Sobering Score

Tuesday I headed out to Vegas for work, I was scheduled to shoot 8 interviews as well as a show, but of course I also had to take advantage of my location.

We were staying at the fabulous Flamingo on the strip, and by fabulous I mean shitty.

The room was actually decent, clean and up to date-ish.  Not nasty like IP, but not as spic as Harrah's either.  What was really crap about the place was the sprawling and smoky casino floor covered in an ocean of drunks which I had to navigate through time and time again during the course of my work day.  Not fun because my work day involved lugging around copious amounts of heavy gear.  Oh well.

Our first day was half travel and half reconnaissance for the shoot, but we didn't finish until after 9pm.  My tournament poker options were severely limited at the late hour, and I had a full day ahead of me.  So naturally I picked the 10pm $85 donkament at Caesar's.

I at first had considered the much more fun and silly $50 10pm at T.I., likely to only last three hours or so, but as I had no car and it was a 25 minute walk, Caesar's won the day.  I knew this was a more serious event that was likely to end at 3am, but I didn't want to make the trek to T.I. as I would be late in sitting down (which is deadly in a turbo) and then also have to hoof it a long ways back at 1am if I went deep.

I don't remember much from the Tuesday tourney, other than being card dead and at a fairly strong table right from the get go.  There were several aggressive recreational/regular players who delighted in 3 betting limpers large and firing multiple barrel bluffs.  Not exactly a great location for chip accumulation.

In the handful of other times I've played at Caesar's I've run into similar tables.  My good poker buddy Sven has gone deep twice there I think, and has reported that his tables were very soft.  Either he really is that much better than me or I just have been very unlucky with table selection.

I was a little late, so I imagine that every night customers wander in whenever they can get there and typically sit down at the last table or two to fill.

Anyways - it is a pretty great room.  Good dealers and entirely smoke free, with more different daily tournaments than any other room in Vegas and probably the world.  I haven't run that great there, but other than that it's fantastic.

All of the tournament structures are also rather turbo-ish (though not super-turbo) and they don't compare to the Venetian, Aria or Wynn - but Caesar's Multi-Table Tournaments are the 4-5 hour variety, not the 8-9 hour kind.  Truly mid-stakes MTT's.

Like I was saying, I don't remember much from Tuesday night.  I know I got my money in good a few times and couldn't hold - including a rather gross AIPF with my JJ that was called with TT that of course spiked a ten on the river.

I folded and folded, probably longer than I should have (down to 8 bigs) before I got it all in with TPGK on a dry flop only to get slow rolled with pocket kings in what had been a multi way limped pot.

Good times anyhow, as the table was friendly enough and I was able to get to bed at a reasonable hour for the big day ahead.

The next night, after finishing up a long day of shooting interviews and the Donny & Marie show (pretty good if you're into that sort of thing) I once again couldn't resist my inner degenerate and hit Caesar's.  This time I was a bit early, and I realized something that I know I will be using for the rest of my tournament poker career - the fish show up early.

When I think about it, the logic is inescapable.

Who is more likely to sit down 15 minutes ahead of time?   An enthusiastic home game player who only gets to play once or twice a month and in Vegas only once or twice a year, or an every day regular who sees the game as a job or at the very least a way to supplement his income?

Easy answer: us fish will always be the early ones.

I realized this about an orbit and a half into play- this table was super passive and limpy.  Just like the other tournaments that I've manhandled at T.I., Harrah's and Monte Carlo.  There wasn't a single local to be found.

There was one stern bloke down at the end opposite of me, and by bloke I mean British.  I thought he might be a regular, as he was the strongest player at the table by far - but his accent gave him away.  He was a serious recreational player on vacation from the UK.   He was easy to avoid.

I went to work and probably won close to a dozen hands before the break without a showdown.  No aces, kings, queens or jacks.  One AK that I used to shove from the BB after a multi-way limped pot to which everyone folded.

Otherwise, with nary a hand to speak of, I would c-bet dry flops and they would fold.  I would re-raise obvious steals and they would fold.  I would re-raise donk bets and they would fold.  For the most part I was masterful pre-flop, and the few flops I did take I felt comfortable enough that I could get frisky and still be able to get away if anyone fought back.

It was a lot of work, and I didn't have as much to show for it as I would have liked after the antes kicked in, but I was definitely above average in chips.  (Unlike a big event, say like the Main, with mid-stakes turbos you have to chip up early if you want to have room to maneuver at ante time.)

I dwindled a bit before getting lucky and doubling through a big stack.  As the second break approached my image was pretty maniacal and I used it to get paid when I four bet shoved into a multi-way pot with my kings into a fellow who had just about had enough of me and called off with A7.  The other fellow in the hand (the initial raiser) folded his jacks  face up.   My money went in way good and my hand held, especially because jack boy folded - the jack on the turn was meaningless.  I was then promptly moved to another table.

A different table.  A shitty table.

It was quite simply, shark infested.

I tried a move early on and got three bet large by a mouthy maniac.  I had to release my hand, though I still wonder if I could have four bet shoved him off of his hand.  Probably not.  I watched him for awhile and he gave off a lot of information.  He clearly knew what he was doing, and I didn't ever see him get a big chunk of his stack in without some kind of strong hand or monster draw.

I was hovering around 15 to 20 bigs for the next two hours, mostly folding - occasionally waking up with a monster and open shoving with no callers.

I accumulated a little bit, but not nearly enough.   The table was simply too active and aggressive to get tricky without card equity.

I was sitting on 10 bigs when our table broke.   18 runners left.  5 would get paid.

Unfortunately, two of the biggest sharks at my second table joined me at my third (and what would eventually be the FINAL) table.  Mouthy maniac and a nice European fellow who very much knew what he was doing.

Also at this  third table, the British bloke.  He had a mountain of chips.   He and the mouth got into it a bit, though friendly.  Mouthy made it very clear he was playing for first place only.  It was also obvious to me that at least four and probably five other guys at the table were hell bent on doing the same.

A friendly British fellow, who was a buddy of the Bloke's, was on my left.  He seemed capable and had about twice as many chips as me, about 40 bigs.

The Bloke was being super aggressive and raised it up from MP.  I was on the button with AhQs.  Easy shove with just under 20 bigs.

The friendly British fellow to my left re-shoved.  Uh-oh.  Yep.  AK.   But he didn't have any spades and when the fourth spade binked on the river I had doubled up.

Good decision, lucky results.   He was lightly steamed, but thankfully not at me.

At this point we had our third break of the evening.  I reflected as I walked in vain through Caesar's in a futile search for a store with caffeine products..  After playing seriously in tournaments for going on 7 years now, I have a pretty good sense of what gear I should be in.  And my gear of choice for the rest of the tournament was going to be sooooper tight.  When I sat back down I was reading the heat off of all these guys - the big stacks were all gunning for each other.

Boom.  A big stack (friendly European) fell.  Boom.  An above average stack fell to the Bloke, who now probably had close to half the chips in play.

7 players left.

