Winning anything feels good....gives you hope

I've been working my butt off at the station tonight. We had a meeting this week and I got some good notes from my PD about engaging the listener quickly and emotionally. So there's no poker in the studio tonight, I've been doing actual prep work! I think playing up here is a leak anyway since my attention isn't on the game.

I played two point tourneys before I left the house though, and I took down the 300 point one. These have been my cheap solution for the tournament bug while I'm practicing good bankroll management. The problem is that I was once up to like 18K and have since dropped back down. If I'd hadn't won this one I'd be down to 250 and I haven't been that low in a long time.

I want to build it back up again and use the points to satellite into a big tournament. At this point with where I'm at, it's the cheapest way for me to make a big score and get back to making some actual money. I haven't posted hand histories in a while so here's some significant ones:


Full Tilt Poker Game #10229568972: 300 FTP Sat to $750K satellite (77503113), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 17:58:34 ET - 2009/01/24
Seat 1: wanderwin (1,465)
Seat 3: Pudgypickle (1,395)
Seat 4: sharma187 (3,890)
Seat 5: Mussolini777 (1,415)
Seat 6: sleazychewbacca (1,155)
Seat 7: Dray (1,455)
Seat 8: JMR76 (1,270), is sitting out
Seat 9: arklowman (1,455)
Mussolini777 posts the small blind of 20
sleazychewbacca posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Ah Kc]
Dray calls 40
JMR76 folds
arklowman folds
wanderwin calls 40
Pudgypickle calls 40
sharma187 raises to 260
Mussolini777 folds
sleazychewbacca calls 220
Dray raises to 1,455, and is all in
wanderwin folds
Pudgypickle folds
sharma187 calls 1,195
sleazychewbacca folds
Dray shows [Ah Kc]
sharma187 shows [9h 9s]
*** FLOP *** [7d 4h 4d]
*** TURN *** [7d 4h 4d] [As]
*** RIVER *** [7d 4h 4d As] [Ac]
Dray shows a full house, Aces full of Fours
sharma187 shows two pair, Aces and Nines
Dray wins the pot (3,270) with a full house, Aces full of Fours
JMR76 has reconnected
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3,270 | Rake 0
Board: [7d 4h 4d As Ac]
Seat 1: wanderwin folded before the Flop
Seat 3: Pudgypickle folded before the Flop
Seat 4: sharma187 (button) showed [9h 9s] and lost with two pair, Aces and Nines
Seat 5: Mussolini777 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: sleazychewbacca (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: Dray showed [Ah Kc] and won (3,270) with a full house, Aces full of Fours
Seat 8: JMR76 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: arklowman didn't bet (folded)



Full Tilt Poker Game #10229985013: 300 FTP Sat to $750K satellite (77503113), Table 1 - 50/100 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:22:20 ET - 2009/01/24
Seat 1: wanderwin (3,730)
Seat 5: Mussolini777 (1,590)
Seat 6: sleazychewbacca (815)
Seat 7: Dray (2,845)
Seat 8: JMR76 (3,095)
Seat 9: arklowman (1,425)
Mussolini777 posts the small blind of 50
sleazychewbacca posts the big blind of 100
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Kd Kh]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to 250
JMR76 has 15 seconds left to act
JMR76 is sitting out
JMR76 has timed out
JMR76 folds
arklowman folds
wanderwin calls 250
Mussolini777 folds
sleazychewbacca folds
*** FLOP *** [3h 6h 8d]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets 450
wanderwin has 15 seconds left to act
wanderwin calls 450
*** TURN *** [3h 6h 8d] [Jd]
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray bets 2,145, and is all in
wanderwin folds
Uncalled bet of 2,145 returned to Dray
Dray mucks
Dray wins the pot (1,550)
The blinds are now 60/120
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,550 | Rake 0
Board: [3h 6h 8d Jd]
Seat 1: wanderwin (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 5: Mussolini777 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: sleazychewbacca (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: Dray collected (1,550), mucked
Seat 8: JMR76 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: arklowman didn't bet (folded)


When it got shorthanded most of were playing tight except wanderwin. He was raising a lot, stabbing at a lot of pots out of position. This was the biggest move I put on him then entire game. It was probably stupid actually but there's always a Queen to catch!

Full Tilt Poker Game #10230211585: 300 FTP Sat to $750K satellite (77503113), Table 1 - 80/160 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:35:33 ET - 2009/01/24
Seat 1: wanderwin (6,410)
Seat 7: Dray (2,135)
Seat 8: JMR76 (3,275), is sitting out
Seat 9: arklowman (1,680)
wanderwin posts the small blind of 80
Dray posts the big blind of 160
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [9s Jh]
JMR76 folds
arklowman folds
wanderwin calls 80
Dray checks
*** FLOP *** [Th 2d Ks]
wanderwin bets 320
Dray raises to 1,975, and is all in
wanderwin has 15 seconds left to act
wanderwin folds
Uncalled bet of 1,655 returned to Dray
Dray mucks
Dray wins the pot (960)
The blinds are now 100/200
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 960 | Rake 0
Board: [Th 2d Ks]
Seat 1: wanderwin (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: Dray (big blind) collected (960), mucked
Seat 8: JMR76 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: arklowman (button) didn't bet (folded)

