Post Clearinghouse - More Razz Hands
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Hey folks. I'm still swamped with work. At 2:30 today, I am leaving the office to drive up to Binghamton, NY, a good 3 hours north of NYC. Early tomorrow morning, I have a telephone conference with a NJ Court and then two Binghamton depositions. Then I get to drive home, just in time for two more depositions, both in NJ, on Thursday and Friday. But this weekend, I'm heading to Mexico with wifey Kim, so that's the only part I am focusing on when I start to think about the amount of things planned this week. It helps that I spent a lot of time this weekend gearing up for the week.
I wanted to write about my three recent sessions, but I'll give you the CliffNotes version:
I Had Outs Tournament of Champions- I was amongst the players who were allowed to rebuy 2x, thanks to my January & September success at the IHO tournaments. I used both rebuys and busted within 2 hours. Simply put, I just didn't play well.
Wall Street Game .50/1 NL- I won $160, for probably one of the biggest wins at the table. I did not get a single hand better than AJo, including not one single pocket pair. But I was patient, for the most part, and picked my spots well against particular players. This is how poker is supposed to be played.
The Hoy- I played way too many hands and basically threw a party at my table. Even so, I made some good plays as a shortie. Still, my bad plays vastly overwhelmed my good ones.
Simply put, I was not playing well at the IHO or Hoy game. I cannot even say why, but inebriation is a leading candidate, together with work-related stress. In the end though, it's all me.
Moving along, I have a couple of half-written posts, so I might as well use what useful content I have. The two best posts are merely hand histories of Razz hands, but since this has been a Razz-heavy blog lately, I might as well go through them with you.
This first hand is from the Riverchasers Razz tournament last week. Watch as I use the Force to influence my opponent. Please, do NOT try this at home:
Full Tilt Poker Game #4985196909: Riverchasers Online Tour (35814778), Table 2 - 600/1200 Ante 100 - Limit Razz - 23:29:49 ET - 2008/01/24
Seat 2: schlepp571 (16,413)
Seat 3: MoonShadow58 (7,954)
Seat 4: snakster (2,271)
Seat 5: Meltdown (7,258)
Seat 6: MrEvol217 (12,105)
Seat 7: HighOnPoker (8,130) <-- Sporting a decent stack thanks to my super secret Razz strategy.
Seat 8: dhump3 (8,224)
All Players ante 100 (700 total)
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to schlepp571 [8d]
Dealt to MoonShadow58 [2c]
Dealt to snakster [Js]
Dealt to Meltdown [7h]
Dealt to MrEvol217 [2d]
Dealt to HighOnPoker [2h 4s] [3c] <-- Not a bad start.
Dealt to dhump3 [3s]
snakster is high with [Js]
snakster brings in for 200
Meltdown calls 200
MrEvol217 folds
HighOnPoker completes it to 600 <-- Easy complete.
dhump3 calls 600
schlepp571 folds
MoonShadow58 calls 600
snakster raises to 1,200
Meltdown raises to 1,800
HighOnPoker raises to 2,400 <-- Might as well cap. I have a great hand, and I want people to know it, so hopefully someone will fold.
dhump3 has 15 seconds left to act
dhump3 calls 1,800
MoonShadow58 folds <-- One folder, but the other three call. Snakster is all-in.
snakster calls 971, and is all in
Meltdown calls 600
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to snakster [Js] [Qh]
Dealt to Meltdown [7h] [Qd]
Dealt to HighOnPoker [2h 4s 3c] [9c] <-- This is laughable. It's an ideal situation. I may only have a 9, but my three competitors have bricked with Queens or a pair
Dealt to dhump3 [3s] [3h]
HighOnPoker bets 600 <-- I still want to be aggressive to knock out some of the players.
dhump3 has 15 seconds left to act
dhump3 folds
Meltdown calls 600 <-- One caller, with a Q7, besides the all-in player, who we can now ignore.
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to snakster [Js Qh] [Qc] <-- See? I told you we could ignore him.
Dealt to Meltdown [7h Qd] [4d]
Dealt to HighOnPoker [2h 4s 3c 9c] [Jh] <-- Not an ideal situation. This is why I wanted to thin the herd earlier. I now have a J9 low, compared to Meltdown's likely Q7 low. I can assume he has two low cards underneath because of the preflop re-raising.
HighOnPoker bets 1,200 <-- I bet out, hoping that Meltdown paired his 4.
Meltdown raises to 2,400 <-- He raises, but I know I am still presently ahead, so...
HighOnPoker calls 1,200 <-- I am willing to call at this point. I'm still ahead and the pot is huge.
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to snakster [Js Qh Qc] [9h]
Dealt to Meltdown [7h Qd 4d] [7d] <-- Bingo!
Dealt to HighOnPoker [2h 4s 3c 9c Jh] [Ah] <-- Bango! He bricks, and I hit a great card. I am still hoping to force a fold. A 9-high is okay, but he could very well be drawing to a 7-high, based on his prior action.
HighOnPoker bets 1,200 <-- I bet to force the fold or pump the pot. Either way is fine since I am ahead.