It was folded around to me in the small blind - Ac2c.   I had maybe 12 bigs.  Easy shove to pick up all the dead money, antes and big blind.

Friendly British dude snap called with A7.   I'm happy with my decision, I had been sooooper tight for a long while.  Even so, I don't think his call was light.  The hand played itself.

A two fell in the window and held.   Friendly British guy still managed to stay friendly even after I had gotten all my chips in crushed against him and sucked out.  I admit it felt weird to stack all his chips, like somehow I wasn't deserving.  Even though my decisions were correct, it still sucks to get it in SO bad - twice.

6 players remained.  Bubble time.

A short stacked female to my right floated a suggestion to pay the bubble out of our pockets.  We all were happy to agree to that.   The lady was assuming it would be her, since she had the smallest stack, and we all knew this, but it wasn't a big deal.

Turned out, she didn't bubble - it was mouthy maniac who busted next after a badly timed three bet squeeze with a baby ace that ran into the Bloke's overpair.  I didn't hate his move, with all the dead money out there, but it wasn't the best spot for him to pick with a massive chip leader to his left.

Mouth stood and collected $20 from each of us.  Two players were short on cash, so the Bloke agreed to pull out twenty dollar bills for them until they got paid at the cage.

The very next hand...

I folded UTG, biggish stack to my left raised it up from the cutoff.

The button, another big stack who talked way too fucking much (though he wasn't nearly as nice as the mouthy maniac) hemmed and hawed (beware the Hollywooding) before click-raise 3 betting.

The small blind was the Bloke who flat called.  The blind (short stack lady) folded.  The initial raiser also flatted.

Flop came low and ragged 65x.

The Bloke checked, the cut-off led out smallish.   Hollywood tanked and tanked and tanked and tried (but failed) to look anguished before sighing loudly, throwing up his hands and declaring all in.

I knew he had aces before he had a chance to turn them up.

The bloke re-shoved his mountain of chips.  The cut-off, a bit bewildered, did a genuine long tank before calling off with queens.   Absolutely horrible call.

Hollywood had the bullets, Bloke had flopped two pair which held.

Queens guy was gracious.  Hollywood was an absolute dick, exploding about the pre-flop call.  He was entirely wrong of course, with his stack at around 35 bigs he must shove every single time with aces if there's been action in front.  Only then is Bloke making a mistake by calling.   Getting 3 to 1 with a chance to stack the two other players closest to him in chips, the pre-flop call was a no-brainer.

Best of all, after this bit of nastiness (accompanied with a very typical Vegas regular type false apology at the end) Hollywood guy up and skedaddled after getting paid at the cage, not paying the Bloke the $20 that he owed!  What a douche!

I mean really, all a poker player has at the end of the day is his word.  Money comes and goes, but if you're going to be a dick-hole, that will be ever lasting.  Dumb ass.

So, I'm happy to say that my soooper tightness paid off, I had made a $200 pay jump and was guaranteed $515 for third at the minimum.

Three handed, the lady on my right was on the nub, probably about 4 bigs.  Bloke doubled her up once, twice, and then she and I were pretty close to even.

She had suggested that she and I split 2nd and 3rd earlier - since there was another $200 jump, from $515 to $735, I had declined.  But now that we were both close, and Bloke was still WAY out in front, I took her up on her offer.  We both had enough chips that we were still technically in it, but it was 3am and I was exhausted.  And in all honesty, Bloke was simply a better player than me, especially when I was dead tired and he very well could be on London time and wide awake.

So Bloke was getting $1080 for first and he chimed in that he'd throw us the extra $80 to split, so when the monies settled we each got $660!  Nice!  (We toked the extra $5 and I chipped in a bit more as well).

Felt great to go deep and to score biggish, but it was also sobering.   I had run exceptionally well all night.  All of the times I got in ahead my hands held, and even twice when I got it in crushed I managed to suck out.

I'm convinced that good variance is an essential ingredient for any deep run in a poker tournament.  Without it, there is simply no way to make a big score.   Too many times you have to get your money in, you simply have to win the flips, maintain the best hand and even suck out a couple of times - to have any chance to outlast 50+ players.

Not a lot of poker up ahead, hopefully I'll get invited at some point to Eric's game again - it sucks being an alternate!   My home game goes on the 25th, a Friday night which is unusual, but it was either that or nothing this month at PSP.

Wait, that's not true - I had a cash game at the beginning of May.  I played dreadfully.  Very unlike me to get tilted early and try clumsily to get unstuck.  Lost 3 buy-ins.  Feels especially good to recoup all of that and more at Caesar's.

Very much looking forward to the WSOP, I've tentatively booked the end of June.  I've got three horses as well in events earlier in the month, I feel VERY good about two of them and good enough about the third.   Overall summer should be a blast.

Vegas - Mini Trip (Mega Blog)

After watching spring training baseball in Phoenix with my mom, her husband and my brother and his wife for three days, I was ready for Vegas.

No problems with the flight, the car or checking in to the fabulous (and by fabulous I mean shitty) Imperial Palace.  I arrived about 15 minutes late to the 7pm $120 nightly at the Venetian.

First bad beat - the Venetian is renovating it's poker room and currently is holding it's tournaments on the casino floor amid the smoke and the noise.  Blech.

Otherwise, it was great.  The table was fairly soft, but I was fairly tired.  A couple of dudes, who yes indeed, were in town for the NASCAR race.  I was hoping to meet many more.

53 runners, $1700 for first.  The Venetian, along with most Vegas dailies, doesn't have prize pool guarantees, but it doesn't matter a whole lot, as the 5 majors in town (Venetian, Aria, Bellagio, Caesar's, and Wynn) easily make 10K on Fridays and the weekends, while their smaller weekday events typically come in at 4K to 5K.

I was drastically card dead, and not focused enough to chip up sufficiently with stealing - I did double up when my 10 bigs shove with KQ got called by 88 and I hit two pair on the flop.

With my chips a bit above average I stumbled a bit when I paid off the nut flush's thin river value bet with my the third best flush.

Reached the second break with 8 bigs, on the big blind it was folded around and I had to shove on a small blind who limped.  He snapped called with K10, oh well.  The fact that I had 10 8 was of course not really relevant, but it still stung a bit.

Really wanted to play some more, but I was beat after a day in the sun watching the A's beat the Reds.

Let me just say, I remember my last Imperial Palace experience as being fairly horrific, but I figured I must have been mis-membering a bit.  It couldn't have been that bad, right?

Wrong.

The room was simply gross and there was no hot water.  Shudder.

After an icey shower the next morning I checked out and headed for a Sunday morning tradition with me - the always awesome 9am Monte Carlo $50 splashament.

Alas, no players (save for me and 2 others) were there - they were all at the race.  And so the tournament didn't go.  I hit the road and made a bee-line for the Harrah's 10am donkament for $60.

At first I thought it might not go too, it was a pretty empty room.  But by the time it was time to shuffle up and deal we had two full tables.