Oh yeah and wander also check/min raised me a couple of times. This time I answered back instead of folding:


Full Tilt Poker Game #10230306314: 300 FTP Sat to $750K satellite (77503113), Table 1 - 100/200 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:41:03 ET - 2009/01/24
Seat 1: wanderwin (8,210)
Seat 7: Dray (3,515)
Seat 8: JMR76 (1,775), is sitting out
wanderwin posts the small blind of 100
Dray posts the big blind of 200
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [4h 5h]
JMR76 folds
wanderwin calls 100
Dray checks
*** FLOP *** [6c Ah 7h]
wanderwin checks
Dray bets 200
wanderwin raises to 400
Dray raises to 3,315, and is all in
wanderwin has 15 seconds left to act
wanderwin folds
Uncalled bet of 2,915 returned to Dray
Dray mucks
Dray wins the pot (1,200)
The blinds are now 120/240
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,200 | Rake 0
Board: [6c Ah 7h]
Seat 1: wanderwin (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: Dray (big blind) collected (1,200), mucked
Seat 8: JMR76 (button) didn't bet (folded)

Having someone sitting out sucks because it changes the game dynamic, especially when it comes to blind stealing. Plus you don't want to be the douche that gets knocked out on the bubble while some idiot isn't even playing. I took him out:

Full Tilt Poker Game #10230390192: 300 FTP Sat to $750K satellite (77503113), Table 1 - 120/240 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:45:56 ET - 2009/01/24
Seat 1: wanderwin (7,660)
Seat 7: Dray (5,555)
Seat 8: JMR76 (285)
Dray posts the small blind of 120
JMR76 posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [2d Qh]
wanderwin folds
Dray raises to 480
JMR76 calls 45, and is all in
Dray shows [2d Qh]
JMR76 shows [7d 8c]
Uncalled bet of 195 returned to Dray
*** FLOP *** [6s Kd Ts]
*** TURN *** [6s Kd Ts] [Ad]
*** RIVER *** [6s Kd Ts Ad] [5c]
Dray shows Ace King high
JMR76 shows Ace King high
Dray wins the pot (570) with Ace King high
JMR76 stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 570 | Rake 0
Board: [6s Kd Ts Ad 5c]
Seat 1: wanderwin (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Dray (small blind) showed [2d Qh] and won (570) with Ace King high
Seat 8: JMR76 (big blind) showed [7d 8c] and lost with Ace King high


Grabbed the chip lead heads up:



Full Tilt Poker Game #10230445714: 300 FTP Sat to $750K satellite (77503113), Table 1 - 150/300 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:49:11 ET - 2009/01/24
Seat 1: wanderwin (9,790)
Seat 7: Dray (3,710)
Dray posts the small blind of 150
wanderwin posts the big blind of 300
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [Jh Kc]
Dray raises to 600
wanderwin calls 300
*** FLOP *** [9c Tc Js]
wanderwin checks
Dray bets 600
wanderwin raises to 1,200
Dray raises to 3,110, and is all in
wanderwin calls 1,910
Dray shows [Jh Kc]
wanderwin shows [Kd Td]
*** TURN *** [9c Tc Js] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [9c Tc Js 9s] [8h]
Dray shows two pair, Jacks and Nines
wanderwin shows two pair, Tens and Nines
Dray wins the pot (7,420) with two pair, Jacks and Nines
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 7,420 | Rake 0
Board: [9c Tc Js 9s 8h]
Seat 1: wanderwin (big blind) showed [Kd Td] and lost with two pair, Tens and Nines
Seat 7: Dray (small blind) showed [Jh Kc] and won (7,420) with two pair, Jacks and Nines

Final hand:



Full Tilt Poker Game #10230513358: 300 FTP Sat to $750K satellite (77503113), Table 1 - 150/300 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:53:07 ET - 2009/01/24
Seat 1: wanderwin (5,480)
Seat 7: Dray (8,020)
Dray posts the small blind of 150
wanderwin posts the big blind of 300
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Dray [7s 5d]
Dray calls 150
wanderwin checks
*** FLOP *** [Qh 5c 6d]
wanderwin checks
Dray bets 300
wanderwin calls 300
*** TURN *** [Qh 5c 6d] [6h]
wanderwin checks
Dray checks
*** RIVER *** [Qh 5c 6d 6h] [5h]
wanderwin bets 1,200
Dray has 15 seconds left to act
Dray raises to 7,420, and is all in
wanderwin calls 3,680, and is all in
Uncalled bet of 2,540 returned to Dray
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dray shows [7s 5d] a full house, Fives full of Sixes
wanderwin mucks
Dray wins the pot (10,960) with a full house, Fives full of Sixes
wanderwin stands up
Dray stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 10,960 | Rake 0
Board: [Qh 5c 6d 6h 5h]
Seat 1: wanderwin (big blind) mucked [Kh 3h] - a flush, King high
Seat 7: Dray (small blind) showed [7s 5d] and won (10,960) with a full house, Fives full of Sixes

It was tempting to try and play the 2500 point tourney I won the seat to, but I can always win another one. :) I want the points so I can keep playing!