Poker as Therapy
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Here's an idea! Take all of your frustration, annoyance, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and play poker! That's what I did last night. And the results were disasterous. I cannot explain to you the amount of bad beats I experienced. It was almost as though my crummy mood became tangible at the tables, and the return was river suckout after river suckout. Next time, I'll do my best to avoid this tempting trap. Until then though, I'm just going to block out last night, where I lost a HU SNG vs. RiverRun in no time, making a complete donkey of myself, lost another HU after I accidentally hit all-in, lost an SNG to a river suckout, donked off oodles of cash in an Omaha H/L game, and spread some around at limit as well. Let's just chalk that up as black Tuesday and move on.
I'll be out of the office all day today, in NJ at a problematic deposition. The client doesn't speak English and I have the pleasure of being his chauffer for the day. Jesus H Christmas! See you all later.
posted by Jordan @ 6:58 AM,
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Technical Difficulties
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Looks aren't everything! As some of you have noticed, the new and improved blog design is fantastic to look at. However, there are a couple of glitches that need to be ironed out. I will try to find time tonight to sit down and reverse engineer me a blog using GCox's template as a basis (it is strikingly similar to my design, thanks to a request from me to TripJax). I wanted to let everyone know that in the meanwhile, I have been getting some (I think all) of your comments, even if they are not posting on the site. So bear with me and we'll get through this rough patch. Who woulda thunk the 6th Most Popular Poker Blogger would have such problems. It's un-befitting someone of my stature!
Okay, so I'm going to lay it out there. I don't feel like writing today. I'm uber-busy at work, I've been slowly losing at the tables, and I don't have much in the way of inspiration. So let me give a quick highlight recap of poker and non-poker related news as seen from my little circle of the world.
Great news! Genoa is re-openning. Still new management (BAD). Still old tournament (GOOD)! I look forward to getting my $40 freezeout on some time soon. I'd pick a date, but now that I am married, I can't help but try to arrange my poker around the wifey Kim's schedule. Do I hear a whip cracking?!
Double Great News! My TV is ordered! Dre came through, and I am now the proud owner of a 50" Samsung DLP rear-projection TV. My bouncing baby boy will be delivered on Friday! Thankfully, the powers that be have allowed me to work from home. Boo....wait for it...ya.
Okay News! Poker has been strumming along. I'm grinding out my Hollywood Poker bonus via VPP. It's been easy to earn VPP bonuses, and it is highly recommended. TripJax just signed up, and he's sure to earn his bonus in no time! GCox, Aussie Dave, kekec and presdlee have also signed up. None of you have finished your promotions though. Shoot me a comment or email and let me know which ones you are doing so I can offer advice to any new users. My suggestion: Royal Vegas first, followed by Hollywood Poker. Both have been very easy to complete.
In the meanwhile, I placed 4th in a 18 person SNG on PokerStars, and then placed 5th (bubble) in another one that I played with GCox and Trip. Interestingly, GCox was out first! Thank god! Now I know what it's like when I bust out quick and disappear. Just me and Trip...until I bubbled. Damnit!
At the same time, I continued to give away money playing Stud. I love the game, but my grasp on it is apparently poor. I don't know if that is wholly accurate, since many (and I mean MANY) of my losses came to river card suckouts. But then again, my two big wins were on the river as well.
As a result, my bankroll has swung to probably around $680. I'd like to get that number a lot closer to $800. Time will tell.
Okay, time for productivity!
I'll fold what she's folding.
posted by Jordan @ 8:35 AM,
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November to Remember
Monday, November 28, 2005
It seems like updating this here blog has been harder and harder lately, due to a lack of general blog topics (aside from the usual recap of my recent action), and the welcome distractions of holiday season. But, as Dr. Pauly told me a long time ago when first starting this endeavor, the best thing you can do is blog daily. So, here we go.
Yesterday I held a make-shift tournament at my apartment. Dubbed the November to Remember tournament, Me, new player (at my game) Ebner, Mikey Aps, Robbie Hole, and Dave Roose played 6-handed. I, as usual, didn't go far in my home game, going out in fifth place. My tourney play wasn't particularly golden, but I do think I had the best of it when I finally pushed. We played deep-stacked (5K in chips, 25-50 starting blinds) with 15 minute blind intervals to force the action. The winner, Mikey Aps, had the nerve to show up about 45min late and still win the damn thing. You can say a lot about Aps, but it is hard to deny that he knows how to play a fine game of poker. Ebner took a well-deserved second. Hole was first out, followed by me and Roose.
Interestingly, it seems like when Roose/Hole do well, the other of the two do well. And, as yesterday showed, vice versa. This, mind you, is only at my home game, as the Hole home game is a whole other story, or so I've heard. It's been a while since I've been at a Hole game.
So, after losing the tourney, we set up for some mixed games. Roose and Hole aren't as familiar with the wide variety of games, so we kept it to PL Omaha, NLHE, and Stud (high only). Roose struggled with some of the mixed games. As he said, "I hate playing games I don't know." I thank him for being such a trooper. It's rare when we have enough players for these things. And Roose, this will help you learn the games. After all, there is more to poker than hold'em, right, WSOP? Ah, who are we kidding!
Hole stuggled a bit too, and eventually it was just me, Aps and Eb. Suddenly we threw all games in the miz, adding Razz, Stud high/low, and Omaha high/low. I had a nice chip stack which I donked off, mostly due to tricky hands. In one PL Omaha hand, I held KcKxAxTc. The flop was AxAcJc, so I had the nut flush draw, the straight flush draw, made trips with a solid kicker, an inside straight draw, and several full house draws. On the flop, all of the money was in the pot between me and Eb. He held JJ, for a made full house. We dealt the turn and river 3 times! I lost them all. Damn me! I knew he had the JJ!
In my defense, I made two huge river bluffs in Stud against Ebner, each time having absolutely nothing. In one hand, Eb even considered calling me with his Ace high. When he folded, I showed my King-high. In the other hand, Eb considered calling with his exposed pair of sixes, only to fold to my stone-cold bluff.
In the end, I won back $20 in the mixed cash games after losing $40 in the tournament. My home game record isn't too great, mostly because I have difficulties excelling at home. But, twice in a row, I've reclaimed half of my tourney losses through mixed games. Last time it was limit Omaha. I have to say, mixed games are working for me. It might be that other players are less experience. It might be luck. I hope that it is that I am getting a good grasp on these games and playing good staring hands.
Online, I've been spreading it around. I've been playing a lot of random games on Full Tilt (see banner on the right). FT is a great site graphically-speaking, but DP is right when he mentions that the limit games are hard to beat. FT definitely has superior players. But if you are looking to improve your game (or play Stud, Stud h/l, or Razz), check Full Tilt out. I've already donked off more than half of my initial $100 deposit, so get there while I've still got chips to hand out!
I've also started a new $50 BestBuy giftcard promotion via Vegas Poker Pro. I've set up shop at Hollywood Poker, which has 5-card draw. It was going well there until I went card dead. I'm down about $40 or so from my initial $200 deposit. I'm not too concerned though. The competition seems weak, and 5-card draw seems to be a game where streaks happen. The VPP promotion should be no problem. In what little amount I've played, I'm already at least 10% done. I'm putting the over/under on 2 1/2 weeks. Then I get my gift card (as well as $100 more in BestBuy cards from Poker Source Online after I get my PSO points from the Carribean Sun promo). So, the new question is, what do I spend this $150 in BestBuy gift cards on? My current choice is to use it to subsidize a surround sound system to match my new TV (which has still yet to be ordered). Second choice is Sirius radio, followed by an iPod. Man, with this much consumer electronics waiting to be had, I better get back to playing my PSO and VPP bonuses. I've got about 3 left to go after Hollywood is done. After that, who knows!
Goonies never say fold!
posted by Jordan @ 8:58 AM,
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A Time for Action
Saturday, November 26, 2005
I've been playing extremely well lately, and while I've had some losing sessions (including donking off my entire Titan Poker bankroll of 81$!), my overall bankroll is on the rise. I've brought my UB bankroll over $50 (from $22) playing 1/2 limit. I've reloaded $100 into Full Tilt and as of now am up to $130 or so playing 2/4, as well as some Stud H/L and Razz. My Pokerstars bankroll is at $145 or so, which is a $25 increase. Individually, these wins aren't a huge deal. But add them together, including my recent run on Carribean ($150 turned into $430), and I am inching upwards.
In addition, I have a home game at my place, dubbed the November to Remember, starting at 3pm tomorrow. If anyone is in the NYC are and would like to join, send me an email asap at Brodybanky AT aol DOT com. Right now, I only have 5 players confirmed, but my crew likes to decide things last minute.
I also want to encourage Drizz and Trauma to have their Heads Up Challenge Championship Match. This is especially encouraged, since I want to make sure none of the combatants leave the country before paying! It's not really a concern, but I'm sure the other players would rather pay out sooner rather than later.
Okay, so time for some introspection. Why am I winning? Here it is. I've been playing focused. I've discontinued watching TV while playing, mostly because its been droning on in the background unwatched anyway. I haven't been chatting, mostly because I've been on LI or no one has been online when I play. During SNGs I'm playing tight. During ring games I'm playing smart. I mean, it's been such a fucking joy to play! I guess that's how it feels when you are playing well AND winning. Surprisingly, the two don't necessarily go hand in hand.
Update: I'm now at $87 at UB and $97 at Full Tilt. So, up in one, down in the other. Fine with me.
I have to get dressed for a hot dinner date with my lady, so I'm cutting this short. Tomorrow, or soon thereafter, I hope to write a post about my friends' and my individual descent into poker degeneracy. While talking to Mikey Aps today, I came to realize that several of my poker-playing pals have all gotten closer to the extreme level of poker degeneracy. What is most interesting is that we've all done it separately, with minimal influence aside from the occassional get together.