My table was sooper soft and touristy - no NASCAR people, they would be hootin' and a hollerin' at the race, but more than a few delightfully nice every day Vegas visitors showed up and best of all no nasty Vegas degenerates appeared.   The latter tend to spring up at turbo events; because the tournies are so soft, they (rightly) assume that they have a big advantage over the fields.  Unfortunately they are generally too stupid to know that the juice and the structure makes the tournaments unbeatable.

Neither point really concerns me, as I am here mainly to have fun - and for $60 you can't get a much better chance to practice moves and try out different things.

And that's just what I did.   After the antes kicked in I'd say my VPIP  (money Voluntarily Put In the Pot) was probably near 75%.  I was an absolute beast and bludgeoned the limpers like red-headed step children.

But backing up - earlier I had lost 5 of the 6K in my starting stack by making a fairly bad read against a guy who seemed really uncomfortable - and of course was Hollywooding with the nuts.  It always seems really obvious afterwards, but I do fall for the act some times.

Anyway, I didn't despair, probably because it was $60, and I happily went back to work with 10 bigs.

A few well timed shoves later I had chipped up substantially, and by the time I shoved with AA on the button after a couple of limpers, I was primed to get paid off - and I did.

By the time the break rolled around I was the tournament chip leader and was stealing at will.  I had identified the proper targets, and I simply man handled them.

After the break the antes and monstro blinds did their job, and by the time we were 5 handed it was me and one other big stack.

The third biggest stack had probably a dozen blinds while I was sitting on almost 30.  He shoved and I looked down at queens.  Insta-call.

His AQ spiked an Ace on the flop and all of the sudden I was hurt fairly bad.  I didn't steam and stayed focused, two players busted in hands that I wasn't involved in, and we were 3 handed and on the bubble.

I had enough chips to do some serious damage to the second largest stack, and it wouldn't feel good to the chip leader either.   He raised on the button and I had 10 3 in the small blind.

I really thought for some reason that I could get him off his ace.  This was a mistake.  Of course he insta called and spiked top pair for good measure.

At about a dozen big blinds, with an objectively stupid blind structure by this point, I don't think my shove was the worst play in the world.  I was ready to be the 40 in a 60/40 for a chance to double up, and that's exactly what I was.  I didn't have time to wait to be snap called with any two cards.

But in hindsight, I probably could have picked a better spot, especially against a fairly rudimentary opponent who was on vacation from across the pond and seemed to be not particularly concerned about risking a third of his stack with a baby ace.

I should also qualify that my image at the final table was a bit different than the ass beating maniac that I had been at my starting table.  I had been much less active, and only shown down premiums at this new locale.  Still, I take responsibility for the ill-advised move.

It hurt for a little bit walking out to the car, but only a little bit.  By the time I pulled into the Aria parking lot for the 1pm, I felt a lot better.  I had been fairly merciless with the table at Harrah's, and I was happy and excited about my play on the whole and the prospect of more poker.

I was a bit late for this event, and sat down when the blinds were 50-100 with a full starting stack of 10K.

I immediately got into trouble - on the sixth hand I was on the big blind.  Across from me a muscle bound older gentleman in a baseball cap, big obnoxious mirror glasses and an ipod with an Ed Hurley t-shirt had played in half of the hands so far, he raised it up to 3x the BB.

I looked down at QJ.  Judging by his active betting and his appearance, I figured I was probably ahead of him at this point, but I called to see a flop.   It came xJx with two spades.  I checked, he fired a bit less than half the pot.  Easy call.  Pot was 900.

The turn was a 10h, I checked, he fired quite a bit bigger, almost a full pot sized bet, 800.  I called again, which in hindsight I hate.

At the time I'm thinking he's full of shit - betting patterns + behavior = super LAG.  I'm letting him hang himself.

But even if this is so, and if I think I have the best hand I should be check raising here, because what happens if the river comes a scare card?  I'm paying off a value bet if he gets there and I'm going away if he bluffs at it with a large enough bet.  Might as well use my chips now that I would have paid him off with and give him a chance to fold or make a mistake by drawing.

The river does indeed come a spade, and I know I'm in trouble.  I could fire a blocking bet, but that would probably be wasted chips as he is likely to fire big and get me to lay down or worse spew more and pay him off.

I check.  He checks.  Crap.

He turns over aces.  I had completely misread him based on my all of 10 minutes at the table.

The biggest mistake here by me?  Getting involved with QJ off suit in the big blind.

A jack came.  Great.  What if he had AJ?  KJ?  QQ.  KK.  AA.  Or, what if he had J10?  A ten came on the turn remember?  What if he had 1010?  I had misplayed this hand from the beginning, when I should have jettisoned it right into the muck so early in the tournament.  Out of position is so deadly, especially when there's no reason, early in a tournament, to be risking so much with top pair third best kicker.

Out of position with a trouble hand.  Stupid.  And not at the table long enough to know that this "LAG" would in fact turn out to be a classic TAG who barely played a hand after he dragged this pot.

But I wasn't too damaged, down to a bit less than 8K.   The implosion came an orbit or two later.

I had won a few pots here and there, even gone after Ed Hurley's blinds twice and come out on top.  Then this occurred.  He really was a true TAG after all.

From the hijack I woke up with queens.  I had one limper behind me, so I popped it to 5x the BB.  Blinds were now 100-200, so I fired 1K.

The SB, from my observations (on his play so far) seemed to be a typical TAG grinder who was probably local - defended. He had a big stack and I'm guessing he figured the limper, also a big stack, would likely call as well.  But the limper went away.  The pot was almost 3K.

Flop was something like 6c 10h 4c.  He checked, I bet half the pot and he called, bringing the pot to about 6K.  I had 5K behind.

The turn was a deuce of spades.  He checked and so did I.

This might have been a mistake - if I had been in the zone I would have made him pay much bigger to keep drawing.  But I took the line that I typically take with top pair, for that's basically what I had here.  Pot control and a check on the turn, induce a bluff on the river.

The problem was though, that I should have bet much closer to a pot size bullet on the flop, then I could justify giving him a "free" card on the turn.  He would have already made a big mistake by calling with the wrong price on the flop, and if he got there on the river then he was calling the turn anyway.  Better to save chips and keep the damage minimal early in a tournament.  Not to mention, I was in position and should have been to evaluate with ease and get away from a big bet, which is what he fired on the river when it was indeed a third club.

I had planned on calling a value bet, but the problem here was that it was so large, almost 3K.  Ugh. Fold and keep my viable stack or get the money in.  I can't call off 3 out of 5K here.  I stupidly chose to shove and he snap called and turned up 10c 3c for the crap top pair that had turned into the crap flush.

On twitter I said "I did everything right."  Obviously, based on my story, that was a lie.  Or at least tilted indignation.  I boned it pretty hard here.  On the one hand I like everything up to my turn check.  In hindsight, if I had a good read on his cards, pretty obvious he was drawing, the correct thing to do would be to shove the turn.  If he has a set, I got unlucky.  Anything less, and he's making a big mistake by calling.

