Let's see......lately I've had very little work. My partner and I are in between jobs but I've had a week, roughly, with no work. It's a weird feeling getting up in the morning knowing you have no "real work" to do. At least for me it is. I've had a job, literally, since I was 13 years old. I want to be able to appreciate having nothing to do but I really feel like shit not having work. I should be starting a new house in Annapolis next week so hopefully everything will be back to normal.
I haven't played any live poker in the past week. I got killed last week though. Set over sets are bad news.
I did make 80 bucks online at the .05-.10 Omaha tables. Not completely true......I ran the 160 I had in my account down to 100 then managed to grind it back up to 180. Donkey variance is brutal. I do love multi-tabling Omaha though.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
No Limit is Rough
Last night I made the classic no limit huge mistake. Whenever someone talks about no limit verses limit holdem I always say I prefer limit holdem because you can't make that one huge mistake that will cost you everything. I don't really believe I have enough poker experience to play no limit holdem and be a consistent winner. However, most home games around here are no limit so that's what I play. I do believe, for the most part, I can play better then enough people at the table to not get destroyed every session and pick up some more experience. I usually try to target the guys I feel are weaker then me and play as many pots as possible with them. Which leads me to my big mistake last night.
I'm dealt J7 of diamonds in late position, maybe even on the button. I have 700 in front of me from a 290 buy-in. Lady 2 seats behind me with about a 200 stack makes it 13 to go (average size raise at this table). Guy right next to me calls the 13 with about 400 behind. I call on the button because everyone in so far are people I want to play pots against. A couple of limpers fold and the 3 of us head to the flop. Flop comes: Ad Kd 10h. Original raiser bets out 45 which is about the size of the pot. Guy next to her thinks for awhile and calls. I call too thinking my straight and diamond draws are probably both good. The turn is the 10 of diamonds. Check, check to me. This of course is where everything starts to unravel, I bet 100, slightly more then half the pot. I really believed at this point I had the best hand and wanted a call from worse hands. I also thought they were the kind of players that would make the call with 2 pair and straights after checking on the turn to me. I didn't figure they would check a flopped set or 10's full on a board which now made a lot of big hands. I think that was my first big mistake, believing they wouldn't check a full house. I wouldn't check a full house. On that board I'm trying to get as much money as I think they'll call in the pot on the turn and river. Anyway I bet 100 and the original raiser lady thinks for a long time, has the clock called on her by the other guy in the hand, and ultimately moves all-in for slightly more then my 100 bet. The whole time she's thinking I'm watching the other guy in the hand. He was counting out his chips and was just real jittery. After she finally moved all-in he almost immediately moved all-in for a total bet to me of 218 on top of my 100. I made a comment to him about how he was itching to get his money in there and after thinking a really long time I made the huge mistake to call. Some how I deduced that I probably didn't, but may, have the original raising lady beat but had the re-raising guy beat and the pot was to big to give up on.
If I would of followed some simple and usually correct concepts and some significant table information this should of been an easy fold.
1. check raising usually means a big hand
2. big all-in bets usually mean big hands
3. flushes on paired boards loose a lot of value
4. a lot of action in multi-way pots usually means big hands
5. the guy visibly wanted to get his money in as soon as I made the 100 bet. that alone should of easily swayed my decision to fold. I've never seen anyone so eager to get their money in the pot.
I made my decisions on ideas that were a lot less credible and just totally backwards.
1. The lady and guy were boy friend/ girl friend and I thought there was a possibility I was getting squeezed. I should of dismissed this idea quickly because I hadn't seen anything that would confirm they would do something like that.
2 . I knew they thought I was bluffing a lot that night and thought he might be trying to pick off a bluff by me.
3. I thought they were both weak enough to put a lot of money in with bad hands but at the same time didn't think they were weak enough to check a big hand on the turn. Weak players would check the turn with a big hand because they wouldn't want to scare anyone off. Stronger players would bet knowing that the big payoff would come from someone with a second best big hand.
