: Tomps didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: imawinnababy didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: sBad aam (button) showed [Ts Ac] and lost with two pair, Aces and Tens
Seat 5: unique777 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Knavish Jivey (big blind) folded before the Flop

Hellmuth busts from Five Diamond WPT with.....

Pulled from Cardplayer's live updates:

Phil Hellmuth Eliminated

A player raised in early position to 11,000 and Phil Hellmuth called from the big blind. The flop came Ad Ah 9d with and both players checked. The turn was the 6d and Hellmuth checked. His opponent bet 18,000 and Hellmuth moved in for a total of 60,000. His opponent called and showed A8 for trip aces. Hellmuth showed 7d 4d for a flush but the river was the 9h double pairing the board and giving his opponent a full house, eliminating Hellmuth.


He even had my favorite suit!

Sunday year long results

I started out the year with a goal in mind: keep track of everyone's results in our Sunday home games. Most of my friends do not track their results when they play cards either live or online. We're all recreational players despite how seriously we like to take ourselves and our game approach. I just got into the habit of tracking my stats a couple of years ago when I wanted to get serious and honest about my online play.

So I thought it would be nice to get a realistic picture of who's winning and who's losing in our home games, instead of just focusing on me. It's not that hard to do, really. I just took a piece of paper and kept track of how much everyone was in for, and what they cashed out for. After that it's simple math.

I'm happy to report that I was a winner in both cash games and tournaments. In cash, I finished up about $140, or 7 average buyins of $20 (sometimes we play $40 games). I took 2nd in our heads up tourney in April for $40 profit and 2nd in Craig's first Friday tourney for an $80 profit.

Biggest winner of the year was Jason by far, and it all came from cash games. In looking at the spreadsheet I made he really only had one bad session. He had two awesome sessions (as did I, and they rule BTW) and the rest of the time he ground out at LEAST a buyin if not two.

Other winners included Bruce, Pat, Herby and Patrick Lantz. The guys who took the biggest hits were Craig, Rob and Dave.

But I'll qualify all these stats with this: We only had 16 cash game sessions and 3 tourneys which isn't a big sample of hands even for a years worth of time. Plus, some guys played more sessions that others. Variance can easily affect any of these results and I intend to continue the stats tracking for 2009. It should be fun to see what next December will bring. I just want to be in the black again, even if it's for $20. :)

Because in the end, we're not congregating to destroy each other. It's really about coming together and enjoying each other's company while sharing a game we all enjoy. I'm very grateful to have a great group of guys to play with and compete against.

I may not have lost as much as Pokertracker tells me

I've made the recent discovery that Pokertracker version 2 doesn't recognize hands where someone disconnects or requests time. So I'm slowly going to go back over every damn file that I have for the last few months to delete these lines out of them. That way I can have an accurate portrait of wins/losses. Of course I could figure out the dollar amount in my excel sheet, but I'm more interested in my playing stats. I'm at 16K right now, closer to my goal of 20K. Then I'll take a look and see where my leaks are.

Had a few good sessions this week, not last night though. Lost 1 1/2 buyins due to set over set, cracked aces, some runners and some bad play early on from me. Meh.

I'll make it up. I feel I'm getting my patience back at the table, and I'm doing better at paying attention to what's happening. Haven't been playing too many SNG's because I've been doing the late night thing and it just doesn't fly. I'm too tired for it and I'm always falling asleep in the middle of them, so I'm deliberately playing cash for that reason. If I fall asleep and time out, I'm not losing anything.

Depressed

It seems like every time I start up a cash game session now I lose either a full stack or half of one and spend the next X amount of hours trying to break even. It pisses me off that I have to table select at nickel dime cash games because there are so many people playing 8 tables of it.

My account is now below $200 again after being at $700+ in August. I'm close to 20K hands at nickel/dime and I'm down 8 buyins. It makes me sick that I can't beat the lowest level cash game online, even when half the table are loose passive calling stations playing 50% of their hands. I'm card dead and can't bluff them so I sit for hours at a time waiting to connect with SOMETHING I can win a pot with.

When I do get a hand I can't fucking let it go because I've waited for so long to even get something remotely playable. It makes me feel like the biggest weak/tight fish at the table.

I sat down and actually analyzed November's stats and I was a small winner in cash games, a buyin maybe so I guess there's hope. I know my best session this week was at the station where I made $20 in 15 minutes because I had cards, but I didn't save that hand history to Pokertracker at home. But in looking at what I lost overall I can easily say that half of it was playing the $11 midnight madness tournament 4 times.

So as of now I'm restricting myself to nickel/dime (possibly half buyins because of my low roll) and $2.25 sngs. That's it. If I want to play multitable tourneys or satellites, they will be for points and points only.

Nothing's funnier than timely photoshops

Stiffed by Moneymaker Gaming

Read this post yesterday and checked back on it again this afternoon. You can read the whole thing if you want but I'll sum it up best I can:

- Original poster busted Chris Moneymaker from a live $500 tournament and was promised a 10K package to the Playboy mansion for doing so.

- OP couldn't go and wanted to get cash for it instead and was given the runaround for a year by Moneymaker Gaming, his company that sponsored the tournament, after being promised cash by one of their reps.

- OP makes the post linked above. Moneymaker takes notice, investigates, resolves the issues, but also posts his email response on the thread that includes this juicy tidbit:

Instead of posting your frustration with Moneymaker Gaming you should be sending Dan a fruit basket for Christmas as if it wasn’t for him you would not be receiving the $4,500.

- Dan is the employee that promised the OP cash, but apparently he wasn't supposed to which is why Moneymaker's defending him. He's saying Dan did the OP a favor he never should have in the first place, hence the fruit basket.

So I scroll down further reading more responses from 2+2 and then this pops up on my screen and I LOL in the cube at work on lunch break.

Washington Post Articles

Here are a couple of articles about the cheating scandals and the legality of online poker in the US:

Prohibition vs. Regulation Debated As U.S. Bettors Use Foreign Sites

Players Gamble on Honesty, Security of Internet Betting

I watched 60 minutes last night and it was OK. The most interesting part to me was seeing the people and places of the poker news stories the last couple of years; the non-descript offices of the Kanawhake (sp?) Gaming Commission and where the Absolute offices in Costa Rica are. The 2+2 community is really pissed about the multiple references to online poker being "illegal" when it techincally isn't. I don't really care. I don't think it's going to make a lick of difference about anything. They named Russ Hamilton in the story but it seems clear he's not going down for any of the scamming on UB, so big whoop.

Yet ANOTHER example of overcard+flush draw missing twice

Full Tilt Poker Game #9259362780: Table Gordo (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:35:58 ET - 2008/12/01
Seat 1: mixxman ($11.10), is sitting out
Seat 2: BabaBubu ($10)
Seat 3: Cohete Punch ($10)
Seat 4: Dray ($10.65)
Seat 5: lopezer85 ($10.25)
Seat 6: KillerWeed20 ($13.95)
Cohete Punch posts the small blind of $0.05
Dray posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Qd 3d]
lopezer85 calls $0.10
KillerWeed20 folds
BabaBubu folds
Cohete Punch adds $0.05
Cohete Punch folds
Dray checks
*** FLOP *** [2s Jd 8d]
Dray checks
lopezer85 bets $0.25
Dray raises to $0.75
lopezer85 calls $0.50
*** TURN *** [2s Jd 8d] [4h]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets $0.95
lopezer85 calls $0.95
*** RIVER *** [2s Jd 8d 4h] [Ks]
Dray checks
lopezer85 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dray shows [Qd 3d] King Queen high
lopezer85 shows [Tc Jh] a pair of Jacks
lopezer85 wins the pot ($3.30) with a pair of Jacks
Dray adds $1.15
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $3.65 | Rake $0.35
Board: [2s Jd 8d 4h Ks]
Seat 1: mixxman is sitting out
Seat 2: BabaBubu (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Cohete Punch (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Dray (big blind) showed [Qd 3d] and lost with King Queen high
Seat 5: lopezer85 showed [Tc Jh] and won ($3.30) with a pair of Jacks
Seat 6: KillerWeed20 didn't bet (folded)

Dear poker gods

I'm so fucking sick of every seemingly big flopped combo draw missing. Can I PLEASE win one of these flips? P L E A S E????