Also I should point out, that he had a pretty fantastic read on me here, to put out a big chunky value bet on the river.  Knowing basically what I had (an overpair)  and putting me in a very difficult position and leaving just enough behind to contemplate making a bad call, but an "okay" call in the minds of many recreational players like me.  Or, if I happened to be a bit more knowledgable I was still likely to not know I was beat and in a best case scenario for him shove for all the marbles with him being forced to call.  And that's just what I was, smart but not smart enough to know that I'm beat there every time.

So I was out, and foolishly re-entered.  I was the 12th alternate, and by the time I got in it was 150-300.   Just over 30 bigs.  Not that great at a table with big stacks, which is where I found myself sitting down.

The good news was, there were two total recreational players on my right who had next to zero clue what they were doing but had accumulated big stacks by getting lucky, not knowing when to fold and by getting lucky.   That was the story the chatty Kathy on my left was telling me at least.

The bad news was, I was unable to really get involved and take advantage.  My cards were crap, but worse than that I only had 30 bigs and didn't have the ammo to 3 bet or check-raise large enough to get them off hands, especially since they didn't believe anyone at the table anyway.

By the time the table broke I was under 20 bigs, chatty Kathy was super happy to leave the table.  I was dumbfounded by her idiocy.  She had a decent stack, all she had to do was wake up with a strong hand, stick the money in and double up.

I was moved to the first table I had sat at in the tournament.   Ed Hurley was long gone, the small blind who had busted me was on my immediate right.

I got a chance to watch him quite a bit more - he was clearly the best player at the table.  He was easy to avoid.

I chipped up a bit when a short stack shoved into me and I had Kings.  But then I was grounded down again, as I simply wasn't deep enough to make headway without more good cards which were next to nil.

Finally, with the antes in full effect I was down to 9 bigs in the small blind when it was open folded to me, I had A9 sooted.  I shipped it and was called fairly quickly by the big blind who had KQos.

It should be noted that he didn't have that much bigger a stack than me.  It is tough to put the SB on a real hand I know, but I had been very patient for the last hour or so, I think he made a pretty bad decision.  But then he seemed to have been card dead as well.

A king came on the river and that was that.  Sigh.

At about 4:30pm I high tailed it back to Harrah's, not to play but to check in.  I had booked my second night at Harrah's (correctly guessing that one night in the IP would be all I could take).

I have to say I was quite pleased with the room which was actually very clean and not 30 years old.

Jumped back in the rental and took Koval Rd. all the way down to the MGM.

First of all, the tournament was really good for $80.  Cool room - loud and somewhat smokey since it's open air, but less smokey than the Venetian or Aria.

2 orbits in, I limped with 5's, set mining at what I had quickly and correctly deduced was a very passive table.

Several other limpers, flop was 2h 5c 8h.   I checked, guy to my immediate left donked.   Folded around to me, I check raised 3x his bet, he re-re-raised me.

I was only worried about one hand that he could have, so my only goal and the correct goal right then and there was to get all the money in.  I five bet him, he six bet shoved.

Hey, how about that...  he didn't have A8, 22, 82, 52, 85, K8 or a heart draw.  Imagine that.  88 was the one I had to consider, but based on how many hands I could beat, and the necessity of doubling up, as soon as I flopped a set I had no choice but to get it in.

In this hand I can truly say I was mistake-free.  Not typical for me or most poker players.

I re-entered.  Sigh.

Had a really fun time for about 90 minutes,  dragged a few pots, but eventually was whittled to 9 bigs.  It was a mild turbo, but I was good with it.  Again I shoved with A9, this time from the button, the big blind had a gargantuan stack so I was hoping to get called.  I did.  He had queens.

Bed time.

Despite my rantings here, overall I had been very pleased with my play.   Lessons learned -

Don't enter anything $100 or more after 7.  The Venetian was fun, but it was a mistake to play so tired.

Set a rigid criteria for re-entering a tournament.  I will never say I should never re-enter, but it was a mistake to do so at the Aria.  To come in to a big deep event with only 30 bigs, and having busted earlier from poor play, bad idea every time.

The MGM was fine.  I was coolered and it was a fun $80 event that wasn't going to go for more than 4 or 5 hours tops.

My rules for re-entering are:

1.  Serious event?  ($125+ with a good structure and 50+ runners).  Only re-enter if completely coolered AND I can do so with a MINIMUM of 50 big blinds.  Do not bother if hands were questionable and there is any chance mistakes might have been made on my part.

2.  Moderate event?  ($75-$100, fair to decent structure and at least 4 tables.  Like Binion's $100 2pm or Orleans $75 nooners).  Only re-enter if coolered and I can do so with a minimum of 30 bigs.  Do NOT re-enter if I spewed away my chips.

3.  Silly event?  (Turbo to Ultra Turbo, <$60)  Up to 3 re-entries allowed for any reason, unless budget for the day has been exceeded or I'm entering with less than 15 bigs.


I had to fly out early for work, so I went up to bed, got a good nights rest, not even watching television or having an unhealthy snack.



Yeah right.



Across the road (a good 20 minutes across the road, mind you it's Vegas) I made my way, ending up plunking down $50 for the best super turbo in town at Treasure Island.

I fucking crushed this tournament.

And I'm glad I did, I felt a whole lot better about the trip after I cashed in a 3 way even chop for $350.

Much like Harrah's in the morning, I was genuinely one of the better players.  There were several sunburnt NASCAR fellows who delighted in trying to be aggressive and then spewed away their stacks to me.

I mercilessly 3 bet limpers once I had enough bullets.

I beautifully avoided the one drunk Vegas degenerate who joined us.   He quickly chipped up by playing very stupidly, then just as quickly spewed it away before stalking off, re-entering and then doing it all again, busting for good just after the break.

At this point I became table captain, for reals.   I knew who to pick on, who to avoid.  I was a machine.

With 2 tables left, we were 6 handed.  On the button I popped it for the umpteenth time with A6.  The serious poker hobbyist, who I had been pummeling for an hour, had had enough and shipped it.  Problem was, she had about 8 bigs.  I had 60.

She had K8 and was incredulous at my "baby ace."  "I knew you were light" she said after my hand held and she gathered her purse.  I wasn't light sweetie.  I'm pre-planning to call you if you ship it, as that's what I would do with any 2 if I was you.  If you happen to have a better hand then me, then I just got unlucky.  Odds are - YOU DON'T.

Our table finally broke, and we were at the final table.

In the end, I had to get lucky, we were basically flipping coins.  I cracked a poor fellows aces, calling off with 88 to his shove.  I got unlucky initially, but I'm NEVER folding with blinds where they were.  When an 8 hit the river AFTER all the money had long gone in he was beside himself.  I was emotionless.  The hand played itself, I truly cared very little for the result.  It was nice that I could make the money, but it had nothing to do with my mental state.

But I will confess it was hard not to smile inwardly when, to add insult to injury, my A10 cracked his AK two hands later with a delightful 10 on the turn.  But again, it was just automatic button pushing - the hands played themselves.

Happy to say though, in every single other instance in the tournament, I was a favorite when the chips went in.

