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.

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!

Sweet run Wednesday

Last night I had me a nice little run. Good timing considering my account was at one of it's lowest points ever. :) I won't get into too much details but I played the turbo $5.50 heads up shootout and won 4 matches. I was lucky to get a first round bye (didn't have to play it) which was nice, but 4 wins is still my plateau. I was close to winning the 5th when I made a Jack high straight on the turn, which subsequently gave my opponent two pair. And then he filled up on the river and I paide the price. :/

I've been feeling the Omaha itch since Pat's been playing online again, and I had some success this weekend in our cash game. So I threw $5 onto a table and without remembering any specific hands I quickly ran it up to $21. I want to try and get some more PLO practice in this month and maybe even some stud.

After PLO I put $12.50 on the $25 no limit table and doubled up, lost it with top pair AQ later, and then right after that doubled again with AA. :) I think I might have made $6 more on that table before quitting.

I want to get a little closer to $200 and then ship $50 to Pat and have him run it up for me. :) FTOPS just started and I need satellite money. *evil grin*

August is when I made my first FTOPS cash, can it be two years running? We'll see...