Couple of examples:

FullTiltPoker Game #9222299617: Table Helena (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:59:58 ET - 2008/11/28
Seat 1: oceansaprt ($38.40)
Seat 2: jimsmyuncle ($3.05)
Seat 3: Dray ($10.35)
Seat 4: alexsleepy ($1.90)
Seat 5: Vilberto ($22.50)
Seat 6: naturallight52 ($8)
Dray posts the small blind of $0.05
alexsleepy posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [7h Ah]
Vilberto folds
naturallight52 calls $0.10
oceansaprt folds
jimsmyuncle folds
Dray calls $0.05
alexsleepy checks
*** FLOP *** [9s Qh 5h]
Dray checks
alexsleepy bets $0.30
naturallight52 calls $0.30
Dray raises to $1.50
alexsleepy folds
naturallight52 calls $1.20
*** TURN *** [9s Qh 5h] [7s]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets $2
naturallight52 raises to $4
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to $8.75, and is all in
naturallight52 calls $2.40, and is all in
Dray shows [7h Ah]
naturallight52 shows [Qc Jc]
Uncalled bet of $2.35 returned to Dray
*** RIVER *** [9s Qh 5h 7s] [8d]
Dray shows a pair of Sevens
naturallight52 shows a pair of Queens
naturallight52 wins the pot ($14.80) with a pair of Queens
Dray: nh
Dray adds $7.65
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $16.40 | Rake $1.60
Board: [9s Qh 5h 7s 8d]
Seat 1: oceansaprt didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: jimsmyuncle (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Dray (small blind) showed [7h Ah] and lost with a pair of Sevens
Seat 4: alexsleepy (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: Vilberto didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: naturallight52 showed [Qc Jc] and won ($14.80) with a pair of Queens



FullTiltPoker Game #9222404455: Table Helena (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:07:34 ET - 2008/11/29
Seat 1: oceansaprt ($37.95)
Seat 2: jimsmyuncle ($3.55)
Seat 3: Dray ($10)
Seat 5: Vilberto ($24.35)
Seat 6: naturallight52 ($14.50)
Dray posts the small blind of $0.05
Vilberto posts the big blind of $0.10
akira893 adds $10
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [4s As]
naturallight52 calls $0.10
oceansaprt calls $0.10
jimsmyuncle folds
Dray calls $0.05
Vilberto has 15 seconds left to act
Vilberto checks
*** FLOP *** [Js 8s 3c]
Dray bets $0.25
Vilberto calls $0.25
naturallight52 has 15 seconds left to act
naturallight52 folds
oceansaprt folds
*** TURN *** [Js 8s 3c] [5h]
Dray checks
Vilberto has 15 seconds left to act
Vilberto bets $0.50
Dray calls $0.50
*** RIVER *** [Js 8s 3c 5h] [6d]
Dray checks
Vilberto checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Vilberto shows [4c 3s] a pair of Threes
Dray mucks
Vilberto wins the pot ($1.75) with a pair of Threes
Dray adds $0.85
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $1.90 | Rake $0.15
Board: [Js 8s 3c 5h 6d]
Seat 1: oceansaprt folded on the Flop
Seat 2: jimsmyuncle (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Dray (small blind) mucked [4s As] - Ace Jack high
Seat 5: Vilberto (big blind) showed [4c 3s] and won ($1.75) with a pair of Threes
Seat 6: naturallight52 folded on the Flop

ok NOW the 60 minutes story's airing

Video Preview

Supposedly this Sunday, preview above. Should be a good watch. As to how bad it makes online poker look, we'll see what the boards say come Monday.

Hotshot splashers seemingly at every table

I'm not sure why this suddenly seems so rampant, but I swear at just about every cash game I sit at since last week there's at LEAST one person who's playing 75% or more of their hands TRYING to outplay everyone. Take this guy moronremover; this was less than 10 hands after I sat down:



Full Tilt Poker Game #9154330531: Table Marcella (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:32:08 ET - 2008/11/24
Seat 3: sjmurray11 ($11.70)
Seat 5: moronremover ($11.50)
Seat 6: Dray ($10.10)
moronremover posts the small blind of $0.05
Dray posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [As Kd]
sjmurray11 folds
moronremover has 15 seconds left to act
moronremover raises to $0.30
Dray raises to $1
moronremover calls $0.70
*** FLOP *** [Jd Ts 2h]
moronremover checks
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets $1.40
moronremover has 15 seconds left to act
moronremover raises to $3.75
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray calls $2.35
*** TURN *** [Jd Ts 2h] [8s]
moronremover bets $3
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray adds $4.65
Dray folds
Uncalled bet of $3 returned to moronremover
moronremover shows [4d Ad] Ace Jack high
moronremover wins the pot ($9)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $9.50 | Rake $0.50
Board: [Jd Ts 2h 8s]
Seat 3: sjmurray11 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: moronremover (small blind) collected ($9)
Seat 6: Dray (big blind) folded on the Turn



He check/raised air just the same with 92o against a different person not long after.

I spent Saturday night and Sunday frustrated by these types of players because they're playing so loose and so fast all I can think about is stacking them. I'm playing all kinds of speculative hands against them just knowing if I can flop two pair or higher I can break him. The problem is, the cards just weren't cooperating. I really can't think of a more frustrating situation to be in than to have position on a maniac and never being able to capitalize on it.

But there are two problems with my approach.

1) My ego. I've been walking a path of spiritual growth along with my wife the last two months thanks to my awesome church. I've tried to be very honest with myself about what some of my faults are, and pride is a BIG one. I mean, in this situation say some other player comes along and stacks the maniac in two hands after I've been trying for an hour: I'm pissed off! That's my EGO thinking I had some kind of claim to it the whole time when I never did. The point is I need to be more concerned about MYself and MY attitude so that situations like this don't affect my play. Church has helped me realize the best way to handle everyday issues like this is to just talk to God about it, be honest and ask for help to do better next time. There's nothing to small that isn't of concern for Him.

2) I was posting about this table situation on 2+2 and someone jolted me back into the realization you're not supposed to play speculative hands against maniacs. You're supposed to play hands that will make top pair, good kicker or better. When you both hit the same top pair they'll pay you off and then some (valuetown). As the session went past the 100 hand mark and moronremover got more chips I watched him call and bet 2nd and 3rd pair on the river over and over again.

Speculative hands are best played against tight players who are really only raising big pairs, AK, AQ suited etc. They'll have a harder time getting away from their hands when you flop big. But I think we all get tempted to constantly try and flop big and we leak money in the process. It's just not glamorous to play tight and solid. We all want to "outplay" everyone in every hand and if there's anything I took away from the Cardrunners training site is that's not what poker is about.

I made a buy-in overall in last night's session, which I'm happy about considering my other sessions this week. I got lucky against moronremover early where I tried to fight fire with fire (oops):



Full Tilt Poker Game #9154610290: Table Marcella (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:50:54 ET - 2008/11/24
Seat 1: dr800big ($11.20)
Seat 2: farmersagent07 ($5)
Seat 3: sjmurray11 ($15.25)
Seat 4: rich6300 ($3.85)
Seat 5: moronremover ($15.80)
Seat 6: Dray ($10.55)
moronremover posts the small blind of $0.05
Dray posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Ac Qd]
dr800big folds
farmersagent07 folds
sjmurray11 folds
rich6300 folds
moronremover raises to $2.70
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to $10.55, and is all in
moronremover calls $7.85
Dray shows [Ac Qd]
moronremover shows [Kh Kd]
*** FLOP *** [As 3h 3d]
*** TURN *** [As 3h 3d] [8c]
*** RIVER *** [As 3h 3d 8c] [Qs]
Dray shows two pair, Aces and Queens
moronremover shows two pair, Kings and Threes
Dray wins the pot ($19.10) with two pair, Aces and Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $21.10 | Rake $2
Board: [As 3h 3d 8c Qs]
Seat 1: dr800big didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: farmersagent07 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: sjmurray11 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: rich6300 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: moronremover (small blind) showed [Kh Kd] and lost with two pair, Kings and Threes
Seat 6: Dray (big blind) showed [Ac Qd] and won ($19.10) with two pair, Aces and Queens



I fell for that one hook, line and sinker. Purely a product of my ego and just not thinking about it long enough. Hindsight obviously fold and wait for a better spot.