Adios mijos!
posted by Jordan @ 6:54 PM,
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Thanksgiving
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Hey all. I've been on a tear, running my bankroll on Carribean from 150 to 431. I just finished the promo and I'm moving on. Carribean Sun has been good, but I have to alert people who are signing up via VPP (for free stuff...so get to it) that they send you a PIN code in the mail when you open your account. Keep that in mind, because you need the PIN to withdraw from their site. I threw mine out, so I'll be waiting 2 wks or so until they mail me a new PIN from the Cayman Islands or wherever they are!
That said, I should spend some time being thankful for all of the great things that have happened this last year. I got married. I got this fine blog. I've met some nice people. I've won some good money. And I've had these lovely hands last night. Enjoy seeing Jordan get paid.
These are all 2/4 limit hands:
I am dealt 88 in the SB. Jinx and Pore limp. I limp. BB raises to 4. Jinx, Pore and I called.
The flop was [Ah 4s 3d]. I check. BB bets 2. Jinx, Pore and I call (pot odds, right?).
The turn is [8d]. I check. BB bets 4. Jinx and Pore call. I check-raise to 8. BB, Jinx and Pore call.
The river is [Ts]. I bet 4. BB calls. Jinx and Pore call. I get paid $61!
I'm in MP with the HAMMER! (7d2s). Two players fold before me. I raise to 4. Lucky raises to 6. Two players fold. I call the $6.
The flop is [7h 5d 8d]. So far, so good. I bet 2. Lucky calls.
The turn is [Kd]. I bet 4. He raises...uh oh. I call.
The river is [Ad]. I hit the 4-card flush with my diamond 7! I bet 4. He calls. I win $41 and type, "HAMMER!"
Oh, no. Not again.
I am dealt [7h 2c] on the Button. UTG and UTG+1 fold, and Pin and Amos call before me. I call. The SB folds, BB calls.
The flop is [4h Qh Qs]. All players check and I bet. They all fold, and I win $9. Okay. Not a great take, but I think I've won with the hammer in all of my last 5 or more attempts. And for that, I'm thankful.
posted by Jordan @ 6:17 PM,
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The Story Of J
Inspired by GCox's recent post explaining his origins in online poker, I thought I would do the same. It will give some insight into who I am, how I got where I am, and hopefully encourage some micro limit or losing players to keep at it.
As a little kid, I learned to play card games, including blackjack, from my grandparents. As a kid, around 13 years old, probably, my friends and I started to gamble, playing 5 card draw, primarily. This went on (and off) for years until high school ended, and I was in college. Oddly, in college I didn't play any poker. I did play a little bit of blackjack at the Niagara Falls casino (I went to school in Buffalo), but beyond that and table games, I was not a poker player.
One year, wifey Kim and I (then girlfriend Kim) took a weekend vacation to Foxwoods. After playing the usual table games with my girl, I decided that on Sunday morning, I'd try some poker. I sat down with $60 or so at a 1-3 spread 7-card stud game, never having played stud in my life. My table didn't believe me at first, but I guess my play convinced them somewhat. After an hour or so, I was down about $40 without having won a single hand. While I lost, I was in love. Here was a game that only cost $40 for over an hour of entertainment. Compare that with the table games which were $10 minimum per hand. Also, I was playing against other players, so I COULD beat the game. I also had the early insight that by playing tight, I could make my money last even longer.
But that was that, and I didn't play poker again for a while. I moved into the city, and had plans to meet my good pal Platinum out at a bar. I was my usual lazy self and didn't really feel like going. To make matters worse, it was 10pm, and it didn't make sense for me to leave before 11. I flipped on the TV and looked for something to watch. Suprisingly, I stumbled upon the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. It must have been the first season, because this was before the big poker boom. I remember thinking to myself, "Who the hell is going to watch poker on TV for two hours straight!" I expected it to be like watching billiards, darts, or lumberjack competitions on ESPN. I'd leave it on for a second because of novelty, but I'd soon be bored.
One hour and 15 minutes later, I was frantically setting up my VCR to record the 2nd hour of the show. When I got home at 3am, I fumbled with the remote in a drunken stupor and resumed the show.
Over the next few weeks, I set my VCR to record the 2-4am replay of the WPT, and devoured every second of it. I was officially in love.
Watching is one thing. But I was aching to get into the real thing. I think I began playing at Mikey Aps' home games. I placed (if not won) my first game there, playing for peanuts. But his place was deep into Queens and wasn't conducive to regular games. That, and I wanted to play often. Very often.
Enter Golden Palace Poker. If you read blogs, you've definitely heard of a lot of sites. Golden Palace is apparently the background dancer of poker sites. It's been around for a long time, but it's no Party Poker in size, Full Tilt in reputation, or Titan in fishiness. But it WAS advertised every morning on Howard Stern, and this was enough to convince me that the online game had to be somewhat legit.
At first, I played with play money. After a couple of sessions, I quickly saw that this was nothing like real poker. I needed something on the line to make me (and my competition) play with some level of restraint. But I was a law student, with little expedible cash to use toward an online poker site.
One of the great things about Golden Palace, which I suggest for any budding Internet player, is the cheap options. You can deposit for as little as $20, and play games for as cheap as .02/.04 limit, or .10 SNGs. They even have .04 freeroll SNGs going all of the time. I entered $20 and promised to myself that I would only deposit $20 per month. I rationalized it as the same as playing video games, which I would pay $40 for and play for about 2 months before getting bored.
I had some luck with SNGs, but by the end of the month, I would regularly be out of dough. If I lost most of my money early in $5 SNGs, I'd switch to $1 SNGs. Once I lost what I had left, I'd do .10 SNGs. If I won a few, I'd go for the .50, and then lose and be broke again. I must have kept this cycle going for over a year. Maybe more.
About a year in, I started depositing more often, but never much beyond my $20 per month. All the while, I was earning Action Points, which I could use for large freerolls. I was also playing in freerolls to mixed results. I remember the first time I won a large tournament. I came in 1st out of 173 people, netting myself a whopping $13.50! I remember telling people about my success only to be ashamed that I went through all of it for $13.50. But, as I would tell them, the exciting part was that I beat all of those people! I also admitted that my win was due in large part to several all-in suckouts. This was one of those wins that did not come from excellent poker.
Then it really happened. I entered a $1000 freeroll in January of 2005. Girlfriend Kim was sleeping next to me at 1am when I took 2nd place beating 240 people for $170! I immediately cashed out $100, because, honestly, I wouldn't win with it online. I mean, who wins at online poker?!
One month later, I played the $1000 freeroll again...and took 1st!! $270! I immediately withdrew $200.
Two month later, I played the $1000 freeroll again...and took 1st again! I just found the April posts, and they are quite funny looking back. Check them out here, under the Apr. 12th posts. With another $270 win, and I immediately withdrew $150. See, I was winning now, so I could afford to leave $120 online.
Not long after, I resolved some issues with Neteller, which widened my poker opportunities. I decided to try new sites at the advice of friends. I would always go back to GP, until Pauly's Noble Poker freeroll where I met GCox and TripJax. I had already played at Full Tilt and Party by this point, but once Poker Source Online was discovered, I became the bonus whore that I am. I've played at Golden Palace, Full Tilt, Party, Paradise, Royal Vegas, Titan, Noble, PokerRoom, Ultimate Bet, Poker Rewards, Bodog, Absolute, PokerStars, Carribean Sun, and probably a few other sites I can't recall. Through bonuses I've probably won several hundred dollars (often using that to break even from losses on some of these sites in the past) and from PSO and Vegas Poker Pro got a free poker table top, $400 in Best Buy gift certificates, and Poker Tracker free. That is why I whore them so much here. Because they have been such a boon for me. But that isn't the point of this post.
I love this here poker. Just typing about it makes me want to rush home and play.
posted by Jordan @ 9:52 AM,
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You Decide #21
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
My You Decide posts are coming fast and furious. I personally like them because it is an opportunity for people to discuss intricacies of the game that you may not be able to discuss as clearly from a broad explanation alone. Here is a case where (I believe) a pre-flop raise was the crucial issue in the hand. I don't think I would have done it any differently, except for maybe calling the bet on the end. But the real question is, when you are at a low limit table and hold a middle pocket pair such as 99 in the SB, and everyone has already limped, will a pre-flop raise thin the herd, build the pot for you, or build the pot against you, creating an incentive for others to stay in AND costing you additional dough that you will likely lose. Here is the hand:
It is my 3rd hand at a 2/4 limit table. I don't have any reads yet. I am in the 1 seat and post the SB of $1 and get 99. UTG calls. MP calls. The CO had posted theBB and checked. The button calls. I call. BB checks.
The flop is 8d 6c 8h. I bet $2. BB and UTG fold. MP calls. CO folds. Button calls.
The turn is Jd for a board of [8d 6c 8h][Jd]. I check. MP bets. Button calls. I call.
The river is a Js for a board of [8d 6c 8h Jd][Js]. I check, MP checks, and Button bets. I call. MP folds.
Button shows 8c Qd (A Full House, Eights full of Jacks).
Button collected $36.25 from Main pot
So, would the pre-flop raise get him out of there. Should I have folded on the turn or river bets? I don't think so on any of these questions, because of pot odds and the probability of someone playing A6, AK, etc. BUT, what do I know. I lost $12 on this hand.
No matter how far, I will bluff you!
posted by Jordan @ 10:29 PM,
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Running on MT
*Warning* This is another bitch and moan post.
Well, this has been a week from hell ever since the weekend started. I'm now at the office at 6:30pm, and if all goes well, I'll be home by 8pm. Boo hoo hoo, I know. The bottom line is that right before the holidays, everything seems to pile up and need immediate attention. Other co-workers/superiors (rightfully) pass along work that they do not have time for, and, as a result, it only gets worse. Shit rolls downhill, and I'm essentially at the first step of the mountain. Eat shit, indeed.