Going from a 700 stack to the felt is pretty shitty especially because of one misplayed hand but hopefully next time I'll remember to concentrate on the concrete information and dismiss the less credible stuff.
I'm dealt J7 of diamonds in late position, maybe even on the button. I have 700 in front of me from a 290 buy-in. Lady 2 seats behind me with about a 200 stack makes it 13 to go (average size raise at this table). Guy right next to me calls the 13 with about 400 behind. I call on the button because everyone in so far are people I want to play pots against. A couple of limpers fold and the 3 of us head to the flop. Flop comes: Ad Kd 10h. Original raiser bets out 45 which is about the size of the pot. Guy next to her thinks for awhile and calls. I call too thinking my straight and diamond draws are probably both good. The turn is the 10 of diamonds. Check, check to me. This of course is where everything starts to unravel, I bet 100, slightly more then half the pot. I really believed at this point I had the best hand and wanted a call from worse hands. I also thought they were the kind of players that would make the call with 2 pair and straights after checking on the turn to me. I didn't figure they would check a flopped set or 10's full on a board which now made a lot of big hands. I think that was my first big mistake, believing they wouldn't check a full house. I wouldn't check a full house. On that board I'm trying to get as much money as I think they'll call in the pot on the turn and river. Anyway I bet 100 and the original raiser lady thinks for a long time, has the clock called on her by the other guy in the hand, and ultimately moves all-in for slightly more then my 100 bet. The whole time she's thinking I'm watching the other guy in the hand. He was counting out his chips and was just real jittery. After she finally moved all-in he almost immediately moved all-in for a total bet to me of 218 on top of my 100. I made a comment to him about how he was itching to get his money in there and after thinking a really long time I made the huge mistake to call. Some how I deduced that I probably didn't, but may, have the original raising lady beat but had the re-raising guy beat and the pot was to big to give up on.
If I would of followed some simple and usually correct concepts and some significant table information this should of been an easy fold.
1. check raising usually means a big hand
2. big all-in bets usually mean big hands
3. flushes on paired boards loose a lot of value
4. a lot of action in multi-way pots usually means big hands
5. the guy visibly wanted to get his money in as soon as I made the 100 bet. that alone should of easily swayed my decision to fold. I've never seen anyone so eager to get their money in the pot.
I made my decisions on ideas that were a lot less credible and just totally backwards.
1. The lady and guy were boy friend/ girl friend and I thought there was a possibility I was getting squeezed. I should of dismissed this idea quickly because I hadn't seen anything that would confirm they would do something like that.
2 . I knew they thought I was bluffing a lot that night and thought he might be trying to pick off a bluff by me.
3. I thought they were both weak enough to put a lot of money in with bad hands but at the same time didn't think they were weak enough to check a big hand on the turn. Weak players would check the turn with a big hand because they wouldn't want to scare anyone off. Stronger players would bet knowing that the big payoff would come from someone with a second best big hand.
Going from a 700 stack to the felt is pretty shitty especially because of one misplayed hand but hopefully next time I'll remember to concentrate on the concrete information and dismiss the less credible stuff.
Friday, March 6, 2009
hummm
for some odd reason i was watching some high stakes, 25-50, PLO action on Full Tilt. i saw Brian Townson go from 17000 to 15000, in an uneventful hand, which didn't seem like a big deal to me, at all. then i put 2k into perspective by applying it to my life.....and it became much more significant.
ps....when i read and hear about people, tracking thier play, reading new books, or following forums i wonder why i continually play poker against them. i'm knowingly entering a possible -ev situation.
ps....when i read and hear about people, tracking thier play, reading new books, or following forums i wonder why i continually play poker against them. i'm knowingly entering a possible -ev situation.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Dead Even
There is something weird about cashing out at the end of the night dead even. That's what happened to me last night. I stood up right before the big blind hit me believing I had 320 in front of me. It felt pretty good to be honest. I took a couple hits early and was down to about 100 for a couple hands. Then I added on a buck fifty so I was in the game for 350. At one point I came back and had about 400, but by the end of the night I had dropped back down to 320. Leaving down 30 bucks felt like a moral victory to me. I had some set backs but I played some poker and managed to make almost all of it back, nice job.