Then two hands I felt I played well. The first one gave me a nice tilting image to make for an easy payday on my 2nd. Murray was pretty loose playing 40% of his hands, not as loose as moronremover, but still. :)



Full Tilt Poker Game #9155044888: Table Marcella (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:21:11 ET - 2008/11/25
Seat 1: dr800big ($10.40), is sitting out
Seat 2: Precious_hwi ($9.35)
Seat 3: sjmurray11 ($14.60)
Seat 4: rich6300 ($0), is sitting out
Seat 5: moronremover ($11.80)
Seat 6: Dray ($21.85)
moronremover posts the small blind of $0.05
Dray posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Td Ad]
Precious_hwi folds
sjmurray11 calls $0.10
moronremover folds
rich6300 adds $4
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to $0.30
rich6300 has returned
sjmurray11 calls $0.20
*** FLOP *** [8s Ac Jc]
Dray bets $0.50
sjmurray11 calls $0.50
*** TURN *** [8s Ac Jc] [Qd]
Dray checks
sjmurray11 bets $1
Dray calls $1
*** RIVER *** [8s Ac Jc Qd] [2h]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets $1.50
sjmurray11 calls $1.50
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dray shows [Td Ad] a pair of Aces
sjmurray11 shows [As 2c] two pair, Aces and Twos
sjmurray11 wins the pot ($6) with two pair, Aces and Twos
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $6.65 | Rake $0.65
Board: [8s Ac Jc Qd 2h]
Seat 1: dr800big is sitting out
Seat 2: Precious_hwi didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: sjmurray11 showed [As 2c] and won ($6) with two pair, Aces and Twos
Seat 4: rich6300 (button) is sitting out
Seat 5: moronremover (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Dray (big blind) showed [Td Ad] and lost with a pair of Aces



Full Tilt Poker Game #9155069670: Table Marcella (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:22:58 ET - 2008/11/25
Seat 2: Precious_hwi ($10)
Seat 3: sjmurray11 ($17.30)
Seat 4: rich6300 ($4)
Seat 5: moronremover ($12.10)
Seat 6: Dray ($18.25)
Precious_hwi posts the small blind of $0.05
sjmurray11 posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Qc 9d]
rich6300 folds
moronremover has 15 seconds left to act
moronremover folds
Precious_hwi adds $0.05
Dray calls $0.10
Precious_hwi folds
GrapeVineZZZ sits down
sjmurray11 checks
*** FLOP *** [8h Tc Jd]
GrapeVineZZZ adds $10
sjmurray11 bets $0.50
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to $1
sjmurray11 calls $0.50
*** TURN *** [8h Tc Jd] [6s]
sjmurray11 bets $3
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray calls $3
*** RIVER *** [8h Tc Jd 6s] [2d]
sjmurray11 bets $3
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to $14.15, and is all in
sjmurray11 calls $10.20, and is all in
Uncalled bet of $0.95 returned to Dray
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dray shows [Qc 9d] a straight, Queen high
sjmurray11 mucks
Dray wins the pot ($33.65) with a straight, Queen high
sjmurray11 is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $34.65 | Rake $1
Board: [8h Tc Jd 6s 2d]
Seat 2: Precious_hwi (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: sjmurray11 (big blind) mucked [6c Js] - two pair, Jacks and Sixes
Seat 4: rich6300 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: moronremover didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Dray (button) showed [Qc 9d] and won ($33.65) with a straight, Queen high

I have no idea how to play this game...

I'm up at the radio station right now and I just finished bubbling a $26 knockout 90 man tourney, just missing the money. It was a rollercoaster tourney where I was close to elimination a number of times, but I would estimate before I busted I pushed all in at least 25 times because the blinds got so big. :) It was funnn.

I was close to having a big stack down the stretch when I moved in with A7 and was called by K9. The flop came down 7 T x, turn is an 8, and the river brought a Jack making him a straight. I came back after that though, just unfortunate I bubbled but I did all I could.

SO the point of this is that I jump into a nickel/dime cash game right after and I somehow forget that a full house beats a flush my first hand in the big blind:

Full Tilt Poker Game #9118594534: Table Mabel (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:08:36 ET - 2008/11/22
Seat 1: SOUSOU921 ($2.70)
Seat 3: Spack Jarrow ($11.90)
Seat 4: popathesmurf ($10)
Seat 5: Dray ($10)
Seat 6: Phydeaux_00 ($18.25)
popathesmurf posts the small blind of $0.05
Dray posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [5d 2d]
Phydeaux_00 calls $0.10
SOUSOU921 calls $0.10
Spack Jarrow has 15 seconds left to act
Spack Jarrow folds
popathesmurf has 15 seconds left to act
popathesmurf adds $0.05
popathesmurf folds
Dray checks
*** FLOP *** [4d Td 6c]
Dray checks
Phydeaux_00 bets $0.35
SOUSOU921 calls $0.35
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to $1.55
Phydeaux_00 calls $1.20
SOUSOU921 raises to $2.60, and is all in
Dray calls $1.05
Phydeaux_00 calls $1.05
*** TURN *** [4d Td 6c] [6d]
Dray checks
Phydeaux_00 checks
*** RIVER *** [4d Td 6c 6d] [6s]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets $3
Phydeaux_00 calls $3
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dray shows [5d 2d] a flush, Ten high
Phydeaux_00 shows [Ts Ks] a full house, Sixes full of Tens
Phydeaux_00 wins the side pot ($5.80) with a full house, Sixes full of Tens
SOUSOU921 shows [Ad Ah] a full house, Sixes full of Aces
SOUSOU921 wins the main pot ($7.35) with a full house, Sixes full of Aces
Dray adds $5.70
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $14.15 Main pot $8.15. Side pot $6. | Rake $1
Board: [4d Td 6c 6d 6s]
Seat 1: SOUSOU921 showed [Ad Ah] and won ($7.35) with a full house, Sixes full of Aces
Seat 3: Spack Jarrow (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: popathesmurf (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: Dray (big blind) showed [5d 2d] and lost with a flush, Ten high
Seat 6: Phydeaux_00 showed [Ts Ks] and won ($5.80) with a full house, Sixes full of Tens

I have no problem with my flop play. But I should have bet the turn and NEVER should have bet that river. But something went off in my brain that said "I have him" and then he turned his hand over and I went WTF DO I KNOW HOW TO PLAY AT ALL???

Thanks TFPL for making job interviews and bank visits comical

The Fantasy Poker League is the bar poker company I worked for up until May of this year. TFPL is actually the public brand name, but the company that owns TFPL is "Got the Nuts LLC". This often ilicits a smile from someone who comes across the company name and doesn't know poker vocabulary.

I had an interview with an FBI agent this afternoon. We went over an application I submitted to gain access to a secure database my dayjob uses regularly. It was a very lengthy application asking me for residences in the last 7 years, people who knew me at each and could verify, etc. So when he got to the employment history asking about part time jobs he couldn't help but laugh at Got the Nuts.

So, for those who don't know, the nuts is an unbeatable hand in poker. No matter what cards are on the board or in your opponents hand you can't be beaten. Likewise, you never want to hear your opponent say "I got the nuts" after you've called their bet on the river. It leaves no room for interpretation, if they've got the nuts, you can't win.

So thank you Luis, for creating a company name that future employers and cashier girls at the bank can giggle at when I deposit your checks. Well, at least they did when I still worked for Got the Nuts.

Late night cash games this week

So the last two nights I've been up past my bedtime playing nickel/dime cash game with a few sngs thrown in.

I'm embarrassed because Monday night I tilted like I do on rare occasion and lost more than I should have. The dollar amount ended up being around $40, which isn't much on it's own but it equated to over 10% of my roll. Bankroll management says you should never lose more than this in a day and if you do you should take a break.

I started out at cash and was too loose early and had to work from behind right away. But I stayed focused which is a big goal of mine lately and ground it back up. Caught a break when I flopped a set (3 of a kind with a pocket pair in hand) of fours, turned a boat (full house) and my opponent made the nut flush (highest possible) on the river.

The problem started when I misplayed a nut flush draw myself later on against the same villain when he made two pair on the turn. Then another hand not long after I flopped two pair with JT against a guy who flopped a straight. With the last one my instincts were flaring up but I refused to listen.

These two hands reminded me of an old lesson I learned: all it takes is one mistake. That typically refers to tournaments because when you're out you're out. But in this case my mistakes led to tilt, which led me to play longer than I should have and subsequently lose more than I should. I even did the old heads up tilting where I sat in a $5, lost, and then immediately jumped in to a $10 heads up sng and lost that too. The worst thing you can do is move up to higher buyins when you're tilting and losing. It only adds fuel to the fire and that's exactly what I did. I even said out loud "This is stupid but fuck it".

Eh oh well. I don't think I'm actually playing too bad, but I still see a lot of room for improvement. For crying out loud I can't seem to just crush the lowest limit online and it's depressing considering how obsessed I am with this game. Right now I just want to pay more attention to how people are playing and be more adaptive with my strategy. Reflecting back on the last 2 nights sessions I think I could have been more aggressive than I was. Time to attack it again for a little bit.

2+2 Threads I'm reading this week

News, Views and Gossip (NVG)is the 2+2 subforum where I keep up with just that. All the underground ramblings, scandals are all here.

Big story this week is Clonie Gowen suing Full Tilt. She's seeking 40 million, her 1% deal of the site she estimates to be worth 4 billion. It seems all the FTP pros don't have a written contract as to what they're owed in order to cover their asses from prosecution if the Department of Justice were to ever go there.