I lost with my A7 against a smaller stack's A5 when we were 3 handed.  It was at this point, when I was no longer the chip leader that I suggested we all split it evenly.  And as it was 1am and my opponents were smart enough to recognize that we were merely rolling dice at this point, they readily agreed.

Ship it.

Getting up on 4 hours of sleep was tough, but I'd do it again for sure.  Very glad to have some nice results after 1 day and 2 nights of degeneracy.



Won't be playing live again for awhile, the fam and I are off to Hawaii!

Hosting a home game tournament the day after we get back though.  :)

Gearing up...

Played the 11:30am Hollywood Park Casino Sunday 10K yesterday, aka "Re-buy Madness" and managed to play well and only add-on before busting, spending a mere $80 for what typically can play as a $250+ event.

I was happy enough to get unlucky about 3 hours in; with 8 bigs when my first in shove of AJ ran into AQ (who had the courtesy to delay turning his hand over after I fast rolled mine).   No major mistakes in the tournament save for one -  about an hour earlier, sitting on about 30 bigs (well above average for this  fast tournament)  I got impatient and opened a pot in middle position with a 2.5x raise when all I had was Kh9h.   I know by now that in this situation (with these players) this is a muck, even with an incredibly soft and passive table which this was.

A monster stack button flatted and the big blind took his discount.   The flop came all black AK7 with two spades.  A perfect flop for a c-bet from someone like me to represent a big ace or even AK. Up until this open raise I had been very patient and probably had a VPIP around 10%.

But the big blind donked, which always tilts me a bit, and of course it was some stupidly small amount -  probably less than a quarter of the pot.

I called because of the price, and waited to see if the monster stacken behind would go away, which of course he didn't.

Up until this point, my only mistake (playing K9 soooted) was minor and forgivable.  It was when the BB checked the 8 of clubs turn and I then fired a big ass chunky bet (almost a quarter of my stack and well over half the pot) that a second and much larger mistake reared it's ugly head.

The big ass stack on the button of course called - and then the big blind check raised!

I was done with the hand, but I was a bit steamed - remarking out loud at how I "don't understand this advanced poker shit..."

The largely stacked button called after I folded.   I had him on a stupid (baby or middling) ace, likely a spade ace - but I figured the big blind had gotten lucky and hit 2 pair with his A8 or something similar.

The river was a low spade, so I guessed that the button got there or could very easily represent getting there and figured the big blind for a check call as long as big stack bet thin like he had been doing all morning.

Nope.  Big blind led out a bit less than half the pot.  A blocking bet?   The button pondered for a moment and then paid him off with a fucking red A3!

Even sweeter, the big blind also had a fucking red Ace and a fucking red 10!  10 plays, ship it!

I should have known better.

The table was super soft, and I had gotten impatient and clumsy (I won't even give myself credit and say I was being tricky.)   ABC was big time +EV at this table, and I had let my dearth of cards push me into getting frisky for no reason.  So instead of having 30 bigs by releasing my Kh9h like I should have, I was down to a bit over 22.

Idiot.


Anyway, it wasn't that big of a deal, but it is illustrative how playing emotionally (ie, tired and tilted from shit cards) can do a surprising amount of damage to the precious meter of one's tournament life.


So after busting I was looking to kill time before 4pm, which is when my friend Dog from my home game was scheduled to start day 2 of Hollywood Park Casino's Winter Series event.  This was an impressive feat on his part, besting nearly 2000 other players to finish in the top 1% and get a guaranteed $500 on his $150 investment with a shot at 50K for first place.

But it was only 2:30 and I still wanted to play.  I put my name in for $100 NL, but then noticed there was a $60 Sit-N-Go forming.

It was a stupid turbo, 1500 chips with 10 minute levels, but I enjoy tournament style so much more than cash, it was an easy decision.

It was after 3 when we finally had enough players to start.   The table went apeshit early on with pushes, two players busted on the very first hand!   A couple more quickly followed and before I knew it we were 5 handed.

When we were 7 handed I managed to bust a player when I limped in early position with AK and got the shove I was looking for, he had A10.  Easy game, when one pays attention to how people are betting.

I also busted player number 5 when he defended his big blind to my 2.5x raise and decided that middle pair was good enough to shove when I c-bet my top pair.

I was almost chip leader at 4 handed, then slipped a bit when I released top pair middle kicker on a chunky turn bet from the guy on my right.   He had been pretty darn tight up until then, and it wasn't till an orbit or two later that I realized he had shifted gears.

I then got lucky and got into the money when the same guy on my right and the other chip leader busted the 4th player by checking it down, one of them binking bottom pair on the river.   I was guaranteed $90.


I offered a 3 way chop, as I was sitting on about 5K, the other guys on 4 and 6 respectively.  The 6K refused, despite my mentioning that we all had less than 10 bigs and were essentially flipping coins.

No worries - it was his right to think that he had an enormous chip and skill lead over us.

The very next hand he limped from the small blind and I checked my 82.  If I'd had heart, I would've shoved, but I'm chicken shit so what can you do.

The flop came a delightful 82x.  He donked, I flatted.   The turn brought a third diamond, a ten, but I didn't care.  He checked, I checked behind hoping to get it in on the river.  Probably a mistake, but I had very little to lose as whatever bet came would be stack altering.

The river was an ace and he checked.  The best card I could have seen - I bet 1500, half of my remaining stack and a devastating amount for him.  I figured if he had hit the ace (not likely since he didn't bet pre) a pair of 8's or a medium pocket pair (also unlikely, but possible) he might pay me off.   He also might have a bluff catcher.  He folded.

I had chipped up another 2K.  Now he was the short stack, though only by a couple K.

"$180 apiece for a three way chop..."   I piped in again.  He agreed.  Easy game.

Nice to be up $40 for a full day of playing - I enjoyed railing Dog, which you can read some account of on @PepperStChrisM on twitter.

I will mention that he busted in 36th place, the day starting with 7 tables.  He got all his chips (about 8 blinds I'm guessing) in the middle pre-flop with kings and yes, ran into aces.  Unavoidable in most situations, let alone a short stacked one.   He took home $990, which he happily plans to parlay into a seat in the senior's event (he just turned 50) at the WSOP.

As for me, also flush with cash (well maybe not, but at least I'm happy about my game) I'm planning to hit the WSOP as well, but first I'm gearing up for a short blast of poker in Vegas this weekend.   Thursday through Saturday I'll be in Phoenix watching the boys of summer (that would be the Oakland A's) get ready for the new season.  But on my way back on Saturday night instead of coming home like I should, I'll be taking a detour to hit up some donkaments with some good ol' boys.

That's right, it's NASCAR weekend in Vegas; last time I played during this time frame (2 years ago) in Sin City I had my biggest weekend ever, almost 2K in profits.  Here's hoping for a repeat!

I do recognize that everyone who plays poker, even those who spit into a dixie up, has improved greatly even in the space of 24 months - so I'm not expecting the world; but I do feel pretty confident that if I can fade 2 outers and such, I'll be a shoo-in for some monies.