To make all of this worse, I haven't seen wifey Kim in 2 days or so because of my work obligations on LI. I can't wait to spend some time with her tonight. I have to go to work early tomorrow, so suddenly my poker window is closing to a mere sliver. I may pull the ole cuddle with wifey Kim until she's asleep followed by a tip-toe out the door and a run to an SNG. I am going to follow the wonderful and impressive advice of DoubleAs from a week or two ago and prioritize poker over sleep. After all, sleep IS over-rated. Some people seem to love going to sleep. Since I was a little kid I've always dreaded it. I'm not a good sleeper, and I hate that feeling that everyone else is asleep and here I am wide awake but trying to sleep. As a kid, it would keep me up at night. Now, I use it to my advantage, staying up later than I should (although not too late, honestly) and then hitting the sack on my own volition and by my own standards. As Double As said, sleep is overrated. Now poker...
I've gotten invite after invite to play with Dave Roose and Robbie Hole at their home games this week. One was scheduled last minute today. Another one is pre-planned for tomorrow. I'll be at neither. It's part of being married, but more accurately, it's part of living with someone you care about. You just can't say, fuck it, I feel like heading into Queens on the spur of the moment. Have I changed since getting married? Maybe a little bit. But it's all for the best. At least wifey Kim and I aren't at each others' throats too much, considering holiday stress.
My TV will hopefully be ordered today by my main man Dre. It'll be delivered on a date to be determined. I can't wait to hook the laptop to that badboy and play 50" poker!
I've been falling behind on reading others' blogs, but GCox wrote a great post talking about how he got into poker. I'm definitely going to use his concept and give my own backstory. I figure it'll be good for my (hopefully) new readers from BestPokerBlogs.com, where I am currently squandering my status as Blog of the Week.
I'm thinking about earning the 2003 WSOP DVD from PSO or VPP for free. I don't remember much of the hands (anymore) and I'd love to watch the Stud and other non Hold'Em games. Does anyone have it? And if so, how is it? I'd prefer the 2004 WSOP, in which Raymer gives a play-by-play of his own hands, but that isn't offered on either site, yet. I imagine it's only a matter of time. At this rate, I willl have earned enough PSO points from my Carribean Sun promo by the end of the week. Booya! (And if you haven't checked out PSO or VPP, you are screwing yourself buddy. Just see if I care. Okay, I do, but only because it hurts me to see you hurt yourself. Live damnit LIVE!)
I want to play an MTT, but I don't have 5 hrs to lock up. A man can dream though.
Is that a random assortment of literary poop or what?! I make myself proud.
posted by Jordan @ 6:17 PM,
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Catching Sun
I've signed up at Carribean Sun via PokerSourceOnline, in an attempt to earn another 6000 PSO points. I've been using my PSO points and VegasPokerPro promotions to get $50 BestBuy gift certificates, but I might change my strategy now that my good pal will be putting in my order for a 50" DLP HDTV ABCD TV. The total cost of the TV is about $2600. With my buddy's personal discount and $400 in gift certificates, the TV will cost me $1500 including tax. No complaints!
Let me tell you all that Carribean Sun Poker is the place to be. Go to PSO and check it out. I'm already 2/3 of the way to my bonus, and I've turned my $150 into $270+, with an additional $50 bonus to be released upon completion. With the holidays coming up, I should be done in no time. Sweet! If you are going to sign up for one of these promotions, Carribean Sun is my current recommendation. Quick, easy and the players suck!
I've made most of my dough at 2/4. Last night alone I think I won $50 or more with an additional $50 a night or two ago. I've been playing fairly standard, hitting cards and getting value. Lately, I've been back in the groove that I had in the beginning of the year, when I couldn't lose. My winnings were up to about $800+ in a few short months at micro limits (more .25/.50 than 2/4, and $20 home games) only to lose it all and my self-confidence in Las Vegas. I went on a series of bad games, part from faults in my game and part from variance. It got to the point where I abandoned my New Year's resolution, to win $1200 this year. The way I see it, an addition $100 per month is a way to show that I am not completely wasting my time. That goal is back in sight!
I played a $5 Maui SNG on Titan with GCox and Aussie Dave last night. I went out first after an ill-advised move involving at 5 and a 2...offsuit. After, I was chatting with G, Dave and Veneno trying to figure out why I am lately always the first blogger out of these blogger SNGs. I think I've figured it out for the most part. In these situations, I'm just looking to gamble and have fun. So I make moves in the very early stages with poop cards. As a result, I'm out first.
Meanwhile, I played a $10 18-person SNG on PokerStars and placed 2nd, winning $46 in profit. The difference there was that I was playing GOOD poker. My hand selection was tight. My timing and reads were great. As G puts it, I was playing like that time when I placed 4th in the 1008 person MTT. As long as I keep that style up, I should be able to continue my success. Too bad I love gambling.
Yippee-ki-yay, mother poker!
posted by Jordan @ 8:28 AM,
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A TripJax Production
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Yep. New duds. And I'm going to break them in with the most mundane of posts, the hand history. Watch how these monkeys scary me, and then give me their money.
Game #1378247393: Hold'em FL ($2/$4) - 2005/11/20 - 22:26:43 (ET)
Table "Linen" Seat 5 is the button.
Seat 1: HighOnPok ($119.25 in chips)
Seat 2: zam070 ($26 in chips)
Seat 3: Bklyn ($34.75 in chips)
Seat 4: bumVII ($37.25 in chips)
Seat 5: harry37 ($35 in chips)
Seat 6: _DONALD_ ($149.50 in chips)
_DONALD_: posts small blind $1
HighOnPok: posts big blind $2
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to HighOnPok [4s 8c]
zam070: calls $2
Bklyn: folds
bumVII: calls $2
harry37: folds
_DONALD_: calls $1
HighOnPok: checks
----- FLOP ----- [6d 2h 5d]
_DONALD_: checks
HighOnPok: bets $2
zam070: calls $2
bumVII: calls $2
_DONALD_: calls $2
----- TURN ----- [6d 2h 5d][7h]
_DONALD_: checks
HighOnPok: bets $4
zam070: raises $8
bumVII: calls $8
_DONALD_: calls $8
HighOnPok: calls $4
----- RIVER ----- [6d 2h 5d 7h][Tc]
_DONALD_: bets $4
HighOnPok: calls $4
zam070: calls $4
bumVII: calls $4
----- SHOW DOWN -----
_DONALD_: shows [Ks 7d] (A Pair of Sevens, King high)
HighOnPok: shows [4s 8c] (A Straight, Eight high)
zam070: mucks hand
bumVII: mucks hand
HighOnPok collected $61 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $64 Main pot $61 Rake $3
Board [6d 2h 5d 7h Tc]
Seat 1: HighOnPok (big blind) showed [4s 8c] and won ($61) with A Straight, Eight high
Seat 2: zam070 mucked
Seat 3: Bklyn folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: bumVII mucked
Seat 5: harry37 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: _DONALD_ (small blind) lost
posted by Jordan @ 10:27 PM,
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Accolades of Greatness
Hey everybody! I'm not usually one for sloppy seconds, but I've followed in Kipper's footsteps and have become Blog of the Week at BestPokerBlogs.com! And much like sloppy seconds, I've found BestPokerBlogs fortunately desperate enough after Kip to choose this humble blog. I'm going to put this one in my trophy case, next to my 5th most popular blog title from BlogsOnPoker.com and my best dressed poker blogger award from ClownPenis.fart (ten gold stars for anyone who knows where THAT reference is from).
Why aren't I BestPokerBlog's blog of the month?! Well, I really shouldn't say
So, potential new readers, here's a rundown of what you'll get here at High on Poker!
First off, you'll get this genius web design, but only for a couple of more days, after which my main man TripJax (another fine blogger, and future Blog of the Month), hooks it up. A HUGE thanks to Trip.
Second, you'll get to read all about my desperate attempt to win some money in the hopes of bettering myself and getting out of the mundane life of a lawyer. Yep, NYC lawyer to be exact. But don't be fooled. Ally McBeal it ain't (except for my cute business mini-skirts).
Third, you'll get my You Decide posts (see side bar with links). Speaking of You Decide, here is an unofficial one that literally just happened. I was playing a $20 MTT on Carribean Poker (where I am earning my PSO bonus points for more Best Buy gift certificates; oh, and new readers, check out PSO...it'll blow your mind. Highly recommended!). It was early in the game but I wasn't paying attention. I held KJ and raised in MP because the table was only 6-handed (only 12 people in the MTT!). The flop was K93 or something, with two hearts. I bet again and one guy in the BB pushes all in. I learned a while ago from reading the Poker Grub that when a player pushes all-in with a lot of chips after the flop, the player is usually playing a weak hand. So, I called. I was wrong. His K9, two pair, took down the hand, and now I'm typing. I'm too smart for my own good.
Fourth, er, there isn't a fourth. I mean, there is a fourth, and a fifth, sixth and seventh, but you'll have to find those gems for yourself. Until then, I'll be donking my money in MTTs and trying to half-ass a motion to amend a complaint by tomorrow morning. Yipee! Thanks BestPokerBlogs! You've made my day!
posted by Jordan @ 7:18 PM,
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Man of Leisure
Friday, November 18, 2005
You may have heard it before, and I'm sure you'll hear it again, but I'm a Man of Leisure. I like my free time to do important things like play poker and sit on my ass. Unfortunately, at times, leisure time is in short supply. Welcome to the Weekend from Hell!
Tonight, at about 6pm, I'll leave the office and head to the movie theatre, where I'll meet wifey Kim for Harry Potter 4. Yep, I'm seeing it on openning night, mostly because wifey Kim is a big fan. The only problem is that my authentic replica Hogwart's uniform is at the dry-cleaners. Yes, folks, dry humor at its best.