That's until the house counted my chips and told me I had a couple extra chips on top of my hundo stacks and I actually had 350 in front of me. The following conversation took place in my head. "That sucks.....why did I bother coming out tonight. I sat here for hours and now I'm gonna leave with exactly the same amount as I walked in the door with. All I accomplished was making myself tired all day long tomorrow. I should of stayed home and got some sleep."
On the subject of being even unbelievably I'm one buy-in short of being even for the period between last Nov. and now.
That's until the house counted my chips and told me I had a couple extra chips on top of my hundo stacks and I actually had 350 in front of me. The following conversation took place in my head. "That sucks.....why did I bother coming out tonight. I sat here for hours and now I'm gonna leave with exactly the same amount as I walked in the door with. All I accomplished was making myself tired all day long tomorrow. I should of stayed home and got some sleep."
On the subject of being even unbelievably I'm one buy-in short of being even for the period between last Nov. and now.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Oh what could of been
To say I've been running hot the last couple of weeks would be a large understatement. Unfortunately that all ended pretty early last night.
The session looked promising, within the first couple rounds I got QQ and JJ twice. Lost with the JJ both times, flopped top set with QQ once and took down a pot with the other QQ on a bluff.
After the initial run of hot cards I pretty much was dealt nadda. Made a few raises preflop just to let the other players know I was there but every time it was with rags. I really only got involved in two other pots the rest of the night.
first pot:
Limp/ called a pretty big preflop bet, 20 or 25 I think, with 67 of hearts. Guy wasn't splashing around much and I was pretty sure his big bet meant big hand. Flop brought a Q 7 and something smaller then a 7. I checked and the guy bet 25, which I thought was kinda strange, I called. I still had him on either a biggish pair or even AK/ AQ nothing extremely strong though. Turn brought a 6 I checked and he bet 25 into me. I raised to 75 and he called fairly quickly which made me feel he had some sort of over pair or AQ. The river was the worst card in the deck a board pairing Q. I checked knowing I was now beat then he checked and turned over JJ. His hand was definitely weaker then I thought but still the same result as if he had AA. I guess I could of fired on the river but I didn't think he was going anywhere after he called my turn check raise.
Second pot:
Pretty simple cooler hand. Flopped top pair jacks with a king kicker in a multi-way pot. Guy in MP with about 125 behind makes a bet and I call. Turns another J. He makes another bet I call. I didn't want to get overly involved with top pair in a multi-way pot but when the turn brought the other J and the MP guy didn't have a lot behind I decided I wasn't folding (we were heads up after the flop). River completes a straight draw. He bets the rest of his chips and I call. He won't turn his hand over until I tell him "I don't have a straight just a Jack" and show KJ. He shows down AJ for the win.
After those two hands I sat with a little over 200 and at the end of the night I rolled out with a little under 200.
The game make up was great, but it was one that you had to make a hand. Guys were making big bets and calls with pairs. Not even top pairs......and the boards would be straightie and flushie too. Crazy action with marginal hands. Don't bother bluffing either, you were going to get called. My run of cards had to end sometime. Just wish it would of waited until after last nights session.
The session looked promising, within the first couple rounds I got QQ and JJ twice. Lost with the JJ both times, flopped top set with QQ once and took down a pot with the other QQ on a bluff.