On Saturday night when I arrive I'm planning to hit the 7pm Venetian and maybe a late night donkament (where I got all my profits last time) if I don't go deep.

The next day I'll of course hit my early Sunday morning tradition - the 9am Monte Carlo, which likely will be rife with some hungover (or maybe still drunk) rubes.

Then if I bust early and have time to kill I'll splash around with the tourists (who won't be NASCAR, they'll be at the race) at the Mirage at 11am.

I should be busted by the time 2pm rolls around, and that's where I'm going to go super negative EV and play in my first ever Bellagio tournament.  They've dropped the buy in just enough to where I feel comfortable now - it's a fantastic weekend major, and though I'll likely be outclassed, I just can't resist playing in such a bad ass tournament.

In the evening I'll try not to exhaust myself, but I can't resist to win some of my money back at the newest hot spot in poker tournaments (which again, should have a lot of that down home flavor that I'm looking for, since the race will be over) - the MGM.

Last year they overhauled their tournament structure, and I've read nothing but good things about it since.  Reasonable juice, and a good amount of chips in a structure that isn't completely shit.  For $80 and loaded with rednecks?  Big time +EV!

No late night turbos after that, I'm afraid I depart at the crack of "holy shit it's early" - and from there drive straight to work.   But it should be a grand old time!

Can't wait!

Quick thought...

Cashed in a live tournament for the second time this year at my own home game the other night.  Played just about perfect poker, lost two 60/40s where I was the 60, AIPF - and I lost a third one where I was dominated with A8 vs A10.

Really felt I would have taken it down if I could have faded those 6 outers and/or for once been the sucker instead of the suckee.

Last night I took down the tournament in my WSOP online satty series - and played great poker while also running fairly hot.   Learned one big thing -

Showing cards is essential in NLHE tournaments.

Every book will say the opposite - but I really believe to get into people's heads, it is very necessary to showski at some point.   Allow me to explain.

My image among my friends, live and online, these days is pretty aggro / spewey - last night I used this to a full advantage and hammered home the point by SHOWING when I had successfully bluffed two different players off of better hands.

I firmly believe if I hadn't stuck the needle in, in these two hands, I would not have gotten paid off like I did later on.  I got paid with quad 3s for God's sake!   How often does that happen?  Next to never if you don't demonstrate that you can fire with air.

I really believe, if you have any understanding of the psychology of the game, that showing cards at the exact right time is just too powerful a tool in the arsenal to ignore.

I also showed a few times when I open shoved and everyone folded - in those instances I had a pair of jacks, and two times AK suited.  It seems like this wouldn't work, but later I was able to shove and get folds with much trashier hands.

When I lucked out and more than tripled up in a 3 way pot, after being short stacked for a long time, I had some ammo and was able to show a few bluffs to these same players - and then they couldn't help but call me down with top pair when I turned a monster full house or flushed up.

So every poker book I've read is essentially full of shit.  Showing cards, when you have the experience and understanding of how other players are thinking, is not only okay - it's basically required in tournament play.   AND you can show both good hands and bad hands at different times on the same players and they will not necessarily be savvy enough to know that they are being manipulated.

Now, as Annie Duke likes to point out - there really are no absolutes in poker.  If I'm at a table where I'm seriously outclassed by most of the players at my table, such as if I were to run deep in a WSOP event, I would seriously consider not ever showing my cards if I didn't have to.  But in my home game, online with friends, and even at Commerce with a softish table draw - I'm certainly going to be whipping my cards out more often now that I've come to this conclusion.

Honesty Sucks

It's tough to know where I'm at in my game right now; I still love tournament poker, but it sure is hard.  And since I've been tracking my results accurately, for really the first time ever in my 5+ years of seriously playing this game, I find myself with way more questions than answers.


I've played in 13 events in January and the first part of February 2012.  I have cashed once.  Once.


Somehow it doesn't feel that unusual or bad, but when I look at the raw numbers - I'm stuck just over 700 bucks, it is a bit unsettling.


Now, to be fair, four of the events were $40 satellites at the LAPC, and these truly are super-turbos.  We start with 1000 in chips and blinds double every 15 minutes.  Ridiculous really, and the only reason I played them was because I busted out of other bigger events early and was still itching to play.


So I take those four events out, and it's 9 events and cashing once, stuck just over 500.


I can certainly live with that, and attribute a good part of it to variance.


But, and this is a good thing - there is also the nagging feeling that a few costly mistakes on either crucial or tournament ending hands, have put me in this negative.


I can distinctly remember an event at HPC where I had a decent amount of chips and I was second in (not first) with QJ suited.  I wound up in a three way pot with the third best hand, double dominated (my QJ vs. AJ and KQ - yuck!)   I can definitely say that I was a bit tilted from being so card dead, and even rationalized it at the time as I walked out to my car.


Thinking back, it was pretty much a horseshit move.  Not knowing how to fold broadway cards, especially suited ones, in early to mid position, even when the M is dwindling, is a leak that I can see that I have that needs plugging.


I did the same thing, calling off a shove by shoving, the other night in a fairly soft home game with KJ suited - ran into AQ and a small pair which held.  I didn't need to do that.  I had around 15 bigs, and in a tournament with no antes there was absolutely no excuse for it.  Additionally there was a station monster stack in front of me, yes he called - who would've probably looked me up with A2, let alone a shitty pocket pair.


There have been a couple of bust out hands where I was first in, and I'm a lot more comfy with those moves, that just didn't work out.


And then there was my last satellite at Commerce (wait, wasn't I not including those?) where I shoved over an UTG raiser and a limper with pocket tens.  Not that good, but really in a super turbo with 6 bigs I don't know that I'm ever folding tens.   Funny result, the original UTG raiser let it go (stupid) and the limper called off most of his chips with J10, which of course hit a three outer on the river.  I'm okay with this, results notwithstanding.


Other funny story, in the previous satellite on the same evening.   Psycho Asian guy to my right (I've played with him before and he truly is emotionally unhinged, he kicked a chair over at HPC when he busted one time, but anyway...) lost his shit when I called his SB shove blind.  The big blind was a third of my stack, so I thought nothing of calling - it was correct regardless of my holdings.   I had J2 he had A9.  The river brought a runner runner wheel and he really lost his shit, swearing at me up and down in Mandarin.   My only response was a raised eyebrow and an "Oookay..." as I scooped up the chips.   Later I did ask him if this was the first time he'd ever played poker, to which he swore again and again in his native tongue.  Good times.


Then there was a disastrous end on Saturday - I was sitting on about 25 bigs, with the blinds ratcheting up.  I knew it was time to start stealing when I could.  I had a good tight image, and had truly been playing ABC for over 2 hours.


Blinds 200/400.   Two limpers behind me, I raised it up to 2500 with K7os.  This is not really an overbet here, it's a 3x plus the two limpers and a little bit more.   The talky HPC regular who was a nice enough guy in the SB looked me up with what he called a "spite" call.  I laughed as the other limpers and BB folded.