So, after the movie, wifey Kim and I will probably grab some grub and drinks at everyone's favorite mass-produced neighborhood restaurant, Applebees. I love dem Applebees, mostly because the food is very adequate for generic deep fried crap. Those 22 oz beers ain't too shabby either.
So far so good, right? Well, buckle up. Saturday morning, I will come to the office to prepare a motion that needs to be drafted by the end of the day Monday. I'll leave there and get to the train station at about noon, where I'll meet wifey Kim and head to LI. Once I'm at LI, I'll go to Fortunoffs and return our last unused wedding gift. Hopefully, I'll use the store credit to get me some new pillows. The new one's we have are so thick, they are essentially useless. Go figure!
Ok, I can do this for an hour, so let's do the Cliff Notes. Pick up the proofs from the wedding. Pick up the framed marriage contract and wifey Kim's degrees. Do some more work, this time on LI. Start to choose proofs for our wedding album. Dinner with wifey Kim's Dad and step-mom (chore), drinks and partying with wifey Kim's friends for one of their birthdays.
Sunday drive from LI to NYC and drop off the framed items. Pack and pick up summer clothing and anything else we don't want filling up our apartment. Set up e-bay or craigslist to sell a bunch of books we have taking up space. Drive to LI and empty out the car. Do more work. Play poker (THANK GOD!) hopefully by 4 for the US v. UK III match. More work. Sleep.
Monday attend a deposition on LI where I will be doing nothing but listening. Go to the Courthouse in between and review the Court's file on a certain case. Email my boss with the motion, completed. Return to LI home and do more work. More depositions on Tuesday.
Ahhhh. This was very therpuetic. It's a fucking lot. But I guess there is nothing to it but to do it. Man, this is why I need to be a professional poker player.
posted by Jordan @ 4:38 PM,
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Online Reading
Well, I played another 18-person SNG with GCox last night, and once again busted out relatively early. The odd thing is, I don't remember the exact hand. All I know is, I flopped a set of6s (one 6 in my hand), and got top pair to call me. He hit his set on the river and I'm out! I have to figure out what I'm doing wrong in these things. I think it is my risk taking. I don't know how G did, but I wouldn't be surprised if he ended in the money. He had a huge hand early in which his AK hit an AKQ board, and his opponent held AQ. You better believe they were all-in on the flop.
Anywho, after losing, I decided to play some .25/.50 NL on Titan. Well, actually, I was 2-tabling, something I have been avoiding lately. But regardless, while playing on Titan, I made (what I must say are) two amazing calls and some sweet plays. In an early hand, I pulled a strong bluff on my opponent, betting well over the pot on the river after small betting the whole way. After he laid his hand down on the river, he said, "I had you." So, on the next hand, when I flopped a set with my J3, I bet hard the whole way, with him calling the whole way. When I showed my JJJ, he was floored. I remember the 1st one perfect. I held T4o in the BB. The flop was AxTs6s. Pre-flop I had bet from .50 to 1.00, and the only other player in the hand was the button. These numbers are loose, but on the flop, I bet $1. He called. On the turn, a blank, I bet the more than the pot, $4, or so. He called again. On the river, 9x, I didn't know what to do. I checked. He paused and bet the pot. I sat there for a while looking at what he was doing. He had to be bluffing. Otherwise, he would've bet lower to induce a call. I called and he showed 9s7s. He was shocked that I called with a pair of tens and a shitty kicker. I wasn't going to give him any indication either way as to what I was thinking. A little while later, another player made a nearly identical play, but this time, he bet $20+ on his bluff. That was a lot of frijoles, but I felt he was bluffing. Sure enough, he only had 45o, and he hadn't even paired the board. I believe my low pocket pair took that hand.
But then something else happened. After these two calls, I should've left the room, because people now knew I was willing to call big bets. So, I'm dealt 79, and the flop is 778. I bet, he bets (same guy I bluffed), and soon we are all-in. I rivered a 9. His hand...78. I sucked out on his full house. It's nice to be on this side of variance!
So, I gotta go. I'm uber busy at the office. See you all soon.
You want the straight? You want the STRAIGHT? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE STRAIGHT!
posted by Jordan @ 9:13 AM,
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You Decide #20
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Here we go with the twentieth installment of You Decide! This one is a doozy. Basically, the question it asks is whether a +EV move should still be avoided in the early portion of a 2-table SNG. Here's the basic set-up.
You Decide #20
I was playing in an 18-person SNG with GCox and TripJax. I had one player fairly read as desperate. He was likely to push crappy cards hoping to pick up chips where he may.
I was in the BB with AhQh. The blinds were 15/30, and I had 1300. My Opponent had 1000. The board folds to the Opponent in MP, about three off from the button. He limps for 30. Everyone else folds. The small blind called. I raised it from 30 to 120. Opponent goes over the top all-in. I know I have him beat. I KNOW this. Just take it as a given. My reads were good (I early called G's opponent's JJ exactly) so far and I could tell by his push that he DIDN'T want action. So I called. He had Ks6s and rivered a flush.
So here is the question. Facing such a large raise, assuming that you KNEW that your opponent had the worst of it going in but still had two live cards, was it a foolish move to call? Overall it's a +EV move (that is positive expectation value, for you non-poker speaking readers), but some may say that you do not want to play for that many chips so early in the tournament unless you have him completely dominated. I'm partial to that theory, but I also feel like there are times when you have to take advantage of situations like this.
Please leave your comments. I think this is one of the more interesting topics, since it is more about strategy and style than simply how to play a particular hand generally.
I'm going to do my best not to play at all tonight. It shouldn't be too hard with wifey Kim and my usual Thursday night television shows, Survivor and the utterly disappointing Apprentice. Thanks to our new DVR, I'm also looking forward to seeing Everybody Hates Chris. Hopefully these things will keep me off of the computer. A day away could be good for my game and for my girl.
Do you hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of pokerability.
posted by Jordan @ 9:46 AM,
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The Good and the Bad
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
The Good and the Bad. They often come together. Like tonight at work. I just found out, at 5pm, that I will be in charge of an important motion opposition. That's good, because they trust me. That's also bad, because it needs to be done ASAP. Oh well oh well.
The Good. I am now th 5th Most Popular Blogger in All of Bloggerdom, according to BlogsOnPoker.com. When I checked their site, I had a feeling that was going to be case before I looked at the site. I'm just that damn good.
The Bad. It looks like the HUCTM was copied by Talking Poker. Check out this post by BadBlood. Theives! They even call it the HUC.
posted by Jordan @ 5:07 PM,
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Doing It for the Rail
Man, I love railbirds. I realize I play better, or at least have more fun, when there is someone else sharing in my play. I guess this is why I prefer the casino to online poker (or even home games). Generally speaking, I cozy up to one or ten of the players, and I turn it into a fun experience. We share insight and compliment each other on our successes. There is usually one or more designated nemesis at the table, but even when there isn't one, I can often find a "pal" at the table to attack and still laugh with after I show my blatant bluff or monster hand.
So, it was great signing online last night in good ole LI to see DP (aka fluxer) and Aussie Dave online. Aussie and I agreed to play an SNG and DP decided to join for the ride. TripJax was also online, but he had cashed out of UB and Titan, and I think had no money on Stars, so he was out of the SNG-seeking clan.
After some discussion, we decided to play at Stars, which was a mistake. After attempting to jump into three different SNGs which filled up faster than we could coordinate, I ended up jumping the gun and entering an SNG that filled up without my compadres. To make matters worse, my Internet connection stopped working and I had to restart my computer. By the time I was back online, I had given up 200+ in chips. I played tight and made it to 5th place, but lost to a suckout. I'm not too upset. I knew one player was willing to gamble, so I pushed after he raised. I held A2 and he held K3. He hit his K and I went to the 4-person HU SNG on Stars.
Now, Aussie Dave and Fluxer would eventually find me and railbird my 4-p HU SNG, but first, I lost 2 consecutive 4-p HU SNGs in no time. As soon as I lost I registered for the next match. The thing was, I knew that if I just kept at it, I'd win. I ended up playing against xcharlesx or something thereabout, and had a great time. Fluxer and Aussie Dave jumped in. I openned a 2nd chat window via Yahoo IM with fluxer and we had fun playing with my opponent's head. I'd talk smack or show my suited hammer (which rivered a flush) and fluxer would jump in laughing and talking smack. I told fluxer to do it so that it'd piss off my opponent. Humorously, my opponent started firing back at me and won a decent pot soon after. My response to fluxer, "Well, I was right. He's pissed." In the end, I took the lead and didn't give it up. At 35 hands into the tourney, I predicted, publicly in the Stars chat window, that I would win by hand 50. It actually took me to 52, which I take as an omen.
I next went against Trof, who joined us early on as a railbird in my match v. xcharlesx. I was talking smack to him before our match even began, asking him "You want a piece of this?" and telling him to "See what I'm going to do to you." Another of my favorite lines that I used at the beginning of all 3 HU SNGs, "Are you ready?" When they respond, "Yeah" I say, "Then what are we waiting for!" The SNGs take 1 minute to start when you are sitting there watching the clock. I like this banter because it opens the opponent up to talking and often gets a laugh out of them. Like me, opponent, and then give me your money!
Oh yeah, so I'm playing Trof and I'm doing the same thing. Once I have him beat in chips, I just lay on the pressure. In one hand, Trop raised 150 after the flop and 150 after the turn. I folded after the turn, to which fluxer said, on the private IM, "Why'd you fold! He bet 150 before the flop and you calle d it." I replied, "If I folded, I was beat." I don't remember the hand specifically, but I called post-flop with crap, hoping to catch an overpair or something or to see an opportunity to steal. But when the turn came, I didn't want to pay anymore. In these cases, you really want to keep your chip lead and wait for the hand where he is frustrated and pushed with 66 and you can call his all-in with 99 or even KJ, secure that if you lose you aren't out of the tournament.
