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.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
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.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Old School
Can't resist......just ran across some old video ads that I ran in some BMX video-zines
Completely random and not about poker.....oh well
Completely random and not about poker.....oh well
Friday, January 16, 2009
Something New
Took this week off from poker. Really wasn't in the mood to play after last weeks session. I've also been meaning to get back into doing some more active stuff in my free time. Poker is fun but just sitting in a chair for hours can get boring. I do believe I'll hit up Pop's game on Saturday.
I actually got back on my bike for the first time in months. After my daughter was born the bike riding sort of faded slowly. It takes a lot of time and I have to get out of the house earlier then when I go play poker. That's how poker took over my "free time" activities, it's a lot more convenient. Tons of different games to hit up on just about any day and I can help out around the house before leaving. When I rode my bike I pretty much was out the door after work as soon I changed and walked the dog.
Speaking of bike riding I stumbled across some old video clips of me that a friend filmed years ago. They are pretty funny......one is of me busting my ass. All of them are really short but they will give you an idea of what I mean when I talk about riding my bike. My age has a little bit to do with why I don't ride to much anymore, injuries too. I've sprained my ankles a bunch, broke both my wrist in the same year and have had countless stitches. Maybe I'll get into my BMX experiences in some later posts.
I actually got back on my bike for the first time in months. After my daughter was born the bike riding sort of faded slowly. It takes a lot of time and I have to get out of the house earlier then when I go play poker. That's how poker took over my "free time" activities, it's a lot more convenient. Tons of different games to hit up on just about any day and I can help out around the house before leaving. When I rode my bike I pretty much was out the door after work as soon I changed and walked the dog.
Speaking of bike riding I stumbled across some old video clips of me that a friend filmed years ago. They are pretty funny......one is of me busting my ass. All of them are really short but they will give you an idea of what I mean when I talk about riding my bike. My age has a little bit to do with why I don't ride to much anymore, injuries too. I've sprained my ankles a bunch, broke both my wrist in the same year and have had countless stitches. Maybe I'll get into my BMX experiences in some later posts.
Friday, January 9, 2009
brick, brick
Lets see if i can recount the happenings of last Wednesdays 1-2.
Bought in for 200 as usual. Won the first hand I played when I turned the wheel against someone I knew would pay me off. Nice start....won about 50 from a limped preflop hand. Then things slowed down for awhile. Lots of folding after limping or putting in small raises pf.
At one point, early in the night, Pdoggie and the 6 seat got into an interesting hand. The hand and past encounters with the 6 seat actually effected a few decisions in hands I played later with him. The short story goes 6 seat makes a normal pf raise, gets around to Pdoggie who pot size pops it. 6 seat takes awhile but makes the call. Flop brings an Ace and 2 diamonds. Ultimately 6 seat moves all-in for a little over a 100 and Pdoggie folds KK face up. When 6 moved in it looked shaky and fishy. When he turned 7d 2d's over I wasn't to surprised but pretty shocked at the same time. Needless to say 6 seat is liberal with raising and calling.
Not to long after that I pick up AK close to the button and raise up a few limpers who all call. Flop brings 8KJ rainbow. 6 seat leads out, folds around and I just call. 6 had about 150 behind. I think calling was probably a bad play here but 6 doesn't need a K to lead out. Raising could of saved me some money, if he reraised me, but I pretty much decided I wasn't folding to him and wanted to see what he was going to do on the turn. On the turn I think he bet 80 and I decided I still wasn't folding and moved in over him. The river left me with TPTK and 6 seat turned over top 2p.
This is taking way too long let me make this shorter.
Added on 200 sitting with about 250 after that hand. Bled 250 back down to 200 then got involved in another hand with the 6 seat. Basically 6, me and a couple others see a flushy flop, I think I bet after everyone checks. Only the 6 calls so I put him most likely on the flush draw. Turn bricks, check, I bet, he calls. River no flush, he checks, I fire once more and he calls. 6 seat declares Ace high and I tell him I have one of those too, but his Q kicker beats my 7 kicker. That sucks......got about 100 now.
Fold for awhile then pick up KK in early position. Open raise it and get reraised to 50 from behind. Shove in the rest and reraiser is pretty much committed to calling my shove min-rerasie. No theatrics and I double with KK.
From that point things went well. Won some hands without show downs and then caught back up with the 6 seat. Can't quite remember how the hand went but I think I reraised him pf with QQ and we went to the the flop heads up. J high flop and 6 seat check/ called a big bet from me. Turn brought a K and when 6 checked I moved in for a pot sized bet. He called and when I turned over QQ on the river he mucked.
I won a few more decent sized pots without show downs after that including flopping a set of A's and hit a high point of about 650. From that point things went downhill. When I'm sitting that deep in a 1-2 game I usually open things up quite a bit. No sense waiting around for big hands now. I like to do a lot of pf raising and taking shots at flops right after hitting big hands. When new people see me at another game they remember when I was playing fast and forget about how I spent 2 hours folding every hand.
Anyway managed to run my stack back down to 300 by having the second best hand a couple times and running some terrible bluffs. Then I ran into the beginning of the end. I call a pf raise with 6c 9c, flop a pair of 6's with a flush draw and when the original raiser shoves the flop and the new guy behind him puts his stack in there I decide I'll call too. Both of them shove in less then 130 on the flop which helped with my decision. Also raiser loves TP/ over pairs and new guy was stacking off left and right. Definitely bricked the flush, trips and 2 pair. On top of that I thought raiser had the 2nd guy covered and ended up mucking my side pot winning pair of 6's. Only cost me 27 bucks but was completely my fault....should of turned my hand over.