Someone posted and old feud between Howard Lederer and Daniel Negreanu. It's from the old rec.gambling.poker newsgroup where a lot of today's superstars were posting before the poker boom in 2003. Apparently DN talked mad shit about Howard's sister Annie Duke, who doesn't have the most endearing reputation these days anyway. Thread starts with HL's post against DN, but if you read further down someone posted a thing from DN detailing all the things Annie did to piss him off in the first place. Captivating stuff.

Oh and to follow up on the 60 minutes story, that thing never aired. It keeps getting pushed back and back so no one really knows when it'll happen. I'm glad I didn't miss it while I was flying back to Austin, but I want to see it already!

Spicy Donut - another friend to check out

I added a couple of more blog links under Unpoker Blogs on the right hand side. Pen Pen is a friend of mine from high school. Hers is pretty personal so I don't know how much people who don't know her will be interested in it, but I want to link her anyways.

Spicy Donut is another friend from high school, Devin Lawson who's one of the most amazing artists I've ever known. DEFINITELY worth checking out.

74 wins huge pot in WSOP heads up battle

Taken from PokerNews:

Play slowed down for a bit as Demidov picked his spots carefully to try and grab chips where he could in the face of Eastgate's lead. Finally, the dam burst and the two players collided in another massive confrontation. Demidov opened with a raise to two million from the button, and Eastgate called. Eastgate checked the Kd Td 7c flop, and Demidov checked behind. Eastgate fired out 2.5 million when the Jd hit the turn, and Demidov raised to eight million. Eastgate called, and then checked the river when the 3s came down. Demidov thought for a moment before betting out 12 million, and Eastgate made the call in the biggest pot yet in the heads-up match. Demidov showed Ac 9s for ace-high, but Eastgate tabled 74d for the diamond flush and dragged a pot worth over 44 million.

I sucessfully dodged all spoilers for two days and that made me happy. Before the final table was even decided I really felt this would be the year for the young internet pro, and I was hoping Hellmuths record would be broken and it was! There are just too many of these amazing young kids now for one to not clinch the big one you know?

Moreso I'm happy that a very capable competent player won this year and not a half decent amateur riding a once in a lifetime wave of luck like the last two champs Jerry Yang and Jamie Gold. It's not to detract from their skill, but only to pump up Peter Eastgate's abilities. His win may not bring a slew of new players to the game like a Dennis Phillips win would have, but to me that's ok. Poker's still going strong for now and ultimately I think the defeat of the UIGEA will help usher in a new online boom more than any WSOP champ at this point.

I think the 4 month delay wasn't as bad or as good as everyone thought it would be. I did like the change of venue and having it be in the Penn and Teller theatre, I think that should stay. But as a poker fan I'm still extremely unsatisfied that a 4 hour heads up match can be boiled down to 2 hands. I wish there was a way we could still get ratings and advertising dollars but at the same time show some more actual POKER and not just all-in hands and bustouts you know? People on 2+2 had mentioned doing it Poker After Dark style and chopping it up into multiple episodes and I don't see why it couldn't be done? If it's a matter of scheduling, then don't televise so many prelims, I dunno.

I just think there's so much potential to make it better than it is now. Someone just needs some balls to take a risk and keep experimenting with the format.

This just in my email! Bush administration trying to hammer in the UIGEA bill harder.

Dear Dustin,

Just one week after a historic election the Poker Players Alliance is pitted in a fight to keep anti-Internet poker regulations from being enacted and we NEED YOUR HELP!

The current Administration is hastily finalizing a number of “midnight rules” before they leave office and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is on the list. See the 11/06 story in Dow Jones. Just like UIGEA was snuck into legislation in the dark of night in 2006, our opponents are again trying an 11th hour sneak job. We need you to help us expose and stop this reckless rulemaking.

Please call the U.S. Federal Reserve and tell them not to approve the UIGEA regulations -- Consumer Complaints, 888-851-1920 or Public Affairs, 202-452-2955.

Tell them:


-The federal agencies responsible for our nation’s economy should not be focused on Internet poker regulations.

-Finalization of the UIGEA rules will add additional burdens on our already crippled financial systems.

-Internet poker is a game of skill and form of recreation for millions of Americans; it should be exempted from the UIGEA.

-Please do not finalize the UIGEA regulations until their impact on our banking systems and average Americans has been fully studied.

Tell us how the call went by clicking here.

Your call will make a huge difference and will add the public’s voice to these last minute policy decisions our government is poised to make. We can’t stand idly by while they make decisions that will impact our right to play America’s card game. PLEASE CALL TODAY!

Proud to play,
Alfonse D’Amato, Chairman
Poker Players Alliance

Apestyles gets an article in the Sunday Statesman

Online poker pro: 'A hard way to make an easy living'

John Van Fleet is without a doubt Austin's premiere online poker professional. He's ranked #1 in the state actually on Pocket Fives last time I checked. I was poking around the news sites trying to find the story about a northeast Austin game getting robbed this weekend when I found the above article. Cool stuff...

Most of the people I know who went to Westlake know who John is, even people who know nothing about online poker. This summer I met my extended family of cousins, aunts and uncles for dinner. A lot of my cousins that live here in Austin went to Westlake. My cousin Chad's girlfriend found out through the course of conversation that I was into poker and that I played online. She asked if I knew him and I said I knew of him, but not him personally.

I actually messaged him once on Pocket Fives to ask him about a story my old college roommate told me. He responded back saying it was true (I won't go into details, sorry too personal I think). That's all I got and I haven't contacted him since. Truth be told I've often thought about trying to befriend him to maybe learn a thing or two. I don't know if that will ever end up happening though.

The article is really good I must admit. The only incorrect information was calling sit-and-go's "sit-and-plays".
---

I'm purposely avoiding my regular poker sites today in the attempts to shield myself from finding out the results of the World Series. They were supposed to play down to the final two yesterday and I think today they'll finish the heads up battle. This year is the first time they've delayed the final table for 4 months to air everything up to it on ESPN, THEN air the results on delay. The idea was to generate more hype and garner bigger ratings.

But the great thing is you have a better chance of avoiding the results and keeping the element of surprise. Since I follow all the tourneys online as they're happening I pretty much always know who's winning every WPT that's aired because it happened 6-8 months prior. If I can successfully dodge spoilers until tomorrow night I'll actually have that element of surprise. Pretty exciting.

Flight delays meant no Harrah's this weekend :/

I'm not exactly a frequent flyer, but I've never experienced flight delays before. Today I learned what it was like. I was scheduled to leave Austin around 7:30 this morning, connect in Houston and arrive in New Orleans just after 10am. Unfortunately the Austin plane was brand new and we experienced a lot of vibrations on the runways so we turned around and went back to the terminal.

We got put on another flight to Houston immediately but that was still delayed because of all the people from our plane (over 100). I make it to Houston but could not make my connecting flight into New Orleans. I had a choice of waiting for an 11:55 New Orleans flight that had no seat guarantee, or I could get a sure seat on a plane to Lafayette. I took the latter and felt bad my mom drove to NOLA and had to turn right back around and pick me up in Lafayette. But to top it all off you know what? The flight to Lafayette was delayed for over an hour because of a seat maintenance issue! Hey what can you do? I really wasn't perturbed with the overall 3 hour total delay because I wasn't missing out on anything important.

I had a good day once I got here though. Had lunch with Mom. Took a short nap. Got up and ate dinner at my sister's and spent time with my 2 week old niece Kaylee who is incredibly sweet and precious. I get so nervous holding little babies, I'm terrified of dropping them or hurting them in some way. Once I had her I barely shifted her at all for that very reason. But she's so cute and she did wake up and was looking around a lot certain parts of the night. Mom took this picture and it feature's my Obama pin perfectly! (My family is Republican so I wore it to razz everyone, especially my sister) So great.



Another of me and Kaylee:


Ashton fell asleep using Queenie as a pillow LOL:


Kuristin said Ashton and Queenie have ended up face to face asleep before or curled up together, but this scenario was a first and just friggin' funny to see.

Grandma still doesn't know I'm here. She's out of town for a funeral but will be back tomorrow for the party. I can't wait to surprise her. We went to Target after dinner and I got her a new red electric tea kettle that will match her new red kitchen my mom and aunt Lori are giving her. :)

As for poker I just finished up a deep run in a $3.30 turbo 6 max. 12/216 just shy of the final table. I was using M calculations (take the blinds and antes and divide them by your chip stack to determine your plays. Comes from Harrington on Holdem Vol. 2) throughout and that was helping while I played an $11 regular speed tournament at the same time.

The hand that crippled me I had AJ against KQ. Villain was short stacked around 5 big blinds and pushed from early position, I reraise all in to isolate knowing his range was wide and AJ was easily ahead of it. He hits a 4 card flush to double up. I didn't have many chips when the hand started so 2 hands later when I picked up 44 I had to go with it and lost. :( $7 bucks profit woo hoo!