Flop was Q58 rainbow, he led out with a third of the pot sized bet.


I hate donking, it puts me on tilt.  I need to learn to do it myself effectively, because it can be a great weapon against the right opponent (like me for instance).   But anyways, this player I knew was decent and could be tricky against another player he recognized as decent too (that would be me).


So I flatted to reevaluate on the turn, which was a 6 to complete the rainbow.  I was now open ended, plus I was guessing that any kings that hit would be good.  11 outs.


He led out again, this time a substantial bet that would commit me to the hand.  It was jam or fold time.


I don't hate my jam here, because he tanked forever and complimented me on a good play before calling off over half of his stack to my shove.  He had top pair, 10 kicker and it held.


At the time I hated his call, but on reflection I really blame myself every which way for this hand.


For starters, until I'm Daniel Negraneau, I really have zero business fucking around with K7os.  I can see trying to steal pre-flop if I've been super dead and it's open folded to me, but I shouldn't be dicking around with it if I have to raise higher than 2.5x to get rid of limpers.  Way too much money into a pot with a garbage hand.


And then, as Annie Duke likes to say, what if the king hits?  Am I happy?  Fuuuuck.  Now I've got too much of my stack involved to ever really consider folding.   And when I blank, as the hand shows, I can still get into trouble - even (or perhaps especially) if I'm reading my opponent right and put the right pressure on him.  He could and did still read me for a bullshitter and make a hero call.  


All of this could have been avoided - simply by being a bit more patient and waiting for better starting cards and a better situation.


As I drove home I couldn't help thinking to myself "Damn.  I could be still playing poker, sitting on 16 bigs if I had just folded to that big turn bet.  I knew he had top pair. Was he really a good enough player to lay it down?  In my heart I knew the answer was hells no."


I'm excited for the future of my game, despite my lumps - if I can truly look at myself objectively.  Tracking my bankroll to the last cent accurately is a phenomenal way  of doing this.  I had no idea that it would sharpen the picture of my game so drastically.   I'm happy that it has, because I feel that with this more detailed view of my results, I'll be able to adjust quicker and more productively.


********


Quick update - Sven and I are Vegas bound on the third weekend of July for the WSOP.  VERY excited.  Haven't decided if I'm going to save up for a bracelet event, but I'm leaning heavily towards a few satellite entries instead.

The Pumpkin

One of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies goes like this -


Frodo and his hobbit friends have returned to the Shire after a 13 month long harrowing adventure battling evil in the land of Mordor.  They return mostly physically unscathed, but mentally they have been battered and bruised, some of them (Frodo) beyond repair.   They have been to Mordor and seen the face of true evil and they will never be the same.


So they gather together in the Green Dragon pub, and as they sit down a rowdy bunch of hobbits enter with an enormous pumpkin.  The pumpkin's presumptive owner is very proud and polishes it lustily, glaring at Frodo who gets in his way.  


In the scene you can read the farmers mind - "Can't they see that this is important?  This is a prize winning pumpkin after all!"


The hobbits just give a reflective smile to each other and toast their friendship.   They, unlike most of the hobbits in the shire, can see the big picture.  The world is a vast place, full of danger and wonder, and until you step out into it, you really have no idea.


Until you have been to the mountain top, a giant pumpkin seems really important.


It's all about perspective, and even though I have very little in the world of poker - I am a thoughtful enough person to recognize that I and most of the  players in card rooms I sit down with, have no idea what it is to be a true professional in the sport.


So when, at Hollywood Park Casino, I look across at a loud mouthed grinder, who seems intent on letting the whole poker floor know that he is the table captain by God - all I actually see is a giant pumpkin.


Most of the arrogant players I've encountered are as self-important and delusional as that hobbit farmer, and have no idea how much more they have to learn about the game.


At my table in the World Series of Poker there was a bit of a chatterbox, who was maybe a four out of ten on the douche scale - who berated a player a bit who slow played his aces and got out flopped and lost his stack.


At this the chatterbox, who wasn't even in the hand, couldn't help himself and made a snide comment that actually contained the world "donk" in it.   The berated player simply smiled and wished everyone else luck as he left.   He then reappeared a few minutes later at the first break, up on the stage accepting his WSOP bracelet for the previous day's 10K H.O.R.S.E. event.


Fabrice Soulier, the "donkey" in question knows a pumpkin when he sees it, and he doesn't even bat an eye when it pops up at the table.  I would like very much to follow his lead on this, since I see a fair amount of pumpkins at most larger events I play in.


One was the other night in the LAPC, he was seated on my left.


In small chit chat I had ascertained that he was a recreational cash game player.  As a douche he was strictly minor league, maybe a 2 or 3 out of 10 - but I have to admit, his arrogance did tilt me a fair amount and probably led to my implosion on the last hand before the break.


But let's back up.


Earlier I had nearly tripled up in a three way pot, that believe it or not rattled me quite a bit.


Blinds were at 50/75 (an odd level to be sure, it gave the SB irresistable odds on every limped pot).


I was steaming from a long run of rag cards coupled with the fact that the table entire, douche included, seemed to be very passive and very soft.  I knew if I got some ammo I could take control, and with only 3K chips to start with that I had already spewed off a bit, I was itching to get my 2300 stack in.


I was in middle position, utg limped, as did utg+1 to my right.  I looked down at K5cc, which as we all know is a trash hand - but I rationalized a chunky three bet (from the limped 75 up to 300) because there had been very few of them so far and zero from me.  Also, the players who had re-raised had taken down their pots pre-flop.  That was really my plan here, though in hindsight I recognize that I didn't really have much of a plan if I got flatted.


And that's just what happened with the button, a weak female player that I had tangled with and won a pot with a bluff earlier.   There are more than a few problems with my questionable re-raise, but the biggest one is that there were so many players in front of me yet to act.  I'm lucky that it was only the button who stuck around.


But also, though the blinds and the utg player folded, the utg+1 called.   Utg+1 was probably the biggest fish at the table, I had him pegged as a classic super passive home gamer.   He was a level 1 station who had won a couple of big pots just by being stubborn and either hitting or calling off light with the best hand.  He had me well covered.  I covered the button by just a bit.


The flop came KK6 rainbow.   Yahtzee.


I had already made up my mind, and I think I was correct, that I was never folding with this board, not in most tournaments, but certainly not in a 1000 player event for $65 with a shot at 30K in first place money.  Most of all, I only have 1400 behind with roughly 1200 in the pot.


Utg+1 checked, I c-bet about 600, which of course commits me.   The button, who was likely very tilted by my earlier aggression, reluctantly stuck her remaining chips in.  It's what I figured she would do with a pocket pair. I wasn't worried.


Utg+1 tanked intently.  Uh-oh.  He has a king and for sure has me out kicked.  Well that sucks, mostly because I'm never ever folding here, and only a station with no concept of pot odds would bother to Hollywood to get the rest of my chips when any decent player knows they're going in anyway.


He abruptly announced all-in, and I called fully expecting to be out kicked and hoping for a lucky run of cards to chop.