So, I won. In the end, I was up a little less than $5 in the 4-p HU SNGs (after vig) and down $10 or so overall (after losing the $10 10-p SNG and $5 on Titan playing .25/.50 NL. It's funny. I lost $10 and I was happy. I had fun and $10 isn't anything to worry about.
I got an email from Roose that Hole is having a home game tonight. I didn't intend to play, but wifey Kim will be out with the girls, so I'm heading over to the Hole-y Land for some Hot Poker Action. Wish me Luck!
Stay tuned to an excellent surprise thanks to TripJax. He's my hero.
Last night, at about 12:30 am, lying in bed in my parents' house I turned on the TV to see the AFI Top 100 Movie Quotes. Most I didn't know, but it brought a smile to my face. I'm running out of movie quotes to pokerize. With that said...
"You had me at 'Hi/Lo'."
posted by Jordan @ 2:08 PM,
,
Doing It for the Rail
Man, I love railbirds. I realize I play better, or at least have more fun, when there is someone else sharing in my play. I guess this is why I prefer the casino to online poker (or even home games). Generally speaking, I cozy up to one or ten of the players, and I turn it into a fun experience. We share insight and compliment each other on our successes. There is usually one or more designated nemesis at the table, but even when there isn't one, I can often find a "pal" at the table to attack and still laugh with after I show my blatant bluff or monster hand.
So, it was great signing online last night in good ole LI to see DP (aka fluxer) and Aussie Dave online. Aussie and I agreed to play an SNG and DP decided to join for the ride. TripJax was also online, but he had cashed out of UB and Titan, and I think had no money on Stars, so he was out of the SNG-seeking clan.
After some discussion, we decided to play at Stars, which was a mistake. After attempting to jump into three different SNGs which filled up faster than we could coordinate, I ended up jumping the gun and entering an SNG that filled up without my compadres. To make matters worse, my Internet connection stopped working and I had to restart my computer. By the time I was back online, I had given up 200+ in chips. I played tight and made it to 5th place, but lost to a suckout. I'm not too upset. I knew one player was willing to gamble, so I pushed after he raised. I held A2 and he held K3. He hit his K and I went to the 4-person HU SNG on Stars.
Now, Aussie Dave and Fluxer would eventually find me and railbird my 4-p HU SNG, but first, I lost 2 consecutive 4-p HU SNGs in no time. As soon as I lost I registered for the next match. The thing was, I knew that if I just kept at it, I'd win. I ended up playing against xcharlesx or something thereabout, and had a great time. Fluxer and Aussie Dave jumped in. I openned a 2nd chat window via Yahoo IM with fluxer and we had fun playing with my opponent's head. I'd talk smack or show my suited hammer (which rivered a flush) and fluxer would jump in laughing and talking smack. I told fluxer to do it so that it'd piss off my opponent. Humorously, my opponent started firing back at me and won a decent pot soon after. My response to fluxer, "Well, I was right. He's pissed." In the end, I took the lead and didn't give it up. At 35 hands into the tourney, I predicted, publicly in the Stars chat window, that I would win by hand 50. It actually took me to 52, which I take as an omen.
I next went against Trof, who joined us early on as a railbird in my match v. xcharlesx. I was talking smack to him before our match even began, asking him "You want a piece of this?" and telling him to "See what I'm going to do to you." Another of my favorite lines that I used at the beginning of all 3 HU SNGs, "Are you ready?" When they respond, "Yeah" I say, "Then what are we waiting for!" The SNGs take 1 minute to start when you are sitting there watching the clock. I like this banter because it opens the opponent up to talking and often gets a laugh out of them. Like me, opponent, and then give me your money!
Oh yeah, so I'm playing Trof and I'm doing the same thing. Once I have him beat in chips, I just lay on the pressure. In one hand, Trop raised 150 after the flop and 150 after the turn. I folded after the turn, to which fluxer said, on the private IM, "Why'd you fold! He bet 150 before the flop and you calle d it." I replied, "If I folded, I was beat." I don't remember the hand specifically, but I called post-flop with crap, hoping to catch an overpair or something or to see an opportunity to steal. But when the turn came, I didn't want to pay anymore. In these cases, you really want to keep your chip lead and wait for the hand where he is frustrated and pushed with 66 and you can call his all-in with 99 or even KJ, secure that if you lose you aren't out of the tournament.
So, I won. In the end, I was up a little less than $5 in the 4-p HU SNGs (after vig) and down $10 or so overall (after losing the $10 10-p SNG and $5 on Titan playing .25/.50 NL. It's funny. I lost $10 and I was happy. I had fun and $10 isn't anything to worry about.
I got an email from Roose that Hole is having a home game tonight. I didn't intend to play, but wifey Kim will be out with the girls, so I'm heading over to the Hole-y Land for some Hot Poker Action. Wish me Luck!
Last night, at about 12:30 am, lying in bed in my parents' house I turned on the TV to see the AFI Top 100 Movie Quotes. Most I didn't know, but it brought a smile to my face. I'm running out of movie quotes to pokerize. With that said...
"You had me at 'Hi/Lo'."
posted by Jordan @ 2:08 PM,
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Brain Pain
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Damnit! Have you ever had one of those days where you have 100 things to do, but each one has it's own individual road block. I've got a handful of work projects going on, and nothing is easy lately. It's either a client who won't call me back, a legal theory that can't be fleshed out, an expert doctor who is ignoring me completely, or a case that has so much to do, there is no way to know where to start. Man, this is making my brain hurt.
At least tonight I can hopefully play some poker online. It's definite that I will be heading into Long Island. The question now is whether I will swing by my apartment first. If I can get out of here around 6, then I can make it to my apartment and to a LI train within a reasonable time, but otherwise, I might go direct. I miss wifey Kim already, which is kind of odd, since I live with the girl. I just can't get enough. There is nothing like waking up groggy on a Tuesday morning and seeing my beautiful woman getting ready for work. She's quite a work of art.
If I play tonight, it'll be an interesting change of pace. In my home on LI, the main computer is in a room with little else in it (aside from Mother High's absurdly large collection of romance novels). So, I don't anticipate any distractions at all. My father has a laptop and the house has wifi, but his laptop is used for work, so I can't readily justify downloading to it Yahoo IM, Titan Poker, and the myriad of other things I use while playing poker.
Also, without the headset, chatting will have to be of the typing variety. Heaven forbid!
All that said, I am looking forward to playing. At home, I can probably play a large MTT without anyone bothering me. It'll still be dicey though. As supportive as my parents have been, I might look like a tool if I'm back on LI for one night (after not being home for a month at least) and spend all of my time staring at a screen gambling. Damn me and my desire to fit within social norms!
Here is something random. Before heading to NJ yesterday for work, I realized that I didn't have any book to read. I just finished Stephen King's Dolores Claiborne, which was kick-ass. I was all out of comics (don't you judge!). So I went to my bookshelf and grabbed something random, How to Play Poker Like the Pros by Phil Helmuth. I think this was the first poker book I ever bought. The book isn't bad, but the beginners' guides are just that. I should probably review the Omaha and Stud beginner guides while I'm at it. It might help my hand selection. I still hate Omaha, but I'm a blatant masachist. I also find Hellmuth's classification of players by animal types. Looking at his animal types, I think I was more of a jackal, very aggressive and taking big swings. I think I'm moving more toward the lion (tighter hand selection, aggressive when he holds it), and maybe even, dare I say, the eagle (swoops down to pick up pots when the timing is right). But I'm thinking that Hellmuth should've also included a new type of player, the Bull, who charges whenever he has anything decent and doesn't have the common sense to nuance his play. Kinda like Bill Gates from AC, or any of the new variety of all-in crazy tournament players.
Hey, did you hear? GCox told me his wife and him are into S&M. She Sleeps and he Masterbates! HAHAHAHA
While I'm at it, here's one the whole family can enjoy:
A police officer saw a man driving around with a penguin in his passenger side seat. The cop pulled over the man. "Excuse me sir, but you can't drive around with a Penguin in your car. Take him to the zoo immediately!" "Yes officer."
A couple of hours later, the cop sees the same can and the same penguin riding shotgun. He pulls the guy over again. "Hey buddy, didn't I tell you to take that penguin to the zoo." "I did, officer, and now I'm taking him to the movies."
Yuck Yuck Yuck!
It's official, I'm brain dead.
posted by Jordan @ 4:12 PM,
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Web Design by Committee
Well, I've moved a step closer to my dream blog, thanks to the help of Donkey Puncher. Thank you to TripJax who also offered to help. The next step, which, I imagine, will be conceivably more difficult, is to get that banner to cover the entire top area instead of being an inset pic. That said, etards can't be choosers.
When it rains, it pours in blogger land. I signed on last night to find GCox and Trip in the middle of two tournaments. Trip was playing an 18 person SNG, in which he placed 2nd turning his $5 Poker Stars bankroll into considerably more. GCox was having a tough night, so he did what any player would do...enter a $20 600+ player MTT. Last I checked, he was down to less than 30 people, and was well in the money.
I, on the other hand, played a 4-person Heads-Up SNG on Poker Stars and didn't make it past match #1. For anyone who hasn't heard of these arrangements, it's like a mini Heads Up Challenge. Four players enter and play heads-up. The two winners of the first heads-up matches play heads-up against each other. For a $5 buy-in, you can win $20. It's akin to entering a $5 HU SNG, winning, and rolling the profits over into a $10 HU SNG. The only difference is the lack of vig (casino fee) on the second game. If you like HU matches, this is your thing. Just ask Veneno.
Unfortunately, while I was initially outplaying my opponent, he began to catch cards and suddently I couldn't get anything going. After he took me out, I was trying to decide what to play. I've finished my VPP and PSO promotions and am awaiting 1 gift certificate for $50 to Best Buy in the mail. I've already received my gift certificate from one of the promotions, but since they send you their items from some generic company name in Ontario, I couldn't tell which one sent it. Either way, my new TV is going to have a nice discount thanks to PSO and VPP. So far, I have $300 in Best Buy gift certificates and another $50 on the way. If you are interested in free gift certificates or need poker supplies, including chips, tables, and quality cards, check those sites out. And if you are kind enough, you can even use my links and referral code HighOnPoker for PSO.