I think mom and I are going to try and drive to Isle of Capri tomorrow night to play some. Even though Harrah's had 1/2 running and is better for my puny bankroll, I would prefer to play at the Isle on a Saturday night than Harrah's on a Friday or Sunday morning just so I can get action with the recreational crowds. Anyone who's playing on Friday or Sunday morning is probably more decent on average than the donks that are there on the weekend nights. We'll see if it happens. I really want to go but I'm struggling internally because that's not really WHY I'm here. Plus I'm going to be here for a week come Christmas time so I'll have opportunity then.

If I do make it'll be same plan as last time: take $100 to the bonus table and try to double it, go sit at 2/4 and try to parlay it into whatever. I'd be happy if I could just freeroll the flight cost and have money to come back with next month. I feel very fortunate to have had live success the last couple of months so that I could fly here and do something spontaneous and fun with my family. Well, that's all I got. Not too much poker I know, but I want to keep adding other content to keep the outside world interested in reading.

Don't be results oriented, another poker-life metaphor.

In poker, especially when it comes to bad beats it's very easy to be results-oriented. You move all in the with the best hand and in a great spot only to get sucked out on. It's easy to say I shouldn't have done that because I lost, when really you should happy be that you did all you could do and after that it was out of your hands. That's the voice of wisdom and common sense speaking.

My head's been swirling with the election results and my crave for bipartisanship among other things today. I was thinking it would be easy to be results oriented voting Democrat in a historically red state (or vice versa). I can understand when people say there's no point in voting [whatever minority party] in this state because it's probably never going to swing that direction anyway. To me that's the same thing as being results oriented.

Just because your man doesn't win doesn't mean you shouldn't do the right thing and exercise your right as an American to vote. If you view the value of your voice by whether or not your vote led to victory, you're missing the f-ing point. You still need to do what you can and accept that it's out of your hands after that. Just because you didn't get what you wanted one time doesn't mean you have to stop playing the game or leave the country.

On the other side of that argument, just because someone wins an election doesn't mean it was the correct decision. Just like idiots who don't really know what they're doing can get lucky and win a poker tournament, so can unqualified politicians win offices. That comes in handy when party leaders start talking about voter "mandates". Maybe it wasn't necessarily your own merit that got you to the top. Maybe you got lucky, maybe the stars aligned and whatever the climate of the country was helped you get there. That doesn't necessarily mean you know what the hell you're doing.

My wife rolls her eyes everytime I try to make these poker to life metaphors but I'm continually amazed at how true they can be. Part of the reason I love the game so much is that while I grow and learn important lessons over the years playing poker, I feel they've helped illuminate and solidify real-life values that I hold. It's a great game and we live in a great country. God Bless America!

Now legalize and regulate online poker already dammit!

I love my 74

Bruce had his 30th bday party last night. We broke out a cash game with the regulars and a few fish who jumped in to blow through 20 bucks quickly. One of his good friends Ernie did it on the very first hand with A9 against KK. Ernie hit 2nd pair and that was good enough! :)

I was able to bluff 74 2/2 last night which was nice. First time is the one I remember most. I bring it in for 80 cents in early position. Eric calls me in the big blind. Flop is K 5 3, all clubs. He leads out for like $1.20 and I pop him up another $3.50. I did not have a club in my hand, but this move is something I picked up watching Cardrunners training vidoes. On a flop of all one suit and someone has a pair it's very hard for them to call without one of that suit in their hand. Eric had KQ and had to lay it down subsequently and because I had position and control of the hand, I took it DOWN BABY! :)

If memory serves me the 2nd time I won was against Pat where he had JJ. Once again I'm first in the pot preflop so I raise to 80 cents. Pat called and I think Eric did too. Flop comes Q x x. I lead out for $2 and Pat calls. The turn is another blank low card, I just have 7 high. I decide to bet $3 so that it looks like I want a call and I'm milking him with a hand like KQ AQ, etc. It worked and he folded and I showed it to him. Hehehe.

I was behind most of the night after I 3bet Eric with AJ for 4.20 and got called in two spots. I pushed my last $7 something after him and the other newbie checked to me on a flop I completely missed. Eric looked me up with 55 and it held for the next 2 streets.

The night got hazy after that but just like last time as the game got more shorthanded I was able to chip up, bluff and do a lot of things I can't always do at a full table of regulars.

Oh yeah the only other memorable hand I played was raising 2.5x to 50 cents with 24c under the gun. Flop comes one club it gets checked around. Turn's another club and I semibluff, get called by Eric. Hit my 3rd club on the river and value bet him, get called. Fun to turn over 24 for the winning hand hehe. Can you tell I was feeling confident and cocky last night?

The BULLDOZER is back!

Hevad "Rain" Khan just took down the Ceasar's Poker Classic for a cool Mil. I love the winner photo Cardplayer took of him, shows his personality so well. Here's the recap article. Ryan Lucchesi writes:

Khan let out a loud scream and picked up his chair in celebration. A crowd of drunken night clubbers came into chant with the champion as he showed a bit of the old "Rain" Khan after more than a year of self-imposed silence.

Just something devilish-looking about this guy, but I like it. :)

Today's LOL moment

If you haven't seen Team America World Police don't even read this you won't get the punchline. On lunch I found Tony "Bond18" Dunst's blog link at Two Rags. He's written a series called "Things It Took Me a While to Learn" (look under Required Reading) and the ones I've read were very helpful in adjusting my tournament game.

So I'm back at my desk and I'm reading part 2 on position and I finish it. Then I look at the comments and I see the last one and I just start cracking up. Click below for a bigger picture:

Tranny Ken

Pokerroad Rules

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

Obama wannabe assasin looks like.....

Throw a goatee on Mike and a few extra pounds and I think the resemblance gets that much better.

This is the other genius involved in the "plot":



One of the managers in my office asked if he was wearing makeup in the above Myspace picture and I had instant flashbacks of Eric Molina, one of the biggest douchebags to ever get attention at the WSOP. He got hammered and made an ass of himself on national television only to have some incredibly embarrasing Myspace pictures plastered all over 2+2. Like this one:



If you saw the coverage you couldn't help but laugh hysterically at this picture. Watch this at 3:40 in to see his epic clash with eventual winner Jamie Gold. The funny part is the next day when they put him on the feature table and his mommy and daddy were in the audience he didn't have two words to say to anyone. And honestly that may have been his undoing in the tournament because sometimes if it ain't broke don't fix it. I have a feeling he'd have no qualms about his reputation being in the gutter if he had 12 million bucks in the bank. He already ruined it and only got 300K!

My sister had her baby!

Kaylee Grace Stoute is the latest addition to my family. She was born Sunday evening and weighed in at 7 pounds 4 ounces (Seven Four LOL!). This is her 2nd child. Ashton is 4 years old and is always entertaining which is probably evident by some of his photos. Enjoy.

Brad Booth story

Was perusing the Pokerroad forums and found this gem of a story about Brad Booth that Shronk the producer posted:

This is from '06. Huff and I are playing 1-3 at the Wynn. Brad is playing in some other higher game.

Brad gets involved in a preflop raising war with a guy; they are both really deep. Brad eventually moves in on the guy. After a few minutes go by and the guy is still in the tank, Brad asks the floor if he can show his hand. For some reason they say he can't. Brad takes out his phone, lifts up his hole cards and snaps a picture. He slides the camera across the table to the guy, who looks at the picture showing Brad's A-A and he folds.

A little bit later, Brad tells Scott and me, "That picture was from months ago."

F-ing brilliant. I'm going to try and post more entries like these in addition to recaps of tournaments and cash games. BTW just played a $2.25 "Matrix" SNG where you play 4 tables at a time against the same players and points are awarded based on how high you finish, how many people you outlast, how many you knockout. Best I did on any one table was a 2nd place. I ended up getting like .85 cents back. Weeeee!

It was kind of fun but I'm not rushing to play another one any time soon.

60 minutes story set to air Sunday November 9th

A large part of this piece was put together this summer at the WSOP. The buzz from everyone that interviewed with them is that it is going to make online poker look VERY bad. The term used was "hatchet piece". It's going to be focused on the Absolute Poker scandal which is a pretty incredible story when you get all the details. I was following the threads on 2+2 as it was developing and it was like a live soap opera: every day the shit just kept getting thicker and crazier.

Let me sum up the essentials of the story as best I can.

There was an account named Potripper that seemed to have an uncanny ability to play every situation to perfection no matter what. A well-known online player named Marco Johnson took 2nd to Potripper in a big tournament on AP one weekend where the last hand was so ridiculous that everyone was left wondering. (Marco semi-bluffed [not having the best hand, but a draw that could make a winning hand] all in on an 9 high flush draw and got called by a Ten high flush draw and T high won)

Marco requests his hand history file from AP but instead of sending him just his hands they send him a file that shows everyone's hole cards. This was a complete accident and Marco didn't realize what he had until a month later. He gave the file to people that could interpret it better and they publicized it so EVERYONE could see that Potripper was a superuser.