Managed to run my stack up slightly again after that but the end came pretty soon. I raised the monster that is 6c 4c up was called in a few spots. Then new guy who I gave the free side pot to min-raised to 30 in the blinds. "I bet I know what you have". Everyone calls and 4 of us see the flop which is J high with a 6 and two clubs. Another pair of 6's with a flush draw. New guy leads out and I'm pretty sure he's got QQ-AA. I move in looking to gamble or pick up the pot which has over 100 in it. Folded to the new guy who called and after, I again, failed to hit the flush, trips or 2 pair my 6's lost to QQ.
I definitely ran a few bad bluffs against guys to short to get away from their hands but other than that I don't think I'd play many of the hands differently. Oh well better luck next time.
Post a comment and let me know if you'd play the pair and a flush draw hands differently.
Bought in for 200 as usual. Won the first hand I played when I turned the wheel against someone I knew would pay me off. Nice start....won about 50 from a limped preflop hand. Then things slowed down for awhile. Lots of folding after limping or putting in small raises pf.
At one point, early in the night, Pdoggie and the 6 seat got into an interesting hand. The hand and past encounters with the 6 seat actually effected a few decisions in hands I played later with him. The short story goes 6 seat makes a normal pf raise, gets around to Pdoggie who pot size pops it. 6 seat takes awhile but makes the call. Flop brings an Ace and 2 diamonds. Ultimately 6 seat moves all-in for a little over a 100 and Pdoggie folds KK face up. When 6 moved in it looked shaky and fishy. When he turned 7d 2d's over I wasn't to surprised but pretty shocked at the same time. Needless to say 6 seat is liberal with raising and calling.
Not to long after that I pick up AK close to the button and raise up a few limpers who all call. Flop brings 8KJ rainbow. 6 seat leads out, folds around and I just call. 6 had about 150 behind. I think calling was probably a bad play here but 6 doesn't need a K to lead out. Raising could of saved me some money, if he reraised me, but I pretty much decided I wasn't folding to him and wanted to see what he was going to do on the turn. On the turn I think he bet 80 and I decided I still wasn't folding and moved in over him. The river left me with TPTK and 6 seat turned over top 2p.
This is taking way too long let me make this shorter.
Added on 200 sitting with about 250 after that hand. Bled 250 back down to 200 then got involved in another hand with the 6 seat. Basically 6, me and a couple others see a flushy flop, I think I bet after everyone checks. Only the 6 calls so I put him most likely on the flush draw. Turn bricks, check, I bet, he calls. River no flush, he checks, I fire once more and he calls. 6 seat declares Ace high and I tell him I have one of those too, but his Q kicker beats my 7 kicker. That sucks......got about 100 now.
Fold for awhile then pick up KK in early position. Open raise it and get reraised to 50 from behind. Shove in the rest and reraiser is pretty much committed to calling my shove min-rerasie. No theatrics and I double with KK.
From that point things went well. Won some hands without show downs and then caught back up with the 6 seat. Can't quite remember how the hand went but I think I reraised him pf with QQ and we went to the the flop heads up. J high flop and 6 seat check/ called a big bet from me. Turn brought a K and when 6 checked I moved in for a pot sized bet. He called and when I turned over QQ on the river he mucked.
I won a few more decent sized pots without show downs after that including flopping a set of A's and hit a high point of about 650. From that point things went downhill. When I'm sitting that deep in a 1-2 game I usually open things up quite a bit. No sense waiting around for big hands now. I like to do a lot of pf raising and taking shots at flops right after hitting big hands. When new people see me at another game they remember when I was playing fast and forget about how I spent 2 hours folding every hand.
Anyway managed to run my stack back down to 300 by having the second best hand a couple times and running some terrible bluffs. Then I ran into the beginning of the end. I call a pf raise with 6c 9c, flop a pair of 6's with a flush draw and when the original raiser shoves the flop and the new guy behind him puts his stack in there I decide I'll call too. Both of them shove in less then 130 on the flop which helped with my decision. Also raiser loves TP/ over pairs and new guy was stacking off left and right. Definitely bricked the flush, trips and 2 pair. On top of that I thought raiser had the 2nd guy covered and ended up mucking my side pot winning pair of 6's. Only cost me 27 bucks but was completely my fault....should of turned my hand over.
Managed to run my stack up slightly again after that but the end came pretty soon. I raised the monster that is 6c 4c up was called in a few spots. Then new guy who I gave the free side pot to min-raised to 30 in the blinds. "I bet I know what you have". Everyone calls and 4 of us see the flop which is J high with a 6 and two clubs. Another pair of 6's with a flush draw. New guy leads out and I'm pretty sure he's got QQ-AA. I move in looking to gamble or pick up the pot which has over 100 in it. Folded to the new guy who called and after, I again, failed to hit the flush, trips or 2 pair my 6's lost to QQ.
I definitely ran a few bad bluffs against guys to short to get away from their hands but other than that I don't think I'd play many of the hands differently. Oh well better luck next time.
Post a comment and let me know if you'd play the pair and a flush draw hands differently.
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