I decided to play on Titan, since I still am working off my 100% bonus there. I've already earned $70 out of the $240, but I have a ways to go. Fortunately, there is no time limit on this promo, and I've already finished the PSO promo for Titan (netting myself another $50 Best Buy gift certificate). I also have been really enjoying Titan's .25/.50 NL game. I lost about 1/2 of my $100 at Titan playing 2/4 and 3/6 (which is admittedly too high for $100, but not too high when you consider my total bankroll). I've been inching my way back to even there with the NL game. So far, I've posted at least three winning sessions in a row. Last night was for a whopping $5.50, which covered my 4-p HU SNG at Poker Stars. So, it was an even night, but not necessarily uneventful. At least I gots me some poker action.
I am now trying to decide the next stop in the HighOnPoker Bonus Whore World Tour. I've already completed (deep breath) Titan, Noble, Bodog, Absolute, Paradise, Royal Vegas, Full Tilt, Ultimate Bet, and I think one or two others that I can't remember and are no longer offered. All that is left is Pacific Poker (on PSO or VPP), Hollywood Poker (VPP), Carribean Sun (PSO), and Gaming Club Poker (PSO). I have also been thinking of trying to sign up through PokerRoom or GoldenPalace through the sites. I've had accounts at both of those locations, but I haven't used them for a while and would ideally want to start a new account with my new address anyway. However, these things probably work by Social Security Number or name, so this might be a problem. When I get real desperate for freebies, maybe I'll get wifey Kim to start signing up for sites...
Tomorrow, I have to attend a Court conference in Nassau County, Long Island. As a result, I plan on going back to LI tonight. Wifey Kim will be in NYC, so I'll be missing her (sincerely). But if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you are with...Poker. I'll see you around tonight, but probably without a headset.
Killian, you have what you want, give the people the poker! <---What movie? Anyone?
That's all for now. I've got much work
posted by Jordan @ 9:06 AM,
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Help Line
Monday, November 14, 2005
So, can anyone help me figure out how to put this banner at the top of my webpage? I've tried and failed.
posted by Jordan @ 9:00 PM,
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Day Tripping in AC
Sunday, November 13, 2005
I love Atlantic City. And now, I love the Borgata too. On Saturday, Dave Ruff, Timmy Bones (aka Vinny Delpino, aka Mike D), and I went to the Borgata in AC for a day of poker. When I came back, I was $230 richer.
I got out of the train to Hoboken, NJ at about 3pm. I'm used to taking 3 hrs to drive to AC, but from their place, it was a little less than 2 hrs.
The Borgata is amazing. I've been there before, but never for poker. At the -EV table games (which I forced myself to avoid), the limits are too high. The club in the Borgata had a long line with lots of under-dressed girls and juiced up, chain wearing, dueschebags. But the poker room is sheer delight.
The poker room is underneath the club. We'll get to the implications of that genius arrangement later. The room has something like 50 tables. Unfortunately, the lists for the games were long. I mean loooooooooooong. I put myself down for 1/2 NL, 2/4 limit, and 3/6 limit. Ruff and Bones put themselves down on 1/2 NL only.
After about 1 1/2 hrs, we were finally called for NL. My table seemed good. I was in the 1s. I think it may have become my favorite because I don't have to worry about exposing my cards with the dealer on my right. Now, the table changed a lot over time (8+ hours), but notable players included Really Fat Guy, the White Trash Couple (I think she was digging me...or my chips), Two Black Dudes, the redheaded Bill Gates, and the Big Stack.
The table was weird. I started out slow. I put in my earphones, and fiddled with my dinky 20 song MP3 player. The funny thing is, I barely turned the thing on. I pulled a move out of Phil Ivey's book and pretended that I was listening. Now, I don't think this did anything at all. But why not throw a curve ball out there.
Now, I may go through some particular hands. But let me give the overall feel I had. I played tighter than I do online. However, for a while, I changed up gears. I won big hands with 38s, T7s, 79o. Later in the night, after dinner, I reverted back to tighter play.
And I had fun the whole time too. It was another table where I became 'friends' with most of the players. There are always some bad eggs, like the as yet unnamed Hotshot D-bag, and the Two Black Dudes. The rest were all pals though. Even Big Stack, who was my number one nemesis at the table.
I wish I could go into a lot of details, but I'm spent. I'll give the cliff notes. I saw F-Train, Joaquin, and some other bloggers (presumably bloggers) at the Borgata. I knew they were in AC, but it was a nice surprise that they were at the Borgata.
Ruff, Bones and I were placed at separate tables to start. Ruff started out poorly with two suckouts taking most of his chips, but won a $700 pot, to bring him up a good chunk of change. Bones faced aggressive opposition and dead cards, so he didn't have the best of luck.
I enjoyed my passive, limping table while I pretended to listen to music and made friends. I won a huge pot limping with T7s, when I flopped an inside straight draw. The 7 limpers (!) all checked around. The turn gave me the straight. I bet $15 in early position. An Asian player raised to $30. Everyone else folded. I pushed all-in (which was really only his $70-100). He called with 57, for a lower straight. Boo. Ya.
In another hand, I played 38c in the BB. The flop was AcKcJc. There were about 5 or 6 players in the pot. I didn't want it to check around and give someone another club for a higher flush, so I bet $10. One player calls. The Big Stack raised to $65! I thought for a moment. Hmm...what could he have. I'm not giving him another card if I don't have to. I raise to $120! Wo! He thinks for a while (the caller folded) and then folded, too. He said he had a 9 high flush. I showed my 8 high flush...and then realized he was lying. Dude, the only hands that had him beat were a T high or Q high flush. Damn me!
A little while later, I held 99 and raised to 10 preflop. The flop was T84 or something similar. I bet out 20, and he re-raised to 60. I called after thinking for a while. I figured that it would make sense for him to bluff AK, or another pair of high suited cards. I was hoping my call would slow him down. On the next card, an Ace, I knew I was in trouble. He bet out 65. I folded after taking my sweet time. I didn't want to rush either decision. About a hand or two later, I walked to his side of the table to chat for a minute. I buttered him up. "You and me are the only ones willing to bet any money out there." It was an accurrate statement. "But what the hell did you have with the 65 raise?" "You really want to know? I had top-pair, top-kicker after the flop (AT), and hit two pair on the turn." This time, I believed him. He didn't ask what I had, but if he had, I would've told him pocket Jacks. After all, I wanted to save some face.
I was up $250 exactly at about 11:30pm. I was starving, so I went over to Bones and Ruff was there too. We agreed to get some "dinner". Now, when you sign out of the Borgata poker room for a dinner break, they take your name down and give you 2 hrs to return. When you return you are placed on the top of the wait list. Dinner was great. Pancakes and chocolate milk hit the spot, but did seem like an odd combo after my Corona's with lime.
When we returned to the poker room, we only waited 5 minutes before being reseated. Unfortunately, Ruff was on my old table and I was on a new table, with a couple of obnoxious characters. As per usual, I made friends with my neighbor, named Dipul, or Dip for short. We had a decent time making fun of the hipster 40-year-old guy on the other end of the table trying desperately to be witty and funny. Whenever he'd make one of his comments and started chuckling, Dip and I followed suit with our own over-blown fake laughs. I generally try not to be a dick at the table, but fun is fun.
Fortunately, I arranged to be moved to my old table once a spot openned up. About 30 minutes and $85 in losses later, I sat down between Ruff (on my right) and my nemesis Big Stack. Now understand that I had been referring to him as my "nemesis" for a while, but it was all good because after a while at a table you can build a rapport. White trash boyfriend, Sean, stood behind me. His girlfriend, Liz, was still at the table, one seat to the right of Ruff. Bill Gates was to the left of Nemesis. Two Black Dudes were now at the table (they weren't there when I left) and were the new agressors. I got back into a tight game, watching Nemesis and Bald Black Dude go at it. After a while, something changed. The Two Black Dudes were severely frustrated. It was plain on their faces. They stopped betting 20 pre-flop and started folding or limping. From 115 (I sat for post-dinner poker with 200 and lost 85 at Dip's table), I dropped to 70 or so. I then had this sweet hand.
Pre-flop, I was dealt AQ in the SB or BB. There were a lot of limpers all around, so I bumped it up to 12. Liz was the only caller. After that beautiful flop, AAx, I wanted to keep her around. I bet 10. She raised to 25. I looked at my stack and didn't like what I saw. I had about 50 left. I called her bet and stated, "Liz, are you making a fool out of me with Ace Ace?" My intention was to communicate to her that I didn't have an Ace. Now, understand that I had been watching her. She was the type of player to push pre-flop with KT or 55 when she was down to $30. She was generally loose and overvalued her cards. I was hoping she had a pocket pair or an Ace with a lower kicker. The turn was an 8 or something similar. The thought of her hitting a full house crossed my mind, but I decided to not worry and go with it. I had about 35 left and pushed. I didn't hear her, but when I looked up, I saw her cards face up, A9. I asked, "Wait did you fold?" "No, I called." I flipped up my AQ and took down the hand after the J river.
With about 140 I continued to work my way back up. I was up to 220 when I had this ill-fated hand against Ruff. Again, there were 5 or 6 limpers. I held KQ and raised it to 12 or 15. Only Ruff called. The Ace high flop looked good to me. I bet out 15 and Ruff called. The turn was harmless, so I bluffed 15 again. He called. The river was a blank and I thought, either I lose or I lead out with one more bet and try to represent something big. I bet 25 and he called. Shit! I showed my bluff and he showed his Ace low. Not too long after, we left the table. Ruff, who was down a lot, came back to win 9$. I was down $20 for the session, but $230 overall. Bones, who stopped by our table here and there, had lost enough that I didn't feel like asking details.