After the initial run of hot cards I pretty much was dealt nadda. Made a few raises preflop just to let the other players know I was there but every time it was with rags. I really only got involved in two other pots the rest of the night.
first pot:
Limp/ called a pretty big preflop bet, 20 or 25 I think, with 67 of hearts. Guy wasn't splashing around much and I was pretty sure his big bet meant big hand. Flop brought a Q 7 and something smaller then a 7. I checked and the guy bet 25, which I thought was kinda strange, I called. I still had him on either a biggish pair or even AK/ AQ nothing extremely strong though. Turn brought a 6 I checked and he bet 25 into me. I raised to 75 and he called fairly quickly which made me feel he had some sort of over pair or AQ. The river was the worst card in the deck a board pairing Q. I checked knowing I was now beat then he checked and turned over JJ. His hand was definitely weaker then I thought but still the same result as if he had AA. I guess I could of fired on the river but I didn't think he was going anywhere after he called my turn check raise.
Second pot:
Pretty simple cooler hand. Flopped top pair jacks with a king kicker in a multi-way pot. Guy in MP with about 125 behind makes a bet and I call. Turns another J. He makes another bet I call. I didn't want to get overly involved with top pair in a multi-way pot but when the turn brought the other J and the MP guy didn't have a lot behind I decided I wasn't folding (we were heads up after the flop). River completes a straight draw. He bets the rest of his chips and I call. He won't turn his hand over until I tell him "I don't have a straight just a Jack" and show KJ. He shows down AJ for the win.
After those two hands I sat with a little over 200 and at the end of the night I rolled out with a little under 200.
The game make up was great, but it was one that you had to make a hand. Guys were making big bets and calls with pairs. Not even top pairs......and the boards would be straightie and flushie too. Crazy action with marginal hands. Don't bother bluffing either, you were going to get called. My run of cards had to end sometime. Just wish it would of waited until after last nights session.
Friday, February 13, 2009
One Day
Maybe one day I'll be a good poker player.
I used to think I was a decent poker player. Now I've accepted the fact that I am not. There's lots of reasons I'm not a good player but the main reason, apparently, is because I don't want to be. I don't show up to a game to be a robot all night I go to have fun.
Sometimes I start a night of poker trying to play well but ultimately I regress. The other night I was so bored that I open raised almost every hand to 8 bucks for 3 orbits. Probably not the best poker strategy but it was fun. I also called a short stack's all-in preflop bet with A2 suited and another big, $50, preflop raise with A5 suited.
I like to gamble and when the cards fall my way early I like to gamboool more. Last wednesday I dam near made an insane call with AK off because it looked like the pot was going to be 3 ways for 500 apiece preflop. I was looking for any reason I could find to make the call. I convinced myself that the one guy was on a steal but ultimately couldn't get AA or KK out of the other guy's hand.
I used to think I was a decent poker player. Now I've accepted the fact that I am not. There's lots of reasons I'm not a good player but the main reason, apparently, is because I don't want to be. I don't show up to a game to be a robot all night I go to have fun.
Sometimes I start a night of poker trying to play well but ultimately I regress. The other night I was so bored that I open raised almost every hand to 8 bucks for 3 orbits. Probably not the best poker strategy but it was fun. I also called a short stack's all-in preflop bet with A2 suited and another big, $50, preflop raise with A5 suited.
I like to gamble and when the cards fall my way early I like to gamboool more. Last wednesday I dam near made an insane call with AK off because it looked like the pot was going to be 3 ways for 500 apiece preflop. I was looking for any reason I could find to make the call. I convinced myself that the one guy was on a steal but ultimately couldn't get AA or KK out of the other guy's hand.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Saturday
Sometimes I forget how poker can be fun.
When I first started playing it was always fun. I was still learning how to play, which was exciting. The amount of money changing hands was amazing to me. The other players at the table were interesting and talkative. Lately the tables aren't as talkative and the players are more serious. I've been desensitized to the swings of 1-2 no limit and though I'm no expert poker player a lot of the play seems routine.
Saturday at Pop's place was fun poker again. It seemed like a lot of the old crew was there, which meant plenty of jabbering. Also getting 500 for 150 made it look like there was tons of money on the table. The 30% game is great, looks and plays like a 2-5 but you actually risk less than a 1-2 game. It was also a mixed pot limit game which was extremely refreshing. PLO, PLO-8, Holdem and Deuce to 7 single draw.