So the question became who's behind the account? This is where all the drama started because you had all these internet "detectives" on the message boards that kept getting more and more damning info that it was someone INSIDE THE COMPANY. Turns out the owner Scott Tom (young rich frat boy ) was in on it, but his friend AJ Green who he had left in charge while he was away was the person playing the Potripper account.

The best part to me in all the drama that ensued was that Absolute Poker issues a press release in response to the allegations saying "We've conducted our own personal investigation and there is no way that anyone can see hole cards." 2+2 naturally responds saying we're not idiots and this hand history file is damning evidence that it is possible so stop lying. Turns out AJ Green was the author of that release so he was covering his own tracks!

My understanding is that in the end Green cut a deal to where his name wouldn't be released in return for information so who knows if it will come up in 60 minutes. But after everything I read about him and Scott Tom they both sound like grade-A douchebags. It's just a shame that they're in Costa Rica so they'll never really receive justice for the million bucks they stole from their own customers.

Now the big scandal is on Ultimate Bet where previous ownership seems to be involved, including a former Main Event champion Russ Hamilton. This one's apparently even worse because it involves nearly 4 million and has been going for much much longer. Check out this article if you're curious for more detail. This post has already turned longer than I intended. :)

By the way I updated the last post so that you can actually SEE my hands. Didn't realize the converter wasn't showing them if they didn't go to showdown. Ooops. I'm sure that was GREAT reading. LOL

Reverting back to one table cash games

I'm down to $360 now in my account, which is roughly half of what I peaked at in August. I don't like it but I'm not demoralized by it either because I've come to realize that it's just going to happen. The only way to combat it is to keep dropping down in levels and buyins to adjust so I don't go completely broke. THAT would be demoralizing.

The ironic part is I can't drop down cash game levels because $10 buyin is as low as they go on Full Tilt. However, what I've decided to do is stop two tabling like I have been and just stick to one table. My primary motivation for 2 tabling anyways was to build a big hand sample size in Poker Tracker quickly so I could analyze my play. I've still got a ways to go though, so I'm less concerned about getting there so quickly these days. Until then I can just blame everything on variance which is easy! :) Honestly I'm not underrolled (not having enough bankroll for the stakes) for buying in full at NL10 (No limit $10 buyin) and that still makes me happy.

Wanted to share a few hands from last night's session which I came out a small loser, but overall I felt I played pretty well. I listened to the latest Cash Plays with Samoleus and was intent on following some of his instructions on preflop play. Basically he talks about keeping the pot small before the flop so that you can get your money in after the flop with greater edges against bad players.
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Full Tilt Poker Game #8629570921: Table Energy (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:28:44 ET - 2008/10/23
Seat 1: mikednuts ($11.45)
Seat 2: OMG Vinny Chase ($9.80)
Seat 3: Still Life ($10.30)
Seat 6: Dray ($10.30)
mikednuts posts the small blind of $0.05
OMG Vinny Chase posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [2s Kc]****
Still Life folds
RiverRat2432 sits down
RiverRat2432 adds $10
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to $0.30
mikednuts folds
OMG Vinny Chase calls $0.20
*** FLOP *** [Tc Kh Td]
OMG Vinny Chase checks
Dray bets $0.40
OMG Vinny Chase calls $0.40
*** TURN *** [Tc Kh Td] [5c]
OMG Vinny Chase checks
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray checks
*** RIVER *** [Tc Kh Td 5c] [9c]
OMG Vinny Chase bets $1
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray calls $1
*** SHOW DOWN ***
OMG Vinny Chase shows [5d 5h] a full house, Fives full of Tens
Dray mucks
OMG Vinny Chase wins the pot ($3.15) with a full house, Fives full of Tens
Dray adds $1.40
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $3.45 | Rake $0.30
Board: [Tc Kh Td 5c 9c]
Seat 1: mikednuts (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: OMG Vinny Chase (big blind) showed [5d 5h] and won ($3.15) with a full house, Fives full of Tens
Seat 3: Still Life didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Dray (button) mucked [2s Kc] - two pair, Kings and Tens

I raised it because the table was playing tight and a lot of hands were just getting folded around. I called the flop because I was either way ahead or way behind. Checked the turn to keep the pot small because my hand's not strong enough to bloat the pot. I ALMOST thought about raising the river because I thought he might be full of shit but I decided to take the conservative route. I thought there was a good chance my hand could be good because it's hard for me to put him on a ten or a King when the flush comes on the river. Turns out he got lucky when he was way behind.
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Full Tilt Poker Game #8629826580: Table Energy (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:45:51 ET - 2008/10/23
Seat 1: mikednuts ($11.80)
Seat 2: OMG Vinny Chase ($10)
Seat 3: CheddaChasa ($6.25)
Seat 4: mike327 ($9.25)
Seat 5: RiverRat2432 ($17.20)
Seat 6: Dray ($10)
mikednuts posts the small blind of $0.05
OMG Vinny Chase posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Kd Ad]****
CheddaChasa calls $0.10
mike327 folds
RiverRat2432 calls $0.10
Dray raises to $0.60
mikednuts folds
OMG Vinny Chase has 15 seconds left to act
OMG Vinny Chase raises to $2.25
CheddaChasa folds
RiverRat2432 folds
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray calls $1.65
*** FLOP *** [Jd 2h Jh]
OMG Vinny Chase bets $3.85
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray adds $2.25
Dray folds
Uncalled bet of $3.85 returned to OMG Vinny Chase
OMG Vinny Chase mucks
OMG Vinny Chase wins the pot ($4.30)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $4.75 | Rake $0.45
Board: [Jd 2h Jh]
Seat 1: mikednuts (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: OMG Vinny Chase (big blind) collected ($4.30), mucked
Seat 3: CheddaChasa folded before the Flop
Seat 4: mike327 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: RiverRat2432 folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Dray (button) folded on the Flop

Same player. I had him labeled as a fish because I saw him lose a full buyin with A9 2nd pair of nines against someone earlier. He's playing aggressive post flop. I elected to call in position for that reason and I just didn't feel like coinflipping with the guy for a full $10. I think it's very possible I could get calling by hands I dominated but there few compared the hands he's ahead and I don't want to give him that edge. Missed and folded, move on and wait for a better spot.
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Full Tilt Poker Game #8629845063: Table Energy (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:47:06 ET - 2008/10/23
Seat 1: mikednuts ($11.75)
Seat 2: OMG Vinny Chase ($12.05)
Seat 3: CheddaChasa ($6.15)
Seat 4: mike327 ($9.25)
Seat 5: RiverRat2432 ($17.10)
Seat 6: Dray ($10)
OMG Vinny Chase posts the small blind of $0.05
CheddaChasa posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Jc Qs]****
mike327 folds
RiverRat2432 folds
Dray calls $0.10
mikednuts folds
OMG Vinny Chase raises to $0.40
CheddaChasa has 15 seconds left to act
CheddaChasa folds
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray calls $0.30
*** FLOP *** [Td 5s Jd]
OMG Vinny Chase has 15 seconds left to act
OMG Vinny Chase bets $0.65
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray calls $0.65
*** TURN *** [Td 5s Jd] [2c]
OMG Vinny Chase checks
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray checks
*** RIVER *** [Td 5s Jd 2c] [7c]
OMG Vinny Chase checks
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets $1.50
OMG Vinny Chase folds
Uncalled bet of $1.50 returned to Dray
Dray mucks
Dray wins the pot ($2)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $2.20 | Rake $0.20
Board: [Td 5s Jd 2c 7c]
Seat 1: mikednuts (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: OMG Vinny Chase (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 3: CheddaChasa (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: mike327 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: RiverRat2432 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Dray collected ($2), mucked