We made our way to the car, where I hopped in the back and made small talk until nodding off. When I woke up we were near home. I thanked Ruff and Bones (and I thank them again here) for taking me along with them. I had an awesome time and made some cool cash. I got to the Hoboken Path train at 6:15. By the time I was back in my apartment, it was 7am. I crawled into bed, fully clothed, and slept until 2pm.
I love AC. I love the Borgata. And I love this whole day trip thing. Thanks Ruff and Bones. I'm out!
This poker is lumpy.
posted by Jordan @ 3:31 PM,
,
I'm in Love
Friday, November 11, 2005
...with a poker blog. You all have to check out Table Tango for a great blog written by a dealer in Vegas. You may have read it before, but it's all new to me. She writes extremely well, and her insider information is fantastic.
posted by Jordan @ 11:00 AM,
,
Prep Time
Hi everybody. While chatting online last night, something really became clear to me. I am nervous about my AC trip this Saturday.
I have mentioned it before, but Ruff, my cohort on this trip (along with Vinny Delpino) usually plays $300 max buy-in, 1/2 NL. Ruff likes to buy in for $200, and, if he loses that, rebuy for another $200.
Yeah. But, um, I don't have $400. I mean, I have it. But I don't want to lose it. And herein lies the problem. Now, Ruff reads this site here and there, so to you, Ruff, let me just say that I am not at all complaining and I don't mean to suggest that I will even have to have $400. I know that if I went with $100 and blew it in 5 minutes, I'd just railbird Ruff and Delp the rest of the time. But, you see, I want to play with $400!
What's a man to do? Is playing scared going to hurt my game? If so, how do I get over it? Right now, I have a fail-safe. I'll play $150 and if I bust, I'll take another $150 to 4/8. If I bust out of that, then I'm doing something terribly wrong. Regardless, $300 is my budget.
Any advice on how to get over this mental hurdle would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I have to get this out. I got whooped online last night, losing about $50, including another HU match against Veneno. Congrats, V, but I must say for my pride that I had you in my sights when I got you all-in with my TT v. your A7o. Unfortunately, the ace on the turn had other ideas, but at least I can't 100% blame myself. Oh yeah, I did mess up at the end, calling your all-in reraise with QT on a Q high board against your QK (or QJ). I knew I was beat, but damnit, see Poker Haiku #1.
"You know what you are? You're like a shark with a big stack and with fangs..."
"...big fucking stack, man."
"Yeah... big fuckin' stack on ya'. And she's just like this little donkey, who's just kinda cowering in the fifth seat. "
"Shivering."
"Yeah, man just kinda... you know, you got these nuts and you're staring at these chips and your thinking to yourself, and with these chips you're thinking, 'How am I supposed to kill this donkey, how am I supposed to kill this donkey?'
"And you're minimum betting at it, you're minimum betting at it..."
"Yeah, you're not busting it. You're just kinda gently betting the donkey around, you know what I mean? And the donkey's scared Mike, the donkey's scared of you, shivering.
"And you got these fucking big stack and these fangs... "
"And you got these fucking big stack and these fangs, man! And you're looking at your big stack and you're looking at your fangs. And you're thinking to yourself, you don't know what to do, man. "I don't know how to bust the donkey." With *this* you don't know how to bust the donkey, do you know what I mean?
"You're like a shark, man."
"So you're not just like fucking with me?"
"No I'm not fucking with you."
"Honestly, man."
posted by Jordan @ 8:54 AM,
,
Haiku Poker
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Well, I'm feeling creative. And when I'm feeling creative, I can't help but write myself a haiku. In case you don't know, a haiku is a form of poetry from Japan, which contains only 3 lines, with 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. Enjoy:
The check raise brings sighs.
My inner eye knows I'm beat,
But damn it let's call.
The click of the chips,
Pulls me to another place.
That and the gambling.
After ten minutes,
Tiffany Williamsen folds.
What a dumb ass bitch.
The winds speaks softly,
of days gone by without care.
Did I hear freeroll?
If only you knew
what you were betting into.
Oh, dems quads beeches!
Enjoy.
posted by Jordan @ 3:59 PM,
,
The Jordanian Special
Dubbed the Jordanian Special by David Roose, my home game last night was a success...for some people. For me, it was another example of me doing the one thing I tell myself not to do. In fact, it was a sign to me that I know what's right for my game. I just don't go about doing it.
So, the two major rules I broke that led to my loss are: (1) Don't play at your own home, and (2) Do not bluff.
As for (1), I have discovered that my track record at home is much worse than my track record elsewhere. I blame it on the distractions that come about when hosting. But let's not spend too much time on it here, because it's a fact of life. I love poker, and if I have to host a game, I'll take that loss of edge.
(2) Do Not Bluff, is the real important part of this story. More specifically, I have to remember that I should not bluff someone who thinks I bluff all of the time.
Dave Roose is under the impression that I never have anything. I like this, because it means I know how to play against him. Play good cards and get paid out. Seems simple enough. So why did this hand happen:
I have A4o in the BB. Roose is in the SB. Everyone fold pre-flop. Roose min raises from the SB and I call. The blinds were probably 100/200. Our stacks were both about even with 2600. I had him covered by T25.
The flop was 789 with no flush draw. Roose bets out 600. I push all-in. He thinks for a little bit and then calls. He has A7o, and I lose. In the next hand I went all-in with my last 25, and lost with my 99 v. QQ. Oh well!
So, what went wrong? There are two possibilities. One, I shouldn't have bluffed at all there. Or two, I shouldn't have bluffed against Dave specifically. I'm going to go with the Dave-specific answer though.
As I said, Dave always thinks I am bluffing, so he is more likely to call than most players . I simply chose the wrong person to bluff. I think 9 times out of 10, the person in Dave's position folds.
Unless he hit a set or a straight, he's likely to fold to the all-in. I was playing tight for the most part. Anyone in Dave's spot would've feared the straight from such a bet, or at least a set or over-pair. I guess you could say that the all-in was fishy, but in this game I realized that most players would be too scared to call all-in. Of course, Dave isn't most players.
Let me just add that the fact that Dave called with bottom pair is a testament to his intelligence and good poker-ship. When Dave first started playing I didn't know what to expect. But he has grown to be a solid player. So solid, in fact, that he chopped first place with Robbie Hole. Third-place went to Damien, a new addition to the home game. I, of course, came in last, after one rebuy for a $40 loss.
But the night didn't end there. I jokingly asked the 2nd player out if he wanted to play some Heads-up. He didn't feel like it, but at that moment Marcos went out 3rd. He and I joked about playing some Heads Up Omaha. I assumed he meant a tournament, but surprisingly he wanted a cash game.
Now, I know it doesn't exist, per se, but we ended up playing .25/.50 NL Omaha, with a $20 buy-in. Right away I told him that I hate Omaha. In all sincerity, I consider it my worst game. However, I was in the mood to have fun, and after a while, Hold'em can get a bit repetitive.
So, off we go. I'll make a long story short and tell you that I won all of his $20. At one point, I held an AQ42, of four suits. Marcos bet it up .50 pre-flop, so I called. The flop was Ax9x3c. I checked and Marcos bet $.50. I called. The turn was 9c, pairing the board and creating a flush draw. I checked. I bet $3. Marcos hesitated and then called. The river was a blank. I bet $4. Now, Marcos only had about $7 left in front of him, so he was really on a decision to go all-in or not. He thought long and hard, while I tried to look weak. I bit my lip. I looked away at the TV. I did all this hoping he'd see me and think, weak means strong. Well, not here. Weak meant weak. But then again, he may not have noticed any of this. He said aloud, I really want to see what you have. He finally laid it down and showed me his cards. "I have 2 pair, Aces and 3s." "No you don't, Marcos. The 9s counterfeited your 3s." We looked through his cards and found a K. "You have Aces up with a King kicker." I showed him mine, "and I have Aces up with Queen kicker." I wasn't rubbing it in. Well, maybe a little bit. But I was also showing him what his actual hand was. Because, ladies and gents, Omaha is a bitch of a game.
In the end, I lost $20. So be it! At least I had some Omaha fun, and got to play a little live poker prior to my weekend trip.
It's all set. On Saturday, I'm taking a train or ferry to NJ and hitching a ride with Dave Ruff and Vinny Delpino to Atlantic City. I'm tagging along, and the plan is to go to Borgata. Ruff and Delp have done this day trip on more than one occassion, so I'll just follow their lead. They usually play 1/2 NL, which is a fine game but also a dangerous one if you hit some bad luck. Ruff plans on bringing $400. He will sit with $200, and if he loses it, he will take out the other $200.
My live game profit for 2005 is currently $463. Online, I have about $650 (remember, I withdrew $200 online, which went right to my live game profit #s). Anyway, my point is that I think $400 may be too much for me to gamble. I plan on bringing $300. I'll play $150 at 1/2 NL, and if I lose, I'll take the other $150 over to 3/6 or 4/8. I think $150 may be a bit short for 4/8 (less than 20x the BB), but I'm hoping that I'll be able to make that money last (and grow). I can't help but feel intimidated by casino poker. My records have not always been great. Although, if you ignore my trip to Vegas and one debacle at AC, it hasn't been too bad.
One more thing. When I mentioned to Ruff (he was at the Jordanian Special) that certain bloggers will be in AC, Roose coughed
Work has been extremely busy, so that will be all for now. Wish me luck in AC. Hopefully I'll see some of my fellow bloggers there.
Also, check out the new blog by RiverRun. When I first "met" RR, he was a reader of blogs (generally, not mine though) and saw GCox or me drop the hammer. Looks like he's been indoctinated into the cult.