Deuce to 7 was definitely my favorite game, mainly just for the novelty. No one really knew how to play it so I felt like I was on a level playing field. Some people pretty much folded the entire round just to avoid it and others went with the check/ call, if I have a decent hand, strategy. I chose the aggressive route and definitely won a lot more pots then I should of. Because no one really knew how to play the pots stayed small. The deuce to 7 rounds were great for getting your aggression out. Of course as the night went on people started calling me a little more liberally.
I have a terrible memory when it comes to hands I played but I really can't remember playing more than 2 holdem hands. I know I played AK twice but other than that I can't recall any other hands. Wouldn't of hurt my feeling if they pulled holdem out of the rotation.
Most of my big hands came in the O-8 rounds. One hand stands out where I made a pot re-raise after Pops made a pot bet and Keenan called. I flopped the lock low with A2 and had a 3 in my hand which made getting counterfeited pretty difficult. I also had a back door straight possibility (which I didn't think was any good). I knew the only part of the pot I was getting was the low but it looked like P. and K. only had high hands and if one of them had A2 and another miracle 2 or A came out I would still have the lock low. I thought getting the maximum in from 2 big high hands was the best play. I have no idea what the PLO-8 "correct play" is in that situation but worse case (short of having runner, runner to counterfeit my low) is I get quartered. After the hand I got the old "grrreat raise", so it probably wasn't the best play. There was no way I was folding so I figured why not try to win half a big 3 handed pot instead of half a smaller pot.
I wish I could of stayed at the game longer but my legs and back started cramping up. I also didn't want to spend all day Sunday catching up on sleep.
When I first started playing it was always fun. I was still learning how to play, which was exciting. The amount of money changing hands was amazing to me. The other players at the table were interesting and talkative. Lately the tables aren't as talkative and the players are more serious. I've been desensitized to the swings of 1-2 no limit and though I'm no expert poker player a lot of the play seems routine.
Saturday at Pop's place was fun poker again. It seemed like a lot of the old crew was there, which meant plenty of jabbering. Also getting 500 for 150 made it look like there was tons of money on the table. The 30% game is great, looks and plays like a 2-5 but you actually risk less than a 1-2 game. It was also a mixed pot limit game which was extremely refreshing. PLO, PLO-8, Holdem and Deuce to 7 single draw.
Deuce to 7 was definitely my favorite game, mainly just for the novelty. No one really knew how to play it so I felt like I was on a level playing field. Some people pretty much folded the entire round just to avoid it and others went with the check/ call, if I have a decent hand, strategy. I chose the aggressive route and definitely won a lot more pots then I should of. Because no one really knew how to play the pots stayed small. The deuce to 7 rounds were great for getting your aggression out. Of course as the night went on people started calling me a little more liberally.
I have a terrible memory when it comes to hands I played but I really can't remember playing more than 2 holdem hands. I know I played AK twice but other than that I can't recall any other hands. Wouldn't of hurt my feeling if they pulled holdem out of the rotation.
Most of my big hands came in the O-8 rounds. One hand stands out where I made a pot re-raise after Pops made a pot bet and Keenan called. I flopped the lock low with A2 and had a 3 in my hand which made getting counterfeited pretty difficult. I also had a back door straight possibility (which I didn't think was any good). I knew the only part of the pot I was getting was the low but it looked like P. and K. only had high hands and if one of them had A2 and another miracle 2 or A came out I would still have the lock low. I thought getting the maximum in from 2 big high hands was the best play. I have no idea what the PLO-8 "correct play" is in that situation but worse case (short of having runner, runner to counterfeit my low) is I get quartered. After the hand I got the old "grrreat raise", so it probably wasn't the best play. There was no way I was folding so I figured why not try to win half a big 3 handed pot instead of half a smaller pot.
I wish I could of stayed at the game longer but my legs and back started cramping up. I also didn't want to spend all day Sunday catching up on sleep.
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