Here's my better spot! Pretty much the same line I took with the K2 except I limped/called with it instead of raising. Way ahead/way behind scenario on the flop. Hand not quite strong enough to build a huge pot with on the turn but glad to see no diamond. This time I came out on top.
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Full Tilt Poker Game #8629981078: Table Energy (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:56:13 ET - 2008/10/23
Seat 1: mikednuts ($11.85)
Seat 2: OMG Vinny Chase ($10.40)
Seat 3: CheddaChasa ($7.70)
Seat 4: mike327 ($7.60)
Seat 5: RiverRat2432 ($17.85)
Seat 6: Dray ($10.30)
Dray posts the small blind of $0.05
mikednuts posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Jc 8h]****
OMG Vinny Chase folds
CheddaChasa calls $0.10
mike327 folds
RiverRat2432 folds
RiverRat2432 stands up
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray calls $0.05
mikednuts checks
*** FLOP *** [3h 8s 7s]
Dray checks
mikednuts checks
CheddaChasa bets $0.30
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to $1.20
mikednuts folds
CheddaChasa calls $0.90
*** TURN *** [3h 8s 7s] [9s]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
THE RIFLEMAN sits down
THE RIFLEMAN adds $10
Dray bets $1.80
CheddaChasa calls $1.80
*** RIVER *** [3h 8s 7s 9s] [Qs]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray checks
CheddaChasa checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dray shows [Jc 8h] a pair of Eights
CheddaChasa shows [4s 5h] a flush, Queen high
CheddaChasa wins the pot ($5.70) with a flush, Queen high
Dray adds $2.80
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $6.30 | Rake $0.60
Board: [3h 8s 7s 9s Qs]
Seat 1: mikednuts (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: OMG Vinny Chase didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: CheddaChasa showed [4s 5h] and won ($5.70) with a flush, Queen high
Seat 4: mike327 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: RiverRat2432 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Dray (small blind) showed [Jc 8h] and lost with a pair of Eights

This guy hadn't been sitting here for very long but let me explain my thought process. I limp for the straight possibilities, these days I prefer J8 over J7. Probably not the best play but not horrible either. Since I'm out of position and the flop is draw heavy I prefer to check raise this spot. I can get some better hands to fold and if the draw hits I can lead out on the turn and represent it because my play is strong and I have control of the hand. To me this works better than betting the flop right out, getting called and wondering if he's got a flush draw when it hits. That's the pains of being out of position. It was VERY tempting to bluff the river again but I have to assume he's got a spade or a strong hand when he calls my turn bet. It's just unfortunate he got there but I took it very well.
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Full Tilt Poker Game #8630135500: Table Energy (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:06:41 ET - 2008/10/23
Seat 3: CheddaChasa ($10.30)
Seat 4: Dray ($10.05)
Dray posts the small blind of $0.05
CheddaChasa posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [9d Qs]****
Dray raises to $0.30
CheddaChasa calls $0.20
*** FLOP *** [8d 5h 9h]
CheddaChasa bets $0.30
Dray calls $0.30
*** TURN *** [8d 5h 9h] [Th]
CheddaChasa bets $0.90
Dray calls $0.90
*** RIVER *** [8d 5h 9h Th] [Ts]
CheddaChasa bets $2.60
Dray calls $2.60
*** SHOW DOWN ***
CheddaChasa shows [7d Kh] a pair of Tens
Dray shows [9d Qs] two pair, Tens and Nines
Dray wins the pot ($7.95) with two pair, Tens and Nines
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $8.20 | Rake $0.25
Board: [8d 5h 9h Th Ts]
Seat 3: CheddaChasa (big blind) showed [7d Kh] and lost with a pair of Tens
Seat 4: Dray (small blind) showed [9d Qs] and won ($7.95) with two pair, Tens and Nines

The table broke up which I wasn't happy about but I decided to stay and just play whoever came. I didn't think this guy was the greatest player and he hadn't left he was just sitting out. I know I'm a good heads up player too so I relished an opportunity like this. I was surpised at his aggression in this hand. I almost folded the turn but I just wasn't convinced my hand was bad. Once the 2nd ten on the river comes I'm confident he doesn't have it and therefore my hand is probably good. Was happy to make some money back off him.
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Full Tilt Poker Game #8630785844: Table Energy (6 max) - $0.05/$0.10 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:51:34 ET - 2008/10/23
Seat 1: nolaDante ($11.35)
Seat 2: KillswitchND ($8)
Seat 3: Jasza_Blatny ($10.30)
Seat 4: Dray ($13.50)
Seat 5: fullfour ($16.80)
Seat 6: jjcoolay ($7.20)
jjcoolay posts the small blind of $0.05
nolaDante posts the big blind of $0.10
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [9s Qs]****
KillswitchND folds
Jasza_Blatny folds
Dray calls $0.10
fullfour folds
jjcoolay raises to $0.50
nolaDante folds
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray calls $0.40
*** FLOP *** [2c Qd Js]
jjcoolay checks
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets $0.80
jjcoolay calls $0.80
*** TURN *** [2c Qd Js] [3c]
jjcoolay checks
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets $1.50
jjcoolay calls $1.50
*** RIVER *** [2c Qd Js 3c] [8s]
jjcoolay checks
Dray checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dray shows [9s Qs] a pair of Queens
jjcoolay mucks
Dray wins the pot ($5.15) with a pair of Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $5.70 | Rake $0.55
Board: [2c Qd Js 3c 8s]
Seat 1: nolaDante (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: KillswitchND didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Jasza_Blatny didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: Dray showed [9s Qs] and won ($5.15) with a pair of Queens
Seat 5: fullfour (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: jjcoolay (small blind) mucked [Jd Ac] - a pair of Jacks

The last hand I played. The guy was pretty active from what I remember. These are the kinds of hands I want to get better at: getting value out of hands that are somewhat marginal. I kept the pot small preflop by limping and calling. I figured I could get 2 streets (slang for cards, turn= 4th street, river=5th street; stud has 6th and 7th street too) of value against a worse hand. I'm probably going to post this hand on 2+2 to see if I should have bet the river or not. I was just thinking that once he calls the flop and turn he could be drawing with 9T or slowplaying two pair or something. Basically I don't know if a worse hand is going to call a 3rd bet. He actually had AJ, 2nd pair. Maybe he could call another bet but if I'm in his position and a guy has bet 3 times into me I have to give him credit for at least top pair and would throw it away.
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So that's that!

I'm building a stockpile of post labels so if you like certain types of posts over others like "player stories" or you prefer "tournaments" over "cash game", "live poker" over "online poker", you can click the label beneath a post and only ones that are labeled as such will come up on your screen. Blogs R k3wl!

Hellmuth is a clown - has a panic attack @ 3am in his home

Hellmuth hates losing so much he has a panic attack

This is one of the greatest threads I've ever read. Nothing brings out sarcasm like a good Hellmuth blog. It's priceless that he'd actually admit to this publicly. You'd think it would belittle his carefully crafted image to do so, but he doesn't make sense sometimes.

It really makes me sick that he is probably the most well known player even to people who don't play cards at all. I do think he's a good person away from the table as many people have attested. It's just that his demeanor and the way he treats other players is awful and yet THAT'S what gets him noticed, and it sets a very poor standard for new players coming into the game: it is ok to act this way.

Bottom line, it isn't, and we should all strive to act the exact OPPOSITE of Hellmuth at the poker table. Less ego, more humility and just having general respect for other human beings at the table regardless of their playing abilities.

And for THAT reason I don't feel the least bit guilty in taking pleasure in his panic attack. Karma's a bitch Phil.

The American Tragedy? Long term vs short term and why poker's different

This past weekend I celebrated my one year anniversary. Kristina and I have been together since high school, 9 years altogether. We stayed at the Hilton downtown, the same place we spent our wedding night. We checked in around 5 and took a cab to Vivo, a tex mex restaurant on the east side of I-35. Rather than get ready for the rest of the night we went casual with what we already had on. I was wearing my Poker Players Alliance shirt that says on the back "Poker: An American Tradition".

Dinner was good. We both got hammered on $9 margaritas. I was ESPECIALLY happy because of the Sudafed I had taken earlier in the day. After it was over I had a really interesting experience with the valet attendant that started with my shirt.

We were waiting on the cab to come back to pick us up and I had to run back to the bathroom. So I'm washing my hands and in comes this skinny guy with long brown surfer-esque hair and he says "Poker the American Tragedy!" I'm like WTF are you talking about??!?! For the brief minute that I'm in there he's basically talking about degenerate gamblers and how people have lost everything, their houses etc. So right away I know this guy doesn't have a freakin' clue as to what he's talking about. Honestly I'm thinking he's exactly the kind of person that would rally against the PPA's cause.

I don't remember what I said to him in there exactly, but it was something along the lines of not everyone's a sick gambler blowing their paychecks. But he was still of the opinion that these responsible people were the exception not the rule, and that most of us were gambling our lives away. The weirdest part of it all was I left the bathroom, walked out through Vivo the way I came in and bam! he's already in the parking lot saying hi to me again. I'm like shit, either this guy's a magician or I'm drunker than I think I am.

Anyways, Kristina and I ended up waiting over an hour for our cab before we called another company. We ended up talking to the valet for a little bit out in the parking lot and I tried to explain to him why poker was different from all other forms of casino gambling. So for those who still don't understand the difference here it goes.

The difference lies in short term vs. long term expectation. Everyone knows that casino games are always rigged in the houses favor and that you may win in the SHORT TERM, but if you play LONG TERM you can never win. That is true.