One of us! One of us! One of us!
posted by Jordan @ 10:21 AM,
,
Adjustments
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Last night, I signed online to play some good ole pokah. With my new bankroll, I figured it was time to try some new things out. My first attempt was at some .50/1 No Limit, where I was up about $25 before losing on a crappy hand. I essentially slowplayed AQo with a AJ6 flop. The turn was a J, and suddenly I was behind. I didn't realize it at the time, but then again, I did have a little spidey sense tingle in my spine. Too bad I ignored it. I left that table up $5.
Once I left there, I headed over to the 3/6 table. Now, this was entirely new to me. I've played 2/4 before with mixed results (and too small of a sample for any real indication). Truth be told, I don't think I ever played anything higher than 2/4 (or 1/2 NL) at a brick and mortar casino, so this was my first foray into 3/6 territory. At first, I was hesitant to go there, but one quick look at the Limit Challenge Guide and I knew that 3/6 was the right place for me bankroll-wise.
Things went fairly well there too. At first, I was nervous as shite. You never know what the players are going to be like. In one hand, I bluffed every single card. I was in the SB, and no one had limped. I raised pre-flop and the BB called. The flop was unhelpful. I bet again, and he called. Uh oh. The turn gave me a shitty flush draw. I bet, and he called. What was I thinking! The river was a blank. Now I hesitated. He called me every time I bet. But I probably can't win without betting. The way I was acting, I was representing top pair, at least (which was Kings). I paused for a moment, and realized that it was time to put my balls on the table. I bet...he folded. I took my balls back and returned them to wifey Kim's jar on the mantle.
I think in the end, I was down a little bit, but not enough to be upset. I was confident I could win it all back too, but wifey Kim was asleep on the couch and was edging toward wakedness. I figured I'd sign off and carry her to bed.
In another interesting adjustment, I have returned to watching poker on television. I think I had burnout or something. Well, my appetite is back with a vengeance, and I have my DVR working overtime to pick up shows that I've missed. I was watching the 7pm broadcast yesterday and I have to say, there was some really interesting stuff going on.
First off, Tiffany Williams(on?) deserves a mercy killing. This woman took 5 minutes to decide on whether to call an all-in raise pre-flop when all she had was KJh! I was hoping she'd call and lose to the AA she was up against. As my mind worked, I began to think that she was doing it for TV time or to tilt players. NOPE! She later pushed all-in pre-flop after a re-raise with...A7o! She went up against QQ and won. Somewhere, the poker gods laugh.
Meanwhile, Greg Raymer has made it into the "dreamy" category. I love watching this guy play. He just seems so in the moment and aware. One of my favorite hands was when he held 56d v. Q6s. The flop had a flush draw for spades. The turn gave Raymer the straight flush draw (7d8d on the board. But here is when it got interesting. The player with the flush draw pushed all-in. Raymer thought about it and called. The rivered Jd brought Raymer the win. Now, I don't know about the pot odds here, or anything else. I just like the way that Raymer carried himself. He was classy and calm. Truly impressive.
In other adjustments, my home game tonight has blown up. The plan was to have an 8-person $20 rebuy tournament, because I have a sweet 8-person poker table top compliments of PokerSourceOnline (referral code: HighOnPoker). You can get your own poker table top from PSO or VegasPokerPro. My suggestion is to do the Royal Vegas promo on VPP. I finished the promo without even knowing it (and barely playing, oddly). VPP told me that I had completed it, as opposed to PSO, where you have to keep track and tell them. Either way, go get yourself some free stuff.
So, suddenly I have 9 people attending. Someone IMs me and asks about a 10th. Two people call and ask about 11 and 12! I told 10-12 that we were full until I finally relented. So, I'm openning it up to two tables. It's going to be packed, but it's actually a pleasure. I don't think I had a home game in months.
Genoa giveth and Genoa taketh away. As you will recall, my favorite underground poker club in NYC, Genoa Club, is under new management, and the first thing they did was stop their daily $40 freezeout tourneys. Well, rumor has it, the place has been closed down. SUCK IT BITCH! That's what you get for ruining a good thing. Of course, as if it needed to be said, I was not involved at all in their bust (if that is what happened). It occurs to me now that it would be funny to start a business like Genoa, sell out, and then call the cops on your old place. Funny and probably stupid. So let's just call it fupid.
That's all for now. I should be uber-busy at work today. Oh well oh well.
Houston, we have a suckout!
posted by Jordan @ 9:01 AM,
,
This Just In...
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Wow! Some great announcements (for me at least)!
First off, you are now reading the SIXTH most popular poker blogger, according to the wonderful folks at BlogsOnPoker.com. Those stats change often, so check it out before I'm back down to lowly seventh.
Second, thank you to GCox, Aussie Dave, and the man known only as kekec. You three have all been kind enough to show me some VPP referral love. To all the rest of you considering signing up for VPP, there's nothing to it but to do it. Just click in the link here, or the picture link on the right. I plan on starting my 2nd promotion with them as soon as my $50 clears from PokerStars to Neteller. Hollywood Poker, here I come. Look out Mr. James Woods!
Third, thank you Dave Ruff! I plan on hosting a home game on Wednesday, and when I sent out the email alerting my home game crew, I also suggested that wifey Kim will be away on Saturday so I am free to have a second home game. Well, Ruff invited me for a day trip to Atlantic City. Done and done!
I'm so busy at work. The boss came in here today and said that I'm busy because of the good work I do. Well, I can't argue with that!
Lunch hour is up, so I'm out. Thanks again everyone!
posted by Jordan @ 1:17 PM,
,
The Deep End
I lost it all at Paradise, and I couldn't care less. See, I'm swimming in the deep end now, so my little loss is a drop in the bucket. Let me elaborate.
I signed on last night to play some 2/4 poker at Paradise, with my remaining $28. I remember chatting with GCox and laughing about how my opponent (there was only one other player sitting at the table) had a mere $20. "G, he's only got 4x the BB! These losers are going to give me their money!" Now, I only had 7x the BB, but at least I have a high opinion of my skills. And besides, I didn't expect to lose. Heads up Limit is one of my 'specialties'. Well, I was up for a bit. But with only 7x the BB, it didn't take long before I was sent packing.
Packing to PokerStars, home of the $10 MTT I recently conquered. The 2/4 tables were much better there. I sat at a large table with 8 other players and fell into the same rhythm as my MTT win. Basically, I folded anything speculative. I wanted a good hand or nothing at all. I was up a little bit before I hit my quad aces (see the last post). When I walked, I was up $50 even, or $22 after the Paradise flub.
So, here is the thing. This 2/4 limit is a riot! I can afford it, which is nice. It is the type of stakes you may see in a casino (it is the lowest stakes in AC, generally speaking). Because it is online, it moves faster so you have a chance to win real money, as opposed to signing off up $10 and happy as shit to have done so well.
This is a new error, me boys. An error of money that matters. An error of common-place $50 nights. I know it's still new to me and I could just as easily lose $50 a night. But at least I'm playing with money that matters.
$200 has been removed for wifey Kim's use (read: TV). $200 may be removed again for AC (read: Christmas spectacular). But until then, I'm going to enjoy my swollen bankroll.
$800 might be a drop in the bucket for some bloggers, but this is new territory for me.
Look up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's SuperBankroll!
posted by Jordan @ 10:42 AM,
,
The Bear Trap
Monday, November 07, 2005
Here's a hand that brought in buku bucks without the slightest bit of effort. After all, it's easy with Aces!
PokerStars Game #3000656332: Hold'em Limit ($2/$4) - 2005/11/07 - 21:37:49 (ET)
Table 'Lagrangea' Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: WitchElf ($90 in chips)
Seat 2: spin to win ($50 in chips)
Seat 3: tears ($126 in chips)
Seat 4: bdask ($99 in chips)
Seat 5: titanman146 ($35.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Bama Dan ($23 in chips)
Seat 7: foldhappy ($106 in chips)
Seat 8: gob36 ($63 in chips)
Seat 9: HighOnPokr ($106 in chips)
Seat 10: sunempire ($170 in chips)
HighOnPokr: posts small blind $1
sunempire: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HighOnPokr [As Ah]
WitchElf: folds
spin to win: raises $2 to $4
WitchElf leaves the table
tears: folds
bdask: folds
titanman146: folds
Bama Dan: folds
foldhappy: calls $4
gob36: folds
HighOnPokr: raises $2 to $6
sunempire: folds
spin to win: raises $2 to $8
Betting is capped
Waldow joins the table at seat #1
foldhappy: calls $4
HighOnPokr: calls $2
*** FLOP *** [Ac 8s 9d]
HighOnPokr: checks
spin to win: bets $2
foldhappy: calls $2
HighOnPokr: calls $2
*** TURN *** [Ac 8s 9d] [Ad]
HighOnPokr: checks
spin to win: bets $4
foldhappy: calls $4
HighOnPokr: raises $4 to $8
spin to win: calls $4
foldhappy: calls $4
*** RIVER *** [Ac 8s 9d Ad] [7s]
HighOnPokr: bets $4
spin to win: calls $4
foldhappy: raises $4 to $8
HighOnPokr: raises $4 to $12
spin to win: folds
foldhappy: calls $4
*** SHOW DOWN ***
HighOnPokr: shows [As Ah] (four of a kind, Aces)
foldhappy: mucks hand
HighOnPokr collected $81 from pot
spin to win said, "vn"
Bama Dan said, "nice"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $84 | Rake $3
Board [Ac 8s 9d Ad 7s]
Seat 1: WitchElf folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: spin to win folded on the River
Seat 3: tears folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: bdask folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: titanman146 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Bama Dan folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: foldhappy mucked [Th Jh]
Seat 8: gob36 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: HighOnPokr (small blind) showed [As Ah] and won ($81) with four of a kind, Aces
Seat 10: sunempire (big blind) folded before Flop
posted by Jordan @ 9:42 PM,
,