Meltdown has 15 seconds left to act
HighOnPoker: just fold <-- I prefer a fold. So I concentrate my energy and use some Obi Wan magic.
Meltdown folds <-- The Force is strong with this one.
HighOnPoker shows [2h 4s 3c 9c Jh Ah]
snakster shows [4c 3d Js Qh Qc 9h]
Uncalled bet of 1,200 returned to HighOnPoker
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to snakster [4c 3d Js Qh Qc 9h] [9s]
Dealt to HighOnPoker [2h 4s 3c 9c Jh Ah] [Kc] <-- And I DO brick on the river. All is well in the world!
This next hand is a fun one, mostly because it harkens back to the ole "Never play a Queen in Razz" argument:
Full Tilt Poker Game #4985289336: Riverchasers Online Tour (35814778), Table 2 - 800/1600 Ante 150 - Limit Razz - 23:37:46 ET - 2008/01/24
Seat 1: pokerpeaker (15,646)
Seat 2: schlepp571 (25,237)
Seat 3: MoonShadow58 (11,762)
Seat 6: MrEvol217 (7,305)
Seat 7: HighOnPoker (19,701) <-- Not a bad stack...
Five players ante 150 (750 total)
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to pokerpeaker [Jc]
Dealt to schlepp571 [9c]
Dealt to MoonShadow58 [Tc]
Dealt to MrEvol217 [5c]
Dealt to HighOnPoker [Ah 2d] [Qd] <-- Terrible Queen, but the other cards are perfect.
HighOnPoker is high with [Qd]
HighOnPoker brings in for 250 <-- Forced bring-in.
Three folders.
MrEvol217 completes it to 800 <-- One player completes. He is the last player to act, so its a good chance that he is doing a typical steal with his 5 showing.
HighOnPoker: here comes the Jordan <-- I announce my intention and then call. It's a gutsy and frankly stupid play, but I am sitting on perfect hidden cards, whereas he is likely on a steal, and I have mucho chips, so I can afford to call/fold. The comment is made to underscore the stupidity of the play. I want my opponent to underestimate me.
HighOnPoker calls 550
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to MrEvol217 [5c] [Qs] <-- Suddenly we are on equal footing with Queens showing...
Dealt to HighOnPoker [Ah 2d Qd] [7d] <-- And I hit a good card.
MrEvol217 bets 800 <-- He bets, naturally/ HighOnPoker: touche <-- I make a snide remark to induce a call. I seriously don't expect much from him in this hand, and considering that we are now on near-equal footing, I want to start sowing the seeds of doubt. HighOnPoker raises to 1,600 MrEvol217 raises to 2,400 HighOnPoker raises to 3,200 <-- We get into a raising war, but I like the momentum of this hand, so I want to keep it going. He is fairly short, so it looks like he will end up all-in anyway.
MrEvol217 calls 800
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to MrEvol217 [5c Qs] [9h]
Dealt to HighOnPoker [Ah 2d Qd 7d] [4h]
HighOnPoker bets 1,600 <-- Fantastic card for me, and now I am definitely ahead of his Q9. I bet out, since I know he is getting all-in no matter what.
MrEvol217 calls 1,600 <-- Meek call is just stupid. He may as well push there. It isn't like he is going to keep his 1555 behind.
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to MrEvol217 [5c Qs 9h] [6h]
Dealt to HighOnPoker [Ah 2d Qd 7d 4h] [8h] <-- SWEET! A nice 87 works for me, especially in this hand.
HighOnPoker bets 1,600
MrEvol217 calls 1,555, and is all in <-- See? I told you he was getting all-in no matter what.
HighOnPoker shows [Ah 2d Qd 7d 4h 8h]
MrEvol217 shows [Ad Jh 5c Qs 9h 6h] <-- I was correct. He started with a Jack underneath. Even though his J5A starting hand is better than my Q2A, I consider royalty to be all the same in Razz. Realistically, I am never hoping to beat another player in a signficant pot by having a lower royal card (for example, my Jack high beats their King high). Sometimes hands develop that way, but in the earlygoings, I consider those royalty cards essentially blanks.
HighOnPoker: another fine hand history! <-- Yes, yes it is.
Uncalled bet of 45 returned to HighOnPoker
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to MrEvol217 [Ad Jh 5c Qs 9h 6h] [2h]
Dealt to HighOnPoker [Ah 2d Qd 7d 4h 8h] [Kd]
HighOnPoker shows [Ah 2d Qd 7d 4h 8h Kd] 8,7,4,2,A
MrEvol217 shows [Ad Jh 5c Qs 9h 6h 2h] 9,6,5,2,A
HighOnPoker wins the pot (15,060) with 8,7,4,2,A
MrEvol217 stands up
Maybe playing a Queen doorcard isn't such a sin after all. I do remind everyone that tournament Razz and cash Razz are very different games. In a cash game, I fold immediately after the completion. But in a tournament, players are more likely to be on a steal, particularly at the higher ante levels. In comparison, cash games have static antes and I usually play fairly deep.
Until next time, make mine poker!
posted by Jordan @ 12:42 PM,
1 Comments:
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At 1:23 PM,
Booby Stealz said...
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lol enjoyable commentary as always.