The reason poker is different is because you are NOT playing against the house, you are playing against other humans. The casino makes money off poker by taking a small percentage of each pot (the rake), but as a poker player you are making money by playing better than your opponents. Humans make mistakes and if you know how to exploit those mistakes well there you go, you're making money. That's where skill comes in. Now let me explain the luck factor because it can't be ignored.

Think about it this way: if you've ever watched the World Series of Poker on ESPN you'll often see them display percentages next to hands that show how often this hand will win and that hand will lose. For example lets say all the money is in pre-flop and you've got KK to someone's JJ. KK is 80% to win and JJ is only 20% before the community cards are even dealt. Or lets say you've got AK to someone's AQ. AK is 70% to win and AQ is 30%.

These are situations if you play enough you'll see again and again, and bad players will consistently put their money in with the lower percentages more than good players will. This again brings me back to long term vs. short term. In the SHORT TERM you can get lucky and hit your winning card 20% or 30% of the time in the above examples. But in the LONG TERM the 80% and 70% hands will win more than they'll lose.

So is there luck involved in poker? Absolutely. Is there really skill involved? Absolutely. The skill is in exploiting players who will put their money at risk when they're behind more often than not and you have them crushed percentage wise. You do that often enough and you will win more than you lose.

That's why poker is different than all other forms of gambling: the human element and being able to choose positive expectation situations. When you play craps or roulette or slot machines you'll always be behind in the percentages and therefore will never win in the LONG TERM because the casinos simply won't let you. That's the way their business works.

The moral of the story: don't be ignorant like the Vivo valet and lump poker into same category as sports betting or casino gambling. It's not the same. And while there are degenerate gamblers in poker that don't know how to manage money, they're the exception and not the rule. If I've convinced you of this at all I suggest you check out the PPA's website. They're fighting ignorance on this issue up in Washington in the attempts to make online poker legal and regulated in the United States.

74 alert!

For those who don't know my favorite hand is 74 (preferably suited). You're probably thinking WTF mate? The reason I've chosen this hand is a) it's unique and it'll be very rare anyone else chooses this as their favorite, b) it's not much different than other suited connectors/gappers like 56, 78, 89 which others will profess to be their favorite, and c) I've won a few memorable pots with it that I'll never forget.

The original pot was in the Lone Star Poker League's team tournament. This tournament was structured to where you had a team of four players that each played their own one table sit n go essentially. Where you finished determined the amount of points you earned for that round and then you combine all your teammates scores for your total. At the end of each round x amount of teams are eliminated if they don't earn enough points. Our team was called Bustanut (the nuts=an unbeatable hand) and it was me, Travis, Pat and Bruce.

We did VERY well and made it to the 2nd to last round, just barely missing out on the final. I ran extremely well that day with a 1st, 1st and two 2nds. Then in the 5th round it seemed I was going card dead...

So I pick up 74 of hearts in early position (under the gun to be exact). I raise 2.5 times the blind and I get called by Tony from the blinds. Tony is one of those unforgettable poker characters. He's a tall skinny black guy and looks like he would be in Snoop Dogg videos. He's always dressed very flashy ghetto, and he also had a "thing" for my one follower Lindsey (see the right sidebar). :) I won't get into that, though hehe.

Tony's a very loose player. If he has chips he will call with just about any mediocre piece of the board and he LOVES to check in the dark (before the cards come out). He was doing it all day. I took full advantage of this by checking behind him when the board came with two hearts. Lo and behold, I make my flush on the turn and he's checked in the dark again. At this point there are 2 or 3 face cards up there, straight possiblities, etc. Rather than slowplay I bet my flush knowing he'll call with a ton of hands I beat - this concept is called getting value or if you're cool with slang, taking him to valuetown.

The river makes a 4 card straight on the board. He checks again. I don't remember what the chips were but basically I knew that he could very well have a straight and since he was the big stack and wouldn't bust, he wasn't folding if he had it. So I pushed all in, he called and I showed the 74! Looking back I wish I'd have shouted out to whole room "I just doubled up with SEVEN FUCKING FOUR EVERYONE!" Ahh hindsight.

All my poker buds know my favorite hand and lately I've been seeing it pop up in big live tournament hand histories online, and on TV in some cases. There was a WSOP episode recently where Patrick Antonius had a full house with 74. And now on lunch I'm reading a hand from the latest WPT tournament on the Poker Road Forums and famous online player Jimmy "Gobboboy" Fricke talks about another player, Marc Karam, making a move with 74:

"Another friend of mine went out on day 2 (?) when he 3bet (reraised) Marc's open in middle position with AK and Marc immediately moved in with 74s, and this spot looks MUCH better to be making a play than that one."

The above link is a great poker forum where recognized pros can post hands and get critques only by other red pros. This helps keep the discussion relevant and clutter free. It's great and I can already tell it's going to be a HUGE hit with all the online players. Check it out if you're have the itch to be a poker n3rd like me.

2 posts in one day I'm making up for lost time! I should be blogging on my church's site. Oh well, sorry God. You understand. :)

Play tournaments if you enjoy torture

Seriously. Last night Kristina went out to a movie and I jumped in the $28 40K guarantee on Stars with Pat. Finished 52/1485 players but *Teddy KGB Russian voice* I feel so unsatisfied. Poker players who have gone deep understand what I mean when I say tournaments are torture, but for those who don't let me explain (JayAre, Benny shoutout)!

Tournaments are torture because when you start you have a lot of chips and that inherently means luck is less of a factor because you don't have to risk as much. Your goal is to slowly accumulate or, in some cases if you have big hands, capitalize big on them against the bad players that haven't busted out yet. However, in "tourneys" the money is almost always weighted near the top. Unfortunately as you get closer to the top only the top 3-5 chip leaders have a stack even close to resembling what you started with in comparison to the blinds and antes. So tournaments esentially go: play good for hours and then when it counts, hope to run like God (getting lucky and not UNlucky) to get to the good money.

That's why a lot of serious players call them "donkaments" (complete phrase LOL donkaments) because any donkey can get lucky and win a tournament, even the World Series of Poker. Most players will agree the test of a truly good tournament player is not one big win, but consistency in getting deep and to final tables.

So back to my tournament, I thought I played well and effectively utilized some tweeks I've made in my overall endgame strategy. I got most of my chips early from a crazy Norwegian who the poker gods thankfully put to my right. Not long after he moved to my table I cracked his AA with my TT when the flop came T high. You could tell he was on tilt after that by his chat and how he was playing after we got back from break.

I kept waiting patiently to get involved with him again and take some more off of him since he had built his stack back up by playing just about every hand. I got the opportunity when I limped in with 89 of clubs. The flop came 8 8 J with two diamonds. I don't remember the action but I know we got all the chips in on the blank turn and he had Q9 of diamonds for a straight and flush draw, and he thankfully missed. I later crippled him with AQ vs his KQ when he tried to bluff me unsuccessfully. :)

I sat for a while until the luck factor started creeping up. Last 3 major hands I played were AJ against 77 where I had to sweat it all the way to the river before hitting my J. Then I tried a resteal all in against a different player on my right with K9 and he called with AQ (40% me, 60% him). Flop came 7 8 T and turn a 6 to give me a straight.

The final hand I had about 60K in chips and the blinds were 2/4K 600 ante. At this point I've been playing for 4 1/2 hours and Kristina's made it back home. We're already in the money and I pick up QQ. I raise to 11K from late position. Big stack two seats to my left reraises me and I push in. He tables KQ. I'm a 70% favorite, one of the best situations I can ask for this late in the game. Flop comes T x x. A turn and J river to give him a runner runner straight. :/

The thing that sucks about going deep like that and falling short is it's REALLY hard not to see dollar signs. Every time it happens I try my best not to think about it and just play my best game and the table I'm at, but hey 7K is not chump change to me. When you play 20+ hours a week online all year with no MAJOR results and you get close to a big payday it's damn near impossible to keep a clear head.

But good ol' poker will smack you right back down to reality a lot of the time! Only sick people that love torture would play tournaments as a profession. But hey it's OK. The point is to have fun and enjoy the game and I can say I did that and I didn't throw anything across the room when that river card hit. Progress is all you can really ask for right?

Going to play Craig's game tonight, hopefully the good play and good cards will continue. Peash!

Cash plays / hand from last night

Cash Plays is a fantastic cash game radio show on http://pokerroad.com. It's a very strategy oriented format that goes into a lot of details in analyzing hands. The host Bart Hansen talks to a lot of prominent live and online professional players. The show is really tailored more for nerds like me that understand the language, so it's not for beginners. But if you've played enough to follow what they're talking about, it's really one of the best programs out there to learn.

So the post on 2+2 I just made about a hand I played last night is kind of a reflection of how religiously I listen to this show. Speakin' the jargon!

I'm feeling very poker obsessive this morning but now that I've got that and this out of my system I think I'm ok for the rest of the day.