He had AK and I was all but out the door.   I stood up, which I never do, and was putting on my jacket, which I also never do, when a five hit the river.


I didn't even notice that I had hit my 3 outer.   He was 94% after a blank on the turn.  I wasn't supposed to spike it - that would be (gasp!) like Mercier!   The pot got pushed to me and I blinked in disbelief.  An experienced player across from me picked right up on my bewilderment - "You won bro!"


"Oh shit." was my only response.  I was now at 8500+ and well above average.  I was also thoroughly rattled.


I had misplayed that hand dreadfully pre-flop, done okay afterwards, even calling off my tournament life because the numbers demanded it, but there really was no excuse for my pre-flop monkey business.   And yet here I was, being hugely rewarded for bad behavior.


That's poker.   I took a walk to cool off - because I was pretty mad at myself for playing so shitty and emotionally.  I returned to the table, still shaking a bit, but ready to use my new found ammo to it's fullest.


So anyway - my implosion.  


Instead of small balling smartly and grinding upwards, I managed to spew away much of my chips with sub-premium holdings.  I even tilt-3-bet with 63os at one point, lol.   I was down to 5500 and after the break we would be at 100/200 with a 25 ante.  Not the worst place to be, but I was very aggravated at having bled so many chips.   I had not been playing well at all.


On the last hand before the break - I defended my big blind from the minor league pumpkin on my left who raised UTG.  I had KJcc.  I have no problem with my call, which was for 200 more, I will defend my big blind with suited broadway cards most of the time - since with rags I relinquish it fairly frequently, I know people observe this and try to make me a target.  If I have cards with decent equity I try to defend at least 1 in 4 times if I can so I don't become a magnet for bigger stacks.


Flop came low with a single club ace and another club.   I checked to UTG who c-bet about a quarter of the pot.


This is another thing that had me pretty tilted on the day - an "expert" pumpkin who wanted to talk strategy with me and fancied himself God's gift to NLHE, didn't know how to bet size properly.


I called, which was a HUGE mistake.  It's ship it or fold here.


He's likely got an ace or an over pair.  If I shove now, he's likely to call with an ace and I'll have 9 outs, which puts me at the 40% end of a 60/40 "flip".  Not great, but I could live with it.  If I had  been thinking clearly, I could easily rationalize a shove here.  


Unfortunately I wasn't thinking very clearly; after the hand was over I erroneously concluded at the time that that my K or J or both might be good overs.  If this was the case then I for sure should have shoved as he would be likely to relinquish and even if he didn't I would then be the favorite with two cards to come.   This is bad reasoning - he was very likely to have an ace, and it was fairly likely, even with ginned outs, to be AK or AJ.


Anyway, I called which was terrible, and then I check raise shoved the blank turn which was also dreadful (got my money in as the 20 in an 80/20) and he snap called with a baby ace for most of his stack.   A pretty bad call, but not too terrible considering my table image at that time which was that of a LAGtard on crack.


The river blanked and I was gone, he got all my chips with a naked off suit baby ace that he had raised with UTG.


He was fairly terrible - but I had let my own emotions, my own sense of importance, guide me.  I had become a pumpkin on that hand.


Poker is a humbling sport for sure, but I find that lessons like these only make me better.  The good news is that I am properly bankrolled these days for a $65 tournament, and I can truly look at it as a cheap price for a good learning experience.


I'm anxious to play another event that's similar in scope -  you can't really do better than a 100K shot for $65.   I'll have to look long and hard at the LAPC schedule, most of the remaining buy-ins are significantly higher, but if I can satellite into one of them, I think it would be well worth it.

More Run Bad but looking forward to 2012

Random recap of the year since the last post.


Played quite a bit of live poker in the last months of 2011 - cashed a handful of times, but mostly failed to fade 2 outers and inevitably made moves when I was crushed.


Finished out the Flatline season without cashing, save for a money-back chop that I negotiated at 1:30 in the morning on a bat-shit insane 8-game mix of my own design.   Anxious to start again in mid-January.


I will also be running and participating in "Worldline" our annual World Series of Poker satellite series.  This year it's 20 tournaments, scored as usual, with all of them counting towards a 1K seat.


Found a new home game this year, Eric T. hosts it.   Lots of fun, a 20K stack tournament SNG single table with no antes and soft players.  Have cashed 3 out of 6 times, and they are getting wise to me, but it still seems like it will be profitable.


HPC has been fairly cruel - either super card dead, or again (as I alluded above) I have been unable to dodge the requisite cards from hell.    Haven't cashed there in ages - probably close to 10 tournaments.


Also dabbled the other night at the Bike, found it soft and a good structure for $60, but the inmates are running the asylum over there.  Far worse than HPC in terms of dealer abuse and out of control regulars.   The Bike makes HPC look positively civilized.  Much cleaner card room, but much nastier people.


Had my aces cracked by A10 AIPF at PSP the other night.  Delightful, but typical.


I'm ready to start running like Mercier any day now.  All set and prepared.


Of course, as a good player Matthew S. pointed out to me in a recent e-mail, when we run bad we tend to play bad in tandem, because we get tilted and our decisions are poor.   This is largely true, but of course I'm not playing THAT bad - not nearly as bad as my results in the last six months have shown.


I was up over 1K in winnings from Flatline over 3 years - now I'm just under 800.   Stuck 200 for the season.  Ready to step back, readjust, and get more patient there.  Sven gave me the best advice ever for that league, and this reminds me - I've had dry stretches there before - his advice was, "Good cards will come".  This is super true now, with so many new fishy stations swimming about.


Two resolutions:


1
Must must MUST finally get an accurate spread sheet (now that I know how to do them) and keep track of my bank roll in all forms of poker.   Hopefully by the end of 2012 I will be able to add back online play (besides Flatline) as there are rumblings of sanity returning to our government.


2
Am going to take the plunge more often into cash game play in card rooms.


Busted in a sick manner one Sunday at HPC and had the afternoon to kill before the 430 second chance - took the opportunity to play $100 NL.   HPC's version of small stakes cash game No Limit Hold-Em, blinds at $2 and $3, 100 maximum buy in with $150 max reload.   I was shocked, shocked, SHOCKED at how timid the table was and at how SOFT it was.  There was one maniac who had no idea what he was doing, I managed to get all his chips and mine in the middle after the turn and he was dead to 3 cards, which of course he hit.   Unfazed, I reloaded and promptly stacked him once, twice, three times to finish up over $200 in profit.   That, was amazing and a wake up call to me.  The word about Vegas cash games is that they are WAY softer than SoCal.   Oh really?  Looks like I'll have to find out.


For a $100 max buy in table, I figure to budget 3 buy-ins.  If I'm felted 3 times, just like a tourney, I walk and wait for the next tournament to begin.  It simply appears to be way too profitable to pass up.


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Very excited about 2012 actually - I can't run any worse, and hopefully with a fresh slate I'll be centered enough to make half decent decisions, so when the good cards do finally come, I can make them profitable.